[Satellite_6]

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Do the moderators get paid?

 

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They get paid to recommend audiophile headphones over Bose, Beats, and Skullcandy, which are all really just as good. It's a conspiracy!!
 
(yes, don't worry, sarcasm is indeed present) 
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[Uncle Erik]

Paid?

Ha.

I don't think I could name more than four or five sponsors without looking.

Some companies have given me swag at meets, but nothing other than what everyone got. A few pens from Beyerdynamic, a handful of neck lanyards, stuff like that. The nicest thing I got was a t-shirt from Woo Audio. However, they had a donation box for Head-Fi and I dropped in $10.

Wait, I take that back. About five years ago, Dr. Meier gave away PCBs and front/back plates for the Corda Cross-I. He sent me two of each for postage. I got into the case group buy and used that to build two Cross-I units. I like them very much and wish they were in production.

Aside from that, I've spent some time talking with Craig Uthus, Donald North and Ray Sameuls. None of them gave me anything, asked for an endorsement, or anything of the sort. They are nice people and I wish them and their businesses well, but there's no compensation for it. I've chatted with a few other vendors, too, and liked them.

There isn't a conspiracy and we are just volunteers.

 

[rhythmdevils]

That's what I thought I just wanted to be sure.
 
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it's about intellectual honesty.  sure, i can infer anything i want, but that doesn't make it true.  no, a moderator shouldn't have the right to infer what he/she wants.   
 
i could care less what people like or dislike, but i feel UE and other mods/administrators step over the line with "activist" behaviors with expressing views on certain products.  obviously UE should be able to express his views, but the fact that he states he's a member first and moderator second is a problem.  he's made some irresponsible comments and has the power to wield.
 

 
Being volunteers, the mods are clearly members first, and it is out of kindness and care for this place (and by extention, you, and all members) that they do their moderating work for free.  To say that they shouldn't be able to be a part of head-fi just like everyone else, but have some responsibility to promote products or behave differently than everyone else because they volunteer to help a community that you don't volunteer for, but use and enjoy, is a little absurd IMO.

 

[pp312]

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It's not the strong opinions expressed that's the problem with these threads. I have no problem at all with Acix love affair with the k702, even though I disagree with him. The problem is the fact that some people take someone's criticisms of a piece of gear as if it's an attack on their own taste. If you like the k701 and UE or someone else doesn't, what's the big deal...even if they say it a hundred times? Why should you even care enough to make it a problem? I already know UE's take on them as well as Acix's. So what if they repeat it in every relevant(and sometimes not relevant) thread. Just skip on to the next post and get on with it. The sun will still rise in the morning even though UE or someone else hates the k70X. It's incredible how polarizing a headphone can be!

I agree that people take criticism of some phones as an attack on their own taste. However, I've repeatedly defended a certain phone, the 555/595, not for personal reasons but because I feel it's being done an injustice due to the use of wrong criteria. This is after all Head-Fi, which suggests (correct me if I'm wrong) a certain committment to hi-fi, that is, the most accurate sound, the closest to the source. Now I attend quite a few live symphonic concerts so I know what live music sounds like, and I know that the 5*5 is about as neutral a phone in terms of frequency balance as you can get in that price range. However, I persistently read that the 5*5 is "boring", "no good with music"--generally, a terrible phone because it isn't as exciting as, say, an AD700. Without getting into yet another 5*5/700 debate, I can safely say that the 700 is not as neutral as the Senn phones. It no doubt sounds more exciting on some music, but it's not as neutral. So I end up repeatedly defending the Senns on those grounds--not because I care a whit what people like, but because a good phone is being unfairly maligned due to criteria like excitement and treble detail taking precedence over balance and neutrality. Or in other words, the definition of hi-fi going out the window. Of course one can say, "I prefer the 700; it's much more exciting and detailed", but that's different to damning another phone because it's less exciting.
 
I guess I just feel that if we get too far away from the definition of hi-fi than we have no basis for judgement: it all becomes personal preference and a Skullcandy is as good as an HD800 if it sounds as good to you.  
 
    

 

[lejaz]

Point well taken. I criticize the k702 on the same grounds that you defend the 5X5....fidelity...or accuracy/neutrality...depending on how you want to describe it.  After a few decades of making and listening to live music, my ears are telling me that the k70X comes up short in a couple of areas of what you refer to as hi-fi or fidelity to the recording. They're still great phones in some ways though, and I'm glad I tried them. Still, I don't see any point in taking it personally if someone doesn't hear what I hear and they want to praise the 70X in every other thread. Like I wrote previously, there are probably very real physiological reasons why we hear differently, not to mention psychological ones.
 
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It's not the strong opinions expressed that's the problem with these threads. I have no problem at all with Acix love affair with the k702, even though I disagree with him. The problem is the fact that some people take someone's criticisms of a piece of gear as if it's an attack on their own taste. If you like the k701 and UE or someone else doesn't, what's the big deal...even if they say it a hundred times? Why should you even care enough to make it a problem? I already know UE's take on them as well as Acix's. So what if they repeat it in every relevant(and sometimes not relevant) thread. Just skip on to the next post and get on with it. The sun will still rise in the morning even though UE or someone else hates the k70X. It's incredible how polarizing a headphone can be!

I agree that people take criticism of some phones as an attack on their own taste. However, I've repeatedly defended a certain phone, the 555/595, not for personal reasons but because I feel it's being done an injustice due to the use of wrong criteria. This is after all Head-Fi, which suggests (correct me if I'm wrong) a certain committment to hi-fi, that is, the most accurate sound, the closest to the source. Now I attend quite a few live symphonic concerts so I know what live music sounds like, and I know that the 5*5 is about as neutral a phone in terms of frequency balance as you can get in that price range. However, I persistently read that the 5*5 is "boring", "no good with music"--generally, a terrible phone because it isn't as exciting as, say, an AD700. Without getting into yet another 5*5/700 debate, I can safely say that the 700 is not as neutral as the Senn phones. It no doubt sounds more exciting on some music, but it's not as neutral. So I end up repeatedly defending the Senns on those grounds--not because I care a whit what people like, but because a good phone is being unfairly maligned due to criteria like excitement and treble detail taking precedence over balance and neutrality. Or in other words, the definition of hi-fi going out the window. Of course one can say, "I prefer the 700; it's much more exciting and detailed", but that's different to damning another phone because it's less exciting.
 
I guess I just feel that if we get too far away from the definition of hi-fi than we have no basis for judgement: it all becomes personal preference and a Skullcandy is as good as an HD800 if it sounds as good to you.  
 
    

 

[Acix]

lol, now you know how stupid this accusations are, and I need to hear it all the time from members like Macedonianhero and rhythmdevils.

 
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Paid?

Ha.

 

[Acix]

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Wait are you an AKG staffer?

Another great example of divine grace...

 

[Deep Funk]

The title of the article is too misleading. Old school, dig up some real vintage headphones...
 
I do not like the pretentiousness of such articles. He could have picked up real oldies but instead choose headphones that are not that old to begin with, maybe the life span or product line and that is it. I am sorry but I am disgusted...

 

[pp312]

Why?

 

[EddieE]

EDIT - Actually - really can't be bother to get involved.

 

[MomijiTMO]

It's more like they contribute than get paid. 

 

[Katun]

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The title of the article is too misleading. Old school, dig up some real vintage headphones...
 
I do not like the pretentiousness of such articles. He could have picked up real oldies but instead choose headphones that are not that old to begin with, maybe the life span or product line and that is it. I am sorry but I am disgusted...

That's what I thought. They are by no means "old school" like the title states.
 
But who cares? It's a great article none the less, just with a mismatched title.

 

[Shike]

 
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Acix, I have a Dynalo and an M^3 around that I built. I found the K-701 plasticky on both on those, as well. I actually found the K-701 to sound its best on the Zana Deux. Not good enough to actually enjoy it, but it was better than on the solid state amps.

Unless you're saying that the Dynalo and M^3 are poor quality solid state amps

I actually picked up another stuffed Dynalo board last year and have two STEPS ready - they're going to be a Dynamid. There's also a three-channel Beta22 in parts as well as a Dynamight. I'll start working through them when I get the Arizona shop together in a few more months.

I prefer tubes, but plan to put a few solid state heavy hitters into the rack, too.

Maybe I'll reevaluate the K-701 then, but I don't think my opinion will change. I've heard it on a variety of amps at several meets and its fundamental character isn't very good. Though the K-601 surprised me - I like it. Not as much as the K-501, but it's a better headphone than the K-701.

AKG, by the way, implicitly acknowledges that the K-701 isn't as good as the DT880 or HD-650. That's why it is priced lower than those two. They can only compete on price, not sound.

 
Out of the bunch I'd say the K601 is better than both the 501 and 701 personally, but I like going by empirical accuracy first.  After my used ones started having mild structural issues (band glide cracking) I had the option of the K601 for $200 and the K701 for $250 new.  I went with the K601.
 
However, I'm going to have to disagree on the MSRP = performance things.  Bose have a high MSRP, it doesn't make them good.  A lot of things have a high MSRP that performs bad or only comparably to lower priced gear.  Case in point, if we're looking at most accurate DF equalized headphone the K601 stomps a lot of the higher priced competition.
 
 
However, I'd still take the K701 with plasticky mids compared to Senns "bass and nothing else" and the smiley of the 880.  Then again I'm an empirical accuracy first person, makes choosing headphones and gear a lot easier (and cheaper).  If I think something sounds bad out of my setup I know what to blame - it surely isn't the equipment in the least.

 

[Deep Funk]

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The title of the article is too misleading. Old school, dig up some real vintage headphones...
 
I do not like the pretentiousness of such articles. He could have picked up real oldies but instead choose headphones that are not that old to begin with, maybe the life span or product line and that is it. I am sorry but I am disgusted...

That's what I thought. They are by no means "old school" like the title states.
 
But who cares? It's a great article none the less, just with a mismatched title.

A great article also has a great title. I consider my self an information addict so I read almost all the time. The nerve to just state what is old school without a hint of knowledge what makes a headphone old school is appaling. The article is interesting to say the least but if you want to pretend you are an expert, make sure you know your stuff...
 
And yes I care while I should not care. Oh well...
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

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lol, now you how stupid this accusations are, and I need to hear it all the time from members like Macedonianhero and rhythmdevils.

 
 

I wouldn't use the term "accusation", more like insinuation.

 
Hope you have a great holiday season and happy New Year Eddie!