[nthvenus]

Hi everyone

I'm new here so I hope you'll give me a warm welcome. Here's a bit about me and my experiences with audio equipment (I'll keep it short!). I'm Sam, 19 and live in the United Kingdom where everything is expensive and taxed. In terms of MP3 players I've owned a 5G iPod Video 30GB, Archos Gmini 500 (PMP) and iRiver H10 6GB. I've just sold the H10 but found it to have the best sound quality out of the three with the Gmini 500 having the worst. I've never used high-end earphones with the best headphones that I've used probably being Sennheiser CX-300s. I have no quibbles with IMEs except that they can hurt your ears after a while.

Here is where I need advice from you guys. I've just bought a refurbished Creative Zen Xtra 60GB from eBay with all original accessories plus a spare battery. The cost was £91 ($182). There are three reasons why I bought this particular MP3 player. Firstly, the Zen Xtra has a SNR of 98dB which is pretty darn good, one of my lecturers from my college said that an 8dB (i.e. from 90dB to 98dB) difference in SNR isn't noticable but what the heck. Secondly, from the reviews I read about the player I ascertained that the sound quality is impeccable. Finally, the Zen Xtra has a standard capacity of 60GB but with the Zen Xtra it is possible to replace the existing drive with a drive as large as 160GB as the existing drive is just a normal laptop hard drive.

Now I know what I said about sound quality is probably jack because generally the headphones dictate the quality of the sound so this is where I want your advice. I've got £50 ($100) to spend on buying some headphones for my new player which I want to have superb sound quality and the ability to play music loud because that's how I enjoy listening to hard dance music. I listen to all types of music from R&B with plenty of bass to hard dance music which is fast tempo and more suited to treble with a bit of bass. I listen to orchestral music from video games such as Final Fantasy composed by Nobuo Uematsu and alternative music like Poets of the Fall, Audioslave, Live, etc. I listen to dance and hip hop, pop and techno, everything near enough. Can you guys recommend headphones to me based on your knowledge, experiences and opinions. I hope I haven't bored you to death. Much appreciated.

Kind regards
Sam

 

[nthvenus]

Anyone?

 

[StealthR6]

I guessing you want something portable? Koss KSC75, they are awesome, and only $20!

 

[speedball]

you might try searching around for some threads on the alessandro MS-1

 

[nthvenus]

Yes, portable at the moment. So I've got the Koss KSC75 to look at and the Alessandro MS-1, what else?

 

[nthvenus]

Ok the Alessandro MS-1 seem great! Are they loud? I've just read that with portables they need amping?

The KSC75 have got excellent reviews so that is one to definitely put at the top.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Just checking -- headphones only, or would you consider IEMs and/or canal phones? Also, with the headphones -- open, or closed (that is, do you want isolation?)?

PS: Here's hoping your Creative is a tank and that you get lots of use out of it.

 

[speedball]

yep. the ksc75's are great!
I've loved the MS-1's when i've had the opportunity to listen to them. IMO, they do just fine w/o an amp. They are really versatile and will do a nice job of covering multiple genres. The problem with the MS-1 is that they are open, so for portable use they may not be the best. (lots of sound leaking in and out)

 

[Pangaea]

KSC75 or PX100 or Yuin PK-2

 

[Jahn]

You are in the UK. You have $100 US Dollars. You need a can to go unamped.

Seriously - it's all about the Alessandro MS-1 at www.alessandro-products.com due to the fact that it's $99 shipped worldwide - that's a flat fee! What with the pound killing the dollar right now, I would totally go this way. The Koss is nice, but I think over in the UK don't you still have to pay twice what we do over here for one? Even tho it's more portable than an MS-1, the MS-1 will destroy a KSC-75 koss clip in quality.

Go for it! Edit- and don't forget to order it with the miniplug option, not the 1/4 plug option!

 

[Meloncoly]

MS1s are fine without an amp. Give Equation Audio's headphone line a try, like the RP-15MC or the Audio Technica ATH-ES5/7. Koss KSC75s are great, but I don't like their "flavor" when unmodded...and K81DJs are great after they're modded and stretched out like mad.

 

[nthvenus]

@ LaBreaHead - I hope it's a tank too I think it's going to be great! I've not got it yet! I would consider anything as long as they meet what I specified in my original post (loud and amazing sound quality) and accommodate for the genres of music I listen to

@ speedball - Cool, so the KSC75s are loud and sound awesome? I've read that they are very balanced and can cope with all genres of music and have plenty of volume.

@ pangaea - I read that the PX100s have poor mids and trebles?

 

[el_matt0]

yuin pk2 or even a pk1 if u can find a good deal used

 

[speedball]

i agree with jahn, took the words right out of my mouth!

Quote:

You are in the UK. You have $100 US Dollars. You need a can to go unamped. Seriously - it's all about the Alessandro MS-1 at www.alessandro-products.com due to the fact that it's $99 shipped worldwide - that's a flat fee! What with the pound killing the dollar right now, I would totally go this way. The Koss is nice, but I think over in the UK don't you still have to pay twice what we do over here for one? Even tho it's more portable than an MS-1, the MS-1 will destroy a KSC-75 koss clip in quality. Go for it! Edit- and don't forget to order it with the miniplug option, not the 1/4 plug option!

edit- like i said though, the dealbreaker for you here might be that the MS-1s are open, so they'd provide no isolation at all

another edit haha - didn't see your comment. The KSC75's will get plenty loud, but they may lack the bass you were looking for

 

[Pangaea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nthvenus /img/forum/go_quote.gif @ LaBreaHead - I hope it's a tank too I think it's going to be great! I've not got it yet! I would consider anything as long as they meet what I specified in my original post (loud and amazing sound quality) and accommodate for the genres of music I listen to @ speedball - Cool, so the KSC75s are loud and sound awesome? I've read that they are very balanced and can cope with all genres of music and have plenty of volume. @ pangaea - I read that the PX100s have poor mids and trebles?

PX100 would not be my 1st choice, but worth mentioning within your criteria. KSC75 are much better, and cheaper- but the PX100 earns some points for looking a little sharper. The Yuins are your best option. I have the PK1s so I cannot truely comment on the PK2s but I am sure they are great.