[shagvirus]

Just purchased these headphones primarily for PC games,music,movies.

Only means i have to test these headphones is with a laptop hypersonic ex7.

Listening to (rock,rap,classical) mp3's at 320 bitrate these headphones sound overbearing in the mids and high department. Bass seems to be lacking.

This weekend i will try using these headphones in a pc with a baracuda ac-1 soundcard.

Place i purchased these headphones from needs to go through the manufacture to get a claim authorization so i can return them to the place i bought them.

If thats a hassle i will sell here or possibly trade.

what other headphones in the 100-200 dollar range would suit me for what i am looking for. average to small head, eyeglass wearer.

thoughts / comments much appreciated.

thank you for your time

Marty

 

[fraseyboy]

What you are hearing is the sound of clarity.

 

[Maxvla]

What headphones did you listen to before?

How long have you listened to these headphones?

Do you have a better soundcard (usb, etc) you can use than onboard sound?

The first question will let us know what you were used to, the second question will let us know if your ears/mind have had a true chance to adjust to proper quality (dependant on question 1). The third question can make or break any headphone, not just this one. A laptop's sound implementation is usually one of the worst devices for audio in existence. My own laptop is disgustingly bad. If you can get the digital to audio conversion (DAC) to an outboard device like a USB DAC/Amp your overall quality will increase dramatically. The phones may sound completely different with a proper signal.

If you haven't had them long I'd give them more time for you to adjust to them. Many people enter the realm of headphones expecting big speaker results, but it just doesn't work that way. Headphones are highly resolving, but have low presence, whereas speakers can be highly resolving ($$$$), but can easily have more presence, most notably the low bass. Listen with your mind, find the details in your music, the textures, that you've never heard before. This is where headphones shine even at relatively low cost levels.

Final note: Music isn't supposed to be bass heavy. It is supposed to be a base for the rest of the music to be supported upon, this is why if you listen to music on a small radio you hear mids and highs and it sounds ok for what it is, but put a full range speaker system in it's place and suddenly the music truly comes to life. The opposite of this is the 'norm' in today's hifi world where bass is overdone to the point where the bass takes over and doesn't let the music breathe. The pursuit of a balanced sound is what audiophiles are after. Clear and present bass, but balanced against warm, smooth mids and sparkling transparent highs. If these are all proportioned correctly you get something in the realm of magic.

 

[shagvirus]

1. Well never really had a "good" set. I have used a pair of sony's from bestbuy that cost like 100 a few years ago.

Bought the razer 5.1 headphones for myself on a woot buy for like 40.00.
Gave those to nephew because they hurt my ears clamping my ear to my eyeglasses.

For working out i have the Sennheiser MX75. used with a 80g Zune.

2. I just listened to them for like 30min in the past 2 days. I just got them 2 days ago. working 14hr shifts so i havent had time to play with them.

3. My nephew has the baracuda ac1 razer card will test this sunday when i am off.

Dont get my wrong, i can hear stuff on that laptop in songs,movies i have never picked up before. Just seemed to me that the headset was blasting mids,high content.

Thanks for your input & time.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxvla /img/forum/go_quote.gif What headphones did you listen to before? How long have you listened to these headphones? Do you have a better soundcard (usb, etc) you can use than onboard sound? The first question will let us know what you were used to, the second question will let us know if your ears/mind have had a true chance to adjust to proper quality (dependant on question 1). The third question can make or break any headphone, not just this one. A laptop's sound implementation is usually one of the worst devices for audio in existence. My own laptop is disgustingly bad. If you can get the digital to audio conversion (DAC) to an outboard device like a USB DAC/Amp your overall quality will increase dramatically. The phones may sound completely different with a proper signal. If you haven't had them long I'd give them more time for you to adjust to them. Many people enter the realm of headphones expecting big speaker results, but it just doesn't work that way. Headphones are highly resolving, but have low presence, whereas speakers can be highly resolving ($$$$), but can easily have more presence, most notably the low bass. Listen with your mind, find the details in your music, the textures, that you've never heard before. This is where headphones shine even at relatively low cost levels.

 

[Maxvla]

Your $100 Sony's from Best Buy weren't 'good'. So indeed these are your first good headphones.

30 minutes is very far from the amount of time you'll need to adjust your hearing. Most stores have a 30 day return policy. I'd suggest trying to get in at least 40-50 hours over the next 20 days or so. I'm not sure of the whole 'break in' thing with headphones, it is likely true and the 40-50 hours could make a big difference in your headphones at the same time your hearing is adjusting to proper sound. If you can dedicate yourself to the 40-50 hours, keeping listening to other (cheap) headphones to a minimum if at all, at the end of this period you should easily be nearly revolted at the sound you hear from Best Buy type headphones.

Little story about myself: The last month I've had my fairly mid-fi speaker system (harman kardon/velodyne) disconnected since I finally got my headphone rig completed. The speaker system was connected to my computer and with the new headphone rig it wasn't needed so it sat while I got my living room together so I could assemble it in there. I got it put together a few days ago and popped in a CD and was so disappointed. The highs were rolled off badly, mids were decent, but recessed, and the bass was overextended. I'm a person who hates equalizers, but in this case I was forced into it to make it even listenable at all. I bumped the treble and turned my subwoofer down to almost minimum volume and only then was it ok enough even for background music. I come back to my computer, toss on my headphones, load up the same disc, and realize how much time I've wasted with those speakers over the last 5 years.

 

[shagvirus]

the 'good' was ment to be a joke.

Even if i give these a fair share of listening. How can that fix the lack of bass i crave in some songs? Can prolong use with these actually make the bass appear? would using the zune suffice till i get my PC build next week?

it has onboard sound for the moment evga x58

 

[Maxvla]

The balanced sound will come with ear training. Your ear has already been trained that big bass is how music should sound. You have to retrain your ear. Once you become more neutral you'll appreciate tight, clean, deep extending, but not large quantity bass.

As to the phone itself I would leave it running with music 24/7 if possible from any source. Leave the music just slightly higher than comfortable listening level and try to use full range music like high intensity classical or metal. The music itself isn't that important, but if you have the time it will work the phones more and get them broken in. If you aren't taking the phones with you to work (doesn't sound like it), just load up a playlist on your computer, plug the phones in and set it to play and loop repeat while you are away.

 

[shagvirus]

thank you for your time. i will do just that.

i guess the system in my car fubar'd my ear.

2) 12in subs jl audio
6.5 rear MB quart
5 1/4 front MB quart components

 

[Maxvla]

Happens to the best of us. In fact I posted this in another thread maybe 20 minutes ago. I speak from experience.

 

[scytheavatar]

If you are looking for a bassy entry level phone let me point you in the direction of the Denon D1001 and the Audio Technica ES7.

 

[hardstyler]

AD700 have weak bass, its a fact. If YOU think bass sounds weak then IT IS weak. Get yourself 770pro/80.

 

[hardstyler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shagvirus /img/forum/go_quote.gif the 'good' was ment to be a joke. Even if i give these a fair share of listening. How can that fix the lack of bass i crave in some songs? Can prolong use with these actually make the bass appear?

No, you need bassier headphones. I would strongly suggest BeyerDynamic 770pro/80.

 

[Maxvla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardstyler /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, you need bassier headphones. I would strongly suggest BeyerDynamic 770pro/80.

The guy has listened to these phones for all of 30 minutes and you are already suggesting new phones?

 

[shagvirus]

while i give these phones a fair shot sun,mon,tues,wed my next 4 days off from work.

also will be looking into other choices. tues taking the fiancee on a shopping spree for v-day and b-day, need to locate some shops to test a few other brands.

thanks all for your input

 

[Rarach]

I guess that sound that you describe is what people call audiophille quality or clarity. It's same with DT880 and K701. As someone here already mentioned "untrained" ear can have problem to absorb so much detail in mids & specially highs and bass balanced with rest of spectrum. You will probably like more some warm headphones.