[non-entity]

Hey guys!

Some time ago I bought my first "professional and/or audiophile" headphones (AKG K 240 MK II) and right now I'm thinking about my happiness using them. First time putting them on was kind of awesome, I totally enjoyed the bass, sound stage and clearness, but after some time I felt that the difference wasn't as big as I expected it to be. Sure, I thought about "burn-in", but after 24 hours of usage this was no matter anymore. Because of this I felt like I just bought myself a nearly 200 dollar placebo but after some more days I appreciated this baby 'cause I found what's really the difference. Day by day I heard more details in almost every song and subconsciously I focus more on the songs I'm listening to. It's kind of discovering the songs I know for so long anew. Good mastered lossless sources (maybe even SACD stereo or DVDA; but in any case something with enough headroom) played back by a nice device with 192khz/24bit DAC with an amp in the middle sound just sweet. Well, I could go on here but I don't want to lengthen this too much.

So, well, what is this thread for? I just wanted to share some experiences, maybe stories about the good old days when you guys got your first "cans" and how you felt/feel about them.

Regards,
non-entity

 

[mookowz13]

going from Sony MDR-EX51s to my ATH-A700s was like night and day difference, and I don't consider that at hi-fi jump by any means. Going to my K601s was another huge jump, as I rarely use my A700s except for a change of pace or if my house is noisy. Even then I still don't consider it a true jump into audiophile territory.

 

[non-entity]

Posting this I kind of knew that there'll be talk about what's "audiophile" and stuff, but well, let me say my point on this. Equipment that YOU consider or considered as "audiophile". I don't even like this term, but using this implies in a way what I'm talking about, doesnt it?

That's why I put it in quotation marks anyway. I also tried some more expensive Sennheiser, Ultrasone, AKG and Grado phones, but there was no like night and day difference ... Okay, the AKG K 701 phones are a little (big xD) exception, they really are something special in my opinion. But still too pricey for me ...

EDIT: Besides, there are people who still use their old AKG 240 sextett phones and are happy with them, saying they're "audiophile" phones. So what's "audiophile" anyway? Something with a big name and an even bigger price tag?

 

[Mitchell.lax]

From Sennheiser HD212pro phones back in the day, which were bass heavy and muddy, backwards to iBuds. Then to MS1's, and now MS1000's.

My jump has been night and day. I find myself enjoying the music much, much more.

 

[lucky]

Not much. I was already enjoying my music (800+ albums at last count) through my EP630s. The HD555 were my first serious full-sizers, and I enjoyed the gains in detail, clarity, imaging, etc. Then I got the AD700, which I also enjoyed for the wider stage and sense of weightlessness. Sold the HD555 and bought the K701, and enjoyed their brightness. Sold the K701 and bought the RX700, which I modded and enjoyed for their isolation and warmth. Nowadays, all my at-home listening is done on the AD700 and RX700, and I've no current plans to buy other full-sized phones. I'm currently looking for an upgrade in portable phones, though. We'll see how it goes. But to return to your question, I've always enjoyed my music regardless of the phones I've used, because the music has always been far more important than the phones.

 

[lucky]

Incidentally, this is part of why I've never had much interest in super-high-end phones, amps, cables, sources, etc. I just don't think they'd have anywhere near as much of an impact on my enjoyment of the music as so many other things would (e.g., my moods, life events, time of day, temperature, location, the music itself...). I tend to enjoy cheaper phones much more than more expensive phones precisely because they're less of a distraction from what truly interests me.

 

[fluffygdog95]

Going from whatever crap with which I used to listen to music to Sennheiser hd555s was such a difference, I was glued to my chair and sat, in complete silence, for twenty minutes. That sparked the bug, and now I have a Compass in my posession and hd650s on the way.

 

[non-entity]

lucky got a point there ... The most important thing is still the music. I also think this way, but what I've said above must sound like the other thing. I started this thread cause this is something that made me think a lot lately. Some of my friends call me "headphone" cause they virtually never see me without my phones and over time I killed a lot of cans so I never bought myself expensive ones cause feared I'd kill them aswell. At some point I just wanted cans (mostly for listening at home) which are really comfortable with nice sound so I started looking. I tried a lot of them, even read more about them and I just couldn't resist the K 240. Semms like they're fitted for my head, they just match.

Some people buy sources for utopian prices, get even more expensive tube amps and other stuff. Well, I don't say they're bad or something, no. There is a certain level of quality for sure, but at some point (or price) it's getting ridiculous. I don't get why people still fall for "extrem quality cables" and similar stuff. Or why do people buy junk like "SHM-Discs"? It's either 0 or 1, so there's no need for this stuff. I also can't stand salesmen presenting me their products saying "Can you hear how much clearer it is?" after powering up the more expensive one. So, well, "HQ" is relative and this makes my thread almost needless ...

 

[Currawong]

About 20 years ago when my parents bought my MB Quarts, the difference was huge. Previously I was using a crappy pair of Sonys. I couldn't listen with the Sonys after that.

 

[fluffygdog95]

I can listen with lesser quality gear. It is just that after hearing what one is missing, it is a sad event.

I would rather listen with sad gear than not at all. :\

 

[mookowz13]

I've still got my MP3 player throw in buds and use them at bedtime, I can notice a difference but my ears aren't snobby, they just like hearing music.

That being said, I still love my rig and I love to listen on my K601s, but to me it seems more like a privilege than "how it should be".

 

[Redcarmoose]

I can not remember because my first good ones were in 1980. Yes, I still kinda can hear.

 

[olblueyez]

Took me about 6 months to get my system tuned the way I like it. The difference between now and the cheap Sony's I had is like the difference between a skateboard and Apollo 11.

 

[progo]

I noticed instantly that the cans (595s) were something special. It was huge difference to the older 6-chan Trust 'phones.

 

[krmathis]

3 years ago I went from a Grado SR80 to a Stax SR-007BL.
No surprise that the difference was massive. Both in term of sound quality and wearing comfort.

Since then it has been no way back.