[locu64]

I listen to a lot of 'chiptunes', music made from old video game systems and computers. This makes it hard when looking for new headphones to buy because having a setup sound awesome for 'classical', 'jazz' or 'pop' doesn't really help. To get an idea of what kind of headphones would be good for this style can you guys listen to this mp3 and rate them on yours?

It is the bassline channel from one of my most favorite songs:

Tempest - Blackjack (Bass Channel Only)
Tempest - Blackjack (Bass Channel Only) (FLAC)

Also included is the complete song:

Tempest - Blackjack
Tempest - Blackjack (FLAC)

My Rating:

1. KSC75
2. Philips HP890
3. Shure E2C
4. Creative EP630

I really like the sparkle and airyness that the KSC75 give this song. I kinda felt that the E2C were a step backwards even know they cost me significantly more then my other headphones. The high highs on the HP890s are better but the KSC75 does everything else much better.

Any recommendations for this style?

Please note: This song has been released into the public domain by the author so there are no legal issues with the mp3, you can visit the artist's site here http://www.fairlight.fi/tempest/microgrooves/

Edit: Added FLAC files for those of you are into that kind of thing.

 

[unclejr]

Hey, I'm really sorry.

I tried to listen to both of those, but the first one sounds like burn-in noise and the second one reminded me of 1987 which was cool but I couldn't do it without round A and B buttons.

I was unaware of this -- is this an entire genre of music? Is it music for music's sake or for development of games or nostalgia or ... ? (A serious question)

I have a hard time separating the music from the gear. So to me it sounded awful through my headphone out of my laptop to my Grado RS-1s. But I have no reference point.

Anyway I hope someone else has something *useful* to contribute. Apologies again.

 

[RedLeader]

UM2
K340
KSC75
EP630

 

[iPatcH]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclejr /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey, I'm really sorry. I tried to listen to both of those, but the first one sounds like burn-in noise and the second one reminded me of 1987 which was cool but I couldn't do it without round A and B buttons. I was unaware of this -- is this an entire genre of music? Is it music for music's sake or for development of games or nostalgia or ... ? (A serious question) I have a hard time separating the music from the gear. So to me it sounded awful through my headphone out of my laptop to my Grado RS-1s. But I have no reference point. Anyway I hope someone else has something *useful* to contribute. Apologies again.

There is a whole "chiptunes" scene involving composing music with the use of simple squares, triangles, and white noise. It's popular amongst retro gamers and its nostalgiac feel to it can be very involving, and you can find chip music in almost every style of electronic music, from drum n bass to 8bit trance, and hell, I've even heard rock and swing!

Surprisingly, people even use old hardware from Gameboys, NES, and even Commodore64's to produce their sounds!

 

[locu64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclejr /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was unaware of this -- is this an entire genre of music? Is it music for music's sake or for development of games or nostalgia or ... ? (A serious question)

Yeah it's a 'real' genre with a pretty active community with thousands of new songs being released on the internet every couple of months. Originally it was music for games but I think that later on people just liked it so much that they continued making it. It can be fun to make music on such old equipment and try to make something 'listentable' even though on a NES for example you're limited to something with like 4 instruments of only squares and triangles and noise.

 

[unclejr]

Really interesting. I like hearing about new music, as eclectic as this is. I think it'd be especially "useful" chopped up over break beats.

 

[adanac061]

Blackjack - tempest (flac) is actually kinda groovy.

 

[maladjustdeath]

Tempest - Blackjack (Bass Channel Only) ןis kinda painful (sibilant?) with SR-80.