[cschock]

Here is a question for all the headphone users. (I am not one of them.)

My kid is going off to college next fall and they are a music fan. They have close to perfect pitch and quite sensitive hearing. I would like to get them a set of headphones as a graduation gift from High School, with a budget in the $500-$750 range. Preferences would be:

- Over the ear required along with super comfortable for extended use.
- Will perform well even if just plugged in to a sound card output on a laptop or a USB dongle type DAC, since this will be for dorm and school library use where space is at a minimum and a headphone amp is impractical.
- They listen to a huge range of music. Everything from J-Pop to experimental electronic and classical, so they will need a good all around performing headphone that isn't just "really great for rock!" or "amazing on acoustic instruments."
- Open back is mildly preferred for situational awareness, but they are used to closed back at school so it isn't mandatory.

Any suggestions or recommendations would be super helpful as I start my research in this very complex space I know little about!

 

[shortyg83]

I am interested in getting the new Aegir when it releases. I want to be able to switch between my tube amp and that for my Focal Electras. Does anyone know a quality Amplifier switch which will have two amplifier inputs and one out to speaker with a switch that won't somehow cross the amplifiers? The only ones I am finding are from Douk audio and I am not sure I trust them.

 

[Godaisan]

I am interested in getting the new Aegir when it releases. I want to be able to switch between my tube amp and that for my Focal Electras. Does anyone know a quality Amplifier switch which will have two amplifier inputs and one out to speaker with a switch that won't somehow cross the amplifiers? The only ones I am finding are from Douk audio and I am not sure I trust them.

Van Alstine makes one but it isn’t free.

 

[Ableza]

Here is a question for all the headphone users. (I am not one of them.)

My kid is going off to college next fall and they are a music fan. They have close to perfect pitch and quite sensitive hearing. I would like to get them a set of headphones as a graduation gift from High School, with a budget in the $500-$750 range. Preferences would be:

- Over the ear required along with super comfortable for extended use.
- Will perform well even if just plugged in to a sound card output on a laptop or a USB dongle type DAC, since this will be for dorm and school library use where space is at a minimum and a headphone amp is impractical.
- They listen to a huge range of music. Everything from J-Pop to experimental electronic and classical, so they will need a good all around performing headphone that isn't just "really great for rock!" or "amazing on acoustic instruments."
- Open back is mildly preferred for situational awareness, but they are used to closed back at school so it isn't mandatory.

Any suggestions or recommendations would be super helpful as I start my research in this very complex space I know little about!

https://danclarkaudio.com/aeon-rt-new-1.html

 

[Godaisan]

https://danclarkaudio.com/aeon-rt-new-1.html

I’m not sure a dongle dac would drive the Aeon RTs

 

[adias]

Edit: deleted for irrelevance.

 

[valiant66]

Where have I been. I just found an audio company in Canada called DUM.
This obviously screams out for a collaboration with our favorite California/Texas company.

I'll let you decide what to call it.

Huh. No specifications on the site except 100w. Passive sub. Very minimalist approach, basically "buy it, it sounds nice."

I can see that appealing to a certain segment, but it's not an audiophile one.
.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

I’m not sure a dongle dac would drive the Aeon RTs

That won’t be an issue. DCA Aeon not that hard to drive. Most dongle DACs have enough power.

 

[valiant66]

Obviously, you have misplaced priorities. Tunes first, all else can wait.

Back when I was a renter and had to move a lot more often, my stereo was the last thing to be disconnected and packed up and the first to be unpacked and set up. I couldn't imagine moving without tunes to help.
.

 

[tafens]

I never thought it would happen, but the order is in and soon a nice Yggy+ GS2 (unison, silver) will be on its way to me along with a Freya S (also silver) I just happened to stumble upon in the closeout section!
Good times!

 

[ClicketEKlack]

Here is a question for all the headphone users. (I am not one of them.)

My kid is going off to college next fall and they are a music fan. They have close to perfect pitch and quite sensitive hearing. I would like to get them a set of headphones as a graduation gift from High School, with a budget in the $500-$750 range. Preferences would be:

- Over the ear required along with super comfortable for extended use.
- Will perform well even if just plugged in to a sound card output on a laptop or a USB dongle type DAC, since this will be for dorm and school library use where space is at a minimum and a headphone amp is impractical.
- They listen to a huge range of music. Everything from J-Pop to experimental electronic and classical, so they will need a good all around performing headphone that isn't just "really great for rock!" or "amazing on acoustic instruments."
- Open back is mildly preferred for situational awareness, but they are used to closed back at school so it isn't mandatory.

Any suggestions or recommendations would be super helpful as I start my research in this very complex space I know little about!

For a college student, why go wired or open-back? The moment you are in a public space, open-back is a liability. Given the need for portability and work outside of the room at libraries and coffee shops, I can't imagine anything more practical than a pair of Focal Bathys or AirPods Max -- the ANC and ease of use will far outweigh any miniscule benefits from a dongle dac and wired connection.

 

[Godaisan]

That won’t be an issue. DCA Aeon not that hard to drive. Most dongle DACs have enough power.

Mine doesn’t come close to having enough juice.

 

[Godaisan]

For a college student, why go wired or open-back? The moment you are in a public space, open-back is a liability. Given the need for portability and work outside of the room at libraries and coffee shops, I can't imagine anything more practical than a pair of Focal Bathys or AirPods Max -- the ANC and ease of use will far outweigh any miniscule benefits from a dongle dac and wired connection.

Agreed.

 

[riffrafff]

Monoprice BT-600ANC. "Good enough" for work and travel, methinks.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Hey.
Pssst.
Yeah, you.
Listen…
There's no reason why your half-sized breadboard shouldn't include two entirely independent test circuits, a 3.3V and a 5V rail, a set of bi-directional logic level shifters, two pull-up resistors*, a connection to a host device, two sets of connections for your logic probe / host emulator / bus sniffer, two sets of hookups (yeah, that's right, literal hookups!) for your scope probes (the probes are ground-referenced just outside of that frame, no worries), AND look on point at the same time.

Don't judge me too harshly on that crappy-AF solder job on those logic level shifter module header pins, though. Although some judgement is definitely appropriate. Tried a new (to me) solder wire. Suffice it to say that I'm not exactly in love…

(Please note the Hel 2e in the top-right corner of the shot. Can you see it? So, yes. This post is indeed relevant to this thread. )

* now four pull-up resistors (the two additional ones not pictured) because I forgot to add them to the second set of logic probe connectors…