[GiacomoHoldini]

You clearly prefer the best sound, but I prefer the best package. That's where we differ.

If you read closely, you'll see I set up the hypothetical so that the Audeze was a very good package for you in all areas except for it being wood: good comfort and wearability, a price you consider reasonable, and sound that beats all competitors, per your own listening preferences. I'll even add in high build quality, premium materials...throw in whatever else floats your boat, except that they're still made of wood. If you would discard that "package" just on account of appearance alone, then you are placing a very high premium on that lone criterion. Moreover, based on that sole criterion, you're not just ruling out one headphone, but a whole range of headphones. That suggests that your foremost concern isn't really about the package at all, but about looks. Headphones have to look a certain way (or not look a certain way) before you will even consider any of their other attributes. I'm not saying that's wrong, despite the fact that I don't agree with it. But you might as well call it what it is.

FWIW, I really enjoy looking at Britney Spears, but I much prefer listening to Adele. Both provide a pretty good "experience" in their respective ways, but I wouldn't consider the Spears experience to be particularly musical.

 

[peanuthead]

I suspect many of us are equal parts gearhead and music lover...nothing wrong with that.

 

[Maxvla]

I'm bummed that you feel this way 

There's nothing bad about a gear first mentality. No need to feel bummed. People passionately build sports cars they never drive off speed limited streets. It's the same thing.

 

[rhythmdevils]

That's also sad.

 

[logwed]

Quote:

novel about a hypothetical situation involving aesthetics v. sound

 
Everyone has their own indifference curves by which they determine a product's value, no reason to sweat it.
 
 

 

[Blisse]

You clearly prefer the best sound, but I prefer the best package. That's where we differ.

If you read closely, you'll see I set up the hypothetical so that the Audeze was a very good package for you in all areas except for it being wood: good comfort and wearability, a price you consider reasonable, and sound that beats all competitors, per your own listening preferences. I'll even add in high build quality, premium materials...throw in whatever else floats your boat, except that they're still made of wood. If you would discard that "package" just on account of appearance alone, then you are placing a very high premium on that lone criterion. Moreover, based on that sole criterion, you're not just ruling out one headphone, but a whole range of headphones. That suggests that your foremost concern isn't really about the package at all, but about looks. Headphones have to look a certain way (or not look a certain way) before you will even consider any of their other attributes. I'm not saying that's wrong, despite the fact that I don't agree with it. But you might as well call it what it is.

FWIW, I really enjoy looking at Britney Spears, but I much prefer listening to Adele. Both provide a pretty good "experience" in their respective ways, but I wouldn't consider the Spears experience to be particularly musical.

I look at neither sadly, but if we're talking about music videos and the like, if the particular music video is bad, I can always not look at it and keep the file. If the video is good and the music is good, I'm happy. If the music is bad, but the video is good, I can mute it, but that doesn't really work with headphones.

So yes, headphones have to look a certain way, just as headphones have to sound a certain way, and headphones have to feel a certain way in order for me to like it. I find it's exactly the same thing as any other attribute. If it's not aesthetically pleasing, then it's the same as not being comfortable, or not sounding good.

I put everything equally. If a headphone is ridiculously uncomfortable, are you going to consider it if it sounds good? If you won't, then you shouldn't fault me for not wanting wooden looking ones. If so, then that's something that I can't do.

If you're going to argue I'm not a "true" audiophile, I say I enjoy music as much as anyone. Maybe I'm not a purist though in that I only look for the best sound.

Also, I won't object to wood contained in a plastic shell, but I wouldn't like it if I knew it was like that. And I probably would pass on wood patterned plastic.

Or maybe I just like tech-y looking stuff more than vintage.


By the way, I'm still waiting for an HD 650 comparison. o:

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

novel about a hypothetical situation involving aesthetics v. sound

Both Blisse and I are writing novels. If you don't like it, don't read it. No need to get insulting about it. We're having a thoughtful discussion on a topic related to audio. Isn't that what we're here for? Or should everything be related in Twitter-size bites, now?

 

[logwed]

Quote:

Both Blisse and I are writing novels. If you don't like it, don't read it. No need to get insulting about it. We're having a thoughtful discussion on a topic related to audio. Isn't that what we're here for? Or should everything be related in Twitter-size bites, now?

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as condescending, I just didn't want to quote something so large to post something so small.

 

[dleblanc343]

Thank god I'm good looking, I don't care about the looks of my headphones!
 
How's that for vanity?
 
No but in all seriousness, I own the HE500's and find them to have the best looking design out there in a headphone (not the color of this particular model though) + amazing performance. However, I'm going to be getting the HD800's as well, even if I find them ridiculous looking; simply for the fact that they sound amazing.

 

[grokit]

Quote:

And the looks of the headphones you suggest detract from my experience.

 
Makes perfect sense to me. I keep thinking of the fine dining analogy; if a patron doesn't find a dish to look appetizing, then he/she will be unable to fully appreciate the way it tastes even if it is sublime in that aspect. For myself I find that wood enhances the aesthetic though. No steampunk for you!

 

[rhythmdevils]

 
Quote:

You clearly prefer the best sound, but I prefer the best package.

 
How about a solid titanium mold of Dirk Diggler's package?  Or maybe platinum.  We should consult Ultrasone.    

 

[shimmer n roar]

I should have stopped reading at page 131. ; )

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

I put everything equally. If a headphone is ridiculously uncomfortable, are you going to consider it if it sounds good?

No, I wouldn't., but comfort is a part of function, and a practical concern. If the headphones actually cause physical discomfort or pain, that will impede the overall enjoyment of using them. I honestly don't see how something like the look of wood does. It seems to me, if both the headphone and the music are doing their jobs, I won't be thinking about the looks of the headphone while I'm using it. I'm not saying looks don't matter at all - all other things being equal, sure, go for the headphone that looks good, too. I'm also not saying one should feel compelled to get the most butt-ugly headphones in existence, either - like I said, I'm not talking about Jecklin Floats, here. But I wouldn't exclude a really great-sounding and otherwise well-functioning headphone based solely on the finish, especially if I found it to be superior to others in sound.

If you're going to argue I'm not a "true" audiophile, I say I enjoy music as much as anyone. Maybe I'm not a purist though in that I only look for the best sound.

It's not my place to say whether you are a "true" audiophile or not, and nothing says you have to be a true audiophile to participate in this forum anyway. I just found it unusual, and a bit limiting for you, that you would feel compelled to exclude entire brands of headphones (e.g., Audeze, Grado, etc.) based solely on one cosmetic factor that has no bearing on sound quality, comfort, fit, build quality, or price. But, as Logwed pointed out, everybody has their own reasons for liking what they like, and there's no point sweating it.

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as condescending, I just didn't want to quote something so large to post something so small.

Fair enough. I probably didn't need to be that sensitive, either.

BTW, per your earlier post, ALO audio has joined with 32 Ohm and are now the same store. They have hours by appointment only, which would make me feel uncomfortable if all I'm doing is going there to listen to some cans and get the lay of the land, rather than going there with the specific intent to buy.

 

[logwed]

Quote:

BTW, per your earlier post, ALO audio has joined with 32 Ohm and are now the same store. They have hours by appointment only, which would make me feel uncomfortable if all I'm doing is going there to listen to some cans and get the lay of the land, rather than going there with the specific intent to buy.

Yeah, that definitely puts a lot more pressure on the consumer. I'd imagine that it was pretty difficult to survive with their business model, not all that many people are capable of walking into a store and dropping a couple thousand on headphones.