[qqg3]

What is sound leakage like between the CAL, AKG K81 and JVC HA-M 750?
 

Looking for some new portable headphones and I'm ready to jump for the CAL but wary of them being slightly more expensive and not folding....

 

[ljokerl]

 
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What is sound leakage like between the CAL, AKG K81 and JVC HA-M 750?
 

Looking for some new portable headphones and I'm ready to jump for the CAL but wary of them being slightly more expensive and not folding....

CAL!s leak the most but still not really enough to be bothersome to those around you, unless you share a quiet office or something. The AKGs don't really leak at all due to the extremely tight ear coupling. The M750s are in the middle but closer to the AKGs. I used them as my on-the-go cans for a while and never got a sideways glance of any sort. The CAL!s are easily worth the extra cash if you're after sound alone but if you're looking for portability, they yield to the others. 
 
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I know what it is! You are going to add the M50 and declare all other phones in this review useless!

Nope, not that.

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Pasting this here so I can paste this later on when people want impressions of the CAL on other threads...

Thanks for sharing your impressions. I agree and miss them greatly. I've yet to find a semi-portable circumaural can that's anywhere near as light as the CAL! and sounds better.

 

[GreatDane]

ljokerl, Congrats to you for these reviews. I can't imagine how you make the time. Amazing.

 

[nonsupremous]

ljokerl  - Have you ever given any thought to a review on the HFI-15G?  I know the Zino was supposed to be an upgrade over those, and you aren't too fond of them, but the few threads you can find on this little can seem to be good.  Didn't know if they have ever or are going to be on your radar. 

 

[reginaldnugroho]

Brilliant thread Joker... learn a lot from here... thanks...

 

[ljokerl]

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ljokerl, Congrats to you for these reviews. I can't imagine how you make the time. Amazing.

 
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Brilliant thread Joker... learn a lot from here... thanks...

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ljokerl  - Have you ever given any thought to a review on the HFI-15G?  I know the Zino was supposed to be an upgrade over those, and you aren't too fond of them, but the few threads you can find on this little can seem to be good.  Didn't know if they have ever or are going to be on your radar. 

Actually, I too have been told that the HFI-15G is superior to the Zinos. I've definitely considered trying them out and probably will at some point, but not before I complete/put up reviews of my two other Ultrasones. 

 

[Olimoronio]

I just thought I'd throw in a nomination for review to the Maxell DHP ii's. I've never heard any other Maxell product that I've liked but these are stupidly good, semi-open portable headphones for around $30 shipped off Amazon. Honestly one of the best phones I've heard under $150.
 
You said that you rarely look at a phone and think "These cost how much?"
 
I promise these will have you doing just that.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Some nice b-stock stuff over at headroom right now. There's a KSC 75 for $10, and Audio Technica FC-700A for $20. Man, if shipping to Canada wasn't more than those two items combined, I would be jumping on this (grumble).

 

[nonsupremous]

The reviews at Amazon kill these as far as build quality.  Have you noticed any issues with the headband being really cheap?
 
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I just thought I'd throw in a nomination for review to the Maxell DHP ii's. I've never heard any other Maxell product that I've liked but these are stupidly good, semi-open portable headphones for around $30 shipped off Amazon. Honestly one of the best phones I've heard under $150.
 
You said that you rarely look at a phone and think "These cost how much?"
 
I promise these will have you doing just that.
 

 

[Olimoronio]

[size=10pt]Yeah, I noticed the reviews before I bought them so I got two pairs - one to test and one to reinforce with brush-on truck-bed liner if necessary.[/size]
[size=10pt] [/size]
[size=10pt]No need. I just repost what I sent someone inquiring about these in a PM...[/size]
 
"...the claims about their fragility are highly overstated. When I first got these I intended on doing a review of them and I had heard so much on Amazon about them just spontaneously breaking and what-not that I decided to do a test. When I got them I actually threw them on the ground two times a day for like two weeks to see where the stress point would be. Well, not only did they not break or crack but there wasn't even so much as a freaking scratch on them. I'll tell you what, my Sennheiser HD238 portables would never stand up to such punishment and I paid $70 for them on sale at Best Buy. They are not the toughest things around but just be semi-careful with them and don't stuff them in a packed drawer and slam it closed and you should be good."
 
 
[size=10pt]Frankly, I've got to wonder what some of these guys on Amazon are doing with their phones. These guys are definitely not audiophiles treating these phones in such a manner that they would break so quickly. They don't even mention that all the cables are covered with a semi-hard cloth braided sleeving that makes them tough as nails.[/size]
[size=10pt] [/size]
[size=10pt]Seriously, take those Amazon reviews with a grain of salt. I've had mine for a couple of months now with ZERO problems... Even the ones I was tossing on the ground are in great shape believe it or not. Again, these are not beater phones but they're not going to just fall apart in your hands like some of those reviews suggest.[/size]

 

[ljokerl]

Alright, to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of this thread (and catch up on all the reviews I've been skipping), I intend to post one new review per day for the next week, with an extra one next Friday, which will be the 1-year mark. Hopefully there will be something new here for everyone.
 
First up - the Sony MDR-Q68 

 
 
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I just thought I'd throw in a nomination for review to the Maxell DHP ii's. I've never heard any other Maxell product that I've liked but these are stupidly good, semi-open portable headphones for around $30 shipped off Amazon. Honestly one of the best phones I've heard under $150.
 
You said that you rarely look at a phone and think "These cost how much?"
 
I promise these will have you doing just that.

Strong vote of confidence. As long as these are better than the entry buds I might give them a shot.
 

 

[slaters70]

What, no giveaways?

 

[Olimoronio]

Do you mean those "Sentry" buds I posted about a while back? lol Dude, those were just fun little $5 buds that I thought bested the JVC Marshmallows.
 
The Maxell DHP ii's are the real deal Holyfield, I promise.

 

[nonsupremous]

Nice review on the Q68.  That nailed it the way I see it too.  Looking forward to reading 1 per day.  It will be a nice week of reading!!  Solid work you're doing here for sure.  Lot of time and energy and money.  Very beneficial.

 

[ljokerl]

Added Altec Lansing UHP304 'Airfit'
 
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What, no giveaways?

Not unless you guys want me to go completely broke 

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Do you mean those "Sentry" buds I posted about a while back? lol Dude, those were just fun little $5 buds that I thought bested the JVC Marshmallows.
 
The Maxell DHP ii's are the real deal Holyfield, I promise.

Alright, good enough for me. Put them on the list, though I've got a few other things coming in beforehand.

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Nice review on the Q68.  That nailed it the way I see it too.  Looking forward to reading 1 per day.  It will be a nice week of reading!!  Solid work you're doing here for sure.  Lot of time and energy and money.  Very beneficial.

Thanks, the Q68 is surprisingly enjoyable once eq'd. In that price range you're certainly sacrificing something, no matter what you buy. Might as well get something that can be tweaked to wholesomeness.