[JamesMcProgger]

so there was a trick" kinda.
 
Joker i had a lot of fun here! thank you.
 
and now that we know the upcoming reviews, I cant wait to read some of them, the ultrasones, the ATH, the sonys and the infamous 428, idk what to think about the streach, the MJ5 looks classy btw!

 

[Leander7777]

Kind of happy someone like Hayang won, given that his headphone inventory is quite "modest"

It would of pissed me off all the more, if someone with +20 headphones won...

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

lol yeah, congrats man! I ws tempted to guess the 428, but all the sources said a 10-foot cable, and I could have sworn someone guessed it already... Oh well, good contest!

 

[Hayang]

I am happy I won too!  I am but a college student using work-study job dollars on headphones... if only I had a wallet for people to be sorry about!
Thanks everyone and so much thanks to ljokerl, regardless of gifts!!  
 
Your reviews are so helpful, and fun to read even for people who can't buy the top tier headphones XD

 

[rawrster]

so what's the prize?
 
Not all of us have 20 or more headphones..I only have 1 headphone
 
 
congrats on winning hayang

 

[Ikarios]

Well... now that that's over, maybe this thread can return to normal

 
Joker, I recently picked up an ESW9 and an HD25. I like the HD25 for its isolation and velour pads, as well as its detail, overall balanced sound and punchy bass. What I don't like is its very narrow and closed soundstage, it really bothers me and it gives me the impression of pushing the mids forward. I like a sense of space.
 
On the other hand, the ESW9s are a gorgeous pair of headphones. I really like the way they do mids and, if a little sloppy, the bass. The soundstage is acceptably good for a portable and they are pretty comfortable. However, they don't isolate all that well for portable usage, and the high end is smeared and shimmery. I listen to a lot of rock and metal so I really nitpick about my cymbal reproduction. The ESW9 doesn't do cymbals well at all - they smear them and add a lot of "shhh" sibilance-y sound.
 
Given my preferences, how much do you think I would like the MS400? They sound like they'd be extremely comfortable (I love the consumer-oriented soft soft pleather, like the kind Bose uses). The pleather looks like they would isolate well, too, but I guess that all depends on the clamping force. I've been reading your review but I'm still not sure if I have a sense of what the MS400s sound like. Above all I value detail in the high end, as long as it isn't "shimmery" and "low-quality/smeared" sounding. Ya dig?
TIA!
 
EDIT: I feel like I should add that I think my taste in sound is similar to yours. I really really like the RE0s, although I wish there were a little more impact. I also agree with you on a significant portion of things you've reviewed that I've heard before (although not everything). This is why I value your opinion

 

[Inks]

wait

 

[Leander7777]

I also have the Audio technica esw9 and I think you should give them another try with a good amp. Amping them with my Headstage Arrow amp works wonders. The bass is tighter, the mids and highs are more detailed. The transparency is vastly improved and the headphone sounds a lot more refined. I think the highs are very nice actually, they are detailed, but don't extend far. This causes the highs to sound more plucky rather than sparkily. Makes for a very emotional presentation, that contrasts well with my polar opposite Ultrasone pro 900.
 
Quote:

Well... now that that's over, maybe this thread can return to normal

 
Joker, I recently picked up an ESW9 and an HD25. I like the HD25 for its isolation and velour pads, as well as its detail, overall balanced sound and punchy bass. What I don't like is its very narrow and closed soundstage, it really bothers me and it gives me the impression of pushing the mids forward. I like a sense of space.
 
On the other hand, the ESW9s are a gorgeous pair of headphones. I really like the way they do mids and, if a little sloppy, the bass. The soundstage is acceptably good for a portable and they are pretty comfortable. However, they don't isolate all that well for portable usage, and the high end is smeared and shimmery. I listen to a lot of rock and metal so I really nitpick about my cymbal reproduction. The ESW9 doesn't do cymbals well at all - they smear them and add a lot of "shhh" sibilance-y sound.
 
Given my preferences, how much do you think I would like the MS400? They sound like they'd be extremely comfortable (I love the consumer-oriented soft soft pleather, like the kind Bose uses). The pleather looks like they would isolate well, too, but I guess that all depends on the clamping force. I've been reading your review but I'm still not sure if I have a sense of what the MS400s sound like. Above all I value detail in the high end, as long as it isn't "shimmery" and "low-quality/smeared" sounding. Ya dig?
TIA!
 
EDIT: I feel like I should add that I think my taste in sound is similar to yours. I really really like the RE0s, although I wish there were a little more impact. I also agree with you on a significant portion of things you've reviewed that I've heard before (although not everything). This is why I value your opinion

 

[Leander7777]

Quote:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I mentioned the HD 428s before the winner on page 99. I think Mike missed it because my post came out right before he replied to others. 

Yeh, but you didn't play by the rules. It almost seemed like you were just suggesting them. In your post you wrote HD202 or HD428...
you have to make a choice, you have one guess every 12 hours.

 

[Inks]

I though I had 2 more answers left and thus said the 2. I think what makes it wrong is the consecutive postings, idk didn't read that carefully but it doesn't matter I wouldn't claim the prize anyways brownie points will do. 

 

[Leander7777]

...and you guessed the HD650 30min before that, to which Joker responded.
 
Oh well, atleast you were very close

 

[Inks]

The trick was to just search amazon things got really narrowed down there. 

 

[anchorman69]

Oh well I was nearly going to guess that but I guess everyone says that haha
 
Anyways thanks for this Joker, it has been really fun!
 
And congrats to Hayang!
 
 
 
PS Joker can you post what the prize is once you send it? I think a lot of us would want to know 

 

[R-Audiohead]

I read all of this to figure out what the prize was, and still no answer

 

[Ikarios]

Quote:

I also have the Audio technica esw9 and I think you should give them another try with a good amp. Amping them with my Headstage Arrow amp works wonders. The bass is tighter, the mids and highs are more detailed. The transparency is vastly improved and the headphone sounds a lot more refined. I think the highs are very nice actually, they are detailed, but don't extend far. This causes the highs to sound more plucky rather than sparkily. Makes for a very emotional presentation, that contrasts well with my polar opposite Ultrasone pro 900.
 
Quote:

Well... now that that's over, maybe this thread can return to normal

 
Joker, I recently picked up an ESW9 and an HD25. I like the HD25 for its isolation and velour pads, as well as its detail, overall balanced sound and punchy bass. What I don't like is its very narrow and closed soundstage, it really bothers me and it gives me the impression of pushing the mids forward. I like a sense of space.
 
On the other hand, the ESW9s are a gorgeous pair of headphones. I really like the way they do mids and, if a little sloppy, the bass. The soundstage is acceptably good for a portable and they are pretty comfortable. However, they don't isolate all that well for portable usage, and the high end is smeared and shimmery. I listen to a lot of rock and metal so I really nitpick about my cymbal reproduction. The ESW9 doesn't do cymbals well at all - they smear them and add a lot of "shhh" sibilance-y sound.
 
Given my preferences, how much do you think I would like the MS400? They sound like they'd be extremely comfortable (I love the consumer-oriented soft soft pleather, like the kind Bose uses). The pleather looks like they would isolate well, too, but I guess that all depends on the clamping force. I've been reading your review but I'm still not sure if I have a sense of what the MS400s sound like. Above all I value detail in the high end, as long as it isn't "shimmery" and "low-quality/smeared" sounding. Ya dig?
TIA!
 
EDIT: I feel like I should add that I think my taste in sound is similar to yours. I really really like the RE0s, although I wish there were a little more impact. I also agree with you on a significant portion of things you've reviewed that I've heard before (although not everything). This is why I value your opinion

 

I do most of my critical listening at home, on my SSMH (which, supposedly, by mid-fi standards, is a pretty great amp). The HD25 just handily beats out the ESW9 in the highs, it's not even close. This, along with my preference for the K701s over many other sets, is why I consider myself a detail freak. I don't even listen to the details, I just like being able to hear them. I can tell the ESW9 is excellent with trebles like strings and violin, but they just don't perform  well on cymbals, and cymbal performance makes or breaks headphones for me.
That said, I only want to use these portables straight out of an iPod when on-the-go anyway. That's the whole point of a portable, right? I don't want to carry around a portable setup just to listen to music, when even the slightest outside noise pollution means that the sound quality is worsened anyway.