Zanth
SHAman who knew of Head-Fi ten years prior to its existence
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2001
- Posts
- 9,570
- Likes
- 46
After kicking the idea around for quite a while and with the support of a generous Head-fier who wishes to remain anonymous, I am able to start up the headphone loan programme which will permit a member to use a headphone in their home.
[size=medium]Which Headphones Are Offered?[/size]
To begin, we will have 4 sets of headphones roaming the US and Canada. One Grado SR60 and one GS-1000 for each country. If this goes well and the response is positive, I'll not only add more headphones in the future but I'll also start up a European programme and eventually an East Asia one.
[size=medium]What Is the Length of the Audition Time?[/size]
TWO WEEKS
[size=medium]Who Is Eligible?[/size]
The criteria for the headphones will differ based on the cost of the headphones. The absolute base criterion is that the member must be a CONTRIBUTING member of Head-fi. Although this is not an OFFICIAL Head-fi programme (at least not yet, though I would like it to get to that stage eventually) I think having a member contribute to the site isn't asking too much. It demonstrates a commitment to the site. The reason I am starting this programme is because I have benefitted greatly from the community. The site is a wonderful spot to hang out online among friends to learn and share experiences with. I have learned a lot and shared a lot, corresponding on topics few people in my offline life care to share with me
I have also personally met people who are at least as close to me as friends I know offline. Some of these people have shown me generosity that can't fully be described in words and although I likely will never be able to repay them fully, I can "pay it forward".
That said, those benefitting from a free demo ought to enjoy that same sensation of "paying it forward" and a great way to do that is to support Jude's costs. A small donation, to me, represents such a commitment. I'm not setting a minimum donation but it would be nice to see something around $25. I won't ever know, but it is a suggested amount.
[size=small]SR60's[/size]
Right now, I'll start out by offering the SR60's to those individuals who have been a member for 6 months with an average of 20 posts a month spread out pretty evenly over that time. I won't accept folks who see this thread and start posting like mad just to get on the list. If a person has been active then they meet this criterion.
The second criterion is that the person must demonstrate some sort of positive feedback, either from this site in the FS forums or via Ebay or Audiogon. If this is impossible, I will on a case by case basis accept the good word of a moderator or a long-time respected member. This vouching will in no way hold accountable the person providing the "good word" but I would hope that a person wouldn't vouch for anyone they didn't know well enough to trust them with their own phones.
The SR60's are typically considered entry level phones and as such, I don't want to make the criteria too strict as to limit those that are just starting out in the hobby to actually get a listen to them before they start buying and trying. This programme is meant to expose people to headphones they haven't heard or might not choose to pay to hear but can for a decent amount of time, enjoy some headphones in the privacy of their own home with their own gear.
[size=small]GS-1000's SN:6998[/size]
I have to be more strict with these headphones. When I was originally mulling over the idea of starting this programme I did want to reach the higher level headphones eventually but only after it had been running for a good length of time. I wanted to deal with the hiccups and try to iron out as many kinks as possible before investing money into the big boys. That said, many of the older members remarked that for most established members, they would have already moved beyond entry level headphone desires and therefore the SR60 wouldn't be all that enticing. I agreed, but as a student, I am pretty limited with funds and it takes me forever to save for my own audio purchases (I'm still saving for a cartridge after 18 months!) and so money for this programme would have trickled in had it not been for a very generous donation from another Head-fier enabling me to offer the GS-1000's.
Because they are pricey I'm going to have the following criteria:
1) >1 year membership
2) >500 posts
3) positive feedback here in the FS forums, on Ebay or Audiogon
4) a positive vouching from a moderator or a highly regarded member (they aren't hard to spot) is recommended but not required
5) final "okay" from me after some communication via PM
On a case by case basis, those members who do not have the post count but meet all other criteria can contact me and we can figure it out, particularly if they are active at Head-fi meets.
[size=small]RS-1/RS-2 Combo[/size]
I have included the RS-1's and RS-2's now which will begin shipping out the first week of October 2008. The same rules regarding the GS-1000's apply to this package. I think sending out the two units together offers members the opportunity for a direct indepth comparison between the RS-1's and RS-2's, something that rarely if ever happens. This should help with all the recent threads questioning the differences between the two and any advantages or disadvantages each phone may have.
[size=medium]Why only the US and Canada right now? [/size]
Two reasons: control and accountability. I have the means to deal with people who try anything funny in these countries and if the headphones get damaged, it is trivial to send them to Grado and have them repaired. I wanted two separate sets for these countries because it ends up costing quite a bit to ship back and forth between the countries and the bulk of our members are from these two countries.
[size=medium]Why Two Grados?[/size]
Because I'm a fanboy? Heh, no that is not the reason
My originaly intent was to expose folks to phones they had not heard and given my limited funds, the SR60's were phones that I could afford, easily repairable and quite durable. They are also highly regarded and a wonderful starter phone. They also introduce someone to a "house sound" which is something that can't be said for many phones. When the donation came forward for better phones, based on the suggestions of others, I went with the GS-1000's because they have a somewhat controversial rep and really need to be heard on one's setup to understand them fully. Of course the other issues of easily repairable and durable enough make them a suitable candidate. Their overall cost is quite prohibitive to most and as such, they are a headphone that many would not try out unless they had that oppportunity for a relatively low cost.
[size=medium]What does this cost?[/size]
Although borrowing the headphones is free of charge the cost of shipping them is not. As such, there is a single cost of shipping for each member. I'll absorb the first costs of shipping the headphones out and then each subsequent member will have to ship them out to the next member on the list. This shouldn't cost more than $15-20 for anyone because it is not crossing any borders.
The rules for shipping and receiving:
1)Upon receiving the headphones, a series of pictures must be taken:
Of the unopened box upon receipt with close up shots of the sender's info and the receiver's info
Of the opened but unboxed item
Of the headphones, so we can track and catalogue the condition of the headphones
2) Upon shipping the headphones, a second series of pictures must be taken:
Of the headphones so we can track and catalogue the condition of the headphones, these shots must include shots of the headphone being placed in the box and sealed
Of the box fully taped up with the sender's and receiver's information clearly viewed
If you don't own a camera and don't have access to one, don't bother signing up, there are no exceptions to the above rules.
3) All shipments must be via USPS Priority Airmail (or Canada Xpress Post) or better with the full value of the headphones insured along with the requirment of a signature. Ground is NEVER an option.
4) Each member must provide me with their REAL name and HOME address and HOME phone number. All headphones should be shipped to the home address only.
5) If you have pets, KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE HEADPHONES. Logical sure, but may be practically difficult, so make the effort.
6) If you smoke, PLEASE WASH THE PADS BEFORE SHIPPING THEM OUT. Do do this, gently remove the pads from the headphones, soak them in lukewarm water with a small amount of dish soap. Rinse, repeat and let air dry. Smoke is mostly going to be absorbed by the pads so washing will limit the smell. If you can avoid smoking while wearing please do, others who do not smoke are not going to be thrilled to receive headphones smell of tobacco.
I truly hope this programme will run smoothly. If it doesn
't it gets cancelled and the entire membership loses out. If it is successful, I will add more headphones and include more countries continually until, ideally, we have full sets of headphones from every manufacturer roaming the entire earth. It would be wonderfulif manufacturers would eventually donate headphones and that this could be effectively adopted by Jude as an official Head-fi Loaning Program. I know there are headphones I really want to try out (HE90's, Qualias, K1000's, Markl modded Denons) and I'm pretty sure there is something out there that is enticing for even the most eclectic collector (unless they have it all already!).
Please PM me if you would like to sign up. I'll post the list of members in this post. The headphones should be ready to ship the first week of June!
For the current status of the programme please check my blog located here!
GS-1000 Participants
warrior05
jgonino
M0T0XGUY
headphonejunkie
oicdn
micaela
bperboy
fatman711
nick20
Usagi
third_eye
Bigjppop
Philimon
RS-1/RS-2 Participants
Cankin
Aimless1
headphonejunkie
shomie911
SR-60 Participants
Nugwin
acameron56
LeonWho
Gatto
AzN1337c0d3r
[size=medium]Which Headphones Are Offered?[/size]
To begin, we will have 4 sets of headphones roaming the US and Canada. One Grado SR60 and one GS-1000 for each country. If this goes well and the response is positive, I'll not only add more headphones in the future but I'll also start up a European programme and eventually an East Asia one.
[size=medium]What Is the Length of the Audition Time?[/size]
TWO WEEKS
[size=medium]Who Is Eligible?[/size]
The criteria for the headphones will differ based on the cost of the headphones. The absolute base criterion is that the member must be a CONTRIBUTING member of Head-fi. Although this is not an OFFICIAL Head-fi programme (at least not yet, though I would like it to get to that stage eventually) I think having a member contribute to the site isn't asking too much. It demonstrates a commitment to the site. The reason I am starting this programme is because I have benefitted greatly from the community. The site is a wonderful spot to hang out online among friends to learn and share experiences with. I have learned a lot and shared a lot, corresponding on topics few people in my offline life care to share with me
That said, those benefitting from a free demo ought to enjoy that same sensation of "paying it forward" and a great way to do that is to support Jude's costs. A small donation, to me, represents such a commitment. I'm not setting a minimum donation but it would be nice to see something around $25. I won't ever know, but it is a suggested amount.
[size=small]SR60's[/size]
Right now, I'll start out by offering the SR60's to those individuals who have been a member for 6 months with an average of 20 posts a month spread out pretty evenly over that time. I won't accept folks who see this thread and start posting like mad just to get on the list. If a person has been active then they meet this criterion.
The second criterion is that the person must demonstrate some sort of positive feedback, either from this site in the FS forums or via Ebay or Audiogon. If this is impossible, I will on a case by case basis accept the good word of a moderator or a long-time respected member. This vouching will in no way hold accountable the person providing the "good word" but I would hope that a person wouldn't vouch for anyone they didn't know well enough to trust them with their own phones.
The SR60's are typically considered entry level phones and as such, I don't want to make the criteria too strict as to limit those that are just starting out in the hobby to actually get a listen to them before they start buying and trying. This programme is meant to expose people to headphones they haven't heard or might not choose to pay to hear but can for a decent amount of time, enjoy some headphones in the privacy of their own home with their own gear.
[size=small]GS-1000's SN:6998[/size]
I have to be more strict with these headphones. When I was originally mulling over the idea of starting this programme I did want to reach the higher level headphones eventually but only after it had been running for a good length of time. I wanted to deal with the hiccups and try to iron out as many kinks as possible before investing money into the big boys. That said, many of the older members remarked that for most established members, they would have already moved beyond entry level headphone desires and therefore the SR60 wouldn't be all that enticing. I agreed, but as a student, I am pretty limited with funds and it takes me forever to save for my own audio purchases (I'm still saving for a cartridge after 18 months!) and so money for this programme would have trickled in had it not been for a very generous donation from another Head-fier enabling me to offer the GS-1000's.
Because they are pricey I'm going to have the following criteria:
1) >1 year membership
2) >500 posts
3) positive feedback here in the FS forums, on Ebay or Audiogon
4) a positive vouching from a moderator or a highly regarded member (they aren't hard to spot) is recommended but not required
5) final "okay" from me after some communication via PM
On a case by case basis, those members who do not have the post count but meet all other criteria can contact me and we can figure it out, particularly if they are active at Head-fi meets.
[size=small]RS-1/RS-2 Combo[/size]
I have included the RS-1's and RS-2's now which will begin shipping out the first week of October 2008. The same rules regarding the GS-1000's apply to this package. I think sending out the two units together offers members the opportunity for a direct indepth comparison between the RS-1's and RS-2's, something that rarely if ever happens. This should help with all the recent threads questioning the differences between the two and any advantages or disadvantages each phone may have.
[size=medium]Why only the US and Canada right now? [/size]
Two reasons: control and accountability. I have the means to deal with people who try anything funny in these countries and if the headphones get damaged, it is trivial to send them to Grado and have them repaired. I wanted two separate sets for these countries because it ends up costing quite a bit to ship back and forth between the countries and the bulk of our members are from these two countries.
[size=medium]Why Two Grados?[/size]
Because I'm a fanboy? Heh, no that is not the reason
My originaly intent was to expose folks to phones they had not heard and given my limited funds, the SR60's were phones that I could afford, easily repairable and quite durable. They are also highly regarded and a wonderful starter phone. They also introduce someone to a "house sound" which is something that can't be said for many phones. When the donation came forward for better phones, based on the suggestions of others, I went with the GS-1000's because they have a somewhat controversial rep and really need to be heard on one's setup to understand them fully. Of course the other issues of easily repairable and durable enough make them a suitable candidate. Their overall cost is quite prohibitive to most and as such, they are a headphone that many would not try out unless they had that oppportunity for a relatively low cost.
[size=medium]What does this cost?[/size]
Although borrowing the headphones is free of charge the cost of shipping them is not. As such, there is a single cost of shipping for each member. I'll absorb the first costs of shipping the headphones out and then each subsequent member will have to ship them out to the next member on the list. This shouldn't cost more than $15-20 for anyone because it is not crossing any borders.
The rules for shipping and receiving:
1)Upon receiving the headphones, a series of pictures must be taken:
Of the unopened box upon receipt with close up shots of the sender's info and the receiver's info
Of the opened but unboxed item
Of the headphones, so we can track and catalogue the condition of the headphones
2) Upon shipping the headphones, a second series of pictures must be taken:
Of the headphones so we can track and catalogue the condition of the headphones, these shots must include shots of the headphone being placed in the box and sealed
Of the box fully taped up with the sender's and receiver's information clearly viewed
If you don't own a camera and don't have access to one, don't bother signing up, there are no exceptions to the above rules.
3) All shipments must be via USPS Priority Airmail (or Canada Xpress Post) or better with the full value of the headphones insured along with the requirment of a signature. Ground is NEVER an option.
4) Each member must provide me with their REAL name and HOME address and HOME phone number. All headphones should be shipped to the home address only.
5) If you have pets, KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE HEADPHONES. Logical sure, but may be practically difficult, so make the effort.
6) If you smoke, PLEASE WASH THE PADS BEFORE SHIPPING THEM OUT. Do do this, gently remove the pads from the headphones, soak them in lukewarm water with a small amount of dish soap. Rinse, repeat and let air dry. Smoke is mostly going to be absorbed by the pads so washing will limit the smell. If you can avoid smoking while wearing please do, others who do not smoke are not going to be thrilled to receive headphones smell of tobacco.
I truly hope this programme will run smoothly. If it doesn
't it gets cancelled and the entire membership loses out. If it is successful, I will add more headphones and include more countries continually until, ideally, we have full sets of headphones from every manufacturer roaming the entire earth. It would be wonderfulif manufacturers would eventually donate headphones and that this could be effectively adopted by Jude as an official Head-fi Loaning Program. I know there are headphones I really want to try out (HE90's, Qualias, K1000's, Markl modded Denons) and I'm pretty sure there is something out there that is enticing for even the most eclectic collector (unless they have it all already!).
Please PM me if you would like to sign up. I'll post the list of members in this post. The headphones should be ready to ship the first week of June!
For the current status of the programme please check my blog located here!
GS-1000 Participants
warrior05
jgonino
M0T0XGUY
headphonejunkie
oicdn
micaela
bperboy
fatman711
nick20
Usagi
third_eye
Bigjppop
Philimon
RS-1/RS-2 Participants
Cankin
Aimless1
headphonejunkie
shomie911
SR-60 Participants
Nugwin
acameron56
LeonWho
Gatto
AzN1337c0d3r
