[musicmaker]

x2. Terrible customer service.

 

[shellylh]

I've never had to contact (buy.com's) customer service so I can't say how it is. They have free shipping and I have never had a problem with them.

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contrastique /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe you would like the 750s as I do although they have a rather particular soundsig which not everyone likes. I use them as a portable hp as well as for home purposes. Ow, and ALO sells them with a recable and different drivers for just $ 785

May be, but, first, it is not portable enough, and second, for it's price in my place (250 EUR online) I can get D2000, which I really like, but once again, it's not portable.... there is no other choice as to stay with my etymotics for now.

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Which other headphones do you consider a better investment? What are you looking for in a headphone? I have a lot of headphones and ended up liking the alo mod 780's the most for the time being, I suppose eventually I will find something I like better. But they are my favorite now. It does take time to burn in and a amp with synergy as well as re-cable to make them truly good can's. I think they make you work for the good sound and some people resent that hahahaha but it is a hobby and we all approach it in our own way with our own way of perceiving things. I did hear the potential in these right away and some people just resent when they don't hear what they want and do not want to bother with it anymore...that is what makes this such a interesting hobby as it has much more twists and turns than you might expect

This is exactly my problem...there are no headphones (portable).... HFI-780 was a last hope....

I really like K701 for incredible details, soundstade, amazing separation of the sounds which makes the sound just natural, I never experienced that level of sound with no other headphone.

I like my er-4p, but they lack separation - all sounds come to your ears glued together, as a wall of sound, they really suffer from the NARROW dynamic range of IEMs, compared to any big phone, also they sound nasal, plastic....etc. HFI-780 have better details and separation BTW.

...So, may be you are right - there is no better phones, that's why I'm still keeping them. Next step, I want to try triple.fi actually... do you know how they compare to HFI-780?

For everybody who think that HFI-780 have good bass, I can send a short track (good quality, bass intensive track) to demonstrate their horrible bass presentation, listen and tell me what do you think. Actually here it is:
ôÅÓÔÏ×ÙÅ ÍÕÚÙËÁÌØÎÙÅ ÆÒÁÇÍÅÎÔÙ É ËÏÍÐÏÚÉÃÉÉ - Prime Test CD #1
The third one is a worst case.

I hear bloated uncontrolled extremely overpresent bass presentation. It is very muddy as well. On K701, and er-4p it sounds wonderful.

 

[rdaneel]

OK - I have to admit that I haven't read the entire 150 pages of this thread, but I've tried to keep up. I'm considering the 780s, but I honestly don't plan on modding them or getting ALO treatments - it's just too much coin for me.

How do all you wise folks feel about these *stock* compared to some A900s or AKG 271Ss? I plan on amping them, and listen mostly to rock, jazz, and a mix of alt pop/bluegrass/etc.

I'm getting the sense that even a pair of 750s would be a better choice if I want midrange detail and accuracy - and I have sensitive hearing and am afraid that harsh highs will fatigue me. What do you all think?

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdaneel /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK - I have to admit that I haven't read the entire 150 pages of this thread, but I've tried to keep up. I'm considering the 780s, but I honestly don't plan on modding them or getting ALO treatments - it's just too much coin for me. How do all you wise folks feel about these *stock* compared to some A900s or AKG 271Ss? I plan on amping them, and listen mostly to rock, jazz, and a mix of alt pop/bluegrass/etc. I'm getting the sense that even a pair of 750s would be a better choice if I want midrange detail and accuracy - and I have sensitive hearing and am afraid that harsh highs will fatigue me. What do you all think?

750 will be definitely a better choice, because worse it just can't be...
There is no comparison with K271 at all, in my experience....K271 are much better phones in every area except the lower bass extension. If they were portable, it could be ultimate solution. Comparison made from memory, not A/B.

But my opinion is in the minority here...

 

[musicmaker]

I had the K271s a while ago so speaking from memory as well. The K271s dont sound bad but to me they were extremely boring and lacked the excitement factor. Also the bass was VERY lean. I returned them promptly.
I prefer my 780s anyday to the K271s.

 

[Skylab]

Agreed. I tried some K271's for a very short time - I think they are incredibly boring and lifeless. The 780's are far more fun to listen to - I would pick them any day.

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Agreed. I tried some K271's for a very short time - I think they are incredibly boring and lifeless. The 780's are far more fun to listen to - I would pick them any day.

OK, let's clarify something. There is nothing bad in liking punchy, overpowered, "involving", not realistically sounding bass. There are many people who like it, and it's fine for me, but the problem that I'm not. I can't even hear it, and I'm not alone as well. Our problem that when we describe the sound, we need to put some reference point, like who you are..."basshead", "extreme basshead", "not basshead", "love etymotics sound", etc. Otherwise it become useless.

And definitely K271 are much less involving, and they are more "boring" as you call it. I would call it more "real" and "natural".

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lelek45 /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK, let's clarify something. There is nothing bad in liking punchy, overpowered, "involving", not realistically sounding bass. There are many people who like it, and it's fine for me, but the problem that I'm not. I can't even hear it, and I'm not alone as well. Our problem that when we describe the sound, we need to put some reference point, like who you are..."basshead", "extreme basshead", "not basshead", "love etymotics sound", etc. Otherwise it become useless.

Interesting post, which I completely disagree with - we do not need some "reference point". This can never be divorced from the POV of the listener. Think about it. You are entitled to your POV, but it does not mean that yours is the correct, or even mainstream view, and that the rest are deviations. Labeling people as bassheads is absurd.

I do NOT find the bass on the 780 to be either overpowering, or "not realistic sounding". I actually find the K271 to have underpowered, unrealistically deficient bass. But that is just my point of view - I don't claim that it's the only correct one.

The only absolutes are measurements. But measurements will not fully describe the sound. I can promise you that people who use terms like "basshead" for people who like headphones with relatively present bass are stating a preference for non-flat bass reproduction.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lelek45 /img/forum/go_quote.gif And definitely K271 are much less involving, and they are more "boring" as you call it. I would call it more "real" and "natural".

That all depends on reference points and personal preferences. From strictly audiophile perspective K271S are more realistic and "natural" with flatter response and no glaring dips and spikes, except midrange emphasis, which is done very gentle and only adds to music enjoyment. The musical tonality of HD650 and AD2000. Agreed that this might not be for everyone, but in general much widely accepted and agreed on, "right" tonality.
And what always befuddles me is how some find them bassless. Is it bad amplification, fit (stock pleather pads might not be deep enough to cover everyone ears and create adequate seal) or just overly bass heavy reference phones (Darth Beyer)? To day K271S is the most advanced and refined closed headphones under $500, the only other closed that I value higher is W5000 (bet previous posters can't stand them either). They are also valued extremely high among many well respected seasoned headphiers here, and for a good reason.

 

[Skylab]

Right - the W5000 are also bass-deficient, to ME, and the fairly large faction of people who find that the majority of headphones lack bass.

In my case, my reference point is a pair of full-range, very high end loudspeakers. Compared to those, headphones like the K271 and W5000 lack bass (significantly, in the case of the W5000). But I am used to a truly full range loudspeaker that can actually reproduce a 20-hz sinewave. For people who are used to bookshelf speakers, or perhaps really don't listen to speakers at all, then their frame of reference will be different.

All that said, in terms of you're being "baffled" by people thinking of the K271 as bassless, all you need to do is look at the measurements!!! Again, you are just reflecting your personal bias (which is fine), but in this case, your preference is for the non-flat performance, NOT the flatter, more neutral performance. You are preferring rolled off bass. In terms of measurements, the K271 measure a significant rolloff in the bass, versus the HD650 or DT990 (which measure very similar in the bass):

It's fine to prefer rolled off bass. But just know that is what you are preferring.

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif That all depends on reference points and personal preferences. From strictly audiophile perspective K271S are more realistic and "natural" with flatter response and no glaring dips and spikes, except midrange emphasis, which is done very gentle and only adds to music enjoyment. The musical tonality of HD650 and AD2000. Agreed that this might not be for everyone, but in general much widely accepted and agreed on, "right" tonality. And what always befuddles me is how some find them bassless. Is it bad amplification, fit (stock pleather pads might not be deep enough to cover everyone ears and create adequate seal) or just overly bass heavy reference phones (Darth Beyer)? To day K271S is the most advanced and refined closed headphones under $500, the only other closed that I value higher is W5000 (bet previous posters can't stand them either). They are also valued extremely high among many well respected seasoned headphiers here, and for a good reason.

x10!

 

[Skylab]

But read my post above - it is the K271's that are non-flat!!!

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting post, which I completely disagree with - we do not need some "reference point". This can never be divorced from the POV of the listener. Think about it. You are entitled to your POV, but it does not mean that yours is the correct, or even mainstream view, and that the rest are deviations. Labeling people as bassheads is absurd. I do NOT find the bass on the 780 to be either overpowering, or "not realistic sounding". I actually find the K271 to have underpowered, unrealistically deficient bass. But that is just my point of view - I don't claim that it's the only correct one. The only absolutes are measurements. But measurements will not fully describe the sound. I can promise you that people who use terms like "basshead" for people who like headphones with relatively present bass are stating a preference for non-flat bass reproduction.

Interesting opinion, as well. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stick labels to people (really sorry), but I do need the reference point. And this reference point for me, is reality. Very simple. Real acoustic instruments (acoustic! not electronic) should sound in headphones as they are in reality - plain and simple. If you will accept this, surprisingly we will find much more in common....

Electronic generated music cannot be user for benchmark simply because it doesn't have the "acoustic original". Live concerts are also very bad examples - they usually have horrible acoustic.