swbf2cheater
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2009
- Posts
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They say great audio is built on the shoulders of giants...well,not here. Here at Head-Fi all of our audio needs are built from scratch! No hand holding here, no sir. Audiophiles do not ask why...they ask WHY NOT!? Why are most of our headphones so expensive? Well, why not marry cheap headphones if you love them so much, thats what I say. In fact, why not invent a special cheapskate door that won't hit you on the butt on the way out! Fair warning to those reading this guide, it involves small amounts of time travel so if you happen to meet yourself during the course of reading this post, please do not make eye contact...the lab boys tell me that will wipe out time...
This is my rant to the community and I thought I would share a few key points I have learned over the past 15 years of my audiophile journey. I wish to share my experiences and knowledge with the beginner audiophiles and to rant a little about how badly some people are getting ripped off in the audio world.
Let Mortal Audio Kombat BEGIN!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away there once lived a young boy named Mike. I spent my days studying the arts and music, focusing mostly on guitar and jazz in general. I grew up in a musical house and learned to play a few different instruments over the years but came to love and regard the guitar above all else. In those early days, before the internet
( whoa, I know right? ) there really weren't many hi fi grade headphones. I came to love audio and found myself addicted heavily to the dynamics produced by my cheap headphones. *click clack over there, another sound over here, violins stage right, cellos stage left ect ect. I became agitated by this when I was still in grade school, roughly 8-10 years old. Something nagged in my ears and drove me mad! I needed a more dynamic and vast experience and it wasn't until my later years in high school when I learned real Hi Fi Audio even existed.
Why Can't Headphone Manufacturers get it right?
I have a problem, its a small problem by the looks of things as I have only encountered a few people in the past decade and half who seem to agree with me regarding this...problem. It seems like most headphone designers do not actually use their own headphones nor planned to. There are a few companies that seem to care about the headband design, companies like Phiaton and Bose, but most really could care less if it makes you look like a radar dish or not. Studio Monitors bother me. Having some mixing experience, I really do not understand how anyone can slap STUDIO MONITORS on their box to describe headphones that have a massive headband that does not conform in the slightest to your head. Do you really want to look like a satellite dish? Do you really want a thin strip of padding on the crown of your head that puts almost all the weight of the headphones right on the most sensitive part of your head? I sure don't. You would think that some brands would realize that a smaller headphone would not only drastically increase comfort qualities, but would also be that much cheaper to produce...as LESS MATERIAL is being used. There are a hoard of great sounding sets that have solid 1/10 ratings for comfort and some that have headbands so large, you can stick your entire hand or arm through that gap between the side of your head and the headbands themselves. This needs to stop. There is no excuse for a massively heavy set of headphones that are branded as studio monitors, but have such a low level of comfort that you cannot ever use them. Some mixing sessions last 12-18+ hours and I know a few sound editors who would never EVER wear these sets. ( I do not want to name them, but its pretty easy to find out which ones I am speaking of ) No real editor would ever choose to wear these monsters on their noggins for more than half a day at a time by preference anyway. Being force to is something I can understand, I've done it for the sake of the set in question sounding amazing...but these expensive sets by no means should EVER CAUSE PAIN...and a lot of them do. Some brands care so little about you, that they make you go buy other brands earpads to be used on their set. This is pure nonsense and inexcusable.
This same problem applies to DJing. No real DJ will ever wear a large and heavy set of headphones at a real gig. If they did, they are terribly misinformed and need to be shown other sets out there that will make their job easier. Some sets branded as DJ sets are not even remotely close to being useful in DJ settings, just as most studio monitors are not useful in the studio.
The point of this section is for the beginners to not be swayed into buying a giant set for studio or DJ use just because they sound great. As a former DJ, I feel victim to this bug and purchased hoards of "DJ" sets only to return them after a performance due to the lack of usefulness. Too big, too clampy, uncomfortable...ect, ect. My rant here is aimed also at the manufacturers. Just because people buy some of your $500-1500 headphones doesn't mean they are perfect and that you need to ignore improvements on future models. Nobody wants a giant set that looks like a satellite. There is no reason for super thick headbands that are molded to never conform to a human head. Its lazy design and there is no excuse for a $1000 set of headphones being uncomfortable in the slightest. Newbies, Beware. Just because they are expensive and sound amazing does not mean they were tailored for comfort. Do your research, don't be afraid to ask questions to the experts here and ask for comfort comparisons. Step up and complain to these companies for making you pay for poor designs that just happen to sound nice, this isn't 1953 or something, its 2011 and it is time the brand name companies realize some of their designs are just terrible and cost insane amounts of cash...why conform to them? Make them conform to THE AUDIOPHILES AND CONSUMERS, I say.
The Cable Quality MYTHS
Yes, Cable quality is important...but only to a certain degree and under specific conditions. I have spent hundreds of Dollars on custom made "super quality" cables that were no different than a Fiio brand interconnect that sells for like $10-15. The difference between very poor quality dollar store cables and moderately priced ( affordable cables, LODs and interconnects ) is much more broad than the moderately priced cable vs the expensive one. I've come to realize it is a brand name, pride thing.
Something to show off and say "I paid $300 for a custom cable" and not much else. Yes, there are higher quality cables out there, but the applications one would need them for would be for recable jobs were the headphone connection points are either gold copper orr silver plated. It would be wiser to go with the corresponding cable type that fits well with your connection point type. Some headphones sound better with silver cables, some sound better without. It is up to you to ask the questions if you want to recable your headphones for a slightly better experience. I have found that if the cable is not terminated with a balanced pin of some type, the recable job is not worth it. This is just my opinion and my experiences. If you feel I am wrong, so be it. I am going by what I have heard and only what I have heard. If the recable job is done with a some type of silver cable of a higher quality and used with a balanced amp from a balanced source, odds are great you will hear a very noticeable difference. Otherwise, I would skip it and only do a recable if the stock cable happens to have problems, is known to sound bad, or if you need a different length. Thankfully, some headphones are easily recabled, most aren't. Grado headphones are easy to recable, anyone with a basic understanding of soldering can do it once they acquire the proper cable.
Otherwise, leave it to a pro to do it for you if you choose to recable.
Proprietary cables are pure nonsense. Recently, I came to love a specific set from a specific company. My goodness the set sounds great but the detachable cable is junk. It is specially made and there are no other cable heads like it that exist. This company created an audiophile grade set of headphones that does not cater at all to audiophiles. Basically, what they are saying is here is our headphone, too bad if the stock cable is crap you are stuck with it and nothing else in existence will work because we specially tailored the ground wires on the inside of the cable to only be compatible with this set of headphones....yet we still buy them willingly. Things like this should stop. There is no reason for an expensive set of headphones to have a craptastic quality cable that is not even replaceable...no excuses for this in the slightest.
Amping
Believe it or not the most popular question I am asked about amping is "Why can't I just use a moderately priced amp" with these expensive headphones?"
The answer to that is centered on clarity and dynamics more than power needs. For example, the recent Fiio E11 portable amp is pretty great and can power loads of up to and around 250 ohms. For such a small little thing, that is very impressive. But it is not something I would ever use on an Ultrasone Edition 8 which costs upwards of $1700 US. Even though the E11 is more than sufficient to drive ( power ) these headphones, it lacks the dynamics and overall clarity to keep up. You will be downgrading your audio quality if you used a cheaper amp, or perhaps an amp that does not mesh with your needs, to be used with any one set of headphones.
Do your research. Some headphones sound very forward, meaning their presentation sounds like its very close to you. Vocals are seemingly coming from inside your head. This type of headphone should never be used with an amplifier that has a more distant presentation. Can it be done? Sure, of course it physically can, but why on earth would you want to? You should try to find proper amping with a presentation that closely matches the type of headphones you are using. Amps that are not too foward and not too distant work best for obvious reasons, as they will mesh well with both forward and a more distant sennheiser type of presentation.
Yet another sub category here would be Solid State vs Tube Amps. Some headphones simply sound better with tube amps than without. Again, you need to match things up as best as you can. This is just my take on it all. Amping always improves the sound signature of any set of headphones even if they are easily driven and low impedance. For example, my 9wave NW Studio earbuds have a massive soundstage and a very forward presentation out of just my Sansa Fuze mp3 player. However, out of my Fiio E11 portable amp, the sound signature is noticeably less forward and the bass experience completely changed. This is due to this amp producing a middle range presentation, not too close and not too distant sounding. When the same set is plugged into a larger full size amp, lets say my E9, The signature sounds terribly distant. Separation of instruments significantly increases but the set sounds terrible with a distant sounding amplifier.
Do your best to match things up before you buy.
Burn In IS REAL
Anyone who says burn in is not real is lying to themselves and speaking pure nonsense. Burn in is a term we audio nerds use to describe a length of time it takes for your audio gear to sound their best. Some headphones sound like trash out of the box but after some time some very subtle changes are made inside the circuitry. These small changes will appear audible to your ears and your brand new headphones won't always sound the same as they will in the near future.
My theory is based on the internal wiring. I feel burn in is caused by the stock wiring learning to efficiently transfer electricity over time. Just like breaking in a new car seat, or a baseball glove. The material is the same, but after some time it becomes more pliable and more efficient to use. The changes are small on a physical level but the small efficiency boost in the electricity being transferred around becomes audible to the human ear. Sets like the Audio Technica WS70 was a night and day transformation to my ears from the day I got it to a few days later. The actual presentation itself twisted from a box shape ( equally tall and wide sound ) to a very tall and narrow sound that was truly terrible.
Cables and amps also have this effect. Recording frequency response and its lack of change during said burn in periods are not valid ways to prove or deny the existence of burn in. The responsiveness has almost nothing to do with burn in, your responsiveness will never change, but clarity and soundstaging will and does on many sets. Again, this is my theory, if you don't like it...well that is just too bad so you'll have to deal with it
The point of this section is to not be underwhelmed by your new purchase, give it time, let your ears adjust to the new sounds coming at it. Sonic adjustment inside of your brain and ears is also a part of burn in. There are days when I want to vomit on my headphones because they just dont do it for me at that moment. But the previous night or the next day I could come back to them and experience pure bliss.
The Psychology
TRUST YOUR EARS AND YOUR GUT! If you feel you will enjoy a specific set of headphones, odds are good you will despite them not being well liked by others. My favorite set of all time is the Sennheiser HD485 which is low tier but even today it remains fun and satisfying to my ears, i enjoy the hell out of it and I won't let anyone tell me different. Never let anyone sway you from something you want. A big part of paying so much for Hi Fi gear is to enjoy it. We audio junkies are in love with audio and I doubt there are any of us here that care at all if their friends dislike their choice set of headphones. If you like them, screw everyone else. Enjoy them! Do your best to not allow that bug to bite you, try not to let any peer pressure make you return or exchange something you like. I have done this so many times over my journey, I've lost count. I fall victim to someone saying set A is better than set B for this or that reason, get rid of your set and try this one.
Make a checklist composed of the following things before you buy:
-Price: If it is expensive WHO CARES! If you love it and want it, GO FOR IT. Just make sure it comes with a return policy in case it is not for you.
-Type: Open, Closed, Full size, Portable?
-Sound signature: What type of sound do you prefer? An upfront and engaging sound, or a smoother laid back, distant
type sound. Is this a well rounded set that plays many genres well, or is it more well suited to play 1 genre extremely well, and other genres moderately well?
-Impedance: How easily driven are they? Can it run well off just an mp3 player or will I need an amplifier?
Trust yourselves, do research before you buy, ask questions. This is what Head Fi is all about. We are all here to help and enjoy helping you new players in this game.
This thread is just my rant to the community. A last ditch effort to get some people riled up before I start my new job and will not be allowed to post reviews or give advice in regards to other brands. Stand up for yourselves and don't let yourselves get conned so easily. Ask questions, give these companies advice and pound them with it until they give you what you want. I know I am not the most popular user around here, it is not like my topics and reviews are well rated and received. I tried my best to provide the world with accurate and honest reviews of all types. My status as a reviewer has now come to and end and I plan to help change the world of audio in the near future. I am a designer by heart and hobby and will be working for a new audio company from now on. Thank you to those who followed me during my time here, but my time as a reviewer has officially come to an end. Hopefully, I have helped and inspired more people than I am aware of. Where would I be without Head-Fi?
Fight the power!
-mike
This is my rant to the community and I thought I would share a few key points I have learned over the past 15 years of my audiophile journey. I wish to share my experiences and knowledge with the beginner audiophiles and to rant a little about how badly some people are getting ripped off in the audio world.
Let Mortal Audio Kombat BEGIN!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away there once lived a young boy named Mike. I spent my days studying the arts and music, focusing mostly on guitar and jazz in general. I grew up in a musical house and learned to play a few different instruments over the years but came to love and regard the guitar above all else. In those early days, before the internet
( whoa, I know right? ) there really weren't many hi fi grade headphones. I came to love audio and found myself addicted heavily to the dynamics produced by my cheap headphones. *click clack over there, another sound over here, violins stage right, cellos stage left ect ect. I became agitated by this when I was still in grade school, roughly 8-10 years old. Something nagged in my ears and drove me mad! I needed a more dynamic and vast experience and it wasn't until my later years in high school when I learned real Hi Fi Audio even existed.
Why Can't Headphone Manufacturers get it right?
I have a problem, its a small problem by the looks of things as I have only encountered a few people in the past decade and half who seem to agree with me regarding this...problem. It seems like most headphone designers do not actually use their own headphones nor planned to. There are a few companies that seem to care about the headband design, companies like Phiaton and Bose, but most really could care less if it makes you look like a radar dish or not. Studio Monitors bother me. Having some mixing experience, I really do not understand how anyone can slap STUDIO MONITORS on their box to describe headphones that have a massive headband that does not conform in the slightest to your head. Do you really want to look like a satellite dish? Do you really want a thin strip of padding on the crown of your head that puts almost all the weight of the headphones right on the most sensitive part of your head? I sure don't. You would think that some brands would realize that a smaller headphone would not only drastically increase comfort qualities, but would also be that much cheaper to produce...as LESS MATERIAL is being used. There are a hoard of great sounding sets that have solid 1/10 ratings for comfort and some that have headbands so large, you can stick your entire hand or arm through that gap between the side of your head and the headbands themselves. This needs to stop. There is no excuse for a massively heavy set of headphones that are branded as studio monitors, but have such a low level of comfort that you cannot ever use them. Some mixing sessions last 12-18+ hours and I know a few sound editors who would never EVER wear these sets. ( I do not want to name them, but its pretty easy to find out which ones I am speaking of ) No real editor would ever choose to wear these monsters on their noggins for more than half a day at a time by preference anyway. Being force to is something I can understand, I've done it for the sake of the set in question sounding amazing...but these expensive sets by no means should EVER CAUSE PAIN...and a lot of them do. Some brands care so little about you, that they make you go buy other brands earpads to be used on their set. This is pure nonsense and inexcusable.
This same problem applies to DJing. No real DJ will ever wear a large and heavy set of headphones at a real gig. If they did, they are terribly misinformed and need to be shown other sets out there that will make their job easier. Some sets branded as DJ sets are not even remotely close to being useful in DJ settings, just as most studio monitors are not useful in the studio.
The point of this section is for the beginners to not be swayed into buying a giant set for studio or DJ use just because they sound great. As a former DJ, I feel victim to this bug and purchased hoards of "DJ" sets only to return them after a performance due to the lack of usefulness. Too big, too clampy, uncomfortable...ect, ect. My rant here is aimed also at the manufacturers. Just because people buy some of your $500-1500 headphones doesn't mean they are perfect and that you need to ignore improvements on future models. Nobody wants a giant set that looks like a satellite. There is no reason for super thick headbands that are molded to never conform to a human head. Its lazy design and there is no excuse for a $1000 set of headphones being uncomfortable in the slightest. Newbies, Beware. Just because they are expensive and sound amazing does not mean they were tailored for comfort. Do your research, don't be afraid to ask questions to the experts here and ask for comfort comparisons. Step up and complain to these companies for making you pay for poor designs that just happen to sound nice, this isn't 1953 or something, its 2011 and it is time the brand name companies realize some of their designs are just terrible and cost insane amounts of cash...why conform to them? Make them conform to THE AUDIOPHILES AND CONSUMERS, I say.
The Cable Quality MYTHS
Yes, Cable quality is important...but only to a certain degree and under specific conditions. I have spent hundreds of Dollars on custom made "super quality" cables that were no different than a Fiio brand interconnect that sells for like $10-15. The difference between very poor quality dollar store cables and moderately priced ( affordable cables, LODs and interconnects ) is much more broad than the moderately priced cable vs the expensive one. I've come to realize it is a brand name, pride thing.
Something to show off and say "I paid $300 for a custom cable" and not much else. Yes, there are higher quality cables out there, but the applications one would need them for would be for recable jobs were the headphone connection points are either gold copper orr silver plated. It would be wiser to go with the corresponding cable type that fits well with your connection point type. Some headphones sound better with silver cables, some sound better without. It is up to you to ask the questions if you want to recable your headphones for a slightly better experience. I have found that if the cable is not terminated with a balanced pin of some type, the recable job is not worth it. This is just my opinion and my experiences. If you feel I am wrong, so be it. I am going by what I have heard and only what I have heard. If the recable job is done with a some type of silver cable of a higher quality and used with a balanced amp from a balanced source, odds are great you will hear a very noticeable difference. Otherwise, I would skip it and only do a recable if the stock cable happens to have problems, is known to sound bad, or if you need a different length. Thankfully, some headphones are easily recabled, most aren't. Grado headphones are easy to recable, anyone with a basic understanding of soldering can do it once they acquire the proper cable.
Otherwise, leave it to a pro to do it for you if you choose to recable.
Proprietary cables are pure nonsense. Recently, I came to love a specific set from a specific company. My goodness the set sounds great but the detachable cable is junk. It is specially made and there are no other cable heads like it that exist. This company created an audiophile grade set of headphones that does not cater at all to audiophiles. Basically, what they are saying is here is our headphone, too bad if the stock cable is crap you are stuck with it and nothing else in existence will work because we specially tailored the ground wires on the inside of the cable to only be compatible with this set of headphones....yet we still buy them willingly. Things like this should stop. There is no reason for an expensive set of headphones to have a craptastic quality cable that is not even replaceable...no excuses for this in the slightest.
Amping
Believe it or not the most popular question I am asked about amping is "Why can't I just use a moderately priced amp" with these expensive headphones?"
The answer to that is centered on clarity and dynamics more than power needs. For example, the recent Fiio E11 portable amp is pretty great and can power loads of up to and around 250 ohms. For such a small little thing, that is very impressive. But it is not something I would ever use on an Ultrasone Edition 8 which costs upwards of $1700 US. Even though the E11 is more than sufficient to drive ( power ) these headphones, it lacks the dynamics and overall clarity to keep up. You will be downgrading your audio quality if you used a cheaper amp, or perhaps an amp that does not mesh with your needs, to be used with any one set of headphones.
Do your research. Some headphones sound very forward, meaning their presentation sounds like its very close to you. Vocals are seemingly coming from inside your head. This type of headphone should never be used with an amplifier that has a more distant presentation. Can it be done? Sure, of course it physically can, but why on earth would you want to? You should try to find proper amping with a presentation that closely matches the type of headphones you are using. Amps that are not too foward and not too distant work best for obvious reasons, as they will mesh well with both forward and a more distant sennheiser type of presentation.
Yet another sub category here would be Solid State vs Tube Amps. Some headphones simply sound better with tube amps than without. Again, you need to match things up as best as you can. This is just my take on it all. Amping always improves the sound signature of any set of headphones even if they are easily driven and low impedance. For example, my 9wave NW Studio earbuds have a massive soundstage and a very forward presentation out of just my Sansa Fuze mp3 player. However, out of my Fiio E11 portable amp, the sound signature is noticeably less forward and the bass experience completely changed. This is due to this amp producing a middle range presentation, not too close and not too distant sounding. When the same set is plugged into a larger full size amp, lets say my E9, The signature sounds terribly distant. Separation of instruments significantly increases but the set sounds terrible with a distant sounding amplifier.
Do your best to match things up before you buy.
Burn In IS REAL
Anyone who says burn in is not real is lying to themselves and speaking pure nonsense. Burn in is a term we audio nerds use to describe a length of time it takes for your audio gear to sound their best. Some headphones sound like trash out of the box but after some time some very subtle changes are made inside the circuitry. These small changes will appear audible to your ears and your brand new headphones won't always sound the same as they will in the near future.
My theory is based on the internal wiring. I feel burn in is caused by the stock wiring learning to efficiently transfer electricity over time. Just like breaking in a new car seat, or a baseball glove. The material is the same, but after some time it becomes more pliable and more efficient to use. The changes are small on a physical level but the small efficiency boost in the electricity being transferred around becomes audible to the human ear. Sets like the Audio Technica WS70 was a night and day transformation to my ears from the day I got it to a few days later. The actual presentation itself twisted from a box shape ( equally tall and wide sound ) to a very tall and narrow sound that was truly terrible.
Cables and amps also have this effect. Recording frequency response and its lack of change during said burn in periods are not valid ways to prove or deny the existence of burn in. The responsiveness has almost nothing to do with burn in, your responsiveness will never change, but clarity and soundstaging will and does on many sets. Again, this is my theory, if you don't like it...well that is just too bad so you'll have to deal with it
The point of this section is to not be underwhelmed by your new purchase, give it time, let your ears adjust to the new sounds coming at it. Sonic adjustment inside of your brain and ears is also a part of burn in. There are days when I want to vomit on my headphones because they just dont do it for me at that moment. But the previous night or the next day I could come back to them and experience pure bliss.
The Psychology
TRUST YOUR EARS AND YOUR GUT! If you feel you will enjoy a specific set of headphones, odds are good you will despite them not being well liked by others. My favorite set of all time is the Sennheiser HD485 which is low tier but even today it remains fun and satisfying to my ears, i enjoy the hell out of it and I won't let anyone tell me different. Never let anyone sway you from something you want. A big part of paying so much for Hi Fi gear is to enjoy it. We audio junkies are in love with audio and I doubt there are any of us here that care at all if their friends dislike their choice set of headphones. If you like them, screw everyone else. Enjoy them! Do your best to not allow that bug to bite you, try not to let any peer pressure make you return or exchange something you like. I have done this so many times over my journey, I've lost count. I fall victim to someone saying set A is better than set B for this or that reason, get rid of your set and try this one.
Make a checklist composed of the following things before you buy:
-Price: If it is expensive WHO CARES! If you love it and want it, GO FOR IT. Just make sure it comes with a return policy in case it is not for you.
-Type: Open, Closed, Full size, Portable?
-Sound signature: What type of sound do you prefer? An upfront and engaging sound, or a smoother laid back, distant
type sound. Is this a well rounded set that plays many genres well, or is it more well suited to play 1 genre extremely well, and other genres moderately well?
-Impedance: How easily driven are they? Can it run well off just an mp3 player or will I need an amplifier?
Trust yourselves, do research before you buy, ask questions. This is what Head Fi is all about. We are all here to help and enjoy helping you new players in this game.
This thread is just my rant to the community. A last ditch effort to get some people riled up before I start my new job and will not be allowed to post reviews or give advice in regards to other brands. Stand up for yourselves and don't let yourselves get conned so easily. Ask questions, give these companies advice and pound them with it until they give you what you want. I know I am not the most popular user around here, it is not like my topics and reviews are well rated and received. I tried my best to provide the world with accurate and honest reviews of all types. My status as a reviewer has now come to and end and I plan to help change the world of audio in the near future. I am a designer by heart and hobby and will be working for a new audio company from now on. Thank you to those who followed me during my time here, but my time as a reviewer has officially come to an end. Hopefully, I have helped and inspired more people than I am aware of. Where would I be without Head-Fi?
Fight the power!
-mike
