[Makiah S]

  I've been weirdly interested in portable headphones lately, but mostly in their looks, and not so much in their sound. The KEF M500 looks really nice, and feels really comfortable. I didn't plug them in and listen, though. I'm also looking forward to the Oppo PM-1, which I guess is supposed to be somewhat portable? The NAD Viso HP50 also has me curious. They look like protective ear muffs, but in a good way.
 
In a related manner, I've been sort of detached from IEMs lately. I'm supposed to be enjoying the UERM (which are very nice, indeed) but I only seem to be testing them in fits and starts, and can't seem to accrue any type of momentum with them. Instead, I've downgraded myself to laptop speakers to listen (not music, hardly got time for that these days).

ewww I find the KefM500 to be rather ugly... not a fan of the shape... still thinks headphones should big giant and round <3
 
I do like the look of my HE 400 with j$money Pads as well <3 very almost SteamPunk ish imo, lot's of metal and leather going on there [that sounds kinda kinky xD] 

 

[Mimouille]

Very interesting answer Muppet thanks. I understand what you mean...I found the Heir 5.0 to be ultra smooth and easy to listen to, with a nice texture. I sold it because it bored me next to the 1plus2 and Kaede, and then the Se5 managed the smoothness with less warmth.

I really wonder how these k10 will sound like...especially compared to the Roxanne, since the first returns are saying the Roxanne is very smooth.

I had that you went for Heir / Noble partly for the funky designs and asked for pink and Turquoise wood with Sapphire flakes.

 

[EveTan]

Sapphire flakes.

Whoa.... those exist in CIEMs? Definitely exotic. Can't wait to see them.

 

[Mimouille]

  Whoa.... those exist in CIEMs? Definitely exotic. Can't wait to see them.

Well they exist in my mind at least

 

[tomscy2000]

  I'm not 100% sold on the sound signature compared to my Amperior, Momentum or ES10 though. Whenever there is a scoop in the vocal range I tend to feel a little unengaged.

 
The GoldenEars HATS thought it sounded good though? Oh well, never trust hearing impressions from a dummyhead...

 

[a_recording]

   
The GoldenEars HATS thought it sounded good though? Oh well, never trust hearing impressions from a dummyhead...

 
I dunno. I mean it isn't severely scooped or anything. I read a lot of references to the KEF-M500 sounding neutral though and I'm not sure if it sounds that neutral to me. For one thing the bass is a stronger than what I would consider neutral.

 

[tomscy2000]

  I dunno. I mean it isn't severely scooped or anything. I read a lot of references to the KEF-M500 sounding neutral though and I'm not sure if it sounds that neutral to me. For one thing the bass is a stronger than what I would consider neutral.

Well, the smoothing might be hiding some things that are more troubling to the eye; there is a ~1k midrange scoop to HATS' listening impressions, but usually it's one that produces a pleasant feel to the sound.
 
Oh well.
 
Perhaps that Phiaton M430 will be more pleasant.

 

[MuppetFace]

The NAD Viso is supposed to be good: http://www.head-fi.org/t/646735/nad-viso-hp50-another-superb-headphone-from-paul-barton/135
 
By the way, the Geek from Light Harmonic has been getting *a lot* of praise from people I know:
 
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gavn8r/geek-a-new-usb-awesomifier-for-headphones?ref=live
 
I want one now.

 

[gelocks]

   
I dunno. I mean it isn't severely scooped or anything. I read a lot of references to the KEF-M500 sounding neutral though and I'm not sure if it sounds that neutral to me. For one thing the bass is a stronger than what I would consider neutral.

 
The M500s to me sound very similar to the Mad Dogs... i.e. warm-ish, a bit more bass and more forward upper-mids, especially vocals. I mentioned that they appeared to be MDs little brother. Portable, on-ear, etc. I liked it more than the PSB M4U 1 and Momentum (over-ear).
 

 

 

[tomscy2000]

  The NAD Viso is supposed to be good:  
By the way, the Geek from Light Harmonic has been getting *a lot* of praise from people I know

 
Yeah, the HP50 is one of the few closed transportable over-ears that I'm actually interested in. I'm curious to hear its little brother, the HP20 in-ear, too, but don't really care for its whatever ergonomics.
 
I pre-ordered the normal GEEK. Too bad I won't be getting it until much later, since I won't be back in the US until March or April. The way Larry Ho designs his stuff seems to be pretty fundamentally sound. Being able to wrangle the kind of measurements they posted on their blog, prettied up or not, is mighty impressive. I'm also curious what he has in mind for the supposedly upcoming desktop version of the GEEK, which Larry hinted to be modular and upgradeable. However, I am very, very happy with the Concero HP, which I'm plunking down a good deal of dough for (well, a good deal more than what I've spent on any of my previous DACs, at least).

 

[Coq de Combat]

I like post-its. I do.

They´re easy to see, because of their trademarked colors and size, which makes my brain associate everytime I see them to some important note. They stick to everything (at least once). They are made in a very handy size if you get the regular sized post-it notes, and they´re just for the most part amazing for their intended purpose.

They do however have a flaw and I´d say it´s a major flaw. They get lost. Easy. Too easy.

Now, I´ve been using them at work for mostly everything that I need to scribble down fast when I´m sitting at my desk. I have used them for to-do-notes, contact information, and so on, and depending on the task and the importanec of it, I put them either on my computer screen or on my wall.

This week I´ve been trying to get used to use my iPad for my notes, contact info, to-do´s, and so on, and it works. Sure it takes a little more time to launch notes, or clear for my to-di-lists, or my calendar app for meetings, but here´s the kicker: they don´t get lost.

They just don´t get lost.

I love it.

 

[MuppetFace]

It's reassuring to see Final Audio is still insane.
 

 

[Argybargy]

Do you all multi-task while listening to music? I'm trying to get away from listening while doing a crossword puzzle, reading the NY Times, working on a spreadsheet, etc and just sit on a comfortable chair and concentrate on the music.

It's hard to maintain this singular zen-like mindfullness though when you are naturally restless... Like now when posting on headfi while listening to said music. :rolleyes:

Anyway, thanks MF for the music recs. I'm particularly enjoying Demdike Stare, Deepchord/Echospace, Esben and theWitch, SVIIB, Nite Jewel and OoOoo.

 

[Coq de Combat]

Do you all multi-task while listening to music? I'm trying to get away from listening while doing a crossword puzzle, reading the NY Times, working on a spreadsheet, etc and just sit on a comfortable chair and concentrate on the music.

It's hard to maintain this singular zen-like mindfullness though when you are naturally restless... Like now when posting on headfi while listening to said music. :rolleyes:

Anyway, thanks MF for the music recs. I'm particularly enjoying Demdike Stare, Deepchord/Echospace, Esben and theWitch, SVIIB, Nite Jewel and OoOoo.

I have a really hard time doing it. As soon as I sit down to listen to music, I feel restless and the I get a strong urge to do something.

The sad part about it is that the music becomes sort of a background noise rather than something I truly listen to enjoy. I do however notice a difference when changing from fast paced EDM to relaxing ambient, or something along those lines, so I guess the music affects me more than I realize while listening, or multitasking.

 

[Argybargy]

I find some of the most attentive listening sessions to be from the RE400 (my only IEM) and ipod classic while driving on lonely stretches of freeway through the night or very early in the morning.

Of course it doesnt actually sound that good, what with road vibration and wind noise, but there's something to be said for being a captive audience to the music and having nothing to do but listen and watch the landscape unfold.