[TokiWartooth]

Because none of the opinions here help a new guy. It's confusing. For every convincing recommendation of a pair of headphones or the value of an amp written on this site and probably any, there is an equally convincing opposition to it. You get nowhere, asking a question. I think that's why he thinks you're all crazies/sillies.

Since I'm too new to even be posting, I'll just say a little about myself. I had a pair of Bose Triport headphones (blasphemy, it seems) and was happy with them. I just put them back together whenever the brittle plastic broke, with sewing thread and superglue casts. I also have a 20-30 year old portable graphic equalizer from a company called Magtone Electronics Inc (Japan). I loved it, despite the white noise at silent parts. It developed a short in the cord, sadly. So my Zone 80gb is without a buddy, now.

The Triports are old enough that they can't be fixed anymore. I am without headphones, and an Amazon user insisted this is an excellent site for information on quality headphones. It's a shrubbery maze, to me.

I don't make enough money to be an audiophile. I'm a cashier in college.

 

[tintin47]

Okay.... Pretty much every complicated subject looks very foreign when you first come into it. How do you think a box score for a baseball game would look to someone who last played baseball in little league when they were 5?

What you said about differing opinions isn't exactly true. When you are looking at a piece of gear, look for the similarities in opinions/reviews and keep those. For example: the AKG K701. Some people think it's great, some don't like it one bit. Those are personal preferences. Almost all of those people would agree that the 701 is a very detailed phone that is somewhat dry with a large large soundstage. How people interpret those traits is where the arguments arise. Just read a lot and keep an eye out for prevailing opinions. Don't pay much attn to one super positive or super negative review.

Just take some time, read, and get to know the phone world a bit -- this forum is a great place to do that. Try to use the searchbar to find answers to your questions, because almost always someone has wondered the same thing before, and usually there are a lot of answers.

Lastly, it isn't all about money. You don't need to spend thousands to be happy. You can have a overall very good set-up for about $500. If you go lower than that, you can get a decent pair of cans like the ATH-AD700 and build a Starving student amp for $150. Now, if you use that $500 setup for one plus hours per day, that is not a huge cost at the end of a year. Much less than even having coffee every day.

Welcome to head-fi. Take your time and ask questions if you are daunted.

 

[TokiWartooth]

That makes sense. Thanks for the reply, and greeting.

Having to go anymore than one day at my lame job without music during my lunch hour is going to be a drag. Even in the event of a zombie apocalypse, I'd have some kind of music.

 

[aaron313]

Part of any true hobby is immersing oneself in its numbingly tedious minutiae. Like how after reading the first 235 pages of the "K701 or HD650? I are confuse... plz help" thread, you want to quit, but resolve to plow through to remaining 200 pages. That's how you know it's time to make a donation to Head-Fi and cancel any dates with your g/f. If you don't feel that way, then you are probably too sane to be an audiophile.

 

[Suntory_Times]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaron313 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Part of any true hobby is immersing oneself in its numbingly tedious minutiae. Like how after reading the first 235 pages of the "K701 or HD650? I are confuse... plz help" thread, you want to quit, but resolve to plow through to remaining 200 pages. That's how you know it's time to make a donation to Head-Fi and cancel any dates with your g/f. If you don't feel that way, then you are probably too sane to be an audiophile.

Very well said.

 

[cyberidd]

Tintin47, that may be the best explanation of this hobby yet, good work!

 

[phangtonpower]

Word!!
I don't have to many posts, but a lot of reading hours

 

[TokiWartooth]

Yeah, Tintin47 is definitely a seasoned veteran. Haha. Like Bruce Willis was in Armageddon, which I just watched. Only for integrating quality sound equipment into the life of an average person, not deep-core drilling. Well, aaron, I don't have a gf. So maybe it's the perfect hobby for me.

Although I already have an Xbox. While I have you guys here, do you know of any small graphic EQ's? Not amps. I'd post a picture of my broken one, but.. I'm lazy. Also, what does everyone think of the Ultrasone HFI-780? Please, and thank you.

 

[Suntory_Times]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TokiWartooth /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, aaron, I don't have a gf. So maybe it's the perfect hobby for me. Although I already have an Xbox. While I have you guys here, do you know of any small graphic EQ's? Not amps. I'd post a picture of my broken one, but.. I'm lazy. Also, what does everyone think of the Ultrasone HFI-780? Please, and thank you.

Never used and ultrasone hfi-780 so don't know. A quick search in the headphones section will no doubt yield many result.

As for eq's, I generally stay away from them for several reasons, the pros and benifits have been debated a lot here. Though unless you know what you're doing and have the right equipement EQ'ing is generally seen as a big no no.

Thought I might add, i'm single atm and find it much more expensive living the bachelors life (going out 'drinking' looking for some fun [one must note that I know longer drink alcahol though]) then when I have had a girlfriend. Oh well, I guess I must be extremely cheap in more ways then one.

 

[mbriant]

Hi, and welcome to Head-fi.

One thing I'd like to point out which is related to your concern about getting useful information on this site, is that when you suddenly and drastically go off topic with a question like "Also, what does everyone think of the Ultrasone HFI-780?" in a thread entitled " Theory as to why "dosquito" thinks you're all crazy.", chances are you're not going to get much help. A thread title usually only attracts people interested in the topic it indicates the thread is about. That's it's purpose. Chances are, very few if any members reading this thread will also own or know much about a specific product you have a question about. Keeping threads on topic (as best we can) helps make specific information easier to find.

 

[mrarroyo]

TokiWartooth welcome aboard! I will add that attending meets is a good way to meet others and try a lot of gear. Sadly meets can be a bit loud so the results are general with regards to the gear you listened too.

I own an HFI-780 and IMO it is a great headphone. However I should mention it needs lots of burn-in (at least 300 hours, maybe more like 450). Secondly the cable is not the best, so a re-cable was in other. You could go crazy and spend what ever you wish for a re-cable, the good news you can contact S2 Audio who will do a re-cable and remove the diode board for about $125.

Some also find the pleather pads not very comfortable specially if you use glasses. The good news is you can buy the Beyer DT250/280 velour pads which fit perfectly and improve the comfort.

Good luck.

 

[TokiWartooth]

Thank you three for the advice. I won't change topics anymore. I was just desperate. I have no headphones. None at all. Imagine that, if you will. It's terrible. Oh wait - there are cheap, little earbuds on the floor near my trash. They came with my mom's old, cheap mp3 player. I couldn't even hang myself with those. That is crazy burn in. I don't even know why removing a diode board would be a good idea.

 

[taylor]

If it's good enough to get talked about on head-fi or brought to a meet, then you'll probably be happy with it.

Back about 5 years ago, I spent like 2 months agonizing over whether to get Sony MDR-V6 or Grado SR-60. I bought the V6, because the Grado looked so foreign and odd to me, and I had heard of Sony but not Grado. Then, later on, I bought the SR-60 and gave the V6 to my little brother.

My suggestion? Don't antagonize too much over it. Everyone has different preferences and prejudices. Most of the headphones that get recommended here are pretty good - the big debates are just splitting hairs.

This is the internet. People don't like to see you save money. Anytime you go for a forum for advice, they give you the expensive route. I go to a computer forum, they tell me that my life will suck unless I buy $500 video card. I go to the car forum, they tell me that my car is a piece of crap unless I buy new $5,000 racing wheels, lowering suspension, and a supercharger. I go to the headlights forum, they tell me that I can't see at night unless I have the biggest, most expensive xenons. I go to head-fi, they tell me that my music sounds like crap without $500 headphone amp and a new set of headphones.

Most likely, if you've been enjoying Bose Triports, anything head-fi recommended is going to sound like gold to you.

You need to take things with a grain of salt - most people here have spent thousands on audio equipment, and want you to be just like them. Not that there's anything wrong with spending a ton on headphones (I've met some really awesome people in the 5+ years I've been here), but you have to evaluate your needs individually.

Chances are, you could spend $100-150 on a beginning level headphone that is easy to drive (and doesn't need an amp to sound good), and be very happy with it. Decide your financial situation, how much you're willing to spend on audio, and how much "icing on the cake" is worth to you.

Fact is, no matter how small, an amp is a pain. It's another wire to connect, another battery to charge, another block in your pocket. If sound quality is super important, then get one. If you find a $99 pair of headphones that your Zune can drive, and that sound great, jump on that ish.

First, decide on what style you want. IEM or regular? open or closed? superaural or circumaural? Once you know that, start researching. Walking into here is like walking into a store - people are going to try to "upsell" you to a better, pricier product. They don't have malicious intent, but they know a lot about it, and they know why the more expensive one is better. It's up to you, not them, to decide what it's worth. You can spend $70 and be happy (SR-60). Or, you can spend $10,000 and be very happy (Stax Omega2).

I do highly reccomend trying to find a local meet that you can go to. Online research only goes so far. I was very wary about Grado after reading about their comfort concerns and their brightness, but I tried them at a meet and loved them and bought them.

Right now I'm rocking AKG K340... it's a jewel. These things rock hard. Not that expensive, but they are hard to find.

 

[Suntory_Times]

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylor /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right now I'm rocking AKG K340... it's a jewel. These things rock hard. Not that expensive, but they are hard to find.

AKG340's do indeed rock. Thought there hard to drive. Very hard to drive in my experience.

 

[TokiWartooth]

I'm awarding several of you the Helping The Noob medal. Looked upon with disdain by ********, the Helping The Noob medal is an honorable award.

*watches GI Joe: Resolute*