[chesebert]

That is usually the start of curiosity in this hobby. You find recommended gear and you try them out and you're not sure if you like them or not. Then once you get a hold of a few others and verify what you hear with others on forums, you start questioning whether what you're hearing is as they described and start questioning if you actually like them or not.

Once you're able to understand how sound is described and such and found your preferred tuning, then it goes downhill from there on out.

Fair point! I was in that noob phase for like a decade

I remember at one time I preferred Zhaolu over Esoteric Yeah I must have been deaf back in the days. Oh how we were all young at one point.

 

[descloud]

Fair point! I was in that noob phase for like a decade

I remember at one time I preferred Zhaolu over Esoteric Yeah I must have been deaf back in the days. Oh how we were all young at one point.

Safe to say once you've found your preferred tuning and know what to look for moving forward, you've matured in the hobby. You've become a full adult once you leave all headphone forums and the community in general and become content with what you have haha.

 

[carlosgab]

^ I remember when I first saw that video many years ago, I thought his reaction was because he liked the headphones so much.

Coincidentally, I think I saw a post in the classified it being sold for less than a fifth of its original price (ofcourse this time its pre-owned). Quite a depreciation.

 

[chesebert]

Coincidentally, I think I saw a post in the classified it being sold for less than a fifth of its original price (ofcourse this time its pre-owned). Quite a depreciation.

Still not worth the price - by a long shot.

 

[wishbon3]

I'd have to say the HD800 before I learned about EQ, the Sss sound was just so annoying before I knew how good they could sound.

 

[MrPanda]

Ultrasone Pro 650 - just dreadful

 

[Hooster]

HD600. Boring.

 

[wren1234]

My disappointment were "gaming headphones" like Razer Kraken or Logitech Alpha. It were huge trash in my opinion.

 

[TWerk]

Focal Elear for sure.

 

[carlosgab]

Still not worth the price - by a long shot.

Now I am even more interested.. to just try

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I unearthed it for the first time in weeks (if not months). They were boring and uninspiring out of my old Galaxy J7 smartphone. Today I listened to the M50x on my S10e, and now I can understand why that headphone is so polarizing. The bass, especially midbass, was just too much for me to bear. That corresponds to a "painfully woofy" feeling. The highs are tinny, uneven and lacking in definition (there is a peak at around 4 kHz in that headphone). In other words, the M50x's sound quality is not to my liking.

I know now that I have not yet found a closed-back full-sized headphone that I really liked. My MDR-7506 needs no explanation. A bit screechy and lacking in air both at the same time. My MDR-7509 (non-HD) would have been close if it weren't for the lack of damping in the earcups.

Looking back, I am considering my M50x the biggest disappointment of the headphones that I currently own. Its sound quality is definitely overrated. Not terrible per se, just overrated.

Listening to my 7509 more closely, and I can definitely tell its shortcomings. In addition to the honk that was caused by the undamped enclosures, much of the treble was recessed. In fact, the upper midrange and lower treble response was far below the Harman curve. That eliminates the 7509 as a candidate for good-sounding higher-end headphones out of a portable player.

Which leaves my 7506 - but that headphone, too, has its faults. The upper midrange and lower to middle treble is emphasized quite a bit higher than the Harman curve.

As a result, I am now looking for a good set of closed-back full-sized headphones that doesn't cost more than about $200-ish that will replace all three of those headphones. Unfortunately, I have struck out so far in that search.

 

[ChoColostrum]

I took a risk on a vintage Nordmende headphones. I just couldn't take the sound. It's like playing a song on AM Radio.

 

[kman1211]

Looking back, I am considering my M50x the biggest disappointment of the headphones that I currently own. Its sound quality is definitely overrated. Not terrible per se, just overrated.

Listening to my 7509 more closely, and I can definitely tell its shortcomings. In addition to the honk that was caused by the undamped enclosures, much of the treble was recessed. In fact, the upper midrange and lower treble response was far below the Harman curve. That eliminates the 7509 as a candidate for good-sounding higher-end headphones out of a portable player.

Which leaves my 7506 - but that headphone, too, has its faults. The upper midrange and lower to middle treble is emphasized quite a bit higher than the Harman curve.

As a result, I am now looking for a good set of closed-back full-sized headphones that doesn't cost more than about $200-ish that will replace all three of those headphones. Unfortunately, I have struck out so far in that search.

Beyerdynamic DT 150 or DT 250 will be worth looking at.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Beyerdynamic DT 150 or DT 250 will be worth looking at.

Unfortunately, my search comes at the worst possible time. I cannot commit myself to a purchase unless I heard them first. And worse, due to the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, more and more online resellers are now completely refusing all returns on headphones. That means that if I make such a purchase, then I will be permanently stuck with it even if it turns out to sound like crap.

 

[kman1211]

Unfortunately, my search comes at the worst possible time. I cannot commit myself to a purchase unless I heard them first. And worse, due to the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, more and more online resellers are now completely refusing all returns on headphones. That means that if I make such a purchase, then I will be permanently stuck with it even if it turns out to sound like crap.

Amazon sells them directly and offers free returns still. So if you buy any headphone directly from amazon you wouldn’t be out any money if you need to return them.