[hardbop]

I was never satisfied with the stock earbubs when I got new walkmans, cassette first, then CD. I would always spend 20-40 bucks on a new set of Fontopia's or something. I'm sure they gave me the little 'wow' I was looking for.

The first big 'wow' came with my Grado SR-60's. I got them 6 years ago. I don't exactly know how I came across HeadRoom's website, but those retro-looking Grados really caught my eye. I didn't think they made headphones that looked like that anymore. I did more research and found out that they unanimously sounded good, so I gave them a try.

And WOW!

I didn't know music could sound so good. I only had passing experiences with great speakers and, to me, these cans sounded just as good. Looking around a bit more lead me to buy a headphone amp, probably before the headphones were fully burned in. That was a second 'wow'.


Nowadays, there are several passages of music that still catch my ears and make me go 'wow'. Trying out new headphones at the meet gave me some 'wows', notably the R10's, the 595 with Cardas cables and those amps.


Music in general makes me go 'wow', so it's not necessarily a difficult task.

 

[plus_c]

I think my first "wow" moment came soon after I got my pair of HD212's, when I A/B'ed them against a pair of Bose QCII's a friend got.

I was amazed firstly at how well my 212s did in the A/B, and secondly at how much the Bose sucks at price/performance ratio.

The first "wow" moment that I had outside of an A/B wasn't until after I upgraded to my AKG 271S. I was studying, and some Yo-Yo Ma piece came on...and I was swept away into the music. No piece of audio equipment had ever done that to me, and I was amazed.

 

[joelongwood]

Nice thread. My first WOW was about 6 years ago, and I remember it vividly. I was listening to the AKG K340 which I had just purchased from a classified ad for $50. It was hooked up to a Pioneer SA-8100 integrated amp.
The CD was Creeque Alley:The History of the Mamas and Papas, and the cut was Midnight Voyage. About midway through the song, there are just vocals, no instruments. The ambience and echo of the recording studio was incredible, and I could have sworn the sounds were spreading out at least 3 feet from the sides of my head. And then the drums kicked in...........that was my first "WHOA" with headphones. I must have listened to that cut 100 times.
Having experienced that, I just had to have more, so I began searching the net and stumbled on HeadWize, which begat Head-Fi.
The rest, as they say, is history.............along with my wallet.

 

[allenf]

This afternoon on the train with my 28hr old ER4Ps.

First go on the E3Cs was good.
The HD650s sounded as good as I had been led to believe.
I might get round to burning them in fully by Xmas.

But today with the Etys, after 4 hrs yesterday and into the 3rd hour today, with the foamies...well.
It felt like an inspirational moment really.
Silk.
Isolation...amazing.
Further investigation is required here

 

[S_Dedalus]

I went down to holm audio with a tool cd, put it in, listened to HD570's, and thought they sounded pretty good, then I tried a pair of SR-80's and was blown away. I almost wish I hadn't heard them. I'd have a lot more money now.

 

[jjcha]

Sony MDR-EX70

For years I had been listening to stock buds (or streetstyles). I hated how they sounded great when I pushed them to make more of a "seal", but would fade away without the added pressure. The EX70 suddenly gave me a seal all the time!

Other than that - very few "wow!" moments. Usually takes me a while to fully appreciate good phones. Well, I do distinctly remember when I popped my R10 cherry at tk_suki's apartment...

Anyway, in terms of other equipment - definitely the iPod. From the first week, I realized this was a whole new ballgame, from my portable CD and MD players, having all your music on you all the time.

Best regards,

-Jason

 

[Dimitris]

HD590 last winter. I wasnt impressed with my HD650+zu when i first heard them but now i cant go back.

 

[Mr Iriver]

The first time I was really impressed was when I heard the Er4. While I did not really enjoy their sound, their detail was just so damn impressive. Until now I have not heard anything with that much detail.
BTW nice thread.

 

[kin0kin]

^^^^
WOW <--- there another one

the sr60 pwns 570? in what aspect actually, comfortability wise it is definitely not close to the 570 hehe

it's a shame that, being a head-fi member, i have never heard of the sr-60......must schedule a day to audition them

 

[tayano]

Um2 a couple of weeks ago.

The detail,the bass,the sound is so clear and the sound in front of your face,that's WOW !

I had a little "wow" a couple of days ago,when I tested um2 with triflanges,they give you a much clearer and more balanced sound.

 

[Kameleon]

Great thread

My first WOW was only a couple of years ago, when I got a pair of EX71s for Christmas. Up till then I'd been using my Discman stock earphones *cringe*, I plugged them in and sat on the couch in my cousin's living room listening to Let Down by Radiohead, crying.

Second WOW was when I got my SR225s, just about anything on them is fantastic. Special mention goes to the drums in Epitaph by King Crimson and the Live disc of Cream's Wheels of Fire album, intense

 

[heathkit]

The first time I heard the SR60 back in 1994 was pretty ear-opening, but actually it was the first time I heard the HD 580 in 1997, since I still remember the music I used to demo them. It was Pat Metheny from Letter From Home, So May It Secretly Begin. Up until then I had only heard my trusty old AKG K-240 (that I STILL own since I bought them in 1977!), and my father's old Koss Pro 4aaa from the '60s.

 

[catscratch]

HD590 after a year of listening to the HD500 (yuck!). Yeah, that was a WOW and no mistake. I guess I haven't heard of that whole "treble" thing until I heard the 590's. Detail? Wut dat? And deep bass? Out of headphones? You've gotta be outa ur friggin head mate!

Everything afterwards has been a steady masochistic climb upwards. God knows where it will all end. What's that you say? SR-007...

 

[chicken]

For me it was the SR-60 heard in 2000 at Hi-Fi Sound in Minneapolis. WOW! I always liked headphones but that changed everything for me.

 

[brianknewbie]

MS2-i ...
then 10x the WOW when I got PS-1s

am currently experiencing the WOW effect with UE-10s I just picked up

also SA5000 but primarily because how light & comfortable they are