[donaldekelly]

Okay - let me ask another stupid question

Why spend so much money on headphones for connecting them to an IPOD or other mp3 player?

What I mean is - if I get some nice phones will they sound better out of my IRiver than my HD280 pro does now? It seems that my phones sound significantly better when connected to my stereo than on my IRiver. (Not bad with my IRIver - 20mW and who knows what % THD, but pretty fine out of my Onkyo 501 - probably just 20mW and 0.08% THD).

AM I wasting my money to buy some ER-4Ps if I use them with my IRiver about 95% of the time? (I believe IRivers sound about as good as IPODs - depending on who you ask).

I believe I already know the answer - "YES" - just checking to make sure I didn't miss something obvious about 30 threads ago.

Thanks for putting up with me.

 

[akerman]

Depends on the impedance.. Etymotics makes a speciel version with high impedance, can't remember if that's the S or P model though =)

 

[donaldekelly]

4P has the lower impedance

So, there shouldn't be much difference between a receiver and a mp3 player. Obviously people buy $300 phones to use with their mp3 players and it is worth it.

Ok

Just checking - my ears may not be giving me all the info I need.

 

[robk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenW I guess if you don't let it override your priorities and you keep it in perspective, there's nothing really wrong with it. Certainly better than certain other "hobbies" like gambling for example.

this is a terrible analogy. Gambling is the only hobby I have that supports itself. In fact, I use gambling to support my music hobby. Right now poker is hot, and the people playing it are mostly morons. There is a lot of money to be made if you have the skill, discipline and bankroll management to do it. I only play a few hours/week, and average over $500/month in winnings over the last 18 months. And even if you believe the claim that poker is a skill game (which it is) it is still gambling, and you would be a fool to forget that. So despite the fact that it is gambling, it is still a situation where the more skilled player will win in the long run. If I weren't a grad student, I would possibly consider playing full time, as the money really is that good right now, but I am not dropping out of grad school, and grad school started before I discovered poker, so that isn't happening.

rob

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robk this is a terrible analogy. Gambling is the only hobby I have that supports itself. In fact, I use gambling to support my music hobby. Right now poker is hot, and the people playing it are mostly morons. There is a lot of money to be made if you have the skill, discipline and bankroll management to do it. I only play a few hours/week, and average over $500/month in winnings over the last 18 months. And even if you believe the claim that poker is a skill game (which it is) it is still gambling, and you would be a fool to forget that. So despite the fact that it is gambling, it is still a situation where the more skilled player will win in the long run. If I weren't a grad student, I would possibly consider playing full time, as the money really is that good right now, but I am not dropping out of grad school, and grad school started before I discovered poker, so that isn't happening. rob

bad analogy but not for the reasons you stated. headphones is a hobby that you put some cash in, you got a product back, and you enjoy for a long while.

gambling - you put cash in, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but don't forget- the House Always Wins in the end. better just to go there expecting to lose your cash and pay for the fun of playing. once you start thinking that you're smarter than the House is when you lose your house.

 

[robk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn bad analogy but not for the reasons you stated. headphones is a hobby that you put some cash in, you got a product back, and you enjoy for a long while. gambling - you put cash in, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but don't forget- the House Always Wins in the end. better just to go there expecting to lose your cash and pay for the fun of playing. once you start thinking that you're smarter than the House is when you lose your house.

My point is that there are plenty of gambling opportunities where you are not betting against the house. Poker is a classic example. Sometimes I have a winning session, sometimes I have a losing session, but at the end of the year, I know how much money I am likely to have won based on how many hours I put in, because I outplay my opponents. I DO win over the long run, and have the records and the statistics to show it. the beauty of poker is that you are playing against 9 otherplayers. Part of being a winning player is being able to recognize a game you are good enough to beat. If you can see the mistakes being made by the other players in your game, and you can avoid them yourself, you will come out ahead.

If I were to make money playing agianst the house, this can be done to, but it is tougher. The best example is counting cards at blackjack. You need skill, a deep bankroll and the ability to not get caught. But they will not stop you from doing it unless you are winning, so . . .

there are also certain video poker games that are +EV (positive expected value for the gambler, negative expected value for the house) if played optimally as well as certain proressive jackpot slot machines that become good bets when the jackpot reches a certain size. On can also make a good living as a sports bettor, including horse racing. The bottom line is that going to a casino hoping to get lucky will lose you money more often than not, but taking gambling seriously, and done with the right knowledge, gives the savvy player a wining edge over the game that will result in a long term profit. So gambling per se is not necessarily a bad hobby.

Visit internettexasholdem.com for further information (where I am tournament director) and many discussion on 'getting the best of it.'

rob

 

[Cyclone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcTeryx Heh if you thought ski's were expensive... Colnago carbon fiber bicycle frame: $3500 Colnago carbon fiber fork: $600 Zero gravity brake calipers: $400 Titanium bicycle chain: $340 Campagnolo wheels: $2800 FSA handle bar $250 Shimano dura ace brake/shift levers: $430 Vittoria tires $140/pair Look titanium pedals $600 Fizik carbon bike seat $230 Look carbon fiber seat post $230 Add in a cassette, headset, bb, and all the other components and you can easily approach $12-13000 for a bicycle.

Oh i know, the ski shop that i buy my stuff at is also a bike shop in the summer. The shop owner has a bike set up thats about 10k and a ski set up thats about 4k. I cant afford either, but i make due with 1.5k set up

. But hey, at least you bikers dont have to pay for lodge food.

 

[earjam]

Almost 30 years ago I heard about sennheiser headphones and ordered a pair out of new york. These open aire phones were so new they were hard to get. They were backordered for almost a year before i got them. Even with my mediocre sources, old turntable reel to reel etc. they made the music come alive. Being a classically trained musician myself i really appreciated the soundstage and extended frequency response of the phones. It was the best 29 dollars i ever spent.
Now up to date. Last year i purchased hd650 and benchmark dac1. They are just wonderful. I felt like i was listening to all my cds for the first time because i heard so much that had been hidden before. Was it worth it? Absolutely. I have always had a preference for headphones over speakers. Fine audio gear is a gift that keeps on giving, year after year, long after the pain of the wallet.

 

[arspy87]

^^^ Well-said.