[FFBookman]

One of the best forums on Gearslutz is the Low-End Theory - gear for those of us drowning in bills and not spending on new or hi-end stuff.
 
Head-Fi needs one badly. So much of this audiophile hatred is class warfare. Just my opinion.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FFBookman /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

Head-Fi needs one badly. So much of this audiophile hatred is class warfare. Just my opinion.

 

What hatred and class warfare? I've seen more arguments erupt over objective measurements vs "my personal subjectivity of existence trumps your persona subjectivity of existence and your objectivity too!" That's a philosophical debate, not class warfare. You can't even classify it as class warfare under the idea that there are those who subscribe to unscientific methods as the underclass because chances are you can't be part of the underclass if your subjectivity allows you to buy $10,000 cables.

 

Not just my opinion either - look up how many budget FOTM threads are here. Cheap something gets a rave review or whatever, and then everybody - even those you imagine to be the oppressive ruling Audiophile class - jump in and order a few. In reality the most "oppressive" thing about it is somebody with expensive stuff using the cheap ones as beaters.

 

 

[wink]

So, who's up for reading a ton of posts about iBuds and Beats when they were owned by Monster Cables?

 

[FFBookman]

  So, who's up for reading a ton of posts about iBuds and Beats when they were owned by Monster Cables?

I'm was thinking more about good value and/or used gear, not crap.

 

[crazychile]

 

  So, who's up for reading a ton of posts about iBuds and Beats when they were owned by Monster Cables?

I'm was thinking more about good value and/or used gear, not crap.

One mans "good value" is another mans "crap"

 
I don't know how gearslutz does it, but the affordable discussion always seems to increase in price. In one thread we talk about contenders for the best $100 headphone, and in another we talk about how the latest $1500 headphone is such an awesome deal.
 
I'm all for the idea, but just don't know how you'd control the upward drift.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Well, although there isn't a low-end section, most budget headphone products are discussed here in countless threads.

 

[wink]

Low end..? Sounds like ducks' disease.

 

[FFBookman]

 
One mans "good value" is another mans "crap"

 
I don't know how gearslutz does it, but the affordable discussion always seems to increase in price. In one thread we talk about contenders for the best $100 headphone, and in another we talk about how the latest $1500 headphone is such an awesome deal.
 
I'm all for the idea, but just don't know how you'd control the upward drift.

there would be no control, that's for sure. 
 
i'm just sick of the belief that you need big bucks to get good sound. it's a big driver of the phone-playing-mp3 movement ---  what a great deal! how affordable, i could never afford those audiophile things!  is what most US consumers think.
 
a $1k DAP or the rich guy's living room is a foreign place to 99% of the planet. a thread here about best audio in phones got me thinking that people do want quality again.
 
plus i love old used gear if it's worthy, i love keeping good gear alive, and threads about best value discontinued items usually sparks that.

 

[FFBookman]

 

 

What hatred and class warfare? I've seen more arguments erupt over objective measurements vs "my personal subjectivity of existence trumps your persona subjectivity of existence and your objectivity too!" That's a philosophical debate, not class warfare. You can't even classify it as class warfare under the idea that there are those who subscribe to unscientific methods as the underclass because chances are you can't be part of the underclass if your subjectivity allows you to buy $10,000 cables.

 

Not just my opinion either - look up how many budget FOTM threads are here. Cheap something gets a rave review or whatever, and then everybody - even those you imagine to be the oppressive ruling Audiophile class - jump in and order a few. In reality the most "oppressive" thing about it is somebody with expensive stuff using the cheap ones as beaters.

 

I just would like to see those budget threads in one forum I guess.

 

[FFBookman]

  Well, although there isn't a low-end section, most budget headphone products are discussed here in countless threads.

i thought it would be nice to keep all the budget-priced discussions in one forum. 3rd class steerage

 

[Music Alchemist]

  i thought it would be nice to keep all the budget-priced discussions in one forum. 3rd class steerage

 
It would certainly make the information more organized and easier to find, but we can't control where people decide to make posts of that nature. Plus there's the issue of what counts as "budget" and what doesn't. Depending on who you ask, it could be anything lower than $20...or $100...or $500.
 
I'm using ultra-budget headphones right now, actually: the Koss KTXPRO1. Only paid $15 for it, yet I like it more than so many headphones that cost hundreds!

 

[crazychile]

 
i thought it would be nice to keep all the budget-priced discussions in one forum. 3rd class steerage

It would certainly make the information more organized and easier to find, but we can't control where people decide to make posts of that nature. Plus there's the issue of what counts as "budget" and what doesn't. Depending on who you ask, it could be anything lower than $20...or $100...or $500.

I'm using ultra-budget headphones right now, actually: the Koss KTXPRO1. Only paid $15 for it, yet I like it more than so many headphones that cost hundreds!

Have you tried the KSC-75 yet with PE headband?

 

[Music Alchemist]

Have you tried the KSC-75 yet with PE headband?

Not yet. But I did push the refurbished KSC75 I had closer to my ears (which should do the same thing a headband would), and it did not improve the sound, in my opinion. I wonder if there was something wrong with it, because like I mentioned before, aside from the treble and soundstage, it barely sounded better to me than Apple earbuds.

 

[crazychile]

Have you tried the KSC-75 yet with PE headband?

Not yet. But I did push the refurbished KSC75 I had closer to my ears (which should do the same thing a headband would), and it did not improve the sound, in my opinion. I wonder if there was something wrong with it, because like I mentioned before, aside from the treble and soundstage, it barely sounded better to me than Apple earbuds.

Yeah, that doesn't seem right. If the drivers were f ine, pressing them against your head would make them sound closer to Portapros, which I still think are subpar to these. With the PE headband they seem to rest lighter than even the stock clips. But you have more freedome to center them properly on your ears.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FFBookman /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I just would like to see those budget threads in one forum I guess.

 

They're just not consolidated but a lot of people have asked about them before the Introductions and Recommendations forum, and I found the ones below just in the IEMs forum:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/807951/whats-the-best-budget-single-ba-iem

http://www.head-fi.org/t/621530/best-budget-iem

http://www.head-fi.org/t/762666/best-budget-iems

http://www.head-fi.org/t/485656/best-iems-for-80-budget

http://www.head-fi.org/t/485570/best-in-ear-headphones-below-150

http://www.head-fi.org/t/482966/er-4p-ie7-pfe-other-iems-below-200-that-are-the-best-for-rock-music-and-isolation-specifically

http://www.head-fi.org/t/805930/best-sub-30-chinese-brands-earphones-thread-hidden-gems-personal-favorite-and-impressions-sharing-in-construction

http://www.head-fi.org/t/510112/below-80-and-110

http://www.head-fi.org/t/611139/best-70-or-below-for-bass-lover-seeking-clarity-in-mids-and-highs

 

Also, Joker has a huge thread which gets updated now and then. MOST of the IEMs reviewed are low budget IEMs, and if there's any reason why there isn't a consolidated thread, well, that's because this one serves as that, and reviews are somewhat standardized since there's just one guy doing all of them so he can do more back to back comparisons and have a more accurate "more/less" description between a range of them.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shootout-114-portable-headphones-reviewed-xiaomi-mi-headphones-added-04-21-2015

 

As for active electronics, there's not much you can do with those. Anything too cheap will inevitably use a crap power supply and will not be recommended anyway, besides, in a world where there's the Fiio E10 for USB-powered DAC-HPamps and the Schiit Magni for wall-powered amps, and a host of other Fiio products (and don't forget their dealer network which means they're more accessible to more people), there really hasn't been any need to make a consolidated thread when every thread pegged at $150 or less will inevitably have these come up.