[MrQ]

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I had dial-up when I was 9...

When I was 9, the worlds first portable computer was introduced and Bill Gates just formed Microsoft.

IBM 5100

 

[Deep Funk]

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Yes, meaning that I never listen to my music outside my house (*room). Well not on the move. I might open my portable computer at school and choose not to be disturbed, so I'll do it out of the headphone jack.
 
In really noisy environments or when people around me talk and it's hard not to listen to what they say, I will listen to a waterfall just for the mask... because my portable headphones KSC75 and Blox M2C earbuds don't isolate at all.
 
Of course if I sit in a park to read a book or at the library I would love to have my music with me (and with silence on my side a pair of Grado, if not, a Blox M2C), but when walking or "on the go", moving to another place, I prefer to stay open to my environment. I also prefer longer, sedentary listening session.
 
Doing sport with music on is very fun though, and there I like to listen to it. I might return to my CX300 for that, even though I don't like the intrusiveness of the IEMs anymore.
 
I don't do train or plane trips just yet... but when I'll do I'll start using my Extreme Isolation EX-29 (headphone made out of a hearing protector) for playing with my Nintendo DS, or reading a book with my music on. I also want to put a Magnum driver in that headphone because stock they sound very dull and unattractive.

For a time I used headphones a lot when outside but given you need to pay attention to your surroundings in the city I only use headphones on foot or when chilling wherever I am. Some crossings in Amsterdam are very dangerous and the idiots who fail to pay attention are sometimes even more dangerous than the city traffic it self. Besides, always having a headphone on your head a lot can be dangerous for your hearing too. 
 
What is your impression of the EX-29?
 
 

 

[Tilpo]

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For a time I used headphones a lot when outside but given you need to pay attention to your surroundings in the city I only use headphones on foot or when chilling wherever I am. Some crossings in Amsterdam are very dangerous and the idiots who fail to pay attention are sometimes even more dangerous than the city traffic it self. Besides, always having a headphone on your head a lot can be dangerous for your hearing too. 
 
What is your impression of the EX-29?
 
 

Not really. You just shouldn't put it up loud. It usually surprises me how loud people tend to put their headphones, when (imo) it sounds much better at lower volumes.

 

[PDT1137]

glad to see not everyone is 12 on here though...
 
Quote:

When I was 9, the worlds first portable computer was introduced and Bill Gates just formed Microsoft.

IBM 5100

 

 

[Oeufdepoire]

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Not really. You just shouldn't put it up loud. It usually surprises me how loud people tend to put their headphones, when (imo) it sounds much better at lower volumes.

By the way, I'm curious how loud Head-Fiers listen to music. As for me, I put the volume on foobar2000 at -10.00 dB, and the volume of Windows 7 at 20 %. The headphones are Grado SR80i's. I passed from 40 % to 20 % within one day, wondering what it would do if I turned the volume down. I don't feel the music less loud than before... My ears are less aggressed though.
 
What about you ?

 

[Tilpo]

By the way, I'm curious how loud Head-Fiers listen to music. As for me, I put the volume on foobar2000 at -10.00 dB, and the volume of Windows 7 at 20 %. The headphones are Grado SR80i's. I passed from 40 % to 20 % within one day, wondering what it would do if I turned the volume down. I don't feel the music less loud than before... My ears are less aggressed though.
 
What about you ?

foobar2000 is usually at -25dB to -20dB, and volume of the music is usually between -20dB and -10dB (I use replaygain). But that doesn't tell you anything, since my amp could be at whatever volume setting. I set foobar this low because I hate to adjust the volume on my amp every time I watch a movies/series (they are usually far softer than music).

I never really put my music loud. When I listen to speakers (which I do at the same volume as headphones), the volume of my speakers rarely exceeds that of the sound produced when typing. I do use a mechanical keyboard though.

 

[logwed]

Quote:

By the way, I'm curious how loud Head-Fiers listen to music. As for me, I put the volume on foobar2000 at -10.00 dB, and the volume of Windows 7 at 20 %. The headphones are Grado SR80i's. I passed from 40 % to 20 % within one day, wondering what it would do if I turned the volume down. I don't feel the music less loud than before... My ears are less aggressed though.
 
What about you ?

Generally I listen fairly quietly, but I don't have an SPL meter to corroborate that. Everyone who listens to my iPod or on my rig always comments on how low I have it, though.
 
However, in my car I crank the tunes because I like to.

 

[Deep Funk]

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Not really. You just shouldn't put it up loud. It usually surprises me how loud people tend to put their headphones, when (imo) it sounds much better at lower volumes.

Guess why I bought a new K181. It isolates almost as good as a DT48E which allows me to keep the volume low...
 
 

 

[devouringone3]

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For a time I used headphones a lot when outside but given you need to pay attention to your surroundings in the city I only use headphones on foot or when chilling wherever I am. Some crossings in Amsterdam are very dangerous and the idiots who fail to pay attention are sometimes even more dangerous than the city traffic it self. Besides, always having a headphone on your head a lot can be dangerous for your hearing too. 
 
What is your impression of the EX-29?

Can be dangerous when you have to put the volume very loud to compensate for the noise of the city, when you don't have an isolation headphone.
 
EX-29 is comfortable, it isolates a lot but not as much as a real hearing protector, because the pressure is lessened and because the pads are different than that of a hearing protector. So they are made more comfortable this way in loss of environmental decibel reduction... but yet they isolate more than "regular" headphone that's for sure. Pressure tend to gets uncomfortable but people have got used to it or broken in the headphone, so I guess it happens to me only because they are still new and I have got accustomed to them. Headband is great, you don't feel it even if the headphone is on the heavy side. I don't listen to them because they are pointless, they sound "minimal". It's like if when they engineered they realized their ultra-closed design was detrimental to the sound and they couldn't find a proper driver because they all sounded bad along with their design. So it's like if they had to pick the "less worst" of the drivers to play it safe, facing such restrictions. You get a sound that is dull, dry, not punchy, not impact-full, no extension what so ever. I give them that the balance is there, and that it plays in their favor for outputting a clear sound, without too much bloated bass. And the headphone does it's job of telling a drummer it's audio cues, but it clearly not made to enjoy music alone in a dark room. When you're a Head-Fier striving for the best for your dollars, or just *the best*, EX-29 is pointless. I wish I had saved up a bit more money and bought either the SVT by Milian Acoustics (http://milianacoustics.com/svt.php) or the one by Remote Audio utilizing Sony MDR-7506 drivers (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/766095-REG/Remote_Audio_HN7506DBC_HN7506DBC_HN_7506_High_Noise_Headphones.html).
 
When I bought it I already knew sound quality (SQ) was subpar, but I really wanted the isolation so I went for it anyway. The result was that SQ was even inferior then my lowest expectations (and at the time yes I had a Grado RS1, but it had just arrived and still I couldn't identify good sound so easily yet, because I was used to relatively bad sound). Also it turned out that I haven't needed the isolation yet, so I haven't used them much other than for testing and initial impressions.
 
They fold up and doesn't take too much place, they come in a nice carrying bag and with a screw on 3.5 to 8 mm adapter, and they feel solid. But sound isn't good, it's only made for drummers to hear audio cues and not audiophile. Still when you don't like the intrusiveness of IEMs, and don't want to screw with battery powered phones, then I see myself appreciating it on a plane, one day... I will try to play my Nintendo DS when audio quality doesn't matter as much... and only after I will put music and read a book.
 
But I'm happy because I just realized the drivers inside the EX-29 were only glued, and that the cups are super easy to unclip and open up. When I'll have a better drivers I will experiment myself and try to make them sound awesome. The cable on the EX-29 feels nice and of high quality by the way.

 
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By the way, I'm curious how loud Head-Fiers listen to music. As for me, I put the volume on foobar2000 at -10.00 dB, and the volume of Windows 7 at 20 %. The headphones are Grado SR80i's. I passed from 40 % to 20 % within one day, wondering what it would do if I turned the volume down. I don't feel the music less loud than before... My ears are less aggressed though.
 
What about you ?

For me it depends on my mood, my headphone, my music, and what I'm doing in the moment of listening. I enjoy my music the most by making one with it. I do so at pressure levels analogous to how loud the instrument sounds in real life, and from that point I choose whether I want to get close to it or not, making it even louder. A good headphone to me should at least sound at it's best around these sound pressure level (or sound at it's best at whatever volume). Rock, electrical guitars and drums, will be listened louder than acoustic music, in that respect. Yet I do advocate against the use of loud music. The truth is that I'm listening to music more than I'm enjoying music, so I put it fairly low.
 
But yeah, for enjoying, when I want to airdrum or be excited by the music and dance in the living room, I definitely need to go as loud or louder than how the instruments would play in real life. But I never listen like this for long periods.
 
You can focus better on doing others things with lesser volumes. Loud music also makes you a lot more fatigued at the end of the day, like any prolonged noise exposure.

 

[kenman345]

(Note: this happened to me twice today)
when....you go on the browser of your phone to show your friends what headphones you just ordered and you are still on the page from the last time you showed someone/were looking into them. 
 
EDIT: also, when you cringe seeing someone coil up their headphone wire or earbuds and not using the over-under method (i think thats what it's called, to me its just the normal method now)

 

[roBernd]

You know you're an audiophile when... you realize that head-fi is the /b/ of headphones if it comes to terms like "neutral" or "a good headphone" and turn to smaller forums and their measurements.

 

[Zeebra]

You know you're an audiophile when... you realize that head-fi is the /b/ of headphones if it comes to terms like "neutral" or "a good headphone" and turn to smaller forums and their measurements.

So agreed. This site has a lot of positive qualities, I like the news and gear library and big crowd, but I don't really like what happened with NwAvGuy and how blind testing is a swearword and Sound Science is separated from the "real" forums, basically implying common sense and proof are unnecessary.

 

[manveru]

 
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So agreed. This site has a lot of positive qualities, I like the news and gear library and big crowd, but I don't really like what happened with NwAvGuy and how blind testing is a swearword and Sound Science is separated from the "real" forums, basically implying common sense and proof are unnecessary.

Bam! 

 

[Endless]

You know you're an audiophile when you see a set of headphone that is not Beats and try to identify and guess what it is. 
 
Also when friends ask for your impression on their headphones! 

 

[Coop]

You know you're an audiophile when... Friends or family or colleagues come up to you, all excited about the new headphones they ordered and without even hesitating for a split second you crush their hopes and dreams by telling them how much their choice sucks and what they should have gotten instead...