[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

I was able to intercept the mail carrier for my Mad Dogs today before heading to work. Ripped open the box in the parking lot and was planning on testing them out for a song or two on my iPhone only to realize that they're packin a 1/4 in. Plug. Didn't have a mini adapter on me so they'll just sit there in the parking lot in the backseat of my car. Classes start tomorrow morning too, so I probably won't be able to get much listening time in today.

On the flip side, Dan actually packed in a leather comfort strap for free, probably as a good will gesture due to the delay. The phones are smaller than I was expecting, and look nicer as well. The Mad Dog vinyl decals aren't really intrusive, and they feel pretty comfy too. Can't wait to get home and give em a go

[LCfiner]

It might have been for the best that your first impression of them isn't straight from an iphone headphone out. they are... uninspiring from the iphone amp. smooth, but no guts.

Try them out from there after you've already heard them from a good amp. It should be a noticeable difference.

But I totally understand why you would rip that package open anyway to try them. I've done the same with other items I've gotten in the mail :)

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Oh well yeah, obviously they wouldn't sound their best, but you know, taking a hot rod for a test ride is exciting even if you're going to be driving at 40 mph lol I was just curious what the general sound sig was like, having never tried a pair of orthos.

[pax217]

[Alucrid]

I was able to intercept the mail carrier for my Mad Dogs today before heading to work. Ripped open the box in the parking lot and was planning on testing them out for a song or two on my iPhone only to realize that they're packin a 1/4 in. Plug. Didn't have a mini adapter on me so they'll just sit there in the parking lot in the backseat of my car. Classes start tomorrow morning too, so I probably won't be able to get much listening time in today. On the flip side, Dan actually packed in a leather comfort strap for free, probably as a good will gesture due to the delay. The phones are smaller than I was expecting, and look nicer as well. The Mad Dog vinyl decals aren't really intrusive, and they feel pretty comfy too. Can't wait to get home and give em a go

That's like child abuse in this heat man.

[LCfiner]

ha!

I'll try to stick with my current gear for at least a few months before I get the itch again! Just for you, pax!

Although I am thinking of getting an old, relatively cheap (<400) Stax Lambda and energizer setup soon...

As for selling the LCD3s (and the other high end pairs): Whenever I make an attempt to get "end of the line" gear, and climb to the very top of the ladder, I inevitably get dizzy and have to climb down a few rungs to the safety of regular hi-fi and away from "insanely fetishistic and expensive hi-fi".

It took a few tries but I think I learned my lesson finally. I'm really happy with my current spread (Magnums, Mad Dogs, HD650)

[Keldor]

Bought the M80, listened for a little over a week and returned them. I liked the bass on them although they had a hard time keeping up with double bass in most metal music. The mids were the best part of the M80. It was forward but very smooth sounding. The highs for me were one factor in my returning them. With pop, rap, etc it was just right but with metal, you had a hard time hearing the cymbals, high hats, etc. I tried eqing them, but just couldn't get the highs where I thought they sounded good. My biggest problem with the M80 was if I had them on for a long time, my left ear began to hurt. The right side was fine. It was just the left. After looking on Head-Fi, I saw that some other people had experienced the same thing, including the same ear.

Which leads me to my next pair. I'm leaning torward the HD-25 II as some have suggested but I'm intrigued by the Beyer Dt1350. It's $100 more but is it worth it? Will the DT1350 do as good or close to the HD-25 II with metal music?

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

This just in: The Mad Dogs are utterly, stupefyingly good. I've been A/Bing them against the ES5s for the last 3 hours and I've come to the conclusion that these are an utterly insane bargain for the going price. Are they better than the ES5? Holistically speaking, to me, no. BUT, for the price of $250, I'd say they deliver anywhere from 85% to 90% of the ES5's sound for a quarter of the price ($950). They sound very similar to the ES5s to my ears, just not as transparent, and with more bass quantity that's not as clean nor controlled, and treble that doesn't shimmer quite like the ES5 does. The ES5s mids are still utterly unbeatable for me, as the Mad Dogs never seemed to disappear the way that the ES5 does. But yeah, technically, the details, separation, timbre, soundstage, imaging etc. are all extremely close. I'm not exactly sure whether I'm going to keep them as the ES5 doesn't need an entire set up dedicated to it to sound that good, so if I had to do it all over again, I'd still go for the ES5s, but I'm still glad I get to try the Mad Dogs out so I can spread the word. Oh and comfort wise, these are quite nice, they're not quite as light as my SA5ks, but they are about on par when it comes to wearing comfort, and if you wear glasses, that's not an issue. Only thing I don't like is that my ears do get warm since they are closed.

[Gorillaz]

Interested in the Sol Republic since not too many people here are talking about it....does that mean it's not as good or is it too fresh on the market? I know it's made by the creator of beats apparently.


Also I love how much they can be customized.

[pax217]

Although I am thinking of getting an old, relatively cheap (<400) Stax Lambda and energizer setup soon... As for selling the LCD3s (and the other high end pairs): Whenever I make an attempt to get "end of the line" gear, and climb to the very top of the ladder, I inevitably get dizzy and have to climb down a few rungs to the safety of regular hi-fi and away from "insanely fetishistic and expensive hi-fi".

I don't blame you for selling them if you really are that happy with the Mad dogs. As for the Stax, I thought you already had one?

[Doombear]

Just wanted to say thank you HiResDes. This was a perfect pair of IEMs for me. Love the sound that they put out. They really are perfect for what I wanted them for. Vita and the occasional podcast. The bass and isolation from the bi-flanges really give a nice little punch to the games.

Thanks again!

[LarryButz]

Can't wait to upgrade the MD pads with the new one he announced a few hours ago.

Dog Pad:
Better bass: Faster transients with smoother response and better extension
Greater comfort: Lamb leather, with a softer foam that doesn’t crush
Presence and articulation: Smooth the lower mids and upper bass

[HiResDes]

Just wanted to say thank you HiResDes. This was a perfect pair of IEMs for me. Love the sound that they put out. They really are perfect for what I wanted them for. Vita and the occasional podcast. The bass and isolation from the bi-flanges really give a nice little punch to the games. Thanks again!

No problem, and I should be thanking you as well really. Helping someone find the exact set they need is a really good problem. The GR02s along with maybe the Silver Bullets Rev. 2 are two of my favorite IEMs under $150. And they cost a third of that.

[LCfiner]

This just in: The Mad Dogs are utterly, stupefyingly good. I've been A/Bing them against the ES5s for the last 3 hours and I've come to the conclusion that these are an utterly insane bargain for the going price. Are they better than the ES5? Holistically speaking, to me, no. BUT, for the price of $250, I'd say they deliver anywhere from 85% to 90% of the ES5's sound for a quarter of the price ($950). They sound very similar to the ES5s to my ears, just not as transparent, and with more bass quantity that's not as clean nor controlled, and treble that doesn't shimmer quite like the ES5 does. The ES5s mids are still utterly unbeatable for me, as the Mad Dogs never seemed to disappear the way that the ES5 does. But yeah, technically, the details, separation, timbre, soundstage, imaging etc. are all extremely close. I'm not exactly sure whether I'm going to keep them as the ES5 doesn't need an entire set up dedicated to it to sound that good, so if I had to do it all over again, I'd still go for the ES5s, but I'm still glad I get to try the Mad Dogs out so I can spread the word. Oh and comfort wise, these are quite nice, they're not quite as light as my SA5ks, but they are about on par when it comes to wearing comfort, and if you wear glasses, that's not an issue. Only thing I don't like is that my ears do get warm since they are closed.

Yay! Glad you're liking them. The MD are such a ridiculously good value.

I don't blame you for selling them if you really are that happy with the Mad dogs. As for the Stax, I thought you already had one?

I had a very expensive stax setup that was too pricey for me to keep. I just want a taste of that light, effortless electrostatic sound without breaking the bank. so I'm waiting for an older, vintage lambda setup to become available.

[Ken Masters]

I'm looking for excersise headphones with good base, any suggestions?

[LCfiner]

man, Almost as soon as I got the Mad Dog headphones, MrSpeakers have added a new model with upgraded pads

http://www.mrspeakers.com/Audiophile...d-fostex-t50rp

Better Bass (and more) The Mad Dog used the Shure 840 earpad, which coupled excellent mid and high frequency transparency with deep and extended bass. While the bass had power, it didn't have the texture and clarity of the mids and highs, and as a bass player I really wanted to push this further. The Dog Pad is MrSpeakers' new lambskin leather ear pad. The Dog Pad preserves the bass extension of the Mad Dog, while smoothing out the upper bass register and greatly accelerating the speed, slam and rhythym of the bass. Bass fans will immediately notice the increased resolution and clarity of the bass. And because Mad Dog + Dog Pad's bass is faster and more articulate, the phone is more dynamic overall. Even the Mad Dog's highly regarded mids are notably faster, with improved imaging, more "presence" and clarity, and better defined "dark space" between the instruments and notes.

There's a post on head-fi that is quoted from some mrspeakers page that I have not yet found that says it'll be 50 bucks for the new pads in September. shipping included in the US. international extra. I'll be ordering a set, I know

[CRS]

Damn it, I really, really want those Mad Dog headphones.

[Renoir]

i know Beats head phones are shunned upon.
But my Job is giving 50% on a pair.
Which one in the line is the best IEM?

[Hix]

i know Beats head phones are shunned upon. But my Job is giving 50% on a pair. Which one in the line is the best IEM?

Is it only the Beats line, or are they doing Monster phones in general?

[HiResDes]

Their IEMs really aren't bad at all. The only thing is that you could get Silver Bullets or GR02s for a little over $50 that are just as good as most of their offerings.

[Renoir]

Is it only the Beats line, or are they doing Monster phones in general?

Monster as well.
By the way its Office Depot that's giving the discount.
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/s...phones+monster

[HiResDes]

Monster as well. By the way its Office Depot that's giving the discount.

Monster Turbines are great, Copper ones really impressed me but are quite pricey even at half-off.

Edit: Tour in Ears out of those though

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

man, Almost as soon as I got the Mad Dog headphones, MrSpeakers have added a new model with upgraded pads http://www.mrspeakers.com/Audiophile...d-fostex-t50rp There's a post on head-fi that is quoted from some mrspeakers page that I have not yet found that says it'll be 50 bucks for the new pads in September. shipping included in the US. international extra. I'll be ordering a set, I know

....God Damn It. The slightly boomy bass was one of the phone's only weaknesses, but these pads allegedly clear up the midrange too? :/ Urgh, I was thinking of returning them and sending my ES5s to Dream Earz to have Mitch install some sub bass armatures, the whole shebang would've cost me about $200 or so :l

[Witchfinder General]

ha! I'll try to stick with my current gear for at least a few months before I get the itch again! Just for you, pax! Although I am thinking of getting an old, relatively cheap (<400) Stax Lambda and energizer setup soon... As for selling the LCD3s (and the other high end pairs): Whenever I make an attempt to get "end of the line" gear, and climb to the very top of the ladder, I inevitably get dizzy and have to climb down a few rungs to the safety of regular hi-fi and away from "insanely fetishistic and expensive hi-fi". It took a few tries but I think I learned my lesson finally. I'm really happy with my current spread (Magnums, Mad Dogs, HD650)

What's your source and amp? There's a good chance the reason for you not settling on a high quality pair of cans is because the rest of your gear isn't up to snuff and you're trying to fix the limitation on the headphones side.

Headphones like the Sennheiser Hd800, LCD2/3, Beyerdynamic T1, etc need very, very good gear to truly show what they can do.

Unless you have some pretty darned good gear (each component in the thousands for example) you're just not hearing the potential in your headphones.

[Yocke]

I'm looking for excersise headphones with good base, any suggestions?

I use the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II. They seal off outside noise really well, which I need because the gym I go to already has music playing.

[LCfiner]

What's your source and amp? There's a good chance the reason for you not settling on a high quality pair of cans is because the rest of your gear isn't up to snuff and you're trying to fix the limitation on the headphones side. Headphones like the Sennheiser Hd800, LCD2/3, Beyerdynamic T1, etc need very, very good gear to truly show what they can do. Unless you have some pretty darned good gear (each component in the thousands for example) you're just not hearing the potential in your headphones.

I want to clarify that I didn't find any of those high end setups to sound poor or uninvolving. They all sounded excellent. But I always felt weird having so much money invested in headphones and the midrange offerings had those obvious flaws that always ended up bugging me after months so I kept going back to different high end offerings.

With the HD800 I was using the isabellina balanced HPA as source and amp.

With the stax SR007, I had the benchmark DAC1 as source and woo GES then the 323s as Amps. (I know that the GES is a bit underpowered but I can't afford a BHSE, WES and didn't find a KGSS. Even without optimal amping, I still thought the O2 was amazing).

With the LCD3, I was using an ODAC and Burson soloist.

I felt they all sounded great. With the exception of some lowered bass impact on the stax, I think they were all driven and sourced close to their limits.

But I'd rather not chase that last 10 or 20% with additional thousands of dollars anymore. I'm not trying to say that the HD650 or Mad Dogs sound as good as those high end setups. But I do feel like I have finally found some midrange cans that give me enough of the technicalities and FR I want to put down the super expensive ones and pocket the change.

[shira]

i know Beats head phones are shunned upon. But my Job is giving 50% on a pair. Which one in the line is the best IEM?

JYPs diamond tear beats


Edit: Bah iem. Turbines

[Witchfinder General]

I want to clarify that I didn't find any of those high end setups to sound poor or uninvolving. They all sounded excellent. But I always felt weird having so much money invested in headphones and the midrange offerings had those obvious flaws that always ended up bugging me after months so I kept going back to different high end offerings. With the HD800 I was using the isabellina balanced HPA as source and amp. With the stax SR007, I had the benchmark DAC1 as source and woo GES then the 323s as Amps. (I know that the GES is a bit underpowered but I can't afford a BHSE, WES and didn't find a KGSS. Even without optimal among, I still thought the O2 was amazing). With the LCD3, I was using an ODAC and Burson soloist. I felt they all sounded great. With the exception of some lowered bass impact on the stax, I think they were all driven and sourced close to their limits. But I'd rather not chase that last 10 or 20% with additional thousands of dollars anymore. I'm not trying to say that the HD650 or Mad Dogs sound as good as those high end setups. But I do feel like I have finally found some midrange cans that give me enough of the technicalities and FR I want to put down the super expensive ones and pocket the change.

Fair enough. Although maybe good speakers would give you more of what you're after. Headphones simply can't compete with a good speaker set-up.

[LCfiner]

Fair enough. Although maybe good speakers would give you more of what you're after. Headphones simply can't compete with a good speaker set-up.

I think you might misunderstand a little (or I gave the wrong impression). I'm perfectly happy with the setup I have and have been happy with my older, high end ones too. It's not like I'm not getting what I'm after. I've had pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

It was the older midrange setups that would leave me a little unsatisfied for the reasons I've gone over before. That's why I spent the cash to go big. It made a noticeable improvement but, like I said, the cash needed to get there always ended up making me feel weird after a couple months.

The headphone setup I have now doesnt have the same faults of those other mid level systems.

As for speakers, I do have some Salk Songtowers that are amazing but I can't crank them up often. And I actually do like the more intimate sound of headphones over speakers sometimes.

[Talon]

I use the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II. They seal off outside noise really well, which I need because the gym I go to already has music playing.

Damn, don't you sweat like hell with 'em? I can't imagine doing cardio with on-ears.

[Renoir]

Their IEMs really aren't bad at all. The only thing is that you could get Silver Bullets or GR02s for a little over $50 that are just as good as most of their offerings.

when i google silver bullets headphones.. i ger silver bullet lookin head phones.

[pax217]

How long have the original Mad Dogs been out that they've already designed/started production on a new pair?

As for speakers, I do have some Salk Songtowers that are amazing but I can't crank them up often.

Finally, somewhere that we're on-par. :D

What do you have running them?

[davidcotton]

Bought the M80, listened for a little over a week and returned them. I liked the bass on them although they had a hard time keeping up with double bass in most metal music. The mids were the best part of the M80. It was forward but very smooth sounding. The highs for me were one factor in my returning them. With pop, rap, etc it was just right but with metal, you had a hard time hearing the cymbals, high hats, etc. I tried eqing them, but just couldn't get the highs where I thought they sounded good. My biggest problem with the M80 was if I had them on for a long time, my left ear began to hurt. The right side was fine. It was just the left. After looking on Head-Fi, I saw that some other people had experienced the same thing, including the same ear. Which leads me to my next pair. I'm leaning torward the HD-25 II as some have suggested but I'm intrigued by the Beyer Dt1350. It's $100 more but is it worth it? Will the DT1350 do as good or close to the HD-25 II with metal music?

If you check out an episode of headfitv (on the site and youtube) Jude does an in depth comparison with the two of them.

[Yocke]

Damn, don't you sweat like hell with 'em? I can't imagine doing cardio with on-ears.

Sure. Especially when, like you said, I'm doing cardio. That's just the price you're gonna have to pay, I guess. I mean, at least the pads are plastic. If they were velour or something they would get really disgusting.

[LCfiner]

How long have the original Mad Dogs been out that they've already designed/started production on a new pair? Finally, somewhere that we're on-par. :D What do you have running them?

eff yeah! songtowers. such great speakers.

Right now I'm just using my home theatre receiver, Pioneer 1019. It's fine but I suspect there's considerable room to move up.

I've thought about trying some dedicated power amp just for the speakers but haven't given it serious thought yet. I'm waiting till I move to a bigger place before I invest in some better amping. And, for convenience sake, I'd rather just get an all-in-one integrated home theatre receiver that's just better than my current one. Not sure if that's something I can find. (room sound damping and dispersion treatment is another matter altogether. Ive taken some small steps in improving this in my living room but, again, I'll need a bigger space to really commit to it.)

I'm not sure how long the MD have been out. I think at least 6 months, based on that email from Mrspeakers talking about the development of the new pads.

but thats all this is now. pads. the damping behind the drivers hasn't changed. so this is just a slip on replacement for the old pads if anyone wants to upgrade.

[HiResDes]

when i google silver bullets headphones.. i ger silver bullet lookin head phones.

Fischer Audio Silver Bullets Rev. 2

[Renoir]

Fischer Audio Silver Bullets Rev. 2

thank you kind sir for you're resourcefulness.

[Erasus]

http://www.sony.se/product/hpo-classic/mdr-zx600

Got the Sony MDR zx600 for 30 at sale. They seem decent, got editors choice in cnet when thye review them. Anyone here who has a pair?

[Trojita]

I ordered the Incase Sonic headphones. I got a decent deal for them and plan on using them as my beater phones for my Macbook Pro and DS/3DS/PSP. I find myself babying my sennheiser's and Audio Technica's too much to the point that I don't think I'd be comfortable just throwing them in my bag. The other plus is that I can use them for talking on my iPhone.

I'll let you guys know how they are.

[LCfiner]

Woo hoo!!

Dog Pads ordered from mrspeakers.

40 dollars including worldwide shipping. Early bird pricing and only available to existing mad dog owners.

I hope I can hear the differences that he states they provide. It would be a pretty neat upgrade.

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Im curious as to whether the new dog pads would disperse heat better. My SA5ks pads don't get warm like the stock MD pads. I gotta take the MDs off every so often cause my ears get uncomfortable

[Mad Hatter]

Can anyone recommend some decent USB headphone amps (<~$75)? I brought my ATH-M50s to work and the sound is just SO much better coming from the amp in my soundcard at home.

[LarryButz]

Woo hoo!! Dog Pads ordered from mrspeakers. 40 dollars including worldwide shipping. Early bird pricing and only available to existing mad dog owners. I hope I can hear the differences that he states yet provide. It would be a pretty neat upgrade.

Did the same earlier today as well.

[pax217]

Can anyone recommend some decent USB headphone amps (<~$75)? I brought my ATH-M50s to work and the sound is just SO much better coming from the amp in my soundcard at home.

If by "USB Headphone Amp" you mean an amp with a USB DAC, go with the FiiO E10.

[Nappuccino]

Twiddling my thumbs while Amazon free shipping takes it's sweet ass time in getting my SR80is to me.

Been like 12 days since I ordered and they aren't expected till the 22nd :(

[The Big Rig]

Twiddling my thumbs while Amazon free shipping takes it's sweet ass time in getting my SR80is to me. Been like 12 days since I ordered and they aren't expected till the 22nd :(

They're worth it. Burn them in naturally to get the most enjoyment out of them.

[darkwing]

what's a good upgrade from the Senns PX100? I think after 10 years it's time to retire these babies lol

[Hix]

what's a good upgrade from the Senns PX100? I think after 10 years it's time to retire these babies lol

What's your budget and music genre(s)?

[darkwing]

What's your budget and music genre(s)?

I think $150 would be max, $199 would be really pushing it, and it's mostly movies, pop, acoustic, jazz

[Hix]

I think $150 would be max, $199 would be really pushing it, and it's mostly movies, pop, acoustic, jazz

Assuming you want something portable like your Senns, you should go for V-Moda M80s.