You probably can't demo them but have you ever considered the Fischer FA-011 and Fidelio X1?
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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
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Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Custom ear tips or molds for CIEMs?
Honestly after CIEMs I can't go back to regular tips. Not literally of course, I mean they're fine, but I don't really want to use something other than my CIEMs lol even though they aren't my preferred signature.
Just waiting for a good basshead CIEM. Maybe I'll get the W500 one day.
Honestly after CIEMs I can't go back to regular tips. Not literally of course, I mean they're fine, but I don't really want to use something other than my CIEMs lol even though they aren't my preferred signature.
Just waiting for a good basshead CIEM. Maybe I'll get the W500 one day.
I'm a little unclear of the difference between custom ear molds for tips and CIEM's.
In both cases a mold is taken of the ear and attached to the driver body. How would a CIEM vary depending on the mold type?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Oh I was more asking if they were making CIEM moulds or the ear tips. 
I guess most places do both really.
CIEMs you need the whole outer part of the ear while ear tips only requires the inner parts I guess?
I guess most places do both really.
CIEMs you need the whole outer part of the ear while ear tips only requires the inner parts I guess?
Oh I was more asking if they were making CIEM moulds or the ear tips.
I guess most places do both really.
CIEMs you need the whole outer part of the ear while ear tips only requires the inner parts I guess?
Ah I get you. So if they mold the whole ear cavity and embed the driver and tip in there (different material?) then that's a CIEM.
nailbombxx
Member
I need some help. I've been heavily interested in listening to classical music lately, and I've decided I need to improve sound quality. (lows are too quiet even at high volume, etc)
My headphones are AKG K240 MK IIs, and I like them a lot. They are very comfortable and the sound is quite good for the price I think. I primarily listen to music on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S3) downloaded through Spotify at max quality. Not FLAC, but still.
How much would a headphone amp increase my listening experience? I'm not really considering buying an even more expensive pair of headphones right now but I'm wondering whether a relatively cheap amp would noticeably improve the sound with my pair. I would like some recommendations for particular amps.
My headphones are AKG K240 MK IIs, and I like them a lot. They are very comfortable and the sound is quite good for the price I think. I primarily listen to music on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S3) downloaded through Spotify at max quality. Not FLAC, but still.
How much would a headphone amp increase my listening experience? I'm not really considering buying an even more expensive pair of headphones right now but I'm wondering whether a relatively cheap amp would noticeably improve the sound with my pair. I would like some recommendations for particular amps.
DriftedPlanet
Unconfirmed Member
I hadn't heard of them. With a bit of searching it looks like neither pair are listed as in stock (in Maryland) but it is possible to get them via ebay or international shipping.
I see some people saying on a reddit post that the Beyerdynamic DT990 sounds similarly. I also see that the Fidelio X2 is in stock on amazon.
What are your thoughts on those and on the two pairs you brought up?
Xander51
Member
Well, I just ordered a pair of DT990's, and they'll be here later this week. Always meant to try more Beyer stuff after falling in love with the 770's last year. I need to hear the polarizing peaky maybe-nightmare brightness for myself. Plus it'll be nice to have an open headphone again so the other people in my house actually have a shot of getting my attention when I'm listening, hah.
Semi successful shopping trip. Walked 6 miles in the rain and managed to find some Spiral Dots. Medium only so they will be too small.
I did pick up new double flange spinfits and a Zero Audio BA. I hated the Xiaomi Hybrid so hoping this is much better.
Edit: dangerous putting a street like this near me
I did pick up new double flange spinfits and a Zero Audio BA. I hated the Xiaomi Hybrid so hoping this is much better.
Edit: dangerous putting a street like this near me
Planet_JASE
Member
If you want a pair of the FA-011, you can still get them from Noisy Motel, based in Australia. They delivery internationally and are reputable. I bought my pair from them a while back.
Tip rolling time.
New spinfit double flange at the back.
Comply in blue and SureSeal at the front.
Edit: just tried the Zero Audio BA's. Holy sensitivity Batman. Way way louder than the rockets, and there's some hiss from my X1 which I've never heard before. Sound balance is nice, much closer to my preferred neutral. Will run them on the flights home and see how they are over an extended period.
New spinfit double flange at the back.
Comply in blue and SureSeal at the front.
Edit: just tried the Zero Audio BA's. Holy sensitivity Batman. Way way louder than the rockets, and there's some hiss from my X1 which I've never heard before. Sound balance is nice, much closer to my preferred neutral. Will run them on the flights home and see how they are over an extended period.
The 400S really needs a couple of things to be their best. They need the Focus Pads or Focus Pads A (both are upgrades in comfort and frequency response over the stock) and, in my opinion, the grille mod. Taking off the stock grilles and replacing them with a grille that is more open and has less material really widens the stage and helps the clarity of the sound. With these two mods done I really like my pair of 400S. Picture of my 400S:
Beyer's are crazy comfortable but I find the timbre and tone of the 770/880/990's to be a little bit false. To me, certain instruments don't sound like they do in real life and that's one of my biggest criteria for evaluating a headphone. If it doesn't pass the timbre and tone test then I won't keep it. I would be interested to see what you think about them, however.
Xander51
Member
I actually agree with this as far as the 770's are concerned, weirdly, and that slight off-ness is one of the things I enjoy. It's like they dropped out of an alternate reality where things sound just a little bit different. I find those differences fun and interesting, personally.
I mostly use mine when I'm in the mood to hear that weird sound, or when I'm working portably and want something with decent isolation. Those velour pads on the 770's isolate shockingly well and don't crush my head.
The 990 is one of the most polarizing headphones out there, and so I always wanted to give it a shot if I found the right price. I got one for cheap so even if I hate it at least my initial risk wasn't too high.
EDIT: Your 400S's look awesome by the way.
Xander51
Member
Sorry for the double post! Most people fix this by changing out the pads. The HM5 pads are a common recommendation, but they alter the sound. I never found a satisfactory alternative, and ended up just trying to live with the comfort issues and then eventually selling them.
The HRM-5 is a great clone headphone with better comfort. If you could get ahold of some pads for those it might work out well, but I'm not sure if they sell them separately.
DriftedPlanet
Unconfirmed Member
Thanks. I'm not going to get a pair any time soon though, I want to demo a bunch of different pairs before I buy my next main pair of headphones.
The 400S really needs a couple of things to be their best. They need the Focus Pads or Focus Pads A (both are upgrades in comfort and frequency response over the stock) and, in my opinion, the grille mod. Taking off the stock grilles and replacing them with a grille that is more open and has less material really widens the stage and helps the clarity of the sound. With these two mods done I really like my pair of 400S. Picture of my 400S:
Beyer's are crazy comfortable but I find the timbre and tone of the 770/880/990's to be a little bit false. To me, certain instruments don't sound like they do in real life and that's one of my biggest criteria for evaluating a headphone. If it doesn't pass the timbre and tone test then I won't keep it. I would be interested to see what you think about them, however.
I had read about the focus pad swap before, but the grill mod seems pretty interesting. I don't think the store owner would let me during just a demo but it'd be cool to try if I go for them.
Xander51
Member
This makes me more excited to try out the 990.
They have the exact same driver. They might each have their own tuning and particulars but they are a lot more alike than they are different. But yeah, it's probably best to hear them for yourself and see what you think.
The DT880 has decent timbre despite being a bright, it's treble still doesn't suffer from the same kind of peakiness as the other two, they are definitely tuned quite differently and the pads also contribute to the difference.
Lockjaw333
Member
Wondering if anyone needs a DAC/amp and would be interested in a lightly used FiiO e10k? I'd part with it for way below retail. I haven't really used it in a while so it's just been sitting in the box.
Xander51
Member
My DT990's showed up...with a totally destroyed right pad and a partially damaged left pad. Ugh! They were packaged weirdly, with the left cup shunted into the bottom of the right cup, and I think they sat that way for a while, causing the damage. I should note I ordered the Premium/Edition version and not the Pros. They came in that big goofy leatherette carrying case, with no cardboard insert holding the pads apart like they use in the Pro packaging. I tried to gently smoosh them back into shape, but the foam is so soft on the 990 pads that it just wasn't gonna happen.
So I decided to send them back, rather than spend more on replacement pads and minimize the good price I got on them.
But I did some listening first, even with the right side not fitting me totally right...and I really loved them. I could immediately see why some find the highs peaky, but as a fan of the 770's they were great. Rather than fall in love with a busted pair, I quickly packaged them up and they're on the way back to Amazon. Maybe I'll try the Pros in the future.
For now it's on to the next!
So I decided to send them back, rather than spend more on replacement pads and minimize the good price I got on them.
But I did some listening first, even with the right side not fitting me totally right...and I really loved them. I could immediately see why some find the highs peaky, but as a fan of the 770's they were great. Rather than fall in love with a busted pair, I quickly packaged them up and they're on the way back to Amazon. Maybe I'll try the Pros in the future.
For now it's on to the next!
DriftedPlanet
Unconfirmed Member
While I try to figure out my next main headphones I decided to check out the KZ ZST IEMs. They just showed up.
This should be pretty fun.
Edit: First impressions: Far superior to some cheap (but not as cheap) earphones I have from a few years ago, interesting. The bass is alright, the mids and lower treble sound pretty good , the upper treble is kinda high. So I guess it's what is generally called a bit "bright". I generally use the AD700 which is definitely less piercing in the upper treble. Hoping burn in will tone down the brightness. If not, maybe the comply tips or replacement cable will.
Comply foam tips and replacement cable are showing up tomorrow, so the differences between stock and upgraded will be clear soon.
This should be pretty fun.
Edit: First impressions: Far superior to some cheap (but not as cheap) earphones I have from a few years ago, interesting. The bass is alright, the mids and lower treble sound pretty good , the upper treble is kinda high. So I guess it's what is generally called a bit "bright". I generally use the AD700 which is definitely less piercing in the upper treble. Hoping burn in will tone down the brightness. If not, maybe the comply tips or replacement cable will.
Comply foam tips and replacement cable are showing up tomorrow, so the differences between stock and upgraded will be clear soon.
Looking for some recs for good IEMs. No mic, no pause/play controls.
No budget. However I do like to keep it cheap since I always seem to break earbuds. One of the sides will cut out on me every time. Tips to better care for them are welcome.
I'd like to get them soon. So idk, being able to get them from amazon or best buy or something like that would be great.
No budget. However I do like to keep it cheap since I always seem to break earbuds. One of the sides will cut out on me every time. Tips to better care for them are welcome.
I'd like to get them soon. So idk, being able to get them from amazon or best buy or something like that would be great.
No budget, but there is a cap?
Yeah I guess I should just give myself a cap anyway. 50 and under. Anything more I'd get super annoyed if I break them. Once I get better habits I'd be willing to throw down a lot of some great headphones/earbuds.
So i got my first pair of headphones; the aiaiai tma-2 from the indiegogo/kickstarted thing. Ehhh sounds average at best to me personally, but I'm not too versed in sound. I got the S04 units and using the over ear microfiber. I think my borthers Beats Studio latest version sound better personally. Actually they're almost flat out better imo.
Loved the design on the net, in person looks extremely plain(good and bad i guess). Nailed the minimalist look. Feels like it's high quality, looks high quality and cheap at the same time(?) Probably has to do with the plastic, with the leather ear cuffs it looks better though.
Overall design is fantastic though and I am happy with the purchase, gonna be even happier when the wireless partition comes in. Only thing i regret was not getting the curly wire lol.
Loved the design on the net, in person looks extremely plain(good and bad i guess). Nailed the minimalist look. Feels like it's high quality, looks high quality and cheap at the same time(?) Probably has to do with the plastic, with the leather ear cuffs it looks better though.
Overall design is fantastic though and I am happy with the purchase, gonna be even happier when the wireless partition comes in. Only thing i regret was not getting the curly wire lol.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Was never a fan of the TMA sound. Just sounds too dark for me.
I didn't pick up the ZSTs last year, instead I went for the ZS3 and ATR which are both good.
Don't remember what my other KZ ones are, I think ED9 and ED3? Unfortunately, the sound on the right side of my ED9 died out a few months after owning them.
I just rotate between all of them, along with Piston 3s. Haven't opened up the Hybrid Pros.
Soundmagic EP10
I had the TMA-1. Average at best is the most accurate description I could give them.
Yeah sound wise I'm kinda disappointed considering the price I paid. I honestly wasn't expecting extraordinary sound and the reviewers online made it seem like they were good from a sound standpoint. Like I said I'm not too well versed when it comes to sound but honestly I think I've haf some earphones in the past that sounded better. Comfort is okay, the studios still win in this regard.
But yeah, just average to me man. Too much of a hassle to return at this point. Meh I'll keep them, thankfully they were discounted quite a bit. The plus is the customization I guess.
Anyways next pair I'm definitely gonna try to get recommendation from this thread
Well the TMA-2's sound depends greatly, depending on which parts you select.
You went with the S04, which is almost literally the TMA-1 driver, that focuses on bass and nothing else. It's just just dark and constricting, with no clarity at all.
I would've gone S02 drivers, with the E06 pads.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Is that 6th of september or 9th of june?
Uh, hmm, he said 09/06/17 in the email, and my American brain just assumed September.
I guess I should ask lol. June would be so amazing.
fake edit: Going back to a previous email, where he actually typed out the month, the format he used was 16 May 2017.
Gonna email Chan for confirmation. Please be 6 June 2017.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Yeah June sounds way more plausible than 3 months lol.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Slightly OT, but seems like getting Vidar out has really bogged down Schiit. I expect a massive chapter once it finally ships, they've been very quiet this year. It'll be interesting to see where they go next, as many of their lines are so good that an improvement is almost not worth it.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I think they just put out way too many products at too short of a time period.
I think it's normal for stuff like amps and dacs to have a long wait time between new products.
I think it's normal for stuff like amps and dacs to have a long wait time between new products.
Yeah I think most places outside of the USA put the day first and then the month. I bet it's June 9th, not September 6th.
Yeah the Vidar has taken an unusually long time. But then again there's several other products they've been talking about that are not here yet either (some kind of USB "fix" and some kind of DSP thing they have dubbed "Manhattan").
They did open the Schiitr though, which if I was in the area I would love to go and visit.
Chase Lebowski
Member
Hey guys, I need a little help, I don't know what to choose.
I'm just about to replace my shitty Wireless Turtle beach with:
Sennheiser HD 598, but I would have to replace my DS4 (hoping the Sony support will recognize the problem and I don't have to buy another one) because the jack produces a weird loud sound with any mic. (Never cared because with the TT I use the USB dongle)
I would connect them to my AV receiver + the PS4 earbud mic to my controller.
160 without having to buy another controller.
Or simply the Sennheiser Game One connected to the PS4 with a USB adapter.
185(175+10), even though I would probably wait a sale because this is not their usual price.
I'm just about to replace my shitty Wireless Turtle beach with:
Sennheiser HD 598, but I would have to replace my DS4 (hoping the Sony support will recognize the problem and I don't have to buy another one) because the jack produces a weird loud sound with any mic. (Never cared because with the TT I use the USB dongle)
I would connect them to my AV receiver + the PS4 earbud mic to my controller.
160 without having to buy another controller.
Or simply the Sennheiser Game One connected to the PS4 with a USB adapter.
185(175+10), even though I would probably wait a sale because this is not their usual price.
SolarMystic
Member
Apparently digital interface and the Manhattan Project.
How so? Most of their recent stuff has been at varying price points. For instance, their two top lines have been out for a couple of years or more at this point with no updates on the horizon.
The Fulla 2 and Jot were new market categories for them as they were not very big on combo units before now.
Guys whats the best wireless headphones for gaming?
I know, wireless is an unpopular choice and has a drop in quality, but my current setup makes using wired headphones (Sennheiser HD 558's) such a pain that I've basically stopped using them all together. It just doesn't work for me right now.
I know to stay well away from all "Gaming" branded headphones, but just need some advice on a really good pair of wireless headphones.
Must have decent battery life and work with PC/PS4, preferably so both can be set up at the same time without having to fiddle around the back of each when I switch between them.
Thanks!
I know, wireless is an unpopular choice and has a drop in quality, but my current setup makes using wired headphones (Sennheiser HD 558's) such a pain that I've basically stopped using them all together. It just doesn't work for me right now.
I know to stay well away from all "Gaming" branded headphones, but just need some advice on a really good pair of wireless headphones.
Must have decent battery life and work with PC/PS4, preferably so both can be set up at the same time without having to fiddle around the back of each when I switch between them.
Thanks!
Xander51
Member
I don't have the creators update yet, but I've tried the feature out on Xbox One, and it seems like a totally competent virtual surround implementation.