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Simthaniel
Rigs
Modded headphones with qudelix at the core
When I received the Qudelix 5K, I had already modified a pair of Superlux HD-681 headphones. I previously soldered my own balanced connections to the drivers, providing multiple ways to connect and...
Apr 14, 2024
brothamike
A decent set of IEMs
I am in the midst of a 300 hour burn-in but, I will say I am enjoying how this set sounds so far. Before I received these which was btw late by a few weeks, I purchased a Sony/Kimber Kable MMCX...
Apr 12, 2024
merrick97
Should I exchange the PC38X for better headphones?
I bought the PC38X headphones FOR GAMING and they are great, but I have NO use for a Microphone since I don't do competitive gaming and I was wondering if there were better headphone options at a similar price without a headphone, where (presumably) more of the cost was put into making it sound better. I also find that my PC38X don't get quite as loud as I would like and I was wondering if a cheap amp like the iFi Go link would draw a little more volume out of my phones. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN6MM822?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details I went with the PC38X since it was considered the best bang for buck headphones. I care most about using spatial apps like DOlby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. Suggestions are welcome.
Apr 11, 2024
LostnAmerica
Sound Signature of the Grell Project.
Wondering what type of sound signature the Drop Grell project headphones will have or trying to attain. Any update would be appreciated.
Apr 8, 2024
Fabulous
Looking for a gaming/content audio setup
Hello! I'm looking for recommendations on audio setups. I'd be planning on using it mostly for gaming. Preferably I'd like a pair of large closed back headphones since I have a big head and jaw. I'd also like to hear myself through my mic with mic monitoring. As far as budget goes, I don't really have one. But under 600$ would be nice. I can go higher if needed. The audio setup would be connected to a high performance PC. Thank you in advance for any recommendations!
Apr 4, 2024
1plsd
$10 Drop Coupon Email not sent?
Trying to buy some gear off Drop for the first time. I was told I would receive an email with a welcome to drop $10 off promo. I never received that email. Drop was able to send me emails for my login token and email for Password update. But for some reason the $10 off coupon was never sent to me.
Mar 31, 2024
NMPacella
New here
Hello, I just joined, primarily for the audiophile products. Looking at purchasing the NHT C3 speakers for our new living room. Space is about 15 feet wide by 33 long and they will fire long ways. Space is just for general listening, music room with all equipment is downstairs, so hoping they will fill it with sound nicely. Cheers.
Mar 18, 2024
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Personally, I've done a lot of cable testing over the years on all sorts of low to high-priced gear, and here's what I can say with a fair bit of experience - depending on a number of factors, including material, gauge etc., every cable has it's own signature "sound", if you will, even if minimally audible. I've also seen situations where some cables sounded crappy with one set of gear, but amazing with other sets.
Ultimately, audio preferences are subjective, and everyone has their own. If you spend some time trying different gear combinations over a long period of time, I'm sure everyone can find a combination that they consider their pinnacle. One thing that's usually a constant, though, is that almost every decent entry-level aftermarket cable is an improvement over stock.
The "snake oil" comes into play with those who try to convince you that the most expensive, esoteric cables are the be all end all. At a certain price / performance point, diminishing returns kick in rapidly, and the difference between, say, a $1,000 cable and a $50,000 cable will be marginal vs. the jump from stock to a $200-$300 upgrade.
IMHO, the goal is to find a combination that you find most pleasing that fits your budget, and in the audio game, there's gear for every single budget out there. Forget what others say and take the time to test different gear combinations; who knows your listening preferences better than you do, after all. With a bit of patience and tinkering, you'll be surprised about the improvements you can make, even at entry-level price points. As a general guideline, for anyone who might be thinking about upgrades, a good ratio is max 10% of the cost of your gear on cables. Anymore than that and you're wasting your money.
Many cables have a "sound" grouped closely together, where differences are minimal and could be said to just be down to imagination, I'd call these "mid-fi" cables and for cost and flexibility reasons these are what manufacturers typically go for. It's also easy to establish that cables DO make an audible difference... the Philips X1 stock cable is unusually choked up and worse sounding than your average cable, while some other cables like Nordost and DanaCable make a surprisingly not-subtle improvement. Food for thought: a replacement stock cable is $194.55...
Everyone who says "snake oil" is like I used to be... I tried a Mogami star-quad silver microphone cable that was re-terminated for my AKG K712, and though it was silver and thicker than my stock cable I couldn't hear differences that I couldn't put down to imagination. It was a "side-grade," another decent mid-fi cable.
I can't promise this ZY cable isn't also a "side-grade" because I haven't heard it... I'd only buy this if I needed a different connector, wanted a different look, or needed a replacement. If it improved the sound, that would be a pleasant bonus.
I'd definitely rank this one as a winner at the drop price.