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[Ongoing] Balanced Audio Gear

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December_boy

Mar 17, 2018

Hi all. I’m very much a newbie. I’m a massive muso - always making playlists, going to gigs. But my hifi gear has always been low to mid quality. Porta Pro headphones. Now Plantronics Backbeat. iPhone X. But I obsessively read the reviews of the Sennheiser and Focal headphones. And I wonder.... would I find them worth it. Money isn’t the issue. It’s just getting my head over it!! Any thoughts or advice out there?

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Juka

191

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyIf money is not an issue then buy one and check it for yourself. You can also head to a audio shop and test some.

Berserkker

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyIf money isn't the problem just go ahead and try some (in a shop is obviously cheaper :)) but make sure to try different pairs to find what you are looking for as headphones vary in so many different aspects that they sound vastly different

Olivesaxer

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyTypically people start by purchasing a good set of headphones. And that will help tremendously.
The theory that I believe is that there is loss of quality at every step between the musician and your ears. Your goal as a music fan should be to reduce that degradation as much as possible. Starting with the source material (Since few of us have the opportunity to start in the recording studio) Lossless files and vinyl are pretty standard go-tos. Without addressing your source material, you might find that the only thing a great set of headphones is doing is reminding you that you have flaws elsewhere in your chain.
But my second theory is that you can’t trust anybody’s ears but your own, so go out and try some stuff and figure out what sounds good to you. If you find yourself making choices not just about what to listen to, but HOW to listen to it, you’re On the right track.

SofaSamuraiX

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyYa. You really should give some a try! I don't like to tell anyone to just go out and spend money. IF you have a place to go check out gear, you should. But the difference between quality gear and budget gear can be a really pleasant experience.

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davehutch

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyI would say you'll find a huge difference to your current headphones, however you don't need to spend a fortune or buy a lot of equipment if you're cagey about it. For instance, the Sennheiser HD6xx is basically a 'reference' headphone for half the price of the HD650 and is the exact same headphone. Add to that a reasonable little amp like the O2/ODac or something from SMSL and you've got a setup that should last for years. You'd be hard pressed to hear major differences to equipment costing 3 times as much. The 'law of diminishing returns' is seldom as obvious as it is in Hi-Fi and audio equipment. In your case, I would start by asking myself HOW do I intend to use this kit, for example, do you have a quiet area you can use or is there normally some noise and distraction around when you listen to music? That will determine if you go for open or closed headphones (or indeed open or closed in-ear 'phones. (I'm thinking about the iSine LX for example). Once you know that, you'll know whether a) you need an amplifier at all and b) how powerful it needs to be. The iSine for instance won't need a separate amp as you'll be listening through your iPhone. I have the iSine 20s and use my iPhone X all the time and the quality is stunning. The HD6xx will need something with a little poke but you should be fine under £300, especially if you buy second-hand. Other headphones will be somewhere in between i.e. they'll need an amp but not a very powerful one. The other decision is whether you go portable or not. Will you need something rechargeable like the excellent Fiio Q1 Mk2 which is only £80 and will quite happily attach to your iPhone or your desktop computer. A very flexible solution although might struggle a bit with the HD6xx for example. ON the subject of balanced vs unbalanced, don't worry about it. There are some amazing sounding unbalanced setups and actually, the merits of balanced headphone amps are highly debatable. ( https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better ) Decisions decisions eh? I hope that helps somewhat and good luck ;)

BaasTurbo

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyAll good advice listed here, I will add to that: don't try to be exotic in your first purchase. If everybody has a HD650/HD6xx, there's a good reason for this. It hits the sweet spot in the diminishing returns stakes and has a really accessible sound. It will sound great out of entry-level amps like the O2 or Shiit Magni, even better out of a good OTL tube amp. It will also provide a good benchmark if you ever wish to upgrade or expand.

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thomasharrick

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyFocal and Sennheiser are utterly fantastic. I own a pair of Focals and they sound like the best things in the world. However, there are better options for the iPhone X. One pair that I recommend if you're on a budget, for $400, get the OPPO PM-3. https://www.oppodigital.com/headphones-pm-3/
They are super sturdy and durable, and they come with a really nice cable and an even nicer carrying case.
If you're looking for something that works with the iPhone X really well and don't want to fall into the Beats by Dre trap, try the Audio-Technica ATHSR6BT: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/audio-technica-ath-sr6bt-wireless-over-the-ear-headphones-black/5855301.p?skuId=5855301.
Of course, these are Bluetooth. And at $150, they're a steal. In addition, you can simply tap your iPhone X against the headphone to pair them, which is my favorite part.
I'm not saying that Focal and Sennheiser are crap brands. They're fantastic. I'm simply saying that the more fine changes you try to tune into a headphone, the more expensive it's gonna be, and you're gonna be paying $500 or more for a little modification that most people won't be able to hear.
You want the top? Go with Focal and Sennheiser, but be warned that you may not be able to hear the difference between those and a $200 pair of Audio-Technicas. But you'd have to be a professional producer to really understand them.

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Chemrat

Mar 17, 2018

December_boyNot all good headphones cost a lot of money (as in $800 or more). You can find very good headphones for considerably less, and you'll want a headphone amplifier to go with them. Again, not all of the good ones are expensive, especially by your presumed standards. In fact, what you prefer, as with many of us, probably will not correlate with price, at least in many cases. So, seeing how you love music so much, go to HiFi stores (including even a Best Buy Magnolia, perhaps) and bring your own music. Listen to the gear they have. This should be the start of the journey. Pay attention to what you like and what you don't like, and try to develop a feel for why. Does the music sound too bright, too dark, does it lack bass, is the bass too boomy? And so on. Any of these apparent defects in the sound of headphones might be completely fixed by pairing the 'phones with the right headphone amplifier. There used to be the occasional online retailer that would let you try out headphones and send them back. I'm not sure about amps. So, reading reviews and learning the language of them, in combination with your own listening tests, can help you home in on the right models. It can be an ongoing process, but try not to let it become an obsession or you will end up with a room full of headphones and amps. Good luck!

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anort3

177

Mar 19, 2018

December_boyThe Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00 Ebony also sounds amazing with just about any music. I probably wouldn't buy them for classical but anything else and they make my HD 600s and HD 650s sound boring. They scale extremely well with my O2/ODAC but you can drive them with a phone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pFM_hW33bw

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