Headphone selection help!

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Shure, Shure, anything from Shure

 

[jRi0T68]

Not SE315s, though. Garbage. SE846, though, I'd like to hear those.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

We must have used different 315s

 

[jRi0T68]

They were just so lacking in authority to me. The mids had nowhere near the texture of my SE215s, very little bass impact, detail was better, but for less money, you could get Dunu DN-1000s and have a single dynamic driver with dual balanced armature drivers for the highs/mids.

I guess that's why there are so many great options out there for those willing to do the research. Different tastes for different folks.

 

[Rich B 5,000+ posts]

Anything "orthodynamic" in design.

Probably need to visit a music store for new (Fostex makes some), or shop vintage on ebay.

I have a pair of Yamaha YH-1, best I've ever owned.

Orthodynamic 'phones are like wearing a set of Magnepan (magnaplanar) panel speakers on your ears.

Bass that you can actually feel, highs pure as you could ask for.

Orthodynamic Roundup

 

[blazian87 10+ year member]

https://pro.ultimateears.com/
Youll need to supply them with accurate ear measurements from a certified physician, the whole shebang. I tried some that was someone elses and they already sound amazing even without a full proper seal.

When you hear a good Soundstage, you dont need special audio like the virtual barber. Even music you thought was just plain stereo sound becomes lifelike in a way you never heard them before with a super wide soundstage like you are in a concert hall. Its not limited to the space around your head or few feet away.

I bought some $500 Ultimate Ears in-ear headphones like 10 years ago and they were amazing. Beefy little drivers in tiny little earbuds. I was blown away from the bass it produced inside that little thing. Outside noise is blocked from the seal when inside your ear so electronic noise cancelling is not necessary for this device. They eventually broke within a year or so of using it because I used it while jogging everyday and I guess too much sweat/moisture got into the buds and destroyed it. It was nice while I had it, but I wouldn't spend that much on in-ear headphones again. I would rather use over-ear with a DAC/amp hands down.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I bought some $500 Ultimate Ears in-ear headphones like 10 years ago and they were amazing. Beefy little drivers in tiny little earbuds. I was blown away from the bass it produced inside that little thing. Outside noise is blocked from the seal when inside your ear so electronic noise cancelling is not necessary for this device. They eventually broke within a year or so of using it because I used it while jogging everyday and I guess too much sweat/moisture got into the buds and destroyed it. It was nice while I had it, but I wouldn't spend that much on in-ear headphones again. I would rather use over-ear with a DAC/amp hands down.

Yeah for the price you pay, you can achieve much better results with over ear. Space makes bass is a rule in car audio but in head fi audio, space makes magic happen lol.

 

[ladysmanfelpz 10+ year member]

K so all good suggestions here and have no problem with going over ear. I would like to know a little more about DAC and amps tho. One question is if they combine the two in one unit and already found they do. But what is the point necessarily? I thought a sound card would do better at delivering music, although there can be coils and other sources that throw noise into the system, than an external device. Also why is analog better than digital? Is this a good unit for ipad use? TEAC HA-P50 Portable headphone amplifier/USB DAC at Crutchfield.com Would this help much in watching movies or only flac type files? What about full 320k downloads? And lastly after I amp, can I use a headphone splitter with no loss in quality so two can appreciate the music?