Headphones and Portable Audio

Who remembers these?!?

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Great thread...I have been thinking the same lately....have gone from moderately high end audio equipment to MP3s off my tablet through 15 dollar "clasic" earbuds.

Not sure what happened...musta got old!

One thing I AM considering is re-ripping my CDs as a lossless format, like FLAC.
 
One thing I AM considering is re-ripping my CDs as a lossless format, like FLAC.


Some people may disagree with me on this and there's nothing wrong with that. IMO, if you're running above average gear, it may be worth the trouble to go lossless but if you are dealing with fairly inexpensive gear, you will likely be wasting your time. I am in no way suggesting that all expensive gear is good and inexpensive gear is bad. My $100 Grado SR80's that died on me sounded really good and better than some headphones at 2-3x the cost but they weren't nearly resolving enough to distinguish the difference between AAC256 and FLAC or ALAC files.

Perhaps you could rip a few of your favorites and see if you are going to hear a noticeable difference for the better with your current gear. If not, don't waste your time. Also keep in mind the drive space required for lossless adds up quickly. My music library sits at just over 680GB and I left around 15% of my music as AAC256. As a data point about the space required, my music library consists of 2366 albums, approximately 1900-2000 of which are FLAC/ALAC.
 
Like most people, I’ve accumulated lots of various ways to play and listen to music. Some cheap, some of at least decent quality. An old Kenwood setup from the early 90’s sits in my garage, yet it’s the cheap 80’s boom box that gets used when I’m in there. Both living room and family room both have decent soundbars or surround sound, but we never play music through them. I swear, between the three of us in the family, we must have 10 different BT speakers, and probably 25 sets of earbuds/headphones since they’ve come free with every iPod or phone in the last 15 years (some have never even been used). So what do I use most?

In the kitchen sits a nice 5 or 6 y/o Bose speaker with a 10 year old iPhone 4 docked permanently on it. We just stream iHeart Radio through it, since the phone is so old the current iOS doesn’t support it, and neither do any of the other streaming apps. I’m not even sure I can plug it into my computer and load new music onto it at this point. But the Speaker sounds phenomenal, even into other rooms on the main floor. I’ll crank it up when prepping dinner, or while we’re sitting around the table with friends, or when I just don’t want the TV on in the living room.
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Other than that, it’s my personal iPhone 6, and a pair of Beats Flex (?) wireless earbuds. For what they are, the sound isn’t too bad. They’re not as crisp and rich as my Bose Sports, but they also are much smaller, and more importantly, I can fit them inside a motorcycle helmet. And like everyone else today,my phone is just always with me, so why carry a separate media player? All my music is either ripped to digital or purchased that way; I have access to limitless streaming apps (I’ll deal with ads to do it for free); and I can plug or Bluetooth it to my vehicles, home theater, portable speakers, headphones, or damn near anything else that outputs sound these days. And I really do listen to it ALL THE TIME... today alone while walking the dog, shoveling the driveway, and working out. Having all the best audio equipment in the world just doesn’t beat the convenience and portability of my phone and some decent earbuds!
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I use ZVOX noise cancelling, blue tooth (can be direct wire connect headphones too). They are a lesser $$$ alternative to Bose. They have been excellent for music or night time Netflix when others are sleeping. I especially like that I can use them in the shop when I'm sanding or doing some other tedious/mindless job, listen to music without the need for earplugs.
 
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Grado eGrado. What a name! The portable version of Grado's SR60e, retail $49 and actually more comfortable than SR60e (that wasn't hard) once you got used to the funky behind-the-neck "street style." Only in blue: if you wanted black, you bought the Grado iGrado. That's what I bought as a closeout. Too bad their youth marketing sucked, these are the best portable headphones I've owned. If you see them used or a demo for a reasonable cheap price, check them out. Assuming you don't need sound isolation or folding headphones and you like the Grado sound. They're good for classical and jazz.
 
Who remembers these?!?

EMIwvWB.jpg


Great thread...I have been thinking the same lately....have gone from moderately high end audio equipment to MP3s off my tablet through 15 dollar "clasic" earbuds.

Not sure what happened...musta got old!

One thing I AM considering is re-ripping my CDs as a lossless format, like FLAC.

Koss YESSS!!! Awesome headphones!
I definitely agree with you this is an awesome thread! But you guys are enablers:) pushing me towards another expensive hobby, I am already hooked to knives, guns, and watches.
 
Koss YESSS!!! Awesome headphones!
I definitely agree with you this is an awesome thread! But you guys are enablers:) pushing me towards another expensive hobby, I am already hooked to knives, guns, and watches.

Thankfully, I'm very happy with the audio equipment I have. I no longer buy cologne (have enough now for 3+ years) and am out of room momentarily for Lego stuff. I am tempted to get the Lego Razorcrest from the mandalorian though.

Considering I spent $2500 in a gun and gun stuff last month, my hobbies are on hold for a while.

Well, my mom is getting me a Sig Sauer Lima 365 green laser for my Sig Sauer P365 SAS. It's more a gift for her though because she loves the gun and it was her idea. If the state of Illinois ever gets around to sending her foid and my CC, she can get her own.
 
Some people may disagree with me on this and there's nothing wrong with that. IMO, if you're running above average gear, it may be worth the trouble to go lossless but if you are dealing with fairly inexpensive gear, you will likely be wasting your time. I am in no way suggesting that all expensive gear is good and inexpensive gear is bad. My $100 Grado SR80's that died on me sounded really good and better than some headphones at 2-3x the cost but they weren't nearly resolving enough to distinguish the difference between AAC256 and FLAC or ALAC files.

Perhaps you could rip a few of your favorites and see if you are going to hear a noticeable difference for the better with your current gear. If not, don't waste your time. Also keep in mind the drive space required for lossless adds up quickly. My music library sits at just over 680GB and I left around 15% of my music as AAC256. As a data point about the space required, my music library consists of 2366 albums, approximately 1900-2000 of which are FLAC/ALAC.

Can you hear the difference between FLAC and MP3?
 
Can you hear the difference between FLAC and MP3?

I can, but I have as much or more tied up into my headphone rig as most people spend on an entire home theater system.
This is why I suggest testing a couple FLAC rips with your gear.
 
Koss YESSS!!! Awesome headphones!
I definitely agree with you this is an awesome thread! But you guys are enablers:) pushing me towards another expensive hobby, I am already hooked to knives, guns, and watches.

But I thought enabling was the purpose of most forums. :)

Edited due to more serious additional thoughts on your comment:
There are some really good headphones available for little money these days. Much like knives, firearms, or anything else, you can spend as much or as little as you want but in most cases, both price options accomplish the same goal. Some may do it better than others or the quality of materials/build will also add to the cost but as @jp9mm posted, something like the Drop HD4xx will sound very good for the money although being planars, aren't as efficient as dynamic drivers. The biggest thing to watch for is the impedance of the headphones. If you use something with dynamic drivers at 32 ohms, you shouldn't have any volume problems running them from your DAP, a phone, tablet, or a laptop. Grado are very efficient in that respect and are very reasonably priced for the sound you get, IMO, at least in the SR series.
Having said that, some people hate the Grado house sound and some love it- there doesn't seem to be much middle ground where Grado opinions are concerned.
 
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But I thought enabling was the purpose of most forums. :)

Edited due to more serious additional thoughts on your comment:
There are some really good headphones available for little money these days. Much like knives, firearms, or anything else, you can spend as much or as little as you want but in most cases, both price options accomplish the same goal. Some may do it better than others or the quality of materials/build will also add to the cost but as @jp9mm posted, something like the Drop HD4xx will sound very good for the money although being planars, aren't as efficient as dynamic drivers. The biggest thing to watch for is the impedance of the headphones. If you use something with dynamic drivers at 32 ohms, you shouldn't have any volume problems running them from your DAP, a phone, tablet, or a laptop. Grado are very efficient in that respect and are very reasonably priced for the sound you get, IMO, at least in the SR series.
Having said that, some people hate the Grado house sound and some love it- there doesn't seem to be much middle ground where Grado opinions are concerned.
Thank you for this information!!! I have an account with Massdrop (Drop), and get there newsletter regularly some of the headphones that they offer look very good and prices seem very reasonable. Even though I have pretty average ears, I would love to try headphones that I intend to buy for a fit and more importantly the sound! I will definitely check Grado headphones!
 
Thank you for this information!!! I have an account with Massdrop (Drop), and get there newsletter regularly some of the headphones that they offer look very good and prices seem very reasonable. Even though I have pretty average ears, I would love to try headphones that I intend to buy for a fit and more importantly the sound! I will definitely check Grado headphones!

Too bad you aren't in Central Texas or I could let you borrow a pair of Grado PS500's I have sitting around.
 
Austin area? I'm in East Texas myself.

I personally have a fondness for AKG 240's but, those are a bit old school so, while I like the sound it is really about the nostalgia.

What are the better Bluetooth 'over the ear' headphones?

In terms of a headphone amp and a source to drive it, what is good at various price points? I've dabbled with cheap earbud type setups but, was underwhelmed. Right now, I don't have room for a big stereo setup so, something to drive some good headphones is a reasonable choice right now.
 
Austin area? I'm in East Texas myself.

I personally have a fondness for AKG 240's but, those are a bit old school so, while I like the sound it is really about the nostalgia.

What are the better Bluetooth 'over the ear' headphones?

In terms of a headphone amp and a source to drive it, what is good at various price points? I've dabbled with cheap earbud type setups but, was underwhelmed. Right now, I don't have room for a big stereo setup so, something to drive some good headphones is a reasonable choice right now.

Yep, just north of Austin.

I don't have any experience with bluetooth headphones at all. Never tried any although I do have a friend who purchased some recently and has been very happy with them. He is one of the few people I associate with who gets the whole audio thing. He like reasonably priced but good sounding gear so I will find out what he's using.

On amps, now there's a rabbit hole if ever there was one. I will give you my opinion on the situation and you can take it for what it's worth. I am a firm believer that money should be spent first on the speakers, headphones, IEM's, etcetera. When the speakers sound good, the amp isn't as important IMO. I've been trying to avoid being too specific about my personal gear since I don't want this thread to become something people don't feel comfortable with posting their iPod nano and iPhone earbuds in if they choose to participate. For the sake of answering your question, I spent way more money on my headphones and I use 2 very reasonably priced chinese made amps (one tube hybrid and one solid state) that were around $400 each new. I purchased both used so I have $280 into one and $210 into the other. I would say that any of the chi-fi stuff that reviews well and people recommend will be fine to run even very nice headphones. There is also an amp made by JDS Labs called the "Atom" which is one of the highest rated cheap amps out there. The build quality isn't great (plastic) but for $99, you can't expect it to be built as solid. I have not used the Atom but they are almost always recommended as the best bang for the buck at around $100 and is powerful enough to permanently damage your hearing with most headphones. To summarize- IMO, speakers are the key and the amp is more or less secondary as long as it has enough power to drive them properly.
 
Due to the wall of text above, I decided to post again to answer the question about "a source to drive it".
You already have a source- you can use your computer or a phone with the appropriate cable to allow plugging in to the RCA inputs on the amp.

However, if you wanted something that would improve your sound quality, you might consider something like a reasonably priced DAC/amp combo from Apos Audio (they carry lots of different stuff). The one thing you need to be cautious of is to be sure that the combo device has sufficient power to properly drive your headphones/earbuds. You will also additionally need a USB cable to connect your laptop/computer to the DAC combo.

Since there are almost unlimited options out there with audio gear, it's almost impossible to try to suggest a specific piece of gear since there are many variables at play. I recommend that you take a look at the head-fi forums and read a bit about things that may interest you in specific price ranges that you may be comfortable with. I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have but the only recommendation I am prepared to make without knowing any info about budget and goals is the Atom amp. In your case with what you said in your post, it sounds like you may be more happy with something like a DAC/amp combo
 
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Yep, just north of Austin.

I don't have any experience with bluetooth headphones at all. Never tried any although I do have a friend who purchased some recently and has been very happy with them. He is one of the few people I associate with who gets the whole audio thing. He like reasonably priced but good sounding gear so I will find out what he's using.

On amps, now there's a rabbit hole if ever there was one. I will give you my opinion on the situation and you can take it for what it's worth. I am a firm believer that money should be spent first on the speakers, headphones, IEM's, etcetera. When the speakers sound good, the amp isn't as important IMO. I've been trying to avoid being too specific about my personal gear since I don't want this thread to become something people don't feel comfortable with posting their iPod nano and iPhone earbuds in if they choose to participate. For the sake of answering your question, I spent way more money on my headphones and I use 2 very reasonably priced chinese made amps (one tube hybrid and one solid state) that were around $400 each new. I purchased both used so I have $280 into one and $210 into the other. I would say that any of the chi-fi stuff that reviews well and people recommend will be fine to run even very nice headphones. There is also an amp made by JDS Labs called the "Atom" which is one of the highest rated cheap amps out there. The build quality isn't great (plastic) but for $99, you can't expect it to be built as solid. I have not used the Atom but they are almost always recommended as the best bang for the buck at around $100 and is powerful enough to permanently damage your hearing with most headphones. To summarize- IMO, speakers are the key and the amp is more or less secondary as long as it has enough power to drive them properly.

Yes, a super-premium amp on mediocre speakers is a waste IMHO. A bit like a chain, it is only as strong as the weakest link.

The digital headphone samples I have played with didn't sound natural to me. They were the weak link.

I had an old tube amp with Russian tubes that I really liked. It had a warm natural sound. Unfortunately, tubes like that are hard to come by and like lightbulbs, they do eventually fail.
 
I use SoundBuds Flow BlueTooth earbuds, I love them. They are super comfortable to wear for long periods of time and they have a long battery life.
 
Due to the wall of text above, I decided to post again to answer the question about "a source to drive it".
You already have a source- you can use your computer or a phone with the appropriate cable to allow plugging in to the RCA inputs on the amp.

However, if you wanted something that would improve your sound quality, you might consider something like a reasonably priced DAC/amp combo from Apos Audio (they carry lots of different stuff). The one thing you need to be cautious of is to be sure that the combo device has sufficient power to properly drive your headphones/earbuds. You will also additionally need a USB cable to connect your laptop/computer to the DAC combo.

Since there are almost unlimited options out there with audio gear, it's almost impossible to try to suggest a specific piece of gear since there are many variables at play. I recommend that you take a look at the head-fi forums and read a bit about things that may interest you in specific price ranges that you may be comfortable with. I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have but the only recommendation I am prepared to make without knowing any info about budget and goals is the Atom amp. In your case with what you said in your post, it sounds like you may be more happy with something like a DAC/amp combo

Yes, I think a DAC and Amp combo is here I am at today. I tried a couple of cheap options from "Drop" playing around but, never really got close to a pleasing sound quality with ~$50 headphone I could throw in a backpack without a huge concern for damage or theft.
 
Yes, I think a DAC and Amp combo is here I am at today. I tried a couple of cheap options from "Drop" playing around but, never really got close to a pleasing sound quality with ~$50 headphone I could throw in a backpack without a huge concern for damage or theft.

Are you looking for something that you can carry around in a backpack easily or something a little less portable than that?
 
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