Headphone random conversation

[Colif]

If you bought the hifiman you might need an amp or something to run them. Its one reason I bought the things I did in the order I did.

I did it twice now I think about it (No point having headphones if you can't use them)

1. I bought a dongle before I bought my 1st IEM
2. I bought the Aune before I bought the Arya

I don't know what you have.

It seems you could run the Edition XS off this in its desktop mode

Portable Bluetooth DAC and Headphone Amplifier-BTR17

The BTR17, brings together FIIO's years of expertise in developing DACs and headphone amps. Within a compact package, it fits flagship-level features such as a multi-stage audio architecture and precision power supply system comparable to other high-end players and DAC/headphone amp combos...

www.fiio.com

which is just the newer version of my dongle.

I'm not as enthusiastic tonight as I was yesterday afternoon. Think I'd probably be doing a better job of being a responsible person If I just Venmo'd that $300 to my kids.

I think that price for the Edition XS is permanent until they reduce it again. I suspect they have a new one coming, hence price drop. So can always buy later if you want.

If you wait long enough the price of the Arya Stealth might drop more too. You can get them for 600 now and on release, they were 1600. I bought mine when they were on 650. Only thing they might lack in is bass, only as some headphones can hit harder... but they sound amazing in everything else... Anort even uses them for gaming.

Stealth is so low in price as its Version 3 of the Arya and they already making Version 5. Its a long clearance sale... its been running all year.

A cheaper alternative:

 

[ZedClampet]

If you bought the hifiman you might need an amp or something to run them. Its one reason I bought the things I did in the order I did.

I did it twice now I think about it (No point having headphones if you can't use them)

1. I bought a dongle before I bought my 1st IEM
2. I bought the Aune before I bought the Arya

I don't know what you have.

It seems you could run the Edition XS off this in its desktop mode

Portable Bluetooth DAC and Headphone Amplifier-BTR17

The BTR17, brings together FIIO's years of expertise in developing DACs and headphone amps. Within a compact package, it fits flagship-level features such as a multi-stage audio architecture and precision power supply system comparable to other high-end players and DAC/headphone amp combos...

www.fiio.com

which is just the newer version of my dongle.



I think that price for the Edition XS is permanent until they reduce it again. I suspect they have a new one coming, hence price drop. So can always buy later if you want.

If you wait long enough the price of the Arya Stealth might drop more too. You can get them for 600 now and on release, they were 1600. I bought mine when they were on 650. Only thing they might lack in is bass, only as some headphones can hit harder... but they sound amazing in everything else... Anort even uses them for gaming.

Stealth is so low in price as its Version 3 of the Arya and they already making Version 5. Its a long clearance sale... its been running all year.

A cheaper alternative:

I might look at those Fiio's.

In the meantime, I'm going to tamper down my enthusiasm for headphones the best way I know how. It's time to pull out my shelf speakers and hear (and feel) real sound....

 

[Colif]

Speakers are one thing I am ignoring for a year or so. I will think about them when I get my new PC and can't use my current ones. I have to use active speakers as they only ones my 2 devices can run... and I already looked at them last year. Just no rush as not buying until 2026.

Might get these speakers when I do.

ADAM Audio - A7V Active Studio Monitor (Nearfield)

The A7V from the A Series is a contemporary 2-way monitor that represents the evolution of ADAM Audio’s award winning A7X.

www.adam-audio.com

not seen speakers that connect to ethernet before. Lucky I have 2 spare ports on switch now.

I have felt sound before. if I just listen to

in one pair of my IEM, on my dap while sitting on my bed, I can feel the bed moving. It can be a little much if headphones have a bass shelf. Probably happen if I used Amp too but IEM cable not long enough.

I don't have much planned to buy next year so speakers might happen. I wish you hadn't mentioned them

 

[ZedClampet]

Speakers are one thing I am ignoring for a year or so. I will think about them when I get my new PC and can't use my current ones. I have to use active speakers as they only ones my 2 devices can run... and I already looked at them last year. Just no rush as not buying until 2026.

Might get these speakers when I do.

ADAM Audio - A7V Active Studio Monitor (Nearfield)

The A7V from the A Series is a contemporary 2-way monitor that represents the evolution of ADAM Audio’s award winning A7X.

www.adam-audio.com

not seen speakers that connect to ethernet before. Lucky I have 2 spare ports on switch now.

I have felt sound before. if I just listen to

in one pair of my IEM, on my dap while sitting on my bed, I can feel the bed moving. It can be a little much if headphones have a bass shelf. Probably happen if I used Amp too but IEM cable not long enough.

I don't have much planned to buy next year so speakers might happen. I wish you hadn't mentioned them

I actually looked at new speakers earlier. My current ones are Edifier. They only cost $399, but they were an incredible bargain considering how they sound. I needed them to be bluetooth and powered because we were going to move them back and forth from my desk to the television (which I don't even watch), but then my wife got a projector television and set up a theater in a spare room, so I need to get something new and probably an amp. The Fiio amp/dac I have for my laptop wouldn't cut it, I don't think.

Those Edifiers are great for their movies. Not surround sound, but very clear and good all around.

I'm thinking about going to see if I can find the Klipsch speakers I looked at this morning and try to hear them in person. We used to have a bunch of electronics stores, but not anymore, so I don't know if I can find them locally or not.

 

[Colif]

The Fiio amp/dac I have for my laptop wouldn't cut it, I don't think.

which model? Fiio have all sorts. from basic to can run anything.

Both my Aune and Wiim can only run active powered speakers so I could choose blue tooth but I prefer to attach them via XLR cables. I hadn't thought of the fact the speakers would need their own power connection.

I will have to think about room layout before I get them too. For the last 24 years or so I have had 5.1 speakers meaning I always set room up in a way to account for 4 speakers + a subwoofer. They aren't big speakers but I have had 2 in front and 2 behind me for surround sound... although for about 8 years i have had 2 stereo channels as 5.1 hasn't really worked in windows since Windows 7.

Two big speakers probably fill room with sound better than 4 satellite speakers can.

Mine now are not exactly huge
considering That entire speaker is only 5 inches tall and the A7v has a 7 inch woofer, I expect its not even close - the A7v is 13inches tall.
That little subs max wattage is 67watts whereas one A7v is 130watts

technically my 5.1 has more volume but whether its usable is a question.
Its sub is 165 watts and
5 x 67 watts = 335

Logitech Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers System

Shop Z906 5.1 Speakers. Features THX certified, 500 watts RMS, Dolby Digital / DTS decoding, digital coaxial, optical, RCA inputs, and more

www.logitech.com

I haven't really tried to see how loud they go. they were replacements and I didn't really want to bust them. And no way it sound as good as I don't have any tweeters anywhere...
the logitech speakers are only mid range really and a subwoofer for bass. The A7V has tweeters and mid range so I am swapping lows for highs, but the bass ports on the A7V make a difference.

I will miss my sub but I see if I miss it enough to use another one. I think the A7V seem to have enough bass from videos I have watched.

I can attach the Z906 sub to Aune using rca if need be. Both running off same source means they already volume matched.

Some layouts just haven't been possible in that time and as such brain just ignores them. With only 2 speakers I will have more wiggle room - I will have to buy speaker stands as well (they are on the list) to make them easier to hear. Being able to put the bed against a wall is a change in itself.

 

[Colif]

I had to laugh, I was listening to music on Arya with my door open and mum asked me if I could just listen to music on headphones and not speakers at same time... I was just using headphones... she hasn't heard me listen on these before.

it might have been a loud song, they not all the same level. Turn it up to hear quiet songs and be deafened by next.

I doubt she ever seen open back headphones before. Dad wouldn't have spent money on good ones. So she probably thought it was really loud if she could hear it too. Its hard to block noise out on these... make them too quiet and I can hear myself typing this... like right now. One day i might tell her how much they cost... i did save 1000USD on their original price. She would still think what I paid was too much... she always does with PC parts too

I turned volume down a little but it was only on 50. Loudest I ever go is 60 though. That is far enough. And only on quiet music. none of my headphones really need much more on balanced cables. No need to push 5.5watts through them.

 

[LOLBronze]

I'm using a Logitech G Pro X 2 ,,,, is there any headphone will give me better performance like an upgrade? want to get something for xmas

 

[anort3]

@Colif I'm bored and want a new headset. Pick one out for me. Let's say this time we start at $500 or less because I've spent a lot of money on Christmas. I want to be able to turn on something, let's say the target song is Motley Crew's Kickstart My Heart, and I want it to kick my arse. I want it to drag me around the living room and kick me in the face. I want a host of heavy metal angels to rampage through my house breaking things and doing heavy drugs. I want to pull the headphones off and experience awe.

Edit: Actually, let's start smaller. Give me your recommendation for $300 or less. I know that's cheap, but I love a good cheap headphone, and that will give me room to improve...

I quit getting notifications from this thread. I remember that bug.

With the HiFiMan sale Colif led you right. The Sundara, Edition XS or Ananada are all solid choices. However, they pretty much all need a headphone amp of some sort. If you want something really good and cheap the Sennheiser HD560S rules the sub $200 category and will not need an amp as much as the planar HiFiMan choices. It's tuned neutral though so it likely won't blow you away. They go on sale for less than $150.

One of the better metal headphones I had was the AKG K712 Pro. It's a flavor headphone vs neutral but it's fun and super detailed for the price.

The most 'fun' headphone I ever had and one of my overall favorites was the Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00 Ebony. You can't get them anymore but the EMU Teak is very very similar. It's $450 from Drop ( used to be Massdrop ) so it's on the high end of your budget but if you want visceral bass slam and some of the most liquid mids you will ever hear it's a great choice and doesn't need a dedicated amp. The whole Fostex / Fostex clone ( they use Fostex driver ) series has leather pads and they make my ears sweat after a while. I sold my Ebony because of that but YMMV.

 

[Colif]

Decided I would buy the DCA Noire X before the IEM as I only use IEM once every 2 weeks or so (if that) so the need to have them is less, whereas I probably use the over ear ones a lot more. The replacement IEM I got last year have only been used about 5 times. I can wait for them until after I get the Noire X.
Just means saving for a few months as they not cheap.

They are in the top 3 of this list made today. The Fiio are also rated highly on it.

Only unknown is if the membrane in the headphones will sound good to me or not. I can't really try them out before buying. Seems even if it doesn't they still may sound better than most closed back headphones out there (that cost less)

 

[ZedClampet]

2024 was the year I returned to earbuds after writing them off for nearly a decade thanks to the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

These earbuds were the perfect guide back into in-ear module listening.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[Colif]

2024 was the year I returned to earbuds after writing them off for nearly a decade thanks to the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

These earbuds were the perfect guide back into in-ear module listening.

www.pcgamer.com

He seems to like them too.

I would stick to wired as no need to use a dongle to charge earbuds every few hours (even if they do have quick charging).