Headphone random conversation

[Colif]

They are meant to be a cyber punk 2077 reference. I wouldn't know as I didn't play it.

I need to listen to all my music just to hear all the things I missed before. Changing the tips made the bass actually work... i was reading reviews while listening and they all talked about the bass.. I didn't know what they meant until I swapped tips.
Arya already revealed details in music, this is just finishing it off.

listening to them on dap, only restriction is I need to charge it every four hours or so or it runs out of power. That and some of the tidal songs throw an error at me. Its just one album, not sure why. Its always done it on the DAP, works elsewhere.

I might get one of these and use it in desktop mode

also easier to carry around compared to my current DAP.

• Output power (balanced 4.4 mm)
• 950 mW + 950 mW @ 32 Ω (Desktop / Super-High-Gain)
• 540 mW + 540 mW @ 16 Ω
• 185 mW + 185 mW @ 300 Ω

Still not powerful enough to run Arya but I don't want to replace the Aune. Probably run the HD600.

 

[Colif]

Changing tips does seem to alter sound - or it could be just getting a good fit.

I have 5 types to choose. 4 of them are silicon and 1 were foams, so I want to try all of those...
The Unit came with white dome type ones installed, they are okay but don't really fill my ear and there isn't much bass - even with the largest size.
The foam ones add more bass than the others do, but I see that is common for them so not sure if its adding too much, and drowning out other sounds. They are the boomiest.
The remaining three types aren't as easy to get onto the IEM, as they are softer and just squish

I wanted to try Dunu S&S Tips as they were one type I kept seeing mentioned in reviews, and meant to be good.

They were fiddly and I gave up once last night, but I was determined to try again tonight. I managed to get one on in a few minutes, so I knew it was possible, the second was just reminding me I had trouble with tips before... the white and Foam ones went on no problem, and I had got one on already so wasn't giving up... looked online for instructions and I was doing it right

1. Turn tips inside out
2. screw one edge of IEM neck into the tip
3. screw them around to get both attached.

Hard part is they have a thin neck on tips and it just bends if you not careful. That and IEM neck isn't the thinnest since its got 9 drivers in it.

Took about 20 minutes to get the second one on. Glad I didn't pick the wrong sizes, they fit my ears and don't seem too small.

They seem better than the white tips, but I am not going to do an A/B test considering how long it took to get two on. Its always possible burn in is real too and IEM could be getting better from use. Clearer bass and more width are what they add. Foams can reduce treble but its possible its just an illusion, and its the added bass making difference.

Might try the other two types later.

 

[Colif]

I tried almost all of the types now. Then I watched a video on tip types and realised I might be using tips that are too big... now I am confused again.

Went back to the Dunu S&S Tips but a smaller size. Now I suspect I need different tip sizes on each ear, as one ear seems easier to fit them in easier than the others... going down too far and I lose all my bass. I back to them both being same sizes again....

I won't know how good they are at blocking bus noises until I go out on Monday.

Its not normally this hard to find tips that work. Think in a few weeks I buy some online and try some other suggested tips for my IEM... I guess I should work out what size I take before then. Though I can get multi sized sets. Farily sure its not small.

 

[Colif]

Now my headphones are almost as expensive as the player that its connected to

still working on sound, I will start to think it lacks bass and then realise its the song I am listening to, swap to something like igorrr and I notice bass again.

 

[Colif]

Pair of IEM for @Zed Clampet
Cheap, only 30k USD

Master

ððð² ððððð®ð«ðð¬:Quantum Technology: Applied to the driver unit, this tech minimizes current loss and acts like a protective shield to isolate external interference.Dual Aluminium Diaphragm: Crafted using aluminum alloy and

www.rhapsodiostore.com

And from one review of them I heard, they aren't very good...

That is way past the point of diminishing returns, its in the "Look at me, I have money to waste" category. I am willing to believe that its possible there are better IEM than what I have now, but it can only go so far before you paying for materials... I don't want Diamonds on my IEM just to make them cost more.
A lot of the expensive ones are custom fitted but the drivers inside aren't any different to cheaper ones. That doesn't mean they are a rip off, a lot of it comes down to tuning and how well they blend the drivers.

That one only has one driver so no blending needed. It is a type I hadn't heard of before - Magneto-static which are a blend of electrostatic and Dynamic. They not that rare, its probably a good one. The packing of that IEM is Jewellery grade Silver so I expect that adds to cost.

 

[Zed Clampet]

Pair of IEM for @Zed Clampet
Cheap, only 30k USD

Master

ððð² ððððð®ð«ðð¬:Quantum Technology: Applied to the driver unit, this tech minimizes current loss and acts like a protective shield to isolate external interference.Dual Aluminium Diaphragm: Crafted using aluminum alloy and

www.rhapsodiostore.com

And from one review of them I heard, they aren't very good...

That is way past the point of diminishing returns, its in the "Look at me, I have money to waste" category. I am willing to believe that its possible there are better IEM than what I have now, but it can only go so far before you paying for materials... I don't want Diamonds on my IEM just to make them cost more.
A lot of the expensive ones are custom fitted but the drivers inside aren't any different to cheaper ones. That doesn't mean they are a rip off, a lot of it comes down to tuning and how well they blend the drivers.

That one only has one driver so no blending needed. It is a type I hadn't heard of before - Magneto-static which are a blend of electrostatic and Dynamic. They not that rare, its probably a good one. The packing of that IEM is Jewellery grade Silver so I expect that adds to cost.

Okay, hahaha, sorry I'm laughing at myself looking at the chart I literally just drew in Paint. Looks like I was drunk, but in my defense, I don't have glasses right now. Anyway, I'm not claiming this chart is correct. I'm just claiming the philosophy behind it probably is correct:

In retrospect, the line from 0 to 90 percent quality should be a lot flatter, but I'm not going to change it now. The point is that you can get to pretty good quality for about $100, but going above that quality is exponentially more expensive for relatively small gains. Whether you should go for those gains depends on a lot of things, like the quality of your hearing (because I think most people are not going to be able to discern the small differences after 90 percent), your financial situation, etc. For me, I simply can't tell a difference between, say, 90 and 92 percent (just to pull a number out of thin air, so the fact that 92 percent costs an extra $150 (or whatever) just isn't a good buy for me, and I need to go higher to feel like the money spent actually made a difference. (When I talk about audio quality, I'm not really talking about tuning, because you can find 3 90 percent audio reproduction quality IEMs and they will all be tuned differently. Fiddling with the bass/treble levels doesn't really change the base quality of the sound even though it makes a huge difference depending on your personal preferences)

For headphones, I would say the breaking point is probably about $300 rather than $100.

 

[Colif]

I would say the 90% is about 500, not 100.
I think its more likely 97% at 500, then it mostly goes vertical.
this is in USD as here, the price where you stop improving is doubled (my Dunu Braindance sound way better than my Dunu Vulkan do, and price difference here is about double - I have proof that they can sound better)

Note: Neither of us have ever had chance to hear expensive IEM so I am going from what I have learned online.

Above that its like headphones themselves, you paying for improvements in certain areas, not over all. Better bass or better vocals or better Highs, more sound stage, etc.
While its possible 30k iem could be the best at everything, its more likely they aimed at one particular thing and are hopefully the best in it.

The best Headphones come with their own amp that is required to run it... IEM don't have that yet. Would be a hard sell (although there is https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-golden-10th-anniversary-set but its a dap and IEM, and its hardly essential to use both together - top end daps replace desktop amps in a lot of cases. )

Guess this comes with a dongle dac but its also not essential - https://ditaaudio.com/products/ditaprelude

Okay, the only IEM that include a DAC are USB C ones, not the traditional wires. Many of these include the DAC as an optional attachment.
This one only uses USB C, although its just the cable. If its 2 pin you could swap cables.

HIDIZS ST2 PRO Nebula 2-in-1 High-Performance DAC & USB-C HiFi Digital In-ear Earphones

Enjoy detailed sound with our new arrival ST2 Nebula 2-in-1 DAC earphones. HiFi audio meets USB-C convenience. Elevate your music gear—order now for fast delivery!

www.hidizs.net

this one includes 2 cables, USB C & 3.5mm - https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/moondrop-x-crinacle-dusk-2dd-2ba-2planar-in-ear-headphone - The USB C cable can change the tuning of the IEM

But all these are just changing the cables, not the actual IEM. They just convenient.

Not all IEM are the same. Just as not all people are, what is best for one person may not be for another. Lots of people are happy not chasing a unicorn. Its why standard wireless travel headphones all sound like crap with too much bass. People are happy with it, so it sells. Most don't look for better.

I am happy enough with what I have now. I can't afford to look at reviews of things I can't afford. Running out of things I want to buy, spent last few days looking and rejecting most things. I am not used to not knowing what I am buying next.

Next "headphones" will never play music, even if they technically can

soundcore Sleep A30-Smart ANC Sleep Earbuds for Snore Masking

Sleep soundly with soundcore Sleep A30. Smart ANC sleep earbuds, an advanced snore masking system, and a comfortable ergonomic fit ensure a quiet, restful night.

www.soundcore.com

 

[Zed Clampet]

The scale is really on a per hearing ability basis. Your hearing is better than mine, so maybe 90 percent for you is $500, but for me, with worse hearing, $100 is more like it. And it probably isn't that my hearing is much worse because my last hearing test came back pretty far above average for my age, it's that I haven't trained myself to listen like an audiophile. An art expert, for instance, regardless of their vision, can look at a painting and notice things that I don't. Another example is my wife. She has otherworldly hearing and can hear things like our dog trainer go off even though humans aren't supposed to be able to hear it. Yet she thinks the $30 earbuds I gave her sound great. Personally, I'd be stunned to learn that there is that much of a difference in sound quality up to $500. But I'll never know for sure because it just isn't important to me. I'm perfectly happy with what I have, and I don't consider, right or wrong, IEMs to be the right choice when I want to indulge in better sound. Maybe it's just because I haven't spent the money on them, but my chart goes Speakers > Headphones > IEMs.

 

[Colif]

it's that I haven't trained myself to listen like an audiophile

i am not in that class, i can't tell what a pair of headphones is missing just by listening, unless its obvious. They do ear training which I don't know anything about.
I am sitting on fence between consumer and audiophile, I don't want to buy the consumer grade headphones I was happy buying for most of my life and wanted to see what I was missing. I have seen that now. I don't need to keep looking. I am happy where I am now.

I don't include speakers on my chart as I can't play them loud in the spaces I have, headphones are better suited to my room.

I don't see much difference between headphones and IEM as you can buy both of mine for a similar price (where you are) and they are comparable to each other in some ways - and the IEM don't need an amp to run them loud, my Arya wouldn't run off my dap even if I had the right connections on it.
Never had good speakers so maybe thats why.... that might happen next year.

 

[Zed Clampet]

i am not in that class, i can't tell what a pair of headphones is missing just by listening, unless its obvious. They do ear training which I don't know anything about.
I am sitting on fence between consumer and audiophile, I don't want to buy the consumer grade headphones I was happy buying for most of my life and wanted to see what I was missing. I have seen that now. I don't need to keep looking. I am happy where I am now.

I don't include speakers on my chart as I can't play them loud in the spaces I have, headphones are better suited to my room.

I don't see much difference between headphones and IEM as you can buy both of mine for a similar price (where you are) and they are comparable to each other in some ways - and the IEM don't need an amp to run them loud, my Arya wouldn't run off my dap even if I had the right connections on it.
Never had good speakers so maybe thats why.... that might happen next year.

I only get to listen to my speakers when my wife is out of town, but she's out of town quite a bit. I actually hadn't listened to them in quite awhile, though, until a couple of months ago.

Probably a little weird, but I don't often listen to music as background noise. When I listen to music, I generally do nothing but listen to the music. So when I'm playing a game that doesn't require me to listen to it, I usually just listen to a local sports radio station. However, sometimes it is fun to go into Dune Awakening, put a bada$$ song on repeat and run around murdering NPCs.

 

[Colif]

A few months ago I turned my PC speakers up to about 9 or something for first time in ages. I too can only do it when alone and really, even when I am alone, I don't think of it. I only did it in answer to one of your previous posts... and I don't really sit much above 3 most days.

I have one speaker either side of my monitor on one side of my bed, and I sit about a metre from me, I really don't need them any louder. The other two speakers are on other side of bed so I am as close to surround as I can be with windows that doesn't play surround anymore... so dual stereo.

I moved furniture around in room earlier as I wanted to see what new IEM were like attached to my Headphone amp, and as a side product, the woofer attached to my PC speakers is now released from a bass trap I had made accidentally for it, as there was a set of drawers right in front of it. I can hear it now.

I try to actually listen to the music if I am playing any. I mean, if I have headphones/IEM on I am meant to be listening... I have tried to use it as background music while doing homework but it actually distracts me and most of the time I would just turn off music.
Music Radio bugs me as I can't pick songs and most of the time they play songs from 30 years ago I have heard too many times already. Mum listens to talk back radio all night and it can keep me awake, if I leave my door open... the sleep A30 will remove that...

 

[Zed Clampet]

A few months ago I turned my PC speakers up to about 9 or something for first time in ages. I too can only do it when alone and really, even when I am alone, I don't think of it. I only did it in answer to one of your previous posts... and I don't really sit much above 3 most days.

I have one speaker either side of my monitor on one side of my bed, and I sit about a metre from me, I really don't need them any louder. The other two speakers are on other side of bed so I am as close to surround as I can be with windows that doesn't play surround anymore... so dual stereo.

I moved furniture around in room earlier as I wanted to see what new IEM were like attached to my Headphone amp, and as a side product, the woofer attached to my PC speakers is now released from a bass trap I had made accidentally for it, as there was a set of drawers right in front of it. I can hear it now.

I try to actually listen to the music if I am playing any. I mean, if I have headphones/IEM on I am meant to be listening... I have tried to use it as background music while doing homework but it actually distracts me and most of the time I would just turn off music.
Music Radio bugs me as I can't pick songs and most of the time they play songs from 30 years ago I have heard too many times already. Mum listens to talk back radio all night and it can keep me awake, if I leave my door open... the sleep A30 will remove that...

I used to do work for Bandit Lights when I was a kid, so I went to tons of concerts (and got paid!), and since the speakers are only an occasional treat, I tend to play them loud and imagine I'm at a concert. However, it really really enhances more dramatic games to have them going reasonably loud, even though they aren't surround sound. However, the background sounds in Dune Awakening are so disturbing and stressful that I had to turn them off.

 

[Colif]

I had my fair share of walking out of concerts and not hearing anything clearly for about 20 minutes... it meant it was a good concert in our minds... we got our monies worth. I would do it all again... just not now.