The headphones thread! [Sorry about your wallet]

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › The headphones thread! [Sorry about your wallet]

1 | ... | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | ... | 126

326 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 62

#2202539 20-Mar-2019 19:24

Dunnersfella:
Item:

In fact I am wondering if the distributer is pulling out or having issues moving the gear as a lot of vendors seem to be phasing the brand out or dropped it already - AVworld, Audio Reference, Rapello etc

The distributor was saying they were going to set up in NZ a while ago (Addicted to Audio)... even had a press release on StereoNet.

But they simply never did anything about it and the release was removed.

I think their declaration of intent has probably pushed retailers away from doing business with them. So now they may have no choice but to open a shop and put their money where their mouth is OR write off the NZ market? Either way, if you're setting up a headphone store you'd want to sell A LOT of cans from a cheap location as it would be a pretty tough category to make $'s in!

I heard there with issues with the Aussie distributor hence NZ retailers not stocking them anymore.
It’s a shame, I’m keen to at least hear what they sound like. I love my HD-6xx, but think I would love the Audeze sound based on reviews I’ve read.
Going to Melbourne in October, will try them out in the shop then.

Item

1752 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 728

Subscriber

#2202713 21-Mar-2019 08:40

I Loved the Audeze LCD3s - found them far more to my taste than the HD800s, but just couldn't stomach dropping $3k on them...

That said, they do have them on sale for much closer to $2k at the moment on AVWorld. The LCD2s I thought were "good" but not $1700 good, hence my interest in the LCD2C

I also just came very close to dropping $2k on some Focal Clears on sale as well, but managed to stop myself just in time!

Here's the thing: I have spent a lot of money on my home 2 channel HiFI system in the last 18 months and I love it. I also love good headphones, but I went back and listened last night to my Final Audio Sonorous for the first time in a while and came to a realisation:

To my tastes, as good as high-end headphones are, they don't hold a candle to a decent 2 channel HiFi speaker setup. My system is perfect for both critical listening and for cranking out the jams and being able to really feel as well as hear the music.

If I was in a position where I frequently had to wear headphones over listening to my HiFi due to those around me objecting to the noise, then I would absolutely drop some more cash on better cans. But I don't. So I won't.

Potential spending crisis averted! I will keep my Sonorous for in-home listening and my Sony 1000XM3 for on-the-go and spend some money on acoustically treating my lounge instead.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
81348 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 42712

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#2233481 9-May-2019 09:16

I see Panasonic brand wasn't mentioned in this thread... Just got the new RP-HD610 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over Ear Headphones with Google Assistant. This is launching this month here in New Zealand and I can't see it mentioned in any site yet. It seems to be an update on the RP-HD605 (Google Assistant being the difference). The only references I found were on Amazon (the Japanese domestic version) and the RP-HD610 manual from the FCC website.

Both black and bronze colours are available in New Zealand with a RRP of $ 499.99 through JB Hifi, PB Technologies and Harvey Norman.

I have been using it for a few days now and Google Assistant is pretty cool - it reads your notifications, allows you to reply by dictating your message (works even for apps like Messenger) and does the usual Google Assistant things. Sounds is really good but I've noticed it breaking up when watching Netflix on my phone - turned off the Android Bluetooth option for High Quality sound - which in the Android Bluetooth settings page says can get poor performance in wireless crowded environment (I was in the bus) and quality actually went way higher with no more stuttering, go figure.

You can also get unfiltered environmental noise by covering the right-side ear cup and set noise cancellation levels using a button (or the Panasonic app).

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

LEGAL video, movies and TV download and streaming options in New Zealand

networkn

Networkn
33380 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15829

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2233488 9-May-2019 09:38

Specs look decent. Not sure it has anything I'd ditch my Sony MX3's for.

The hand gesture thing is genuis on the Sony's. I upgraded from my bose for that one thing alone and got the other benefits too!

Good to see that they are supporting high def codecs.

I only have 1-2 minor gripes with the Sony. Those being my right air gets sweaty in them much faster than the Bose, and that the HD codecs are finicky to get working.

dafman

4173 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2784

Trusted

Subscriber

#2234229 10-May-2019 08:38

networkn:
I only have 1-2 minor gripes with the Sony. Those being my right air gets sweaty in them much faster than the Bose, and that the HD codecs are finicky to get working.

I was pleasantly surprised to see I can turn LDAC on for my MX2 via a toggle on Samsung SmartThings on my S10e.

I have SmartThings set up to permanently display in my notification tray (it takes up next to no space) and when my MX2 are connected I can go direct to headphone settings via SmartThings and turn on LDAC.

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

#2234337 10-May-2019 09:57

Does LDAC sound better?

https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

Item

1752 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 728

Subscriber

#2234339 10-May-2019 10:03

Fred99:

Does LDAC sound better?

https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/

I doubt most could/would notice the difference in a blind test, even if it measures differently. Still, if one perceives that it does sound better, then it does indeed sound better!

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

#2234356 10-May-2019 10:24

You can blind test your musical ears here:

https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality

Of course if you have trouble with this, it's the fault of your equipment (not your ears), so the answer is to keep spending until you can pass the test.

Item

1752 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 728

Subscriber

#2234362 10-May-2019 10:32

Fred99:

You can blind test your musical ears here:

https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality

Of course if you have trouble with this, it's the fault of your equipment (not your ears), so the answer is to keep spending until you can pass the test.

It requires superhuman cognitive dissonance for me to be both an audio-cynic and an audiophile (one with an expensive tube amp lol) but I somehow manage it.

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

#2234381 10-May-2019 10:54

With that NPR blind test - with one of the tracks I picked the 128kbps MP3 as sounding best, went back and replayed it listening very carefully no longer blind, and I still reckon it sounds better. Maybe what compression hath taken away shouldn't have even been there in the first place.

As far as tube amps go, even in the place where there's arguably a big difference (or should I say "advantage") with guitar amps - although the desirable characteristics are really not "hifi" (non linearity/compression, soft clipping, added "tone"), people fail blind tests with so called "modelling amps" these days - solid state amps with DSP modeled to replicate output of "famous" tube amp designs. (that's not to say any self-respecting guitar hero would actually use one).

networkn

Networkn
33380 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15829

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2234431 10-May-2019 12:21

Can we not have another of these stupid discussions in *this* thread (There are already endless debates on sound quality on the Internet or you could start another one another thread), it's like the Apple vs Android, do what makes you happy, and don't trash others for their choices. These things never end well in my experience.

AliExpress

Shop now on AliExpress (affiliate link).

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

#2234434 10-May-2019 12:31

Oh sorry. I didn't see anybody "trashing" choices. It seems valid in a thread where a feature like LDAC is mentioned to find out a little more about what it means and offers. No?
If not, then maybe a discussion about audio equipment limited by not questioning the merits of a promoted feature shouldn't be in a "geek" forum.

networkn

Networkn
33380 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15829

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2234436 10-May-2019 12:37

How did I know that was going to be your reaction?

I am simply trying to avoid *this* thread becoming like so many before it, where you end up with 2 groups at war. Those who are dismissive of the benefits of high end audio based on one set of results, and the people who buy high end audio extolling the benefits based on another set of results. It always starts the same way, with comments like this one:

Of course if you have trouble with this, it's the fault of your equipment (not your ears), so the answer is to keep spending until you can pass the test."

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

#2234450 10-May-2019 13:00

Of course if you have trouble with this, it's the fault of your equipment (not your ears), so the answer is to keep spending until you can pass the test. /s :-)

There you go. I fixed it with a smiley face and an /s. I saved you from Poe's law, maybe.

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

#2234452 10-May-2019 13:10

Back on topic, I've got a headphone amp / DAC in front of me that features native 5.6 MHz DSD playback (and incl. software to play DSD - or convert PCM to DSD - which seems to have no effect at all).

What's an easy way for me to test that out, connected to an HTPC source?

Are there any free legal sources of DSD audio files to test it with?

1 | ... | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | ... | 126