Headphones

grokit

well-worn member
I've never heard the audioengines, but I know a lot of folks love them.

what kind of amp do you have strapped to that grokit?
It's the Sony PHA-1, it's not just an amp but its DAC section is licensed by apple so it just extracts the digital audio from the iPod and uses its own higher-bitrate/bandwidth conversion circuitry. It will also accept non-protected digital audio input from other devices, and will amplify an analog audio signal as well.

pha-1.jpg

The battery life could be better, but I'm very happy with it otherwise :tup:
 

Caligula

Maximus
If I owned an Apple product (this is a lie, I have a dead 2nd gen iPod sitting in a drawer somewhere), I might buy one of those. Pretty nifty!
 
Caligula,
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smokum

I am who I am and your approval isn't needed!
I ended up going to Long & McQuade and listened to an assortment of different cans thru a dac with an ipod source.

Even after listening to my intended (based on reviews) look-see of the HD650 & HD800 I ended up deciding on a lesser pair that offered a good range of tone without being too sharp on the highs, and a clarity in its low end for 'my ear perception' (based on the source material I had at hand). Chances are I'll upgrade down the road unless they clean up a bit more with some burn in, but I'm glad to have finally grabbed a set I could sample as a starting point.

I picked up a pair of Pioneer HDJ-2000 to start with along with an Apogee ONE audio interface / headphone amp (that may come in handy for future recording opportunities).

So far I'm fairly happy, and only time will tell ;)
 
smokum,
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mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
I've owned a pair of Sennheiser HD 598s for about a year now and have zero complaints. I pair it with a FiiO E10 DAC. Love my setup.

The 598s are amazing. Definitely my favorite pair of phones I currently own and one of the better cans you can get under 500. I pair em with my FIIO E07K. Does some pretty awesome stuff to my iphone. ;)

I can't really use the 598s when my wife is watching tv thanks to them being open and I've searched for years for a really good closed set under 500 that has anything approaching the soundstage of a good set of opens. I learned about the PSB M4U 1 from the head-fi.org folks, and man, what a killer set of closed cans. Unbelievable sound and real width and depth to the soundstage. I spent the first month I owned them saying out loud "I can't believe how great these sound!". I don't know if there's a better closed can under 500, let alone a touch under 300.They do take a while to get used to, though...they have a pretty hefty amount of clamping force, part of what makes them sound so great.
 

t-dub

Vapor Sloth
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weedemon

enthusiast
I have that same mouse T-dub! I assume you have had it a long time like I have? mines probably 9 years old! :p

diamondback by razer, damned near unkillable :p
 
weedemon,
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mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
Time to wake up this thread. The only thing I love as much as vapes....:lol:

Ok my beloved Sennheiser 598s are mothballed. Got in on the Massdrop for the AKG K7XX....made specifically for Massdrop. These are, probably, somewhere around 400-ish dollar phones going for half that.

Open-backed....kickass wide soundstage.....mids so well-defined it makes my 598s sound like mush. Punchy, strong bass.

Great cans. My go-to phones when I have the chance to use opens (ie late night or when the wife is out). Best news of all? They just unlocked another drop. Anyone looking for outstanding open cans at an insane price....right here.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-headphones
 
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