CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone, IEM, and Other Audio Related Discussion => Topic started by: velvetx on September 24, 2015, 04:16:07 AM
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As a newer audiophile member I noticed a lot of things that were said while watching Big Sound 2015 that I thought were important. One of the things I wanted to bring up is headphone variance.
Headphone variance seems to be even more apparent especially while critical listening in the TOTL models of headphones and I was wondering how does the Changstar community buy a headphone? How many models do you try to listen to before making a final decision? Please note I am talking about how many times do you "audition" the headphone you are looking to buy? What do you do if you buy a headphone where it doesn't sound exactly as the model you auditioned?
Where do you buy your headphones? Do you buy from the audio store? Do you buy online? Is there a specific instance where you would buy online versus the store or visa versa?
Thanks and I hope this helps people.
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To me, it is all about availability and affordability.
In Vancouver, there are luckily quite a number of headphone and audiophile shops with a large manufacturer availability. The price is now more reasonable, given the insanely bad exchange rate Canadian Dollar has against the US Dollar. Prior to that, I used to purchase from Amazon and B&H, and in person from shops in Seattle or Dallas (wife is from Dallas, we visit family there often). These are the methods I use to purchase new products I plan to keep a while. I always make sure I buy from authorized dealers for expensive products and ones I plan to keep long term.
For trying out products, I use the Head-Fi and Canuck Audio Mart used markets, and can usually sell back with little loss.
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I have to listen to headphones in person before I make a purchase. For me, it's like buying a car - I'd never dream of buying one without taking it for a test drive. I do my listening and purchasing at the Headphone Bar in Vancouver. I find that the new-in-box phones I bring home don't sound exactly like the demo models until after some break-in time.
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I have to listen to headphones in person before I make a purchase. For me, it's like buying a car - I'd never dream of buying one without taking it for a test drive. I do my listening and purchasing at the Headphone Bar in Vancouver. I find that the new-in-box phones I bring home don't sound exactly like the demo models until after some break-in time.
Eh? We may have ran into each other at some point, haha :)
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Eh? We may have ran into each other at some point, haha :)
That may be - I'm the short, bald guy making out with the HD800s in the back corner of the shop. :)p13
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That may be - I'm the short, bald guy making out with the HD800s in the back corner of the shop. :)p13
So that's where the discolouration on the cable came from...
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Except for my first purchase (a Senn HD595 in 2006 for 190$) I have actually bought almost all of my headphones second-hand online.
Sennheiser HD600 (as new including box and accessories) for 240$ instead of 360$ (in 2008!).
Etymotic ER-4P (as new including box and accessories) for 52$ instead of 260$.
Grado SR-225 (only the phones) for 150$ instead of 235$.
Focal Spirit One (slight cosmetic damage) for 35$ instead of 190$.
Sennheiser HD 560 (only the phones) for 70$ instead of 200$.
Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 (as new including box and accessories) for 60$ instead of 260$.
Sennheiser IE8 (brand new, sealed) für 119$ instead of 290$.
Sony MDR-Z7 (as new including box and accessories) for 350$ instead of 800$.
AKG K701 (only the phones) for 92$ instead of 220$.
Whatever I didnt like or had no use for I resold (sometimes with a slight loss, sometimes with profit). Of course there are certain risks involved with this and you cant audition anything, but I've had nothing but good experiences so far. And I saved a whole lot of money.
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For the TOTL headphones, you can either pray you get a good new pair, or go to a meet where a couple dozen people have LCD-2s/HD 800s/your headphone of choice and make an offer for the one you like the most.
Some stores have flagships on demo that you can listen to before you buy.
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How many models do you try to listen to before making a final decision? Please note I am talking about how many times do you "audition" the headphone you are looking to buy?
Once is almost always enough for me. The main exception is a few more complex phones, which I repeatedly second-guess. If I can't decide, it's a sign that I don't want it enough.
What do you do if you buy a headphone where it doesn't sound exactly as the model you auditioned?
If it sounds as good or better, keep it. If it sounds worse, return it if you can.
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Yah I understand but the thing is that ok so the store doesn't sell you the demo model but instead the model they sell you doesn't sound the same. It's like say the Ether or LCD-X you listen to it at one meet and it's the best thing since sliced bread then you listen to it somewhere else and the same phone doesn't even sound anywhere near what you listened to at the meet.
I guess variance is just not something you can control. Maybe it's more of a luck game. haha
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Based on forum threads like this one and the recent comments in the context of Big Sound 2015 it's my impression that there is a.) a lot more variance with planars than with dynamics and b.) a lot more variance with smaller manufacturers compared with big ones. Case in point: Audeze is a rather small and new manufacturer of planars and they are known for massive variance between phone so that one's LCD-X might sound just like another's LCD3 (and QC issues). On the other side of the spectrum you dont hear any complaints about variances or QC with regards to the dynamic HD800 from established Sennheiser. (Beyerdynamic seems to be an exception to this rule). So if I'm right: Stay the fuck away from for example a Kennerton Odin (small manufacturer, ambitious planar headphone)?
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Some stores have flagships on demo that you can listen to before you buy.
I've always thought of ex-demo gear as a way of getting good discounts, and, looking across the room at the hifi, that is exactly how much of it was acquired.
But do you mean you'd rather buy the actual item you just heard, rather than the shiny, new, unopened box? Interesting!
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Most of my HPS were bought from previous owners. The obligatory "burn in" is done. In fact the HD 800 and the LCD XC were the only ones bought new. The former has worked perfectly thus far; I had to send the XC back twice in 3 months for left driver failure.
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Based on forum threads like this one and the recent comments in the context of Big Sound 2015 it's my impression that there is a.) a lot more variance with planars than with dynamics and b.) a lot more variance with smaller manufacturers compared with big ones. Case in point: Audeze is a rather small and new manufacturer of planars and they are known for massive variance between phone so that one's LCD-X might sound just like another's LCD3 (and QC issues). On the other side of the spectrum you dont hear any complaints about variances or QC with regards to the dynamic HD800 from established Sennheiser. (Beyerdynamic seems to be an exception to this rule). So if I'm right: Stay the fuck away from for example a Kennerton Odin (small manufacturer, ambitious planar headphone)?
Well I guess the argument about planar vs dynamic is it seems ortho technology has not been completely developed. Thus the reason why you see so many companies releasing new Orthos every year.
In regards to Sennheiser releasing headphones they seem to rarely replace their lines. I still think the HD580 is one of the greatest sounding Sennheiser phones they ever made.