Welcome, Guest. Please Login
 
  HomeHelpSearchLogin FAQ Radified Ghost.Classic Ghost.New Bootable CD Blog  
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Sennheiser Headphones (Read 5701 times)
Adam Zonker
Gnarly
*
Offline



Posts: 36
Southern Alberta Canada


Back to top
Sennheiser Headphones
Jun 13th, 2008 at 6:57pm
 
Rad
If I recall correctly a while back you wrote about your Sennheiser headphones,as being top quality.  My daughter is turning 17 and I am thinking of a birthday present along that line. What was the model # or what is a comparable model today.
 As I am not literate in audio/acustics, my second question is  wireless "compatable" at that level.

Adam
 
 
IP Logged
 

Nigel Bree
Ex Member




Back to top
Re: Sennheiser Headphones
Reply #1 - Jun 13th, 2008 at 8:08pm
 
I'd say Sennheiser in general are equivalent to other vendors like Sony that have a product range that extends right over the entire spectrum from professional through prosumer and right down to the "value" end of the market. The gear that gets audio people excited and leads the brand perception is at the pro end (and it is good, but at a price you'd expect it to be), while at the value end the differences between any vendors are much less. The main thing you can count on from any vendor like that is that the quality baseline at the value end is set so that the gear in the "value" band doesn't undermine the perception of the higher-end gear.

Are you after headphones here for in-home use, or portable audio? For portable audio, one of my friends (who used to work here at Symantec with me and is now at Serato Audio Research) was a really big enthusiast of the Etymotic range of in-ear products for his personal audio needs. Their design is certainly unique, although I don't know if that's something that is a net positive or negative for someone aged 17...

For wireless, most classic home headphones tend to still be using relatively plain low-power FM, which aren't super-great for quality (although if you're listening to 128kbps MP3 audio, that may be perfectly adequate). High-quality wireless audio is around, but it tends to be the preserve of more exotic things like this Bang and Olufsen BeoLink system. But then, that's trying to solve quite a general home-entertainment audio routing problem. Mostly for audio-only I'd rather use a really portable audio player, ideally one with 802.11 like an iPod Touch or one of its many imitators.
 
 
IP Logged
 
Rad
Radministrator
*****
Offline


Sufferin' succotash

Posts: 4090
Newport Beach, California


Back to top
Re: Sennheiser Headphones
Reply #2 - Jun 13th, 2008 at 8:13pm
 
I got the HD-580. I think they were ~$200 at zzounds.

I really like them cuz they feel like slippers on your ears. Some headphones hurt after a few hours of listening.

Things to be aware of are open vs closed design. Open you can hear ppl talking in the room, and the phone ring. The 580's are open.

and whether the speaker actually sits ON your ear.

and if you need a separate external amp to drive the headphones.
 
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Adam Zonker
Gnarly
*
Offline



Posts: 36
Southern Alberta Canada


Back to top
Re: Sennheiser Headphones
Reply #3 - Jun 13th, 2008 at 9:00pm
 
Wow guys quick replies. Nigel she has a Sansa e260 (two years ago birthday)

I have read the Rip and Encode CD Audio guide but have not tired it. Am I on the right track, that if she followed the guide to make her mp3's, that headphones of that quality would make a difference over the ones that come with it. And if she doesnt it would not?

Rad does "and if you need a seperate external amp to drive the headphones" did that apply to your 580's. I am looking at the 595's. Thank you for the advise as to open vs closed
I want to make sure she can hear me say "your room needs cleaning".
 
 
IP Logged
 
Rad
Radministrator
*****
Offline


Sufferin' succotash

Posts: 4090
Newport Beach, California


Back to top
Re: Sennheiser Headphones
Reply #4 - Jun 14th, 2008 at 12:23am
 
These days audio quality has much improved .. over what was passed as 'cd-quality' back when I wrote the guide.

But rippin with EAC & encoding with lame is good as it for the mp3 world. I am *still* impressed by the quality of mp3's I ripped & encoded 5 years ago.

MP3 give you ultimate compatibility. Everything sppts mp3.

The new mpeg4-base codecs are excellent, but they don't have the universal-compatibility that mp3 does.

Adam Zonker wrote on Jun 13th, 2008 at 9:00pm:
Thank you for the advise as to open vs closed
I want to make sure she can hear me say "your room needs cleaning".  

Smiley

Adam Zonker wrote on Jun 13th, 2008 at 9:00pm:
and if you need a seperate external amp to drive the headphones" did that apply to your 580's

no, but i'm sure they woulda sounded even better with. external amps can be pricy.
 
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print