Develop Bugs

[GUIDE] Headphone/Earphone Buying

I put time and thought into this, as a place to intelligently discuss head gear. Please don't just post "I like Sennheiser" or "Beats are awesome/crap". Which Sennheiser model? For what genre? Yes, Beats suck. Why do they suck, though?
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Quickest way to increased audio bliss:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48946734&postcount=678
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Why a TL: DR?
I didn't want to do this part originally, but I know there many who won't read this entire post, and will only be concerned with a small segment.
TL: DR
Read sections 2, 3 & 6. No headphone is suited for everyone. Take how YOU listen into account, then come back when you can and read this in full.
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See bottom of this post for recommendation/comparison request form. Use that so it answers everything we'll need to know.
I see so many people ask the wrong questions or not ask the right questions when looking to buy headphones/earphones, and thought perhaps I could finally be of some use to XDA by writing up a guide to help those in their search for the "best" purchase FOR THEM.
First of all, audio is largely subjective. What a person is suited for is dependent upon many factors that vary from person to person. I'll list those out here before going into detail.
1: Budget
2: Genres/Musical preference
3: Type of headphone
4: Functionality
5: The audio rig as whole
6: Source material
7: Build Quality
Fellow Audiophiles- Please add your wisdom where I've missed things so it can be added here.
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be any expert, so please correct any misinformation. Also, I'm American and refer to pricing in USD.
1: Budget
Obviously, everyone has their spending limits. Don't be too quick to just throw a number out there. What you're really asking is: How much is my listening pleasure worth to me right now?
If you sell yourself short and buy $15 headphones, you may be quickly unsatisfied, they may break, or you may be losing out on quality you don't yet know exists. If it's merely a tool to you and you don't often listen to music for pleasure, or that's all you can dedicate to the purchase right now, no worries. There are many great offerings on any budget. I've read rave reviews of $5 earphones.
Likewise, if you set a $1000 budget, you may find that you're spending beyond what you would benefit from, due to frequency of use, passion for quality, or if you've suffered hearing loss. Also, you may spend $1k on headphones only to find your audio system as a whole cannot do the headphones justice. I'll touch more on that later.
2: Genre/Musical Preference
No headphone/earphone will suit all needs. If you listen to classical music, you are likely listening for clear, bright, detailed highs, and for the texture in the bass more than the booming volume. If you relish more in beautiful vocals, the midrange will matter more. EDM, rap, hip-hop enthusiasts: you know you're not really living in your music if you don't feel the bass thump in your skull. That $500 headphone your classical loving friend swears by may not do drum n' bass any justice, and vice versa.
Many popular headphones (ahem Beats, Bose, Skull Candy) are more appearance than quality, and may offer booming bass that overshadows the rest of the music. THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS AT THE SAME OR LOWER PRICES. Don't settle for a nice label. Get quality you can hear.
3: Type of Headphone
There are 2 basic categories, and a handful of sub-categories.
In-Ear or Traditional Headphones
In-Ear
Earbuds: sit in your ear without entering the ear canal, these are like stock iPod earbuds. Usually cheaper, lower quality, offer minimal noise isolation.
IEMs, aka In-Ear Monitors: Enter the ear canal itself. IEMs offer excellent noise isolation to keep you more "in your music" and can range from a few dollars to a couple thousand, from barely passable as music to a symphony in your ears.
Traditional Headphones can be:
portable (fold up for easier travel h or full sized
On-Ear (the cup sits on your ear) or Over-Ear
Open-back (just like it sounds) or Closed
*I'll add more here later, I'm more of an IEM guy and cannot speak from personal experience on On/Over Ear and Open/Closed in terms of Sound Quality. I'll add more when someone with expertise fills me in or I've done enough research myself.
4: Functionality
Things to consider here are comfort, noise isolation, accessories, removable/replaceable cables, and whether or not you need a mic/remote.
*I'll be adding much information on mic/remote compatibility later
5: Your audio rig
Headphones are worthless without a source to play it. They are the END of the system (other than your ears), you should look at your particular system and what your needs are from beginning to end.
It starts with source material, from vinyl to MP3, but I'll get into digital audio formats in the next section.
It goes:
Source Material-Player-Amp/DAC-Headphones
I'm going to rule out, at least temporarily, turntables, tape players, 8 tracks (lol), CD players, etc. and focus on digital formats for now.
Players:
Phone or DAP? Or computer?
Using your smartphone is convenient, but usually won't offer the same quality as a dedicated Digital Audio Player. Personally, I use my phone as I'm on it so much that I'd rather have the convenience over the increased SQ. I'm sure that will change, but I just can't do without pause/play/skip/volume control from my IEMs directly.
You may opt for a higher quality DAC or amp to hook up to your rig. You may buy a better sound card for your pc.
You need to consider that all of this affects what you hear, and sometimes it's not your earphones holding you back, it's your phone's crappy Yamaha DAC that the bastards put in instead of that beautiful Wolfson that they used to use (yes, Samsung, that's directed at you).
6: None if the above matters of you've got 96 kbps mp3 files, scratched CDs or vinyl, or a tape player (how are reading this from your Commodore 64 anyway?)
MP3 is the most popular digital format, though certainly not the best. If you're not happy with the audio detail in your music, consider either replacing those 128kbps mp3's with 320kbps mp3 or FLAC files. FLAC is "lossless", offers amazing detail, and 30mb+ per song. If you've got the storage space, flac is the way to go.
7: Build Quality
Are you brutal on your gear? Some options can take more of a beating than others, and those less careful (or buried with children) should consider this carefully.
Buy from a place with a warranty and use your warranty when it breaks. The $50 you may save from a random eBay seller won't mean anything when you have no warranty for your $300 headphones.
Also, stop yanking on the damn cords. You'll ruin the jack/connections and left or right channel may drop out. Pull by the plug, keep them in a storage case not crumpled in your pocket and they'll last much longer.
That's about it, except...
DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
www.head-fi.org is your friend. Excellent site for reviews, deal alerts, opinions, and learning all things audio.
Reviews are critical. I may say the best IEM under $150 is my trusted Shure SE215, because of the bass, mids, non-sibilant highs and the fact that I've added the optional mic/remote cable, but if your taste is instrumental, vocals, etc. and you don't want the mic/remote, there are better options FOR YOU. They're your ears and nobody else's, so don't take anybody's opinion that one is categorically better than any other, unless they're telling you WHY it's better.
HEADPHONE/EARPHONE RECOMMENDATION FORM
Use/copy this when asking for advice
1: Budget:
2: Genres/Musical preference:
3: Type of headphone:
4: Functionality: (Mic needed? cable over ear vs. Straight down? Open/Closed back if v full size headphones, etc)
5: Your player/setup:
6: Source material (mp3, flac, stream, etc.):
7: Area of highest importance:
On an unrelated note...
Quasimodem said:
Massive amounts of high school pootietang is a requirement for a proper upbringing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy

Reserved for updates/notes
Things to come:
Get rid of all typos.
Proper formatting once I get on my laptop, I post everything from Tapatalk.
Additional information on portables/full-size cans.
2/3/2013
Added: TL: DR at the top for those just not willing to study the full course on this.
Also added a recommendation form for those seeking advice.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy

Good guide.
XDA is awesome for phones, but doesn't offer much for audiothings.
This will help audionewbs buying the right thing :thumbup:
Sent from my Nexus7.

Thank you. I added a couple of changes, noted in 2nd post.
If this helped anyone in any way, please share it. My goal is only to help others enjoy audio as much as or more than I go and save them money spent on ill-suited equipment.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Very well thought out guide! Thoroughly enjoyed the read and I learned a few things along the way, thanks for this, will have to refer to this next time I buy a set of headphones!

You know where to find me, brother. Pick my mind whenever. I try to keep a good list of IEMs to recommend for most preferences from $15 to $500.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

I ordered my son Brainwavz R1's to replace the Klipsch S4's he broke (cable death).
When they come in, perhaps I can give some brief review on all headgear I've used to help with choices of others.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
I ordered my son Brainwavz R1's to replace the Klipsch S4's he broke (cable death).
When they come in, perhaps I can give some brief review on all headgear I've used to help with choices of others.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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And I'm thinking about ordering some UE6000.
Reviews are pretty good, and I'll most probably send my 8.As in for a refit (I got the feeling that it's just a bit too loose..).
So I need a proper replacement^.^
I'll probably make short review of my headgear, too.
That's a nice idea. We could then link our posts to the first post..

Exactly. I'm comforted that the 10-posters continue to use the Best Earphones thread, but hopefully those that are more serious put their questions/contributions here.
Also, you've now made me go tag up on the UE6000's again, lol.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Exactly. I'm comforted that the 10-posters continue to use the Best Earphones thread, but hopefully those that are more serious put their questions/contributions here.
Also, you've now made me go tag up on the UE6000's again, lol.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Click to collapse
We can post an info at that thread, so that they know that we review our gear here.
^.^ I'm already used to UEs sound, and I really like it.
If the UE6000 sounds just a bit like my old TF10, I'll love it x)
Though, I'm gonna miss the 8.A for that time >.<
I'll order them tomorrow i think
Sent from my Nexus7.

I was asked in a different thread which DAC the SGSIII uses.
You might be interested in reading the response, as I think it adds some good information, especially coming from someone who gets a lot of enjoyment listening from my phone even with a lesser DAC being used.
"I believe the US S3 has the Yamaha, whereas the Int'l. has Wolfson. I also think the Galaxy Note 2 uses Wolfson.
Bear in mind, I typically remain in musical ecstasy strictly from my TMO SGSII, which is Yamaha. It's just that the Wolfson can do so much better. My Vibrant had much less audio noise through headphones than my GSII does.
If your source files aren't high quality, the difference is far less.
Edit: To expand on that, you have to take your whole system into account, from source files to player, on up to headphones. If any of them are of noticeably low quality, you'll hear it.
If you're using 128 kbps mp3 files and low quality (not necessarily cheap) headphones, the quality of the DAC in your player might not be noticeable to you.
There is also much more to a player than the DAC being used."
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Thanks for this guide..! I'll be using it
Bose head phones crapped out on me
-TeaM VeNuM Like A Boss
-Galaxy Note II Edition

MiguelHogue said:
Thanks for this guide..! I'll be using it
Bose head phones crapped out on me
-TeaM VeNuM Like A Boss
-Galaxy Note II Edition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totaly understand that.
BOSE isn't really good, they're just like beats..
jRi0T68 said:
I was asked in a different thread which DAC the SGSIII uses.
You might be interested in reading the response, as I think it adds some good information, especially coming from someone who gets a lot of enjoyment listening from my phone even with a lesser DAC being used.
"I believe the US S3 has the Yamaha, whereas the Int'l. has Wolfson. I also think the Galaxy Note 2 uses Wolfson.
Bear in mind, I typically remain in musical ecstasy strictly from my TMO SGSII, which is Yamaha. It's just that the Wolfson can do so much better. My Vibrant had much less audio noise through headphones than my GSII does.
If your source files aren't high quality, the difference is far less.
Edit: To expand on that, you have to take your whole system into account, from source files to player, on up to headphones. If any of them are of noticeably low quality, you'll hear it.
If you're using 128 kbps mp3 files and low quality (not necessarily cheap) headphones, the quality of the DAC in your player might not be noticeable to you.
There is also much more to a player than the DAC being used."
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Click to collapse
You sure that the international SGSIII has a wolfson?
I'm thinking about buying an old S1, just to have a wolfson androidplayer.
But my cowon j3 is doing it's job extremely well.. x)

I've read numerous sources that indicate it does, even tonight on xda. Triple check it, though, just to be sure. I believe I read supercurio did some of his magic with it, too.
I think it's an exynos vs. Qualcomm thing. Good news for those of us in the US is that the US Note 2 reportedly has Wolfson, as it uses an exynos SoC, so perhaps SGSIV will as well. By year's end, I'll be upgrading my phone and return of voodoo sound to my ears would be awesome.
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Yeah I agree.. Well I knew that before hand . They were just a gift.. Only lasted 5 months
-TeaM VeNuM Like A Boss
-Galaxy Note II Edition

How did they break?
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

I'm not really sure.. They just went out on me out of nowhere.. . They where the ear bud type.. They started off great and then got low.. No bass.. One side was louder.. Kept them neatly in the leather carrying case it came with .. Never yanked the cord or abused them.. Bad build quality I assume
Luckily I found my Samsung ear buds that came with my n2..They sound really good.. Holding me over until me new purchase
-TeaM VeNuM Like A Boss
-Galaxy Note II Edition

That sucks. Fill in my little recommendation form as best as you can when you're ready to start looking for recommendations.
I ****ing LOVE audio, so I'll be glad to read dozens of reviews in my spare time, link you to them, and give hopefully good options. Besides... Skinny vouched for you in the frat thread, so you're good in my book.
My son's Brainwavz R1's just arrived. Not enough listening time or burn-in (the act of playing music through the headphones so that the drivers loosen up, like breaking in a new pair of sneakers) to give a proper review but initial impressions:
That's a LOT of value for $35.
Huge selection of tips.
Build Quality seems quite good.
Bass quality is better than Klipsch S4's.
Mids are clear, fairly warm.
Highs are distant. That will likely change with burn-in.
Once I can give an honest review, I'm going to use the form below to post reviews on Shure SE215, Klipsch Image S4i, Brainwavz R1, and possibly Bowers& Wilkins P5 on-ear headphones.
The difficult part about ranking these areas, for me, is that I've never heard $1k+ earphones, so assigning what equates to a 10 is difficult. I figure it's best if I rank my Shures a base value of 8 and deduct where they fall short, leaving room for improvement by top tier products. Honestly, once you get beyond $300 well-reviewed headphones, this thread/site won't be where to go. Go to www.head-fi.org, with your wallet empty or you'll be sorry.
"Ranked from 1-10 in thy following categories:
Accessories:
Build Quality:
Fit/comfort:
Isolation: (How well is the outside world blocked out?)
Microphonics: (Does the cable make noise when you bump it or rub it in your fingers that carries through the headphones into your ears?)
Soundstage: (How big do they sound? Can you tell where different instruments are coming from?)
Instrument separation: (Can you clearly and easily pick apart not just where the instruments are, but that each instrument sounds like it's coming from a different speaker?)
Bass:
Mids:
Highs:
Value:
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Thanks man.. I really appreciate it.. I never been THAT Knowledgeable about headphones.. So some guidance will help
Well here we go!
-
1: Budget: no more than $100
2: Genres/Musical preference: Hip-Hop/Rap
3: Type of headphone: Ear bud
4: Functionality: nope nothing special.. Just regular ol ear buds
5: Your player/setup: Note 2 (Sprint) Noozoxide eq settings.. I bounce around with music players.. But been using Sony walkman Alot lately
6: Source material: MP3
7: Area of highest importance: Quality! (in sound and build) I don't care if they aren't the "flashiest" pair of headphones.. As long as they get the job done well
-TeaM VeNuM Like A Boss
-Galaxy Note II Edition

Do you need/want a mic/button to work with them?
Would you rather the bass drown out the vocals some, but make your head shake, or have bass that slams, just not quite as hard, but still lets every detail in the music shine?
In budget, with good bass to consider. Google search the product and "head-fi" you'll get great reviews and opinions from crazy bastards that own all these plus 50 other earphones.
Shure SE215 <---- What I currently use and turn to for rap/hip-hop, EDM, alternative and classic rock. They serve all very well.
JVC FXD80
Sony XB90EX
Audio Technica CKS77
-Accidental Asshole aka Jeremy
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Review of Westone W40 in-ear headphones w/lots of pics!!!

removed.

Have you checked to see if the cables are compatible with your UE900? It would be interesting to know for replacement/upgrade cables.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Have you checked to see if the cables are compatible with your UE900? It would be interesting to know for replacement/upgrade cables.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Yep, the same connector I will do a sound test to make sure it sounds all good as well. That would have been fantastic for those with Note 2 and custom cable that has Samsung volume and multi-function control. But the original Westone twisted cable is by far the best I have seen, which most likely will be a benefit to SE and UE users if you can buy it as an accessory.
Btw, that warm sound signature is really growing on me!!! And their design/fitment is so comfortable!!!

Excellent. Are these a keeper or review only?
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

Thank you very much for the review. I owned the Westone UM2, W3 and W4 for around 5 years now and I can´t be more please with their sound. I would like to change my W4r for this W40 but I am not sure if the sound quality is exactly the same. According to Westone they are but... :S.
I am also interested in the cable but as I use Android I don´t think it works with previous/skip song buttons. Btw, I didn´t know that they included 2 pair of cables, that´s a big bonus!

frozst said:
Thank you very much for the review. I owned the Westone UM2, W3 and W4 for around 5 years now and I can´t be more please with their sound. I would like to change my W4r for this W40 but I am not sure if the sound quality is exactly the same. According to Westone they are but... :S.
I am also interested in the cable but as I use Android I don´t think it works with previous/skip song buttons. Btw, I didn´t know that they included 2 pair of cables, that´s a big bonus!
Click to expand...
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I tested the remote with Galaxy Note 2 and it works perfect!!! As a matter of fact, every iDevice in-line remote always works with my Galaxy phone. Volume up/down will not work, those are dedicated iDevice buttons with specific internal resistor values. But multi-function button always works for play/pause/call and transport control. By default, double-tap always skip the track forward. You can download free JAYS app for headphone control and in there configure and fine tune multi-function control to even triple-tap to skip back. Also, long press starts Google NOW.
But to be honest, I have been enjoying braided cable too much. Absolutely love it!!!! Plus, keep in mind since Westone changed the connector to "universal" rotating type used by Shure and Ultimate Ears, you have a lot of replacement choices. You can check out my UE900 thread where I did review of alternative cables from Lunashops. They are cheap and will not offer any sound improvement but will have dedicate android controls, like a specific one for Samsung Galaxy with volume up/down working! I'm also waiting for FiiO guys to send me RC-SE1 silver-plated audio cables that work with Shure/UE and now with new Westone W-series. Those supposed to offer sound improvement!!! Will review it as soon as I get it. Supposed to receive it together with X5 review unit
Regarding sound quality. I can't compare it to W4 model, but I can tell you that everything that I have reviewed (check out my full review link in the signature) such as ATH-M50, M-80, M-100, MOMENTUM, P7, COP, UE600, UE900, HF2, ATH-CKX9 and CKX7, M-Duo, ATLAS, and other cheap stuff - doesn't even come close in comparison to sound quality of W40. It's like a fine wine, gets better with more hours of burn in. The soundstage widened, the mids came up (still not upfront like UE900, but it's not as scooped as it was at the beginning), and overall level of details improved. What is amazing, the sound quality is perfect listening even to 128kbps mp3s directly from my noisy headphone jack of ThinkPad laptop.
I'm trying to get SE535 review sample just to have the final comparison, but I seriously doubt they will be better than W40 because everybody describes them as more upper-mids upfront and more neutral accurate bass. W40 has bass accuracy, even some sub-bass quantity (I guess dedicated 2 bass drivers), so both quality and quantity of overall bass. Not basshead type of quantity but intelligent quantity where you actually can hear it (missing link of UE900). I know I gushing about it, but they are just perfect where you have combination of both details and warmths.
Also, heard from Westone PR rep that W30 will be available soon. Of course, W40 is a perfection, but for $100 less W30 will be a good alternative.
If you are going to get W40, I would love to hear comparison between W40 and W4.

Thanks for this review, should be helpful!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

I already bought them and sold my w4r for only 60 EUR less than the w40...
Depending on when I receive them I will be able to do a side by side test so I will post my conclusions after 2 years with the w4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

frozst said:
I already bought them and sold my w4r for only 60 EUR less than the w40...
Depending on when I receive them I will be able to do a side by side test so I will post my conclusions after 2 years with the w4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
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Oh, can't wait to read your side-by-side comparison!!! Except, you already sold W4R so how will you able to compare it?

I sold them but I don't have to ship them until the 6th
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

frozst said:
I sold them but I don't have to ship them until the 6th
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
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I see. I hope you will get W40 soon and have enough time for burn in. Overnight of pink noise loop or running this (http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php) always does a trick for me

frozst said:
I sold them but I don't have to ship them until the 6th
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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So what is a verdict?

vectron said:
So what is a verdict?
Click to expand...
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According to Fedex I will receive the earphones tomorrow at 12pm, so let´s see if I can test both.

I now have both W4R and the brand new W40 and I have to say that I am very (VERY!) disappointed with the sound. Compared with the W4 they are less clear, with a deep bass. They sound more obscure in general, with less details... I hope it changes after a few hours...

frozst said:
I now have both W4R and the brand new W40 and I have to say that I am very (VERY!) disappointed with the sound. Compared with the W4 they are less clear, with a deep bass. They sound more obscure in general, with less details... I hope it changes after a few hours...
Click to expand...
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Burn in!!!

vectron said:
Burn in!!!
Click to expand...
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That's what I'm waiting for. I will leave them all night plugged and check after a few hours.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

frozst said:
That's what I'm waiting for. I will leave them all night plugged and check after a few hours.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
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Westone guys said that drivers between W4 and W40 are identical. Btw, when I first plugged these IEMs in, I wasn't as impressed either (after listening to UE900 beforehand), but burn in brought up a lot of details, and it continues to improve day by day.

vectron said:
Westone guys said that drivers between W4 and W40 are identical. Btw, when I first plugged these IEMs in, I wasn't as impressed either (after listening to UE900 beforehand), but burn in brought up a lot of details, and it continues to improve day by day.
Click to expand...
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Hi could you please elaborate/explain more about the W40's bass quality and quantity compared to the W4? I'm deciding between the um 30 pro and the W40 but I just can't do without a good strong bass quantity. Would you say that the W40s offers more kick and punches/ bass slam quantity than the W4? I just love that rich and tight quantity of bass the um 30 pro provide when i went to audition it, it gives me that superb kick and punches or what you can call a sweet bass slam with crisp clear mids and highs but that soundstage is pretty closed up which is the main part i'm worried about.

Aerversair said:
Hi could you please elaborate/explain more about the W40's bass quality and quantity compared to the W4? I'm deciding between the um 30 pro and the W40 but I just can't do without a good strong bass quantity. Would you say that the W40s offers more kick and punches/ bass slam quantity than the W4? I just love that rich and tight quantity of bass the um 30 pro provide when i went to audition it, it gives me that superb kick and punches or what you can call a sweet bass slam with crisp clear mids and highs but that soundstage is pretty closed up which is the main part i'm worried about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, unfortunately I don't have W4R for a comparison. I can tell you it has more bass than UE900, both in quantity and quality, it has almost the same bass as UE600 (in quantity, but NOT quality), and it has less bass than M-Duo, CX985, and ATH-CKX9is I tested. But those are 3 have more bass in quantity but NOT quality/details, and they lack overall balanced sound quality especially in mids and overall details across all frequencies. At the same time, UE900 is more surgically accurate in mids and treble, but it sounds colder and I get more ear fatigue after extended listening period. Since I can only speak from an experience of listening/testing/comparing those headphones in my review list and based on my listening preference, if I can only keep on headphone - it would definitely be W40. Btw, I'm talking to Shure guys and might get a chance to receive review sample of SE535 and SE215, keeping my fingers crossed. W40 vs SE535 with UE900 thrown in the mix would be a very good comparison. But I also very interested to hear SE215 since its one of the best values in this single BA driver category.
To be honest, when it comes to bass or any other sound aspects, it's always a matter of personal taste and the type of music you are listening to. I love Tyll's reviews on Innerfidelity because he always captures frequency response for every headphones he tests. That's where you can actually see an unbiased comparison of quantity in different frequency bands.

Thanks vectron, for your detailed experience! So based on your experience, how would you rate the W40 in terms of quantity/slam/kick/punches? (Poor/Below Average/Average/Above Average/Great Quantity)
frozst said:
I now have both W4R and the brand new W40 and I have to say that I am very (VERY!) disappointed with the sound. Compared with the W4 they are less clear, with a deep bass. They sound more obscure in general, with less details... I hope it changes after a few hours...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi frozst, I see that you've both the W4R and W40, could you share your thoughts on the bass department as well? Does it have more bass quantity/slam/kick/punches than the W4R?
Also to all, between um 30 pro and W40, which offers more bass quantity/slam/kick/punches? I understand that the um 30 pro's bass is more forward sounding than the W40, could it be due to this effect that the W40's bass seems to be offering less slam? (Since it is slightly laid back in the soundstage)

Improving sound quality on the cheap

Does anyone know any cheap ways to improve sound quality from mobile devices, short from buying a whole new headset? Budget is about 200 dollars.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

My entire rig (minus sd card) can be had for $200, and is superb "bang for the buck".
Sansa Clip Zip (Rockbox installed) $35
Fiio E11 amp $60
Shure SE215 headphones
What headphones do you use now? Are you against using something other than your phone as the player?
What is your source? File types?
Also, read the op in my guide. It should answer lots of questions, and make you ask more.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
My entire rig (minus sd card) can be had for $200, and is superb "bang for the buck".
Sansa Clip Zip (Rockbox installed) $35
Fiio E11 amp $60
Shure SE215 headphones
What headphones do you use now? Are you against using something other than your phone as the player?
What is your source? File types?
Also, read the op in my guide. It should answer lots of questions, and make you ask more.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
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Click to collapse
Right now I'm using my Yamaha HPH-300, my shures are being replaced right now. I'm only using my Note 3 right now but I'm open to using an alternative player.
Don't have an amp as of yet sadly. I'm using standard mp3s from iTunes, don't have an abundance of spare storage sadly.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Oh, lol! I was at work and didn't even notice who the OP was. We've been through most of my recommendations, then.
You need to examine your entire audio system from start to finish and figure out what the biggest thing holding it back is.
At work, this week a colleague was interested in the bizarre rig I carry with me. I explained it, and he (who is a pretty decent guitarist, having heard him today myself) questioned whether his 128kbps files playing from his iPhone through his Skull Candy earphones would sound as good as 320kbps/flac from my rig. I let him plug his earphones into my rig on the same song he was just playing from his iPhone. He then had me compare. I could hear nothing but grainy hiss from either, because his headphones are crap. No DAP/DAC/Amp/highest of the high end audio rig playing flac will sound much better, thanks to the earphones be uses which I believe are shot from being played way too loud.
I then put my Shures back in my rig, and then the difference was much clearer (though it really takes extended listening to notice the full benefit).
Your shures aren't the bottleneck in your setup. Your device almost certainly is not the biggest either. Installing a free audio hack and paying $5 for Neutron will help, but it's your files that are almost certainly limiting the sound quality. Investing in a bigger sd card, downloading 320kbps mp3's of songs you already know very well and own, IMO needs to be the first step. Then, you can either add in something like the Fiio E18, or get a dedicated DAP (or follow my example and go very cheap with a Sansa Clip Zip and Fiio E11).
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

jRi0T68 said:
Oh, lol! I was at work and didn't even notice who the OP was. We've been through most of my recommendations, then.
You need to examine your entire audio system from start to finish and figure out what the biggest thing holding it back is.
At work, this week a colleague was interested in the bizarre rig I carry with me. I explained it, and he (who is a pretty decent guitarist, having heard him today myself) questioned whether his 128kbps files playing from his iPhone through his Skull Candy earphones would sound as good as 320kbps/flac from my rig. I let him plug his earphones into my rig on the same song he was just playing from his iPhone. He then had me compare. I could hear nothing but grainy hiss from either, because his headphones are crap. No DAP/DAC/Amp/highest of the high end audio rig playing flac will sound much better, thanks to the earphones be uses which I believe are shot from being played way too loud.
I then put my Shures back in my rig, and then the difference was much clearer (though it really takes extended listening to notice the full benefit).
Your shures aren't the bottleneck in your setup. Your device almost certainly is not the biggest either. Installing a free audio hack and paying $5 for Neutron will help, but it's your files that are almost certainly limiting the sound quality. Investing in a bigger sd card, downloading 320kbps mp3's of songs you already know very well and own, IMO needs to be the first step. Then, you can either add in something like the Fiio E18, or get a dedicated DAP (or follow my example and go very cheap with a Sansa Clip Zip and Fiio E11).
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll look into doing that now the stingy asian in me cringes at getting a bigger sd card though :/

Try it out with just a few songs, in 3 different formats: 128, 320 and flac. Then, you'll see how much of a difference you hear on your current setup.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

refinition said:
Does anyone know any cheap ways to improve sound quality from mobile devices, short from buying a whole new headset? Budget is about 200 dollars.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I use the Plantronics Legend I love it its only 100$ and probs the best headset I have ever heard. You can get them at radioshack and I think at walmart. If you go online to Newegg they had a sale a few days ago on some really nice headsets. The legend you can get there for like 80$

morpheusxeno said:
I use the Plantronics Legend I love it its only 100$ and probs the best headset I have ever heard. You can get them at radioshack and I think at walmart. If you go online to Newegg they had a sale a few days ago on some really nice headsets. The legend you can get there for like 80$
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That would be a downgrade from his Shure IEMs. Bluetooth isn't the best for SQ, not by a long shot. They're for convenience only, and those lucky enough to not notice the deficit in sound quality will be quite happy.
Noticing and feeling driven towards better sound is a curse upon one's wallet, but a beautiful adventure for the ears.
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

What are the best replacement earbuds/IEMs under $50 for an Android smartphone?

My Samsung Note 2 stock earbuds are so cheap, low quality and they slip out of my hears (expecially the right one, I dunno why..).
Now I'm looking for:
• Good sound quality and volume (obviously).
• Great fit and comfortable, ideally with more than one size.
• Possibly white color.
• In-line remote/mic compatible with Android.
• Ruggedly built so I can shove them in my pocket and bag a lot and they won't break.
Any ideas? I'm coming up empty from reviews and lists of "top" earbuds. Anyway so far my candidates are Vsonic VSD1S/GR07 (but it lacks microphone) and SteelSeries Flux In-Ear (but too gaming attitude).
Thanks!

beautifulsun said:
My Samsung Note 2 stock earbuds are so cheap, low quality and they slip out of my hears (expecially the right one, I dunno why..).
Now I'm looking for:
• Good sound quality and volume (obviously).
• Great fit and comfortable, ideally with more than one size.
• Possibly white color.
• In-line remote/mic compatible with Android.
• Ruggedly built so I can shove them in my pocket and bag a lot and they won't break.
Any ideas? I'm coming up empty from reviews and lists of "top" earbuds. Anyway so far my candidates are Vsonic VSD1S/GR07 (but it lacks microphone) and SteelSeries Flux In-Ear (but too gaming attitude).
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suggest to start with Jeremy's Headphone Buying Guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2131021 and reply to that thread with questions from his original post. A number of people monitor that thread and can provide you with suggestions.
Regarding Vsonic, VSD1S will not have much of the bass, its what called "midcentric" with emphasis on midrange. Plus, I'm reading about a lot of build quality issues. GR07 cost way over $100.
I think your best bet going to be Soundmagic E10 headphones ($35); http://www.amazon.com/SoundMAGIC-Noise-Isolating-Earphones-BlackGunmetal/dp/B005HP3OB0/
Now keep in mind, none of these headphones will have volume up/down compatible with android, its only for iphone. But mic and multifunction button will work for play/pause/call, double click to skip the song, and song press to start Google NOW. I reviewed a ton of headphones (check out a link in my signature), and have Note 2 as well.
If you can wait a week or so, I have another pair of "budget" $20 headphones coming my way for review. I heard those blow Soundmagic E10 out of the water in sound and build quality, and supposed to have built-in remote with volume controls compatible with Android. I will not know for sure until I test it, but stay tuned.

Thank you!
vectron said:
GR07 cost way over $100.
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Click to collapse
Sorry, I mean GR06!
About VSD1S I've read good reviews like this: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/more-less-vsonic-vsd1-and-vsd1s now I'm looking for something about these Soundmagic E10..
If you can wait a week or so, I have another pair of "budget" $20 headphones coming my way for review. I heard those blow Soundmagic E10 out of the water in sound and build quality, and supposed to have built-in remote with volume controls compatible with Android. I will not know for sure until I test it, but stay tuned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Name of this wonder?

I'd look into LG Quadbeat 2, price, sq, functionality shouldn't disappoint the majority of xda'ers (based solely on reviews I've read).
But, if you're more discerning about sq, please do post in my guide (after reading my long-winded op, you'll learn a lot).
Excreted from my Nexus 5
[Guide] Headphone/Earphone Buying

beautifulsun said:
Thank you!
Sorry, I mean GR06!
About VSD1S I've read good reviews like this: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/more-less-vsonic-vsd1-and-vsd1s now I'm looking for something about these Soundmagic E10..
Name of this wonder?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see, Joker liked it He is very highly respected reviewer on Innerfidelity and Head-fi, but often they don't look at long term durability. Either way, they do sound ok, I guess. I never had any experience with VSonic, so can't comment beside what I have read on-line where people were complaining about build quality.
Regarding the one I'm waiting for, its Xiaomi Piston 2. That one got a ton of praises on head-fi, but the problem is a lot of fake ones circulating around. Yeah, even at that low price they make fake knock offs which apparently sound like [email protected] So, I want to wait and see what I'm going to receive (real or fake), how do they sound, and the build quality. If its a real ones, I will definitely post a review about it.

Brainwavz r1!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

Pepton said:
Its amazing :highfive:
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Click to collapse
what it is?

Best earbuds
you can try to this to find ones on the internet

Review of Beyerdynamic MMX 102ie and DX 160ie in-ear headphones w/lots of pics!!!

removed.

Really appreciate your reviews.. It's great to have someone like you in this section and I'm very much interested in earphones so thorough and in-depth reviews like yours are always welcome.
I went for the Xiaomi ones you reviewed instead, and looking forward to receiving them. Out of curiosity, do you use the Viper mod for your Note II?
Also, do you have a pebble watch? I've noticed a massive bug with that + the bluebuds x on Android 4.3 which I've not been able to ask anyone else about!

fade2black101 said:
Really appreciate your reviews.. It's great to have someone like you in this section and I'm very much interested in earphones so thorough and in-depth reviews like yours are always welcome.
I went for the Xiaomi ones you reviewed instead, and looking forward to receiving them. Out of curiosity, do you use the Viper mod for your Note II?
Also, do you have a pebble watch? I've noticed a massive bug with that + the bluebuds x on Android 4.3 which I've not been able to ask anyone else about!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the kind words! More headphones and other audio equipment reviews are on it's way
My N2 is all stock 4.3. Don't use Pebble, but Metawatch instead. Regarding question about Pebble, don't know if you aware but XDA has a separate smartwatch section with Pebble sub-forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwatch/pebble - I have no doubt someone will be able to help you in there. Good luck!

vectron said:
Thank you for the kind words! More headphones and other audio equipment reviews are on it's way
My N2 is all stock 4.3. Don't use Pebble, but Metawatch instead. Regarding question about Pebble, don't know if you aware but XDA has a separate smartwatch section with Pebble sub-forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwatch/pebble - I have no doubt someone will be able to help you in there. Good luck!
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Thank you for the link. Unfortunately though I had already barked up that tree a while back and got nowhere. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2655628
It's a shame as it makes using the Bluebuds with my phone useless unless I disconnect the pebble first, which sort of defeats the point of using apps like "music boss." Since it works fine on 4.4 on my Nexus 4, I'm guessing that the bitpool of the bluetooth connection lowers when the pebble is in town. Really hoping for a kit kat update soon to sort this out!

vectron said:
Thank you for the kind words! More headphones and other audio equipment reviews are on it's way
My N2 is all stock 4.3. Don't use Pebble, but Metawatch instead. Regarding question about Pebble, don't know if you aware but XDA has a separate smartwatch section with Pebble sub-forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwatch/pebble - I have no doubt someone will be able to help you in there. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man, thank you for such an in depth review!
I'm currently looking for some buds to replace my Sennheiser CX300IIs.
I am wanting a good sound at a good price and I've narrowed my options down to 3 possible buds:
RHA MA750i
Beyerdynamic DX 160 (after reading this)
Klipsch X7i (I think my favourite)
But I am no audiophile and these would be my first pair of half decent in ear buds.
I'd love your opinion and which ones would you go for?
Thank you for your time

To be honest, $25 Xiaomi Pistons were designed as an alternative to CX300 Klipsch has a very poor quality. Beyer sounds good, but Pistons have the best value.

Advise needed
I recently lost my Klipsch S4 headphones, with no clue as to where they are. *sad
I am looking to invest in a good pair of IEMs to replace them, something that will last me a while.
My list comprises of this: Soundmagic E10, Shure SE112, Klipsch Image S4A-II, Philips Fidelio S1, AKG K376, and one of the two Beyerdynamics you reviewed in this post.
I would like your advise on these earphones and possibly any others that may be of note. It's hard to buy earphones off the internet because of an inability to test them before committing to the product. I would like to have good audiophile quality and perhaps the extra functionality with my HTC One will be nice (although not having it will not be a dealbreaker).
Thanks mate.

PopeBaldie said:
I recently lost my Klipsch S4 headphones, with no clue as to where they are. *sad
I am looking to invest in a good pair of IEMs to replace them, something that will last me a while.
My list comprises of this: Soundmagic E10, Shure SE112, Klipsch Image S4A-II, Philips Fidelio S1, AKG K376, and one of the two Beyerdynamics you reviewed in this post.
I would like your advise on these earphones and possibly any others that may be of note. It's hard to buy earphones off the internet because of an inability to test them before committing to the product. I would like to have good audiophile quality and perhaps the extra functionality with my HTC One will be nice (although not having it will not be a dealbreaker).
Thanks mate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is your budget? Your price spread is from $25 to $125 (Beyer phones are over $100). If you are constantly on the go and prone to loosing your headphones, I wouldn't invest into anything expensive. Stay within good value budget so if you loose it - it's easier to replace without breaking a bank. Klipsch quality went down. Shure lower price model is a junk. Except for E10, I'm not too familiar with others but see reviews with a mixed bag of comments.
If you want to stay on the budget in $25-$35 range, Pistons 2 and E10 are great. Btw, Soundmagic just released E10S version with in-line remote, I'm getting it for review toward the end of this week. Going a little higher in price you have Ostry KC06A and Audio Technica ATH-IM50 (with removable cables). Hitting $100, you have a great choice of Beyer DX 160 or Brainwavz S5.

Thanks
vectron said:
What is your budget? Your price spread is from $25 to $125 (Beyer phones are over $100). If you are constantly on the go and prone to loosing your headphones, I wouldn't invest into anything expensive. Stay within good value budget so if you loose it - it's easier to replace without breaking a bank. Klipsch quality went down. Shure lower price model is a junk. Except for E10, I'm not too familiar with others but see reviews with a mixed bag of comments.
If you want to stay on the budget in $25-$35 range, Pistons 2 and E10 are great. Btw, Soundmagic just released E10S version with in-line remote, I'm getting it for review toward the end of this week. Going a little higher in price you have Ostry KC06A and Audio Technica ATH-IM50 (with removable cables). Hitting $100, you have a great choice of Beyer DX 160 or Brainwavz S5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your response and I will look into the suggestions you have made. I would also like to inquire as to how well these headphones would handle use during sports like jogging. Your advise is very much appreciated.

When you a dealing with this type of wire down headphones (versus wire over the year or with removable in-/over-ear stabilizers), the fitment while you are exercising will depend on how well eartip is jammed into your ear If you are using Comply foam tips, they expand creating a great inner ear seal and hold earpieces secure. BUT a big drawback with Comply tips is their superior noise isolation which cuts down on your awareness when outside running/exercising/cycling, etc.
For exercising and great sound quality, I would highly recommend Monster iSport Victory (look up in my list, I reviewed those as well). Totally forgot to mention about those, but their sound quality is on part with DX 160ie, and they got in-ear stabilizer. The neon green one is on amazon for $118, the same price as DX 160ie.