Thanks for bringing up the fact of hearing loss in younger folks. Once the damage is done, it's extremely difficult to treat. I'm 32. I have tinnitus in both ears (not due to overuse of headphones, btw) and I can't stress enough to my friends and family that you need to be cognizant of just how loud those earbuds, headphones, or car stereos can manage to get. If you enjoy listening to music, film, podcasts, or even enjoy having the capability to understand the spoken words of others in person (let alone on the phone or Skype, etc.), you need to take care of your ears while you can. Use smart volume controls, don't overdo the gain on your amps, use hearing protection (plugs and/or muffs) when around extremely loud or prolonged noises, and moderate your exposure to loud sounds such as concerts, motors, and firearms. You may never appreciate NOT getting tinnitus or hearing loss, but I guarantee that you'd kick yourself for letting it happen if you could have prevented it when you were younger.
I was real worried about Tested since Will announced he was leaving, but man, getting Patrick Norton is huge for the channel. Been a big fan of him since The Screen Savers.
+Robby322 Will leaving is the better. Here is an excerpt from his farewell letter, actually the opening line: "About six years ago, I pitched my idea for Tested to the folks at Whiskey Media. My pitch was simple, let’s make a technology site that’s about having fun with technology instead of showing people how snarky and cool we could be" Yeah.....Will pretty much has become what he set out to not be. Bravo.
Don't you think it's kind of annoying how people who spend like $1000 on a tv, show it off and people say woah and all that stuff, but when someone spends $1000 or even $100 on a pair of headphones or audio equipment people go crazy and call you stupid. My friends call me "weird" for using/buying so much headphones and I always say, "I don't care because music motivates me to do better and having a very powerful headphone can really make you feel good and relaxed most of the time". Plus I would rather spend $500 on a 1080p tv than $1000 on a 4K tv
It's all hobby hypocrisy. $2500 on a set of custom golf clubs. $5000 on a 4-pc drum kit. $3200 on a loaded mac mini. $3500 on a tv. $7000 on a gun collection. But... $1000 on headphones??? ARRGHH!!! GAHHH!!!! I can't believe it!!! :/
For a brief period when I was 11/12/13 back in 2000-2002 we got American tv for some reason and I have fond memories of Tech Tv, I think it was the first time I had heard of the iPod. I was so happy to see Patrick again, it all came back to me, the two audio episodes are my favourite tested episodes so far
I clicked on this expecting me to be disgusted, but then I saw Patrick was behind the video. After completing the video, I can say this was a very good video on the subject and given your outreach I'm glad it was made.
Love that you guys are geeking out on headphones! I have a pair of HE-400s and LOVE them. Listened to the 400i at CES and though they were more comfortable as they are a good bit lighter, the lower end was not as pronounced and detailed for me. Granted I have also heard that the change in cables can also effect the sound. Not sure how much, but could be a fun to test.
I ended up grabbing a set of Sennheiser HD 650's, paired with an Asus Essence STX II (OOTB Linux support), and I couldn't be happier. Some of the best sound I have ever heard. Nice video, thx for the review Patrick (how's Leo and the gang BTW?)
+blendonator I've got the same soundcard, and it's excellent; much better SNR than my old Audigy, plus it has the dedicated headphone pre-amp. I almost went Sennheiser headphones, but ended up going with the Sony MDR-V6 headphones, which I'm also happy with.
Technically, the HD800 / Audeze LCD-X would be the 'best' headphones I've owned, but time and again I found myself staring at them as they hung on stands while I listened to music with the Philips Fidelio X1 - a much cheaper but incredibly fun headphone. At the other end of the spectrum, I'm still amazed by what Koss achieved with the PortaPro all those years ago - they still sound fantastic today. You dont need to spend big money to enjoy good sound from headphones - the hard part is avoiding the obsession that follows ..... ;)
Arthur Watts I'm surprised to read that. Philips has done some important inventions (cassette, compact disk) but they've never been that much into audio.
No question that Philips focuses on consumer audio and whatever else makes money - its a manufacturing corporation - but the decision to develop the Fidelio series into something that would genuinely attract audiophiles had to come from management somewhere in the chain. Sony could also do a lot more given their engineering talent, but everyone answers to a boss - look how long its taken Sennheiser to resurrect the Orpheus and thats a company that's synonymous with the headphone.
Arthur Watts I am Dutch, I know everything there is to know about Philips for the regular citizen, I could write many page of it without looking anything up. ;) They are not very active any more in this kind of branches in these days compared to decades ago. They also don't sell that many models of headphones. Anyway, I should give this model a chance someday. You can say what you want but Philips did have a lot of knowledge about this kind of stuff. A little side note: if it would have been up to Philips the CD's would contain 14-bit music, Sony demanded 16. Basically Philips designed the hardware of the CD, Sony the software. Much earlier Philips invented the cassette. Obviously they also contributed to the development of the DVD (with a larger number of companies).
Arthur Watts It is a long shot (not sure how many people read it), can anyone recommend a good amplifier (with DAC) for the desktopcomputer? One with top quality for a good price. I know about O2 but it is very difficult to buy them in my country. I want something that is better than a Soundblaster. ;)
I've really enjoyed these last two Tested episodes with Patrick on audio. He knows his stuff and gets excited about it, which is a nice change of pace. And Will is gone?!? This is a good day!
For someone who has just got into DACs and high quality heapdphones, i found this vid really interesting! I just purchased a Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro headphone and Audiengine D1 DAC. Musical bliss.
Patrick Norton seems very nice, diplomatic, is really easy to listen to and seems to co-host well with anyone. I feel like I'm getting more valuable info from both hosts than in the past.
I really miss NWAVGUY, and his objective approach. I built several of his O2 amps and the ODAC. And I liked the JDS Element, but have settled for the OPPO PM2 with OPPO HA-2 amp from a Cayin N5 source from FLAC high res files.. But that is the issue, in the subjective field of audio, everyone has their own view and likes and as long as the dialogue remains polite, it can be fascinating. My raging ears could satisfied with most quality gear. Great discussion guys.
I have to say that I'm really happy the way you reviewed these headphones I was worried you guys thought that Dre. Great were good. Way impressed. Thank you for also saying that sometimes is just comes down to person preference
Excellent episode. Really great advice and recommendations. I have some of the gear he mentioned. My Sony MDR-7506 are over 20 years old, and still going strong. I'd love some feedback on the new Audioquest headphone. Any experience listening to them?
new subscriber. this video series is amazing. my home set-up is sennheiser hd 600's with the jds 02. portable rig is sony mdr v6 with beyer dynamic velour pads and jds c421. sometimes 92% is good enough. keep up the good work.
StoreBrand that's one of the questions, I don't know. Just like I didn't know there were fantastic headphones for under $150, what is a price I can get a decent set of speakers for?
As most lap tops, iPads, smartphones or tablets don't tend to have digital out these days I'm not sure how taking an audio signal out of a phone or other device plugging it into that DAC / amplifier to convert it back to digital then re encoding it back to audio and amplifying it will improve the sound. I understand if you are taking a dial output and encoding to audio with the DAC may help, I have owned Kinshaw DACS before. Nice idea though, plus nice to see electromagnetic headphones making a comeback. Had a pair back in the 80's, not cheap but sounded great.
I got a sweet pair of HE400 i got used about 2 years ago. didnt know a huge amount about them. Its awesome to hear this guy talk about them though. I'll die with these babies
got the Fostex T50RPMKIII And for that price, it is one hell of a good Studio Monitor Headphone. Just make sure to pair it with an external DAC and a good Amp. Specially an Amp.
Remember, headphones are subjective to an individuals hearing & use. Before purchasing any headphones know what you'll be using them for. For example don't buy headphones that colour sound by adding rich bass / enhanced "3D" stereo field etc if you intend on using them as a monitoring source to mix audio with. The final audio mix through home speakers / club P.A. / 16 bit (CD) 20 & 24 bit downloaded or streaming audio will be drastically different. Thanks for the reviews and keep up the great work Tested !
I gotta say, I could not agree with Patrick more. The HiFi Man headphones have really been excellent, especially for such a young company. I have The Grado SR-60's, Sennheiser HD800, and most recently picked up the HiFi Man HE560. Their newer offerings like the 400i he mentions, as well as the 560 are much lighter than previous models by way of only using magnets on the outside of the membrane itself rather than both in and out. I find that the low end is still really full, but at least to my ears, the highs are even nicer than on the previous models. Aside from a decent set of cans, I can't emphasize enough how much of an improvement there is using an external DAC. Nowadays there are several very good offerings for a couple hundred dollars that include a nice amplifier as well. One company worth noting here iFi Audio. They have several offerings to suit any needs you have on two platforms, the Micro and the smaller Nano. With these you get all of your high resolution PCM up to 32bit/ 768kHz as well as DSD decoding capabilities if you are finding yourself interested in exploring that format. They also feature built in batteries so they can be used on the go and some can be used to charge your mobile devices when not in use processing audio. All in all Patrick, it's good to see you over here now as well. I always enjoy your product reviews and insights. I look forward to seeing more. Cheers!
I currently run the Schitt Magni 2 Uber headphone amp and Modi 2 Uber DAC. Schitt's stuff is amazing. I also listen with my Sennheiser HD598 which I believe are the best headphone for the dollar amount and you would have to spend another few hundred dollars to get a noticeable increase in sound quality. The HD598's focus on the midrange sound if that your thing but have amazing bass and treble.
I'd love to see a segment on affordable headphone DAC/Amps. I just bought a pair of Sennheiser 598s on Black Friday and I would like to get an affordable DAC/Amp for them in a few months. The 598s sound really good just plugged into my computer, but I know they would benefit from a good quality DAC/Amp. I'd love to see a review of the top five units under $150.
Currently have the HiFiMan HE-350's with Brainwavz Velour Earpads. They sound really good! I'm planning on getting the Audioengine D1 DAC to get a better listening experience and also add A5+ speakers later on.
yes good idea i have the he350 aswell with hm5 angled hybrid pads, they sound great an i like their sharp treble. Now i have the he400s with hm5 angled pleather and smsl m6 amp dac, they sound great too, more natural in every way and have more detail, but i still like the he350 for their sharper treble and more forward sound.
Patrick's audio segments are turning to be my new favorites. I love my MDR7506 but the low end is a bit lacking. Patrick - when does one get an external DAC? I have an AIM SC8000 sound card which is the best bang for a buck if one cares only about music quality on a PC, but I am not sure where do these DACs come in.
if you really don't want to be limited to one machine. in terms of sound quality past the fiio k1 the DACs don't get much better they just get bigger with more inputs and outputs for people with massive speaker systems with multiple devices fading those speakers. amps are important though and depend on what power you want to run headphones at or how much they demand
Interesting. Price range seems reasonable on all of those. Me I went a slightly different route - got a pair of Symphonized Magnums for $70. You can only get them on Amazon of course - but the tiger wood surrounds definitely resonate nicely.
With the introduction of the authentic sounds in the new Star Wars Battlefront game is there any chance Patrick and Tested could do a review on some of the best sound quality gaming headsets/headphones or just entertainment style headphones?
Your phone, your desktop, your laptop, your Odroid, your raspberry pi. Everything has a built in DAC. The only way to get audio is with a DAC and AMP. So technically everything has an AMP as well as a DAC. He explained it correctly other than the fact he made it sound like people don't have DACs specifically in other devices. Everything has a DAC, just the DAC/AMP Combos and/or just an external DACs that are sold at around $100+ are normally better overall compared to the DAC in your computer and/or phone.(Heard LG made good DACs and AMPs in there flagship phones) JDS Labs The Element has a great DAC and you will probably never need anything more in terms of DAC quality. You can also buy an AMP to power your headphones with or even just buy a $149 or above receiver to power your headphones and speakers with. You really don't need to spend anything more than $100 to get a good DAC. I recommend picking up a Schiit Fulla 2 because for $100 you just can't beat the thing. If you need more power for your phones then buy a $149 receiver like the Yamaha R-S202BL and your audio setup depending on your headphones and/or bookshelf speakers(I only recommend lower powered bookshelf speakers with this unit) will sound just as good if not better than anything on the market as long as you pick the audio gear to listen with.
Hi. My name is André and I'm a headphoniac. I'm currently using Focal Spirit Pro when I'm out and about. And AKG K701 for when I'm at home powered off a Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1. K701+Maverick is a lovely combo btw. Still I'm looking for a new pair of at home headphones. And I've been looking at Hifiman and Audeze. Even the modded Mr. Speaker Alpha dogs. My hunt continues!
I own a pair of the Fostex MK3, got them in BHvideo for $129 free shipping. Best headphones I've had. Got the open-back model cause I really wanted to experience open back headphones and I don't regret a thing!
Hi there - greetings from Germany. Maybe you shoud try the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro headphones. There are mostly used as Reference Headphones to almost every Radiostation and Studio Production. (and there are manufactured in Germany ;)
check out Z reviews youtube channel he has tried them. closed cans are Greta for these work scenarios ti block out external noise. the 770s excel in sub Base too
+Radar Really I could totally picture that! I wouldn't be surprised if Adam had a Santa suit either. A 'replica' Santa suit from the movie "The Santa Clause."
Sennheiser hd 600s are fantastic for open ear headphones! I primarily use them to listen to vinyl but can be great with paired with a dac and amp to listen to digital media.
I didn't truly understand what good audio was until I got my set of JH-16 custom in ear monitors from Jerry Harvey. I was blown away by the clarity and frequency response and I've been spoiled ever since. Get yourself some good headphones and you'll fall in love with music all over again.
The way you say the better headphones allow you to hear 'room sound' better is interesting to me. I have been mixing and producing for quite a long time and can hear these things very well on 'poor' headphones (i have a pair of beats solo 2 that i uses as the headphone equivalent to a yamaha ns10). I wanna see what difference it would make listening to something like the hifimans; I imagine it would make music sound a lot worse to me since i would hear all the mix mistakes and performance issues.
hifiman are much more open and detailed. a greater field of depth too. almost all parts are more detailed. being planar they get rid of graininess but have a unique dark but purish sound
Could you do a video of high end in ear earphones with Patrick Norton? I am looking at the Shure range of earphones. Would be great to compare their range and others.
You may never be able to afford the finest high-end audio equipment in the world but a good set of headphones can get you close and provide years of enjoyment. Highly recommended.
starting getting a lot more into high end audio with Pat's first video. I was considering getting some nice cans. Well, I took the plunge and got some SR-80e, modded them a little bit and got an E10k, and surprisingly I was gifted a pair of HD 600s for my birthday haha. So far, I'm absolutely loving the HD600s. The soundstage isn't as wide as the grados, but the HD600s are like sex on my ears
the are open and semi open. these are great for nice listening for mastering the 1540 and 840s from shure are the kings. but you need closed backs for mastering. though they are more dull.
I bought a pair of Denon AH-D5000 back in 2011 and i'm still stoked about them. I had never thought of modding them in any way, but now my imagination races. I use an Argon HA-2 tube headphone amplifier, and i think it's about time i changed the tube. But i have no idea what tube to get. any suggestions?
Because other places have done it. there isn't much to say. you have solid state amps. they increase the amplitude of your sound. different ones have different power outputs for different resistances. you have tube amps the tubes distort the music in a nice way. this makes certain music sound better for certain people which is really subjective. you have a low gain and high gain switch. low gain is for lower resistances but has less noise. high gain I'd for higher resistances but slightly more noise(distortion ) never turn your amp to max you get bad clipping
Can Mr Norton or anyone of you say for certain that a tube amp is better for headphones with high treble like the HD700 or go solid state (Schiit or O2) and EQ a bit? Also is JDSlabs better than Mayflower?
Its funny I was looking for a better set of cans for classical and I was considering the Hifi man para magnetics, I must also recommend another USA amp company, their called Schiit Audio, I have a Vali Modi combo and the clarity, and power to my DT770 pro's will take your breath away. For some reason it appeals to me to have an all USA made setup so I ordered a set of Grado RS2e's and once broken in they sound even better than the DT770's. Not a cheap hobby searching for perfect sound. Also ever try an electrostatic headphone?
Patrick says that planar magnetic headphones used to require a lot of power. I think he's confusing planar magnetic with electrostatic. Planar magnetic never required a lot of power as far as I know. Electrostatic has and still does need a lot of power and won't even run on regular headphone amplification.
Something else about the volume setting on an amp: never put it all the way up, because at the max gain, the amp looses its linearity and the dynamic range.
in my opinion, the starter headphones come with great value, like hd555 and shure 440, but the more expensives, like akg k701, Sennheiser Hd800, don't work enough.
What is the difference between the 400I and the MKIII?. I was looking at the 400i but ordered the MKIII off Amazon. Unfortunately they are backed ordered for two months. Would the 400i and the MKIII be replacements for each other or do they have different sound signature?. Thanks for your help.
different some say the mk3 is funner. you need pads for the mk 3. check out Z reviews. he has a review of the mk3 and found the alcantara 1540 pads are the better. also their amp is a bit weak. these planar headphones are easier to drive over time bt need to be amped. the smsl sapii I'd a hood cheap amp which can power both properly initially albeit on high gain. but unless you spend double the money you can't get low gain powering it
I've been hankering for a new headphone amp, but I just got the newer Audio Technica ATH-R70x, which runs 470ohms. As much as I love how they sound, I was going crazy because it seemed like no amp is made for resistance that high. I didn't know about the element, which seems perfect for what I need. But is there anything out there which would be portable?
Interesting, I would have liked it though if he could give some more recommendations with regard to amplifiers, 20 minutes is too short. I'll try out his channel.
I'm just about sold on buying a DAC but they are soooo expensive. is there any cheap options that will just be enough to bump up the volume on my HyperX clouds?
possible fiio k1. DACs can be had well under $100 . past that it's all about making life easier for people with a crap ton of inputs and outputs. they peak really early in top performance with the k1. check out Z reviews on RU-vid. he has a reddit page dedicated to lists of amps and dacs too
I totally get the idea of listening to music in a high-end way. I´ve got the beyerdynamic DT990pro to record stuff. Would i have to upgrade my complete music-library to wave-files too? guessing mp3 wouldn´t be enough on good gear?
+Martin Eitler Use a lossless format like FLAC. I use it to backup all of my CDs. It's smaller than wave and holds metadata. Lossy formats like mp3 or aac are no good for archival.
I prefer Patrick Norton talking so candidly and enthusiastically about audio gear than Will talking about insanely expensive coffee makers. Patrick is much more practical even when talking about expensive gear.
If you're not mind a bit of modding, the T50RP Mk2 drivers are identical to the Mk3 drivers. A few minutes can easily turn your Mk2s into 3s (MASSIVE modding community, what he was saying about the mk3s was bang on. Im under the same name on Head-Fi). Potentially saving some money. My Mk2s mixed with my Schiit audio DAC and Amp, are a very decent combo. Unfortunately the Fostex T50s don't have much sub-bass like higher end Orthros, but easily the best bang for your buck period A note about the mk3s, you're going to want new pads. The wire socket is also notoriously bad on both mk3s and mk2s
Are there any non-senior correspondents? Is that the running gag? Eh whatever, I'm all for it. I've been watching Patrick since the ZDTV days, and it's awesome to see him on tested.
+Jeff Shaw They have more contributors or "corespondents" on their actual site who do a lot of articles that never get video companions. I think as they're evolving with Will's departure they're giving some of their contributors "promotions" so to speak. The senior-corespondents will probably be doing most of the video pieces, or at least a lot more than the non-seniors.
why not invite tyl from innerfidelity? he's very competent explaining headphone technology and headphone amplifier, even have data and how to properly measure a lot high end headphone
