http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/ Engadget Comments for The $6,910 "best" headphone sound system: how can you afford your audiophile lifestyle? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
I am looking at buying them for my portable player (samsung P2). Any input would be great.]]>Jul 15th 2009 1:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
iGrado's are pretty good, my only complaint about my pair is that the wiring's insulation stretches somewhat, which eventually lead to testing. Maybe I just didn't treat them very well, but I never went out of my way to pull on 'em... The sound is great, and my iriver lplayer was able to power them well. Again, my only complaint lies with the wiring.

Also, as they are open-ear headphones, people around you will probably hear sound coming from 'em.]]>Jul 15th 2009 1:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Sorry for the double post, but I scrolled down and read more comments... Thinking back (I haven't sent my iGrado's in for repair yet), I would say that iGrado's would probably be best for laptops, portable DVD player, and other things on a similar scale. I think using them for mp3 players might stress the wiring too much, and if you plan on using headphones for a desktop, TV, etc, Grado SR-60's (they seem sturdier) might be a better choice if you wanna go with Grado headphones.]]>Jul 15th 2009 1:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
I know that grado offers the best headphones in my price range, I am just trying to find the BEST for my portable player. ]]>Jul 15th 2009 2:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
As for the 7000 dollar price on these, Woo Audio has always priced their equipment out of the reach of normal people, and this is no exception. Their profit margins are high, but they have to be since the market is so small for this type of thing. This 7000 dollar bundle might sound 5% better than a setup costing $1000. In turn, a 1000 dollar setup might sound 5% better than a 500 dollar setup. At the high end of the market, you are spending a fortune for every tiny increase in performance that you'll get out of your audio equipment. My entire setup cost approximately $1000 including headphones, DAC, and headphone amplifier (using my computer as a source). I've heard setups that cost thousands more than mine, and they didn't sound very much better (if at all) than my setup.

I guess if there is a point to my ramblings, it would be that you can get an incredible music listening experience for not a lot of money, and it will beat the pants off of any 15 dollar headphones you may have around the house.


]]>Jul 15th 2009 3:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/

I've yet to find a pair of headphones in the sub 200-300 dollar range that simply couldn't be driven by portable players. It's only when you get into the high dollar range that you run into high ohm (100-300 and beyond, compared to 32 or less on most cheaper headphones) or low sensitivity headphones (like my beloved K701's that are low ohm, but still are in desperate need of an amp due to their low sensitivity) that really need a headphone amplifier.

At the low end, all an amp will do is raise the volume, which does nothing for the quality of the audio. An amp, combined with headphones that don't need an amp, could also lead to blown headphones which won't work any more (I've seen it happen before).

For further research, I suggest head-fi.org, or headphone.com. head-fi for reviews (and arguments) by (hopefully) unbiased and trustworthy sources, and headphone.com for a one stop look at what headphones are out there, and what they might cost (even though Amazon might have a better price).]]>Jul 15th 2009 4:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Throw them out the window.]]>Jul 15th 2009 7:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Then again, that's a great deal of money to cough up.... ]]>Jul 15th 2009 9:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 11:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 11:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 4:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
These headphones are the real thing, loon is completely out of his/her element... ]]>Jul 15th 2009 7:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
No thank you.

]]>Jul 15th 2009 1:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
clearly you have no idea about audio amplification.]]>Jul 15th 2009 2:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Still though, the pricing for these things is just silly. Production cost is probably what? $200 max?]]>Jul 15th 2009 2:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 5:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 8:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Then please punch yourself in the face for me.]]>Jul 15th 2009 11:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Please. Tubes suck, and I have absolutely no clue why people even consider them in "high end" amplifiers. A good solid state, high damping, simple A or AB amplifier using quality components destroy anything that uses tubes.

Oh well, I guess I need to remember that the same people running tube amps are usually the same people who think 4th order band pass designs are the greatest thing since sliced bread, and enjoy their 3' horns with smiles on their faces, while listening to scratched up vinyl on their $8,000 solid-brass turntable. I just don't understand it. Audiophile indeed...

Meanwhile, I'll continue living in my nice little niche of the audio world with my sealed box, low MMS/ Qts drivers, ribbon tweeters, and nice solid state amplifiers that actually have some control over the cones with minimal distortion, and an unfortunately small SACD and DVD-A collection.
]]>Jul 15th 2009 5:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 4:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 2:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Ha. Seriously? What do you use that is better than LAME then? The WMP MP3 encoder? Hahaaha

P.S: If you're serious about audio you'd know that FLAC is where its at.

P.P.S: Try AAC or Vorbis if you still insist on lossy audio.]]>Jul 15th 2009 12:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
If I made $100K a year, sure, why not? Unfortunately for me, greed is not my forte.]]>Jul 15th 2009 1:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Cowon S9 and Sony V700 headphones for me. Although even though the S9 has better sound than all the other mp3 players a headphone amp makes a difference with big headphones.]]>Jul 15th 2009 3:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 8:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbtboWLD64w (commercial for Kia Forte)]]>Jul 15th 2009 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
But I agree this is a tad pricey for what it is. And the fact that you can find SR-007s for under $1000 is you're patient isn't really helping the cause.]]>Jul 15th 2009 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Great song, as is nearly everything cake does.]]>Jul 15th 2009 2:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 9:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 12:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/
Woo Audio has always made top notch stuff and Stax "earspeakers" are amazing.]]>Jul 15th 2009 1:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 18th 2009 10:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/the-6-910-best-headphone-sound-system-how-can-you-afford-you/Jul 15th 2009 1:24AM