Recent comments in /f/headphones

FromWitchSide t1_j7eqvpg wrote

Reply to comment by terejuga in New favorite budget phones - FAAEAL Rosemary by nodemms

The soundstage is bigger than in more direct sounding earphones like Vido, Monk+, KBear Stellar or EMX500, but not extremely big. It actually is similar in size to Snow-Lotus 1.0, but like with a tiny bit of reverb added so it sounds more spacious than it. Reverb/echo is not a soundstage, it will sound spacious, but instruments/soundsources can't be placed there. As for positioning sounds in space I personally found everything mentioned above to be about the same. Like there is no actual difference in accuracy if you try to locate a sound source in 3D gaming. They all do 360 somewhat ok, but all fail at distance.

Paiaudio PR1 does improve that, despite it being slightly warmer and lacking in details, the soundstage is fairly big, and more accurate, you can tell which room say enemy in fps is, but accuracy is still like within several meters, so you can't tell where exactly in that room, can't just fire at specific spot.

Currently I'm trying out Qigom S300 White Lotus, it does sound most spacious, I think it has the biggest soundstage + a bit of that reverb. It is the most accurate when it comes to distance as well. Sorry for using gaming as example, but in their case I can play more or less normally, get a good grasp on distance on sounds that are gradually closing in to get a good timing when to react/prefire and such. It is not yet a tournament grade, not on par with good more expensive headphones, not a wallhack, but first among the budget earphones where I don't feel like I'm really being hold back.

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FromWitchSide t1_j7ep444 wrote

Reply to New favorite budget phones - FAAEAL Rosemary by nodemms

I'm recommending cheap FAAEALs almost everyday :P

Personally I like FAAEAL Snow-Lotus 1.0 more (also have SPC version, no difference), because I find Rosemary's treble to be a bit piercing and fatiguing, although Rosemary is killing it when it comes to details in the price range. Snow-Lotus is a bit calmer, slightly less reverberating, if there is a space between the sounds it feels completely empty. So I kind of like them as a daily driver at PC, next to HD600.

Aside that I'm using Iris Ancestor as a headset for mobile, I do have Iris 2.0, it's the same sound, I like 3 button remote of 2.0 more, but simple straight cable of Ancestor more :P

btw. recently been discovering Qigom S300 White Lotus (300Ohm 109dB/mW). It sounds bright, but not piercing and is not fatiguing, so I just started listening to them and got used to it. Soundstage might be the best for the price, not just bigger than Paiaudio PR1, but also better imagining when it comes to distance. They are currently my choice for comfortable fps gaming (but they are not "tournament grade"). One qualm though, they are particularly good with Sevenhertz 71 (AK4377), but with CX-Pro CX31993 I did feel some fatigue - it is just that one dongle, all the other sources I have are fine. There is also S300 Black Lotus which is said to be more balanced version, so I'm thinking about testing it as well.

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aceCrasher t1_j7b4ada wrote

Reply to comment by Viking_fairy in new person, new headphones! by Viking_fairy

Just give it time. I remember when I bought my first „good“ headphone, my first thought was „oh god where is all the bass, these sound so thin“. But after a week I loved them and my previous headphones sounded like a bloated mess to me.

Your brain will adjust to your new headphones bass quantity. If you are still unsatisfied after one week, try a moderate (2-3db) bass increase.

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wijnandsj t1_j7aff0s wrote

Reply to new person, new headphones! by Viking_fairy

>it sounds perfect, but don't feel the vibration hard enough. prolly a bass balance issue...

No, more likely you having to adjust that not all audio is about feeling bass hard enough

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nodemms OP t1_j73vp54 wrote

Reply to comment by AggravatedAutist in New favorite budget phones - FAAEAL Rosemary by nodemms

Yeah, fortunately I was gifted with relatively wide ear canals and forgiving pinnae. My wife had a similar complaint when I tried having her try them out. Are you using the pad/covers that came with them? I'm curious what impact/changes swapping these around might have (if any).

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Elarionus OP t1_j73nwme wrote

Reply to comment by 23Conflagration32 in My IEMs and headphones sound a little muddy, like they're underwater. Trying to figure out why. by Elarionus

I normally go every 6 months, but my appointment got pushed back, so it's been 7 months now. I just didn't think it affected sound that much aside from volume alone. Just thought it was a volume dampener and a source of ear pain, not an alteration of sound quality.

I do have some devices left with a headphone jack...very few, but I'll get some music playing on those and see if I can't swap it back and forth fast enough to determine if it's really an issue. Annoying, on my phone, plugging in headphones to the dongle triggers Google Assistant, which pauses the music.

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headphones-ModTeam t1_j73nv3i wrote

Reply to My IEMs and headphones sound a little muddy, like they're underwater. Trying to figure out why. by Elarionus

This post has been removed. Please note the following rule:

>Rule 7: Ask tech support and general questions in the Shopping and Setup Help Desk at https://reddit.com/r/headphones/about/sticky > > Requests for tech support and general setup help must be made in the dedicated Shopping and Setup Help Desk instead of a new post. Quick questions that don't necessitate a post also go there.

Have you contacted the manufacturer?

  • You should. For product support, please first contact the manufacturer. Reddit can't do much about broken or faulty products.

FAQ

Why does this rule even exist?

  • In short, this is a large subreddit with a high volume. We want to help, but it's important to keep things organized to keep the sub fun. Thanks for your understanding.

What if the link doesn't work?

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Elarionus OP t1_j73m9c1 wrote

Reply to comment by TagalogON in My IEMs and headphones sound a little muddy, like they're underwater. Trying to figure out why. by Elarionus

Alright, I'll have to give it a shot the next time I'm in a city with an Apple store. Nearest one is almost 5 hours from me. Or I could ship it. I'm still worried about them falling apart, as Apple's track record with cords has been the most pathetic thing I've ever seen.

I was more talking about wax buildup within my ear canal. I normally go and get it vacuumed out every six months, as it takes about 5 months for me to build a 100% blockage. I'm at 7 months right now, and my appointment is in two weeks, so maybe that'll fix it. I'm just surprised that it sounded so much worse all of a sudden.

You might be right though, it might be time to look for alternative IEMs. I checked out Crinacle's list for both IEMs and headphones, and they get surprisingly expensive. I didn't even know some of those price points existed. I did see some Etymotics for about $110 that I think would be pretty good, and they would still fit under the giant ear protection headphones I wear. Thanks for the tips!

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nodemms OP t1_j73lige wrote

Reply to comment by terejuga in New favorite budget phones - FAAEAL Rosemary by nodemms

To my ears, the imaging and positioning of the Rosemary is far from little. I can’t speak to the Tc200 personally but I have read a few good reviews.

Part of my curiosity with the Rosemary was it’s larger than average impedance. In my experience, this can allow a set of cans to respond well to equalization which I tinker with endlessly using APO/Peace.

So far I can safely say I have no regrets with the Rosemary. Let me know which way you end up going. I’m curious what others think of the Tc200 as well.

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TagalogON t1_j73b642 wrote

Reply to My IEMs and headphones sound a little muddy, like they're underwater. Trying to figure out why. by Elarionus

Try a legit Apple dongle, as in don't buy it from Amazon as there's fake/mixed up/etc. stock in the warehouses. Like buy it from a physical (Apple) store in real life.

Like search up the ridiculous situation with microSD cards on Amazon. They mix the third party storefronts and official Amazon stock all the time. It's so sad and so it's better to buy things like microSD cards from Best Buy or a physical store/retailer. As otherwise you'd get fake microSD cards and all that.

For the ~$10 Apple dongle, just note the reduced power if it's the EU version, or the apps needed on Android to bypass Android's DAC/etc. system in order to get the best capabilities.

No need to really spend more than that, but look into well-reviewed dongles with physical volume control if you think you need an amp/DAC/etc.

Here's a bit more info on dongles (with physical volume control) and static/hissing/buzzing/et cetera: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/100lh5a/dac_for_new_mb_asus_and_new_headphone/j2icwxm/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/zn88xs/help_on_iems_pc_usage/j0fns20/

But yes it could earwax/etc. clogging up the filter and nozzle of the IEM. See here for how to maybe fix it: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/yzkk5e/how_to_remove_ear_wax_from_iem_without_damaging_it/ix13bpo/

Basically use 90+% isoprophyl alcohol but make sure the IEM nozzle is facing down as you don't want alcohol to get inside and possibly damage the coating/drivers/etc. behind the nozzle/filters/etc. And then wait several minutes for it to dry, better to wait an hour or so for near certainty that everything is dry.

Look into the AZLA SednaEarfit MAX Standard if you want to maybe delay/prevent those earwax/moisture/etc. issues. AZLA SednaEarfit MAX Standard is basically the only silicone ear tip that has an integrated wax guard. Some foam ear tips have that, see the black Shure Olives foam ear tips.

Here's more info on the AZLA SednaEarfit MAX Standard: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/vi0pwb/azla_xelastec_vs_crystal_eartips_for_xm4/igcqyuf/

Here's more info on how to avoid/delay the condensation issues with the Olina, Chu, or most IEMs that have condensation issues: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/uznoqi/my_chus_broke_after_a_day_of_use/iadlxz5/. This has more info on the Moondrop Spring ear tips.

Basically for the future, just use a clean paper towel or microfiber cloth and wipe your ear tips and IEMs after each use. That should prevent/delay the clogging/condensation/etc. issues. It's just a problem with certain IEMs, more so the ones with metal outer shell designs. And if you live in a humid area or produce a lot of body heat.

More info on ear tips like TRI Clarion that help with vocals, soundstage, et cetera, and also parametric EQ: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/10hhn0g/i_dont_notice_a_sound_difference_between_the/j58iozt/

More info on AZLA SednaEarfit XELASTECs durability and foam ear tips too: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zvmj9g/azla_sedna_earfits_tips_durability/j1pxvdz/

Here's a bit more info on ear tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/10lly6d/how_to_make_sense_of_iem_tip_fit/j5xnyv2/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/10k210n/alternative_tips_for_aria/j5o2f8q/

This is how you should use Etymotics or really any IEM or TWS earbud to make sure you have that good/perfect fit for that vacuum seal (necessary for the bass to be properly produced): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KwXEqe6Gq4

Try Etymotics, they beat top of the line ANC from Sony/Apple/Bose/etc. The noise reduction/isolation is great, make sure to use Comply P foam ear tips or Comply T(x)100 foam ear tips before giving up.

Etymotics and drumming: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/10jz2i4/iem_for_electric_drum_practice/j5njm0l/

More info on noise reduction/isolation with Etymotics and drumming: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/10ia8xe/as_a_drummer_i_need_help_with_iem_suggestions/j5do38b/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/10ia8xe/as_a_drummer_i_need_help_with_iem_suggestions/j5dp366/

Earwax, hearing health, et cetera with Etymotics and other bullet style IEMs: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/10iwqmt/does_insertion_depth_affect_volume/j5ifw7r/

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23Conflagration32 t1_j72ndq1 wrote

Reply to My IEMs and headphones sound a little muddy, like they're underwater. Trying to figure out why. by Elarionus

Okay so I am not really a pro in these kind of things, but the first ideas that come to mind are:
- check the sound quality from another source (then you know it's not the dongle)
- check if you didn't accidentally equalise it in your app?
- maybe you know someone with similar headphones/iems?
- maybe just get your ears cleaned, if you think you have a high chance of earwax stuck in your ears. I have some friends who go almost yearly, so it could very be that you are correct with that idea. If they sound like underwater it could very well be that your ears are just full. Because it goes slowly, you don't notice it with your normal hearing

BONUS: I also have the m50x, but the pads broke down, so I bought new ones and they sounded a lot better with these! (now planar boi tho)

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