Hello ill make it short and sweet as much as i can:
I am looking for a office set up for work.
I currently only have open backs and planars i really enjoy the sound of the arya stealth. The sound leak is what im concerned about. So closed back is the prob answer.
At work i have a btr17.
I listen to a wide range but at work its mostly synthwave(the midnight, gunship, ect), metal (slaughter to prevail, knocked loose, ect) and rap (suicideboys, denzel curry ect) and occasionally techno and house.
Budget sub 400. If theres a good case to push my budget than so be it. Thanks for anyone helping and reading!!
FIIO FT-1 is a solid choice, maybe a Meze 99 Neo its not really technically good but it is a fun headphone with impactful bass hit - it improves immensely once you pad swap it (i have both though i think i’d take the FT-1 over it)
You could also go the IEM route for 400$ you can get some stellar IEMs
Ima just about to review these cans later here that I just bought for $140 incl shipping off AE (choose a smaller or more average driver and you can come down to like $80!!!).
I know I know what you’re gonna say.
Yes, they look like Zack’s MFs. Well, say what you will, but these are the MFs I can afford, yeah. And I’m all in for saving my dollas when I’ve already spent way more than I should have in this hobby…
I have the FT1, and this trumps those in all aspects (besides being a bit bigger - well, quite bigger, yet still light and snug to wear).
300-ohm 50mm beryl…
Also, this sounds so GOOD, and better than a V or a U tuning - also, it does NOT sound like a closed back. Stage and imaging is just bonkers good - I’ve been in and OUT of closed backs (and I do have the XS and 400i and 4XX and 6XX etc, and this is the only closed back I can easily SUB with those TBH).
Bass… just killer levels. I think this beats my EMUs right off (so Fostex/Denon as well), since I’ve had the purple hearts and this is better than that.
No CUPPY sound - AT ALL.
And also, your concern - leakage is MINIMAL on this. Yeah, you will hear stuff a bit from outside (isolation is not the best TBH), but leakage, is def taken care of.
Ima leave the link here as food for thought… and some spoilers for you to enjoy…
Peaked my interest, maybe i’ll order one myself, i also wonder how the other models measure up. correct me if im wrong you took the “HD1150a-f1” model right?
Though my biggest concern is QA, aliexpress no name brands stuff can be quite interesting but the no name brands tend to be a bit inconsistent
Ahh yes i forgot to mention so recently i developed this crazy ear exema. Flares up when i use my IEMs and my sony wh1000xm5. Super wierd and a super bummer.
See i was thinking about zeos’s set and i think i want um just to support the homie. I had to watch “bad guy good audio” cause i know zeos will be jaded. I like what i heard about them. Itll just be a very different type of sound than im used to.
Yeah, I could check for ya… Wait let me vernier this… Ok so cups are 110MM. Brainwavz XL sheepskins are 110, they fit. These are my only cans they fit…
Sorry to hear that, when it tones down, you might want to try different materials maybe its an allergic reaction there are a bunch of different tip materials you can try (dont do anything until things clam down)
@ATK ordered one myself, ill give it a shot, dont have a lot of closed backs so im willing to give it a shot
Yeah, I hope you like them as much as I do. Definitely seems worth it for the price TBH. Like I been seeing just headbands w cups at this price. Complete unit, with decent cables (the cables are senn HD style, flexible, bit memory, 4.4 is long enough) WITH a 50mm driver unit - the overall value IS bonkers TBH!
THING IS - I have been fairly disappointed with the fiio FT1 in comparison. Besides the bass, they got nothing going on for them. Too closed, too narrow, the imaging/stereo separation is goofy.
This is one hypetrain I wrongly boarded. I’ve actually since CHANGED out the drivers to a 50mm biodynas I got from AE.
The salvaged 60mm Fiio drivers ima gonna see what to do with. And as technically superior and LARGE they are, THEY ARE the real issue - I’ve tried with no cups on, and even with an OPEN BACK, they fail miserably. Though they go get to breath a little (imaging and stage is still shit TBH).
These ZMFakes for 150ish if one can get em, is a better pick ANY DAY.
I’ll do head to head between the two, but i found the FT-1 solid choice for a closed back not just for under 200$ its not “out of this world amazing” but solid ,IMO.
Thing is you dont have a lot of closed back option even at a higher price tier, unless you are talking 800$ and over. I have a decent collection, i when i look at it most of the closed back aside are not on par with the same price tiered open backs most of mine i got used. there are the semi but those rarer and have trade offs so i’d put them in the “niche” category.
Denon 7200 - which i got for 300$ used via amazon, its a sounds pretty nice stock, improves with a pad swap but its over 1000$ retail and it’s Not even close to be worth 1000$.
Hifiman RE-9 i got on a whim when i saw them on Aliexpress for 50$ , they look dumb as hell and they sound “ok” its not great but for 50$ cant complain too much
Focal Elegia - also got it used, its a nice set, detail oriented, and improves once you pad swap it, a little sharp on the highs so it doesnt get much use in my case.
Meze 99 Neo - actually one of the few i bought retail and i think is worth every penny, even stock its a fun headphone, solid bass and impact, the performance shoot WAY up once you put Brainwave hybrids on them it become way better, totally worth the 200$ (+ 30$ for the pads)
AKG 361 - another banger, for 120ish dollars its solid all around and it improves once you pad swap it, though i hate the cable.
Sony MDR 7506 - dont like the tuning IMO (even with Yaxi pads), but i can deny it sound good for the price its a great monitoring headphone (im a photographer so it get used for work mostly), not to mention the cable is annoying as fuck
Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro X - not a fan TBH, i got it for work but i dont like the tuning and i have issues with the comfort and the stupid cable.
Which makes the FT-1 one of the few non work solid headphones there are out there at a decent price range
But you see, I for one can actually substitute my Edition XS with the ZMFakes.
They’re THAT good. Like they’re the most open closed backs I’ve ever tried.
The only thing that sounds closed about them is that they isolate more than open cans (like, but of course). But they still dont isolate completely, so say, not the best isolating closed backs…
But besides all that, they sound so natural and airy and their imaging is stunning for a closed back. Never cuppy or claustrophobic. Never.
THAT i have not found in even my [then $450] E-MU Ebonys.
I have a Beyerdynamic - that can is pure SHIT in comparison.
My Denon MM400s - are good but not THAT good.
Others a few many I’ve tried in the past in my life - nothing comes close to these.
While we are all on the topic anyone got recs for a solid desktop amp? I work in a pretty safe space and my team is small so im not worried about thives. Becides my btr17 i have a ifi go blu. (All of my listening is done at work now days lol ) any recs??
What’s your budget?
my first though was the IFI zen DAC,its a little old but shouldn’t stand too much in an office environment and its a fun warm amp with dcent power and the Xbass is a nice
then maybe check Audeze’s new LSD-S20.
) any recs??