2497 Poking The Bear.

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I’m not sure what to talk about tonight.

Here’s something; do any of you know what the best studio monitors are? Do you even know what I mean when I say that? It’s fancy talk for headphones. I want ones with really big ear bits that go completely over my entire ear. I want them to be very good and have a replaceable cord. Also I want to be able to replace the soft parts. I don’t want to have to throw awayu a perfectly good thing because all the smaller bits deteriorate so fast.
I bought Urbabear headphones for a long time because they had those features, but they never actually had extra parts. So I could never properly replace they broke bits and the whole point of not making extra waste was defeated.
I hate that shit. When a company acts like they care about the environment but actually don’t give a fuck. I’d rather buy from a company that doesn’t lie about being evil than one that pretends to be good. Ideally I’d like to buy from companies that want to be good and try to be good. I DON’T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY.
Anyway, I just want nice headphones I don’t have to replace every year. There’s so many companies and my brain just can’t handle researching another fucking thing. The internet is so useless now. There’s no place I’ve found where I feel like I can trust the reviews.
I like wired headphones because they sound better. I have this pair of bluetooth ones and they aren’t terrible, but they just don’t sound as good. I want it to sound like I’m in the room with whatever I’m hearing.
I’m, not totally against wireless ones if there are ones that actually sound good. I’ll have two kinds for different situations. Usually the wireless ones are for when I’m doing stuff when I move around. It’s good to have a thing for each situation. Ideally I would like ones that can also hook to my phone so I can talk on in too.
Using the phone is difficult for me just in general because not being able to hear people right really bothers me. When I started using headphones to talk on the phone it was much better because I could almost always hear the tone and inflection of the other person.
Anyway, if you have the secret knowledge you can speak it here or mail me at the site’s email. Or you can use the betweenfailurescomic at gmail one. I can’t check that one on my phone though. So it can be up to a day before I see things sometimes.

Okay, I’m feeling kind of tired so I guess I leave it there. If you’d like to support the comic please use the links above. That would be cash money of you. I will see you on Monday and I will also try to get at least one more patreon post up on patreon before the month changes instead of just dumping sketches in the discord that no one can get into now.

28 Comments

I used to sell audio equipment including headphones. You can get some good studio headphones from Sennheiser, they are a professional and audiophile sound company with a long history of excellent of studio and mastering headphones in a wide price range. I have recommended a few of their models to customers and friends and have not heard any complaints on sound quality or build quality.

I was sailing in to recommend Sennheiser. I forget the model number, but j bought a pair for actual home studio use in 1997 and have replaced the cord once. The biggest issue I had was that the head strap broke, and the ad hoc replacement came unglued. I should see about getting a replacement for that.

These are on-ear rather than around, though. I have a wireless pair (not Bluetooth) that are more ear enclosing.

For big, ear-enclosing cans I have a pair of AKG…again, I forget the model number. Light and airy feeling, despite the size.

Once upon a time my go-to was Koss. They seem to have vanished, plus they didn’t make modular stuff.

I was coming to the comments to suggest Sennheiser! I got a pair of 598 CS as a gift in either late 2016 or 2017, and I still use them every single day five or six years on. I beat the absolute hell out of my headphones (previous pairs of lower-quality over-ears have literally snapped in half, and wired earbuds don’t last longer than two years in my possession) and the only thing I’ve had to replace on the 529 CS is the wire which can be removed/changed really easily, and they still sound as great as they did the day I unboxed them. The soft bits have worn a little, but no tears and still totally comfortable, they just look a little ragged if you get close. I’d say I’m planning to buy another pair when these ones die, but I’m honestly not sure when that’s gonna happen!

I used to work for an audio company, and that gave me the chance to try multiple headphones. At the time, I picked Sennheiser HD650 as the ones I wanted.

I remember I read a review that said: hey, I tested Sennheiser HD600 and HD650, and they both sound the same, and the HD600 is cheaper so get that and save money. But I tested them both, and I felt that the HD650 was better, and that’s what I wanted.

Then Sennheiser and Massdrop did a deal to make a new headphone that’s a lot like an HD650, which they call the HD6XX. The elevator pitch is that it should sound just as good as an HD650 but it’s more affordable. And it’s repairable.

I haven’t tested the Massdrop; I’m just telling you what they claim. If it’s anything like an HD650 you will like it a lot.

https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx

Amazon has the HD650 for $342 while the Massdrop HD6xx is $219.

If you are going to use really nice headphones, if possible you should have a really clean input for them. It may help to use a headphone amplifier. It’s a whole rabbit hole you could go down.

I bought a headphone amplifier and USB audio adapter from JDS Labs. As far as I can tell, they make top-quality gear where you are paying for quality components and not paying extra for silliness. You could spend $1000 and get a headphone amplifier with vacuum tubes, or you could spend a few hundred at JDS Labs and get a really clean headphone amplifier.

They no longer sell the products I have, but I trust that what they sell now should be even better.

I have no connection with these guys other than being a satisfied customer.

https://jdslabs.com/

So, on the headphone front, I think the audio industry standard in Sennheiser(sp?) but those get pricey real fast. My preferred headphones are from Razer. The pair I have has a replaceable cord, bluetooth, anc, and really good sound quality. To be fair, they would normally be out of my price range, but I am a cheapskate thanks to being so poor for so long. If you are willing to drop a couple of hundred on ’em, I would recommend the Razer Barracuda. I don’t know if newer models come with this, but mine even came with adapters for the headphone/mic separate setup that used to be common on PCs, and a 6.35mm adapter. I’m not even sure why they came with that one, but it’s cool and gives me another tool in my repair kit, so I’m not complaining.

My suggestions (as an audio professional) for really good headphones that won’t break the bank:

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X – Solid, clear, durable and very comfortable, plus they’re affordable. If you want, you can go higher in the ATH line for more money.

Shure SRH-440- Comfortable. A bit chunky, but really good sound. Bonus: They collapse into a pretty small space for easy carrying.

Sennheiser is a great brand also. They’re going to be a bit more spendy in general.

I’m seconding this exactly — seriously, these are both spot on the recommendations I would’ve made. I’m not an audio professional, but it’s pretty much my top “thing I spend a lot of time and money on that’s not my main gig” sort of thing.

I tend to use rtings (not a typo) for product comparisons/reviews. I’ve been rocking the Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilees for the past three years. Haven’t had to replace the cable or the earcups yet, but they can do that. One caveat is that as open-back headphones, they don’t really block sounds from getting in or out. It’s usually worth the tradeoff for me.

Ages ago I had a set of Pioneer SE-205s. I miss those. Fully enclosed, heavy duty, sounded better than I could hear ;)

They didn’t have a replaceable cord. I don’t think I’ve ever seen headphones that did have.

The pads were replaceable, but mine lasted over 10 years and didn’t need to be replaced. The speaker cones went out first.

Finally something I have a modicum of experience in! Sennheisers and high-end Pioneers are great, as mentioned above. Due to budget constraints, I’m using a cheap set of AKGs (the K52). They have a clear sound, and are affordable if you’re not in the position to really spend. Not quite as comfortable as Sennheisers; the foam by the ears is a bit firm, and you can’t swap that out on headphones without changing the sound quality. The fit on the head is elastic and adjusts naturally up top.

If you can comfortably afford quality Sennheiser or Pioneer monitors, you should. If you’re eying your budget a bit hard, Low-end AKG does what it’s supposed to.

Steel case series are nice. The Arctic pro wireless series uses, Bluetooth, wireless, and wired. And they can all function at the same time which I’ve tested. There are also two types of wired connections one just straight audio and one headset connection which also work at the same time. The mic has noise cancelling, works well, and alright audio. The muffs go over the ear and are replaceable so is the headband. And yes the parts are available. There are also replaceable batteries if you’re using it wireless and run out of charge or plug it in and charge it via the transmitter or headset. The speakers are noise cancelling but they do dampen the outside sound.

Detachable cables aren’t super common in headphones, though maybe they’re a little more common on ones that also have microphones.

Sony MDR 7506 are actual professional studio headphones, have an excellent clarity for a low price. The earpads are replaceable, even if the cord isn’t really (unless you have a soldering iron I mean). And if you use a phone case I don’t know if the plug will fit.

According to reviews, there are some decent sounding bluetooth headphones these days, but they’re a lot more expensive than decent sounding headphones.

In my experience, Bose has made a number of headsets, typically with impressive noise-cancelling features, with removable/replaceable cables.

Almost all worthwhile headphones have replaceable earpads, and again, in my experience, replacement earpads are all available at one place: ebay.com. I wanted new pads for my 40 y/o Nakamichis. $20 on eBay, free shipping, and genuine leather. Much better than the original foam pads that didn’t last 5 years.

I would recommend first researching eBay for replacement parts availability before purchasing any new headset. That way you know what you’re getting into, and knowing is half the battle.

My $.02. YMMV

I can’t say much about headphones, but if you’re also interested in earbuds, I really like an iTeknic pair I got a couple years ago. BH007 model iirc. Nothing fancy, but sturdy and well designed, and they have pretty good sound and great battery life.

I can’t speak for their corded headphones, but my cordless Sennheisers are great. I picked up a pair on clearance, and they’re easily the best headphones I’ve ever owned. Sound quality is very good, and they’re also very well constructed. I’ve had mine for several years, and they’re still holding up very well. Plus, mine recharge simply by hanging up on the base unit. Since they use standard AA Nimh batteries, I swap them out with my wireless mice. I watch TV pretty much exclusively through streaming form an otherwise junked out laptop, so my meese is very important.

Sounds like a place a furry would work.

I honestly use Logitech headphones. They are surprisingly good. My last pair lasted years, and the soft bits were still fine; the plastic actually broke eventually so that one ear piece dangled by the wires, but it actually still worked otherwise. Then again, I am not an audiophile, so I’m sure someone will tell me my headphones sound like a cat vomiting or something.

I went to school for audio stuff and ended up getting Beyerdynamic DT 770PRO for school, then I apparently broke the plug and ended up getting Shure 440 to replace them. Iirc, Shure was easier to fiddle with but I think I got rid of them because they didn’t have a mic? Either way, they were both great for listening and I miss them both now that it’s over 10 years later. I would suggest like GuitarCenter or something if you can find an audiophile place to get headphones.

I’ve had good luck with Bose for wireless sound quality and my QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones have gone 5 years with no issue (the current model available is the 45). You can attach a standard cable if you prefer.

For headphones I got myself a pair of Sennheiser HD280 around the ear headphones. Excellent quality, durable and comfortable even for extended periods, even with glasses wearers. They’ve lasted me over two years now, and have shown no signs of wear and tear nor degraded sound quality.

No one comments on “Rammifications”? I mean, obviously an intentional typo, meant as double-entendre?

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