What do you use for portable listening???

[jjqiv]

My gf just gave me Shure E2c's and they are pretty amazing.

Wonder what other people use for portable listening???

I just might have to upgrade later haha...

I use either my iPod 8 gig Nano and Sure E3c's or my LG Chocolate phone with a 2 gig micro flash card. I usually use the supplied head phones with the phone because the adapters are a pain and disconnect when jarred. Plus, the phone is really too big. I really only use the music players for skateboarding. Would love to use them in the car, but those FM transmitters really suck. Need to get a new stereo that I can use a direct connection.

The video iPods are too big. I would be parnoid about smashing in it in a fall. I have already destroyed one phone. Also, I can't see that I ever would want to watch too much video content on a portable device.

 

[Charliemike]

I just got some Shures (E2c) and I'm not really all that happy with them. The only inserts that work in my ears are the foam ones (the others fall out).

Plus it had definitely shown me that all the CDs/DVDs I ripped (ripped concert DVDs to MP3s) = the suck on my Zune with Shures.

I gotta start all over again! Egads : /

I better install that DVD drive so Joey can help me with FLAC!

 

[rtagle]

I use the Shure E500 PTH on my 80 gb ipod. They sound great and the best feature i like is i don't have to take them off if i need to listen to someone.

 

[jtwrace]

I use 40 gb ipod, Shure E3c with custom ear molds (you can't hear anything) & Meir Corda headphone amp.

headphone amp-http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/index.htm

earmolds-http://www.sensaphonics.com/products.html

 

[amey01]

Would love to use them in the car, but those FM transmitters really suck. Need to get a new stereo that I can use a direct connection.


Those FM transmitters really suck - beyond belief, and more than they have to. Has anyone found a good (reasonable) one? I'd love to know because replacing the stereo in my car is not an easy option as it has an integrated dashboard.

 

[rtagle]

Would love to use them in the car, but those FM transmitters really suck. Need to get a new stereo that I can use a direct connection.


Those FM transmitters really suck - beyond belief, and more than they have to. Has anyone found a good (reasonable) one? I'd love to know because replacing the stereo in my car is not an easy option as it has an integrated dashboard.

You can go to a car stereo installer and have a direct connection installed. I'm sure they can do it.

 

[Charliemike]

I use 40 gb ipod, Shure E3c with custom ear molds (you can't hear anything) & Meir Corda headphone amp.

headphone amp-http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/index.htm

earmolds-http://www.sensaphonics.com/products.html

The custom ear molds ... EXACTLY ... Like the professional musicians right?

<edit> Yup that's what I thought. And DAMMIT of course the E2c doesn't work. F-burgers!</edit>

 

[amey01]

I just got some Shures (E2c) and I'm not really all that happy with them. The only inserts that work in my ears are the foam ones (the others fall out).

Plus it had definitely shown me that all the CDs/DVDs I ripped (ripped concert DVDs to MP3s) = the suck on my Zune with Shures.

I gotta start all over again! Egads : /

I better install that DVD drive so Joey can help me with FLAC!

But what did you think of the sound?

 

[IWalker]

I have the e4cs for truly portable listening, and Beyerdynamic DT880s for long trips (where I might be staying in a hotel room or house...away from my speakers...sound great but let a lot of noise in) The e4cs are much better than the 2s from what I remember. Haven't heard the 3s enough to give an opinon though. Cord noise from the shures is much less pronounced than with the ety's

DT880s are hard to power well. I used to have a Corda Prehead, which was phenomenal with them...but sold that to finance other things. (and it was very much not portable either) I built a couple of little portable amps in mint tins that sounded pretty good, but it was always more of a hassle than it was worth to take one with me on trips, so I stopped using them.

 

[Diamonds]

I have owned 5 IPODs that have all bricked. I thought to myself "I will never buy another Ipod again". So, I went and bought an 8 GB Sansa (nano competitor). I have had to return to the store 4 times and get it swapped out for a new one in the time span of 6 months.

Here is the Ipod back story:

I took my last Ipod back to the Apple store in which it was purchased. the Apple store said I must have used my Ipods to much while jogging (yes it is primarily used in the gym). Then I told him "Have you seen the commercials with the people dancing around like they are high on some cool new party drug?" After giving my argument the salesman kindly recommended I buy another Ipod because it was yet again just out of warranty. Awesome!

Sansa back story:

They said I was not updating my firmware often enough and that I was probably jogging or working out with it too much. They must have been right because I had 3 of the freeze up while I was lifting weights. Weird. At least so far the Sansa has been under manufactures warranty.

Sorry for being bitter. I guess we must baby or mp3 players like we would baby our own kids. I would assume I will be spending yet more money on a new mp3 player in the near future when my Sansa runs out of warranty.

Oh yea I use some cheap $20 headphones that sound like crap. But I am not looking for sonic excelence when lifting, running or practicing golf...you know...

 

[Pcar928fan]

I use 40 gb ipod, Shure E3c with custom ear molds (you can't hear anything) & Meir Corda headphone amp.

headphone amp-http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/index.htm

earmolds-http://www.sensaphonics.com/products.html

I could not find a cost on the Sensaphonics site. I have some Etymotic ER4P's I would LOVE to do that with... I think the audiologist will charge about $75 or so for their work, how much do these guys charge to convert that work into the custom ear piece?

 

[Yang1815]

I use 40 gb ipod, Shure E3c with custom ear molds (you can't hear anything) & Meir Corda headphone amp.

headphone amp-http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/index.htm

earmolds-http://www.sensaphonics.com/products.html

WTFBBQ there is no audiologist referral in my STATE!

 

[ralflar]

I use a Dell Axim x50v and a couple of 4GB/8GB memory cards with Shure E2C or E3C, or Audio Technica ATH EM9d, depending on where I am. Nothing beats the Shures for air/bus/train travel. (I must still get that Push-To-Hear gadget.) The ATs are more practical in the office. Using foam sleeves and no amp.

 

[jtwrace]

my dad just bought a headphone amp from http://raysamuelsaudio.com/index2.html to use with his ipod and HD-650.

 

[captain_tinker]

Wow, these headphones all look so nice, but waaaaay expensive! I have not actually had a chance to listen to any of them yet, are they really worth that price? I guess I've never heard any headphones yet that were really all that good. I am still using my old sony's that I got with my walkman about 20 years ago. I use them with my Sansa M260. That's another problem actually, I would assume you should have a really good source to really make the headphones sound all that good to begin with. Would an MP3 player really do all that good of a job running headphones like these? Just not sure if it is worth it... What do you guys think?

-capT

 

[Joey_V]

my dad just bought a headphone amp from http://raysamuelsaudio.com/index2.html to use with his ipod and HD-650.

Nice.... he bought the $5K headphone amp/speaker preamp combo? Nice but quite costly wouldnt you say, Jason?

Joey

 

[lugano]

Wow, these headphones all look so nice, but waaaaay expensive! I have not actually had a chance to listen to any of them yet, are they really worth that price? I guess I've never heard any headphones yet that were really all that good.....Would an MP3 player really do all that good of a job running headphones like these? Just not sure if it is worth it... What do you guys think?

-capT

Captain, you cannot drive Sennheisers 650, AKG's 701's and Grados with an iPod. You'll drain its battery very fast and you'll never enjoy the sound. You need a headphone amplifier for these cans. But once you couple them with a good amplifier, the results are amazing. They are indeed very good. There are portable HP amplifiers around, which run off batteries. And there's a lot of people that listen to their music - believe it or not - exclusively through headphones, connected to a headphone amplifier.

Now that I'm really satisfied with my home setup, I began to investigate other places where to improve the sound. I will never invest much into car gear, but I began to use my AKG 701's more and more in the office. And being there 9-10 hours a day, I started to look around for ways to improve the sound... that's where my Joeyitis bursts now (hint hint for Beat-Dom and Joey). The problem with good headphones is that you will hardly find a shop having them ready for testing and connected to a good amplifier - you'll have to trust what other people say or find a friend that has them already set up, who can demo them to you.

 

[IWalker]

Wow, beautiful headphone amp Jason. Puts my old Corda pre-head to shame (and that was a really nice headphone amp)

If you like the E2cs, The E4cs are much better and can be gotten for about $160 I believe...and at the high end the Ultimate Ears UE-10 with custom ear molds are supposed to be great (but are very expensive)

For gym/plane/bus use, the E4cs are phenomenal (good sound + lots of noise attenuation), and don't need any extra amplification to sound good, so are my recommendation for portable use if you can handle how they feel in your ears (I personally don't mind...I like that the foamies feel "secure")

I believe jason was telling me that you can get custom earmolds for the Shure earphones as well...which should help with all aspects (attenuation, comfort, audio quality) so that could be an upgrade option as well.

If you are going to be listening in your home, a nice headphone amp with any of the headphones lugano mentioned, plus a number of others (Beyerdynamic DT880s are my choice at their price point) will sound phenomenal, and will blow away the shure's imo. But at that point, I'd just be listening to my MLs.

 

[lugano]

The biggest advantages coming from headphone music listening are:

- you don't disturb anybody
- you don't need room treatment
- moving around does not alter the perceived music
- you hear things differently - sometimes like you never heard before - a different perspective over your beloved music

and of course

- a new path to spend money

 

[IWalker]

- moving around does not alter the perceived music

It does when you reach just past the end of the headphone cord