Which Headphones....

[naturecannon]

and in my case, my Samsung Level U:

https://www.aptx.com/products/samsun...toothr-headset

Unrelated to dac but I tried my Samsung level u pros today with the LG v20. Amazing sound and much more amazing with the V20 than with the Samsung, surprising too because the level U was supposed to pair well with the note 7 and the uhq or whatever it was called.

 

[irvine752]

Unrelated to dac but I tried my Samsung level u pros today with the LG v20. Amazing sound and much more amazing with the V20 than with the Samsung, surprising too because the level U was supposed to pair well with the note 7 and the uhq or whatever it was called.

That's no suprise. The Samsung level u pros come with Apt-X, but the Note 7 doesn't support it as well. The V20 does come pre-loaded with Apt-X. So when you paried that headset with the V20 you instantly got paired with Apt-X hence the amazing sound.

 

[irvine752]

NO! If someone is going to go super high-end, they need to get these:

https://mrspeakers.com/shop/1-headphones/ether-c/

Next time ask me first before posting something as ridiculous as Ultrasone.

Here's a review:

Mr Speakers Ether C is a World Class Sealed Headphone | InnerFidelity

At that price point, I would go for the Sennheiser HD800S or even the legendary Beyerdynamic T5p. Sennheiser & Beyerdynamic are much more reputable and have been around much longer than "Mr Speakers" or Ultrasone. Posting a random review doesn't really help much at all (who's to say that wasn't a sponsored "biased" reviewer by Mr Speaker). I would stick to a general market place like amazon for general feedback ie reviews & ratings. All four headsets are available on amazon, I'll let you guess which ones are doing better & getting more positive feedback.

 

[irvine752]

I'm looking for some recommendations on earphones. Currently using my wire Jaybird x2 when at the gym. Using the wired earbuds that came with my S7E while at work. Could use an upgrade preferably and have no set budget. Need to keep it reasonable though. Listen to just about everything but lean towards rock and metal.

I would start with either the Bowers & Wilkins C5 S2 or the Shure SE215-K or the Sennheiser IE60 In-Ear Headphones. The B&W C5 S2 have a nice clamping loop that lock into the ear and keeps that precious earbud seal if you're moving around at the gym. Depending on what you're listening to, they do tend to be a little on the bass heavy side & the lows are not too great. The Shure SE215-Ks have great sound isolation with full range sound, but are not so great with the precious earbud seal protection. The Sennheiser IE60s don't offer much downside, you do get a better full range of sound with a decent rubber form seal, but they don't offer as much bass like the other two.

If you upgrade from those wireless Jaybirds X2 or the stock earbuds, you will definitely notice the difference with any one of the three above. The only bottle neck will be your S7E, you might need to upgrade to something with a proper DAC to fully complement the sound - V20, V10 or Axon 7. You can get any one of these three IEMs for less than $200.

 

[subguy812]

The DAC on the V20 sounds good to my 40+ year-old girly ears but not dramatically better than my S7e, Note 5, or G4 Plus. It's very clean but I'd expect that at 130db SnR. I actually really like the combination of the S7e and Bose QC25. The bass really grabs you but it's not over done (to me). I wanted to listen more to the V20 today but didn't get to but what I heard I liked (I was also in the mood for tunes, so that may've had some bearing).

When you go to sounds and hi-fi dac look and see if it says normal or external when the hp's are connected. With the QC25 my guess would be normal.

 

[subguy812]

I'm looking for some recommendations on earphones. Currently using my wire Jaybird x2 when at the gym. Using the wired earbuds that came with my S7E while at work. Could use an upgrade preferably and have no set budget. Need to keep it reasonable though. Listen to just about everything but lean towards rock and metal.

What is "reasonable"? Also, do you want one to use everywhere, gym included?

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

At that price point, I would go for the Sennheiser HD800S or even the legendary Beyerdynamic T5p. Sennheiser & Beyerdynamic are much more reputable and have been around much longer than "Mr Speakers" or Ultrasone. Posting a random review doesn't really help much at all (who's to say that wasn't a sponsored "biased" reviewer by Mr Speaker). I would stick to a general market place like amazon for general feedback ie reviews & ratings. All four headsets are available on amazon, I'll let you guess which ones are doing better & getting more positive feedback.

Amazon ratings for headphones are terrible.

HD800S are overly analytical and quite honestly not a can most people would enjoy. They are also open back and not applicable in this discussion. T5p are typical Beyer, for better or worse.

Tyll is trusted. Innerfidelity is trusted. I can tell you're not really a headphone guy or you would know that. You would also know that he's pretty open about what his sonic preference is. Of course different people may have different opinions of him and his reviews.

But go ahead and visit SBAF and head-fi for more "non-biased" reviews.

 

[tadpoles]

Okay, I'm listening to my GS2000e now and my impression is that the clarity is what I really notice. Bass response isn't as strong as my Burson HA-160D, Burson Soloist SL, or OPPO HA-1. The sound isn't quite as "full" but it is good (and really good for a phone). The clarity is really striking me.

Ever listened to a song where you couldn't quite understand the lyrics? You just might be understand them with this phone. That's the kind of clarity I'm talking about.

I love this phone (wait, that's irrelevant here).

 

[athenatp]

The DAC on the V20 sounds good to my 40+ year-old girly ears but not dramatically better than my S7e, Note 5, or G4 Plus. It's very clean but I'd expect that at 130db SnR. I actually really like the combination of the S7e and Bose QC25. The bass really grabs you but it's not over done (to me). I wanted to listen more to the V20 today but didn't get to but what I heard I liked (I was also in the mood for tunes, so that may've had some bearing).

Yesterday I went to BB and looked at what they had...everything was wireless (so no DAC there) so I just gave it try to see with the LG V20. I was really impressed with the Bose QC35....wow. BB is busy, I didn't even hear the CSR walk up to me. Sony and Beats were crap and very uncomfortable. They had some Skull Candy, just one look and I didn't even want to try them (I should've) I need to hear some others before I plunk some money down but I don't know where else to go find them apart from Amazon. The search continues.......lol.

 

[athenatp]

By the way, don't know if I said this on this board before but the LG Platinums sound horrible with this phone....Lord have mercy. They sounded better with the N7. I mean really LG?....lol.

 

[jsk0703]

I would start with either the Bowers & Wilkins C5 S2 or the Shure SE215-K or the Sennheiser IE60 In-Ear Headphones. The B&W C5 S2 have a nice clamping loop that lock into the ear and keeps that precious earbud seal if you're moving around at the gym. Depending on what you're listening to, they do tend to be a little on the bass heavy side & the lows are not too great. The Shure SE215-Ks have great sound isolation with full range sound, but are not so great with the precious earbud seal protection. The Sennheiser IE60s don't offer much downside, you do get a better full range of sound with a decent rubber form seal, but they don't offer as much bass like the other two.

If you upgrade from those wireless Jaybirds X2 or the stock earbuds, you will definitely notice the difference with any one of the three above. The only bottle neck will be your S7E, you might need to upgrade to something with a proper DAC to fully complement the sound - V20, V10 or Axon 7. You can get any one of these three IEMs for less than $200.

Thanks! I actually have a v20 arriving on Wednesday. Will checkout your recommendations although I will say that Sennheiser has long been a favorite of mine.

 

[jsk0703]

What is "reasonable"? Also, do you want one to use everywhere, gym included?

Reasonable means I don't want to break the bank. ☺ I can get whatever I want but will impose a $300 limit to keep it realistic. I appreciate quality and good sound but I'm far from an audiophile.

I like th Jaybird x2 because they just work but the sound leaves a bit to be desired. I mean, they sound good but lack some warmth and bass. This seems to be common with Bluetooth earphones in general.

Would be open to suggestions for the gym but prefer wireless. I'd rather get wired for now.

 

[Mike Dee]

When you go to sounds and hi-fi dac look and see if it says normal or external when the hp's are connected. With the QC25 my guess would be normal.

What is the difference between normal and external?

 

[LuvMusic]

I would start with either the Bowers & Wilkins C5 S2 or the Shure SE215-K or the Sennheiser IE60 In-Ear Headphones. The B&W C5 S2 have a nice clamping loop that lock into the ear and keeps that precious earbud seal if you're moving around at the gym. Depending on what you're listening to, they do tend to be a little on the bass heavy side & the lows are not too great. The Shure SE215-Ks have great sound isolation with full range sound, but are not so great with the precious earbud seal protection. The Sennheiser IE60s don't offer much downside, you do get a better full range of sound with a decent rubber form seal, but they don't offer as much bass like the other two.

If you upgrade from those wireless Jaybirds X2 or the stock earbuds, you will definitely notice the difference with any one of the three above. The only bottle neck will be your S7E, you might need to upgrade to something with a proper DAC to fully complement the sound - V20, V10 or Axon 7. You can get any one of these three IEMs for less than $200.

These are all good recommendations and good advice. What are good headphones / in-ear's is subjective (personal preference) when it comes to sound quality. The only other brand I would also recommend checking out is Klipsch, they have some lower cost (not cheap) in-ears that are very highly regarded (I have a very old pair of S4's that I really enjoy for every day use). I own headphones and in-ears made by all the manufacturers mentioned in the quoted text and while they all sound good, they do sound different. If you can find a BB with a Magnolia Center you can "test drive" a good selection of quality cans, if you really want to try out the DAC on the V20.

BTW, I have a V10 and will be upgrading to a V20. The sound quality on the V10 is awesome with my Bowers & Wilkins P7's. Someone mentioned Bose QC25's. I have these too and they are great on an airplane or for casual listening. If you are into REALLY listening to music, I find the Bose QC 25's to be a bit muddy in the lower-mids and bottom end.

If you really want to "geek out" on the sound quality of the V20 and / or headphones, check out the website Head-Fi, but be careful, you may end up with a new obsession! Here is the link on the site to the V20 discussion.

LG V20 Sound Quality - Page 30

Hope this helps.

 

[subguy812]

What is the difference between normal and external?

The difference kicks in the power when it says external so it can drive high impedance headphones. For example my Audeze Sine are a planar magnetic headphone and require a bit more power to drive. However the V20 doesn't recognize this for some reason and it plays them in normal mode. This means it requires full volume and is still lacking some of the punch and detail that it does in external mode. To trick it I plugged in the cable not attached to the headphone and it shows as external, then I attached the cable to the headphone, while still plugged in to the jack and they can drive the Sine to uncomfortable volume. So if you have a detachable cable headphone or a 3.5 mm adapter you could achieve the same thing.

With Sine plugged in directly:



Plugging cable in first then attaching the headphone:




Edit: I have been a member of Head-Fi for quite a while and my username is the same. You could actually find my profile and see the gear I have or have had. Feel free to ask any questions about any of the stuff I have owned. I have a review up of the Rhapsodio Solar and am very active in quite a few threads. This is one great thread to get you started on portable headphones, no iem's here. Peter is a great guy and writes reviews on other sites as well.

Comparisons: 32 of the Top Closed/Portable Headphones Around

 

[Mike Dee]

The difference kicks in the power when it says external so it can drive high impedance headphones. For example my Audeze Sine are a planar magnetic headphone and require a bit more power to drive. However the V20 doesn't recognize this for some reason and it plays them in normal mode. This means it requires full volume and is still lacking some of the punch and detail that it does in external mode. To trick it I plugged in the cable not attached to the headphone and it shows as external, then I attached the cable to the headphone and they can drive the Sine to uncomfortable volume. So if you have a detachable cable headphone or a 3.5 mm adapter you could achieve the same thing.

With Sine plugged in directly:

View attachment 243339

Plugging cable in first then attaching the headphone:

View attachment 243340

Nice explanation....thanks. I wonder what it does for car audio.

 

[LuvMusic]

It will if you are using the AUX input on your head unit. Plug in phone first and then plug into your AUX input. The advantage of using this trick in a car though is a bit of a waste. The AUX input on your car head unit generally does need high input. Regular V20 output with the volume set close to max should be plenty.

And.....if you are using Bluetooth to connect, the high quality DAC and amp will not be active.

 

[Mike Dee]

It will if you are using the AUX input on your head unit. Plug in phone first and then plug into your AUX input. The advantage of using this trick in a car though is a bit of a waste. The AUX input on your car head unit generally does need high input. Regular V20 output with the volume set close to max should be plenty.

And.....if you are using Bluetooth to connect, the high quality DAC and amp will not be active.

I think you meant the car generally does not need high input. Regardless the sound should be impressive coming out of the DAC.

Yes I'm aware of the Bluetooth situation.

 

[irvine752]

Amazon ratings for headphones are terrible.

HD800S are overly analytical and quite honestly not a can most people would enjoy. They are also open back and not applicable in this discussion. T5p are typical Beyer, for better or worse.

Tyll is trusted. Innerfidelity is trusted. I can tell you're not really a headphone guy or you would know that. You would also know that he's pretty open about what his sonic preference is. Of course different people may have different opinions of him and his reviews.

But go ahead and visit SBAF and head-fi for more "non-biased" reviews.

You're still missing the point. The power of the general masses (verified owners) will always be greater than that of a single individual especially when it comes to matters of opinion. I know Tyll (repairman turned editor) & his wall of fame, and I wouldn't call head-fi trusted either. Fact of the matter is that anyone with the right equipment can become a glorified reviewer.

At that price, picking an off shore brand name over a well established brand like Sennheiser is shameful. Don't get me wrong, the Ether's open back or even the new closed back variant are pretty good, but not enough to start poking at the establishment. I actually had a loaner a few months ago (Ether Flow). Right off the bat, the dynamic punch/sound stage is no where near the HD800S or even the T5p, more so close to the HD598 but a little more refined with a mild V shape sound signature to boost the bass & treble.

There's a bunch of kick starter efforts for the headphone market out there, and Mr Speaker are no different. If these were priced closer to the 900-1000 range, they would be something to consider.

 

[Mike Dee]

@subguy812

Does it pay to trick the phone into external on a pair of Beats?