How much should one spend to notice the difference in the player

[Zerged]

From what I heard/read headphones are the greatest contributors to overall sound quality, followed by the file type/compression followed by the actual source.
I presume that this means that if i tried to compare the audio between lets say an Ipod and a S9 using just the standard white apple headphones i would hear little or no difference?
So in that case my question is approximately how much does someone have to spend on headphones before they can actually hear a difference.
Also does it vary from source to source like maybe the difference between a S9 and an Ipod might be audible through a $50 head phone whereas the difference between a s9 and a p3 might only be audible through a $100 pair?
Sorry if this is a redundant/silly question.
Also if anyone's wondering I'm only asking this out of curiosity. :P

[CrowdAds]

[Satellite_6]

Erm, well, with any crap included headphones the difference will probably be minimal. But with any decent pair the difference should be there. . . I can tell the difference between an ipod and my creative DAPS as well as my creative DAPS vs. meh i7. (at least I believe I do)

[Tommifier]

I'd say spend about 50-100 bucks if it's your first good set and you want to get a good deal out of the S9.

[curiouswonderer]

Well, it really depends on what pair you buy...If you spend $100 on skullcandies, then you're probably not going to hear much of a difference.

A better way to word that is: Yes, you can buy headphones that will let you hear differences in source in the $50-$100 range.

Search around the forums a bit. I'm sure there are tons of options.

[Jack4L]

It depends more on the headphones used then what they cost. A 60$ set of Sony V6's reveals more details/flaws in a source/track then a 200$ set of Audio-Technica ATH-a900 headphones. However, the Audio-Technicas will still in most cases probably sound nicer on both high end and low end setups

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by Zerged

Also does it vary from source to source like maybe the difference between a S9 and an Ipod might be audible through a $50 head phone whereas the difference between a s9 and a p3 might only be audible through a $100 pair?
Sorry if this is a redundant/silly question.

Depends on the headphones. Some very cheap IEMs can cause a lot of good DAPs to sound fairly bad just because they overload the built in amp. Some very good headphones are so easy to drive that many typical players will provide essentially transparent reproduction.

[Zerged]

I see thanks for the replies guys, hmm i didnt think 50-100 would be enough but i guess i was wrong. As for what Saratoga said about the overloading amp thing, that's pretty interesting I didn't know think of that. So just wondering but is there a technical specification listed with headphones that gives someone an idea of how easy/hard they are to drive?

[quintets_man]

Yes, it can usually be found on their website. Take the NuForce NE-6 for example when you go to their website (check sig) under features it'll say:

•Driver Size: 9mm
•Frequency Response: 20 Hz-22 KHz
•Power output: 80mW x 2 @ 16-Ohm
•THD+N: 0.054% @ 25 mW, 1 kHz
•S/N: 98dB @ 40mW

Mind you I have know idea what most of this means but it's their if you want to know.

[Satellite_6]

Originally Posted by Zerged

I see thanks for the replies guys, hmm i didnt think 50-100 would be enough but i guess i was wrong. As for what Saratoga said about the overloading amp thing, that's pretty interesting I didn't know think of that. So just wondering but is there a technical specification listed with headphones that gives someone an idea of how easy/hard they are to drive?

impedance and ohms.

(Not that I know what they mean exactly)


EDIT: Holy crap they are selling the NE-7's without a mic for $40 and calling them the NE-6!

That makes them an even better deal!

Everyone who needs good IEMs for not to much money should buy them NOW!

[Crimson Raven]

Originally Posted by Tommifier

I'd say spend about 50-100 bucks if it's your first good set and you want to get a good deal out of the S9.

Or you can get JVC Marshmallows (FX34) for only twenty dollars, with equal sound quality, to that of $50-$100 IEMs!

(Assuming you do the easy Kramer Modification)

[EddieE]

I think you'll notice a big difference from the stocks if you spend almost anything.

CX300s are a big improvement on Cowon stock buds and they cost about £16 in the UK.

Then, the more you spend the better it'll sound.

Not that it's a straight curve, a lot of people rate Phonaks as better than some more expensive models.

I would highly reccommend Phonaks by the way, they don't need amping at all and sound absolutely amazing with an S9. About £125 in the UK and worth every penny.

[fmwyso]

Originally Posted by Crimson Raven

Or you can get JVC Marshmallows (FX34) for only twenty dollars, with equal sound quality, to that of $50-$100 IEMs!

(Assuming you do the easy Kramer Modification)

Bit off-topic here: How do marshmallows compare to the PFE's?

[babya]

I spent about $100 for a CX400 and noticed the sound quailty of my players was more balanced with these.

[Crimson Raven]

Originally Posted by fmwyso

Bit off-topic here: How do marshmallows compare to the PFE's?

Aw, heck, I don't know. I've only had a few kinds of IEMs, so honestly, I can't say.
Sorry.

EDIT: But...they are pretty high-end (the Phonaks), so I'd assume they're better than the Marshmallows. But again, I have no idea.

[JxK]

This thread may interest you, since the marshmallows are no longer the budget champs they used to be.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/b...allows-448959/

A brief summary of good cheap IEMs in the ~$20 range is:
The Lenntek Sonix are the basshead's budget heaven - huge amount of bass, but still reasonably textured and present in the the mids and highs

The PL21 are the compromise pair - good, voluminous bass, a decent balance of mids and highs, very lively and fun all-around sound signature

The PL30 are a mini-monitor. They are more neutral than the others, with bass that is more punchy than deep/big. The mids are more forward than the lows (at least compared to the PL21). Best accessory pack of the bunch, too.

The Ai-M9 are the detail freak's budget phone of choice. The balance and clarity are stellar for the price and the high-end extension is the best of the bunch. They do lose out to the others when fit, accessories, and build quality are taken into account though.

Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by Crimson Raven

Aw, heck, I don't know. I've only had a few kinds of IEMs, so honestly, I can't say.
Sorry.

EDIT: But...they are pretty high-end (the Phonaks), so I'd assume they're better than the Marshmallows. But again, I have no idea.

[dfkt]

$20 Sansa Clip into $1150 UE11 sounds really good.

[jjrosaria]

Originally Posted by fmwyso

Bit off-topic here: How do marshmallows compare to the PFE's?

You mean the Phonaks??.. I dont have both but Im pretty sure that they are not the same league. The Phonaks would be better off course

BTW. Spending 50-100 dollars is a good way to start your headphone/ IEm collection. IMO

[Crimson Raven]

Hm...what about the JVC FX300s? Are they any good?

Or maybe any Harman Kardon IEMs?

Or what about the Etymotic Micro Pro 4?