Other listening habits

burdette · January 2003

Just curious... do you put the same thought into your headphones and car stereo as you put into your home set-up? Not looking for details, just generalities.

I think about them, but don't have the same standards as I do for the home system. I've got decent sound in both cars, but no subwoofers or extra amps or anything like that (JVC CD, Alpine speakers in one car; Blaupunkt cassette, Jensen and Boston speakers in my 27 year old beast). The Alpine speakers came in the car... I don't think I'd ever pay much money for car speakers.. certainly Polks are priced beyond my desire. My first car speakers were Jensen Triaxials in about 1981, and I've had a soft spot for them ever since.. that is what is running in the back of my car (they were only $40 at WalMart several years ago). ****, most cars can't even take a 6x9 anymore.

I paid maybe $40 for a pair of Sony midsized headphones many years ago, and still use them, despite all the soft black covering flaking off the earcups. And I have a decent pair of Philips phones here at work, but they weren't more than $25.

So, do you care? Anyone shopped for headphones in an attempt to match that "Polk" sound... do you think headphones prematched (supposedly) to specific speakers, or at least a brand of speakers, would sell well??

TroyD · January 2003

Good question, Big Enos.

Nope, I don't give a hoot about headphones or car audio. I don't own a pair of headphones and have all factory radios in my truck and the lovely Wendi's car.

just my .02

BDT

faster100 · January 2003

I don't care for headphones at all, I have tinnitus so that would drive my ears crazy.. The car has a nice JVc cd player, removable face and wireless remote control, stock speakers though.. I plan to do a polk setup if/when we get our new SUV in a few months. I like car audio also and have always had a semi nice setup until this current car we have now.

shack · January 2003

I have owned various pairs headphones over the years. I have a pair made by Morse that are 30+ years old. I have a 20 year old set of Pioneer headphones laying around and I current use a nice pair of Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones that I like a lot. All of these are "sealed" headphones which do a nice job of keeping the music in and everything else out. I prefer not using them but sometimes there is no alternative. When I get a car I usually delete the factory radio and install my own stuff. Typically Pioneer or Alpine head units and Pioneer speakers. I have never installed anything like what is going on today with mega power and subs and such, I just wanted a better sound system than OEM.

BTW I have a good friend and neighbor that works for Matsushita (parent of Panasonic). He is an EE for the Panasonic mfg. plant that produces most of the OEM speakers for Ford. They are producing speakers for Visteon corp for the Mach 1000 system used in the Mustangs and he tells me that they are working on a newer killer system fo the various Lincolns (and maybe the new Mustangs) that is better that the Mach 1000. They are actually working with THX. He is very impressed with what THX does for them in designing the speaker systems for the various vehicles.

Jstas · January 2003

I don't have a home of my own yet so no real home stereo stuff. I don't think I could do much better for my vehicles though. Both my truck and my girlfriend's car are heavily modified in the stereo department. Then again, automotive audio is a hobby of mine.

I have a set of headphones, well, 3 sets. Two are Kenwood and one pair is a set of Studio Monitors from KEM I think it is. They were given to me so I just kept them. They sound decent but they are old. I have a set of cheapy Kenwood headphones that I use for travel purposes and a really nice set of Kenwood Open-Air headphones. They are quite amazing. When they are off, you can hear as if you didn't have them on. When they start playing though, you can't hear anything but music. Sweet sounding, very smooth and clear and easy to go deaf with. I paid about 80 bucks for them and it was worth it. They blow away my friend's noise-cancelling Sony headphones for about half the price.

Ron-P · January 2003

I do not own head-phones and listen only to the factory car stereo.

Peace Out~:D

madmax · January 2003

When I was driving an hour each way to work and home my car stereo got really big. Now that I only drive a half hour I don't care nearly as much. Given enough cash you can get some really good quality car sound. Quantity is cheap but quality can take you for a cash ride. It is all a signal to noise ratio as far as quality listening goes. You have to have lots of good clean power to come close to a home system. Also you loose the sub info as soon as you start moving. (the real sub freq stuff below 30 hz or so) Fun stuff though. I like headphones on and off but don't listen with them often.
madmax

jmasterj · January 2003

Iv'e got two pair of headphones, both Grado Labs.
SR-60's for my discman I listen to this everytime I fly somewhere.
SR-125's for home both are excellent phones with the 125's I get
high-end sound and comfort. Paid $69.00 for the 60's and about $170 for the 125's and a Grado extension cord. I like good sound everywhere!!!

abmarsh · January 2003

I have a very good set of Sennheiser headphones that I only occasionally use.

My car stereo is the factory unit. It sounds pretty good, though.

I've just always been a lot more of a home audio devotee.

avelanchefan · January 2003

I have a nice pair of Sony Headphones (MDR-V700) that were given to me as a gift. I use them a couple times a month when I want to watch late night movies, but do not want to wake anyone up.

I have delved into car audio in the last couple of months. I bought a Kenwood deck (kdc-419) with sirius satellite radio. Then I was given 120 dollars in gift cards for Christmas to Best Buy. CC had a deal of buy one pair of speakers get the secong pair for half price, and BB matched it. So I ended up getting 2 pair of Rockford Fosgate speakers to replace my stock ones. The difference is night and day. The stock speakers were paper coned. Terrible quality!

MxStYlEpOlKmAn · January 2003

I use some Microsoft Sindwinder headphones on my computer - Awesome little headphones, sound better than all the computer speakers I have heard....

In my future car - I will have the following (it will be a truck)
Receiver/CD Player - Alpine
Speakers - Polk Audio
Subwoofers - 2 JL Audio - 18 inch subs (in the bed), and 1 - JL Audio 12 inch sub (inside)
Amps - (for speakers) 90 x 4 wat rockford fosgate amp
(for subs) - 3 - Sony mono amps (or w/e I find that is high powered...lol)
This is the system I want in my truck, and plan to get - but what I end up with....who knows? I need the truck first......ahahah - I got 2-3 years to worry about that....

woodyjacobs · January 2003

I've always had a soft spot for headphones. I'm currenty using some really cheap Sennheiser HD 470s that sound great, although I don't use them much these days. They are much more comfy on my big sweaty head than the old Sony, Grado and Pioneer models (and countless other little bitty walkman-style ones) that I used to have.
Car audio is interesting to me but I've never gotten into it too much. I have a Sony CD player in the truck with factory fronts and some of those big ugly truck speakers in the back (2 ways with a horn tweet - very low-fi. I think they are made by "American Audio" or some such nonsense. They were 40 bucks a pair at Sam's club a few years back).

TrappedUnder Ice · January 2003

Head phones.....they still make those????? I have an old pair of RAT shacks I use for practice (drums) and a pair of Koss Digitals I bought in like...uh.... 86'

Now car audio...Hell yeah! I'm just as into..if not more than the home theater:

http://members.cardomain.com/bugers

^^^^^^if ya care to look^^^^^^
BTW..I used to run polk audio back in the late 80's early 90's...but unfortunatly...it does not meet my needs at this point in time ...
Peace out

TonyPTX · January 2003

Never delved much into car audio. I usually stick with the premium stereo system that comes OEM stock (Ford). I however do miss the good thump of a sub-woofer

I live in a fairly high crime city (New Orleans) and honestly, I do not appreciate the fact that someone will (even with a car alarm) break into your car and jack all your chit. Why spend the money so that some drug junkie looking to make a few extra bux for a crack rock will break into your car and demolish your dash so that you can end up with a vehicle that may not even run with all the yanked wires!!!

Systems · January 2003

I oughta get some decent phones, current ones mediocre at best. Sometimes I listen late at night the same way that some people read before going to sleep, & it would be worth it to get better sound. Don't spend enuff time in car to justify upgrade. Also wonder about car environment's capacity for good sound. A small sealed box w/lots of glass? Actually, I'm just trying to reason away my jealousy towards good car rigs.

danger boy · January 2003

oh yeah.. gotta have the Polks in the car too. I replaced the OEM 5 x 8's? in the rear deck and front door panels. WIth EX357 i think. it's been a yr now. Huge improvement in sound from the stock ones. they are running off a 4x50w Pioneer Premiere head unit. no other amp needed. those 5x8's put out some nice bass.. no sub is needed either.
even have a polk audio sticker in the rear window.
good sound is important even if i'm driving 5 minutes to the store for more beer.

Love the pioneer premiere head units, dang they have settings up the ying yang. very flexible unit. pretty cheap too.

ixnay on the headphones. never liked using them.

jmasterj · January 2003

meestercleef,

Get some Grado Lab SR-60's I guarentee they will fulfill your need.

Tour2ma · January 2003

Headphones still have a place in Late-night-rest-of-the-house-is-asleep situations.
I make do with an old pair of Koss Pro4AA's (resoldered leads, but can't replace the fluid fill for the cups that's long gone), or pair of Sennheiser HD414Sl's, if bass is not too critical.

Car? Nice sound is a purchase pre-requisite. My Accord did very well in the audition.

Speaking of car stereo. Can't believe the stakes are now up to Mark Levinson in the '03 Lexus line... How can serious Levinson owners live with the shame?

George Grand · January 2003

I have a pair of those Koss Pro 4A's. They are brand new in the box. Earpads and headband show no head grease or spluge of any sort, that's why I say they are new. Interested?

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

Tour2ma · January 2003

Yes sir, I am...

Have to admit, I'm surprised they still have the fluid fill. I always assumed it was an age thing and not a use thing.

I have no idea of value, from collectable standpoint, if any, but as a purely functional headset, how does $30 + Shipping strike you?

I really want a peek inside that closet of yours...

George Grand · January 2003

Sorry Amigo, but the headphones were sold to another individual about 5 minutes after I posted the image. $25 plus shipping.

The "magic closet" (the ORIGINAL "magic closet", not a southern charlatan of a closet) contains stuff I will probably never sell. There are however, OTHER storage areas here at the Casa de No Concerno that contain items I would part with.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

Tour2ma · January 2003

No prob's, George, but cost you $5...

Guess I have to learn to use the back channels, i.e., e-mail, in such instances.

For sale or not, still want a peek at your "OMC"...

Did you ever reply to my Tigersaurus offer?

Edit: Just discovered your address is unlisted. If you don't mind please send me yours for future "auctions"...

George Grand · January 2003

njgrand@bellatlantic.net

Put a title on your e-mails that I will recognize, as anything I don't gets dumped.

Peeks at the "OMC" run $5 and up.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grand's)

Billm57 · January 2003

Originally posted by Tour2ma
Yes sir, I am...

Have to admit, I'm surprised they still have the fluid fill. I always assumed it was an age thing and not a use thing.

I have no idea of value, from collectable standpoint, if any, but as a purely functional headset, how does $30 + Shipping strike you?

I really want a peek inside that closet of yours...

you can still buy these new..I got brand new pair from J & R Music World a few months ago after my original ones from the 70's bit the dust..

north51 · January 2003

I travel quite a bit for work, and started with car audio before getting home theatre gear. I have a Clarion deck, Infinity speakers, and MTX amps/subs. No Polk gear, as there isn't a local dealer for car audio.

Jason

rs159 · March 2003

Car audio is hopeless. You are always off axis, you are stuck in a little tiny space with a huge natural gain at around 100-200hz, and the only place for a subwoofer is in the back, something I would never do at home. I could only justify replacing the OEM system if it's broken or it sounds completely horrible. Heaphones on the other hand, I guess you couldn't call me a headphone enthusiast, but I like how much value you get for the dollar. I'm sitting here with some rat shack headphones I got for $30 and it sounds fairly good. You can't get the same sound from $30 speakers.

rs159 · March 2003

Did I mention that the $30 cans extend to 25hz without loosing that "powerfull" feel? Sometimes I wonder why manufacturers put in cheapo headphones w/ their CD/Minidisc/mp3 whatever players. Most people don't replace these, so they think the cd player sucks. Then they buy another cd player and it still sucks. Good headphones would be a selling point for portable players I think, and it wouldn't cost that much more really.

And as for what I said about car audio, don't think I have low standards. If it doesn't extend to at least 35hz and it can't go decently loud enough and it sounds like a clock radio with a subwoofer (like most maxSPL systems), then I think it should go.

Strong Bad · March 2003

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600 headphones. They're an open air design that produce some absolutely stunning sound! I love them!

Some online retailer was selling about a half dozen pair about a year ago and I was one of the winning bidders. Got them for $280.00. I think my local Hi-Fi shop wants about $100.00 more for them.

Ebay can pay off if you're careful.

Somewhere down the line I plan on loading up my Mustang with a killer soundsystem. It's going to have to be loud due to the exhaust being very loud. I really don't listen to the factory system any more since I can barely hear it over the exhaust.

John

gidrah · March 2003

My truck radio does both AM and FM. Pretty snazzy if you ask me.

After losing 3 bids (each by about $1.50) for a pair of Stax electrostatics I put headphones on my X-mas list a couple of years back and ended up with some Sennheiser HD-570s. Pretty good. Not awe inspiring but deffinately worth what I paid.

Other listening habits

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