I'm looking to buy a pair of headphones for my sister as a birthday gift. She's had Skullcandy for a while, but she isn't impressed with that brand overall and she's looking to change it up. Does anyone have a recommendation?
Rusty Messages: 1414 Registered: May 2018 Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (3rd Degree)
This guy is a knowledgeable reviewer. Testing many of the products himself. There's a good number of headphones he's reviewed on this site. Some quite expensive, but there are reasonable priced ones also. This might give you some good knowledge on what to look for. https://kenrockwell.com/audio/index.htm
You can look into Sony for headphones, although most of their products also have a good reputation. The quality can change depending on the model since the specs will vary. It's better to know what features she's looking for in a good headphones.
Does your sister travel a lot? It's something to consider because there are headphones that are easier to carry around more than others. Aside from the brand, look into the specs such as battery life and noise-canceling ability.
LoveJB Messages: 174 Registered: October 2011 Location: Cali
Master
Noise canceling is key! Does she want wireless or wired? We bought a pair of JBL headphones last year and I have to admit that they are great! I did not really even know the brand when we bought them.
Noise canceling is key! Does she want wireless or wired? We bought a pair of JBL headphones last year and I have to admit that they are great! I did not really even know the brand when we bought them.
Any headphones made in this era that don't have the noise cancellation feature is as good as nothing. I mean that feature makes a whole lot of difference especially for those who makes use of the headphone in the studios. I've used some headphones from JBL in the past and must say that they are very good at what they do.
Wayne Parham Messages: 19024 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Since noise-cancelling headphones inherently modify the sound - by design - they interfere with the source material.
Not saying that as an attack, merely a point of fact.
So my thought is that noise-cancelling headphones are kind of like MP3 players. They provide an advantage that is not fully compatible with highest fidelity but that makes an attractive trade-off. Noise-cancelling headphones can sound nearly as good as purely analog passive headphones, and they also reduce ambient noise.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) creates "anti-noise" waves to counteract external sounds, the process involves an additional layer of digital signal processing (DSP) that can sometimes interfere with the pure audio source. They do so by digitizing the music, applying a filter to add the anti-noise, and then converting it back to analog. This extra step can introduce minor distortions and artifacts.
Some listeners notice a faint electronic "hiss" when ANC is engaged in quiet rooms, which is caused by the electronics themselves. And cancellation waves are most effective at low frequencies. This focus can inadvertently alter the bass response, sometimes making it feel thinner or artificially boosted by the manufacturer to compensate. ANC headphones also tend to create an artificial soundstage, reducing the perception of depth and space.
Posting Rules
Members
Search
Help
Register
Login
Get a T-Shirt!
