Recommendation please: Ipod 'speakers'

[Rambo]

If you've got a Costco nearby, try seeing if they've still got these in stock. I picked one up for a family member and he loves it. It sounds pretty good for the $40 I spent on it. Athena iVoice @ Amazon

 

[TheHoff]

Have you also considered a pair of real cans and a headphone amp? I have this tube amp and a pair of Senns that would take $$$$ to out do in sound quality using speakers.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

You just won't get anywhere near the sound quality from tin-can speakers like Bose, JBL, or Harmon Kardon speakers made for portables... however if you just want background music while you're in your office and you need to be able to hear the phone ring, then I'll defer to others who might have experience with tin-can speakers. But you at least owe it to yourself to hear how good your iTouch can sound with some er4ps or some shure SE530s:

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/P..._se530_content

Am I the only one that finds it utterly ridiculous to pay $500 for ear buds?

Jon.

 

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by TheHoff

Have you also considered a pair of real cans and a headphone amp? I have this tube amp and a pair of Senns that would take $$$$ to out do in sound quality using speakers.

These? The 650s? http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite...ransid=USHD650

 

[Artisan Fan]

Senns are very nice but I find the Grado midrange to be more lifelike.

The Cayin headphone amp is very good as well.

 

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

Am I the only one that finds it utterly ridiculous to pay $500 for ear buds?

Jon.

Here are a pair that are $6,400, but the target audience is women (and pro athletes?)

http://www.heyerdahl.no/?template=master;folderid=228

Here are some headphones for $1,500:

http://www.stereophile.com/thefifthe...th/index1.html

 

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Senns are very nice but I find the Grado midrange to be more lifelike.
I use these Grados with my computer at home:

But I'm considering a modded RS-1 with natural wood earpieces in that purple wood (forget the name).

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/h...headphile.html

 

[TheHoff]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

These? The 650s? http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite...ransid=USHD650

Is there anything else?

I enjoy Grados but not the feel on my head. The Senns practically disappear on my (oversized) melon.

And no, I don't think earbuds are a waste of money at the high end. If your source is an unamped iPod, then yes, possibly. The sound quality is just middling on the source so the output can only be so good.

 

[kronik]

The Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro are awesome, if you're interested in a pair of cans that are not Senn/Shure.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by TheHoff

Is there anything else?

I enjoy Grados but not the feel on my head. The Senns practically disappear on my (oversized) melon.

And no, I don't think earbuds are a waste of money at the high end. If your source is an unamped iPod, then yes, possibly. The sound quality is just middling on the source so the output can only be so good.

Yeah, but $500?

Jon.

 

[A Y]

$500 is pretty expensive for most headphones, but those Shures are ear-canal or in-ear monitors, so they seal off outside sound as well as regular ear plugs, and are a bit more complicated and higher-quality than regular ear buds. The reduction of environmental noise alone is worth it for sound quality.

But those aren't the most expensive IEMs either, besides blinged-out ear buds: the Ultimate Ears UE-10s are over $1000 when you add in the custom ear mold you have to make.

I don't like Grados: they are terribly colored and are uncomfortable. The only Grados I have liked are the 60s, and the old HP-1000s. I've been using stuff from the Senn. 580 family (including the 600s and 650s) for over 10 years, and find them to be very true to the source, though not as resolving as good speakers, but that's more of a headphone issue in general than anything particular to those Senns.

I think OP should look at some kind of quality mini or integrated system that can take many inputs and have separated speakers, and then add headphones later on if that's desired. Active speakers like those suggested are really nice for cutting the clutter. Coming from a high-end system, I'm not sure he'd be satisfied with essentially blinged-out boomboxes like the B&W.

--Andre

 

[TheHoff]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

Yeah, but $500?

Westone UM2s for < $400 -- anything more than that and I'd only get a driver meant for a custom ear mold.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

I use these Grados with my computer at home:

But I'm considering a modded RS-1 with natural wood earpieces in that purple wood (forget the name).

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/h...headphile.html

A good friend has some 225s...they sound great. The RS-1s sound even better even un-modded.

 

[Mute]

Originally Posted by TheHoff

Have you also considered a pair of real cans and a headphone amp? I have this tube amp and a pair of Senns that would take $$$$ to out do in sound quality using speakers.

Very nice! I got visions of Macintosh amps dancing in my head.

 

[Piobaire]

I have the Bose Sound Dock for my office. Sound is very nice, surprising bass response for such a little box. Comes with a buil in Li-on battery too. Also came with carrying case, remote, adapter, and travel charger for the Ipod itself. At home, the iPod just docks into either of my systems (one for media room, one for the pool area/patio which runs off Infinity outdoor speakers).