Anyone Using High Quality Headphones ?

[AuTX Buckeye]

Maybe not ‘high quality’, but is anyone using Bluetooth headphones? Any thoughts, comments, recommendations?

I use these JLabs Epic 2 - no complaints... likely not audiophile level but good for the price.
I like JLabs stuff... good quality build/sound for the price... others on here with a more discerning ear might say otherwise

 

[Dryden]

Maybe not ‘high quality’, but is anyone using Bluetooth headphones? Any thoughts, comments, recommendations?

The most important consideration is that range can be AWFUL if you're in an open, outdoor space. BT offers great flexibility indoors or in the car because the UHF radio signal reflects off of walls and other objects. Outdoors this does not occur, so signal transmission distance can be drastically reduced.

I have the Jaybird x3 Sports for running/hiking/biking. Excellent fit, sound, and build quality for active use (waterproof, sweatproof). However, the signal can vary wildly from working at distances as great as 40' from my laptop in my office, versus a signal that occasionally drops at just 3' from my watch when I'm running outdoors.

The second issue with BT is that being a wireless solution, obviously you'll need to charge it. So you've got the whole deal with charging cables, or batteries, or at the very least the weight of batteries, and these inbuilt power sources usually contribute to inducing very low level noise.

My opinion hasn't really changed over the last 10 years. BT can be great for specific cases, but unless you need to cut the cord, don't. Traditional wired phones will be lighter, cheaper, and sound better versus their BT counterpart in almost every scenario.

 

[Taosman]

Most of the "wireless" phones are crap. Even the more expensive(Sony WH-1000XM2) don't hold up to much abuse. I almost bought them but after reading about breakage issues I passed for a new set of Audio Technica M50s. With time things will get better but not much "value" in Bluetooth phones right now.

https://www.cnet.com/topics/headphones/best-headphones/

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Budget is a crucial starting point as there is no limit to the levels of audiophile precision. What are you hoping to spend?

And what is their primary purpose? What is the main type of sound you wish to listen to and in what setting?

Not FC, but I've been transitioned into a software development team that works in an open space.....so I'm in the market for some bluetooth noise cancelers. I'd like to stay under $100 but a birthday is coming up so $150ish wouldn't kill me.

edit: and I guess they don't have to be bluetooth....that's just me being fancy.

 

[Dryden]

Ordered. Will post a review in a week or two when they arrive.

https://gradolabs.com/headphones/wireless/item/74-gw100

 

[Jaxbuck]

Not FC, but I've been transitioned into a software development team that works in an open space.....so I'm in the market for some bluetooth noise cancelers. I'd like to stay under $100 but a birthday is coming up so $150ish wouldn't kill me.

edit: and I guess they don't have to be bluetooth....that's just me being fancy.

I have a wife who simply will not shut the fuck up.

I use the Bose noise cancelling headphones. I think they go for around $200 but it's cheaper than beating a murder rap so I highly recommend them.

 

[jwinslow]

If anyone is looking for a pair of pretty decent cheap ones, these work well, and the battery life seems to be terrific.

Cowin E7

I can scream from the next room and the wife can't hear me when listening to music. It knocks out a huge chunk of someone talking even without the sound running.

For anyone on a budget, I highly recommend these.

 

[sparcboxbuck]

Have a pair of these:
https://www.rha-audio.com/uk/products/headphones/t20?c=166 Got them a couple of years ago and have been very pleased. Well constructed and sound great. A bit heavy though.

Also have a pair of these:
https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sleek-Audio/SA6/

Or I had a pair. Think one of the kids ‘borrowed’ them. They were really good. Losing these and them being out of production forced the purchase of the RHAs. Wish I could find a replacement pair of these. Would buy again.

 

[Dryden]

Ordered. Will post a review in a week or two when they arrive.

https://gradolabs.com/headphones/wireless/item/74-gw100

Ordered the GW100s Thursday, Oct 11 direct from Grado (link); arrived Monday, Oct 15. 2 business days from order to delivery.

Build quality and sound is all signature Grado design. Really not much to say there. If you've ever put a pair of Grados on your ears you already know exactly what you're buying and how they feel. Useable indoor BT range on these GW100s is about 20' - 25' for me before signal loss. Have not taken them outdoors so cannot comment on that. I can leave my office and freshen my coffee in the kitchenette without losing audio.

Comparing the GW100s to other corded Grados, I will say these feel lighter than even the all-plastic SR80s just by virtue of cutting the over-enginerded 10' heavy gauge cord. The headband is the higher quality leatherette stitched over padded foam like on the more expensive 325s, it is not the cheap stamped vinyl as seen on the entry level SR80s. The exterior of the speaker cups are a matte black finish with medium grey lettering silkscreened directly on the plastic, so they look a bit more modern than Grado's older gloss black with molded, 3d raised lettering and silver paint.

Battery life is fantastic. In fact, I haven't even charged them once yet. Received these at lunch Monday, promptly powered up and paired to ncmpcpp running on my MBP, so... 4 hours Mon, 8 hours Tues, 4 hours Weds, 6 hours yesterday, about 2 hours so far today... that's about a full 24 hours at a medium volume without having to recharge, and still going...

As far as spillage from the open back design, these cut the ambient noise leakage by about half. They're both quieter than all previous models I've used and don't suffer from soundstage distortion when the open backs of the ear cups are obstructed, such as resting back on a pillow or having a hand over the open back vents.

There is no reason to own any previous model Grado at the sub-$300 price point anymore, IMHO. All of them have had their nuances and warts for decades, but loyal owners looked past those flaws as necessary sacrifices for sound quality and comfort. None of those problems exist in the GW100s.