Afternoon!

I was on the hunt for some new headphones these last few days after running the Airpod Pro 2’s for the last year.

After watching hours of reviews I decided on the B&W Px8’s, had them in the basket about to buy before the Mrs chimed in and said “shouldn’t you try them first”. So did a Google and found a Richer Sounds audio shop not to far away.

I went in this morning, they didn’t have the B&Ws but they did have the following:

Focal Bathys Sennhieser 660s Sony MX4s and 5s B&W Px7 s2 Sennhieser Momentum 4s

Now, I’m really pleased I went in because to me all of them just sounded…boring? With the exception of the Momentum 4s and Px7s. The other three were quiet, dull, had no warmth or fun to them. Tiny amounts of bass and almost no sub bass.

I found this odd as these we’re supposed to be top of the chain wireless (excluding the 660s) headphones, but I found my Airpods sounded better, or at least more fun. The B&Ws and the Sennhiesers sounded just as good, probably better on reflection but worth me dropping £2/300 for them? Absolutely not.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m open minded here but what am I missing? Maybe I just don’t appreciate what others consider “good sound” maybe I’m comparing in ear vs over ear?

I still want some new over ear headphones but now the Px8s seem like they could be a waste of money.

  • imacom@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    What was the music source during the test? Was it yours or the dealer’s? Maybe you were listening to not so well recorded tracks or just plain shitty mp3s / Spotify etc from the salesman.

  • BroKick19@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    There’s nothing wrong with not liking them. Why would you force yourself to like something that didn’t wow you? Neutral doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best for you.

    It also helps that the APP2 is fairly competent for its price and even the popular audiophile reviewers praise it.

    The airpods are also sub-bass monsters which very few headphones have in this price range.

  • Environmental-Drop30@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    You are just used to a V-shaped sound with mediocre technicalities. If you’ll listen to focals/660s for let’s say 5 days, you will get used to them and after that your airpods will sound like absolute shit to you. It’s always like that. But it’s up to you if you actually want to give it a try.

    P.S. they sounded „quiet” to you most likely because of their relatively flat response. Also it is worth to note 660s need an amp to sound properly.

  • Technician47@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I find most audiophiles to think zero bass is a lot of bass. Many will debate and say your ears are wrong, you aren’t use to it, which may be true, but it you enjoy a specific sound you can pursue products that can do both.

    That being said metal/electronic music is my preferred genre.

    On PC I do a 6 or 12 db bass boost on equalizer apo (Peace) typically a lower shelf at 120hz.

    I turn it off depending on what I’m listening to.

    Headphones can EQ very well (Planar magnetic for example) and sometimes very badly.

    I absolutely love my modhouse T60RP Argon’s. They are absolute monsters.

    With wireless, I’m using my Sony xm4s until they die. Trying to find the same performance of my Argon’s with wireless honestly might be pointless.