[GTALUG] ot: perhaps, headphones?

Fri Jan 14 15:10:51 EST 2022

Hi  Erica,
The Sony Mdr-7506 headphones have been a staple of audio production for 
honestly decades.  I got my pair in hmmm2004 or 2005.
However, this is a fine example of my personal issue...I cannot use them.
The impedance on this model is 24, and they make me dizzy.
I do have production assistants use them, and in all these years the 
ear pads remain flawless.
That being said, I may be reaching out to  Sony directly, as my e-mail 
exchange with JVC is becoming rather frustrating smiles.
best,
Kare

On Fri, 14 Jan 2022, Erica Peterson wrote:

> You may have better luck picking a few common brands and going to the manufacturer websites.  Sony, for example, will let you select multiple models for comparison across features: https://www.sony.ca/en/electronics/headphones/t/headband-headphones
>
> FWIW, about 5 years ago I got a Sony MDR-7506 headset -- admittedly, not based on any sort of audiophile specs, but because I'd seen them used in recording studios and figured that was a strong point in their favor.  I'm still very happy with it but with two small quibbles: (1) the cable doesn't detach, so it would be a pain to replace if I were to damage it, and (2) the material covering the pads degrades after a few years.  I just replaced the pads with "Wicked Cushions" from Amazon, which are made to fit popular headset models.  The Wicked Cushions are great so far.
>
> Erica
>
> ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
>
> On Friday, January 14th, 2022 at 1:02 AM, Nicholas Krause via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
>
>> On 2022-01-14 12:50 a.m., Karen Lewellen wrote:
>>
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>> You know something I have a hard time picturing what closed back
>>>
>>> actually means.
>>>
>>> to my imagination open back means nothing behind my head, which is my
>>>
>>> preference. are closed back those behind your head then?
>>>
>>> I agree on 32 for impedance..but sometimes they are higher. even with
>>>
>>> no amp involved.
>>>
>>> Kare
>>
>> Karen,
>>
>> Open Backs have open grills or leak sound through the outer part of the
>>
>> ear cups. They don't isolated sound the way most headphones do. You
>>
>> don't see them outside of the audiophile market. The problem with
>>
>> closing or isolating sound is frequency issues basically. Sound stage is
>>
>> one big improvement on them as you can let the drivers actually breathe.
>>
>> Most consumer amps in cellphones or whatever can get about 60-90 ohms if
>>
>> your asking. So anything beyond that is not good. This is a problem for
>>
>> IEMS in the audiophile market as they have to gear them for cellphones
>>
>> actually so most are around 32-48 ohms from memory.
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>> On Thu, 13 Jan 2022, Nicholas Krause wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 2022-01-13 4:25 p.m., Karen Lewellen via talk wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi there,
>>>>>
>>>>> Fine and interesting list.
>>>>>
>>>>> To be sure, the idea of noise cancellation, or any variation's is a no,
>>>>>
>>>>> not just because of the sense of position, but because I have
>>>>>
>>>>> something
>>>>>
>>>>> talking in my ears when I use them in this particular setting..no phone
>>>>>
>>>>> ringing, door bells, or the all important music playing in the
>>>>>
>>>>> background.
>>>>>
>>>>> As I have been a radio producer, and professional singer for many many
>>>>>
>>>>> years, over the ear headphones are the most comfortable, speaking
>>>>>
>>>>> personally.
>>>>>
>>>>> I truly dislike earbuds, they tend not to stay in my ears, to put
>>>>>
>>>>> pressure on my ear canal etc...and the buttons are a no, mic interferes
>>>>>
>>>>> with the machine.
>>>>>
>>>>> The most important thing, for this particular set of headphones
>>>>>
>>>>> though is
>>>>>
>>>>> A combination of frequency range, sensitivity, impedance, and driver
>>>>>
>>>>> units...oh and input power.
>>>>>
>>>>> a few settings in the wrong direction, and the headphones will make me
>>>>>
>>>>> dizzy..literary.
>>>>>
>>>>> And those numbers can be device specific, what I will use for my
>>>>>
>>>>> reading
>>>>>
>>>>> edge, differs for what I use for production, or music listening, or
>>>>>
>>>>> whatever.
>>>>>
>>>>> It is part of why once found I may buy more than one pair.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cannot fault you for using the same ones since the 80's. Had a set
>>>>>
>>>>> once
>>>>>
>>>>> I got from radio shack that I used for more than a decade as well.
>>>>>
>>>>> Goodness but I miss radio shack.
>>>>>
>>>>> Kare
>>>>
>>>> Greetings Karen,
>>>>
>>>> I would not find the model in the previous email. However, my two sense
>>>>
>>>> are over ear can mean different things. A current pair of headphones was
>>>>
>>>> stated that but it's more what Hugh was calling something else.
>>>>
>>>> The other things were I normally prefer open backed as it's the only way
>>>>
>>>> to not screw around with frequency issues. I've my reasons. As to
>>>>
>>>> standard closed backs AKG, Sennheiser, Sony are the big good players
>>>>
>>>> from memory. I'm not sure of the site design for your needs so sorry :(.
>>>>
>>>> Your original pair was around 200 dollars from memory and they all
>>>>
>>>> have something good in that price point to my knowledge.
>>>>
>>>> As to weight normally anything under 400 grams is fine for most people.
>>>>
>>>> And for impendance it should be 32 ohms or less if your not using an
>>>>
>>>> actual amp.
>>>>
>>>> Take care,
>>>>
>>>> Nick
>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, 13 Jan 2022, D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> | From: Karen Lewellen via talk talk at gtalug.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> | If you desire a visual idea then perhaps google jvc ha-s44x.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From past discussions, I know your shopping technique isn't like
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> mine.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> But I'll mention my considerations on the off chance you might
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> find them
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> useful.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Most wired headphones are electrically / electronically
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> interchangeable. Of course that's a good thing. It also means
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> that > there
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> are a lot to choose from.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There are lots of issues of sound reproduction quality, but to be
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> honest, all should have sound quality that is good enough for a
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> reader
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> (as I understand it).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I would imagine that the main issues are comfort -- a very
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> individual
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> thing. Oh, and durability -- not something in the specs!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Here's what I glean from the specs of your old headphones:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -   closed (i.e. they try to block sound from your environment)
>>>>>>> -   over-ear [I find such headphones uncomfortable fairly quickly]
>>>>>>> -   5.57 ounces
>>>>>>> -   button controls (what do they control?)
>>>>>>> -   1.2 m cable [the units are unspecified but 1.2 ft would be
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>     very short]
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Do you use the buttons? What for?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I think "over-ear" means that these clamp on your ear as opposed to
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> clamping on your head around the ear ("circumaural"). I find
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> over-ear
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> very uncomfortable after a few minutes but I seem to be in a
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> minority.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Do you really want to have sound isolation from the room
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ("closed")?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I imagine "situational awareness" would be useful.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Out of habit, I use ancient Sennheiser HD430 phones. They are
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> circumaural, light, open [i.e. I can hear things going on in the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> room], good enough sound. They have replaceable cables and ear pads
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> (but now hard to find). Out of production since 1986. I find that
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> even these get uncomfortable after a while.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> My current favourite is ear-buds. The ones with a selection of
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> soft
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> tips, not the hard ones. You can get decent inexpensive ones from
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> China.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have, for example:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002184896879.html
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Currently C$16.84 without microphone. I paid less.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There are many other brands that are likely fine.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There is an enthusiastic following for "Chi-fi".
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> TWS (true wireless stereo) headphones are amazingly convenient
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> if you > have
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Bluetooth. But you don't. There are a lot of adapters to convert
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> analog
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> to Bluetooth but I don't have any experience with them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Post to this mailing list talk at gtalug.org
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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