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"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
06/04/2015 at 20:59 • Filed to: Audiolopnik, Muisclopnik, Headphones, Bowers & Wilkins, B&W, Sennheiser

I really loved my Sennheisers for years (I think around 5 or 6), but their deterioration was the tipping point for me to jump ship.

Let’s first set the “Audiophile” tone. No, I’m not really an audiophile, but I am a musician who truly pays attention to the music, and I have a growing vinyl collection, mostly of current bands. I won’t be quoting hertz-this and frequency-that, because I don’t listen to music that way.

If you want good starter on-ear headphones, then I suggest you look into these Sennheisers. I think they’re now named, or are the closest to what I originally purchased, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ; I bought them for around $80 a few years ago, but now with the headphone wars spurred on by Beats, they’re $50.

Yeah, it was just aesthetic deterioration, still properly functional and I would like to fix them if I knew the best way (electrical tape is just a bad idea).

I first tried the Bowers & Wilkins P5s at an Apple Store a couple years ago, and they felt awesome and sounded stellar, but I went for the P3s today thinking they would be a bit more portable and less look-at-me.

I was about to claim they both sounded about the same, but as I write this listening to Jimmy Eat World’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (the Arizona band’s best song), I can’t remember hearing the punch of the snare nearly to the degree I hear now with the B&Ws.

Physically, the headphones feel secure to my cranium; awesome. I am not aware of their presence on my head as they are neither jiggling around (as the Sennheisers used to) with too much room or trying to make diamonds from squeezing my hair and skin into my skull. The P3s are just secure and comfortable.

Cons? I guess I don’t like the cheapness off the cable compared to my friend’s Beats headphones’ thicker chord.

So what headphones/speakers/audio systems are you guys sporting this fine evening?

DISCUSSION (13)

macanamera > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:01

Bose QC15s are just my go to for excellent music.

misfitmascots > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:08

Audio Technica Ath-M50XDG

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:13

Oddly enough, cheap ass Nakamichi headphones I got from Kmart for $10. They’re really damn good for what they are. http://www.kmart.com/780m-over-the-…

spanfucker retire bitch > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:17

Since you replaced some Sennheisers, I’m surprised you didn’t go with Beyerdynamic.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
06/04/2015 at 21:24

Nakamichi is great. I’ve been in an LS400 with the Nakamichi, and it is spectacular.

1111111111111111111111 > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:40

I had a pair of 80s b&w towers for years. Picked them up at the local stereo store used. There was a company called TSC that went out of business for no reason, and I replaced everything with their stuff, which was identical to the sapphire towers. Now I’m looking to replace again and actually looking at monoprice.

Agrajag > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:43

For headphones I’ve got Sony MDR-7506’s. The replaceable pads was one thing I really liked about these.

My stereo is some newish Sony hooked up to an Onkyo center channel, two old(80’s) giant Technics speakers up front, older JVC’s in back and the subwoofer line I split. A Sony subwoofer up front with an Onkyo in back. 5.2 FTW!

RightFootDown > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 21:59

I have a pair of white B&W P3’s sitting brand new in a box downstairs. Paid $100 new from Best Buy when they honored Amazon. Shwing. Too bad I don’t use them.

Flat Six > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/04/2015 at 22:10

Great choices!

I prefer over ear headphones though. For home I have AKG 702’s and work I have Denon D2000’s. They are both very comfortable and have lasted 3+ years with very heavy use. The AKG cable is detachable and I have replaced it once. I would like to find something more portable for travel though.

Kinja'd!!!

jmedarts > Tim (Fractal Footwork)
06/05/2015 at 09:54

I’ve had P5’s for a few years now, and really like them. Got my wife a set of P3’s for her birthday and she really likes them as well. I like Bowers & Wilkins a lot, I scored a great home theater setup of theirs off Craigslist a few years back.

OK if i share this on soundboard? http://soundboard.kinja.com/

random001 > RightFootDown
06/05/2015 at 10:37

So why don't you sell them to some enterprising oppo and get them out of the downstairs (hint hint)

RightFootDown > random001
06/05/2015 at 11:43

I’d have a difficult time recommending the P3s to anybody simply due to comfort. Personally, I couldn’t wear them for more than about 15 minutes without getting aches around my ears. But that’s just me. If you’re serious I’ll see if I can’t dig them out.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > jmedarts
06/05/2015 at 15:17

Yeah sure