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Simplicity, Complexity and Believability

So as part of the Mighty Headphone Quest, I guess I am going to have the Mighty Headphone Sell Off.

I had to buy several pairs to get them tested and here are the first two and though they did not make the cut for the application I have outlined in this quest, they are still quite good and well loved headphones. A brand new till I opened them pair of Sony MDR-7509's and a brand new till I opened them pair of Grado SR60i open ear. If any bloggery friends buy them, we will toss in a Rat shirt and some stickers as well. They are up on ebay but just send us a note if ya win 'em and we'll hook you up.

Sony MDR-7509HD

Grado SR60i

Ok on to the more mundane. Simplicity, Complexity and Believability. I have been thinking a bit more as I try and hack away the cobwebs of complexity and I think I may be gaining some momentum. The desire to overcomplicate and mask clarity is irresistible, especially when it fills wallets. I do not believe it is tough, though. I believe when accomplishing the purest task is a formidable challenge, that to mask various levels of failure, distractions are introduced in order to overcomplicate something that is easily observed when left in it's simplest state.

So as I dig around in the vast diversity of products available. Each product is claiming to have some group of assets that are superior in some way to the asset group of the other products. Maybe one pair has a certain combination of is cheaper or lighter, more comfy, stylish, durable, louder, flexible, available, socially conscience in the manufacture or whatever and on and on and on and I know that the importance of sound really depends on the application intended, budget allotted and expectations that are set. But unlike price or weight or looks, sound quality opinions have somehow has taken on this supernatural aura that requires elite audio monks from the netherworld of golden ears and fuzzy logic. And ears golden as they may be, maybe, just maybe, at least, at minimum, if the sound that comes out is somewhat close to the sound that goes in, perhaps that may be a good place to start? And when I find perfect sound, I will know it. I will not need magic ears or special wires or voodoo crap of any sort at all. I will merely close my eyes and be completely unable to distinguish between where I am and whatever elsewhere the music has taken me. Everything else is just a feature or preference.

And does anyone know the model # of these Sony mystery headphones?

Dave Rat

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Greg Cameron on :

Argh! I used to sell those headphones like crazy at ol' L.A. Tronics. I'll see if I can brainstorm and figure it out.

Greg Cameron on :

Ok, I got it. Sony MDR-CD7: http://audioidiots.com/Sony/catalogi/1983-1984/middel/p015i10.jpg Use to sell them in competition with the Koss Porta Pro's. People would take the Sony phones often just because of the brand name, but the Koss sounded better. I also made a better spiff with the Koss PP's.

Rob on :

Dave, I just discovered your Might Headphone Quest ongoing series, and brother, you and I are in the same boat! I've been on the prowl for an ultimate pair of the most accurate, neutral, and comfortable headphones that could rival the stunning accuracy of my Klein + Hummel O300D nearfield monitors. The only difference between our quests is that I'm not ruling out the open-back cans while you have a strong preference for closed-back cans. At the moment, the most accurate/neutral headphone I have heard yet is the Audio-Technica ATH-M50's: http://www.frontendaudio.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Headphones-p/9999-02031.htm If you read those raving reviews by various Grammy Award-winning recording/mixing/mastering enginners, they kind of read like love letters, don't they? And being so competitively priced, everyone should have a pair. I see that you like the Denon AH-D2000 a lot, and perhaps you should also check out its older brothers D5000 and D7000? I'm probably going to that route myself. I'm quite happy with the ATH-M50, but I think its soundstage could be bigger.

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