Gouki

For the price, I prefer it new. I've never gotten any used cans except for Eggos. Call me picky. Oh yes, I've heard CD3K. How else could I give an impression of the cans? I don't pluck comments from the air and feed them to this forum or I will get I will let U know Gouki if my finances allow me to commit on a buy. Thanks dude. Yeah, I just realised that you've already tried them (perhaps comprehensively) with the PC II. I just don't understand why people would buy something so expensive without really testing them properly (it took me almost a year to test and accept the CD3000 because of intense competition from all the other headphone brands). The Sonys are a little HYPED in my opinion, but they are pretty good (I just happen to have the not so popular 570 symphony) and its pretty unbelievable that shops here still sells them. Let me know before the end of March as I'll be coming down to Singapore.

You think that is amazing? I think I have one of the oldest Sony CD/radio walkman in the world. It had no anti-shock, but I think the sound from that could be very good. Those days I was just a junior high school student and knew nothing about good sound

I've tried CD3K with Porta Coda II and be amazed that the amp is more than capable of driving it to pretty decent loudness. It sounded real good and if one forgets the size of the cans, U'll probably think the amp is bigger in stature than its mini-portable build. Porta CordaII is the cheapest of the lot U'd mentioned and I recommend a buy. As and when your budget and demand rises drastically, U could always get a desk-top amp to complement the PCII. If my budget or bonus turns out to be decent, I will need your help to get me a pair of CD3K, Gouki. Thanks in advance. The PC II looks very convenient to have, I don't have the luxury of a transport van in case I move from place to place so can't really carry big and heavy things (but what am I talking about? My Sonys take up half the room! ;-p ) I think its better for me to take the phones to the shop, plug it into the amps for a trial run. May take all day but the shop owner recommended the CEC and the headmaster LOOKS good. Right now, they work so well with the computer, handphone, PDA that it isn't really necessary for me to get an AMP actually, just want to waste some money on something :-) As for getting a pair of Sonys for you, have you tried them and are you sure that you want it? I remember one of the guys on this forum was selling a pair, has that been sold yet? Can you guys hold a mini meet when I come down to Singapore? ;-)

Is the L3000 the limited edition with the leather ear covers? If so, then it is a total rip off if you ask me. Price is about $3000 or something like that. Better to get STAX or R10.

Yeah I know the CD3000 may have been mentioned quite frequently on this forum (but probably nothing compared to HEAD-FI where they talk about it every week). I guess less people own this pair on this forum hence the limited feedback. An AMP is definitely on the cards, but I need to spend some time looking. Currently, the following has been recommended for the CD3000 : - Luxman P-1 (http://www.luxman.co.jp/) - Sugden Headmaster (http://www.jesugden.co.uk/bijou.htm) - C.E.C. HD-51 (http://www.cec-web.co.jp/products/hd51.html) - Porta CORDA II (http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-audio/portacorda.htm) I have no idea about these or any AMPs. The Porta CORDA II seems interesting because its small and compact (which I like). Though anything is OK with me if I can get the best out the SONYs. Does someone have a summary or references of HOW AMPs WORK and HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE THE SOUNDS FROM YOUR HEADPHONES. Meanwhile, the prices have gone up for this particular headphone and I don't think Japan will be cheaper than other countries. I am coming to Singapore in March/April so if people are really interested I can try to help (but if there are like 4 or more people then my bag is not going to be big enough and I feel like a thief ) PS. I'm in Japan BTW. Too many headphones to choose from :-p

I'm enjoying the CD3000s so much, that I try to leave work early just to put them on when I get home :-) However, I have also fallen into the trap of searching for something different. What do you guys think of the CD3000? And what advice can you offer for headphone or normal amps? In Japan there are several AMPs that were recommended for the SONYs. Will list them later, gotta do something now ;-)

Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to put the D11 in the light of being "worst" than the D66. I'm pretty sure that it will be better than the standard phones you can get for $20-40. What about Phillips? Heard good things about them.

I suggest you save your money and forget about it! D66 is IMHO, not bad->OK...and if I'm feeling good, pretty good actually for the size and price. I can only imagine how much worst it could sound on a D11.

BTW, Can someone tell me why I have a "warn" thing in my user status column? Am I SARS affected?

Thanks Rameish, I actually read your review about burning-in headphones, it really helped. I think it would also help if you could also recommend the kind of music people can use to break in their phones. I didn't even know about EVO or break-in soundtracks that I could've used. I tried to look for it on Kazaa as well

1. I think breaking-in headphones/earphones warms them up (loosens the tightness of the bass, balances mid and highs), but earphones would be to a lesser extent because their speakers/drivers are smaller. 2. Bass on some new headphones may sound stiff which may result in being lacking or muddy. Loosening up the bass will help it produce the characteristics that the manufacturer's R&D was trying to achieve. 3. I think any headphones the size of mine would definitelly need to be broken-in (hahah!!), just as long as they have large ear speakers, they need breaking in. My Sonys are making me smile! All that time of breaking-in and not being able to listen to music earlier has made me so much more appreciative of it.

Not if I can have my way and I will alway abide by this principle before commiting in a buy. I've not bought anything (even down to interconnects/power cords) that I've not auditioned. The trick is always to ascertain retailers about this :- no trial, no deal. His loss, not mine. Sometimes I do encounter resistance and it will only keep my spending in check for I'll never relent unless the concerned product is easily resold or negligible in cost. Last time I was in Singapore, I had to study a lot of reviews before making an expensive purchase only because the dealers would not let me try this and that, or were beating around the bush. I don't regret buying the Senns. but I bought another one hoping to overcome the lack of bass/power and it didn't satisfy me. I won't name that shop, but it was difficult getting expert advice (more like "get this one lah, get that one lah, same mah!"). But yeah, if you can try stuff before buying, why not? Why don't dealers in Singapore have display models like those in Japan?

Couldn't you try BLUES headset or some of the other members in Singapore?

Huh?? Personally, I think the STAX gave me a very professional impression. Why do you need an audition with headphones? Almost every audio shop in Singapore do not present display headsets for people to try, and if they did, you couldn't really test them fully (some may not even be broken in). At least in Japan, I was able to bring my audio source with me, change cables and try all the competing headphones in 2 hours. Yes, I was given freedom to try them all, but some of these phones had been there for like 10 years, erroding with paint peeling off and the earpads wearing away. Not sure if that was the best condition to compare. Anyway, I think reading a lot of reviews and other people's feedback helps a lot in deciding which pair of phones may be good for you. I was reading a lot about the Senns. 600 because they were cheaper, but I had to buy all sorts of things like proper amps, players etc to get the best out of them (which I did not have the time to do).

Well, I may be in Singapore at the end of this year, I could bring back a couple CD3000s if anyone is interested. hmmmm...... might have to rethink that statement...

The STAX II are probably the best combination phones/amp that you could get at a price that's still cheaper than the R10. They are slightly lighter 385g and feels more cushioned than the CD3000 and R10(400g?), so I'm thinking they could be the next logical upgrade for me. But it will all depend on how lovable my Sonys become, perhaps I won't even trade them. PS. I'm an absolute newbie when it comes to sound, headphones and speakers and I have below average hearing (ie. I'm slightly deaf). I think my feedback is just to give people an idea of how popular the CD3000s are, because they are really good.

Updates on the Sonys. After making some quick comparisons between the Sony and Senns 570, here's a summary : SENNHEISER 570 SYMPHONY HIP HOP - "this is how we do it" - Mis-teeq (Rishi Rich Mix) - Senns do play bass reasonably well, but you can never mistaken them for bass phones. Even with this song, the highs seemed a little distorted and the vocals felt a little lost in the music. The Senns. are OK as long as the songs are not musically overwhelming (ie. not too many things going on, otherwise they will drown each other and all you hear is a general idea of the music that you're listening to, not the music itself). BALLAD - "Naotaro Moriyama" - Sakura - This is a fairly simple song, comprising of only a male singer, guitar, drums, piano and trumpet. So, it should be easy enough to listen to on the Senns. Well, its not bad, but the vocals sounded distant, like they were singing loudly in another room with one door opened. To be fair, I think the recording of this song had a lot to do with this, its just that it sounded better on the Sony. TECHNO - Paul van Dyk - For an Angel - Not bad, better than I thought....on low-medium volume. Crank up the volume and you'll start hearing crackles. Put it this way, they sound better than a lot of other budget phones like Aiwa, Panasonic, Creative or whatever, they just don't have enough power to play energised music. MOVIE - Armageddon (DivX DVD RIP) - Pretty good! For once, the Senns were good at something. I have been using these phones for more than 2 years mainly to play movies and low quality mp3s. ----------------------------------------------- The Senns overall sounded muffled, distant and uninspiring in comparison to the Sonys. I think they are effective if the music is not played too loudly (like low to medium), but what's the point in that? I was not able to compare it with the Sony EGGOS, but I think even the EGGOS were better at playing HIP HOP/POP and TECHNO than the Senns. In terms of comfort, however, they were clearly more comfortable to use and wear. Lighter and cushioned earpads, I can fall asleep on these while watching a movie. ----------------------------------------------- SONY CD3000 HIP HOP - "this is how we do it" - Mis-teeq (Rishi Rich Mix) - Woah! Talk about bass galore, the bass on these phones had a lot of presence. The vocals were not drowned out by the rest of the music and they sounded a lot clearer than the Senns. The Sony is great for POP/HIP HOP. BALLAD - "Naotaro Moriyama" - Sakura - Much more inspiring than the Senns. The vocals sounded more natural, more upfront, more emotional, which I think is very important in a ballad. The Sonys, however, felt very "in your face". The music can sometimes sound a little too loud (even though I'm using the same volume level for both phones). Sonys are very easy to drive, whereas the Senns. needs an AMP to get more out of them. TECHNO - Paul van Dyk - For an Angel - The Sony's are great techno phones hands down. They have plenty of power (and even more in reserve) to play dance music. Take care of your ears though, they can get very loud! MOVIE - Armageddon (DivX DVD RIP) - I found them a little uncomfortable to wear after a long period of time, perhaps my head is too weak to carry such a huge pair of headphones (but I think you'll understand if you had been using the lightweight Senns. for a long time). Otherwise, the Sonys were very capable movie phones. ----------------------------------------------- Sony sounded much livelier after burning in for the last few days, bass sounds very strong, vocals were more natural and inspiring, and soundstage seemed wider. Wearing them, however, was a little tiring because they were heavier than the Senns. I've even tried lying down on my double pillow while watching a DVD (on my computer) and because of the size of the phones, I couldn't really move my head or even fall asleep. ----------------------------------------------- My first impression and comparison between the Senns. 570 and the Sony CD3000 is not suppose to convince anybody of anything. I've had my Senns. for over 2 years, and I got the Sonys because I felt that I needed an upgrade as I wasn't satisfied with the way the Senns. played rock and techno. I'm comparing something fairly old and used (Senns.) with something that is probably not fully broken in yet (Sonys). But I am convinced of one thing, there is no such thing as a cheap substitute for quality headphones. You get what you paid for, and for the Sonys, I got something that was twice as expensive as the Senns, and substantially better soundwise. It would've been a waste of time and money buying cheaper phones and upgrading them each time. I wanted to buy something good and be done with it, and that's why I went all the way to getting the second best phone in the Sony range. Now I have heard the STAX II and I was impressed......................

Ja no problem. What do phones sound like when they are totally broken in? Sorry for the newbie question.

Japan does not use our GSM network and so does Korea. Their phones are so advanced it will put the latest Nokia to shame. Most of their high-tech gears are only limited to Japanese market and not available outside the country. One feature not available to us is audio/visual conversation on mobile phones. Instead of using a handsfree unit, simply face the phone which carries a camera lens and speak to it. The opposite party will be able to see and hear U. Cool er? Furthermore, there are growing concerns of high radiation emission by mobile phones but there's already a remedy for this in the form of a round patch sold only in Japan. Stick this on your phone or microwave oven and radiation is reduced. It costs less than S$10. Sorry for the OT. You are correct in both instances, Japan and Korea has their own network that are incompatible with the rest of the world. But at least Samsung still makes cool GSM phones for the rest of the world.

I would have already bought some years ago if I could use Japanese phones overseas. I was disappointed that I couldn't use GSM phones here (I had an X02 phone/pda).

You B*(&^*^, j/k. Yeah I loved the SL45. Anyway, if you're interested : - Vodafone offers more billigual phones than the other companies (Docomo, AU, Tuka, H), it was previously called J-Phone, but now the British has taken over - Phones can cost anywhere from 18,000 to 30,000 yen depending on functionality - The manuals that comes with it are absolutely useless, full of internet related information in japanese - My phone uses Panasonic SD (Secured Digital) card, which means that you cannot copy to and fro the card without a licenced software (by Panasonic of course), some phones may use Sony Mini-Memory stick, but they can't play music just yet - Only 2 phones by J-phone/Vodafone can play music, mine, the SH53, and the previous model, the SH52 - Docomo 505i by Sony Erricsson has the 1.3 megapixel camera, and uses mini memory stick, but doesn't playback music. The screen swivels like the old Motorolla V(I don't remember the model number) - Vodafone and AU will release a new 2.0 megapixel phone later this year, Vodafone model can play music, AU can't

I have the 66s dude. U're right...they are not common and costs a bomb according to some who managed to locate a pair. How much do they cost in Singapore? I bought mine for $95 or something like that.

I've been reading everything about the CD3000s and about sound quality since I joined, so yeah I know full well that the source is very important. These days, you can download 256k versions of certain songs that I might like, and I have a few. I watch a lot of movies (from internet ;-) ), and Animes, so yeah I spend too much time in front of the computer. I can't carry too much things when I'm moving places, so a good pair of headphone is better than a good pair of speakers in my case (I used to have Cerwin Vegas - Bass machines if you ask me!). As for the phones, I used to pay $980 for the Siemens SL45!!! Talk about expensive!!! Phones in Japan are much much cheaper, but just bounded by a contract. Yes, go the samgsung way, they now have phones which allows you to watch TV, as well as work as a PDA (take and view pictures, play music etc).

I used to take my Eggos out every single day, and use them at home for about 3 months. The paint on the side started to peel away. Has no effect on the sounds, but it looks kinda worned, I'm thinking of painting them just to make them look better. I see people with Eggos, but usually D22sl, not the 66s. I have the 66s, what about you? Are they common in Singapore? See a lot of Pioneer DJ type phones in Tokyo, and a couple of Eggo-like ATs.

I'm also impressed with my computer which is the SHUTTLE XPC with Athlon Geforce/Nforce/whatever. Plays the Eggos reasonably well, Senns. not so good (fault of the headphone), CD3000 pretty good.