Today I understood why people buy headphones...

...and I only listened to the Audio Technica M20 for F.I.V.E. minutes. My Brainwavz M1 just cannot, I repeat, can not give me the same:

Sound quality
Impact
Depth
Width
Premium feel (coiled, thick cable)
Polished looks
Spongy comfort

Words have failed me. I cannot enclose my feelings, can't bind them with word walls.

I gifted these to my friend, and I cannot describe how happy I am to have brought great audio to his life.

Will I feel the same with better IEMs? I doubt it. There is something about headphones which an IEM fails at. I don't know how to explain now. Maybe I will be able to put my words into perspective when I have auditioned more stuff.

I always felt I didn't need any better IEM. Yes Brainwavz M2 sounds better and so do a host of other IEMs but I never felt that my M1 lacks something essential. Now I do.

I guess I just found another expensive hobby... life is cruel.

One day, I am going to get a really awesome pair.

Same feeling here bro.

I'm also going to buy some AT(confused though). Just can't wait more to gain audio nirvana.

dashing.sujay said:
Same feeling here bro. I'm also going to buy some AT(confused though). Just can't wait more to gain audio nirvana.

I'm glad you get what I'm saying.

what is your budget?

Krow said:
I'm glad you get what I'm saying. what is your budget?

Yeah I can

. After my months of research and confusion, my options have restricted to T500/AD300/M35. Most chances of T500.

whats the price of Audio Technica ATH-M20 ?

Around 2.2k.

wow, i got about 1.5k stored up, i was aiming for the brainwavz M2. guess these will be better then.

I'd suggest you demo both first. Anyway, if you are planning on carrying it around, get M2. For home usage, ATH M20.

I was aiming for the M50 do you suggest I gradually take it up from M20 then M35 and end up(?) at M50?

My comparison of IEM would be Klipsch X10

Going directly with M50 will be too much IMO. Since you already own Klipsch 10 & Siberia, I'd suggest you M35.

M35 is not as easy to drive as M20 or T500. Better have a good sound card or amp.

^Yeah, but still it would fair much better.

S

Err if you have the budget for M50 go for it , yes it certainly shines more with a amp but arent bad without one either. I moved on directly from a HD202 to a AD700 , and if the SQ difference is huge you will surely be happy . When you move up gradually what happens is the SQ diff is present but to a lesser extent say 20-30% , plus with each upgrade you are actually losing out on a few bucks as you are going to sell your older one for a far lesser price.

I don't sell my old ones. I either keep them or give it away to friends. Mostly they just die in my own hands so that's not a problem.

BTW Krow a small review along the lines of your M1 review would be a great asset. Waiting for one

dashing.sujay said:
Going directly with M50 will be too much IMO. Since you already own Klipsch 10 & Siberia, I'd suggest you M35.

I am worried about the Klipsch X10 eclipsing all off my purchases. Hence though M50 would be a good companion to it but ran outta cash. I am however getting a different kind of headphones in a weeks time. Watch out

Krow said:
M35 is not as easy to drive as M20 or T500. Better have a good sound card or amp.

That was my worry. Spending 5k on an AMP and then another 8k or 5k for headphones really have got my kidneys worrying

But I have a Steel series Siberia V1. Do you suggest I go for M35 and skip M20 since they are around the same price bracket and might sound similar.

Hi,
I have an Audio Technica M50, and a Klipsch X10i, both. M50 might benefit from a amp, but my Cowon J3 and Sony A844, both are able to drive it very easily (though M50 eats up the battery rather quickly).
As far the sound goes, I love the M50. I used to like my X10 a lot, but these days I listen to nothing except for the M50. However, it has a sound somewhat similar to X10. the bass is punchy, mids a bit recessed, and highs are sparkly, but not overtly so. If you want to but the M50, but are holding out thinking it will need an amp, then go ahead, and but it. you won't feel the need for amp right now. You can get one later if you want to.
And if you are thinking that your X10 will eclipse the M50, don't worry. That's not gonna happen.

I am probably the only one here who does not like M50,
got both M50 and Senn hd25 I-II,the Senny is just miles ahead.
It does pretty much everything better than M50.

@ Sarath: The review is not a possibility for me now (I am not the owner of the headphones

). But, I might ask him to write a review. :))

red dragon said:
I am probably the only one here who does not like M50,
got both M50 and Senn hd25 I-II,the Senny is just miles ahead.
It does pretty much everything better than M50.

Cost of Senn hd25 I-II (never heard this model) ?

Google it mate!
It is probably the highest selling closed headphones.
Costed me 13k last year.
Worth every penny!
Nothing comes even close.

red dragon said:
Google it mate!
It is probably the highest selling closed headphones.
Coated me 13k last year.
Worth every penny!
Nothing comes even close.

Any link to where you got that coat from?

aniket.cain said:
And if you are thinking that your X10 will eclipse the M50, don't worry. That's not gonna happen.

That helped clear some air. As an owner of both the IEMs I wished for I want to ask you this.

Will I be content with the M35 after using the X10 or should I jump the ship directly onto the M50?

Thanks with the amp confusion though. I was too paranoid about it.

Krow said:
@ Sarath: The review is not a possibility for me now (I am not the owner of the headphones ). But, I might ask him to write a review.

Oh that's a heartbreaker. You can borrow ~~steal~~ them and do a small review :))

jk

nevermind I thought they were your's.

Sarath said:
Any link to where you got that coat from

Err!!Damage was 13k.
It was a typo!!Costed became coated!!
Bought it locally from kolkata.
Actually planned for M50,got one for brief audition....somehow did not like it.
The SM3 and IE7 was much better than it for my kind of music.

Someone from TE suggested the hd25...luckily I was in Shilong at that time and a local musician had it..tried it...loved it...bought it from Kolkata.

I am no audiophile but I do not like the typical veiled signature of Sennheiser(like the ie7 over ie8)
HD25 sort of gave me the same feeling.
The bass is still a tad too heavy for my likings.
The treble is sparkling(but not as much as Grados,which I hate like anything)
The mid...I am still confused,sometime it is veiled,sometimes very forword but ZERO sibilance(which is amazing)

It has become my daily driver after I lost the IE7 and manage to break the left driver of the super expensive SM3.

My advice regarding M50 would be
Do not buy it if you are into
1.classical music.
2.post rock.
3.Hate bass like me.
4.Audiophile and looking for something balanced.

For anything else it must be perfect.
Trance lovers do swear by it.
It is no way balanced,has a very narrow soundstage but at the sametime very fun sounding.
Not at all dry or analytical but extremely musical.

I have not heard X10 but iems like SM3 or IE8 are lot more acurate and airy with much larger soundstage than M50(but they cost more than double also!!)

Sarath said:
That helped clear some air. As an owner of both the IEMs I wished for I want to ask you this.

Will I be content with the M35 after using the X10 or should I jump the ship directly onto the M50?

Thanks with the amp confusion though. I was too paranoid about it.

Since I have never listened the M35, I can't comment how it fares against M50, but from what I have read, M50 has lower impedance than M35 (38 ohms against 65 ohms), and hence will be more suited to MP3 players and laptops without the need of an amp. M50 has higher sensitivity than M35, and hence should sound better. If you can somehow get your hands on both of them, try them and then buy what you like.

For an impedance of 65ohms for a full sized headphone,you will need an amp for it to shine.
Even ultra basic amps will do.