Showing posts with label headphones ratings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label headphones ratings. Show all posts

Kicker Valid EB102S In-Ear Aluminum Headphones (Silver)

Kicker Valid EB102S In-Ear Aluminum Headphones
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $34.95
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
Buy Now

I have both of the Kicker Valid EB102S and Kicker Valid EB101B my personally doesn't see the difference between the 2, just a little difference in the wiring. I think Kicker Valid EB101B is much a better quality earbuds. the Kicker Valid EB102S is more comfortable. Over all the quality is decent, and sounded legit, for the price you have paid for.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Liveaction Mic Directional Microphone for Iphone4/5 and Any Cellphone with 3.5mm Headphone Port - B

Liveaction Mic Directional Microphone for Iphone4/5 and Any Cellphone with 3.5mm Headphone Port - Black Color
Customer Ratings: 2 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • Attaches to your iPhone's audio jack to elevate the quality of your recording
  • Directional and Super-Directional settings for more focused recoding
  • Case-compatible
  • Work with Free LiveAction App
  • 1 AAA battery not included

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I never really got to see how effective this directional mike is because the screw assembly that secures the base of the mike to my Iphone audio port fell apart almost as soon as I tried to use it. Then the unit fell onto the floor and broke into a couple of pieces. All in all, not a great deal.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Peavey Electronics XPort USB Guitar Interface

Peavey Electronics XPort USB Guitar Interface
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $50.97
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • 1/4" guitar instrument input.
  • Headphone output with volume control
  • Line output with volume control
  • USB cable included. ASIO/OS X (Core Audio) drivers. Windows XP/Vista/7 - Mac OS X.
  • Includes free ReValver HPse and REAPER DAW software.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

It does what it's suppose to, but there's not much to it. It's made of all plastic; it feels very hollow and cheap. The Peavey logo lights up when plugged which, which looks pretty neat. The main problem is that the volume control on the side does not control the output level, but just the monitoring level of headphones/line out. I found that to be a pretty important factor missing from the Xport. Noise and latency were pretty minimal, especially considering the price of the interface. Another thing I didn't like about it is the ReValver HPse that came with the device. It only comes with two amps, the ValveKing, the 3120, and a very small number of effects. Even the free demo version of ReValver has more features. This interface is very small and very basic, but I wouldn't use it for anything more than simple demos for recording riffs at home.

Buy Peavey Electronics XPort USB Guitar Interface Now

Really awful. Get the Apogee Jam, have less noise and higher quality. This guy broke the day I bought it, it just stopped working.

Read Best Reviews of Peavey Electronics XPort USB Guitar Interface Here

I installed this device on 3 different mac computers according to the instructions and it does not function on any of my macs. I called Peavey support twice and each time was asked to leave a message in vmail. No one ever returned my calls after 3 weeks. I am an IT professional by day and a studio owner by night. I setup software and hardware all day long and half the night. The mac drivers seem to not function. When Peavey does not respond to my messages that explained the issues, pretty much tells me the shizzle does not work as advertised. I've used Peavey products over the years and love them. This thing is crap for mac!!!

Want Peavey Electronics XPort USB Guitar Interface Discount?

I bought this to start using guitar software (Overloud, Amplitube, etc.) on my pc. Simple setup using the line level output to active studio monitors. When I first tried it, it sounded great. Crystal clear interface. After about 3 hours of play time, I noticed a crackling and humming noise in my speakers when I was playing the guitar. A high pitched whine also started coming from my pc when this thing is plugged into it. It wasn't very loud and it was difficult to tell where it was coming from at first. I unplugged the Xport and it stopped. Plugged it back into a different port and it started again. Very weird. I tried other USB devices in the same ports with no issues. I swapped all the cables out to make sure that wasn't the problem. Even plugged my guitar into an amp to make sure it didn't have wiring issues. It looks like this thing is just another overpriced, low quality piece of junk. Build quality is lacking too, cheap plastic. Maybe it's a fluke, but I'm not going to waste my time trying another one. Had it for four days and I'm in the process of returning it. Now looking for something higher quality.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

This is noisier than I had hoped. Also, it constantly drops audio, even with max buffer settings. This is on two different PC's, so I know the device is at fault. My Scarlett 2i2 works flawlessly, and isn't that much larger, so I guess I'll stick to that.

My setup Win7 64-bit, Guitar Rig 5, Sonar X1. Self-built desktop, Lenovo X230 laptop.

I'll try again after a fresh install of Windows, but I don't anticipate any changes.

I wish the Apogee Jam worked on Windows.

Alesis SR16 Drum Machine

Alesis SR16 Drum Machine
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $134.95
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • Professional drum machine with 12 velocity sensitive pads (w/Dynamic Articulation(TM))
  • 50 Preset / 50 User drum kits with 233 sounds assignable to any pad
  • Exclusive Alesis Dynamic Articulation(TM) feature enables a drum sound to change its tonal content as it's played harder for truly realistic performances
  • Sound stacking, step editing, stereo samples with reverb and ambience
  • 2 Footswitch Jacks, MIDI I/O, Stereo main and aux outs, headphone jack, power supply included
  • Professional drum machine with 12 velocity sensitive pads (with Dynamic Articulation(TM))
  • Exclusive Alesis Dynamic Articulation feature enables a drum sound to change its tonal content as it's played harder for truly realistic performances
  • Sound stacking, step editing, stereo samples with reverb and ambiance

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Some history on this device: The Alesis SR-16 has been in production since 1991 and has gone through only slight revisions to the hardware since its original release. The 16-bit drum samples are still the same today as they were on this unit over 15 years ago. It is regarded as a break-through piece of studio gear and regarded by many studio engineers as the first rhythm machine capable of producing a convincing enough drum track capable of replacing a real drummer in studio recordings for rock applications. (Prior to the SR-16, rhythm machines were commonly used in pop music in the 80's, but it was always clear to trained ears that a rhythm machine was used, the SR-16 successfully blurred the line and made it possible to use rhythm machines in genres that generally frowned upon electronic drums such as: rock, country and blues) You'll hear the SR-16 on many professional tracks by top name recording artist from the early to mid-90's.

Today the SR-16 can still be found in many professional and home recording studios. With the emergence of Pro Tools and other PC based Digital Audio Workstations, stand alone rhythm machines have become much less popular today in pro recording, but they are still very popular in home studios and for performing solo musicians around the world.

Comparing the SR-16 to newer products: Rhythm machines produced by Roland/BOSS, Yamaha and ZOOM are the SR-16's primary competition, with Roland and Alesis often cited as leaders and innovators in pro electronic percussion (these companies also produce the best quality electronic kits and the same samples are used in their rhythm machine products). Some of the features common to newer rhythm machines not found on the SR-16 include: 24-bit samples, more memory, bass guitar sequencer ability to store MIDI files on device.

Ease of use: Aside from its convincing sound quality, perhaps the reason the SR-16 has remained in production and a favorite among musicians is its ease of use. The SR-16 was designed with the non-drummer solo musician in mind and is considered one of the easiest rhythm machines to program. It's interface has been copied (but many would say not trumped) by BOSS, Yamaha and others. The manual, while poorly edited does more than any other rhythm machine owners guide to cater to solo musician who doesn't understand the first thing about sequencing drum tracks and it's A,FillA,B,FillB pattern foot switch configuration makes it easier to improvise with... In short, you don't get much customization with the SR-16, but what you do get feature was is going to be the most popular setup which makes the device much more approachable than many modern rhythm machines and sequencer options. Has a full MIDI in/out through implementation so the SR-16 can be patched in and controlled from DAW's (Pro Tools, Cubase, Live, etc...)

Comparing generations: If you're buying previously owned model be aware that some features have changed over the years. First generation SR-16 models (1991-circa 2001) had about 1/2 of the user memory than that of the current production SR-16. Also, the first generation units did not have a headphone jack. In the early 2000's Alesis updated all the preset patterns creating a market for "vintage" SR-16 machines. Also, over the years the price has dropped significantly. The SR-16 was originally marketed as a high-end studio product with a price tag around $400. While the quality of the unit has only improved, the price has dropped as computer parts have become less expensive (also newer units are mass produced in Asia).

Buy Alesis SR16 Drum Machine Now

Here's the great SR16. Been around since 1990 and still sells well. Probably the most used drum machine of all time considering how long it's been in production. Pretty easy to use and has the added extra of being controlled by a foot pedal or two so you can switch between an A and B version of a beat and an A and B version of the fills at the end of each verse. (You'll need to buy the foot controllers doesn't come with this purchase). There's loads of other revues out there if you search but this and the boss range dominate the market in my opinion. At this price it's a great bit of kit to have and a good place to start if you've never tried drum machines before. Also check out the new SR18, just released April 2008, although twice the price is the downside for the extra drum set samples, more memory and bigger construction. I've got the SR18 and it's worth every panny so the SR16 is a steal at this price you just have to accept that the SR16 doesn't have the huge scope of it's bigger brother or basslines. Alesis SR18 Drum Machine w/ effects engine

Read Best Reviews of Alesis SR16 Drum Machine Here

Ive been recording music for 6 years. I'm a bit of a perfectionist.. Always trying to make my tracks sound as legit as possible with the things i had.. Ive never had the money for drum sets in those days but with all the little things I've purchased it adds to well over this small price tag of 150 smackers.

This machine has all your rhythm needs.. You can program a song beat for beat or jam along to the many cool patterns they have.. Also its important to note you can adjust the tempo on all of them so the possibilities are endless. This machine is so simple to use. It could be a great gift for starting musicians and just about anyone who's a creator.

Overall I love this ol thing and I plan on using it for many many MANY years to come.. and if it breaks on me, Ill just buy a new one! Cuz its worth every penny and more.

Want Alesis SR16 Drum Machine Discount?

I've been using a Roland R-5 for a long time and decided I wanted some fresh sounds. The SR-16 definitely has some realistic drum voices, but I've decided to hook it up via MIDI with the Roland and use it as a sound module extension. There's something awkward about the Alesis interface for me. Things I can do with a couple pokes of a button or two on the Roland seem to be more involved with the Alesis and I'd prefer to spend less time poking and more time creating music. I also don't care for the limited levels of nuance when hitting a pad. Depending on the setting I've chosen, it's either too sensitive or not sensitive enough, there's no just right.

Having said that, I recommend it at least for the sounds. Some are lame, most are good.

Note that the original SR-16 was 16-bit and the one shown on this page is a newer 24-bit model. I'm told this newer model has better sounding drums, but I can't confirm as I've never tried the original. Something else was added to the 24-bit model: a headphone jack in the rear. In order to add the headphone jack, they omitted one of the AUX outputs and made the AUX as a single stereo balanced L/R output instead. So the photo of the rear view shown on this page is not accurate. This probably won't matter to most, it does to me but I found a workaround.

I purchased this on Amazon through Adorama Camera, not pleased with the delivery time.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

I've found this machine to be one of my best purchases. I've used it for home recordings and live performance both very satifactory. Will do custom beat by beat user programmed drums or user programmed loops with fills/intros also. It sounds good, has a good variety of percussion sounds and I was able to read the manual and use the features. No repairs needed over a number of years. You've got to love it! :-)

Casio CTK-2300 61-Key Premium Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply

Casio CTK-2300 61-Key Premium Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $119.99
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
Buy Now

  • Premium bundle includes: Nady HP03 closed-cup headphones, AD5 power supply, and a World Tour SXKS keyboard stand
  • Easy-to-play keyboard 61-key portable keyboard with wide range of tones, rhythms and learning capabilities
  • 400 high-quality tones, 150 rhythms and auto accompaniments
  • Voice Pad allows you to play sampled sounds; connect CD or MP3 player for practicing along with favorite songs
  • Power supply included

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Dear Amazon

I received my Casio CTK-2300 keyboard & accessariesCasio CTK-2300 61-Key Premium Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply

The keyboard is just what I expected a portable keyboard that plays well with lots of different ways to play.

When I ordered, I saw that a stand was included but when I received my order, the stand was not included in the box.

The representative did an excellent job of solving the problem and I will receive a stand. Thank you Amazon customer service.

Mary Ann

Buy Casio CTK-2300 61-Key Premium Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply Now

After reading various reviews I did indeed buy an additional power supply, although the keyboard does come with one. I am very glad I did because the one that comes in the box with the keyboard does NOT WORK. I put the batteries in and it worked just fine. I will have to wait on the other PS because they shipped in two parts. I will say that although I put down for the basic shipping and was expecting it to come in about 5 days it actually came in 3. Just curious to know why these PS are not working with many of the keyboards? They are in the original box WITH the keyboard, not as an extra purchase. I just realized that the one I did order is NOT compatible with the CTK-2300 although it was under the things mostly ordered along with the keyboard. That is my fault for not reading further on the notes section. It fits about 20 different keyboards just not the one I purchased, so be careful if you are planning on doing the separate purchases.

A few days later... I received the 2nd power supply and it didn't fit either! I did order the the one from World TourWTAD5 which is supposed to be for the Casio models CTK BUT once again, when it arrived it didn't fit!! Now I mad because I have 3 power supplies and none of them work! So I am packing up the whole thing and sending it back. Probably going to order the Yamaha version and see where that gets me. I really did like the keyboard but the adapter issue is just too much to handle at this point!

Read Best Reviews of Casio CTK-2300 61-Key Premium Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply Here

Received product in timely manner. Quality good and recommend to anyone who is a beginning pianist. Great for practice.Purchased for a child who is most impressed with the product.

Want Casio CTK-2300 61-Key Premium Portable Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand and Power Supply Discount?

the headphones were broken when i got them but the stand and the pinao was great ... although i could tell the pinao was used when i ordered new

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Before purchasing this keyboard, I had no knowledge of how to play. The song book that was included, and the tunes you could play along to really helped me learn. It's easy to use, has great sound, and everything works great. 5/5 stars for sure!

CEntrance MicPort Pro

CEntrance MicPort Pro
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

The Voice Actor's Guide to Home Recording

This amazingly tiny device solves the dilemma when traveling of having a professional-level audio interface that doesn't weigh a lot or take a lot of space. The quality blew me away. Now every professional microphone can instantly become a USB microphone best of all you can monitor your work through the built-in headphone jack.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

This preamp really is nice; its compact, setup is a no brainer, and sound quality is top notch, even with the gain turned all the way up, its whisper quite, very nice.

Buy CEntrance MicPort Pro Now

I am a professional voice-over talent and bought the MicPort Pro so I could record on the road through a USB cable plugged into a laptop. I did an A/B comparison of the MicPort Pro with my studio preamp, a FocusRite Saffire LE with a firewire output. Both were connected to the same Blue Bird mic. Blue Microphones Bluebird Cardioid Condenser Microphone

No, it isn't as good as the FocusRite pre, but it's REALLY close. I have a deep, warm voice, and the MicPort Pro is just a tad thinner/less warm on the bottom end. But otherwise, the sound is clean and clear and does not sound amateurish or cheap at all . The slight difference is most noticeable on high resolution monitors, but less so on computer speakers or a set of MDR-7506 headphones. I did not have the problems with the XLR connector that others have mentioned here, and have absolutely no qualms about taking it on the road and using it to submit auditions and finished projects to clients, or using it as a backup if something went wrong with my FocusRite.

Read Best Reviews of CEntrance MicPort Pro Here

I'm a full-time pro voice talent, have been running my own studio since 2003. I'm not a trained engineer, but over the years I have learned how to get broadcast-quality audio from my studio. Since I freelance, of course I do not get any paid vacations. But now that I have a MicPortPro, now I kinda do!

Let me explain. This little gadget is so small, that along with my 10 inch screen netbook and an AT2050, the whole lightweight rig takes up very little space. So taking it along with me when I travel is easy-peasy. Oh, also, it sounds wonderful. So now, IF I want to, I can record voice tracks when I'm away. For example, when I was away for a week this winter, I got a script in from a regular client. I arranged some heavy blankets in a walk-in closet in our condo bedroom, set up my netbook, MPP and mic, and recorded my script in under 15 minutes. I uploaded the file, and my client was very happy I could turn this around even though I was on vacation. While this means I'm never really on vacation (unless I want to be), it sure was nice to work for 15 minutes and make enough to pay for a *really* nice night out with my wife. (She forgave me for working!).

Then just last night, again I was out of town on a family vacation. An audition came in for a regular client of mine my hit ratio with her is very good, so it seemed like low-hanging fruit so to speak. I set up my little portable studio, recorded the audition in a few minutes, and submitted it to my agent. Boom I got the gig! Without the MicPortPro, it would have gone to someone else.

The little beauty also saved my bacon when my home studio computer flaked out on me. I connected the MicPortPro to my other computer, one I normally keep for personal use only, and I was in business again in just a few minutes. I was able to record that national cable TV voice-over for my regular client on schedule, thanks to the MicPortPro. Every serious studio needs to have a backup plan. Mine does, and it works, and it's cheap, and it's easy to use, and it sounds GREAT!

Yeah, I'm a fanboy.....

UPDATE 4.22.13:

After owning both the MicPortPro and the Shure X2u for over a year, I now have some clearer opinions on the merits and disadvantages of both units.

I recorded a sample script with both interfaces, and found that I had a slight but significant preference for the sound from the MicPortPro. It's a slightly richer and clearer sound than what I get from the X2u. The MPP is also slightly smaller than the X2u, which makes it easier to carry when traveling (I have a backpack to keep my audio gear in that is already stuffed to the gills, so smaller is better). The downside of the MPP may be quality control. The level and headphone output dials are both make loud scratchy sounds in my headphones when moved (though, crucially, that noise does NOT appear in the recorded sound file!!). It's annoying for sure, but I can live with it. But it does make me somewhat concerned about the durability of this unit.

The Shure X2u sounds very good, though not nearly as good to my ear as the MPP. It is bigger and heavier. It feels more solid and durable than the MPP, and I've had no issues with scratchy pots or anything else. However, I really dislike the controls for mic level and headphone output. They are scroll wheels without any markings at all. For me this is a potential problem. I have a few clients that demand consistent sound, and I can't be sure exactly how hot my input is without any numbers on the dials I just have to do it "by ear." I can't just set it and forget it, but thishonestly is more an annoyance than a deal-breaker.

The good news is that you should be happy with either interface (assuming the MicPortPro doesn't suffer from QC issues). If you are willing to take a risk on the QC and I can't say what the risk level really is I do prefer the superior sound quality and portability of the MicPortPro. Those advantages are worth the $50 premium over the Shure X2u.

Want CEntrance MicPort Pro Discount?

Hi all--

I'd spent some time surfing around for a highly portable two channel USB microphone adapter to hook up to my laptop and record my band's rehearsals. I quickly arrived at a preference to get one of the marker pen-shaped interfaces that you can plug your mic into eliminating the need for a mic cable. Out of the obvious suspects on the market the specifications seemed to indicate the MPP offers audio quality superior to the other units so I decided to give it a shot plus I wanted to record stereo so I purchased 2 units.

My initial portability demands had been met I can fit two NT55s incl. stand adapters and the extra capsules, two USB cables (supplied with MPP), and the two MPPs in one standard size mic pouch and put the whole thing into my gig bag's front pocket (I'm a guitar player) I'm pretty sure this would have been impossible in the 2008 world and it feels fantastic!

The units look fairly sturdy. I guess the XLR could be better quality. The circuit board is lodged in the metal body very tight to avoid any parts rumbling inside (read on to see why I had to open the unit up). Knobs are made of rubber, have a soft feel to them and again fit very nicely. The phantom power switch is a low action micro switch that is kind of difficult to get to, which I class as a good thing as long as you don't deactivate it while trying to insert headphones in the 3.5mm stereo jack that's just next to it.

Sound quality indeed turned out to be this product's strength. Noise level of both recording and playback is very low, I had no problem with any kind of distortion, hum, hiss... Obviously it's always a question of what is it that you're comparing it to. As far as the built-in sound adapter in most/all laptops I can't even begin to describe the difference. I'm sure there are better laptops in that respect than my Compaq but seriously it would be comparing two different worlds.

Reliability on the first session I noticed that the first unit I tried kept losing signal from the mic while recording. This was magnified when I was moving the mic around and indicated a connection issue between the mic and the MPP. Initially I thought it would be loose XLR contacts on the MPP. Now, live too far and I'm too impatient to send the unit back so being fairly skilled and being an electrical guy I went through the hassle of taking the XLR apart to respring the contacts to later find out the exercise didn't fix the problem. You can imagine the internal PCB is a pretty busy one so I still hoped the lost/unstable connection would be between the small board that the XLR is soldered to and the unit's main board and it was I quickly found the main board kept losing connection to pin 3 of the XLR. As the internal electronics uses multi layer circuit boards I was unable to track where the path goes and where it's broken so I just ran a piece of fine wire from the XLR to the main board on which it was obvious enough where it needs to go. No problem from there. The other unit was OK.

Next thing was to try both MPPs at the same time to record a stereo track. The Centrance website does make sure their users understand they need to plug both units into the same USB hub to achieve a sample-accurate stereo track so that's what I did (my laptop has two USB ports on either side and I plugged both in one side). In Cool Edit I assigned the inputs to the tracks and pressed rec. After a second or two of the cursor still stuck in one spot a Win error message pops up saying I'm exceeding the USB's bandwidth. This was in a 44.1kHz and 16bit recording session. Out of curiosity, I replugged one unit to one of the USB ports on other side of my laptop reassigned inputs and tried again. This time the recording started successfully and carried on with no apparent problem. After it was done I listened to the tracks and confirmed what Centrance warned about. The two tracks were off from beat one and their offset was getting worse as the track progressed to reach over one second over two and a half minutes. I later even tried to adjust sample rate of one of the tracks to compensate and realized the two clocks were not only different but were very unstable during the course of the track too. So again, Centrance is right, no way to go!

I'm currently trying different setups to make the units work in stereo, if I don't I'll be stuck with two MicPortPros both of them for sale as one is obviously not going to give me stereo. I paid $300 for the two units and was ready to take off three stars in this review but I just noticed here that the price has recently dropped to something a lot more reasonable so I'm only taking two stars off.

All in all, mono operation is flawless as long as your MPP isn't faulty and sound quality is stunning for what it is. Much worth considering especially now at the new price.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

AKG K712 PRO Open Over-Ear Reference Studio Headphones

AKG K712 PRO Open Over-Ear Reference Studio Headphones
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $479.00
Today's Bonus:
Buy Now

  • Made in Vienna, Austria hand-crafted with the highest attention to detail
  • Over-ear design maximum wearing comfort for long work sessions
  • Sophisticated open technology for spacious and airy sound without compromise
  • Improved low-end performance by 3dB for more powerful sound imaging
  • Revolutionary flat wire voice coil for incredible impulse and treble response

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Pros: Neutral sounding from bass to treble, sounds good from a portable player, added bass and comfort

Cons: A tad large and loose fitting, additional cost compared to the AKG K701, not super easy to drive

A big thanks to Headphone.com for loaning me the AKG K712 Pro and HD650 for this review.

A hearty thanks to Tyll Hertsens from Innerfidelity.com for loaning me a pair of AKG Q701 also used in this review.

Specs:

http://www.akg.com/K712+PRO-827.html?pid=1408&techspecs

Frequency Response Charts:

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=853&graphID[]=4163&scale=30

GEAR

Initial testing on an iPod touch ( 3rd Gen )

The idea with the iPod is to ensure that it can drive the headphone to loud listening levels and still remain under 100% volume. The K712 Pro did that and sounded great through the iPod touch.

Full review conducted on my home rig:

Source: PC playing 256kbps AAC or better files

DAC: Grace Design m903 ( 24 bit mode )

AMP: HeadRoom BUDA in single ended mode

Interconnects: Kimber PBJ RCA and Seismic Audio Balanced patch cables

INITIAL TEST TRACKS

Check Corea: Three Ghouls, Part 1

Karsh Kales: Longing

Maroon 5: Won't Go Home Without You

Michael Jacskon: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

Patricia Barber: Dansons la Gigue

The Beach Boys: Surfin' USA

They Might Be Giants: Spiraling Shape

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A quick inspection reveals some much appreciated updates. The headband no longer has bumps on the inside and is made of leather, the cable is detachable, and the earcups are extremely comfortable. From my iPod the test tracks were very involving and the improved bass was noticed. I gave the K712 Pro an initial listen in my laser lab where things become quite noisy. With my head deep inside the confines of my flow booth I had to set the volume to 70% which seemed pretty high for the advertised sensitivity and impedance. Even on my home rig the BUDA remained on high gain and about set to 1/3 output. That in mind they did sound quite good at this volume. Things sounded great and the comfort improvements are huge in my book as I hardly noticed I was wearing headphones while working.

LET'S TEST THIS THING

Check Corea's Three Ghouls, Part 1: This track tests quickness, realism, and treble. It also tests how up-front sounding a headphone can be. The K712 Pro sounded full, quick, and perhaps a tad lean on the piano. They lacked a little of the rough attack the headphones like the HD650 deliver with this track. Then again the kick drum was much more realistic with the K712 Pro than the HD650.

Karsh Kale's Longing is a track I use for general imaging and engagement. As Tyll will tell you sometimes how a headphone makes you feel tells a lot about the headphone itself. The separation and sense of space is just awesome with the K712 Pro. From the bass to treble there is a very nice cohesion and fluidity making this track very enjoyable. The K712 Pro sounds less tinny than the HD650 here and revealing to the sound image.

Maroon 5's Won't Go Home Without You: This is a track I typically use to test crossover issues with speakers and IEMs. It also gives rise to issues with male vocals and too up-front sounding headphones. Most AKG K7xx headphones have some issues with up-front sounding drums and vocals. I would say the K712 Pro is very similar sounding as the HD650 in this regard, but the airy bass on the K712 Pro is just awesome. The K712 Pro is smoother than the HD650 on the vocals removing the edginess.

Michael Jacskon's Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': Another track testing the up-front nature of headphones. It also tests treble and vocals as with some headphones like the AH-D2000 and K701 can be harsh. No doubt here even though the K712 Pro sounds nice with this track they are bright and up-front for my ears. The HD650 removes the harshness at the cost of some realism in the bass guitar. If you are an engineer looking to find issues with treble these are good headphones for that. As for home listening the treble may find itself EQed down a bit. Dropping 315Hz, 400Hz, as well as 3150Hz and 6kHz tamed the K712 Pro a bit. No surprises here as this is what I typically view the sound signature of most AKG headphones.

Patricia Barber's Dansons la Gigue: A great tack to test separation, bass, and female vocals. A headphone like the Grado RS-1i struggles here as things become too even sounding. The bass blurs into the mids and further into the treble. The richness of the guitar sounds spectacular with the K712 Pro. It is possible the best sounding dynamic headphone in this regard. The HD650 begins to blur the guitar into the mids and there is a strange blurring of the vocals with the HD650 that I simply do not hear with the K712 Pro. The K712 Pro is definitely a soft jazz headphone.

The Beack Boys' Surfin' USA is a track I use to test how even a headphone may sound. Much like using Pink Noise it reveals any glaring issues like a lack of midrange smoothness, imaging, and even quickness. The AKG K712 Pro removed the excess hiss on the letter "s" heard on the HD650. Again here it was more about what headphone signature works well with the given track. I liked the K712 Pro more as it sounded less colored and perhaps even laid back to that signature of the HD650.

They Might Be Giant's Spiraling Shape is a track I use to test male vocals in detail, how the kick drum resonates, as well as test the metallic splash of the crash cymbal. Here the HD650 sounded really colored compared to the AKG K712 Pro. The Pro sounds much more even from the kick drum through the vocals. The HD650 blurs the vocals into the bass.

If your music collection or production work consists more of acoustic guitar, drum, and vocals the K712 Pro scores excellently and would be my preference over the HD650. For music like hard rock the Pro may wield a bit too much bite and up-front sounding midrange compared to the HD650. As with many AKG headphones this will diminish slightly over time.

CONCLUSION

The AKG K712 Pro is a headphone that sounds very good and speaker-like. The added bass is actually very impressive on particular tracks like Dream by Kroke. Bass not found in the other AKG headphones that I have heard. It is a headphone I find myself listening to over the HD650 at times because with certain tracks is sounds more full and pleasant. In the end it is really about preference, but rest assured the AKG K712 Pro is an excellent and amazing sounding headphone.

At $499 I cannot help but feel that this headphone is on the expensive side. In some areas it improves upon the sound of the HD650, but in other areas it remains hard to listen to due to the peaks at 2kHz, 7kHz, and 8kHz. The build quality is really good and the headphone will look great with any home or production setup. As others have mentioned if the price drops to $350 I think others including myself would be all over the K712 Pro, but at $499 you start looking at the Q701 and Momentum. It definitely looks like AKG is targeting the somewhat lean $399 $499 market, but I would like to see this headphone around $299-$399.

I also want to comment on the fit. The K712 Pro is very comfortable and can be worn for hours without fatigue on the outer ear or top of the head. The earcups rest a bit low on my head making me wish I could further adjust the headband. The somewhat common issue with the elastic on the auto adjusting headband may wear out like their other headphones, but keeping good care of your cans should prevent that from happening.

My brief experience with the K712 Pro has been a good one and with more listening I imagine it will only improve.

To see my full review go here:

http://www.head-fi.org/products/akg-k712-pro/reviews/9482

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Pyle-Pro PAD10MXU 2 Channel Mini Mixer With USB Audio Interface

Pyle-Pro PAD10MXU 2 Channel Mini Mixer With USB Audio Interface
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $117.99
Sale Price: $50.98
Today's Bonus: 57% Off
Buy Now

  • Combo Input Connector Female/XLR And 1/4 '' Phone Jack For MIC/Line Inputs. - Line 2/3 Level This Control Adjusts The Volume Of Signal Input Of Line 2/3. - USB Audio Interface
  • Line 3/2 Stereo Line Inputs RCA Plugs,To Connect Cd, Mp3 Tape Deck, Players. - Peak Led It Lights Up Went The Input Signal Of Ch1 Is Too High. - Master Lets You Control Mixer's Overall Volume Level
  • Main Out RCA Plugs To Connect The Mixer, Receiver Or Amplifier. - Ch 1 Gain This Control Adjust The Volume Of Signal Input Of Ch1. - Clip Led Lights Up Went The Main Output Signal Is Too High
  • Signal Output Thru The Headphones - Phantom Power Supply On The XLR Connector Of Ch1. - Monitor To Control Volume Output Of The Monitor Jack.
  • Line/INSTR SW Input Select Switch Set - Phantom Led Indicates That Phantom Power Is On. - Power Led Indicates That The Unit Is In On Position.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Perhaps calling this a mixer is pushing it but it is a great audio interface. I'm using this on a 13 inch MacBook Pro and it solves the issue of one audio jack and does allow a few input options with gain control. If digitizing vinyl this is great in that you can hook up a turntable to it however you may need a preamp source pending the type of turntable. The audio quality is much better than using a USB turntable with I also have used. This is very good for a mic input for a Mac or other computer. The audio quality for a mic is really amazing, much better than i expected.

Buy Pyle-Pro PAD10MXU 2 Channel Mini Mixer With USB Audio Interface Now

Pyle pro is compact, weight provides additional feel of dependability, works as expected, it's easy to use. I use it mainly for portability and ease of use of non usb microphones.

Read Best Reviews of Pyle-Pro PAD10MXU 2 Channel Mini Mixer With USB Audio Interface Here

I needed a small mixer with a microphone input and the ability to add sound through another channel. Also a headphone output to enable me to judge levels. This mixer is doing the job very nicely. The only problem I encountered is that the microphone I am using is a broadcast type and has a 70db output, the gain of the mixer was not quite high enough so I had too add a small microphone pre-amp. The mixer has been working over a few weeks now and I am well pleased with it.

Want Pyle-Pro PAD10MXU 2 Channel Mini Mixer With USB Audio Interface Discount?

Does as needed. Great price. Can record vocals and one instrument simultaneously. No perceptible noise interference. Definite buy for start up artists to record/perform. Takes up little desk real estate.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Thank you for a very good product and I'm really enjoying it. I was a bit worried when I ordered it but because the photo did not give it any justice. First experience with Amazon and was very impressed with the service and quality of product.

Odyssey FRGSDNMC36000 DJ Mixer Case

Odyssey FRGSDNMC36000 DJ Mixer Case
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $279.99
Sale Price: $199.00
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
Buy Now

  • Patented Gliding Laptop Platform
  • Removable V-cut Front Access Panel
  • Recessed Handle and Latches

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

As a professional DJ/MC with over 30+ years of experience, I have seen it all and used a lot of equipment. When it came to upgrading my DJ systems the only thought I had was how to protect my new investments where they would be stored comfortably, neatly and securely and my only answer was Odyssey Professional DJ Cases. These cases are durable as well as shock resistant and all around easy to use and handle.I am definitely a fan. In addition, these cases are well constructed and easy to carry and store with all my gear. Set up is quick and easy. I choose these cases specifically to houses my new Denon MC 3000 systems and was a perfect fit. It has easy accessablity front and back of the case for super easy plug in's and storage space. i would absoutely recommend these cases to any professional looking to protect their equipment and carry to gigs with ease. dp.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

Hercules 4780581 HDP DJ-Pro M1001 Professional DJ Headphones

Hercules 4780581 HDP DJ-Pro M1001 Professional DJ Headphones
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $169.99
Sale Price: $119.98
Today's Bonus: 29% Off
Buy Now

  • Professional DJ headphones with style and comfort
  • 32 ohm drivers: strong playback level on any audio output
  • Effective passive noise cancelling; Soft, large ear pads: isolate the DJ's ears from ambient noise; Closed-back ear-cups prevent sound from bleeding out
  • 50 mm diameter drivers: clear playback for deep bass response; 5Hz-30kHz: super-wide frequency bandwidth, to analyze any audible frequency; 107 dB at 1 mW sensitivity: enough decibels to preview even close to PA speakers
  • Earpieces: vertical rotation (180 degrees) for easy 1-ear monitoring; horizontal rotation (90 degrees) for folding and transport, and to direct the earpiece toward the user's ear when headphones are worn around the neck

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

very good heaphone, good noise cancelling,is able to take cord off and switch to the other ear. bass is very good without going into mids or highs. imo better than any beats for half the price . also suggest the audio techncia ath m50. may feel a little tight at first. good for extended period of time. ALSO the input cable into the headphone has a lock feature simply turn the tip left or right . when i first used it i noticed the sound kept distorting this happens when not locked.

Buy Hercules 4780581 HDP DJ-Pro M1001 Professional DJ Headphones Now

As represented. Good headphones. Buffers outside sounds well. Would purchase again. Price was good for the quality of sound it delivers.

Read Best Reviews of Hercules 4780581 HDP DJ-Pro M1001 Professional DJ Headphones Here

I do not understand those who complain and say they are bad, have hearing problems? Although it is constructed of plastic, feel strong and sturdy, the sound quality is excellent and it has nothing to envy about a Beats by Dr. Dre. If you want to pay double or more than double by a "b" do it, but if you want sound quality, comfort and versatility and for much less try these. These headphones are professional, high definition, bass do not have to take you out of place the eardrums, are designed to clearly hear musical instruments since most are located in the mid and high frequencies. I highly recommend them.

Want Hercules 4780581 HDP DJ-Pro M1001 Professional DJ Headphones Discount?

The headset is very comfortable and the sound is decent, but the flimsy plastic headband creaked and broke when only a few weeks old.

Buy Fom Amazon Now

I got these cause I make songs on f.l. 10 studio edition and I got the cheapest beats I could. Seen these and figured they may be pretty good. Man was I wrong. If someone does like these its because they have never listened to a set of beats.