Why Are Sundays So Depressing — The Strokes

Probably the song that has the the biggest difference between HD800s and any other headphone, in my personal opinion. The guitar sounds so damn good.

Important to mention that it’s not just the audio file that contributes to what you’re hearing.

It’s the listening environment, your headphones/speakers, the quality of the recording/post production, and your overall familiarity with the small details of the song.

If I’m listening with my IEM’s while walking my dog outside and there’s environmental noise and the music isn’t getting my absolute undivided attention, then I probably won’t hear the difference between MP3 and FLAC.

But when I’m giving the music my undivided attention and listening in my silent room with my HD800s, I can absolutely hear the difference with well produced albums. It’s very marginal, but it’s noticeable.

This is the answer I agree with.

Lossless vs. lossy, always lossless.

Uncompressed lossless vs. compressed lossless, always compressed lossless.

The uncompressed lossless takes up an unnecessarily large amount of space for no audible difference.

Similar but different…

In high school, I would put my earbuds wire underneath my shirt on my back side, and it would come up at the back of my neck and wrap around my ear. The wire was 100% concealed this way because of my Beatles style haircut. I would listen to music the entire day, even during class, but I still needed to hear what was going on around me, so I would only listen through one ear.

My mind was absolutely blown the day I learned Money by Pink Floyd had not just two, but three parts to the guitar solo!

I had two pair. The first would have the sound pop occasionally in the left ear. If I disconnected and then reconnecting the MMCX, it would fix it temporarily for a few days. I only used that pair for two weeks before deciding to send it back.

My second pair hasn’t had any issues. I’ve used them almost almost daily for 4-5 months so far.

if I were to change it, would it impact the sound quality much? Or is volume the only real difference?

The answer will change depending on how much the person answering has already spent on their gear.

Moondrop Quark - Best for sleeping, I use them exclusively while I’m camping in the backcountry

Sennheiser IE600 - Daily IEM’s, use them mostly while I walk my dog and when I work out

Sennheiser HD800s - Daily headphones, set up at my bedside, use them most evenings

Sennheiser HD6XX - Set up at my desk, I use them occasionally but not very often anymore.

All of my others are basically ‘retired’. Sennheiser HD 25-1 II, Bose IE2, Bose Soundsport Free, Shure SE215

Live performances on YouTube through TV speakers while I sit on the couch and get work done on my laptop

IEM’s while I walk my dog

Headphones are set up at my bedside, either listen while working on my laptop or I’ll close the laptop and just listen to music before going to sleep.