Headphones & Audio Devices

Intrinsic · May 24, 2022

So, I think instead of replacing this Yamaha I'm just going to go the soundbar route.

My living room will never be 5.1 or 7.1 or 11.2.4 or a variation thereof. It just isn't set up to support that. At most it would be 3.1 and unfortunately the options for doing a 2.1 or 3.1 channel system these days seem very slim.

The Marantz NR1200 looks great and like it is perfect, but also seems like it doesn't exist anywhere at this point and no telling when it shows back up.
The Denon DRA-800H also looks like it would fit my needs but is a little larger and I'd really like to reduce the footprint (see Marantz above).

Otherwise for a 2.1 or 3.1 AVR style set up it just seems like the market doesn't support as many options. That's fine, my situation could be more niche.

The Samsung HW-Q900A on the other hand would allow me to remove the receiver and bookshelf speakers and downsize the sub, scoring wife points, and still sounding better than the TV speakers. I can move the KEFs and SVS PB-1000 upstairs to my office and hook them up to the Yamaha if/when it is repaired, or just do what I want to do discrete amp and DAC system for my phono and other music.

Unless there are other suggestions. I'm open to feedback. Amazon has a refurb Q900A for $767 or new for $1,000. May wait to see if there are any memorial day sales, but think this will score the most family points while providing me with some sound. We only watch about 1 hour of TV a night and maybe 1 movie on the weekends anyways.

Lanx · May 24, 2022

Intrinsic said:
So, I think instead of replacing this Yamaha I'm just going to go the soundbar route.

My living room will never be 5.1 or 7.1 or 11.2.4 or a variation thereof. It just isn't set up to support that. At most it would be 3.1 and unfortunately the options for doing a 2.1 or 3.1 channel system these days seem very slim.

The Marantz NR1200 looks great and like it is perfect, but also seems like it doesn't exist anywhere at this point and no telling when it shows back up.
The Denon DRA-800H also looks like it would fit my needs but is a little larger and I'd really like to reduce the footprint (see Marantz above).

Otherwise for a 2.1 or 3.1 AVR style set up it just seems like the market doesn't support as many options. That's fine, my situation could be more niche.

The Samsung HW-Q900A on the other hand would allow me to remove the receiver and bookshelf speakers and downsize the sub, scoring wife points, and still sounding better than the TV speakers. I can move the KEFs and SVS PB-1000 upstairs to my office and hook them up to the Yamaha if/when it is repaired, or just do what I want to do discrete amp and DAC system for my phono and other music.

Unless there are other suggestions. I'm open to feedback. Amazon has a refurb Q900A for $767 or new for $1,000. May wait to see if there are any memorial day sales, but think this will score the most family points while providing me with some sound. We only watch about 1 hour of TV a night and maybe 1 movie on the weekends anyways.

i got the samsung q70t a while ago, they were ok but surround sounded a lot better in saving private ryan when i pair it w/ the swa8500 rear speakers.

this was in an enclosed mbr.

Intrinsic · May 24, 2022

Lanx said:
i got the samsung q70t a while ago, they were ok but surround sounded a lot better in saving private ryan when i pair it w/ the swa8500 rear speakers.

this was in an enclosed mbr.

Yeah I like the idea of being able to add the 8500 or 9500 rears, especially being wireless, if we wanted to add a bit of "something."

May just go ahead and grab the Q900A tonight so it'll be here to play with this weekend. I doubt any big deals for Memorial Day will pop up (he says as a deal is waiting to drop).

Slickdeals is all I'm monitoring at the moment b/c it has been so long since bargain hunting.

taebin · May 24, 2022

Intrinsic said:
So, I think instead of replacing this Yamaha I'm just going to go the soundbar route.

My living room will never be 5.1 or 7.1 or 11.2.4 or a variation thereof. It just isn't set up to support that. At most it would be 3.1 and unfortunately the options for doing a 2.1 or 3.1 channel system these days seem very slim.

Just add a Sonos soundbar, sub, and two rear channel SL One's in pair mode. I did this back in 2013 for $2k and have been extremely happy with the performance. No receiver shenanigans, can use the rear speakers for other rooms later on if your want, sub hits hard and will shake your house. Unless you are a huge audiophile and can seriously justify the cost and wiring for a true 5.1 or 7.1 setup, this makes the most sense and allows a lot of different uses and easy user interface.

Nemesis · May 25, 2022

taebin said:
Just add a Sonos soundbar, sub, and two rear channel SL One's in pair mode. I did this back in 2013 for $2k and have been extremely happy with the performance. No receiver shenanigans, can use the rear speakers for other rooms later on if your want, sub hits hard and will shake your house. Unless you are a huge audiophile and can seriously justify the cost and wiring for a true 5.1 or 7.1 setup, this makes the most sense and allows a lot of different uses and easy user interface.

agree with this 100%

I've had discrete 5.1 and 7.1 surround systems for two decades, and it was a big improvement to switch to a Sonos Playbar + Sub + 2x Play 1's when we remodeled a few years ago.

I have a Play 5 in another part of the house, it's nice to be able to move or combine the zones when we have guests over.
Add in a Roam or Move portable speaker, and you've got outdoor/bathroom/bedroom coverage too.

The original Sonos Sub is huge and overkill for most use cases, but they have a mini version coming up soon.

This is the design of Sonos’ upcoming Sub Mini

The Sub Mini is cylinder-shaped and smaller than the Sub.

www.theverge.com

Intrinsic · May 25, 2022

Thanks all. I went ahead last night and ordered the Q900A from a Woot! deal for $689. I'll give some impressions next week when it shows up. Sonos looked really good for what I want and maybe if I finish of another room we can migrate over to that ecosystem. Or if the refurb Q900A shows up and is trashed I'll send it back and grab the Sonos. Both seem appealing for different reasons.

The Q900A does have (or appear to have) a more robust HDMI pysical input in so I can use it to manage the Xfinity + PlayStation connection, or another setup. But who knows there's a lot of ways to skin that cat. I'm sure there's other drawbacks. Wife points is my main concern

Adebisi · May 26, 2022

My 10 year old son wants a pair of wireless earbuds.

Knowing well that he may just lose them within six months... What's something under $75 that's okay?

Lanx · May 26, 2022

Intrinsic said:
Thanks all. I went ahead last night and ordered the Q900A from a Woot! deal for $689. I'll give some impressions next week when it shows up. Sonos looked really good for what I want and maybe if I finish of another room we can migrate over to that ecosystem. Or if the refurb Q900A shows up and is trashed I'll send it back and grab the Sonos. Both seem appealing for different reasons.

The Q900A does have (or appear to have) a more robust HDMI pysical input in so I can use it to manage the Xfinity + PlayStation connection, or another setup. But who knows there's a lot of ways to skin that cat. I'm sure there's other drawbacks. Wife points is my main concern

View attachment 414109

all you need is ARC anyway for inputs

the samsung will also auto detect source and do true 5.1 or 7.1 or faux surround depending how you set it up

Nemesis · May 28, 2022

Adebisi said:
My 10 year old son wants a pair of wireless earbuds.

Knowing well that he may just lose them within six months... What's something under $75 that's okay?

the best-reviewed kids headphones tend to be the over-ear Puro's as they're volume limited.

if in-ear headphones are a must, and you wanna balance quality and budget, maybe try something like this?
Amazon product ASIN B08X1QWB9W
just be mindful of volume, as kids tend to listen to things at max volume.

You should never let your kids use your earbuds—here's why

Those cheap earbuds that came with your phone? They may be dangerous.

www.reviewed.com

there are lists for kids headphone/earbud reviews, but most are random Chinese no-names. that's not necessarily a bad thing, they often come from the same factories that make the brands you're more likely to buy

The Best Headphones for Kids of 2024

These are the best volume-limited headphones for kids.

www.reviewed.com

10 Best Earbuds for Kids [2023]

Here’s a carefully handpicked selection of the best earbuds for kids in 2023, plus tips on how to pick the right pair for your child.

www.headphonesty.com

10 Best Wireless Earbuds for Kids - TechnoWifi

The best wireless earbuds for kids are always a great option if your kids are highly passionate about music, gaming, or chit-chatting with friends.

www.technowifi.com

15 Best Headphones + Earbuds For Tweens (9-12 Year Olds) | Tween Parent

Looking for the perfect set of earbuds or headphones for tweens? Our tweens help us test their favorite headphones for comfort and quality.

www.tweenparent.com

I fondly remember my first headphones

Kais · May 28, 2022

Hah, that yellow walkman sport hits the member berries hard. Thing was an absolute tank. I dropped mine from a 2nd story platform into gravel in line at the big slide at the water park. It popped open but everything worked fine for a couple more years.

MusicForFish · Jun 1, 2022

Picked up the Razer Blackshark v2 Pro. Only complaint is they tout 30h of life, but I get maybe 10h. Otherwise, pretty happy. They're comfy as fuck.

Oblio · Jun 15, 2022

Well I have decided to finally upgrade my Logitech X530s from 2004 and I have a question that some of you will probably consider a stupid.

Is the technology so much more advanced now that if I get this two speaker option it will actually be better?

Amazon product ASIN B09XFG557D

Nemesis · Jun 15, 2022

the Audioengine speakers you posted are higher powered, so they'll be louder and should likely have a broader range than the Logitech set you've linked (I haven't checked the specs).

They do not simulate spatial sound, so they are truly stereo 2.0 speakers. add a sub and you've got 2.1

With sound mixing in most modern games and movies, 2.1 will do you just fine if you're sitting at a desk.

if you're watching on a couch or a home theater room, you'll probably want a soundbar in front and discrete rear speakers.

Oblio · Jun 15, 2022

Nemesis said:
the Audioengine speakers you posted are higher powered, so they'll be louder and should likely have a broader range than the Logitech set you've linked (I haven't checked the specs).

They do not simulate spatial sound, so they are truly stereo 2.0 speakers. add a sub and you've got 2.1

With sound mixing in most modern games and movies, 2.1 will do you just fine if you're sitting at a desk.

if you're watching on a couch or a home theater room, you'll probably want a soundbar in front and discrete rear speakers.

I am not married to those speakers, I have just seen them in a lot of desk setups. This is for my sit/stand desk btw.

Do you have any suggestions?

Budget wise I would like to stay under $500 if possible, willing to go over for the right setup.

I prefer wired because I hate that slight delay and because of that I do not want rear speakers, I don't have a way of hiding the wires for the speakers behind me.

Nemesis · Jun 15, 2022

you've got it right. at a desktop station, a good wired 2.1 setup is all you need

a year ago I was debating between the Audioengine A5+ that you linked, and the Kanto YU4s, and I ended up getting the YU4s.
Amazon product ASIN B01N1ZTJJK
I did some exhaustive reading and research and it seemed to be more or less a wash between the two, but I liked that the Kanto had bluetooth connectivity.

the smaller models Audioengine A2+ and Kanto YU2 sound too tinny and don't have enough volume to drive good mid range freqs, let alone low end.
Even with the larger YU4, I felt it needed a sub, and I added the Kanto Sub8.
Amazon product ASIN B09GT92B84
Together they're pretty damn solid, but overpriced for what you get.
to be honest, I wanted matte white. I also wanted good sound, but I wasn't going to budge on the aesthetic.

For less, you can get the Edifier Bluetooth speakers + Sub combo, which I've only heard good things about. They're a bit more "classic" looking (ugly), but you get more bang for your buck.
Amazon product ASIN B077Y6PHKQ
Amazon product ASIN B07YZSBQ4Y

Chanur · Jun 16, 2022

All of Nemisis suggestions are good. I have the Kanto Yu6 and I love them. Even sound and lots of power. Edifier was my second choice. As I understand it they have a more musical sound. If you listen to lots of music you might prefer them.

Intrinsic · Jun 17, 2022

So we’ve had the Samsung Q900A hooked up for a couple of weeks now and overall I’m satisfied. Even with the room not at all complimentary to the simulated surround efforts of the sound bar I get moments of really great projection. I could imagine it sounding pretty awesome in a more rectangular room with walls to reflect and such.

Disappointments have mostly to do with the HDMI switching and toggling inputs. Also something happened between initial set up and the next day. The Samsung TV immediately recognized it over HDMI and changed all the on screen display (menu item, volume, etc) to represent the sound bar. It was great, no manual setup or anything. Next morning came back downstairs, turned everything on, and nothing. Took like an hour to simply get video to pass through. Had to get another TV from upstairs just to verify the cable box was even working. Eventually video and audio came back but I’ve not been able to get any of the OSD stuff again. The TV still seems like it has no idea it is connected. Was really cool to start out with though.

Secondly switching inputs is a pain. We have Cable Box on HDMI 1 and Switch on HDMI 2. To go from HDMI 2 to 1 you have to go all the way through D.IN, WiFi, Bluetooth, back to HDMI. And since the display is on the top of the unit and there’s no on screen feedback, you can’t tell what input you’re currently on when cycling. There doesn’t appear to be a way to disable unused inputs. Also the Xfinity remote I can’t figure out how to use as the Source/Input so I have to keep the sound bar remote around.

One last little oddness. About two nights ago we woke up to sound coming from downstairs. Almost grabbed my gun and thought someone had broken in. Turned out the sound bar just decided to start passing audio from the cable box. It wasn’t powered on, has no lights, the remote did nothing, it just really wanted to output audio. Had to toggle it on and off to get it to stop.

Anyways, those small things aside. It would pair better with a 2021 or 2020 Q series TV, but mine is a couple years older so no joy. Wish I could get that initial set up back but got tired of fighting it. For a $650 or whatever woot.com special it is hard to complain.

7.5/10

Mist · Jun 17, 2022

Intrinsic said:
So we’ve had the Samsung Q900A hooked up for a couple of weeks now and overall I’m satisfied. Even with the room not at all complimentary to the simulated surround efforts of the sound bar I get moments of really great projection. I could imagine it sounding pretty awesome in a more rectangular room with walls to reflect and such.

Disappointments have mostly to do with the HDMI switching and toggling inputs. Also something happened between initial set up and the next day. The Samsung TV immediately recognized it over HDMI and changed all the on screen display (menu item, volume, etc) to represent the sound bar. It was great, no manual setup or anything. Next morning came back downstairs, turned everything on, and nothing. Took like an hour to simply get video to pass through. Had to get another TV from upstairs just to verify the cable box was even working. Eventually video and audio came back but I’ve not been able to get any of the OSD stuff again. The TV still seems like it has no idea it is connected. Was really cool to start out with though.

Secondly switching inputs is a pain. We have Cable Box on HDMI 1 and Switch on HDMI 2. To go from HDMI 2 to 1 you have to go all the way through D.IN, WiFi, Bluetooth, back to HDMI. And since the display is on the top of the unit and there’s no on screen feedback, you can’t tell what input you’re currently on when cycling. There doesn’t appear to be a way to disable unused inputs. Also the Xfinity remote I can’t figure out how to use as the Source/Input so I have to keep the sound bar remote around.

One last little oddness. About two nights ago we woke up to sound coming from downstairs. Almost grabbed my gun and thought someone had broken in. Turned out the sound bar just decided to start passing audio from the cable box. It wasn’t powered on, has no lights, the remote did nothing, it just really wanted to output audio. Had to toggle it on and off to get it to stop.

Anyways, those small things aside. It would pair better with a 2021 or 2020 Q series TV, but mine is a couple years older so no joy. Wish I could get that initial set up back but got tired of fighting it. For a $650 or whatever woot.com special it is hard to complain.

7.5/10

Yeah you should definitely get a TV that supports Q-Symphony and has HDMI eARC.

Intrinsic · Jun 17, 2022

Mist said:
Yeah you should definitely get a TV that supports Q-Symphony and has HDMI eARC.

I told the fiancé the same thing!

Hekotat · Jun 17, 2022

I for the A2+ which work great for me. They aren't very robust at low volumes but when you get the volume pushed up they sound nice. I keep hoping I'll find a used sub for a decent price I can pair with them, it's very low on my priority list though.

My friend got the A5+ and they are also very good.

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