HUGE headphones on MP3 players

[Neil_H]

A guy on the train today had the largest pair of headphones I've ever seen, full studio monitor closed back over-ear Princess Leia style. What's the reasoning behind this, sound quality? I noticed he had it plugged into his Nokia phone so I couldn't help thinking he'd missed his objective there. To cut out background noise maybe?

I thought he looked a bit silly, but he did look rather pleased with himself, so perhaps it's a bigger is better ego thing?

Does anyone here do this...I'd like a window into your mind please.

[ApexJimi]

By virtue of wearing a hearing-aid, I can't use the in-ear earphones, so I use proper headphones.

Not studio type ones granted...

[shadowninja]

Much better sound than those crappy in-the-ear ones, even if he does looks stupid.

[shadowninja]

Neil_H said:

Princess Leia style.

[Fittster]

The standard ear-bud headphones I find to be useless.

[Roop]

It seems to be fashionable these days, even though most MP3 player amps probably can't chuck out enough current to move the coils properly.

The whole point of MP3 is to use some cack headphones so you can't hear the quantisation noise anyway

[Furberger]

The sound on my Nokia 5310 is probably better than my Creative MP3 player. The bass certainly drops deeper.
On the other hand the sound quality of my Shure in ear headphones is probably better than my Sennheiser cans.
Not that straightforward.

[Mattygooner]

He sounds like he irons his socks....

[whoami]

Furberger said:

cans.

[Meeja]

I use my industry standard Beyers for everything. (I bought them whilst working in commercial radio nearly 20 years ago, and they are still going strong)



Granted, I'd look like a right muppet if I plugged them into an MP3 player whilst on the train.... hence I tend to read instead!

[shadowninja]

Would it be acceptable to carry a huge stereo system and use headphones?

[trooperiziz]

Fittster said:

The standard ear-bud headphones I find to be useless.

The normal in ears ones don't stay in my ears, I use the stick-right-in ones when on the train as at least they stay in! They are quite uncomfortable after a while though.

Over ears may make you look like you could strangle Jabba, but they are comfortable and sound a lot better.

[Sixpackpert]

Maybe it's all about size, like in the 80's. Remember the dudes walking around with mahoosive portable stereos on their shoulders.

Edited by Sixpackpert on Friday 8th August 12:59

[mgtony]

Neil_H said:

A guy on the train today had the largest pair of headphones I've ever seen, full studio monitor closed back over-ear Princess Leia style. What's the reasoning behind this, sound quality? I noticed he had it plugged into his Nokia phone so I couldn't help thinking he'd missed his objective there. To cut out background noise maybe?

I thought he looked a bit silly, but he did look rather pleased with himself, so perhaps it's a bigger is better ego thing?

Does anyone here do this...I'd like a window into your mind please.

This guy wasn't on the Victoria Line tube by any chance? I cycled past someone wearing a pair of these headphones this morning, looked a bit of a c0ck!

[trumpet600]

I saw a guy on the platform at London Bridge wearing them.


He looked like Air Traffic control.

[Taffer]

With a few exceptions, the giant headphones thing seems to be adopted by wanky art student types as a 'look at me I'm different' thing, along with their freedom fighter scarves (yashmacs?) and assymmetrical haircuts. Trying to be different and they all look the same.....


It just reminds me of Craaaaaiiiiiiiiggggggg Daaaaaaaaavvvvviiiiiddddd from Bo Selecta!

[Neil_H]

mgtony said:

Neil_H said:

A guy on the train today had the largest pair of headphones I've ever seen, full studio monitor closed back over-ear Princess Leia style. What's the reasoning behind this, sound quality? I noticed he had it plugged into his Nokia phone so I couldn't help thinking he'd missed his objective there. To cut out background noise maybe?

I thought he looked a bit silly, but he did look rather pleased with himself, so perhaps it's a bigger is better ego thing?

Does anyone here do this...I'd like a window into your mind please.

This guy wasn't on the Victoria Line tube by any chance? I cycled past someone wearing a pair of these headphones this morning, looked a bit of a c0ck!

It was an overground train to Blackfriars...

[Sciroccology]

Taffer said:

It just reminds me of Craaaaaiiiiiiiiggggggg Daaaaaaaaavvvvviiiiiddddd from Bo Selecta!

This was the first thought that crossed my mind when I saw one of these fashion victims in Londinium yesterday, all skinny jeans and Converse All Stars (red, natch), with these ridiculously mahoosive headphones on his bonce.

Still, at least you can't hear what he's listening to, unlike those chavs who walk round with "music" coming out of the tinny speakers on their mobile phones.

[marctwo]

Neil_H said:

It was an overground train to Blackfriars...

He wasn't bald by any chance was he?

[FlossyThePig]

ApexJimi said:

By virtue of wearing a hearing-aid, I can't use the in-ear earphones, so I use proper headphones.

Not studio type ones granted...

I use DAI shoes, supplied by the NHS, to connect my iPod to my hearing aids, quite discreet. The NHS don't normally supply them unless you ask.

Hugh