Closed Headphones
Discussion
I'm looking for a set of closed back, over-ear (obv) headphones for my daily commute. They'll be plugged into an iPhone, and maybe a small portable amp if they need driving harder.
I'm fairly snobbish about my hi-fi kit, so need to sound pretty good - and obv need to fit while wearing a helmet!
I've already had the debate on headphones and cycling! That's for another thread : )
I'm fairly snobbish about my hi-fi kit, so need to sound pretty good - and obv need to fit while wearing a helmet!
I've already had the debate on headphones and cycling! That's for another thread : )
chrisobrien54 said:
I'm looking for a set of closed back, over-ear (obv) headphones for my daily commute. They'll be plugged into an iPhone, and maybe a small portable amp if they need driving harder.
I'm fairly snobbish about my hi-fi kit, so need to sound pretty good - and obv need to fit while wearing a helmet!
I've already had the debate on headphones and cycling! That's for another thread : )
Audiophile sound quality while cycling? Are you serious?I'm fairly snobbish about my hi-fi kit, so need to sound pretty good - and obv need to fit while wearing a helmet!
I've already had the debate on headphones and cycling! That's for another thread : )
That must be the most redundant idea I have ever heard. Even if you are wearing headphones in both ears (another debate, but a bad move - I only wear one on pavement-side), surely you want to have some indication of what is happening around you? How do you propose to hear police/ambulance/fire sirens coming tearing up behind you?
Closed-back headphones are the only way to get really good quality of sound - but it's just a completely stupid idea for commuting, as they block out everything else. If you absolutely have to wear them in both ears, just get some decent buds that let in a little road noise around the edges, and look forward to reaching retirement.
And people wonder why cyclist injury/death stats are so high...
Yeah, thanks for your reply.
Audiophile - no. Don't be so f*cking stupid. But at the same time I don't buy sh*te. And closed back should keep the wind out (hopefully) to hear a good set, hence the amp to help things along if needs be.
Saftey - a different debate entirely. I've been commuting long enough to know how I consider to be safe, you know, being an adult and everything. But thanks for your input.
Look, if you read this and disagree with headphones while cycling just shake your head quietly and move on. Don't inflict your opinion on me. Respectfully.
Audiophile - no. Don't be so f*cking stupid. But at the same time I don't buy sh*te. And closed back should keep the wind out (hopefully) to hear a good set, hence the amp to help things along if needs be.
Saftey - a different debate entirely. I've been commuting long enough to know how I consider to be safe, you know, being an adult and everything. But thanks for your input.
Look, if you read this and disagree with headphones while cycling just shake your head quietly and move on. Don't inflict your opinion on me. Respectfully.
chrisobrien54 said:
Yeah, thanks for your reply.
Audiophile - no. Don't be so f*cking stupid. But at the same time I don't buy sh*te. And closed back should keep the wind out (hopefully) to hear a good set, hence the amp to help things along if needs be.
Saftey - a different debate entirely. I've been commuting long enough to know how I consider to be safe, you know, being an adult and everything. But thanks for your input.
Look, if you read this and disagree with headphones while cycling just shake your head quietly and move on. Don't inflict your opinion on me. Respectfully.
You were obviously too busy frothing, and deciding on how to deride me (settling on "f*cking stupid") to read the part where I said that I too listen to music on my commute across Z1 in London.Audiophile - no. Don't be so f*cking stupid. But at the same time I don't buy sh*te. And closed back should keep the wind out (hopefully) to hear a good set, hence the amp to help things along if needs be.
Saftey - a different debate entirely. I've been commuting long enough to know how I consider to be safe, you know, being an adult and everything. But thanks for your input.
Look, if you read this and disagree with headphones while cycling just shake your head quietly and move on. Don't inflict your opinion on me. Respectfully.
The point I was making is that you're never going to get great quality on a bike without major compromises, and one of these is your safety. Why not just settle for a decent pair of ear-buds which sound reasonable (without being a snob), and avoid you becoming a statistic.
Worrying about sound quality for a pair of commuting headphones is the most bizarre priority I've heard in some time... Get over the snobbery, and focus your energies elsewhere.
RichB said:
Sorry but cycling with headphones on is a stupid idea.
Yep. The OP clearly has a special cloak of invincibility. I am sure the cloak will still look good, even if he is in a wheelchair or dribbling on the windows of the special bus he'll end up in if he tempts fate in this way. Head injuries from a black cab or the 421 bus from Waterloo can pretty much ruin your day.Edited by toppstuff on Wednesday 1st August 00:07
toppstuff said:
RichB said:
Sorry but cycling with headphones on is a stupid idea.
Yep. The OP clearly has a special cloak of invincibility. I am sure the cloak will still look good, even if he is in a wheelchair or dribbling on the windows of the special bus he'll end up in if he tempts fate in this way. Head injuries from a black cab or the 421 bus from Waterloo can pretty much ruin your day.Edited by toppstuff on Wednesday 1st August 00:07
FWIW, people cycling with headphones on boil my piss. Same as people who cycle with no lights at night. But, it's okay, cos like I said, they're adults and everything....
Right.
Pretty much none of my commute to work is on, or near, any road.
It's either cycle path, foot path, or quiet housing estates (ok, so a 'road' but not, you know)
So can the condescending Health and Saftey brigade please back off?
Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Excluding opinionated gobsh*tes, obviously.
Pretty much none of my commute to work is on, or near, any road.
It's either cycle path, foot path, or quiet housing estates (ok, so a 'road' but not, you know)
So can the condescending Health and Saftey brigade please back off?
Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Excluding opinionated gobsh*tes, obviously.
chrisobrien54 said:
Right.
Pretty much none of my commute to work is on, or near, any road.
It's either cycle path, foot path, or quiet housing estates (ok, so a 'road' but not, you know)
So can the condescending Health and Saftey brigade please back off?
Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Excluding opinionated gobsh*tes, obviously.
Its a public forum, fella, so if there is an opinion that your actions are dangerous and a bit dumb, so there it is. Don't go to the public if you can't take the response.Pretty much none of my commute to work is on, or near, any road.
It's either cycle path, foot path, or quiet housing estates (ok, so a 'road' but not, you know)
So can the condescending Health and Saftey brigade please back off?
Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Excluding opinionated gobsh*tes, obviously.
And speaking as someone who has seen a cyclist ( and a good friend ) smeared across the road by a white van on a supposedly quiet side street in Balham ( he was lucky - only a broken leg, collar bone, permanent knee injury that has stopped him playing sunday football for ever ) I stand by the position that you are taking silly risks for no significant upside gain.
I am sure every person f
ked up by a traffic accident took the position that they knew the risks and were quite capable of making an adult decision. I wonder if they feel the same way when the nurse wipes the drool from their chin when they pop round to change the plastic sheeting on the bed.If you don't like it, then don't ask the question in a public forum !
Anyway, having got that off my chest, my recommendation would be this:
link
chrisobrien54 said:
Right.
Pretty much none of my commute to work is on, or near, any road.
It's either cycle path, foot path, or quiet housing estates (ok, so a 'road' but not, you know)
So can the condescending Health and Saftey brigade please back off?
Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Excluding opinionated gobsh*tes, obviously.
And when you take out a cyclist coming up to overtake you because you can't hear him (on road or not)? - it's not just your safety, it's that of other cyclists too! I occasionally ride with headphones, but I'll only ride with the left one in, it's cycling with music, not music with cycling.Pretty much none of my commute to work is on, or near, any road.
It's either cycle path, foot path, or quiet housing estates (ok, so a 'road' but not, you know)
So can the condescending Health and Saftey brigade please back off?
Of course, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Excluding opinionated gobsh*tes, obviously.
Jeez, the H&S brigade is out in force today. It's his life and he's unlikely to hurt anyone else by wearing headphones is he? Same as his choice whether to wear a helmet..!!
You could argue that your hearing is impaired anyway by wind-rush - I know that it affects what *I* hear when I'm cycling and I'm a slow-coach. Having some closed back headphones might actually help. When I used to drive a Caterham, I found inner-ear plugs cut out the roar of the engine, tyres and wind, and enabled me to hear more of what was around me. Seems counter-intuitive but it is true.
You could argue that your hearing is impaired anyway by wind-rush - I know that it affects what *I* hear when I'm cycling and I'm a slow-coach. Having some closed back headphones might actually help. When I used to drive a Caterham, I found inner-ear plugs cut out the roar of the engine, tyres and wind, and enabled me to hear more of what was around me. Seems counter-intuitive but it is true.
AyBee said:
And when you take out a cyclist coming up to overtake you because you can't hear him (on road or not)? - it's not just your safety, it's that of other cyclists too! I occasionally ride with headphones, but I'll only ride with the left one in, it's cycling with music, not music with cycling.
there's plenty who do that even without headphones, I've even managed to get a smack in the face this week from some dizzy tart in Islington who though that the routine was 'signal, manouvre', she couldn't be arsed with the 'look' bitsleep envy said:
AyBee said:
And when you take out a cyclist coming up to overtake you because you can't hear him (on road or not)? - it's not just your safety, it's that of other cyclists too! I occasionally ride with headphones, but I'll only ride with the left one in, it's cycling with music, not music with cycling.
there's plenty who do that even without headphones, I've even managed to get a smack in the face this week from some dizzy tart in Islington who though that the routine was 'signal, manouvre', she couldn't be arsed with the 'look' bit
But I'd almost go as far as to say deliberately cutting yourself off from your environment for the sake of quality music is worse.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff