Archives for June 2017

Father’s Day Headphone Deals

There’s a number of good deals that flew off the front page of the blog, which is a sign that we need to have a “deal summary” post! And with good reason, Dads and Grads season is a good time for headphone purchases. So without further ado, here we go…

LATEST UPDATE: June 17 in 2017 at 2:19pm ET…

FREE IN-EARS with OVER-EAR/ON-EAR PURCHASE

+ FREE Master & Dynamic ME03 In-Ears with the purchase of select M&D MW-series and MH-Series headphones at B&H Photo
+ see also detailed post on this offer

OVER-EARS

+ Blue Microphones Lola Over-Ears for $137 at Amazon actual

+ Audeze LCD-2 (Aluminum and Lambskin) for $699 at Adorama
+ there’s also a few more Audeze bundles on sale starting at $995

+ Used condition Astell & Kern Beyerdynamic AK T1p Semi-Open Headphones for $424 + Shipping at Adorama
+ Astell & Kern Beyerdynamic AK T1p Semi-Open Headphones for $550 at Adorama

+ AKG K550 Mark II for $90 at Harman Audio

+ HIFIMAN HE-400i for $250 by various thru Amazon, and alternate listing

ON-EARS

+ HIFIMAN Edition S Switchable Open/Closed Back for $150 in White color or Black color scheme
+ there’s also an alternate black color listing as marketplace sellers are able to create their own listings, adding to the noise at Amazon 🙂

BLUETOOTH and/or ANC and/or RF OVER and ON EARS

+ Sony MDR-1000X BT and ANC in either color for $328 by Amazon actual

+ Used Sennheiser RS120 RF wireless system for $22 by Amazon Warehouse Deals actual

+ Used (“Very Good”) Panasonic RP-HC-200K ANC for $8.65 by Amazon Warehouse Deals

IN-EARS / EARPHONES

+ Hifiman RE-300a earphones for $25 by AudioLAB fulfilled by Amazon
+ Hifiman RE-400 earphones (no buttons) for $49 by various Prime-eligible sellers
+ RE-400i earphones (iOS buttons) for $49 by HiDef Lifestyle (not Prime eligible)
+ RE-400a earphones (Android buttons) for $49 by various Prime-eligible sellers

+ Hifiman RE 600S V2 Songbird for $129 by Hifiman fulfilled by Amazon

+ 1More Triple Driver IEMs for $65 [or 5% more for non-members] at Costco

+ Jaybird X3 Sport Bluetooth earphones for $100 at Amazon actual

+ Phiaton MS 300 BA in-ears for $56~ by Amazon actual
+ Phiaton MS 100 BA in-ears for $40 by Amazon actual

+ Used “Very Good” a-JAYS Five Earbuds for Android, White for $12~ by Amazon Warehouse Deals

+ Beats Powerbeats 3 bluetooth earphones for $140 in the white color scheme at Amazon

AMPs, DACs, DAPs, PADs

+ Used TEAC HA-P90SD DAP in RED for $195~ by Amazon Warehouse Deals

+ Used Schiit Audio Asgard 2 Head-Amp for $226~ by Amazon Warehouse Deals actual

+ Used “Very Good” condition HiFiMan HM-650 DAP for $299 fulfilled by Amazon

+ HTC 10 “Phone as DAP” for $240 outright or $10/mo for 24 month at SPRINT

+ Focusrite Scarlett Solo Second Generation (2 IN, 2 OUT) for $72 at Adorama.com

ACCESSORIES

+ HIFIMAN Velour Earpads for HE-series for $10 with free shipping by Hifiman thru Amazon (not Prime eligible)

+ The Technology of Binaural Listening (Modern Acoustics and Signal Processing) hardcover book for $106 by Amazon actual

+ 3-pack of 2″ Top Stage GMC04-Q6 earpad foam covers for $2.52 [ADD-ON items]

+ 12 foot AmazonBasics Component Video Cable with Audio for $2.05 (ADD-ON; limit 3)

+ 100pk Verbatim CD/DVD Paper Sleeves for $3.15 (ADD-ON)

MUSIC and STREAMING

+ Six Months of TIDAL Hi-Fi FREE for current and future Sprint Customers (this is the $20/month tier)
+ check also more detailed post

+ FREE Three Months of Apple Music Subscription streaming service through Groupon Goods for NEW customers only

+ YMMV: existing Spotify Free Tier members are being offered via email a 3-month Premium subscription for 99c total

+ YMMV: while perusing the GooglePLAY store, you may seen an offer for a 4-month free trial of the Google Music All Access Subscription which also includes YouTube RED. Of musical interest, YouTube RED includes benefits when using the YouTube Music app (no ads, background play, audio-only playback)
+ another benefit of Google’s Music subscription is that you can find GooglePlay Gift Cards on a 20% off discount, and use those to pay for the music subscription, effectively giving you a 20% off discount

NEW ARRIVALS

+ Denon AH-D7200 Reference Over Ears for $999 by various authorized dealers through Amazon

+ Shure RMCE-LTG Lightning Cable for SE series for $100 at B&H Photo and various at Amazon

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With:

Used TEAC HA-P90SD DAP for $195

The last time we posted about this in late May 2017 it was going for $239 but as of this recheck, the red color scheme of the TEAC HA-P90SD DAP and amp is currently available in “Used – Acceptable” condition for $195~ with free shipping by Amazon Warehouse Deals (AWD) actual.

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Used Schiit Audio Asgard 2 Head-Amp for $226

The Schiit Audio Asgard 2 available in “Used – Good” condition (no further details provided) dropped in price since the last time we posted about it. It went for $236.57 but it is now $226.49 by Amazon Warehouse Deals actual, and Prime eligible for members.

Shipping math considerations versus buying it from the Schiit website covered in the previous post.

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Saturday: Plantronics RIG 505 for $35; RIG 515HD for $45

This daily deal EXPIRED…

[Read more…]

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: headset Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Saturday’s Offers: Noontec TV BT LL, Symphonized Wood Earphones , Etc

These lightning deals expired, but Symphonized is on a daily streak, so more will likely be offered in the next few days…

[Read more…]

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Saturday: Rockwin Bit Truly Wireless for $80

This daily deal expired…

Good until 3am Eastern on Sunday (or earlier if sold out) you can get the new condition Rockin Bit Truly Wireless bluetooth earphones for $80 in your choice from three different color schemes.

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: , ,

[DEAD] Cowin headphone case for $8

This lightning deal expired…

Ending by 6:10pm ET today, the new condition Cowin headphone case is offered for $8 with free Prime shipping. It is made for Cowin headphones but you can check the dimensions, pictures and reviews to see how many of your headphones it may fit.

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

Focusrite Scarlett Solo Second Generation (2 IN, 2 OUT) for $72

As of 6/16/17 it is back on sale again for $72…

This is of interest if you also need the Audio Interface functionality. If not, you are better off getting a dedicated headphone DAC/amp. It is the second generation of the Focusrite Scarlett Solo (two input, two output) on sale for a limited time for $72 with free shipping at authorized dealer Adorama.com.

June 16, 2017 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With:

Blue Microphones Lola Over-Ears for $137

Two weeks ago these were going for $175, but right now the new condition closed-back Blue Microphones Lola Over-Ears are on sale for $137 with free shipping at Amazon by Amazon actual. Limit up to three per customer. This is the wired headphone with the unusual design. Only the black color scheme is on sale. It has a “1 to 2 months” shipping estimate, which sometimes (but not always) could be a sign that the offer is towards its end.

PS: this is not a powered headphone. Their powered headphones are the older Mo-Fi, and the newer Sadie. Their planar magnetic is the Ella.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With:

Audeze LCD-2 (Aluminum and Lambskin) for $699

This recurring sale has been turned back on again, about a month since the last time it went on sale, the new condition Audeze LCD-2 (Aluminum and Lambskin) planar-magnetic over-ears are going $699 with free shipping for a limited time at authorized dealer Adorama.com. No coupon, no rebate, just add-to-cart and checkout.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Jaybird Freedom F5 bluetooth earphones for $100

The new condition Jaybird Freedom F5 bluetooth earphones in various color schemes are currently on sale again for $100 with free shipping by Amazon actual with a limit of up to three units per color per customer while this sale is going on. Marketplace sellers have them for a couple of dollars less, so pay attention to who the actual seller if you prefer to buy from Amazon actual.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

1More Quad Driver In-Ears drop to $180

This is not a big discount but it’s a step in the right direction, it appears to be a concentrated effort to discount 1More earphones, and the latest to get the discounting is the new condition 1More Quad Driver In-Ears dropping from $200 to $180 with free shipping by Amazon actual. They Quads average 4.5 out of 5 based on 59 customer reviews.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With:

NVX XPT100 Studio Headphones drip to $76

The closed-back over-ear NVX XPT100 studio headphones have drip-dropped further now, breaking under $80, going for $76 with free shipping with the orders fulfilled by Amazon where they average 4.2 out of 5 based on 130+ customer reviews. They have removable cable and replaceable earpads and headband.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Thinksound ts01 in-ears for $30 to $34

Through marketplace sellers with the orders fulfilled by Amazon, the Thinksound ts01 wood in-ears are available for $30 in the silver/cherry color scheme, and for $34 in the black/chocolate color scheme. Despite the names, they are NOT edible 🙂

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

AKG Y50 Closed On-Ears for $50 with free S&H

NewEgg FLASH is running deals separately from the NewEgg mothership. FLASH was an attempt by NewEgg to capitalize on the trend of Groupon-like services. Just like the NewEgg mothership, FLASH offers products by NewEgg actual and also by marketplace sellers.

This is a marketplace offer, Electronics EXPO is offering the new condition black closed-back on-ear AKG Y-50 headphones for $50 with free shipping. The offer runs until Wednesday night 6/20/17.

While surfing there, note also that some of the headphone-related products ship from Asia, so shipping may take a lot longer, so make sure you check each listing.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With:

Used B&O Beoplay H5 Wireless for $144

If you are comfortable with used earphones, the B&O Beoplay H5 Wireless (bluetooth) are available in “Used – Very Good” condition for $144~ in the black color scheme, and $148~ in the “Moss Green” color scheme through Amazon Warehouse Deals (AWD) by AWD actual.

The above link shows you the lowest price per color. To see the detailed listings per color, click on the color tabs or click on the blue link “› See all offers for this product” next to each color of interest.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: , ,

HIFIMAN Velour Earpads for HE-series for $10 w/FS

The official Hifiman Amazon store is offering new condition Velour Earpads for the HE-series of headphones for $10 with free shipping each through Amazon. They are not Prime eligible, but everyone gets free shipping. As of the time of writing, 12 units are available. They average 4.1 out of 5 based on 33 customer reviews, and they have 14 questions answered, both good places to check how well they fit your headphones of interest.

Speaking of Hifiman, their sale continues, check under the Hifiman posts. I will post a “deal summary” type of a post of surviving deals later today.

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

New Reference page: List of Smartphones Without a 3.5mm Headphone Jack

We have a new reference page up now, a List of Smartphones without a 3.5mm Headphone jack. Since the vast majority of smartphones have one, it is easier to list the exceptions 🙂 This will be updated throughout space and time, and a “Latest Update” date is included, so you’ll know how fresh it is.

PS: please feel free to leave comments for corrections, additions, suggestions, feedback, etc!

June 15, 2017 Filed Under: website news

Phones as DAPs: HTC 10 for $240 [Sprint]

One of the recent flagship smartphone that has been flying under the radar but it is doing quite well audio-wise is the HTC 10. If you are interested in getting this as a phone or as a phone-DAP, it is currently on sale with a special promotion at Sprint: you can either buy it outright for $240, or sign up for a 24-month $10 per month installment plan.

It has 4GB RAM, 32GB on-board, and a microSD slot that supports up to a theoretical 2TB microSD card, so plenty of space for music. The battery is embedded, so you have to use external battery packs for uninterrupted playback. It is running Android 7.

There are quite a few reviews of this with some focus on the audio performance including Android Ad Central and GSM Arena (bottom half of this page).

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

In-stock: Apple AirPods for $159

The new Apple Airpods are currently in-stock and ready to ship for $159 at the AT&T online store. They are only available online, not at their B&M stores per their website. They are hard to find in-stock because Apple 🙂

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: ,

Monoprice Lightweight Closed On-Ears for $8.88 + $2.49 S&H

If you are looking for a budget lightweight closed-back on-ear headphone that is tuned for modern music with a rather tasteful bass emphasis, what looks like a Monoprice clone (PID 13191) of the AmazonBasics model is on sale for $8.88 plus shipping (looks like it is $2.49 flat even for East Coast zip codes) at the Monoprice website.

The Monoprice clone averages 4.6 out of 5 based on 161 customer reviews at Monoprice. The AmazonBasics model averages 4.3 out of 5 based on 3200+ customer reviews at Amazon. I’ve also seen this design under other brand names. I’ve only heard the AmazonBasics model, so comparisons to the other models is based on how they look. AmazonBasics is not using exclusive designs, I’ve had other products in my hands that are both AB and non-AB (a tablet stand comes to mind) and they look exactly the same, but as usual, there’s a YMMV until you put them all side by side under a microscope 🙂

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Samsung Level U Pro Bluetooth neckband earphones for $28

The new condition black color scheme of the Samsung Level U Pro Bluetooth earphones is currently on sale for $28 at Amazon by Amazon actual with a limit of up to three sets per customer. Only this color scheme is currently on sale. All together they average 3.9 out of 5 based on over 1000 customer reviews, and they have nearly 300 questions answered (one way or another) by Amazon shoppers.

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: , ,

JLab Audio Epic Earphones for $15

A number of the color schemes of the new condition JLab Audio Epic earphones are on sale for $15 per pair, in new condition, by the official JLab store, with the orders fulfilled by Amazon, so they are Prime-eligible. Three different models are intermixed with all the different colors, so if you are traversing the various options over there, pay attention to the color combinations.

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With:

1MORE Triple Driver Lightning In-Ears drop to $120

The 1MORE Triple Driver Lightning In-Ears came out at $150, but they have their first discount now, they are going for $120 with free shipping at Amazon by Amazon actual. This could be their new price because there’s no quantity limit and they are not a lightning deal (no pun intended).

UPDATE: the sale price has pushed used prices under $100.

The non-Lightning model, as we mentioned before, goes for $65 at Costco and more elsewhere. A combination of the additional Lightning technology and “Apple Tax” contribute to the higher price 🙂

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Thursday: refurbished Bragi Dash Truly Wireless for $104

This daily deal expired…

[Read more…]

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: , ,

[DEAD] Friday’s Offers: it’s Symphonized throughout the day

These lightning deals expired…

[Read more…]

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears

[DEAD] AGPtEK Ear Pad Cushion Replacement for Beats Studio for $8.49

This lightning deal expired, they are back to $10…

[Read more…]

June 14, 2017 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Brainwavz Replacement Memory Foam Earpads for Large Over the Ear Headphones for $20

This recurring lightning deal expired…

[Read more…]

June 13, 2017 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Wednesday’s Offers: Nobsound Tube Amp, Noontec, Symphonized, Omega Wood, Avantree, Brainwavz, Etc

These daily deals expired…

[Read more…]

June 13, 2017 Filed Under: headphones

[DEAD] Nobsound NS-08E Vacuum Tube Amp for $38 w/free S&H

This lightning deal expired…

[Read more…]

June 13, 2017 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With:

1More Triple Driver IEMs for $65 [or 5% more]

If you are 1More curious but don’t want to break the bank, and are not tempted by the Quad Driver hype at $200 or the Lightning Cable at $150, the original wired Triple Driver models are on sale again for $65 at Costco for members, and 5% more for non-members, which makes it $68.25. Free shipping for all. The discount expires 6/18/17.

June 12, 2017 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With:

Sony MDR-XB950 B1 for $148, N1 for $178 [LDAC support]

Revealed at CES 2017 the new Sony MDR XB 950 duo is on sale again at authorized Sony dealers. They are both closed-back, and part of the Extra Bass family, with the B1 being bluetooth, while the N1 is both bluetooth and active noise cancelling.

The B1 goes for $148 at various places including Dell Home and various at Amazon in three different color schemes.

The N1 goes for $178 at various authorized dealers including Buydig and various at Amazon in two different colors, including the less common green (more of an industrial/black green, definitely not the AKG Quincy Jones green)

They support LDAC
I should point out that both of these headphones support LDAC, Sony’s technology [see also the Sony Asia page for it] that is being baked into Android 8.0.

For a history of LDAC, starting in August 2015, check this AV Hub article.

With this, Android 8.0 will have support for LDAC, AAC, SBC, apt-X and apt-X HD, with sample ratio options as well. You can manually select them or use the system default.

It is important to point out that both your music source and your headphones have to support the protocol you want to use, otherwise the system will automatically default to a lower common denominator. For example, a Bluetooth 5 music source (eg Galaxy S8) connecting to a Bluetooth 2.X headphone will use Bluetooth 2.X, not Bluetooth 5 since the headphone would not know what to do with it.

June 12, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , , ,

[DEAD] Sennheiser HD 461i Over-Ears for $25 after coupon

This 2-day promo offer expired, it is now back to $37~ which has been where it has been the last few weeks…

[Read more…]

June 12, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Tuesday: Amazon Premium Earphones for $5.67 w/FS

This recurring daily deal expired again but will likely return in the future again…

[Read more…]

June 12, 2017 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With:

[DEAD] V-Moda Crossfade II Bluetooth Over-Ears with Apt-X for $270

The party’s over! As of late 6/14/17 recheck, the price has returned to $350. But now we have a target sale price for the future 🙂

The new condition V-Moda Crossfade II Bluetooth with apt-X in the Rose Gold scheme is on sale for $270 with free shipping at Amazon by Amazon actual. This looks like a computer-generated price-match of a marketplace seller, so it may not last long. Its standard price is $350. The “Rose Gold” is the only one of the three colors of this model that supports Qualcomm’s apt-X.

June 12, 2017 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,