FAQ

Which headphones should I buy?

This is a question we get a lot. To make it easier for us to recommend you the right product, please provide us with a little information. What's your budget, what are you going to be using the headphones for (portable, home use or a bit of both), what is your source (portable mp3 player, home cd player, computer etc), what kind of music do you listen to and if there's any particular style of sound you prefer (energetic, warm etc - don't worry about this if you're not sure). Please don't tell us you just want your headphones to be loud and bassy!

How much is delivery to (wherever you are)?

If you're in Australia or New Zealand delivery is FREE for most headphones, check the individual product information or contact us for details. Registered post (with insurance) can be arranged at an extra charge. We generally only ship credit card orders via registered post. Some amplifiers are quite heavy so it's best to check delivery pricing on them before ordering, also overseas orders can sometimes attract customs fees and the cost of shipping a 5kg amp can be fairly high. Please note that international wire transfers generally incur a charge and banks also like to sneak hidden charges in here and there - best to check with us or your bank to see how much it's likely to be.

What method(s) of delivery do you use?

Most orders around $100 and above are sent via express post, for smaller orders we normally use standard post. If your order is above $100 we recommend considering registered post with insurance for peace of mind. We cannot be held responsible for any goods lost or damaged in transit.

What happens if my headphones are lost or damaged in transit?

We accept no responsibility for goods lost or damaged in transit. If you have elected to have your goods shipped via an uninsured carrier the maximum you are likely to be reimbursed for is $50, if you are worried about having your goods lost we highly recommend Registered post with insurance.

What are the conditions of your 20 day trial period?

We offer a 20 day trial/credit period. If you're unhappy with the headphones you can return them within 20 days for store credit, we will not refund. Any free delivery offered with a product only applies to the first purchase so products purchased with store credit will incur delivery charges. Return freight costs must be paid by the customer and any outgoing freight costs from us are non-refundable. Goods must be returned in immaculate condition, any scratches or breakage will void the credit and the goods will be returned to you. All packaging and accessories must be included, cable ties, elastic bands etc all must be returned with the goods. If you are a smoker, please do not smoke while using the headphones, the headphones must be 100% resaleable to non smokers! Any goods lost or damaged in transit will also void the credit, so an insured carrier is recommended for goods above $100 in value.

All intra-aural products such as earbuds and canalphones as well as products with destructible packaging or special orders are exempt from our 20day trial period, please check with us first if you aren't sure if the headphones you are ordering fall into one of these categories.
We are in no way obliged to accept headphones back if they are in working order and reserve the right to refuse return.

Can I come in and listen to headphones with my own cds?

Yes! You can even bring your own source equipment in if you like, we're more than happy to let you audition products.

What do the product measurements mean?

Generally it's a good idea to ignore most of the specifications listed with headphones. It may sound a little unusual and you might consider it hard to choose headphones without something to go by, but the only product information that really matters are details like whether the headphones are circumaural or supra-aural, whether they're open or closed, how heavy they are, how long the cable is (or range if theyr'e wireless), what kind of earpads they have and perhaps impedance.

It's a common misconception that the wider the frequency response the better the headphones will sound. Unfortunately this is a long way from the truth, it also makes choosing products more difficult as some models have the exact same frequency response yet sound completely different. For example the Beyerdynamic DT831 quotes a frequency response of 5-32000Hz while the DT770pro quotes 5-35000Hz. From this measurement you could assume that both have low bass but the DT770pro has more high end. In reality the DT770pro is one of the bassiest headphones Beyer has to offer while the DT831 is one of the least bassy and the high end detail on the DT831 is better than that of the 770pro.

Why is this? Because a frequency range only tells you theoretical maximum and minimums, it doesn't tell you how even that response is. Coupled with that the range of human hearing is only 20-20000Hz, and most source equipment isn't even capable of reproducing those ranges (certainly nost most portable players or PC soundcards).

The only technical measurement that may help is impedance, generally the higher the impedance the harder the headphones are to drive, however there are some high impedance headphones that are very efficient and some low impedance headphones that are very inefficient.

So, in other words, better frequency response doesn't mean better sound?

No, not at all. 5Hz may seem like an impressive low, but it doesn't mean it's going to be a "bassier" headphone than one that only manages 20Hz.

Ok, so if the measurements aren't going to help me, what is?

We are! We are more than happy to answer any questions you have about headphones to help you choose one. You're also welcome to take advantage of our 20 day trial period or to come in and audition the headphones first.

What's the difference between open and closed?

Open headphones generally have a design that leaves the entire, or some of the back of the headphones open (covered by a protective grille of some sorts). This allows for a more natural and wider sound from the headphones. It's normal for open headphones to sound better than similarly priced closed headphones. Closed headphones often have a more "in your head" sound and sound a little boxed in. The main benefit with closed headphones is that they offer isolation from outside noise and generally don't leak sound, making closed headphones more appropriate for people who don't want outside noise interfereing with their music or don't want to disturb people around them. If you have the choice, we recommend open headphones.

What's the difference between circumaural, supra aural and intra aural?

Circumaural means the earpads go around your ears, supra-aural means the earpads sit on your ears, intra aural means the headphones go in your ears (earbuds and canalphones). Generally circumaural headphones are more comfortable, but that also depends on the type of earpads they use and how strong the clamping force. There are some supra-aural (on ear) headphones that are very comfortable as well.

What is burn in?

Some believe that headphones should be burnt-in to get the best sound out of them. There is no proper or best way to do this, and it's debatable whether it has any effect at all. Just using the headphones will have the same effect, but if you want to hear what your headphones are capable of without waiting we suggest leaving a CD on repeat overnight at a reasonably high volume (nothing higher than you'd normally listen to). It is generally not a good idea to play sine sweeps or similar through the headphones as it can damage them. The main thing to remember is that this does not have to be done.

What's so good about headphones anyway?

Value for money; It doesn't cost a lot to get a truly amazing sounding headphone setup, but it can cost a lot to get a truly amazing sounding speaker setup. Personal listening; What do your neighbors think of that big sound system of yours late at night? What about your other housemates/wife/husband/brother/sister/parents/pets? Don't want to put up with their nagging? Put a pair of headphones on! They won't be disturbed by your music and you won't be able to hear them nagging you. The perfect solution.

What's a headphone amplifier?

Some headphones are designed to run from home hifi systems with a little more power than your average portable cd player or PC soundcard. Unfortunately there are many hifi cd players and amplifiers while being excellent at their primary function have a mere $2 put into the headphone circuit. A headphone amplifier is designed to drive and power headphones and headphones alone. Under driving headphones will leave them sounding flat and lacking dynamics. In many cases an underpowered pair of high end headphones will be outperformed by easier to drive low end headphones.

How loud do headphones go?

When properly driven most headphones will manage levels high enough to cause hearing damage. Now listen up people, hearing damage is permanent - you don't want hearing damage. Don't crank your headphones up to extra-high volumes because later in life when you're lying in bed listening to the ringing in your ears caused by all that abuse you'll wish you hadn't done it. It's also easy to train your ears to be used to listening at low volumes, we highly recommend it. If you'd like to measure you equipment, most electronic stores have SPL meters available at affordable prices.

How come I haven't heard of some of these brands?

In the world of audio some brands stick to what they know best. Unlike mass consumer brands you won't see ads on TV for the likes of Beyerdynamic, Alessandro or Etymotic. This is because they don't need to advertise. If you go into a professional studio or TV station you'll see Beyerdynamic, AKG and Sennheiser products all over the place. Just because you haven't heard of them, it doesn't mean Sony is better.

As usual, the FAQ will be constantly updated depending on what's being asked the most. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions! In the meantime, please browse our product list.