Shops where you can audition headphones.

[idc]

Since there have been a number of posts about the difficulties of auditioning headphones, I thought a list of shops where you can listen to headphones would be helpful. I dont want to included shops where it is hit and miss as to whether you be able to listen to the headphones they sell, as I have found with Richer Sounds. They want you to buy and take away the headphones, with a promise of a refund if you dont like them. I am also not including headphones that are sold, but you cannot audition first. There is also no guarantee any model will be there.

The Apple Store, Buchanan St, Glasgow - B&W P5, Bose QuietComfort and Around-Ear, Dr Dre Beats, Sony MDR NC-60 and some cheaper Sennheisers. There is a preference towards Noise Reduction headphones from each model range.

John Lewis, Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow - Denon AH D1001, JVC HA S150BN, SonyMDR V300DJ

Currys/PC World, Braehead, Renfrew - Sennheiser everything from the HD201 to mid range £150, various Philips and Beats by Dr Dre.


I will add more shops as I find them. Please add any you know of.Thanks.

 

[Big Aura]

all I need to do now is go to Scotland!

 

[Sizzers]

Big Aura:all I need to do now is go to Scotland!

Ditto!

Strange really. They all site "Health and Safety" why you can't audition, yet you can go in to HMV and listen to tunes on headphones which have been used by thousands of people!

 

[ESP2009]

Big Aura:all I need to do now is go to Scotland!

Just goes to show that the barbarian hordes are not necessarily ensconced north of the Midlands - sounds quite civilised.

So, can the Midlands and the South answer the challenge, or are we going to have to organise some coach trips north of the border?

 

[Frank Harvey]

At the request of idc, here's what we have on demo at this moment in time (I'll update if there are any changes):

Grado SR60i / SR80i / SR325i

Bose On Ear / Around Ear / Quiet Comfort 3 / Quiet Comfort 15

Most of the new Sennheisers that start with a 4 (408/412 etc)

Sennheiser HD555 / HD595

I believe we will be having a Denon display of headphones some time in the near future, we're just waiting for Denon to produce the 'display' part.

The main problem with keeping many Sennheiser models is that they like selling bulk to certain websites, which screws any chance of any profitable margin for decent independents, even if they've supported them for many years

Hope this helps

 

[ESP2009]

Hi,

I'm glad to hear you are taking up the challenge. I think it is important that hi-fi dealers let us know that they are happy to demo such things as earphones and headphones.

Personally, if I were looking to buy a decent pair of either, I would be willing to pay a small fee to cover replacement earpads or buds.

I have the Shure SE420 earphones which are a great pair of in-ear 'phones, but would welcome the opportunity to try rivals. If it cost up to a fiver to try a representative selection, I would happily pay. I recognise that dealers have to replace the buds or pads or provide some form of HSE compliant protection, so a small premium for the chance is not unreasonable.

I hope that seems sensible.

 

[AL13N]

Nice idea. Would be very interesting with the AKG K701/702 cans with their notoriously long burn-in period.

A (VERY) well worn-in demo pair would give you a much better idea of what these cans are capable of.

 

[ESP2009]

To be fair to hi-fi dealers, it cannot be easy to tie up kit for demo purposes. Properly burned-in components are an overhead that can be ill-afforded. However, maybe they are the items that can clinch the deal. Not an easy balancing act to pull off.

However, if dealers can access a range of properly burned-in kit on the second-hand market for demo purposes, maybe it would be a win-win situation?

 

[Diamond Joe]

Good thread, cheers idc. I'll see if I can add to it as and when I found out who's got what.

I was rather hoping Frank Harvey HiFi would have some Beyer's to audition, Coventry is within reach for me, never mind though David.

 

[Frank Harvey]

ESP2009:Personally, if I were looking to buy a decent pair of either, I would be willing to pay a small fee to cover replacement earpads or buds.

I have the Shure SE420 earphones which are a great pair of in-ear 'phones, but would welcome the opportunity to try rivals. If it cost up to a fiver to try a representative selection, I would happily pay. I recognise that dealers have to replace the buds or pads or provide some form of HSE compliant protection, so a small premium for the chance is not unreasonable.

I hope that seems sensible.

Yes, it does seem sensible ESP. The only problem is not only the ear bud/cleanliness thing, but also the actual earphone itself. We get a few earphones back every now and again due to 'faults' like being louder in one ear than the other, or one side not working at all. A 3 second inspection points the problem out straight away - ear wax! We get a few where the actual erm, grille I suppose you'd call it is clogged with ear wax, preventing the sound from getting through. It makes you want to go home and thoroughly clean your own ears out until they bleed! Anyway, because of how far the earbuds need to be pushed in in order to block out external noise and get decent bass from them, they are prone to picking up 'residue' on the earphone itself. I don't think there'd be many people who'd buy them as ex-demo units! If the manufacturers would supply them free of charge and change them once every 6 months it would probably be feasible, but then they'd need to supply the ear buds too. Not sure whether there's enough margin in it for them to do that as many manufacturers have their headphones made by another company.

Anyway, sorry for the content of the post

 

[ESP2009]

I'm feeling just a little queasy now...

 

[SpiceWeasel]

ESP2009:I'm feeling just a little queasy now...

I take it you don't watch Mythbusters? Lets just say that the experiment involved making a candle

 

[Anonymous]

Most of the larger electronic stores in Germany and Finland allow you to audition headphones.

B&O shops generally also allow auditioning.

 

[Anonymous]

Actually make that Cologne and Berlin. Haven't been anywhere else in Deutschland.

 

[ESP2009]

SpiceWeasel:

ESP2009:I'm feeling just a little queasy now...

I take it you don't watch Mythbusters? Lets just say that the experiment involved making a candle

Why stick at one? They should have made four!

 

[idc]

Head-fiers of Glasgow rejoice!

Rubadub Records, Howard St, Glasgow have a range of 122 headphones from AKG and Shure to Skullcandy, from over ear to in ear, from DJ to audiophile. There is nothing above £300, but still wow. In the shop there is good range, but it is best to give them a phone before hand to make sure the model you want to try is available from their warehouse.

They will let you audition any on and over ear cans and try what is open in the shop. I had a listen to some Shure SRH240s. Best to take your own CDs as they specialise in dud/dance/techno. There is no listening room, but still, can't complain.

http://www.rubadub.co.uk/?newSearch=true&node_id=1.6&manufacturer=all&model=&category=20012&rpp=20#

 

[ESP2009]

Ah, I get it now - only the ruffty-tuffty Scots are man enough to face the hazards of earwax exchange!

Unless, of course Best Buy comes to the rescue...