Budget accessories: Cooler, Headset, Gaming-capable Mouse and Keyboard

Hmm...that's a bit odd. You don't need to "configure" anything. What's your source? If I remember correctly you use the Clevo P650 models, correct? If so, we share similar notebooks as I have the P650SG. I don't know what "loud enough" is to you but running straight from my notebook's on-board/headphone port, I achieved comfortable listening levels at ~30% windows volume. Granted at 62 Ohms the Takstar HI 2050 falls into a strange grey-ish area from a power requirement standpoint. An amp or DAC/amp would provide some extra power, as well as open up the sound to a point where you'd at least notice it compared to onboard. I'm now using a DAC/amp with my 2050 and noticed an improvement to sound quality, but not really to practical volume (which is what bugs you here). That said, most portable devices should power the HI 2050 to a satisfactory sound volume and quality, so your experience is intriguing.

Here are a couple basic troubleshooting step to try first :

- Are you plugging the 2050's 3.5mm into your laptop's port all the way? You'd be surprised how often people make this mistake.
- Is the volume in your music program maxed (in other words, you're controlling volume only from your windows volume)? Same question applies to YouTube videos and the like.
- If you have DSP programs like Soundblaster X-Fi MB3 running, are all of its effects/equalizations off? If you have a decent pair of headphones (like the HI 2050) the program would best serve its purpose in certain gaming applications only. Therefore, its best to not have the program running at all outside of those gaming scenarios. Also remove all windows "Enhancements" including that loudness equalization.
- Have you tried the HI 2050 on a portable device with the same volume experience you describe? When playing through on my iPod Nano and iPad, 50% of max volume gets me to where I like it.

Please try those simple checks to see if it helps. However, if this is your first open headphone experience, the sound signature is different from your basic earphone experience. Pun unintended, but the sound is more "open" and "spaced" out comparatively. So it may just be that that's how it's supposed to sound and that's what you're describing as "not loud enough." If that indeed is the case, give the headphones a bit more listening time to see if your opinion changes (aka. brain burn-in). Open, circumaural headphones are a different sound experience, and are more natural-sounding and enjoyable IMO. They're also best used in a quiet, isolated environment like at home, due to their free exchange of sound with your surroundings.

 

excellent detail. I use Clevo P670 but it's the same I suppose.

- Yes, I plug in all the way in. I did make that mistake but it was with the mic.
- The volume setting is how it is when I use earphone.
- I do have Soundblaster and I tried closing it but haven't noticed any change.
- I tried on my phone and it's the same experience with my laptop.

I notice the bass seems weaker as well. But you're probably right. When using earphone, I feel the sound runs through my head and on top of my head but with headphone, the sound is kinda just around the ears. It was my first speculation too. If that's the case, I'll need to give it some time.

 

Glad it made sense. The drivers of open headphones, as opposed to closed headphones/earphones are free to vibrate with little constraint from the headphone's housing (earphones also benefit from being jammed into the ear canal). As their "open" title suggests, they don't have to contend with the built up sound pressures within the cup. It's also why sound escapes so easily. However, it also means many open dynamic headphones tend to have a difficult time reproducing the bass people love (pressures can't build up like with closed headphones/ear phones). Now that doesn't mean there's no bass. Like I mentioned in my HI 2050 review, "Bass-heads may balk but if they give these time, they might think differently." There are open headphones with far less bass than the Takstar Hi 2050 at a similar price; and there are open headphones that produce bass excellently without sacrificing detail, but of course they tend to cost much more. The HI 2050 is probably more semi-open than open but...w/e . You may grow to like its open sound or you may not, but the price of the HI 2050 makes it a low risk . Tell us how your ears adjust to it.

Quick point I noticed about Soundblaster: sometimes if the program is already running with any effects on and you close it, the effects still influence the sound. (Closing the program means you've right clicked its icon in Windows' notification area and clicked "close"). Best way to be sure effects are off is to open Soundblaster and uncheck/turn off all the effects. Then in the program's main window, look to the top right (next to the minimize button) there is a drop down arrow button. Click it and make sure "Start Soundblaster when Windows starts" is unchecked. If it's checked, uncheck it. Then close the program. This ensures that Soundblaster doesn't start with Windows. So you now have the choice to run Soundblaster and its effects whenever you want to, rather than it running automatically at start-up.

 

thank you. Very detail indeed. About Soundblaster, there's only voicefx checked so the result may not be different.

 

@kaze no tama if you're saying the 2050 is quieter than your earphones at the same volume setting, that's normal. Just turn the volume up to compensate. IEMs are a lot more sensitive than full-size headphones, thus they will sound louder. They are usually lower impedance as well.

It's also normal that IEMs have more bass than open back headphones since they form a perfect seal with your ear canal and isolate extremely well.

When you say the earphones sound like they're coming from inside your head, while the Takstars sound like they're coming from around the ears, what you're describing is the difference in soundstage. It may take your ears and brain some time to adjust to this.

 

Takstar HI 2050 review, updated and completed.

( @kaze no tama Your post reminded me of my unfinished work, ).

 

@E.D.U. great, gotta try this headphone when playing games too. One with great soundtrack like The Witcher 3.

 

AKG K553 Pro are great pair of cheap headphones.

Mionix 7000 for mouse, solves two issues for me. I like wireless but I prefer wired mouse. The 7000 braided cable is light enough and ease of use that I don't need a wireless anymore. Plus works amazingly well with Mionix own Sargas pad, which is only $15 on Amazon.

For keyboard, I just use laptop keyboard.

 

I wouldn't call a $180 headphone cheap tho. And for the mouse, I went with the Logitech G502.

 

Interesting choice. Logitech definitely try to be the trend setters by using new tech. Me I like going with tried and true optical with a tried and true sensor that is known for accuracy, zero hardware acceleration. G502 I'm reading reports of it having unusual behavior at times and accelerations even though it is advertised as not.

Also you went for a heavy mouse. NAOS I chose was because it is so light, lightest mouse I've used compared to G400, MX518 and DeathAdder I used in the past.

Also I can vouch for the incredible ergonomics of the NAS 7000, truly the most comfortable mouse for right handed person.

But Mionix released the Castor recently. That is on my list for next year when I see a good deal on it, looks like the ergonomics may have been tweaked a bit to be even more comfortable for claw/finger grippers. The NAOS 7000 is definitely a palm grip mouse and I use finger claw on it right now, but still most comfy.

 

hm, gonna use this for future reference. Never had a mouse that lasts more than a year. Hopefully this Logitech will because I'd always used cheap mouse before.

 

Seems to be a lot of audiophiles in this thread so I'll ask this here.

You guys have any Noise-Isolating recommendations? I'm thinking about these "V-MODA Crossfade LP Over-Ear Noise-Isolating" phones but unsure if there are better options

 

Noise-isolating just means it blocks outside noise without using ANC (active noise cancelling) technology. Most closed-back headphones and IEMs are noise-isolating.

The Crossfade LP has big bass, if you want something tuned a little more flat, take a look at the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x.