Buying iMac which one HELP!

[b4ckd00r5p1d3r]

Refurbished iMac 27-inch 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
27-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
4GB memory
1TB hard drive
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics with 256MB memory
Built-in iSight camera
$1,269.00

or

Refurbished iMac 27-inch 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5
27-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
4GB memory
1TB hard drive
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics with 512MB memory
Built-in iSight camera
$1,529.00

I will be handbraking and encoding videos. I want the i5, but I really want to buy some beats by dre headphones with the extra money saved.

What do you guys think? Should I just save up the extra cash for the i5 how much worse is the core 2 going to be?

 

[Chibo]

Buy the i5 and buy real headphones instead of those overhyped things.

 

[CKMorpheus]

Buy the i5 and buy real headphones instead of those overhyped things.

^^^ This

Seriously, those Dre Beats are pieces of junk. Check out the Audio forums here and learn what's what. Go with a good pair of Sennheisers, Audio-Technica's, Beyerdynamics, etc etc etc...

 

[rflcptr]

That i5 system is a great price, refurb or not. 27" 2560x1440 IPS and a modern computer.

 

[phide]

I will be handbraking and encoding videos. I want the i5, but I really want to buy some beats by dre headphones with the extra money saved.

Buy the i5 and a set of these. Alternatively, you may prefer the "fuller" version, the JCV HARX900.

While it may not concern you, as an audio engineer, if I see someone wearing "Beats by Dre", I laugh at that person. Just throwing that out there.

 

[450]

I agree with phide. Get the JVC headphones and treat yourself with the i5.

 

[chronic9]

the Dres are utter shit....

i went to a high end audio store and the sales manager told me that people return them every week, due to the shit build quality

 

[dextr3k]

Im on board with everyone else, get the i5 and a nice pair of headphones,
I swear by my Shures.....

 

[refraxion]

Yeah, the beats may not be the best in sound quality.. but they sure as hell look nice. Which is why I have them. They are decent for what they do (Not price of course) and look a lot better than most high end phones if you want to lug it around with you.

 

[1000]

BEATS BY DRE... LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.

You have done your research obviously

1000

 

[ryken]

Yeah, the beats may not be the best in sound quality.. but they sure as hell look nice. Which is why I have them. They are decent for what they do (Not price of course) and look a lot better than most high end phones if you want to lug it around with you.

No they do not look good. They scream "I'm an idiot who doesn't know shit about audio."

$300 headphones that I'd rather have (and look better too):

Grado s325is
Sennheiser 595
Beyerdynamic DT990

 

[refraxion]

No they do not look good. They scream "I'm an idiot who doesn't know shit about audio."

$300 headphones that I'd rather have (and look better too):

Grado s325is
Sennheiser 595
Beyerdynamic DT990

Like I already said, not best in sound. Also the phones you linked I would not wear out. They do not look good at all.

Now, see what I did there? It's all opinion. I much rather wear my Beats out than those atrocious things (although sound quality would no doubt be better).

Again, I would never wear those linked phones out. Maybe in my house maybe.

 

[ryken]

Like I already said, not best in sound. Also the phones you linked I would not wear out. They do not look good at all.

Now, see what I did there? It's all opinion. I much rather wear my Beats out than those atrocious things (although sound quality would no doubt be better).

Again, I would never wear those linked phones out. Maybe in my house maybe.

it's not opinion. the beats suck, therefore, they are not cool, therefore, wearing them out makes you look like a tool. there is no personal preference, you are just wrong. sorry.

 

[refraxion]

it's not opinion. the beats suck, therefore, they are not cool, therefore, wearing them out makes you look like a tool. there is no personal preference, you are just wrong. sorry.

Obviously you have never heard of opinion and I'm not going to argue with someone who is obviously too arrogant/ignorant.

On the flipside, the headphones you linked like I said, are butt ugly. I already stated they have better sound, but they sure as hell do not appeal to me in the looks department.

I like the look of the beats, therefore, I will wear them, therefore it is personal preference, therefore you need to stop pushing your fucking beliefs onto other people.

 

[b4ckd00r5p1d3r]

Alright thanks for the few suggestions. I'm going with the i5, but I am still going to get the new Beat Pros that are 400 haha. I have had beats before and I love them. The price sucks but you can say the same with mac. I love Mac but you can build a custom pc for a grand that would have specs that would blow the equivalent price or even a 2 grand mac out of the water. Yet I stay with mac.... probably for the same reason I stay with beats by dre.

 

[450]

Obviously you have never heard of opinion and I'm not going to argue with someone who is obviously too arrogant/ignorant.

On the flipside, the headphones you linked like I said, are butt ugly. I already stated they have better sound, but they sure as hell do not appeal to me in the looks department.

I like the look of the beats, therefore, I will wear them, therefore it is personal preference, therefore you need to stop pushing your fucking beliefs onto other people.

Are you wearing the Beats as a fashion statement? Either way, large full size headphones look awkward in public.

 

[phide]

I love Mac but you can build a custom pc for a grand that would have specs that would blow the equivalent price or even a 2 grand mac out of the water.

Actually...no, I really don't think you can. Not with a display like the iMac's. At the price you're paying for that 27" i5 with that display, you're effectively paying $530 for all the non-display hardware. The case — which is not only aesthetically quite nice but extremely solidly-made — the motherboard, power supply, CPU, RAM, GPU, hard drive and optical drive. You're getting the OS, too, and iLife.

I don't think you can build a similarly-spec'ed PC for $530. Even if you could get all that hardware for $530, you're still going to be short an OS, and Microsoft's going to want $100+ for that alone.

If the iMac were a shitty value, I wouldn't have bought one myself. The Beats, on the other hand...I don't think 'value' even really enters the equation when you're talking about a product like that.

Are you wearing the Beats as a fashion statement? Either way, large full size headphones look awkward in public.

Unless you have a truly good-looking pair of headphones. AKG K701s, maybe. I certainly wouldn't laugh at people who'd wear a set of cans like that around.

 

[450]

Unless you have a truly good-looking pair of headphones. AKG K701s, maybe. I certainly wouldn't laugh at people who'd wear a set of cans like that around.

The AKG k701's are quite nice, however I'm not sure they'd be effective while outside due to being open.

 

[refraxion]

Are you wearing the Beats as a fashion statement? Either way, large full size headphones look awkward in public.

Not as a fashion statement, but it has looks to it and the sound is decent (not great, but good enough).. I'm not an audiophile or anything.. but I also got the headphones for cheap so I might be kinda biased. I got the Beats studio's for a great price more than 50% off retail. So I don't mind wearing them out, I think they look great and sound great for how much I paid for them lol!

 

[Terpfen]

The strong backlash in this thread against buying equipment just for fashion value ought to be a nice example for those who think people buy Macs because they’re popular or trendy.

Also, for crying out loud, get anything but Beats by Dre. Go visit Head-Fi, you’ll find higher quality headphones for half the price.

 

[450]

According to refraxion, he paid less than $150 (assuming MSRP is $300). I'm not sure he'd get a truly superior headphone for $75.

 

[Terpfen]

According to refraxion, he paid less than $150 (assuming MSRP is $300). I'm not sure he'd get a truly superior headphone for $75.

The HA-RX700 easily qualifies. For a more portable headset, Sennheiser makes a couple of good portable headphones for around the $75 price point.

 

[refraxion]

According to refraxion, he paid less than $150 (assuming MSRP is $300). I'm not sure he'd get a truly superior headphone for $75.

Yeah I actually paid $60 out of pocket brand new for the headphones, so I think for the $60 price point they look nice and sound great for what I paid for. (I had some credit for working with a phone company that I could use as well as a discount).

LIke I said, its not "fashion statement" but I would atleast want to wear something I think looks nice and has some oomph to it.

I got it at a best buy too, lol.

 

[pbcustom98]

Like I already said, not best in sound. Also the phones you linked I would not wear out. They do not look good at all.

Now, see what I did there? It's all opinion. I much rather wear my Beats out than those atrocious things (although sound quality would no doubt be better).

Again, I would never wear those linked phones out. Maybe in my house maybe.

oh, so when spending $400 on headphones, you don't care about the quality of the sound, you care about how they look, and what other people think. gotcha.

 

[refraxion]

oh, so when spending $400 on headphones, you don't care about the quality of the sound, you care about how they look, and what other people think. gotcha.

Please learn to read next time. I care about how they look not how other people think they look, capiche? The phones linked looked butt ugly to me and I would never wear them out personally, got a problem? Also, did I ever say I spent $400? I spent $60 CAD, I'd say they are pretty good sound for the price I paid for them.

Thanks.

Edit - If anybody has anything against my personal opinion please PM me, no need to look like a dick to the public .

 

[pwrusr]

^^^ This

Seriously, those Dre Beats are pieces of junk. Check out the Audio forums here and learn what's what. Go with a good pair of Sennheisers, Audio-Technica's, Beyerdynamics, etc etc etc...

Pretty much! the i5 is MUCH faster on encoding then the c2d

I'm currently rockin' out on a set of bayer DT770's I scored at guitar center for a great price:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Beyerdy...losed-Studio-Headphones-102512019-i1126937.gc

The 770's will KILL the dr. dre cans and you'll have money left over. While they may not look "cool" like the dre cans they have fantastic build and sound quality. They also offer user replaceable earpads and headband pads.

 

[refraxion]

Pretty much! the i5 is MUCH faster on encoding then the c2d

I'm currently rockin' out on a set of bayer DT770's I scored at guitar center for a great price:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Beyerdy...losed-Studio-Headphones-102512019-i1126937.gc

The 770's will KILL the dr. dre cans and you'll have money left over. While they may not look "cool" like the dre cans they have fantastic build and sound quality. They also offer user replaceable earpads and headband pads.

Heh, those look kinda snazzy!

I'll probably pick myself up some audio technica's or beyerdynamics sometime down the road too.

 

[Jon55]

Yeah, the beats may not be the best in sound quality.. but they sure as hell look nice. Which is why I have them. They are decent for what they do (Not price of course) and look a lot better than most high end phones if you want to lug it around with you.

Hookers on the sidewalk can look good too sometimes.

Edit - If anybody has anything against my personal opinion please PM me, no need to look like a dick to the public .

You mean you don't want anyone else to see someone calling you out on your bullshit in public.

 

[refraxion]

I couldn't care less about someone calling me out -- as you have already seen. But if you want to contribute to it further, PM. It's already beating a dead horse. But yeah, you just made yourself look like a huge dick there . Where have I bsed? Please elaborate in PM, no need to derail.