Benarkan Investasi Emas Logam Mulia Selalu Menguntungkan ?

Sesuai judul, benarkah investasi menggunakan sarana logam mulia selalu menguntungkan ?

Akhir-akhir ini banyak buku dan orang yang tiba-tiba berinvestasi emas, beberapa dari mereka yakin seyakin-yakinnya bahwa investasi emas selalu menguntungkan untuk jangka panjang. Namun benarkah seperti itu ?

Jika melihat grafik dari www.kitco.com, harga emas untuk 10 tahun terakhir memang meningkat tajam, dan sepertinya tidak pernah ada penurunan yg signifikan.

Begitu pula dari tabel tabel yg diberikan oleh beberapa sumber, tampaknya harga emas per dolar selalu naik dari tahun ke tahun.

Pertanyaannya benarkah investasi emas selalu mengalahkan inflasi ? Benarkah investasi emas selalu menguntungkan ? Bisakah emas selalu mempertahankan daya belinya ?

Tampaknya tidak juga.

Jika kita melihat grafik jauh ke belakang, sekitar 30 tahun lalu, dengan grafik yg sudah disesuaikan dengan standar hidup saat itu, maka yang terlihat adalah, harga emas tahun 80 an masih lebih mahal daripada harga emas hari ini.

Artinya, jika anda membeli emas pada tahun 80 an dan menyimpannya hingga sekarang, investasi Anda negatif bukan positif.

Lima cara berinvestasi seperti Warren Buffett

1. Membeli saham sama dengan membeli bisnis
Jika sebuah bisnis berkinerja bagus, harga sahamnya akan mengikuti.;
Bagaimana mengetahui bisnis yang bagus? Pertama-tama, Anda harus mengerjakan PR, yaitu riset fundamental perusahaan tersebut. Sebab, bagi Buffett, syarat mutlak berinvestasi adalah mengerti bisnisnya dulu. Ia berulang kali menolak berinvestasi di berbagai saham teknologi murah karena mengaku tak kenal bisnisnya. “Risiko datang ketika Anda tidak tahu apa yang Anda lakukan,” tuturnya.
Karena itu, Buffett juga menyarankan untuk memastikan kekuatan manajemen perusahaan itu. Menurut buku ‘The Warren Buffett Way', ia punya tiga pertanyaan menyangkut manajemen sebuah perusahaan. Apakah mereka rasional? Apakah mereka mengakui kesalahan? Apakah mereka bisa menahan tuntutan institusi? Buffett tak suka manajemen yang hanya mengikuti arus dan mengkopi kompetitor.


2. Beli perusahaan yang menguntungkan
Buffett lebih suka berinvestasi pada perusahaan yang membukukan keuntungan dengan konsisten. Artinya, dalam jangka panjang misalnya 10 tahun, perusahaan itu konsisten meraup keuntungan.
Ia pun mengukur tingkat keuntungan perusahaan misalnya dengan melihat return on equity (ROE), return on invested capital (ROIC), dan margin laba perusahaan, lalu membandingkannya dengan perusahaan kompetitor atau industri.
Tapi hati-hati, kadang perusahaan dengan ROE tinggi memiliki utang yang besar pula. Buffett sangat menghindari perusahaan macam ini. Ia pernah bilang, “Jika Anda berada di kapal yang bocor kronis, energi untuk mengganti kapal bakal lebih produktif ketimbang energi untuk menambal kebocoran.”
Catatan:
ROE = laba bersih/ekuitas
Margin laba = laba bersih/penjualan bersih
ROIC = (laba bersih-dividen)/total modal


3. Beli saham bagus di harga murah
Harga adalah apa yang Anda bayarkan, nilai adalah apa yang Anda dapatkan.
Jadi, belilah selalu saham yang harganya lebih murah daripada nilai sebenarnya. Ini prinsip utama Buffett yang ia pelajari dari guru favoritnya, Benjamin Graham. Caranya adalah cermat memperhatikan fluktuasi pasar dan memanfaatkannya. Ketika pasar serakah, Buffett cenderung menahan diri. Tapi sebaliknya, begitu pasar takut, ia mulai menebar jala berburu saham bagus tapi murah. Strategi kontrarian ini mudah diucapkan tapi pada kenyataannya sulit diterapkan. Sebab, lazim terjadi emosi dan kepanikan akan menyergap investor di tengah situasi buruk.


4.Berinvestasi jangka panjang
"Belilah hanya sesuatu yang Anda akan benar-benar senang memegangnya jika pasar tutup selama 10 tahun.
Ketika membeli sebuah saham, Buffett berpatokan akan menyimpannya dalam jangka panjang bahkan seumur hidupnya. Ia menyimpan sejumlah saham yang tak pernah ia jual sampai sekarang seperti Coca-Cola, GEICO, dan Washington Post.

5. Economic moat
Buffett menemukan istilah baru ini, yang secara harafiah berarti parit perlindungan ekonomi. Tapi yang dimaksud Buffett adalah perusahaan yang punya keunggulan kompetitif.  Perusahaan bertipe economic moat dapat melindungi bisnisnya dari kompetitor karena ia punya kelebihan tersendiri.
Kelebihan ini bisa berupa merek yang kuat, paten, atau posisi geografis. Memakai prinsip ini, Buffett membeli McDonalds, Coca Cola, dan P&G.


sumber : kontan.co.id

Potensi kawasan stasiun jurangmangu

Saya pertama kali kenal daerah sekitaran stasiun jurangmangu sekitar dua tahun lalu, sejak saya pindah ke rumah saya.
Waktu membeli rumah, salah satu pertimbangan utama memilih rumah di perumahan saya itu memang pertimbangan transportasi kereta yang dekat.

Dua tahun lalu, saat pertama kali ke stasiun jurangmangu, stasiun jurangmangu masih sepi, penumpang yang naik dari stasiun sudimara masih sedikit.
Selain itu, tidak semua kereta berhenti di stasiun jurangmangu. Waktu itu biaya parkir seharian masih Rp 2000,-  Parkir motor masih boleh di depan loket, dan masih cukup.

Sekarang ?
Stasiun jurangmangu penuh, tiap pagi terlihat banyak penumpang yang menunggu kereta. Parkir juga sudah naik, mengikuti kenaikan tarif KRL jabodetabek, tarif parkir jurangmangu juga naik, jadi Rp 3500,- per hari dan Rp 4000,- untuk di atas jam 19.00.
Parkiran juga sudah nambah, sekarang parkir motor di tempat parkiran mobil, dan parkir mobil ditambah di bagian bawah stasiun, dan itupun mulai penuh...

Yup, stasiun Jutangmangu sudah berubah, dan masih akan berubah lagi...
sesuai selebaran dari PT KCJ, akan ada revitalisasi stasiun Jurangmangu. Dari gambar maketnya sih, bangunan utama stasiun jurangmangu bakalan bertingkat.

Revitalisasi stasiun jurangmangu ini juga ada di situs resmi PT KAI :

Bandung (8/2), dalam rangka melakukan koordinasi penanganan solusi kemacetan di wilayah Tangerang Selatan, rombongan Pemda Kota Tangsel  yang dipimpin oleh Wali kota Tangsel, Airin Rachmi Diany, mengadakan kunjungan kerja ke kantor pusat PT.KAI. Selanjutnya rombongan diterima langsung oleh Dirut PT.KAI, Ignasius Jonan.

Pada kunjungan tersebut, pihak Pemda Kota Tangerang Selatan melakukan rapat koordinasi mengenai pembenahan infrastruktur stasiun di sekitar Kota Tangerang Selatan seperti Stasiun Jurang Mangu. Diharapkan dengan pengembangan infrastruktur dan fasilitas Stasiun Jurang Mangu seperti pelebaran akses masuk stasiun, perluasan lahan tempat parkir dan fasilitas pendukung lainnya, dapat meningkatkan minat masyarakat di sekitar Bintaro khususnya dan masyarakat Tangerang Selatan pada umumnya, untuk lebih menggunakan KA sebagai sarana transportasi mobilitas mereka.  Selama ini jumlah penumpang KA yang naik di Stasiun Jura Mangu tiap harinya baru berjumlah 897 penumpang.

Jumlah tersebut dirasa masih kecil bila dibandingkan dengan jumlah penduduk Kota Tangerang Selatan yang berjumlah 1.303.569 orang. Dengan luas wilayahnya  147,19 km², Kota Tangerang selatan merupakan  kawasan yang mempunyai karakteristik berupa kawasan perdagangan / niaga, perumahan, pendidikan dan perkantoran. Dari karakteristik itu, menjadikan Kota Tangerang sebagai salah satu daerah yang mempunyai fungsi letak geografis yang strategis dan merupakan daerah penyangga DKI Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Bekasi dan Kabupaten Tangerang.

Sebagai daerah penyangga tersebut, Kota Tangerang Selatan menunjukan perekonomian yang meningkat setiap tahunnya (I = 8,49%). Kondisi ini sangat potensial pada implikasi peningkatan aktivitas setiap individunya, dan akan menimbulkan mobilitas penduduk yang semakin kompleks. Sehingga merupakan langkah yang tepat, bila Pemda Kota Tangerang Selatan berkeinginan untuk memperbaiki fasilitas penunjang transportasi KA di Stasiun Jurang Mangu. (Humaska)

Dan ada rumor yang menyatakan nanti akan ada apartemen di deket stasiun jurangmangu, dan kemungkinan memiliki akses ke stasiun jurangmangu... Wow !

Mungkin ini ada hubungannya dengan project yang saat ini sedang dikembangkan di Bintaro Jaya, yaitu Bintaro Xchange :


Trus apa hubungannya denganku ?
Sisi menguntungkannya adalah, pastinya harga tanah akan meningkat. Karena dengan revitalisasi stasiun jurangmangu, berarti stasiun itu nantinya akan menampung penumpang yang lebih banyak. Dan, di mana ada keramaian.. biasanya harga naik, karena menjadi lebih berpotensi untuk usaha.
Lebih banyak tempat usaha berarti akan makin banyak pilihan makanan, pilihan belanja, pilihan untuk memenuhi kebutuhan sehari-hari.
Dan tentu dengan adanya stasiun yang baik, rapi, bersih, dan besar di dekat rumah akan membuat lebih nyaman.

Sisi tidak menguntungkannya ?
Harga tanah naik... ya, harga tanah naik, tapi sepertinya tidak menguntungkan juga kalo tidak direalisasikan (tidak ada rencana menjual).
Dan justru nanti jalanan akan lebih ramai, lebih macet...
Padahal dulu damaaai... sepi... nyaman untuk ditinggali.

Semoga sih harga tanah naik, tapi jalanan tidak makin macet... (sepertinya terlalu berharap)

Who is Tobi (obito)

I found this very interesting analysis from Yhuan Nalude.



I don't think he's the real OBITO. There is no way Obito could turn into an alpha dog.
shinobi who mastered S/T phasing and.
teleportation within a 1-2 year time frame. At 15
years old? No way... There is also no way Obito would know how to extract the Kyuubi, hypnotize.
it, control it like a puppet, and then summon it.
wherever the hell he wants to. And all of this is.
supposed to have happened 1-2 years after Obito.
supposedly died? That’s just not feasible. 

Plothole Number 2: Personality U-turn (chapter 241.
page 19).
"Of course those in the ninja world who break the.
rules and regulations are called trash... but those
who don’t care about their companions are even.
worse than trash." Will of Fire talk from Obito. It makes no sense for.

him to suddenly manifest this unwavering.
vendetta against Konoha unless Tobi is just using.
Obito’s body as a vessel, in which case, Tobi isn’t.
really Obito anyway because his soul and spirit.
have nothing to do with it.

Plothole Number 3: Kushina Quote (chapter 501.
page 7).
"Do you have ANY idea how long I’ve waited for.
this moment?" It’s a complete contradiction for.
Obito to say something like that when,
hypothetically, he wouldn’t have been alive long enough to make that type of comment because.
Obito would have been 15 years old if he fought.
Minato. Tobi has probably had to wait DECADES for.
the opportunity to extract the Kyuubi from its host.

Plothole Number 4: Kyuubi recognized Tobi.
(chapter 501 page 8 ).
The Kyuubi actually recognizes Tobi and possibly.
knows who he is. If THAT doesn’t convince you,
nothing will. The Kyuubi made a direct transfer.
from being sealed into Mito to being sealed into Kushina, so there is a fundamental contradiction for.
the Kyuubi to recognize anyone in the outside.
world when it was sealed for all that time. If the
Kyuubi actually recognized Tobi, it means Tobi has.
to be someone who was alive during Hashirama/.
Madara’s generation.

Plothole Number 5: Tobi is too tall (chapter 503.
page 9).
Tobi was shown to be adult sized when he fought.
Minato, chapter 503 page 5. But on page 9, Kakashi,
Gai, Asuma and Kurenai are all shown to be much.
shorter as they are going through adolescence. Obito would have been around that size and is.
therefore too short to be Tobi.

Plothole Number 6: Minato would’ve figured it out.
(chapter 500-504).
If Tobi was really Obito, then Minato would have.
figured it out when they were fighting each other.
Obito was Minato’s own student and would have.
recognized his chakra, but he didn’t.

Plothole Number 7: This is HIS doing (chapter 560.
page 2).
"This is HIS doing." That means Madara knows.
exactly who Tobi is, but there is no way Madara.
could have worked with Obito because Madara.
had died already. We know this because by the time Nagato gets Madara's Rinnegan from Tobi,
Madara is officially dead - "I awakened these eyes.
shortly before my death." (chapter 560 page 15).
This is important because Nagato is older than.
Minato, and Minato is older than Obito.

Plothole Number 8: Hashirama Comparison (chapter.
462 page 14).
Tobi says to Naruto "I can see the first Hokage in.
you." To make that type of comparison Tobi must.
have known what Hashirama was like as a person.
Problem is, Hashirama was dead before Obito was born.

Plothole Number 9: During Our Battle (chapter 512.
page 9).
"This is something I grew from living tissue I stole.
from him during our battle." Kabuto already.
revealed the Madara coffin so there was no reason.
for Tobi to keep lying. So if Tobi actually had a fight with Hashirama there is no way he could be Obito.

Plothole Number 10: Too Much Knowledge.
It is impossible for Obito to know so much about.
the bloody history between the Senju clan and the.
Uchiha clan before Konoha was even established.
as a shinobi village. Tobi has to be someone from.
that generation. It is also impossible for Obito to know so much about Rikudou Sennin, his sons, the.
Bijuu and the Juubi.

THE BIGGEST PLOTHOLE OF THEM ALL. Plothole Number 11: Nagato is much older than.
Obito.
Why is this important? Because Tobi GAVE Nagato.
the Rinnegan. In other words, it is impossible for.
Obito to have given kid Nagato the Rinnegan.
because Obito is much younger than Nagato.

Surat dari hati seorang ibu “wajib dibaca buat para aktivis kampus”

Orang bilang anakku seorang aktivis, Kata mereka namanya tersohor dikampusnya sana . 
Orang bilang anakku seorang aktivis, Dengan segudang kesibukan yang disebutnya amanah umat . Orang bilang anakku seorang aktivis, Tapi bolehkah aku sampaikan padamu nak ? “Ibu bilang engkau hanya seorang putra kecil ibu yang lugu.”

Anakku, sejak mereka bilang engkau seorang aktivis ibu kembali mematut diri menjadi ibu seorang aktivis .Dengan segala kesibukkanmu,ibu berusaha mengerti betapa engkau ingin agar waktumu terisi dengan segala yang bermanfaat.Ibu sungguh mengerti itu nak, tapi apakah menghabiskan waktu dengan ibumu ini adalah sesuatu yang sia-sia nak ? Sungguh setengah dari umur ibu telah ibu habiskan untuk membesarkan dan menghabiskan waktu bersamamu nak,tanpa pernah ibu berfikir bahwa itu adalah waktu yang sia-sia



Anakku,kita memang berada disatu atap nak,di atap yang sama saat dulu engkau bermanja dengan ibumu ini . masih teringat oleh ibumu ini kenangan kenangan manis ketika engkau masih ada didekapanku, dipelukanku.



Tapi kini dimanakah rumahmu nak?ibu tak lagi melihat jiwamu di rumah ini .Sepanjang hari ibu tunggu kehadiranmu dirumah,dengan penuh doa agar Allah senantiasa menjagamu .Larut malam engkau kembali dengan wajah kusut.Mungkin tawamu telah habis hari ini,tapi ibu berharap engkau sudi mengukir senyum untuk ibu yang begitu merindukanmu . Ah,lagi-lagi ibu terpaksa harus mengerti,bahwa engkau begitu lelah dengan segala aktivitasmu hingga tak mampu lagi tersenyum untuk ibu . Atau jangankan untuk tersenyum,sekedar untuk mengalihkan pandangan pada ibumu saja engkau engkau,katamu engkau sedang sibuk mengejar deadline. 
Padahal,andai kau tahu nak,ibu ingin sekali mendengar segala kegiatanmu hari ini,memastikan engkau baik-baik saja,memberi sedikit nasehat yang ibu yakin engkau pasti lebih tahu.Ibu memang bukan aktivis sekaliber engkau nak,tapi bukankah aku ini ibumu ? yang 9 bulan waktumu engkau habiskan didalam rahimku..

Anakku, ibu mendengar engkau sedang begitu sibuk nak. Nampaknya engkau begitu mengkhawatirkan nasib organisasimu,engkau mengatur segala strategi untuk mengkader anggotamu . Engkau nampak amat peduli dengan semua itu,ibu bangga padamu .Namun,sebagian hati ibu mulai bertanya nak,kapan terakhir engkau menanyakan kabar ibumu ini nak ? Apakah engkau mengkhawatirkan ibu seperti engkau mengkhawatirkan keberhasilan acaramu ? kapan terakhir engkau menanyakan keadaan adik-adikmu nak ? Apakah adik-adikmu ini tidak lebih penting dari anggota organisasimu nak ?

Anakku,ibu sungguh sedih mendengar ucapanmu.Saat engkau merasa sangat tidak produktif ketika harus menghabiskan waktu dengan keluargamu . Memang nak,menghabiskan waktu dengan keluargamu tak akan menyelesaikan tumpukan tugas yang harus kau buat,tak juga menyelesaikan berbagai amanah yang harus kau lakukan .Tapi bukankah keluargamu ini adalah tugasmu juga nak?bukankah keluargamu ini adalah amanahmu yang juga harus kau jaga nak?
Anakku,ibu mencoba membuka buku agendamu .Buku agenda sang aktivis.Jadwalmu begitu padat nak,ada rapat disana sini,ada jadwal mengkaji,ada jadwal bertemu dengan tokoh-tokoh penting.Ibu membuka lembar demi lembarnya,disana ada sekumpulan agendamu,ada sekumpulan mimpi dan harapanmu.Ibu membuka lagi lembar demi lembarnya,masih saja ibu berharap bahwa nama ibu ada disana.
Ternyata memang tak ada nak,tak ada agenda untuk bersama ibumu yang renta ini.Tak ada cita-cita untuk ibumu ini . Padahal nak,andai engkau tahu sejak kau ada dirahim ibu tak ada cita dan agenda yang lebih penting untuk ibu selain cita dan agenda untukmu,putra kecilku..



Kalau boleh ibu meminjam bahasa mereka,mereka bilang engkau seorang organisatoris yang profesional.Boleh ibu bertanya nak,dimana profesionalitasmu untuk ibu ?dimana profesionalitasmu untuk keluarga ? Dimana engkau letakkan keluargamu dalam skala prioritas yang kau buat ?

Ah,waktumu terlalu mahal nak.Sampai-sampai ibu tak lagi mampu untuk membeli waktumu agar engkau bisa bersama ibu..


Setiap pertemuan pasti akan menemukan akhirnya. Pun pertemuan dengan orang tercinta,ibu,ayah,kaka dan adik . Akhirnya tak mundur sedetik tak maju sedetik .Dan hingga saat itu datang,jangan sampai yang tersisa hanyalah penyesalan.Tentang rasa cinta untuk mereka yang juga masih malu tuk diucapkan .Tentang rindu kebersamaan yang terlambat teruntai.



Maafkan aku ibu yang selama ini telah membuat hatimu yang lembut itu terluka,,
aku mohon maafkan aku IBU




Di,izinkan utk meng-share kesemua orang apapun medianya
Selagi itu positif dan membuat orang lain menjadi lebih baik

Kenapa tidak????

SEMOGA BERMANFAAT BUAT AGAN AGAN SEMUA

Artikel ini diambil dari kaskus, dengan izin di atas...

What Headphone Guide

This article taken from http://pastebin.com/bbFeb4i5


Introduction

((This post will constantly be in a work in progress, the headphone world is constantly changing with new competitors and my goal is to keep this up to date with as much detail as possible. This will be no easy goal and I'm asking your help to correct any information, or add any as needed! A PM will yield best results when looking to change anything here. I also want to thank Bbq for creating the original headphone thread that has suited our needs for a long time.))

Before reading this thread I want everyone to realize that sound is subjective. Something that one person may find to be a great headphone may in-fact sound terrible to the next person. With that said I'd like to keep the discussion of headphones civilized. I realize opinions can cause someone to get heated possibly, but we're all here for the same purpose! That being the most important thing to note, there are other important things to consider when buying a new set of headphones and this information will be highly helpful to provide when asking for advice:

1: Location: Where do you intend on using these? If you're looking for a portable solution, a pair of open full sized circumaural headphones may not be for you. Consider the most practical option, not the flashiest.

2: Budget: A budget is very important to set-up before you consider your purchase. Some headphones are known to "need" amps to shine. The headphones will still work without an amp, but some headphones won't be up to their potential without one.

3: Music: The type of music you listen to will be very important when looking for a new pair of headphones. If you like bass heavy music then you're going to want something that has some bass impact.

Headphone Types

Before I get into the guide I would like to give a quick explanation of the types of headphones.

IEMs: Otherwise known as in-ear monitors. These are headphones that go into your ear similar to ear buds, but they go a step further by nesting into your ear canal. They generally provide a higher level of isolation than earbuds



Earbuds: These are the headphones that you'll see come with an iPod. They sit in the outside of the ear, and don't provide much isolation. These aren't very popular in the audiophile world and generally you won't find many higher end ones.



Full-Sized, Circumaural: These can be open or closed headphones, it doesn't matter. The defining characteristic of these is that they will completely cover your ear inside the pad. The pad of the headphone generally won't touch the ear, rather make a seal around the outside of the ear. These headphones tend to be large and are generally not ideal for portable use.



Full-Sized, Supra-aural: These can be open or closed headphones, it doesn't matter. The defining characteristic of these is that they sit on the ear, rather than cover your ear.



Resources


Head-Fi - Many of you may already know about this site, overall it's fantastic. Be weary of audiophoolery though, a lot of people tend to get caught up in searching for the perfect sound and lose sight of what's important, the music.
Multi IEM Review - A very nice guide to many IEMs in many price brackets with more added regularly.
Beyerdynamic Reference Chart - This is an amazingly useful post on the varieties of the Beyerdynamic Dt770, 880, and 990, models that any user considering these models should purchase.
Portable Headphone Shootout - This is an incredibly useful guide for headphones on the go for multiple price brackets and many headphones with more added regularly.
MLE's Gaming Guide - An excellent guide to gaming headsets.
Anything But iPod - Features information and reviews on not just headphones but other audio equipment with some trusted reviews.
HeadRoom - A nice site with some fantastic resources. Headphones tend to be a bit overpriced here though.
InnerFidelity - Great unbiased reviews.

Headphone Guide


Warning
When considering your headphone purchase it's always best to attempt to find a place to demo them yourself to try your own music on them and see if they suit your ears. Remember sound is subjective and one headphone I enjoy the next person may not. This is meant to help guide you into the more popular and well received models available to further research.

Things to avoid:
In general it's best to avoid products made by Skullcandy, Bose, Beats, or Monster unless otherwise specified in this thread. These companies spend a lot of money on advertising and looks rather than quality. That isn't to say these companies haven't put out headphones worth buying, the Monster Turbine Coppers are actually fantastic IEMs, it's just that a lot of the time you're paying a premium for the name.

Active Noise Canceling is also something else you'll want to avoid. In-general the average person will get the isolation needed from IEMs or other full-sized headphones. With active noise canceling you're going to pay a premium on the noise canceling tech, rather than the sound quality. Only buy these, or even consider them, if you absolutely need them.

Note Guide wrote:

(1) Denotes amp is not required and the headphone will probably not see any change with one.
(2) Denotes amp is not required, but one is recommended.
(3) Denotes amp is required. Using these without an amp will leave much to be desired.

Any headphone with a B next to the number, IE:
(2-B) indicates that it's a bass heavy headphone.
Any headphone with an S next to the number, IE:
(2-S) indicates that they are made for studio monitoring, though may also be good for listening.



Budget Headphones: $0-$75
Looking for a pair of headphones for travel, something cheap to throw around? Or perhaps you can't justify spending much on a pair of headphones but want something of decent value? Look here!
Budget Headphones: Hide

IEMs

(1-B) JVC Marshmallow, $10-$14. Strong bass, recessed mids, tinny highs. Good for exercising.
(1) Meelectronic M6, $20-$30. Good controlled bass with good extension, slightly aggressive, but clear, mids, clear highs. These IEMs are highly regarded for budget IEMs.
(1-B) Meelectronic R1, $25-$30. Cheap woodies. Deep extended bass with good impact, perhaps too much at times. Warm mids, though somewhat grainy. Rolled off highs that are pleasing to the ear.
(1-B) SoundMagic E30, $40. Strong bass, slightly pushy. Mids are slightly forward, great attack and clarity. Highs extend well, not fatiguing but slightly sibilant. Great for bassheads who don't want the rest of their sound compromised.
(1) Maximo iMetal iM590, $40-$50. Rather balanced sound, rather clear throughout.
(1) Meelectronic A151, $45-$60. Full warm sound. Full bass, clean smooth mids, clean highs. Build quality is great, no microphonics. One of the best, if not the best option under $100.
(1) Soundmagic PL-50, $50-$65. Decent bass but not much impact, great mids, clear highs. A very good value.
(1) Apple Dual Driver IEM, $65-$75. Warm bass with some impact, clear mids and highs. Rather detailed for the price. Has inline remote/mic for iPod/iPhone.
(1) Dunu Ares, $70-$85. Decent overall balanced sound, leans slightly to the warm sound. Bass is adequate, nothing special, mids and highs are lush, but slightly grainy. These are excellent for those who want a good looking IEM while having decent sound.

Open Headphones

(1) Koss KSC75, $10-$20. Bloated bass, decent mids, clear highs. *These are clip-ons*. Good for portable use.
(1) Superlux HD681, $30-$40. Good Bass, mids, and highs.
(1-S) Superlux HD686b, $30-$50. Neutral, slight emphasis on treble.
(1-B) Koss PortaPro, $30-$40. Strong, slightly, muddy, bass, recessed mids, slightly rolled off. Good for portable use.
(1) Samson SR850, $40-$60. Good punchy/slightly deep bass, slightly recessed clear mids, detailed and clear highs.

Closed Headphones

(1) JVC HARX700, $30-$40. "A poor mans A700." Thumpy/muddy bass, decent mids, decent highs.
(1-B) Sony MDR XB500, $50. Comfortable. Strong bass, recessed mids, decent highs. Good for portable use.
(1) JVC HARX900, $50-$60. "A poor mans A900." Decent soundstage. Tight/deep bass, recessed mids, bright/fatiguing highs.
(1) Beyerdynamic DT231, $45-$60. Slightly boosted lows, clear mids, slightly boosted, but clear, highs. Considered to be one of the best closed headphones under $100.
(1-S) Sony MDR-V6, $60-$70. Clear sound with a rather flat response.
(1) Sennheiser HD 448, $50-$60. Rather weak bass, overall balanced clear sound.



Entry Level Headphones: $75-$150
These headphones are for people who want to take the next step up and possibly enter the audiophile world. The low price-tag does not mean these headphones aren't serious about sound!
Entry Level Headphones: Hide

IEMs

(1) Spider Realvoice, $75-$85. Balanced. Lows are controlled and punchy, clear, prominent, neutral mids, highs sparkle with good extension. Good all-rounder.
(2) HiFi Man RE0, $80. Clear with fantastic highs and mids, low end is lacking.
(1) Etymotic HF5, $90-$100. Excellent isolation with a rather neutral/natural sound. Anemic, yet punchy, bass. Clear, detailed and neutral mids. Sparkling highs. Very clear.
(2) HiFi Man RE-ZERO, $100. Clear, fantastic highs and mids, low end is alright.
(1) Shure SE215, $100. Removable cables. Strong punchy bass, warm powerful mids, rather weak highs.

Open Headphones

(1) Fostex t50rp, $75-$120. Deep bass, clear mids, slightly rolled off highs.
(1) Grado SR-60i, $79. Bright forward headphones. Bass is punchy but overshadowed by the forward mids, bright, potentially fatiguing highs. Great value headphones.
(1) Audio Technica ATH-AD700, $85-$100. Weak bass though it has some impact, detailed mids and highs with no fatigue. The best soundstage in the price range.
(1) Sennheiser HD555, $95-$110. Warm laid-back relaxed sound. Bass is somewhat lacking, mids are full, highs roll off fast.
(2-S) AKG K240S, $100. Good build quality, detachable cable. Tight natural highs, slightly forward mids and highs. Great value.
(1) Alessandro MS-1, $99. Decent natural sounding bass, good warm mids, good detail in the highs with decent extension.
(1) Grado SR80i, $99. Decent lows, though the aggressively forward mids overshadow them. Shrill highs, very bright headphone. Excellent for Rock, possibly the best headphone under $100 for the genre. Highly regarded. Comfort and fatigue are potential concerns.
(2-B) Fischer Audio FA-011, $118. Comfortable with a good sound stage. Deep tight bass, smooth clear mids, somewhat bright highs.

Closed Headphones

(1-B) Sony MDR-XB700, $80. Deep boomy bass, recessed mids, decent highs. This is a bassheads dream. Good for portable use.
(1) Shure SRH 440, $75-$85. Great isolation and detachable cable. Clean sound, somewhat neutral. Good for portable use.
(2) Koss PRODJ 100, $80. Solid build quality, coiled cable. Natural, clean, sound. Good for portable use/
(1) Sennheiser HD280 Pro, $85-$100. Rather balanced sound though slightly recessed mids and rolled of highs. Only buy these if you need a lot of passive isolation.
(1-S) KRK KNS-6400, $100. Accurate, detailed and comfortable. Accurate bass, good mids and smooth treble. Great soundstage for a closed headphone. Detachable cables. Good for portable use.
(1-B) Ultrasone HFI-580, $130-$150. Fun, clean, V shaped sound. Deep punchy clean bass, slightly recessed mids, bright, sometimes fatiguing, highs. Some sibilance. Decent isolation. Good for portable use.
(1) Shure SRH840, $130-$150. Accurate/punchy bass, great mids, highs are somewhat lacking. Detachable cord. Good for portable use.
(2-S) KRK KNS 8400, $150. Accurate and detailed. Good lows, good mids, good highs. Detachable cable. Very accurate. Good for portable use.



Mid-Range Headphones: $150-$300
Don't let the title fool you, these headphones are serious about their sound quality and many users will be completely satisfied stopping here in their quest for their sound. Perhaps you're looking to upgrade, sidegrade, or enter the grade at all, these are excellent headphones that will satisfy most.
Mid-Range Headphones: Hide

IEMs

(2) Fischer Audio DBA-02, $160. Balanced sound, very good value. Good airy soundstage, bass has good impact, mids have good texture, and highs are well detailed and extended.
(1) Panasonic RP-HJE900, $250. Good build quality, detachable cables. Impressive bass with good extension, lush detailed mids, decent highs. Great balance and fun to listen to.
(1-B) Monster Turbine Pro Copper, $250. Warm smooth sound. Strong textured quick hitting bass, slightly forward smooth mids, good extension on the highs. Lifetime warranty.
(1-B) Monster Turbine Pro Gold, $250-$280. Comes with a multitude of accessories, great build quality, and good isolation. Hard hitting quality bass, smooth accurate and lush mids, good highs. Very smooth sound. Lifetime warranty.
(1) Klipsch Custom 3, $290. Shoddy cabling ruins an otherwise solid build quality. Slightly warm sound signature. Punchy bass, accurate balanced mids, clean smooth, but laid back highs. Overall a balanced and accurate sound. Good all-rounder.
(2) Audio-Technica ATH-CK10, $290-$350. Amazing build quality, sets the bar, with good isolation. No microphonics and excellent comfort. Almost perfectly balanced. Smooth, detailed, extended lows, detailed mids, highs sparkle and are very detailed. A great value even at this price.

Open Headphones

(2) Sennheiser HD595, $150-$175. Decent comfort, potential clamping. Good sound stage and imaging. Bass can't keep up with fast music, good full mids, decent highs that roll off a bit too early. Relaxed sound.
(2) Sennheiser HD558, $170-$180. Warm bass, though not much impact, slightly recessed mids, and rolled off highs. Very relaxed sounding.
(1) Grado SR225i, $199. Bright headphones with great mids and highs. These are considered to be the least fatiguing of the SR line while maintaining the Grado "house" sound. Potential comfort issues.
(1) Audio Technica ATH-AD900, $210-$250. Amazing clarity, lush balanced mids and highs, punchy accurate bass. Amazing soundstage, though not much bass extension. Very comfortable. One of the top choices for this bracket
(2) Sennheiser HD598, $235-$250. Looks fantastic, good comfort. Warm laid back sound signature. Decent bass impact and extension, smooth mids, slightly rolled off highs.
(3) AKG K701/702, $265-$280. Amazing detail and clarity, bass is adequate and precise. Largely considered the most detailed headphones in the price range, though also considered the hardest to amp. The K702 offers a detachable cable.
(3) Beyerdynamic Dt880 (avoid the Pro model), $220-$300. Be wary there are 3 models of the Dt880: 32ohm, 250ohm, 600ohm. Each has it's own differences but the general sound of these are rather neutral with an emphasis on the treble, more so than the Dt770. *These are semi-open.*
(3-B) Beyerdynamic Dt990, (avoid the Pro model), $200-$300. Be wary there are 3 models of the Dt990: 32ohm, 250ohm, 600ohm. Each has it's own differences but the general sound of the Dt990s are rather bass heavy with a lot of treble, most recessed mids of any of the Dt series.
(2) Grado SR325i, $295. Considered the brightest and most aggressive of the SR line, but also very detailed.
(2) Alessandro MS2, $299. Good balance throughout. Good clarity, rather congested sound. Easy to drive.

Closed Headphones

(1-B) Audio Technica M50, $150-$160. Punchy deep bass, with slightly recessed mids. Good passive isolation. Good for portable use.
(2) Fischer Audio FA-003, $170. Very neutral headphones with great clarity throughout. Well controlled bass, sparkly highs. Good all-rounders. Great value, comparable to more expensive offerings.
(2-S) AKG K271 MK II, $180-$250. Neutral headphones makes them good for studio monitoring. Detailed, but lacking in bass. Detachable cable.
(1-B) AiAiAi TMA-1, $199. "Dark" sound, great bass from the extension to the impact, mids are good, highs rather recessed. These are designed with minimal techno in-mind, though they work well with other genres. Good for portable use.
(1-S) Sennheiser HD 25-1 II, $200. Durable with good isolation. Well defined lows, neutral mids, and smooth highs. Good for portable use.
(1) Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A, $200-$220. Very smooth, warm, sound. Good bass, sslightly recessed mids, decent highs. Good for portable use.
(1-B) Ultrasone HFI-780, $249. Good isolation, iffy build quality, easy to drive. Strong clear bass, slightly forward mids, bright highs. Good for portable use.
(3) Beyerdynamic Dt770 (avoid the Pro model), $200-$250. Be wary there are 3 versions of the non-pro version: 32ohm, 250ohm, and 600ohm. Each has it's own differences but the general sound of these are rather balanced with an emphasis on the highs.
(2) Denon D2000, $225-$240. Comfortable. Tight punchy bass, smooth mids, smooth clear highs.
(2) Ultrasone Pro 750, $235-$250. Good bass not overbearing but with plenty of slam (an all around more refined version of the HFI-780). Good comfort. Great with trance and bass heavy music.
(2-B) Sony MDR-XB1000, $259. Very comfortable with a decent sound stage and good isolation. Strong but slow and bloated bass, mids are recessed, smooth highs. Often said to simply be a woodied D2000.
(2) Beyerdynamic T50p, $270-$300. Excellent build quality. Balanced, accurate, and a good soundstage. Tight accurate lows, smooth mids, sparkly highs. Great for portable use.
(2) Beyerdynamic DT1350, $299. Excellent build quality. Very neutral, detailed, sound. Tight accurate bass with great clarity throughout. Good for portable use.
(1) Bose QC15, $299. The best active noise canceling headphone by far. Good sound stage and presence. Light on the bass. The noise cancellation might distort the music though. These are only to be considered if you actually need active noise canceling.



Upper Mid-Range Headphones: $300-$500
You've perhaps have gotten a taste of some other headphones and wanted to see what the upper tiers are like, or you're a risk taker and are spending "big" on your first pair. Either way these are part of the upper echelon of headphones and are highly regarded for their sound quality.
Upper Mid-Range Headphones: Hide

IEMs

(2) Westone UM3X, $320-$350. Good build quality, comfort, isolation, and nearly no microphonics. These are built extremely well. Impactful well extended bass, warm smooth forward mids, smooth detailed highs. Also includes a detachable cable.
(2-B) Sennheiser IE8, $340-$400. Great list of included accessories and great build quality including a detachable cable. No microphonics, but isolation is poor. Adjustable bass with included screwdriver, bass can be present and impactful, or bloated and pushy, though some of the best bass in any IEM. Mids and highs are relaxed, but clear. Huge soundstage
(2) Shure SE535, $400-$420. Excellent build quality, comfort, isolation and no microphonics. Punchy well extended bass, lush full forward mids, slightly forward highs.
(3) Audio Technica CK100, $420-$500. Unrivaled build quality, great isolation, nonexistent microphonics, and fantastic comfort. Tight and fast bass, very forward detailed mids, smooth and energetic highs. Amazing imaging and instrument separation. These are picky with their source.


Open Headphones

(3) Sennheiser HD600, $310-$315. Very neutral balanced, quick and clear headphones.
(3) Sony MDR-SA5000, $345. Very detailed. Fantastic highs with excellent extension, clear analytical mids, light detailed bass. Fast headphones with excellent sound imaging.
(3) AKG K601, $349. Rather balanced with a good soundstage. Slightly bass light, excellent mids, clear detailed highs.
(3) Sennheiser HD650, $360-$380. Well built and comfortable, but slight clamping. Warm relaxed sound signature. Great bass and lows, mids and highs seem rather uninspired or veiled.

Closed Headphones

(1-B) Audio Technica ATH-ES10, $350-$370. Warm balanced sound overall with decent isolation. Strong hard hitting bass, neutral mids, smooth sparkling highs. One of the best portable full-sized to date.
(3-B) Denon D5000, $350-$430. Rich and involving, forward signature. Boomy uncontrolled bass, smooth involving mids, rolled off highs. Some issues with build quality, but comfortable.
(2-B) Ultrasone Pro 900, $400-$600. Deep bass that's slightly uncontrolled without an amp, slightly recessed mids, bright highs. Recommended to have an amp and to do the Kees Mod.



Audiophile Headphones: $500+
These headphones are the end of the line, the cream of the crop, the absolute "best" available. Chances are if you've moved on to a headphone in this price range you already know what you want, but here's some of the top picks!
Audiophile Headphones: Hide

IEMs

(2) Westone ES3X, $850. Custom Fit. Warm, lush sounding custom IEM. Forward sound signature places you on the stage together with the instruments.
(2) JH13 Pro, $1,099. Custom Fit. Incredibly detailed reference sounding custom IEM's. Natural and open sound.
(2) JH16 Pro, $1,149. Custom Fit. Stupendous bass presentation while retaining all of the positives from the JH13 Pro's.

Open Headphones

(2) Audio Technica Ad2000, $570-$730. Light, well built, comfortable. Tight, punchy, fast, detailed bass, not much sub-bass though. Mids are forward and slightly aggressive though said to be one of the best for any headphone, very natural sounding detailed highs. These are said to be "fast" headphones. Some even go as far as calling these the best dynamic headphone out there with the right amp/dac.
(2) Grado RS1i, $695. Incredibly detailed and smooth. More of a neutral sound signature. The lows are textured and punchy, the mids and highs have excellent resolution.
(2) Alessandro MS-Pro, $699. Neutral, very detailed with great clarity. Aimed at classical music listeners.
(3) Audeze LCD2, $945-$995. Amazing soundstage and imaging, Balanced highs, slightly heavy, but detailed bass, very natural mid-range.
(2) Grado GS1000i, $995. Very detailed and accurate. Deep quality bass (possibly best in Grado line), rather bright sound. Great soundstage. Very analytical.
(3) Beyerdynamic Tesla T1, $1,295. Rather neutral with amazing clarity and detail. Very natural sounding.
(3) Sennheiser HD800, $1,499. Well defined bass with amazing clarity, fantastic mid-range, slightly artificial highs with some pronounced sibilance. Excellent soundstage and imaging.
(2) Grado PS1000, $1,695. Strong quality bass, fantastic mids and highs.
(3) Stax SR-007 "Omega II", $2,199. Requires a special electrostatic amp. Open-Back Electrostatic Earspeaker.
(3) Ultrasone Edition 10, $2,749. Neutral/airy sound. Deep/well defined bass, very natural mids, accurate highs.

Closed Headphones

(2) Audio Technica ATH-W1000X, $580-$600. Detailed slightly bright highs (sibilance), great mid separation and detail, smooth detailed punchy bass. Amazing soundstage.
(3) Audio Technica ATH-W5000, $640-$650. Notoriously picky with amps. Fantastic clarity and balance through the mids and highs. Lows are punchy and accurate without overextending. Spacious soundstage similar to open headphones with a lot of detail. Great for classical.
(3) Denon D7000, $715-$1,000. Great detailed bass with good extension, clear detailed, though slightly, recessed mids, very detailed and clear highs, though potentially slight sibilance. Rather natural sounding headphone.
(3-S) Stax 4070, $1,824. Requires a special electrostatic amp. Electrostatic headphone. Designed for monitoring, very detailed and unforgiving. A bit heavy but good comfort.


Fantasy Headphones
These headphones are all pretty much unobtainable, even if you do have the money, due to the extreme rarity of them. You can look, but you can't touch.
Fantasy Headphones: Hide
Open Headphones

AKG K1000
Sony Qualia 010
Sennheiser HE90
Grado HP1/2/3

Closed Headphones

Sony R10
Audio Technica W10VTG, W11JPN, W11R, W10LTD, W2002


Headphone Accessories


Miscellaneous Items
For all the miscellaneous items that go with headphones.
Misc: Hide

Styrofoam Head - I picked one of these up today in a salon for $4 as I needed some sort of headphone rack and couldn't think of something cheaper/better. I have to say I recommend these to anyone after using it. It provides a much "safer" environment than simply laying them on a table or so forth will provide.
Aluminum Headphone Stand - A more classy approach to keeping your headphones off the ground and displayed.


Headphone, Amp, & DAC Registry
Share your equipment with the rest of us!
*Bolded headphones indicate reviews!


The List: Hide

ADCxKONAKONA - Sony MDR-7506, Audio Technica Ad700, Sennheiser HD25-1 II, Grado SR60i. Multi-review post.
clams - Sennheiser HD650, AKG K702 (UPOCC cable), Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro. Matrix M-stage amp, Matrix ASRC Cube DAC, JDSLabs CmoyBB
Couchy - Audio Technica Ad900, iBuds. iPhone 3GS.
emiksz - Audio Technica Ad700. Xonar Essence ST.
djdude007 - Sennheiser HD280 Pro. 6g iPod Classic 80gb.
dontthinkred - Sennheiser HD555, Sony MDR-V6, Klipsch Image S2.
elektronjunge - Shure SE535, Shure SRH 840. Xonar DX.
GGfpc - Sony MDR-V6. 2g iPod Touch.
keanex - Audio Technica Ad700, Audio Technica Ad900, JVC Marshmallow w/Comply T400 Foam tips, SoundMagic E30, Meelectronic A151. FiiO E7, 6g iPod Classic 160gb.
kingoftown1 - Audio Technica Ad900, Beyerdynamic DTX 910, Meelectronics M6. FiiO E7, 5th gen 30 gig ipod video (rockboxed). Mini-Review (60i, 225i, 272hd, HD650)
mikegays - Shure SRH-840s, Audio-Technica ATH-ES7, Sennheiser CX-300/500s. FiiO E5 amp.
Mong0 - Sennheiser HD 650, Grado SR60i, Sennheiser IE8, Sennheiser PC 350. HRT MSII, Matrix M-Stage, Asus Essence ST.
scudnutzz - Grado SR225i, HiFi Man RE-ZERO.
sjobs90 - Ultrasone Pro 900s, Apple IEMs. FiiO E7
spangled - Sennheiser HD25-1 II Adidas edition, Phonak Audeo PFE 022, Etymotic HF2. Sansa Clip+.
trevaaar - Sennheiser HD650, HiFi Man RE0. Zero DAC/amp, Creative Zen Vision M.
Truegar - Audio Technica ATH-ES7, Audeze LCD-2. Fiio E7, iPhone 4, iPod 5G, iPad, Denon AVR-3805.
VII - Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 IEM's (Custom Reshell, Null Audio Cable), Audio-Technica ATH-CM7 Earbuds, AIAIAI TMA-1, Grado SR-60 (Modded), AKG K702 (ZX Cable). Sansa Fuze (Rockboxed), Asus Xonar STX, FiiO E7/E9.
wumpas - Audio-Technica ATH-M50, Shure M115+, Turtle Beach HPA2 (for gaming).
Yekrut - Beyerdynamic DT990 600 Ohm. Nu-Force uDAC-2, Little Dot MKIII.


Things to do:

-Complete the list of headphones, yes it will be huge, but it will be comprehensive and give users a multitude of ideas for their headphone purchase.
-Add a list of Amps and DACs and Accessories.
-Desktop and Portable sections.
-Price Levels
-Amp, Amp/DAC, DAC

Revision History:
For the nerds: Hide

7-25-2011

-Added a note for studio monitoring headphones.
-Added a note for portable headphones, full-sized only.
-Re-named "High-End Headphones" to "Audiophile Headphones."
-Added some new headphones and fixed some prices.

Bagaimana Cara Semut Mencari Makanan ?

Ketika mengamati semut yang banyak di rumah dan hampir selalu berhasil menyemuti makanan di rumahku (sebel banget ama semut), saya terpikir bagaimana cara mereka bisa menemukan makananku, padahal makanan sudah dipindahkan dari tempat lama yang sudah "dikenal" semut.

Jika diperhatikan, ketika semut belum menemukan makanan, dia akan berjalan sendiri dan berjalan tidak lurus, sepertinya jalan ngasal aja. Tapi ketika sudah ada sumber makanan yg ditemukan mereka akan berjalan relatif lurus menuju sumber makanan...

Akhirnya, saya cari-cari info dan mendapatkan info seperti ini...
(info ditejermahkan bebas dari Bahasa Inggris) :

Banyak spesies semut berkomunikasi dengan rekan satu-sarang mereka menggunakan aroma kimia yang dikenal sebagai feromon. Feromon dapat digunakan dalam banyak semut dan hewan lain (termasuk manusia).

Bayangkan sebuah koloni semut yang sedang mencari makanan. Pengamatan terhadap anggota koloni semut akan mengungkapkan bahwa semut sering berjalan dalam garis lurus antara sarang semut dan sumber makanan.

Mari kita perhatikan gambar-gambar berikut ini :

Ketika semut menemukan makanan, dia akan dapat mengikuti jejak feromon sendiri kembali ke sarang --- ini mirip dengan meninggalkan jejak remah roti melalui hutan untuk menemukan jalan pulang punggung Anda. Dalam perjalanan kembali ke sarang, semut  "meemberitahukan kepada orang lain"  dengan meletakkan feromon lebih, menciptakan jejak dengan aroma lebih kuat. Pada gambar berikut, semut A mencapai makanan yang pertama dan kemudian mengikuti kembali jejak sendiri untuk sarang, sementara tiga lainnya semut terus mengembara.

 

Ketika semut lain (yang belum menemukan makanan) menemukan jejak feromon, mereka  mulai mengikuti jejak. Pada gambar berikut, semut D menemukan jejak dua kekuatan yang ditinggalkan oleh semut A dan mulai mengikutinya. Semut C menemukan jejak-kekuatan tunggal yang ditinggalkan oleh D yang akhirnya akan mengarah pada jejak A juga. Semut B akhirnya menemukan rute sendiri untuk sumber makanan yang benar-benar terputus dari rute digunakan oleh A.

 

Jika jejak feromon semut mengarah kembali ke sarang tanpa makanan, maka semut akan berbalik mengikuti jejak ke arah yang berlawanan. Setelah semut mencapai makanan, semut akan meraih sepotong dan berbalik, mengikuti jejak yang sama kembali ke sarang. Dalam perjalanan kembali, semut memperkuat jejak dengan meletakkan lebih feromon. Pada gambar berikut, semut C bergabung jejak A tapi itu mengikutinya ke arah yang salah, mencapai sarang tanpa menemukan makanan. Semut B mengikuti jejak sendiri kembali ke sarang -- tidak pernah datang dalam kontak dengan jejak yang lebih langsung bahwa semut lain gunakan. A dan D membawa makanan kembali ke sarang di sepanjang rute yang ditetapkan.

Begitu mereka mencapai makanan, mereka ambil sepotong dan berbalik, mengikuti jejak yang sama kembali ke sarang. Dalam perjalanan pulang, mereka memperkuat jejak dengan meletakkan lebih feromon.

Seiring waktu, banyak jalan antara sarang dan makanan dieksplorasi, tapi aroma pada jalur terpendek diperkuat lebih dari jalur lain, sehingga dengan cepat menjadi jalan yang paling populer, dan segera semua semut berjalan dalam file sepanjang itu.