Headphone FAQ

[ROBSCIX]

i ended up getting Sony MDRV500DJ. the Pioneer's were sold out. i did listen to them and they did have a deeper bass. i'm very happy with the sony, crisp treble. i'm guessing its cuz of the magnet. i'm now saving up for some studio monitors; 2 KRK RP8's and a KRK RP10S...900 bucks by buds think i'm crazy.

Glad you found a set you enjoy. That is the main part. I recently picked up a new set of headphones myself and they sound great out of the models I tested. Are you gonna be using the monitors for recording/mixing/mastering or just playback?

[aiaN]

I came in here a bit late, but i wanted to comment on the K701 that earlier here was taken as better instead of fex, HD650. This is so true but allso so incorrect.

K701 is probbably the best studio headphones you can get as of today. However when listening to complete music. Like band's or whatever you may find that K701 can loose the edge of depth and base. K701 is what i choose when im turning on motzart betoven and so forth. But when it comes to more modern music like Muse, breaking benjamin and sutch. You will find that K701 has to big of a problem to hold up the standards.

But i must allso say that the K701 does powder the music less than any headphones i ever heard of. But as of today i prefer Grado RS-1 most of all. But people don't want to look like a radio operator from WW2 on the streets right? ^^

But as everything with music you cant say that something is better over the other in reality. Cause everything comes down to biology anyways. But as of today i stand on what i just wrote.

P.S ordered a pair of HD650 today with balanced cables going to try them up against HD650 with expensive jack cables :O

[Snake Eyes]

ok...I been running around with a Sony MDR-G59 for the last 8 years and I LOVE them.

Problem is, they started acting up recently and the one wire disconnected inside, going to try and fix them, but I would really like to buy a new pair.
Problem is, you dont get the MDR -G59 any more. so wondering what others I should get?
MUST be the backphones kind

[emoners]

guys i can't seem to find any AudioTechnica or Beyerdynamics where i'm at... but some Senns are available. any opinions on these?

HD-201, HD-205, HD-215, HD-415, HD-435, HD-555

basically for music & movies with occasional gaming...but mostly movies.
& do i need some amps? THANKS

[SuporterPoli]

I have the HD201 and they are not really bright at games and are moderate at music and movies. I use them with a XtremeMusic.
In movies for example compared with the crappy headphones that i had before i can now listen to a lot of details(bicyclist who was passing near 2 persons having a dialogue). They do not have a lot of bass and the sound is pretty much Sennheiser signature,so dark sound.
But for the price they are ok. As for gaming, i play CS1.6 with them but that is mediocre at best, they cannot help me pinpoint the sounds like my Speedlink Tritons did.
Sorry if my english doesnt suit.

[emoners]

thanks SuporterPoli.

guys any comments on Skullcandy?

[XSAlliN]

guys i can't seem to find any AudioTechnica or Beyerdynamics where i'm at... but some Senns are available. any opinions on these?

HD-201, HD-205, HD-215, HD-415, HD-435, HD-555

basically for music & movies with occasional gaming...but mostly movies.
& do i need some amps? THANKS

HD-555 or the only decent set from that list, decent enough to worth the money.

Oh baby plugged my DDT 770's to my bud's AMPeg Bass amp and Oh Man they kicked! He has a set of 990's and compared them. I still like the closed cans better.

Back down to earth now. The more I've used these, the more I like them. They, just like my old pair, aren't as tight as they felt at first. Bass is clean but Deep plus warm minds and highs please *my ears to the point of seeming like a time warp time flies by so fast. No listening fatauge at all for me. My Philips killed me.

Stick a set of these on and listen to the "Cloverfield" movie Trailer?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/trailers-me60215748

From your description I guess it's the 2007 model 80 ohm. DT 770 2005 model are more refined at any level (with proper equipment), yet even the price is almost doble. Between 2007 models DT 880 takes the lead at all levels, more detail, more feeling. With DT 770 you get more bass, it's more intense - on that level you can't go wrong with this model. DT 880 is at limit when it comes to bass, but that's just enough since their bonus relates to all package.

[YanBooth]

So I just picked up a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770's, and they're pretty amazing.. Way better than the 880's in my opinion, they also fit my head much better, as well as the people in the store who I was chatting with them about... I'm blissing out to them as I write this.

Anyhow, they're great, but I think they would really benefit from a decent headphone amp, and I read the advice in the first post.. but that advice is now pretty old, and I was wondering if you audio-knowledgeable folk could give me some advice... I would prefer to just buy something pre made and pay the premium, but if there's a big benefit from building my own (aside from a lower price) I can do that...

I don't want to spend more than $200 on a headphone amp, any advice would be very greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks a million!!

[berk]

Try in this neck of the woods...http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/

and here...http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/sub...-dt880-375447/

[FLMJIGGY]

I've been using the Senny HD 555 and am very happy with them. However I will need a more portable headphone - would look like a real geek walking in those - and am looking at IEM. Was looking the the Shure E2c but seems like there are a few more offering in that area now.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/r...2-08-a-335851/

I'm thinking on the RE2. Everyone seems to like them.

[knissel]

So you don't recommend any headsets ie headphones with mic attached / built in???

[YukonTrooper]

Some headsets are OK, but you'll always getter more for your money with a quality pair of stereo headphones and separate microphone.

[HuffPCair]

This thread is great learned a little from it. Also I love my plantronics they may not be the best but I think they sound great and do the job well.

[REBEL900]

Hi i have the Beyerdynamic DT880 headphones coupled with the Auzentech X-fi forte 7.1 and although they sound better and better as i use them (burnin them in?) i would like to know if a heaphone amp would make them sound that much better in games.

Looking for some users who have this kind of set-up or similar in gaming..

Thanks

[Helmore]

Hi i have the Beyerdynamic DT880 headphones coupled with the Auzentech X-fi forte 7.1 and although they sound better and better as i use them (burnin them in?) i would like to know if a heaphone amp would make them sound that much better in games.

Looking for some users who have this kind of set-up or similar in gaming..

Thanks

I'm also interested in that exact same setup, although I'm still doubting between a DT880 or a ATH-AD900. The latter will be the easiest to drive directly from my sound card, so no real need for a separate amp, but the DT880 may still need one. So I would also like to know what the headphone amp on the X-Fi Forte is like, does it really provide enough power to get a decent experience out of a DT880?
Then there is also the matter that I don't really know all that well how they compare sound quality/'signature' wise. I mean, how does soundstage and all the other sound characteristics compare between the two. Also things like what music they are best suited to be used for is what I'm wondering. I'll be using my headphone for gaming and music.

[3Z3VH]

For those just joining this thread, the information on Shure IEPs is outdated.

Shure no longer manufactures the E#c model earphones. The E2c is roughly comparable to their new SE110 series, and so on up the chain, and they added a new set at their high-end, called the SE530. The SE530 includes two woofers and a tweeter in each earbud. In my experience, they are about as close to sitting in the studio as you can get, and they don't require additional amplification (though amplification always helps). Even on an iPod's stock amplifier, they sound great.

The disadvantages of the headphones are that their sound isolation is a little too extreme. They are basically ear plugs even when they are off, so you can't hear people talking from 5 feet away. They do offer a variety of sleeves that have varying levels of sound isolation, but the only ones that allow you to hear anything outside your head are too stiff for most people's comfort. The other disadvantage is they are quite costly. The MSRP is $499, but they can commonly be found for $400. On rare occasions, you can find them as low as $350.

If anyone is looking for VERY accurate sound reproduction and doesn't care about price, I would highly recommend them. If you are worried in the least about cost, I would say you could find something that isn't quite as good, but much more worth your money by going with lower-end Shures or Sennheisers.

[REBEL900]

I'm also interested in that exact same setup, although I'm still doubting between a DT880 or a ATH-AD900. The latter will be the easiest to drive directly from my sound card, so no real need for a separate amp, but the DT880 may still need one. So I would also like to know what the headphone amp on the X-Fi Forte is like, does it really provide enough power to get a decent experience out of a DT880?
Then there is also the matter that I don't really know all that well how they compare sound quality/'signature' wise. I mean, how does soundstage and all the other sound characteristics compare between the two. Also things like what music they are best suited to be used for is what I'm wondering. I'll be using my headphone for gaming and music.

I am running this set-up on 60% volume.. That is all i need, anymore and it's too loud.. I am very happy, only thing is, i had to buy an external mic, but that is minor and the whole package works well..

I mostly play Left 4 dead. Hope this helps

[cyberspyder]

O.o WHERE IS AKG ON THE LIST?!?!

[KoHaN69]

Great thread.
I'm really happy with my sennheiser HD-570 (but would like the HD-590 for their better bass)

I can't wear any other headphones at all, even sennheiser hd-555 or 600s series, or any other brand.

Only the sennheiser HD-570 and HD-590 have the physical shape and mold that never ever tire me. I forget I have these on after a few minutes of wearing them..

Just throwing it out there, for those who are reluctant to wear headphones due to discomfort.

[Bradan]

thanks SuporterPoli.

guys any comments on Skullcandy?

skullcandy

they are headphones made by a snowboard company, usually with crazy colours, fur, stashes in them, and their "SKULLCRUSHER" headphones with a dedicated woofer only goes as low as 100hz.

edit: they sound terrible.

[Donnie27]

skullcandy

they are headphones made by a snowboard company, usually with crazy colours, fur, stashes in them, and their "SKULLCRUSHER" headphones with a dedicated woofer only goes as low as 100hz.

edit: they sound terrible.

QMFT!

[snoro]

Have a simple question, i have to get me some good headphones that will mostyl cut the surronding noise and have very good sound quality, they wont be used for gaming but for audio/video making at school, budget is about 100$ max. What would you recommend ?

[Bradan]

Have a simple question, i have to get me some good headphones that will mostyl cut the surronding noise and have very good sound quality, they wont be used for gaming but for audio/video making at school, budget is about 100$ max. What would you recommend ?

Shure SR440 are great for sound quality and isolation, they also don't need an amp to sound good.

[snoro]

thats great cause they will be used on school computer which mostly dont have a amp and even a good sound card like a auzentech forte or prelude. Thanks for the tip.

[Demo]

Does the quality of the components used on the headphone amp have any effects on the sound quality ?