• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread

I'm looking for some in-ear phones that aren't too expensive, but still with good sound. I have an older pair of AKG K240 at home I got for free, so I guess I'll compare the sound to them. Any suggestions?
 

impruv

Neo Member
I'm looking for a decent pair of earphones (pref IEM) that are good for bass heavy music and also are low-profile if possible (I listen to a lot of music laying down). A friend recommended the Sennheiser CX300B MK II but I thought I would ask here before I pick anything up. I cannot justify spending more than $30 on a pair so I understand my choices are limited, but any help would be appreciated.

Hey, I have the perfect option for you. Though just one thing, you saw Sennhesier CX300B MK II but your link is to Meelectronics M9. I've never heard the CX300, but I have Meelectronics m6, m9 , m11+ and JVC HA-FX1X. Trust me when I say if you want bass, get the


When you first try them, they are very bassy but the biggest piece of vomit mess ever. Bass, mids, highs are all vomited at you in one big mess. After about 20 hours of burn in the mids come forward and it is said that at around 50 hours the highs will just start popping out as well.

If you can get over the gaudy red cable... man these are amazing!
 
Lol, sorry I was looking at the list on the front page and must have copied the wrong link.

I was looking at the Sennheiser CX 500-B , after I read a review on them.

The thing about the ones you suggested, it looks like they stick pretty far out of your ear which is uncomfortable when you're lying down.
 

zulfate

Member
hi guys im not sure if i am going to get in trouble but i posted this in the gaming 5.1 headphone thread.....so i am going to re-post it here:

so headphone gaf im confused about whats a better purchase, going by what people are saying here this is what i have come up with

Sennheiser HD558 + mixamp pro

Audio Technica ATH-AD700 + mixamp pro

astro a40+ mixamp pro

i also have the turtlebeach DSS so if i dont need the mixamp then thats a plus, i am having a hard time really picking one out of these 3, but based off looks alone i like the black and white of the astro a40 as it will match with my pc case lol.

again thanks to all!


i feel stupid posting here with the shit thats in here lol. if only i had all the money in the world.

Posting for new page and hopefully get a response soon as these will also be a christmas gift...again thanks alot guys
 

goodfella

Member
Posting for new page and hopefully get a response soon as these will also be a christmas gift...again thanks alot guys

I would stay away from gaming specific equipment. I have had no experience with the astro mixamp, but my turtle beach DSS was a shitty buy, so much static noise.

I would recommend getting just a decent pair of stereo headphones. You get much better quality for less money. The Sennheiser HD series is popular, I have a pair of HD555's, and they are really good for the money.

Also, surround sound headphones never sound any better than stereo headphones.
 

RayStorm

Member
I recently acquired a pair of Denon AH-D5000. So far I've been using them (my first foray into the world of expensive audio-equipment) unamplified on my notebook, phone and Yamaha RX-V1300 receiver.

If I were to spend say 50€ would I gain a noticeable improvement? How much more than that should I spend? Would my really untrained ears even be able to notice the difference?

Indeed I'm not even certain if the expenditure of the D5000 themselves (350 €) isn't a bit too steep for my rather limited hearing capabilities. How can I actually improve on that, become a bit more audiophile?

Most of the music I listen to is somewhere between Europe and Judas Priest. So basically melodic hard rock to melodic speed metal.
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Laptop most of the time, but probably also my phone (which I use in place of an mp3 player).

I've found the E10 for £59, I paid £38 for the E7. Hopefully this will turn out to be a great deal! Is the E10 a better DAC in general? You've made me doubt if I've made the right decision now, haha.

The E10 has no internal battery, which is why I asked about whether you'd be using the E7 as a portable device.

The E7 seems better for you in the end.
 

Malleymal

You now belong to FMT.
sdmikn.jpg


love these things... made my flights a damn breeze.. so happy with this gift. I saw they are selling Orange and Blue ones now.
 

Stubo

Member
Does anyone own the Sennheiser PC360? I'd like some opinions on it, and ideally a comparison with other similarly priced headphones, such as the Sennheiser HD558s. If it sounds close to these I'll have to get my order in!
 

Recon

Banned
Hello headphone-Gaf. I have an opportunity to get some Beats by Dre for $100. They are the studio model. I know Beats have a horrible price/performance ratio, but would $100 be the right price? Or should i not waste my time?
 

Ashhong

Member
Hello headphone-Gaf. I have an opportunity to get some Beats by Dre for $100. They are the studio model. I know Beats have a horrible price/performance ratio, but would $100 be the right price? Or should i not waste my time?

New? I'd probably jump on them, especially since you are a hip hop head
 

Malleymal

You now belong to FMT.
Hello headphone-Gaf. I have an opportunity to get some Beats by Dre for $100. They are the studio model. I know Beats have a horrible price/performance ratio, but would $100 be the right price? Or should i not waste my time?

Just make sure that they are the official studios, because you can find the cheap knock offs that look JUST like the ones in the stores, box and all, and they are about 80 to 90 bucks. just make sure they are official.. i think you can check the serial number on the monster site


These are the fake ones that will break on you in NO time...

http://www.bydresolephone.net/monst...1.html?zenid=a297534ba02c80b79c82bdecd6685b05

also look at the youtube videos that will help you tell the difference. Its not worth 100 dollars if they are just going to break anyway.

If they are real.. then Hell yes get them
 

remz

Member
Posting for new page and hopefully get a response soon as these will also be a christmas gift...again thanks alot guys

If I were you I'd get the AD700. I have a set of the similar sounding but slightly better AD900, and they're friggin awesome. So yeah, those phones get a thumbs up from me
 

Ashhong

Member
Hey guys my friend is looking to buy some in ear headphones, up to about 80$. I was thinking of recommending the Head-Direct RE0 even though I have no idea how good they are. Looking at the OP there are a few Head-Direct RE versions, the RE Zero, RE0 and RE1. I remember talk about these but can't remember which one is better. Help please!

Any other recommendations are good. A mic is a plus but not necessary. He's not too much of an audiophile, so I was also thinking of recommending some MEE phones.

edit: or maybe the MEE CC51P, the ceramic ones? It's 90$ retail but amazon has it at only 46$. Ridiculous markdown

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OBZ2U4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

or refurb Monster Turbine for 45$
 

3N16MA

Banned
Hello headphone-Gaf. I have an opportunity to get some Beats by Dre for $100. They are the studio model. I know Beats have a horrible price/performance ratio, but would $100 be the right price? Or should i not waste my time?

Make sure they're not fake. Lots of fakes going around especially at that price.
 
Hey guys my friend is looking to buy some in ear headphones, up to about 80$. I was thinking of recommending the Head-Direct RE0 even though I have no idea how good they are. Looking at the OP there are a few Head-Direct RE versions, the RE Zero, RE0 and RE1. I remember talk about these but can't remember which one is better. Help please!

Any other recommendations are good. A mic is a plus but not necessary. He's not too much of an audiophile, so I was also thinking of recommending some MEE phones.

edit: or maybe the MEE CC51P, the ceramic ones? It's 90$ retail but amazon has it at only 46$. Ridiculous markdown

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OBZ2U4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

My sister had one of those, and the right ear bud stopped working after 6 months, and shes always careful when it comes to headphones.
 

zulfate

Member
I would stay away from gaming specific equipment. I have had no experience with the astro mixamp, but my turtle beach DSS was a shitty buy, so much static noise.

I would recommend getting just a decent pair of stereo headphones. You get much better quality for less money. The Sennheiser HD series is popular, I have a pair of HD555's, and they are really good for the money.

Also, surround sound headphones never sound any better than stereo headphones.

yeah that is what i was thinking, when i went to amazon it said the 558 was a slight upgrade to the 555

You may also want to look into the Samson SR850 and Xonar U3 or DG as a gaming combo.

so i was planning to get the xonar DG but if i do get that i wouldnt need an amp correct?

If I were you I'd get the AD700. I have a set of the similar sounding but slightly better AD900, and they're friggin awesome. So yeah, those phones get a thumbs up from me

yeah i hear those are awesome but i also read that they dont have too much bass, i was kinda looking for something with a bit more bass in it, but i also hear they have a good soundstage! beh...i dont know lol
 

Recon

Banned
Make sure they're not fake. Lots of fakes going around especially at that price.


They were. I checked the serial number on the website, and it wasnt even a full 10 digits. Also, the airplane adapter was different. Dude got really defensive when i said i wasnt interested because i couldnt verify that it was real.
 

3N16MA

Banned
They were. I checked the serial number on the website, and it wasnt even a full 10 digits. Also, the airplane adapter was different. Dude got really defensive when i said i wasnt interested because i couldnt verify that it was real.

Good thing you caught the douchebag.
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Hey guys my friend is looking to buy some in ear headphones, up to about 80$. I was thinking of recommending the Head-Direct RE0 even though I have no idea how good they are. Looking at the OP there are a few Head-Direct RE versions, the RE Zero, RE0 and RE1. I remember talk about these but can't remember which one is better. Help please!

Any other recommendations are good. A mic is a plus but not necessary. He's not too much of an audiophile, so I was also thinking of recommending some MEE phones.

edit: or maybe the MEE CC51P, the ceramic ones? It's 90$ retail but amazon has it at only 46$. Ridiculous markdown

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OBZ2U4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

or refurb Monster Turbine for 45$
You can't go wrong with the clarity of the RE0, unless you want large amounts of bass. It needs bass boost to satisfy a bass head.

Yeah, I know someone selling legit ones for about $200, but, at that price i can get something a lot better than Beats.

AIAIAI TMA-1 son DO IT.
 

shira

Member
Posting for new page and hopefully get a response soon as these will also be a christmas gift...again thanks alot guys
Yes. You can't tell 7.1 sound from headphones - that is all marketing bs.

Go with some mid level headphones in the OP and you can probably use them for your mp3 player.

Major problems with gaming headphones
- heavy
- breakdown easy as evidenced by refurbs
- the hissing
 

Geneijin

Member
so i was planning to get the xonar DG but if i do get that i wouldnt need an amp correct?
For the price, the Xonar DG's a pretty good amp. I wouldn't rule out on a desktop amp if you're planning to upgrade in the future although it depends on what headphone you're thinking about by then.
 

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
Btw, recently had the chance to listen to the new AKG K550. Are they kidding, an AKG with bass? :p

Was pretty cool, didn't get enough time/the demo ipod was from someone who likes calm and relaxed music only, how am I gonna judge my fave stuff from this? Timing and speed was never challenged :-\

Sound was pretty spacious and open and the bass has serious weight to it. Also very clear sounding. Price was said to be €250 which sounded reasonable from my first impression. Could become really popular if speed is up to snuff.
 

shira

Member
Btw, recently had the chance to listen to the new AKG K550. Are they kidding, an AKG with bass? :p

Was pretty cool, didn't get enough time/the demo ipod was from someone who likes calm and relaxed music only, how am I gonna judge my fave stuff from this? Timing and speed was never challenged :-\

Sound was pretty spacious and open and the bass has serious weight to it. Also very clear sounding. Price was said to be €250 which sounded reasonable from my first impression. Could become really popular if speed is up to snuff.

Wow they look pretty decent considering AKG, especially with a white model.
 

X-Frame

Member
Hey Audiophile-GAF,

Looking to buy some Over-The-Ear headphones for my little brother this holiday. I have the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's and he loves them and steals them all the time to listen to music. I paid $99 for them off Amazon a couple years ago.

So I suppose I am looking for something of similar build quality and sound that would be from $50 to 75, maybe a bit more.

If that's after any of the holiday discount or their regular price if they're worth it, doesn't matter. Doesn't have to be Sennheiser either.

Would the Sony-MDR7506 be a good choice? It's in the OP.
 

ElyrionX

Member
Ok, I just tried this WASAPI thing with Foobar. Hmmm, I'm not sure if it's my mind playing tricks on me but it does sound quite a bit better than iTunes. Running wav files to a Peachtree Nova and Beyerdynamic T1, BTW.
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well

JackEtc

Member
Alright guys, ever since last Black Friday, I've really been enjoying my HD555's and Klipsch Image S4's.

As this years Black Friday approaches, my S4's decided to bite the dust (the usual way for me, left earbud dies), so I'll be trying to get a pair of S4i's on sale for my new portable headphones (I have an iPhone now).

It got me thinking about maybe finding another pair of headphones to maybe use alongside my HD555's. They are always plugged into my computer, and I used them for everything on the computer/Xbox 360. I love them, but I'm thinking about trying to get a pair of closed headphones on sale to use as well. What would be the best closed replacement for me? I'm currently thinking the A700's, but I'd love some input.
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Alright guys, ever since last Black Friday, I've really been enjoying my HD555's and Klipsch Image S4's.

As this years Black Friday approaches, my S4's decided to bite the dust (the usual way for me, left earbud dies), so I'll be trying to get a pair of S4i's on sale for my new portable headphones (I have an iPhone now).

It got me thinking about maybe finding another pair of headphones to maybe use alongside my HD555's. They are always plugged into my computer, and I used them for everything on the computer/Xbox 360. I love them, but I'm thinking about trying to get a pair of closed headphones on sale to use as well. What would be the best closed replacement for me? I'm currently thinking the A700's, but I'd love some input.

HD555 vs A700.

Lots of head-to-head comparison opinions in that thread.
 

Izayoi

Banned
Are the JBuds J4M's any good?

On Amazon for $30 right now.

Nappuccino said:
edit: actually the first ones seem a bit sketchy to me and according to some of the reviews, depending on the seller they are fake. Might just bite the bullet and get the 27 dollar ones even though its less of a "deal"
You're buying straight from Amazon, so they're guaranteed to be legitimate.
 

JackEtc

Member
HD555 vs A700.

Lots of head-to-head comparison opinions in that thread.

Wow, I guess they are tons better. Any other closed headphones anyone can think of that are better than the A700s?

Also, I was looking at the DT 770's, and suddenly the 80 Ohm version has been taken off of Amazon, which kind of makes me hope they will be put back up as a Black Friday deal (or put back at all). I've heard a lot of good stuff about them. Nah, too expensive.
 

Alucrid

Banned
So I'm getting out of the headphone game and am selling my WA6 w/ Sophia Princess as well as my HD650s, so before I toss this up on head fi or another site I thought I'd see if anyone here was interested. Neither are really heavily used as I found that I prefer speakers.

Thinking $630 for the amp, Sophia, the two 6DR7 tubes and the three original tubes. (No power cord or any other connects since it never came with em)

And $300 for the HD650s.

Both are + shipping and will come with their original boxes.

 

LordCanti

Member
Seeing the above picture reminds me that I need to buy one of those Woo Audio stands one day. Too much of a cheap bastard though =/

Hoping to find a cheap as hell pair of TF10's and have them reshelled in the next week or two. Ready for (budget) audio nirvana, without the head pain my K701's cause me.
 

Raxus

Member
I am sorry if this is slightly out of place.

I am looking for a quality headset (mic included) for my PC and for Xbox 360. If possible I would like it to be used by both.

Is there one I can get at a fair price on cyber Monday or black Friday?
 
Top Bottom