• 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

Jonm1010

Banned
I feel like I am going to go insane.

I need ear headphones/earbuds for working out. Would prefer under 50 dollars.

Now the problem. Every. single. product I look at seems to have a number of negative reviews.

I find one that has praised sound quality, only to find out that there are a number of complaints that they fall apart if you sweat while running. They work great for working out but they fall apart after 3 months, or the sound quality isnt great.


Im literally going insane over this! I just need to get rid of these shitty iphone earbuds but keep getting cold feet at every product I look at. Then I go to the gym and realize I absolutely hate these earbuds. They hurt, the sound isnt great and they are falling apart.
 

HiResDes

Member
CW31s are on sale for $19.99

...But if you're gonna be constantly jogging with them and soaking them in your sweat you might just want to go with like a Sennheiser sport model IEM despite them being a bit overpriced in terms of sound quality. I'm poor and yet I don't understand the immense cold feet in terms of buying budget IEMs. If the CW31s last you a year that's a good deal. I've never broken any of the 15 or so budget IEMs I've owned, but I also wouldn't go nuts if a pair suddenly did (unless they were the Silver Bullets I waited over a month for).

Oh shit, MEElectronics has a sports model, check that out
 

Jonm1010

Banned
CW31s are on sale for $19.99

...But if you're gonna be constantly jogging with them and soaking them in your sweat you might just want to go with like a Sennheiser sport model IEM despite them being a bit overpriced in terms of sound quality. I'm poor and yet I don't understand the immense cold feet in terms of buying budget IEMs. If the CW31s last you a year that's a good deal. I've never broken any of the 15 or so budget IEMs I've owned, but I also wouldn't go nuts if a pair suddenly did (unless they were the Silver Bullets I waited over a month for).

Oh shit, MEElectronics has a sports model, check that out

Haha when I said comments look great and then I come across a number of reviews complaining about sweat ruining them I was actually referring to those MEElectronics model:


http://www.amazon.com/MEElectronics...?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar

Which is what is so frustrating. Maybe I should just ignore the bad reviews and take a chance. Im not cheap. In fact I will go up to 100 dollars if I know they will A.) last B.) sound good and C.) survive through the stress of working out and lifting weights for at least a year.

Maybe ill just grab those CW31's and see how they work.....Not sure i'm the biggest fan of the wood color but at this point I just need something.
 

Jonm1010

Banned
That's not the same model, not at all...Click the other link fool, jeez

Those reviews cover all 3 models and I guess you are right in that none of those 1 star ratings specifically refer to the 49.99 sport model. Then again almost no reviews cover that specific model.

Maybe ill go ahead and take the plunge on that one though.
 

Jonm1010

Banned
haha, now all of the sudden I have at least 4 options im willing to buy.

Much better feeling then being pissed off about my indecisiveness and cold feet.
 

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
I feel like I am going to go insane.

I need ear headphones/earbuds for working out. Would prefer under 50 dollars.

Now the problem. Every. single. product I look at seems to have a number of negative reviews.

I find one that has praised sound quality, only to find out that there are a number of complaints that they fall apart if you sweat while running. They work great for working out but they fall apart after 3 months, or the sound quality isnt great.


Im literally going insane over this! I just need to get rid of these shitty iphone earbuds but keep getting cold feet at every product I look at. Then I go to the gym and realize I absolutely hate these earbuds. They hurt, the sound isnt great and they are falling apart.
If it's really buds you want and not IEMs, always consider the BLOX M2C. Been singing it's praise up and down but they deserve it.
 

Igo

Member
Are the RE0/Zero's still the best IEM's under $100?

My cc-51p's just fell apart after 2 months and amazon were kind enough to refund me completely. This is what i'm looking at.

RE0 - £55
RE-ZERO - £68
GR06 - £40
Xcape IE - £50
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
What can I say. These are the best cans I've owned.

For full sized headphones, I went from Koss 4aat, to Grado sr60, and now to the HE-400. I loved the sound stage and music of the Grado SR60. I had already preferred open headphones due to the Koss KCS75 and Senn px-100iis.

I sold my Koss 4AAT today in fact because I picked up the AT-M50s/LE in February. For me that was a big step in the right direction for me for closed headphones and I can make that comparison with the HE-400 vs the SR60. Its just that much better at everything the SR60 does which should be expected. I found myself not wanting to stop listening last night because I was finding details that I don't recall ever hearing my music before.

I'm pushing the HE-400 through either my sound blaster elite pro or my F11 through an external dock from a Galaxy S2 at the moment. I'm thinking about getting a F17. At first trial I was disappointed with the bass from my elite pro as reviews claimed these are aimed at American listeners with bass in mind. That changed when I hooked them up to the F11 and quieted everything around me.... I couldn't have been happier.

I've delegated the SR-60 to the office now, the HE-400 for home, and the M50s for gym and noisy/quiet public environments, the Koss for random on the go stuff, and the px-100ii well I'm thinking about selling these too.

That sounds great.

I enjoy my HE-300 daily, but tbh I feel kinda burned that the HE-400 was announced right after my return period had ended.

I haven't yet read the impressions of anyone who sat down with both sets to do a direct, side by side comparison but I hear the 400s are superior in a lot of ways.
 
After some extensive headfi reading, I think Im going to get the M80's. They seem to be built very well, and have a bigger soundstage than the HD25 ( from what I've read at least). I'm not too worried about isolation, which isn't the best, but I'm hoping for good things. Also, they are pretty nice looking.
 

mr stroke

Member
Anyone here use real headphones with there PS3/360 and a mic at the same time?

I want to use my Sennheiser's with my 360 and PS3 instead of buying a "Gaming Headset" with a mic attached. Any ideas on how I would do this while using a clip on/bluetooth mic?
 

HiResDes

Member
Are the RE0/Zero's still the best IEM's under $100?

My cc-51p's just fell apart after 2 months and amazon were kind enough to refund me completely. This is what i'm looking at.

RE0 - £55
RE-ZERO - £68
GR06 - £40
Xcape IE - £50
Depends upon what you want out of an IEM, and what genres of music you like....I think the Fischer Silver Bullets deserve a mention as well.
 

mhayze

Member
If it's really buds you want and not IEMs, always consider the BLOX M2C. Been singing it's praise up and down but they deserve it.

I recently bought a pair of earbuds (explicitly not IEMs) and considered the Blox M2C, but was unable to order them at the time (their website had a perpetual 'coming soon...' message), and ended up getting the Hisoundaudio PAA1 Pro earbuds, based on recommendations from Head-fi.

I am more a full sized, over the ear type headphones person, but I needed something I could put in my laptop bag and not worry too much about breaking or losing while on the go. I have a large collection of full sizers, but only a few earbuds over the years.

I'm really impressed by the sound on these. I've looked for a good pair of non-IEM earbuds for years, and these are much better (and more full-range) than the Sony E888LP and Audio Technica CM7Ti that I previously bought. Both the Sony and the AT have a slightly 'tinny' sound, lacking bass and being somewhat fatiguing, IMHO. I just can't listen to them for long.

My last earbud purchase was a pair of rewired Yuin OK1s from head-fi, which sounded really good (and had the odd feature of being usable as both pseudo-IEMs and earbuds) but which broke really quickly.

Going by memory, the OK1 is probably still better, especially out of an amp, but they were more expensive and fragile. I also like that there are zero microphonics on the cable for the PAA1 Pro, and the sound is both clear and extended without being fatiguing in the least. I am using it in very non-critical listening situations, but got a lot better bargain than I was expecting. They won't replace a good mid-to-high end full size anytime soon, but I'm willing to listen to them on the go, which is a big step up for me. Recommended as an inexpensive second pair of travel phones that you are not afraid to lose or break, while sounded surprisingly good.

Of course, I don't know first hand how they compare to the Blox and the Sennheiser MX90vc, which were the two others I considered - the latter failing the "don't care if I break it" test.
 

Septimius

Junior Member
Anyone here use real headphones with there PS3/360 and a mic at the same time?

I want to use my Sennheiser's with my 360 and PS3 instead of buying a "Gaming Headset" with a mic attached. Any ideas on how I would do this while using a clip on/bluetooth mic?

I don't see the problem.

Normally:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (audio video)
PS3 <- Bluetooth -> Mic

So you can do:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (video) -> Headphones (audio)
PS3 <- Bluetooth -> Mic

Or:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (video)
PS3 <- optical -> amp -> Headphones (audio)
PS3 <- Bluetooth -> Mic

Or even:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (video)
PS3 <- Composite -> amp -> headphones

or Component and use the audio wires to the amp, and video to the TV
 

DemonNite

Member
Theres a promotion for a pair of Phonak Audeo PFE 122 for £69.97 inistead of the usual £129.96.

I'll be honest that I've never heard of this brand before but after reading a bit they seem pretty good? do you think I should go for them? I need to replace my Shure SE310 which has a damaged cable
 

DemonNite

Member
you might miss the mid bass hump that many shure iems carry, but other than that yes

Thanks for that.. I may just go for them. I'm on my 3rd pair of Shure SE310 (ear problems and not a split cable) and since the warranty is out, I'm currently not in a position to spend TOO much. However, I'm worried that anything cheaper may be too much of a downgrade but so far I've read good things about the Phonak Audeo PFE 122.
 

mr stroke

Member
I don't see the problem.

Normally:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (audio video)
PS3 <- Bluetooth -> Mic

So you can do:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (video) -> Headphones (audio)
PS3 <- Bluetooth -> Mic

Or:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (video)
PS3 <- optical -> amp -> Headphones (audio)
PS3 <- Bluetooth -> Mic

Or even:
PS3 <- HDMI -> TV (video)
PS3 <- Composite -> amp -> headphones

or Component and use the audio wires to the amp, and video to the TV



How do I do this while using a Bluetooth headset?
It wouldn't fit under my headphones, so AFAIK the only solution would be a clip on mic like this-

TNGjU.jpg


Then how do I get a clip on mic into the PS3?
 
D

Deleted member 22576

Unconfirmed Member
How do I do this while using a Bluetooth headset?
It wouldn't fit under my headphones, so AFAIK the only solution would be a clip on mic like this-

TNGjU.jpg


Then how do I get a clip on mic into the PS3?
Amazon always recommends this to me. Does anyone have one of these?
 

Ran rp

Member
I'm looking at these FiiOs and I'm wondering: Which one should I get if I want both an amp for portable devices and a good PC sound card?

I'm currently using the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro II as an external sound card on my laptop.

Edit: Whoops, there's a post that explains it right above me. But damn, $88.59's a bit steep. Is it a worthwhile purchase?
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
If you want something cheaper then get the Hifiman HM 101. Probably not as good as the E10, but it's been said that it's great for the $40 price tag.

edit: whoops, misread the post and thought you only want a DAC.

You could try the little brother, E5. Though if your headphone doesn't need the extra power don't bother, honestly.
 
How do I do this while using a Bluetooth headset?
It wouldn't fit under my headphones, so AFAIK the only solution would be a clip on mic like this-

TNGjU.jpg


Then how do I get a clip on mic into the PS3?

USB mic adapter. Like this.

I use the Zalman (with a different USB mic adapter) and it works well.
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Oh, your previous post was a bit confusing. Thought you just wanted an amp for your headphones, which doesn't really need amping. Didn't know that you're going to be replacing a sound card.

If you want a DAC/amp solution for a cheap price, there's this. Very portable if by portable you mean laptop and not media players.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066AHES4/?tag=neogaf0e-20
 

Ran rp

Member
Oh, your previous post was a bit confusing. Thought you just wanted an amp for your headphones, which doesn't really need amping. Didn't know that you're going to be replacing a sound card.

If you want a DAC/amp solution for a cheap price, there's this. Very portable if by portable you mean laptop and not media players.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066AHES4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

The interference mentioned in the reviews would probably drive me crazy.

Also, I know it's probably frowned upon here but the Audio Advantage Micro II has a virtual 7.1 surround sound feature that I use. It doesn't really give a sense of listening to a 7.1 setup but it does make the audio feel nice and open. Do you know of any products with similar features in the $20-$50 price range?

Edit: And yeah I was also looking for an amp for my iPod and Vita but I guess I don't really need it. Thanks for the help.
 

Ashhong

Member
PSY&#12539;S;37476234 said:
The interference mentioned in the reviews would probably drive me crazy.

Also, I know it's probably frowned upon here but the Audio Advantage Micro II has a virtual 7.1 surround sound feature that I use. It doesn't really give a sense of listening to a 7.1 setup but it does make the audio feel nice and open. Do you know of any products with similar features in the $20-$50 price range?

Edit: And yeah I was also looking for an amp for my iPod and Vita but I guess I don't really need it. Thanks for the help.

I liked the E7 when I had it. It's an older model now so you can probably find it cheaper on ebay or headfi. Great for PC use and decent for amping
 

DemonNite

Member
decided to not go for the Phonak Audeo PFE 122 in the end. Went for the Vsonic GR-07 instead... hope I don't regret this :) my Shure SE310 is on its last legs and the wire is about to go!
 

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
PSY&#12539;S;37470998 said:
Why shouldn't I bother?

Edit: I'm asking because I need to replace the turtle beach sound card and am looking for an upgrade.

Edit: I think I'm just going to get another AAM II and an E6.
Wanna actual upgrade?? Wait for the O2 DAC in a month. Reference grade for little dough.
 

3N16MA

Banned
Are the RE0/Zero's still the best IEM's under $100?

My cc-51p's just fell apart after 2 months and amazon were kind enough to refund me completely. This is what i'm looking at.

RE0 - £55
RE-ZERO - £68
GR06 - £40
Xcape IE - £50

Depends on what type of genre you listen to the most. I wouldn't buy the RE0 if you like bass heavy music.
 

Bad_Boy

time to take my meds
E7 if you need portable and PC use
E11 if you want just portable use
E10 if you want just PC use.

Of course, that's just in the Fiio family. I know nothing about other brand amps.



Trust Amazon. I use it and it's great.
Thanks, I ordered the e11.
 
Top Bottom