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

E

eosos

Banned
My Klipsch S4s just broke... :( I really liked them, but I had them for less than a year and they broke on me so I'm reluctant to get a new pair. Could anyone give me a recommendation on some earbuds? I looked at the OP, but a lot of the link were broken. I was thinking of the Shure ones though. My top price is around $100.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
eosos said:
My Klipsch S4s just broke... :( I really liked them, but I had them for less than a year and they broke on me so I'm reluctant to get a new pair. Could anyone give me a recommendation on some earbuds? I looked at the OP, but a lot of the link were broken. I was thinking of the Shure ones though. My top price is around $100.
Click to expand...

Which ones were broken?

I recommend either the vPulse or Thinksound MS01 if you want to spend close to your max, or the M5 if you want to keep things cheap
 
E

eosos

Banned
HiResDes said:
Which ones were broken?
Click to expand...

The Klipsch S4s. I think that it's the input jack that broke, or something near it. It wasn't working right for awhile and I had to move it around a lot or only certain sounds would come in. It's kinda hard to explain.
 
E

eosos

Banned
HiResDes said:
No which links : )
Click to expand...

Ohh haha.

VSonic GR07, HiFiMan RE-262, Fischer Audio DBA-02, Radius DDM, Fischer Audio SBA-01 IEM, ECCI PR401, Sunrise Audio SW-Xcape Impressive Edition, Sunrise Xcited, Fischer Audio Eterna REV.2 IEM, Head Direct RE-ZERO, Head Direct RE-1.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
D

Dynamite Ringo Matsuri

Member
eosos said:
The Klipsch S4s. I think that it's the input jack that broke, or something near it. It wasn't working right for awhile and I had to move it around a lot or only certain sounds would come in. It's kinda hard to explain.
Click to expand...
This is why I recommend that people pick up a right angle plug adapter. Straight jacks will eventually fail on you no matter how robust the strain relief. After months or years of being bent and crammed into your pocket, those thin wires are going to sever.

I also recently found out that BTG audio also offers recable services for headphones AND iems, for a pretty reasonable price. His work looks very solid and the wires and jack look quality:

http://btg-audio.webs.com/recabledetails.htm
 
G

Gaaraz

Member
Got some basic Sennheisers, they sound good, but they sound SO MUCH BETTER when I push them into my ear slightly and hold them there.

With that in mind, I'm after some new headphones, but I don't want any big over the ear jobbies because they're for work, and I'd struggle to hear people and/or the phone over them. Similarly I don't like in-ear headphones because they feel really weird, and I can hear myself breathing, eating etc, and it's honestly quite off putting.

Can anyone please recommend some decent headphones that meet the criteria please? Preferably not too expensive either :D Ty!
 
G

gutterboy44

Member
Not to thrilled with my onboard sound card, and I use my headphones most often on my PC, any recommended sound cards or DACs for PC under $200? Figure I should get off my shitty onboard sound before investing in a better pair of cans.
 
W

wenis

Registered for GAF on September 11, 2001.
I need some recommendations on Over the Ear Headphones built for the iPhone (with mic attachment of course) and does anyone know if the chord for the iPhone 5 to plug into an amp is available yet? Or when it might be available.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
gutterboy44 said:
Not to thrilled with my onboard sound card, and I use my headphones most often on my PC, any recommended sound cards or DACs for PC under $200? Figure I should get off my shitty onboard sound before investing in a better pair of cans.
Click to expand...
HRT Music Streamer II

Gaaraz said:
Got some basic Sennheisers, they sound good, but they sound SO MUCH BETTER when I push them into my ear slightly and hold them there.

With that in mind, I'm after some new headphones, but I don't want any big over the ear jobbies because they're for work, and I'd struggle to hear people and/or the phone over them. Similarly I don't like in-ear headphones because they feel really weird, and I can hear myself breathing, eating etc, and it's honestly quite off putting.

Can anyone please recommend some decent headphones that meet the criteria please? Preferably not too expensive either :D Ty!
Click to expand...

Sennheiser PX100
 
L

LCfiner

Member
I would consider the ODAC over the MS2, to be honest (or even over the MS2+ and other 400 dollar DACs). It measures better and has a smaller, more convenient form factor.
 
L

LCfiner

Member
ODAC is a relatively new DAC. limited features - USB input only - but very very strong measurements. neutral and transparent and sells for around 150 bucks.

JDS Labs makes a very nice, slim version of this DAC (the design is used by other stores, as well) that Iown and would easily recommend.

Neither the ODAC or MS2 create audio lag. But it's not impossible for a DAC with special drivers to do this. I know because I once tried this one DAC called the "JKDAC32" and it needed special drivers to upsample to some ridiculous sample rate that caused a 1/2 second lag everywhere. it was annoying and I returned it.

but every other DAC I've used (Mac or Windows) hasn't caused lag.
 
G

gutterboy44

Member
LCfiner said:
ODAC is a relatively new DAC. limited features - USB input only - but very very strong measurements. neutral and transparent and sells for around 150 bucks.

JDS Labs makes a very nice, slim version of this DAC (the design is used by other stores, as well) that Iown and would easily recommend.

Neither the ODAC or MS2 create audio lag. But it's not impossible for a DAC with special drivers to do this. I know because I once tried this one DAC called the "JKDAC32" and it needed special drivers to upsample to some ridiculous sample rate that caused a 1/2 second lag everywhere. it was annoying and I returned it.

but every other DAC I've used (Mac or Windows) hasn't caused lag.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. The DAC and ODAC route seem like it would be the best fit for me. Buying a sound card seems unnecessary and I can't find any "clear winner" in my price range.
 
B

balddemon

Banned
i've got a 50% off coupon at skullcandy from their lovely warranty. any ideas as to what i should use it on? should i skip skullcandy and get something different?

i want over the ear headphones and i need the cushions to be soft and actually cover my whole hear. the last phones i had didn't do that and were not very soft, so after a few hours of listening, they became very uncomfortable.
 
B

balddemon

Banned
ok i lied, apparently the code is for $35 off, which is 50% of the phones i sent in..

anyways, if i use it on the aviators, they come to 115, are there any headphones i can get for that price that are better?
 
I

iamblades

Member
Just got a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770 pros to replace my old worn out as fuck Sennheiser HD280s as my primary closed headphone for noisy environments. Been wanting to get a pair forever, decided to grab em before the stock got too low. Bassiest headphones I've ever owned. :D

Any interesting earpad and headband mods for some worn out but still working HD280s? Or should I just replace them with stock pads since they are just going to be backup phones now?
 
I

iamblades

Member
balddemon said:
ok i lied, apparently the code is for $35 off, which is 50% of the phones i sent in..

anyways, if i use it on the aviators, they come to 115, are there any headphones i can get for that price that are better?
Click to expand...

I dunno about the aviators, but there are a huge number of quality options (including some that have been industry standards for decades) in that price range:

Grado SR80i
Sennheiser HD280
AKG K240
Sony MDR-V6
Shure SRH440

etc.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
balddemon said:
i've got a 50% off coupon at skullcandy from their lovely warranty. any ideas as to what i should use it on? should i skip skullcandy and get something different?

i want over the ear headphones and i need the cushions to be soft and actually cover my whole hear. the last phones i had didn't do that and were not very soft, so after a few hours of listening, they became very uncomfortable.
Click to expand...
You could also spring about ten or twenty more bucks and cop an EF2A which has both a DAC and amp, though the DAC isnt the greatest
 
Ü

Übermatik

Member
Okay, so here's my criteria: I need some good quality sound earphones - but more importantly, ones that won't break easily! I'm looking for good solid build, so good I could sleep in them. I'm looking for something under £60.

Any suggestions? Am I asking too much?
 
Z

zon

Member
I have some bad news. My Audio-Technica ATH-900 Art Monitor headphones are starting to break apart. I need some advice on what to get when they finally bite the dust. Good sound quality is important to me so I'm willing to buy another pair or something better. I mainly use them for music/movies late at night and gaming.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
zon said:
I have some bad news. My Audio-Technica ATH-900 Art Monitor headphones are starting to break apart. I need some advice on what to get when they finally bite the dust. Good sound quality is important to me so I'm willing to buy another pair or something better. I mainly use them for music/movies late at night and gaming.
Click to expand...
Are those the open or closed ones?
 
T

TxdoHawk

Member
Still waiting for my RE0s...they were supposed to show up 11/2 and they're still not here, USPS is a mess thanks to this area being hit by Sandy. -_- Wondering how long until I should bother calling, they'll just give me some angry overworked dude who won't be able to help anyway.

K.Jack said:
The RE0 is only $50 now? That's insane!

I highly recommend you take the RE-ZERO instead though. Can't believe it's down to $59. I might just buy another pair, instead of saving up for the RE-272.
Click to expand...

I thought about it, but these will strictly be for portable use, and I hate dealing with adapters in on-the-go situations. The people who deal with carrying around a portable player + a portable amp blow my mind.
 
L

LCfiner

Member
Thought I'd do a quick follow up to an earlier post where I mentioned getting a Schiit Gungnir. I played a bunch of songs on the Koss ESP 950 and Mad Dog cans using both the Gungnir and the ODAC.

There is a difference but to my ears it is tiny. Just a little bit more body to the mids and a tiny bit of extra punch to the bass. I could not tell the difference when listening to one, taking a 30 second break, and listening to the other. I had to make quick switches from one DAC to the other to hear a difference. I couldn't hear any difference with soundstage size or precision on the 950. And tracks with spotlit, harsh treble remained hot and spotlit on both DACs. no difference. no editorializing and smoothing on the part of the DACs.

Other people might be able to tell them apart more easily but I could not. And since the Gungnir costs almost 6X as much as the ODAC and takes up more space on my desk than a massive 27" monitor does (this is a bigger issue than price, to be honest), it was a relatively easy choice to sell it and keep the tiny, impressive ODAC. (I was hoping to return it but Schiit's 30 day return policy does not work with 3rd party distributors, so I had to sell it. It sold in a day, so that wasn't bad)

So, yeah, anyone looking for a good quality DAC should just get the ODAC unless they need more I/O options.
 
S

Solideliquid

Member
Dunno fellas, just took a four hour flight with my new AE2i's. They are super comfy and the sound is great even without NC. Don't understand the hate.
 
D

Dynamite Ringo Matsuri

Member
Yeah DACs don't make as much of a difference as most would have you believe. I remember LFF over at head fi stating that for the money, the ODAC was about as good as you'd ever need. As a guy with a career in audio mastering that's allowed him access to DACs costing dozens of thousands of dollars, I trust his endorsement.

Solideliquid said:
Dunno fellas, just took a four hour flight with my new AE2i's. They are super comfy and the sound is great even without NC. Don't understand the hate.
Click to expand...
It has more to do with the SQ you get relative to the price. If you personally find satisfaction in the SQ, comfort, and noise cancelation I wouldn't worry about it. Holistically, the sum of a phone's achievements can make the investment worth it I guess. Just know that better SQ can be had for the money and that's why people don't like recommending Bose
 
Neko Mimi Mode

Neko Mimi Mode

Member
LCfiner said:
Thought I'd do a quick follow up to an earlier post where I mentioned getting a Schiit Gungnir. I played a bunch of songs on the Koss ESP 950 and Mad Dog cans using both the Gungnir and the ODAC.

There is a difference but to my ears it is tiny. Just a little bit more body to the mids and a tiny bit of extra punch to the bass. I could not tell the difference when listening to one, taking a 30 second break, and listening to the other. I had to make quick switches from one DAC to the other to hear a difference. I couldn't hear any difference with soundstage size or precision on the 950. And tracks with spotlit, harsh treble remained hot and spotlit on both DACs. no difference. no editorializing and smoothing on the part of the DACs.

Other people might be able to tell them apart more easily but I could not. And since the Gungnir costs almost 6X as much as the ODAC and takes up more space on my desk than a massive 27" monitor does (this is a bigger issue than price, to be honest), it was a relatively easy choice to sell it and keep the tiny, impressive ODAC. (I was hoping to return it but Schiit's 30 day return policy does not work with 3rd party distributors, so I had to sell it. It sold in a day, so that wasn't bad)

So, yeah, anyone looking for a good quality DAC should just get the ODAC unless they need more I/O options.
Click to expand...

Yeah I saw you sold the Gungnir on Head-fi, which was surprising. From reading various user opinions it seems the Gungnir takes around 300 hours to settle. I can't personally attest to that, but I do know that if anything benefits from "burn-in" it's DACs.

That said, DACs are pretty far down the chain of influencing fidelity. I use a simple and cheap Audio-GD NFB-12.1 with thousands of dollars of headphones/amps for pretty much that reason.
 
L

LCfiner

Member
yeah, 300 hours of burn in wasn't going to happen. I'm skeptical of the process anyway and doubt any changes would be enough to warrant keeping it over the ODAC (for me, based on my requirements for size and cost)

When I think about it, I'm still a bit bummed that the JKDAC32 had those audio lag issues (that were never mentioned on their website. grr) as I liked the sound on that one. It was probably just more V-shaped in response but it was really good. more dynamic than the ODAC without sounding harsh.

Anyway, still feeling good with the setup I have now. The ESP 950 are super clear and open. great sound and a nice balance to the closed, darker Mad Dogs.
 
D

Dragon

Banned
I'm curious about the state of a good bluetooth option. I ride public transit and walk six miles a day through NYC and fuck if cords are a pain in the balls. Does anyone have any recommendations for bluetooth headphones that sound good? I currently have a pair of Brainwavz M5.
 
P

polyh3dron

Banned
Dragon said:
I'm curious about the state of a good bluetooth option. I ride public transit and walk six miles a day through NYC and fuck if cords are a pain in the balls. Does anyone have any recommendations for bluetooth headphones that sound good? I currently have a pair of Brainwavz M5.
Click to expand...
Sennheiser makes a good Bluetooth headphone and Sony's new MDR-1R has a Bluetooth variant (MDR-1RBT)
 
navii

navii

My fantasy is that my girlfriend was actually a young high school girl.
H

HiResDes

Member
I'm going to be making daily changes to the OP throughout the next week...Let me know how you feel about the changes, this is as much your thread as mine, and I want to set up the next headphone thread maker as well as I can.
 
C

CSX

Member
Gaf need some help

My Numark Red Wave's detachable cable is going bad. getting static and what not. Turns out others had that problem and needed to get a replacement cable through customer support...which is not available till Monday.

So can anyone recommend a really thin male to male cable or one that will actually snap onto the numark's like the one it came with?

I found a basic male to male lying around but it wouldnt fit. I can buy the actual numark replacement cable but it costs 22 bucks. Trying to avoid that option. I really would like a backup cable that will fit on these phones even after i get my replacement in.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
CSX said:
Gaf need some help

My Numark Red Wave's detachable cable is going bad. getting static and what not. Turns out others had that problem and needed to get a replacement cable through customer support...which is not available till Monday.

So can anyone recommend a really thin male to male cable or one that will actually snap onto the numark's like the one it came with?

I found a basic male to male lying around but it wouldnt fit. I can buy the actual numark replacement cable but it costs 22 bucks. Trying to avoid that option. I really would like a backup cable that will fit on these phones even after i get my replacement in.
Click to expand...

Not sure if this one will fit, but V-Moda actually has some nice replacement cables.

zon said:
I have some bad news. My Audio-Technica ATH-900 Art Monitor headphones are starting to break apart. I need some advice on what to get when they finally bite the dust. Good sound quality is important to me so I'm willing to buy another pair or something better. I mainly use them for music/movies late at night and gaming.
Click to expand...

Wait for the V-Moda 100s or cop the Logitech UE6000
 
A

Alucrid

Banned
hey headfone gaf

which color will induce the most enjoyable sonic frequencies? gun metallic or carbon black?

ywwtal.jpg


thxx
 
3

3N16MA

Banned
Dragon said:
I'm curious about the state of a good bluetooth option. I ride public transit and walk six miles a day through NYC and fuck if cords are a pain in the balls. Does anyone have any recommendations for bluetooth headphones that sound good? I currently have a pair of Brainwavz M5.
Click to expand...

Sennheiser MM 450 X is one of the most portable (on ear) BT headphones you can buy. I have no personal experience with them but they have gotten rave reviews for their audio quality. Seems that they would be great for someone that walks that much and wants something very light and portable.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
zon said:
They are closed, I don't think I can go back to open headphones again after these. They've been amazing the whole time.



V-Moda 100 looks really nice. Do you know how good it is compared to the ATH-A900?
Click to expand...

They're not out yet, I have no clue.
 
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