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$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
M-Audio Q40 or Creative Aurvana Live or AKG K167.
Oh ive also heard the JVC HAS500 have great bass.
So hard to choose >.< ; I'll be mauling these over for the rest of the day.
As always, thanks a bunch, Des.
OldAsUrSock
Banned
Ok, so i got the DT 990 PRO and it is... amazing. The sound quality and positional audio is far better than my Turtle Beach PX3s and DPX21 with the original DSS.
PreyingShark
Member
They've already split. Beats kicked Monsters out so they could make more $$. Considering the reason, Beats headphones will probably always be drastically overpriced. Their high-end models aren't that bad but are hundreds of dollars overpriced so they aren't recommended.
Monster makes good IEMs so they arguably were the better part.
Def give the edge to the 202.
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
The new studios are getting rave reviews. Reviewers have been pointing out build quality and sound quality are greatly improved. The prices are exactly the same as before though. One change is the fact the entire headphone is rechargeable. No more AA batteries.
I haven't heard them myself, but I do look forward to doing so.
who's making them now?
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Rave reviews from who?
dripdripsplash
Member
Hey HeadphoneGAF, I don't know if this is the right place to post this but I've been having this problem with the Official 7.1 PlayStation headset. It usually works fine both on the PS3 and my PC but this time, sound is not coming out of the headphones at all.
I do have the dongle in, I've tried reinstalling the drivers and it is connecting to the dongle but nothing happens, no sound at all it just keeps playing from the laptop speakers.
Do you have an idea to how I could fix this ?
Thank you and if this isn't the right place to post this Q I'd love to get some directions to a more appropiate thread if there is one.
I do have the dongle in, I've tried reinstalling the drivers and it is connecting to the dongle but nothing happens, no sound at all it just keeps playing from the laptop speakers.
Do you have an idea to how I could fix this ?
Thank you and if this isn't the right place to post this Q I'd love to get some directions to a more appropiate thread if there is one.
Yeah they'll be miles better than any gaming headset I'd imagine. They're certainly better than my AX720s that I got cheap last year lol. The only negative is that they need an amp to sound at their absolute best.
DyslexicAlucard
Member
HeadphoneGAF, is this a good deal or just a "sale"? Keep in mind, there's usually decent price parity between the US and Canada.
http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=81349&promoid=1421
Or I could get these and drive across the border (I'm about 40 minutes away) but why are they so much cheaper? Are they worse or something?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011UB9CQ/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Or should I go for these?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745011-REG/AKG_2458Z00250_Q701_Quincy_Jones_Signature.html
I've heard great things about both, so I don't know what to do. These'd be my first "real" headphones.
Also, in terms of ohm rating, I've got the 600 ohm DT990s there. I plan to buy this to drive them:
http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=73088&vpn=XONAR DGX&manufacture=ASUS
Would that drive them well enough? I could buy the 32 ohm version, but does that affect sound quality? Also, while I plan to play a lot of games, I'm not overly worried about positional audio. Since these would be my first real set of cans, I want to be blown away by the quality of the audio.
http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=81349&promoid=1421
Or I could get these and drive across the border (I'm about 40 minutes away) but why are they so much cheaper? Are they worse or something?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011UB9CQ/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Or should I go for these?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/745011-REG/AKG_2458Z00250_Q701_Quincy_Jones_Signature.html
I've heard great things about both, so I don't know what to do. These'd be my first "real" headphones.
Also, in terms of ohm rating, I've got the 600 ohm DT990s there. I plan to buy this to drive them:
http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=73088&vpn=XONAR DGX&manufacture=ASUS
Would that drive them well enough? I could buy the 32 ohm version, but does that affect sound quality? Also, while I plan to play a lot of games, I'm not overly worried about positional audio. Since these would be my first real set of cans, I want to be blown away by the quality of the audio.
The Beyer 990, like a lot of the Beyer full-size cans, have a bit of peaky treble. if you know you want a kind of louder, shimmering sound with treble, then it should be OK. But i had the higher end T1 (which is supposed to be even less peaky) and it was still too much treble for my ears.
Now, that sound card you posted seems to be all kind of "meh” when I look it up online. and, even worse, there are zero specs from Asus about power output so we can’t even get a feel for whatever it has the power to drive the 990 well. But based on the reviews and price, I have serious doubts. You may want to get something that at least publishes some power specs for different ohm ratings. Either as a PCI card or an external headphone amp.
Now, that sound card you posted seems to be all kind of "meh” when I look it up online. and, even worse, there are zero specs from Asus about power output so we can’t even get a feel for whatever it has the power to drive the 990 well. But based on the reviews and price, I have serious doubts. You may want to get something that at least publishes some power specs for different ohm ratings. Either as a PCI card or an external headphone amp.
DyslexicAlucard
Member
This is the kind of thing that keeps me away from high-end headphones though. I really don't want to be tied down to a $300 soundcard or $800 amp. Even then, there will always be someone going, "Oh, you're using THAT? It's shit. lol"
Ugh.
deep breath.
how about a $130 amp? JDSLabs O2. Just connect it using the 3.5mm audio out form your PC. (You can worry about getting a higher end DAC in the future. like, say, the JDS ODAC
The O2 will have enough power for the 990 (and pretty much anything else in that price range) and is not going to break the bank.
If youre serious about a 600 ohm headphone, then you should get a decent amp to power it.
if you decide to get something easier to power (typically stuff made for portable use like the new Sennheiser momentum or KEF M500) then you can ditch the headphone amp until you get to a point where you want something more refined and dont just need the extra power.
Chinbo37
Member
Hey GAF, can anyone comment based on experience or otherwise on these 7.1 sony wireless headphones?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004X5JBY4/
What I am looking for in headphones:
- Wireless (they are for my main gaming/tv/movie rig hooked up to my HDTV in my living room. Couch is about 2 meters away so it cant have cords
- I prefer 2.4 wirless over bluetooth
- max 250 bucks
- Good all around sound for gaming, podcasts, music etc. I am no audiophile here but do want good quality
- i will hook it up from my pc via optical out on my onboard sound. I dont plan on running any amps or soundcards.
- It doesnt have to be 7.1, I just saw these and though i would ask for advice. Could be 5.1 or even stereo if someone has some good recommendations
Thanks for any help you can offer!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004X5JBY4/
What I am looking for in headphones:
- Wireless (they are for my main gaming/tv/movie rig hooked up to my HDTV in my living room. Couch is about 2 meters away so it cant have cords
- I prefer 2.4 wirless over bluetooth
- max 250 bucks
- Good all around sound for gaming, podcasts, music etc. I am no audiophile here but do want good quality
- i will hook it up from my pc via optical out on my onboard sound. I dont plan on running any amps or soundcards.
- It doesnt have to be 7.1, I just saw these and though i would ask for advice. Could be 5.1 or even stereo if someone has some good recommendations
Thanks for any help you can offer!
I was directed to this thread by the "Build Your Own PC" thread. I'm looking for a good set of over-ear headphones for gaming and music (but mostly gaming). I'm not much of an audiophile, so I'm looking to spend about $40-$100 for them. I'm looking at the following.
Soul SL300MS- Yeah, I know these are "designer" headphones and they're really worth their asking price, but Amazon has them for $109, so I'm really interested in them.
Superlux HD661- Are these over-ear headphones? I can't seem to find that anywhere.
Audio-Technica ATH-M30
Monoprice DJ Headphones
Sony MDR-XB500
Soul SL300MS- Yeah, I know these are "designer" headphones and they're really worth their asking price, but Amazon has them for $109, so I'm really interested in them.
Superlux HD661- Are these over-ear headphones? I can't seem to find that anywhere.
Audio-Technica ATH-M30
Monoprice DJ Headphones
Sony MDR-XB500
OldAsUrSock
Banned
For $100 the Sennheiser HD-280 PRO will probably be your best bet.
Somic MH463 and Turtle Beach X12 replacement pads, if you are okay with open headphones. Otherwise go with the suggestion above.
AstroNut325
Member
Can you elaborate? Sound quality? Build quality? I would definitely like some more bass heavy headphones and I've heard that nothing tops Sony headphones when it comes to bass.
In terms of bass quantity yes, but i think the XB500 sound much better than the 400. Ultrasone, Fischer, and Denon might have the absolute best bassy phones.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Got me a AKG K551.
I'll probably post more impressions after I listen more to it, but it's fun so far. Definitely doesn't have the bass impact of the Senn hd25-II though, but it can bring it when the song demands it. Also WAY more comfortable than the hd25-II.
Not really hearing this wider soundstage thing but then again I've mostly been listening to songs that don't really utilise soundstage. Definitely less forward than the hd25.
I'll probably post more impressions after I listen more to it, but it's fun so far. Definitely doesn't have the bass impact of the Senn hd25-II though, but it can bring it when the song demands it. Also WAY more comfortable than the hd25-II.
Not really hearing this wider soundstage thing but then again I've mostly been listening to songs that don't really utilise soundstage. Definitely less forward than the hd25.
doniewhalberg
Member
Hey headphone-gaf. Looking for a pair of good headphones for gaming on pc. Started looking at the ad-700's in the pc thread, since they were the recommended for my price range. I think I want closed headphones though. I read a real good recommendation for the beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80 ohm's - closed ear, same price range, really good soundstage. The review said they weren't hot for competitive, but this is really for single player, I barely play anything competitive ever, very much a SP story driven fan. Does this sound like a good choice? I'm not missing some horrible flaw?
The DT770's extreme mid-bass bleed really murks up the midrange and therefore makes them fall behind in the clarity department when compared to the AD700. And while the DT770 sports decent soundstage for a closed can, its soundstage cannot compare to the open-aired AD700. The advantages of the DT770 over the AD700 are going to be its bass, isolation, and a slight one in comfort (though both phones are quite comfortable). If you want to save some money check out the Somic MH463 and buy a pair of Turtle Beach X12 pads to replace the awful stock ones. DT990's are also on sale!
Hey guys, i'm looking to buy new headphones similarly shaped to these: http://www.thomann.de/fi/akg_k518_dj.htm
Basically something that's easily portable and not very big in size.
I would be using these mostly for music and portable gaming. I listen to pretty much everything out there but i do like bass heavy type of music the most and i'm going in with a budget of 100
Basically something that's easily portable and not very big in size.
I would be using these mostly for music and portable gaming. I listen to pretty much everything out there but i do like bass heavy type of music the most and i'm going in with a budget of 100
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Just want to say, only the 2nd day of listening, but the AKG k551 is awesome. Super comfortable, good isolation, and the sound is great. Instrument separation is good, overall detail is great, and I don't really see the bass light complaints. It can bring the bass when the song calls for it, and when it does the extension and detail is very good.
Also drives really well from a 3gs with no real need for an amp.
Gotta say, the HD25s are still superior for portable listening just because the earcups aren't so fucking huge, so it's easier to hang around your neck. Still, I think the sound of the K551 is more refined.
Brainwavz HM3?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067GNWB0/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Also drives really well from a 3gs with no real need for an amp.
Gotta say, the HD25s are still superior for portable listening just because the earcups aren't so fucking huge, so it's easier to hang around your neck. Still, I think the sound of the K551 is more refined.
Brainwavz HM3?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067GNWB0/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Tried on the Sennheiser Momentum on-ears that came out last week, came away pretty disappointed. The build is fantastic, and it looks classy as hell, but when it comes to the sound everything comes crashing down. It's bass-heavy, which masks vocals and treble performance. The on-ears are targeted as a lifestyle headphone which explains the mainstream sound signature...judging these cans on their own merits, they actually sound alright, but if you're expecting a Mini-Momentum when you put these on, you'll be bitterly disappointed.
I bought a set of k550s last week and couldn't be happier, been doing some vinyl listening tests in the last few days and I'm really really enjoying them. Also super happy that my phone and MacBook drive them fine when I need them to
The Mexinerd
Neo Member
I am rocking my Audtio Technica M50s
They arent shaped similarly but I think the JVC HAS500 would fit your sound needs , but I dont understand why you dont just buy the AKGs...
Go with these instead, those Sony's are overpriced and the whole surround sound moniker is really misleading...http://www.meelec.com/product_p/hp-af62-cf-mee.htm
Yeah i forgot to mention that i have those AKG's and they are in their last days, RIP. + They ain't the most comfortable headphones i've had.
But like i said earlier they don't have to be totally similar in shape, just that the new phones would not be huge. And thanks for the suggestions guys, gonna look in to those later.
Oh man I forgot about the RHA SA950i, definitely check those out. I think they're the most comfortable On-Ears under $100.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Yeah. Audiophiles might scoff at MP3s and an iPhone (my J3 and sansa clip both died ;() but the music sounds incredible coming through the K551 so, whatever.
I really like how well controlled the bass is. Might not make it super prominent, but I don't want it to be super prominent. It doesn't overwhelm the music and it has impact when the song calls for it.
Hank Scorpio
Member
I'm looking to get a decent docking station for my birthday. I listen to music via my laptop connected to a sub-woofer and 2 speakers which has been fine for me up until now.
However, I want something a bit more accessible. Dock+Play etc.. Mostly just for enjoying my music but also exercising... I wouldn't mind one that included Radio via FM or DAB. I guess streaming through the phone could be an option for that?
What I have:
- iPod Classic
- Samsung Galaxy S3
Desirable:
- iPod docking
- Bluetooth support
- Good bass
- Not too huge. Portability would be nice
- Some way of getting radio stations so I could discard my old stereo
- Compatibility: Connect to the TV for gaming
My price point is between 200-350/$300-400/£200-300.
I was considering this Sony RDPXA900iP.CED Wireless Speaker Dock if I can get it in B&M stores (in Ireland)
I'd appreciate any trusted review websites for audio equipment if gaffers can suggest (whathifi.com?) I'm not too sure about current technology tbh. Even if iPod docks are on the way out.
Thanks for any help audioGaf.
However, I want something a bit more accessible. Dock+Play etc.. Mostly just for enjoying my music but also exercising... I wouldn't mind one that included Radio via FM or DAB. I guess streaming through the phone could be an option for that?
What I have:
- iPod Classic
- Samsung Galaxy S3
Desirable:
- iPod docking
- Bluetooth support
- Good bass
- Not too huge. Portability would be nice
- Some way of getting radio stations so I could discard my old stereo
- Compatibility: Connect to the TV for gaming
My price point is between 200-350/$300-400/£200-300.
I was considering this Sony RDPXA900iP.CED Wireless Speaker Dock if I can get it in B&M stores (in Ireland)
I'd appreciate any trusted review websites for audio equipment if gaffers can suggest (whathifi.com?) I'm not too sure about current technology tbh. Even if iPod docks are on the way out.
Thanks for any help audioGaf.
YuriLowell
Member
It looks like the end on my PK2s has finally broken.
How hard is it to solder on a new end?
How hard is it to solder on a new end?
Yeah. Audiophiles might scoff at MP3s and an iPhone (my J3 and sansa clip both died ;() but the music sounds incredible coming through the K551 so, whatever.
I really like how well controlled the bass is. Might not make it super prominent, but I don't want it to be super prominent. It doesn't overwhelm the music and it has impact when the song calls for it.
As much as I love lossless, I have no choice but to use mp3s on iPhone when I'm on the go (also to increase my mobile library), but I'm using 320kbps mp3s so w/e.
Chinbo37
Member
Yo thanks for the recommendation, but I read that Bluetooth headphones are not that great in terms of wireless as the 2.4s.
Am I wrong?
Increase the volume and make it sound better in some cases if you're headphone has a low sensitivity and or high impedance it will need the "signal" from the source to be strengthened so to speak. I think that's the easiest way to think of it. Also if you're source has a poor DAC then you're gonna wanna look into something that has an integrated DAC to clean up the "signal" so to speak.
Does anyone know of a approximate equivalent to a pair of Koss KSC-75s, only with iPhone controls?
If Koss actually made such a pair, I'd snatch them up in a heartbeat. They're the perfect semi-disposable cost-vs-sound quality headphones for me. Currently I have to just keep wearing my current ones when out walking the dog with a hat and awkwardly fumble in my front pocket to adjust the volume/pause while the neighbors contact the authorities.
If Koss actually made such a pair, I'd snatch them up in a heartbeat. They're the perfect semi-disposable cost-vs-sound quality headphones for me. Currently I have to just keep wearing my current ones when out walking the dog with a hat and awkwardly fumble in my front pocket to adjust the volume/pause while the neighbors contact the authorities.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
http://www.head-fi.org/t/676095/mrs...worlds-first-production-3d-printed-headphones
So apparently the Mad Dogs are now going to be 3D printed. Supposed to be much better than the current run of MDs due to greater consistency vs hand modding.
So apparently the Mad Dogs are now going to be 3D printed. Supposed to be much better than the current run of MDs due to greater consistency vs hand modding.
Just watched the video and went to the MrSpeakers site. this is pretty exciting. its not replacing the Mad Dogs. its a new, higher end offering that theyre calling the Alpha Dog. charging 600 for it.
Jude called it the best closed headphone under a grand that hes heard and says it sounds pretty much like an open headphone.
interesting
(not gonna pre-order as Im loving my HE500 and will wait for more impressions. But Im real happy to see MrSpeakers get into real high end stuff. I think a pair will be mine within a year
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