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$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
zero shift
Banned
Sup fellas. Been lurking awhile because I've always been fascinated with quality sound. I'm looking to upgrade my listening experience on my CPU - but I have some very basic needs and concerns about how to properly do this.
I don't have an unlimited budget -- but I anticipate this will be a new project of mine that I will eventually pull the trigger on in a couple months. I don't mind spending more to get more -- I just really appreciate a good deal and good value.
I really want a set of cans that will be amp driven. I've been able to discern that I will need and amp+DAC -- however I'm unsure as to whether or not there are solid options that provide both in a single package. I've noticed that a good budget option is the FiiO E17+E09K combo. My problem is that, right now, I'm not sure what spending more or spending less will get me in terms of value.
My first concern is whether or not my onboard computer sound is sufficient. Do I need to have something within my computer that will be able to support an amp+DAC combo? Like do I need a specific sound card -- or does the amp+DAC take care of all of that?
My second concern is actually regarding microphones. I do a fair bit of chatting with friends over skype. As a result, I've defaulted recently to a headset that has a mic, what-have-you... and I've been embarrassed to admit that I've been using one for almost two years. If there are any options for microphones to replace my headset -- I'd love to hear them. We are primarily gamers on this site (I think!) so I am sure some of you have had a similar need.
My third concern is the quality of music you guys listen to. Are you guys purchasing music over the net (iTunes) or are you listening to straight albums (CDs, Records)? I've never liked compressed music and I am concerned that when I finally make the jump -- I won't be able to enjoy true quality if, well, I'm listening to poor samples.
Thanks for any assistance!
I don't have an unlimited budget -- but I anticipate this will be a new project of mine that I will eventually pull the trigger on in a couple months. I don't mind spending more to get more -- I just really appreciate a good deal and good value.
I really want a set of cans that will be amp driven. I've been able to discern that I will need and amp+DAC -- however I'm unsure as to whether or not there are solid options that provide both in a single package. I've noticed that a good budget option is the FiiO E17+E09K combo. My problem is that, right now, I'm not sure what spending more or spending less will get me in terms of value.
My first concern is whether or not my onboard computer sound is sufficient. Do I need to have something within my computer that will be able to support an amp+DAC combo? Like do I need a specific sound card -- or does the amp+DAC take care of all of that?
My second concern is actually regarding microphones. I do a fair bit of chatting with friends over skype. As a result, I've defaulted recently to a headset that has a mic, what-have-you... and I've been embarrassed to admit that I've been using one for almost two years. If there are any options for microphones to replace my headset -- I'd love to hear them. We are primarily gamers on this site (I think!) so I am sure some of you have had a similar need.
My third concern is the quality of music you guys listen to. Are you guys purchasing music over the net (iTunes) or are you listening to straight albums (CDs, Records)? I've never liked compressed music and I am concerned that when I finally make the jump -- I won't be able to enjoy true quality if, well, I'm listening to poor samples.
Thanks for any assistance!
Vsonic VSD1 are my personal favorites because of their ariness, smooth timbre, and perfect bassPost your favorite ~$50 IEM's, and why you love them soo much!
GO!
I'm looking to replace my Sennheiser CX-180's with something that has natural sound.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Kickstarter went live:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ckets-next-gen-iems-made-in-usa?ref=discovery
The 50 $99 spots were gone in like 20 minutes lol
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ckets-next-gen-iems-made-in-usa?ref=discovery
The 50 $99 spots were gone in like 20 minutes lol
Don't buy anything Bose, your X10 are better, I'd check out the KEFM200
Superlux have better clarity, but the JVC are more comfortable
First - I think the JDS 02/ODAC are the best combo
Second - I'd look into getting the Mr. Speakers Mad Dogs and a Zalman clip on mic
Third - ITunes download quality is more than good enough and I'd be surprised if you could even spot the difference between 256AAC and CD Quality FLAC
I always come back to my HD-600's. I've been an audiophile for about 8 years now. I've tried every single headphone/brand you can think of. Starting from budget $60 Grado headphones all the way up to the HD-800s. The only thing I never got to try was the super expensive STAX electro stats. Even I have a limit on price.
Anyways, after all my years of switching between headphones I finally decided that I like the HD-600's the most. They are so flexible in terms of scaling up with different sources etc. Love their neutral sound, and there is just so much detail in these cans. Yeah the lack of bass punch/rumble isn't for everyone. But I think the bass is actually tight and pretty spectacular in their own right on these cans.
Honestly, I just think they have everything for me. Extremely comfortable (especially after they break in after many listens). So yeah, totally satisfied with these and I've pretty much stopped searching for my endgame set. I'm always being amazed by how I hear new details in songs while listening to these cans. I know that's kind of a cliche thing to say. But it's true. I hear things on this that I definitely don't hear on my LCD-2's, RS1i's or SE-535s. So goood.
I'm also really happy with the Schiit Lyr/Bifrost combo. I know there are better set ups, but this has been one of my favorite. And really good for the price too!
Anyways, after all my years of switching between headphones I finally decided that I like the HD-600's the most. They are so flexible in terms of scaling up with different sources etc. Love their neutral sound, and there is just so much detail in these cans. Yeah the lack of bass punch/rumble isn't for everyone. But I think the bass is actually tight and pretty spectacular in their own right on these cans.
Honestly, I just think they have everything for me. Extremely comfortable (especially after they break in after many listens). So yeah, totally satisfied with these and I've pretty much stopped searching for my endgame set. I'm always being amazed by how I hear new details in songs while listening to these cans. I know that's kind of a cliche thing to say. But it's true. I hear things on this that I definitely don't hear on my LCD-2's, RS1i's or SE-535s. So goood.
I'm also really happy with the Schiit Lyr/Bifrost combo. I know there are better set ups, but this has been one of my favorite. And really good for the price too!
Incredible value, great scaling with an amp.
In other news supported the kickstarter gonna get some Rockets hopefully!
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Dope. Will be interested in what you think of em since you generally seem to like a more V shaped sig. My friend Eke tells me they've got something very interesting in the pipes soon. They're probably my fave company overall just cause Dale seems to be obsessed with improving his products and isn't aversed to community feedback if it helps him achieve that goal. And hell, the jump from the G-1 to the G-2 in just a year's time was nuts, can't wait to see what they have in store
I have a pair of these on the way: http://www.head-fi.org/t/681435/dunu-dn-1000-dunus-hybrid-iem-appreciation-thread
Seem like they're pretty nice from the feedback in the thread.
Thanks HiRes, I've been looking at that as well. I backed the Rockets KS, so I'll wait until I have them.
Would a Comply Tip enhance the Klipsch sound? I have it on my UE TripleFi (as the tip didn't fit me), but I'm a big fan of Klipsch's triangle-shaped tip -- perfect fit for my ears. Hmm.
Looks interesting and well-built. I haven't been following headphones for a long while now... What is a "hybrid" IEM?
Would a Comply Tip enhance the Klipsch sound? I have it on my UE TripleFi (as the tip didn't fit me), but I'm a big fan of Klipsch's triangle-shaped tip -- perfect fit for my ears. Hmm.
Looks interesting and well-built. I haven't been following headphones for a long while now... What is a "hybrid" IEM?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005N8W1MO/?tag=neogaf0e-20
can anyone tell me how these are? Primary use is going to be gaming. Saw a thread awhile ago and everyone recommended headphones + a separate mic instead of a gaming headset
can anyone tell me how these are? Primary use is going to be gaming. Saw a thread awhile ago and everyone recommended headphones + a separate mic instead of a gaming headset
lastflowers
Banned
I got some sennheiser 650s a couple of months ago. I must say they are the best headphones I've ever owned.
Mad Dogs are more comfortable and premium looking, but sennheisers are beasts. They roam from acoustic to electronic with ease.
Mad Dogs are more comfortable and premium looking, but sennheisers are beasts. They roam from acoustic to electronic with ease.
lastflowers
Banned
They are fantastic phones. Incredibly comfortable, and work well with various amps.
I admit, I gave up on my conquest for lossless. I have over $2,000 in audio equipment..and yet I don't listen to lossless. Kind of sad/heresy. Thing is, it was just a convenience thing.
D
Deleted member 22576
Unconfirmed Member
I've spent about two weeks with the TMA-1 Studio headphone by AIAIA now. These are probably the most versatile cans I've ever owned. The removable cable is a revelation (I have 3 for 3 different purposes). I'm a big electronic fan and they handle sharp highs crisp break beats suitably and the low end is quite nice.
I need to write more impressions later, but I dropped some hate on AIAIA and the TMA1s are a solid product.
I need to write more impressions later, but I dropped some hate on AIAIA and the TMA1s are a solid product.
Yes, but on the flipside you have people ripping their CD collections to MP3. I have my library two times, lossless and mp3.
lastflowers
Banned
I'd love to rip my collection to lossless, but thinking about all that work is depressing.
Nothing wrong with V0 LAME MP3
Question regarding the Headsets for the PC 2014 Thread.
The $100 headphones used to be AD700, but now it's been replaced by the AD700X which is $130 instead of $100 in the US.
The DT990 250OHM Pro is $150 so I thought it would be a good thing to slot in, but then it hit me it kinda needs some oomph to be driven and onboard isn't really gonna do it, plus the Xonar DGX setting only says >64ohm headset and there was a post on head-fi specifically about these together.
Any thoughts on what might be a good thing to slot in at the $80-$150 price point with a heavy emphasis on positional accuracy / soundstage?
The $100 headphones used to be AD700, but now it's been replaced by the AD700X which is $130 instead of $100 in the US.
The DT990 250OHM Pro is $150 so I thought it would be a good thing to slot in, but then it hit me it kinda needs some oomph to be driven and onboard isn't really gonna do it, plus the Xonar DGX setting only says >64ohm headset and there was a post on head-fi specifically about these together.
Any thoughts on what might be a good thing to slot in at the $80-$150 price point with a heavy emphasis on positional accuracy / soundstage?
Question regarding the Headsets for the PC 2014 Thread.
The $100 headphones used to be AD700, but now it's been replaced by the AD700X which is $130 instead of $100 in the US.
The DT990 250OHM Pro is $150 so I thought it would be a good thing to slot in, but then it hit me it kinda needs some oomph to be driven and onboard isn't really gonna do it, plus the Xonar DGX setting only says >64ohm headset and there was a post on head-fi specifically about these together.
Any thoughts on what might be a good thing to slot in at the $80-$150 price point with a heavy emphasis on positional accuracy / soundstage?
Pioneer SE-A1000
or
Takstar TS-671
...The Takstar need some amping to reach their full potential though
I checked the Pioneers from MadLustEnvy's thread and somewhere else, but didn't want to add them just due to how terrible the top band looks and them being pretty close in price to these:
$45 - Superlux HD668B
$75 - Creative Aurvana Live!
Anything more in the $100-$150 range besides the AD700X?
I'd consider making the jump up to these, considering they sound better unamped than the DT990 or AD700x and are among my very favorite headphones under $250 - Sony MDRMA900
Bit expensive, but most people with nicer headphones ($>100) should imo be picking up a mobo with an amp or a Xonar DGX, so how would you feel with the AD700X and those Sonys in the build rec?
They are only 30 dollars over your budget and some great even unamped, so that would actually be saving you quite a bit of money. I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understand your question or what your saying. I don't agree with the standpoint that you should always be looking to get an amp or DAC with headphones over $150. I think that's kind of silly really, but my standpoint on headphones has kind of evolved over the ears and now I will only buy headphones that both sound good unamped and scale well with an amp. I think maybe you're asking about build quality, which I guess is the only detractor from the Sony's...As headfi would have you believe, but I believe they are more solidly built than they feel, and that they only feel flimsy because of their extremely low weight, which in the end adds to comfort. Now I also wouldn't throw these headphones around or let them bounce around in a backpack while traveling. I think maybe I've been lucky, but I just haven't had nearly as many build problems with many of my purchases over the past five years of being in the headphone game.
What's your opinion on the Samson SR850? I personally think they're better than the AD700.
AD700s are basically good for one thing: listening for footsteps in first person shooters using Dolby Headphone. The SR850s are a better overall pair of headphones by a fair margin imo but they do get outclassed in that one area. The complete lack of bass on the AD700s makes them really boring for music, even classical.
I think when they were worthwhile at $80 years back. But at $100, they're too overprice nowadays compared to the cheaper offerings. The comfort isn't worth another $50.
I'm aware of that and I agree. I was just wondering why Hazaro hasn't ever listed them (SR850) as a choice after all this time.
Aren't they essentially the same thing as the Superlux HD668B that he listed?
They are 681s with better pads and build quality. Comfort is the most overlooked spectrum in the headphone game.
Amped Takstar TS-71 is basically the AD700 for 40 dollars cheaper.
They're regarded as one and the same, but they have slight differences. The Superlux 668b has a higher impedance (56) compared to the SR850 (32). I tend to recommend the SR850 over the 668b for that reason alone since they're so similar. I also think the SR850 sounds less grainy than the 668B too and easier to drive.
I seen people say the SR850s are uncomfortable but for me they are even more comfortable than my DT990 Pros and DT880s. I get a sore spot on the top of my head with the Beyers but get no discomfort at all with the SR850s after any length of listening. The only thing that happens is my ears get a bit warm.
I am interested in the velour pads for the SR850s for extra comfort but I'm not interested in losing any bass and I guess I don't really use them enough anymore to justify the extra cost at this point. I still think they are pretty comfy though.
I haven't listened to the 668b's so that's interesting. I didn't know of the impedance difference.
The Takstar Hi-2050 are pretty good too. I actually like the Hi-2050 more than the Superlux 668b/Samson SR850, but the Hi-2050 is even more neutral yet cleaner sounding than the 668b/SR850.
I find the DT990 more comfortable than the SR850, but that's due to two things: the ear pads and clamping force. The DT990 has less clamping force than the SR850 for me, but it's shorter than the SR850 slightly. Those plush velour pads mitigate that though but not completely.
Despite saying that, I prefer wearing the 668b since they do scale better than the SR850, and I actually find them more comfort because of their design, which has less clamping than the SR850. You really can't go wrong with either, but I like the SR850 more as a good budget recommendation.
Unfortunately I can only go on what I read and ask people. Headphones to me seem to change much slower than PC Hardware and it's a ton harder to get reliable information on anything new, especially when a lot of it is China OEM at the lower price points.
I greatly enjoy my AD700's since I like know where stuff is in games and I can wear them for 14 hours so I was looking for something similar if possible in positional accuracy and comfort.
I've had some audio quirks on one of my own machines and with so many motherboards / PCs out there to hook these up to maybe it's just something I have in my head. At least in the PC thread a Xonar DGX for $40 seems to be a popular pickup although people usually don't list if they buy any headphones.
When I said 'build rec' I simply meant the OP for the PC Thread
If the 668b is more comfy since they are the same price I'll keep that in the OP
I greatly enjoy my AD700's since I like know where stuff is in games and I can wear them for 14 hours so I was looking for something similar if possible in positional accuracy and comfort.
The budget is relative since the AD700's used to be on sale for $100 in US and they are just SO DAMN COMFY. It's something I've also used and because of their positional accuracy (Which is a pretty big part of selection), is listed in the OP as a great gaming headphone.
I've had some audio quirks on one of my own machines and with so many motherboards / PCs out there to hook these up to maybe it's just something I have in my head. At least in the PC thread a Xonar DGX for $40 seems to be a popular pickup although people usually don't list if they buy any headphones.
When I said 'build rec' I simply meant the OP for the PC Thread
Hmmmmmm. Is the SR850 more of a resting headphone than clamp?
Thanks for the input. Those Takstar 2050's look pretty nice at the price.
If the 668b is more comfy since they are the same price I'll keep that in the OP
The DT990 Pros clamp harder than the SR850s by a decent amount imo. The DT990 Premiums should feel the same as my DT880 Premiums which have very little clamping force though.
Comfort totally comes down to the shape of your head in the end anyway. The Beyers are notoriously comfortable yet they make the top of my head hurt after a while. Go figure lol.
PS AD700s are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. The only downside is they love trying to fall off my head since they're so loose.
Yeah comfort is pretty important. Still, I've never even considered selling my Beyers even though I have to shift them around every 30 minutes or so to stay comfortable.
HammerOfThor
Member
Guys, I need your opinion on the best headphones for mostly metal/rock?
Budget? Opposed to open headphones?
Speaking of Creative Aurvanas, I noticed the Live! 2s were released, and was wondering if there was anyone here who owned them and could share some impressions. Also wondering if the Aurvana Gold noticeably suffers in audio quality when using the wireless mode.
Zombie James
Banned
My Superlux HD681 EVO's finally came in and so far it's been a mixed bag. Nothing wrong with the sound quality - it's actually a pretty noticeable upgrade over my old Sennheiser's, even without breaking in - but the build quality is terrible. Most of it is plastic so it creaks every time you pick it up (expected), but the biggest issue is they actually arrived with the metal frame warped. It was packages property so I'm pretty sure it wasn't tampered with. Took a fair amount of elbow grease to get it into the shape it should have arrived it, and even now it's still a hair off-centre. Oh well.
HammerOfThor
Member
Um... I guess budget wise not too far over $250. I can stretch if the quality is there.
If open are the only way to get solid quality then I will, but I'd prefer not to since I like to listen to it loud sometimes and I don't need the entire office listening with me.
Actually, could I get two recommendations? One open and one non? I can use the open just for home.
Broadbandito
Member
I'm looking into possibly replacing my astro a40s for ps4/pc gaming and music on the go. Overwhelmed when looking for sets and microphones (seperate or not) Any recommendations would be awesome. probably looking to spend $150-$250
It's a matter of principle for me. Technically, mp3 is garbage. Lame 320cbr sounds exactly the same, yes. But never look at the thing in a spektrum analyzer. It's a miracle that this is actually perceived to sound like the original.
So, in my ongoing quest to prevent file rot I keep lossless versions whenever possible. Of course, the real battlefield is png vs jpeg. Rehost-rot-o-drome.
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