• 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

M

MetalGuardian

Banned
I just moved into a city where I'm commuting via public transit roughly four hours everyday. On top of that, I can listen to music at work... but I can generally only use earbuds, because I can only have one in at a time (in case I need to hear someone hollering for me or the phone ringing)

I've hated earbuds my entire life. They are uncomfortable and never stay in me ears -- granted, I've only used ones that have come with iPods (which is what I've been using the past few weeks)

I need to upgrade, like, fast. My ears have been legitimately sore all weekend from having these uncomfortable hunks of plastic shoved in them for dozens of hours this week.

I DID read the OP, but the huge lists ranked by price were intimidating. I want something that:

1. Is padded (so my ears aren't constantly sore)
2. Has an exceptionally good fit, or has a "clip" or "hook" to loop around my ear so they stay on
3. Good (or at least fairly decent) sound quality
4. Won't damage my ears from extended use (I'm not even sure if this one is an issue or not... I've just heard before that earbuds are much worse for your ears than headphones)
5. In the $100 range
And both last and least
6. Preferably available at a place like Best Buy or Radio Shack, because I want to go buy them tomorrow instead of ordering online

Phew! I'm a complete novice when it comes to this stuff. I was at Best Buy earlier today and was tempted to buy these $130 Bose earbuds (my logic being "brand recognition plus somewhat high price! That must equal quality!"), but I thought instead I'd ask you all first.

Thanks in advance for any help :D
 
H

HiResDes

Member
They're comfortable, not earbuds and you're only listening to one ear at time so I wouldn't waste too much money on anything. IEMs sound great, but most of them isolate too well even if you're only using one ear. If you're only listening to one ear at a time you're not really gonna hear the full potential or detailed nuances of higher priced things. Another option would be to cop some open headphones and listen to music at lower volumes, the PX100 is a good cheaper open headphone.

BTW all things aren't earbuds, earbuds refer to a specific thing,
 
M

MetalGuardian

Banned
HiResDes said:
They're comfortable, not earbuds and you're only listening to one ear at time so I wouldn't waste too much money on anything. IEMs sound great, but most of them isolate too well even if you're only using one ear. If you're only listening to one ear at a time you're not really gonna hear the full potential or detailed nuances of higher priced things. Another option would be to cop some open headphones and listen to music at lower volumes, the PX100 is a good cheaper open headphone.

BTW all things aren't earbuds, earbuds refer to a specific thing,
Click to expand...
I brought up only listening with one ear while at work to explain away why I'm not opting for the superior headphone option (as an aside, I will never do open headphones again -- I like listening to my music loud, and that never worked out well when everyone else around me could hear it too)

On my several hour public transit journey each day, I have both ears in. IEMs sound cool from your description -- I like noise isolation, let's go with that!
 
H

HiResDes

Member
MetalGuardian said:
I brought up only listening with one ear while at work to explain away why I'm not opting for the superior headphone option (as an aside, I will never do open headphones again -- I like listening to my music loud, and that never worked out well when everyone else around me could hear it too)

On my several hour public transit journey each day, I have both ears in. IEMs sound cool from your description -- I like noise isolation, let's go with that!
Click to expand...
Zero Audio Tenore are the current best bang for your buck.

Ostry KC06 are probably next.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
Okay let me know if this is the right thread for this question.

I recently upgraded to an S5 from an S3. The headphones that came with the S3 actually were a good fit for my ears even when working out. They stayed put on intense elliptical workouts. A few weeks ago those headphones went belly up and then the whole phone went belly up. The S5 headphones are different and do not have a good fit for my ears. I think the actual speaker is bigger.

Anyway, I'm looking for a solid set of headphones that are great for exercise. I've looked at ones online like Monster iSport and the Bose sie2i, but I'd rather not spend a fortune if they're not going to cut it. So I'd prefer to spend max $50 and even then only if I can be certain they're gonna cut it.

Anyone with similar issues between the S3->S5 that can make me a recommendation?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
AngmarsKing701 said:
Okay let me know if this is the right thread for this question.

I recently upgraded to an S5 from an S3. The headphones that came with the S3 actually were a good fit for my ears even when working out. They stayed put on intense elliptical workouts. A few weeks ago those headphones went belly up and then the whole phone went belly up. The S5 headphones are different and do not have a good fit for my ears. I think the actual speaker is bigger.

Anyway, I'm looking for a solid set of headphones that are great for exercise. I've looked at ones online like Monster iSport and the Bose sie2i, but I'd rather not spend a fortune if they're not going to cut it. So I'd prefer to spend max $50 and even then only if I can be certain they're gonna cut it.

Anyone with similar issues between the S3->S5 that can make me a recommendation?
Click to expand...
The design of the earphones that come with the S3 looks rather basic so it's probably just the size and hardness of the tips that made a difference. I'd recommend checking out the various Vsonic earphones in the budget section of the OP since they all come with a large variety of tips and include optional ear hooks.
 
B

BolognaSoup

Member
MetalGuardian said:
I brought up only listening with one ear while at work to explain away why I'm not opting for the superior headphone option (as an aside, I will never do open headphones again -- I like listening to my music loud, and that never worked out well when everyone else around me could hear it too)

On my several hour public transit journey each day, I have both ears in. IEMs sound cool from your description -- I like noise isolation, let's go with that!
Click to expand...

IEMs have a much better fit than Apple earbuds and you can get a wide range of interchangeable tip sizes to fit your ears. Also, don't be fooled by those KSC75's either. Incredible sound for the price.
 
John Blade

John Blade

Member
Hello Audio Gaf here.

I was wondering what is your opinion of Meze Headphones (mostly target to Meze 88 Classics and Meze 66 Classics). I am interested in buying a headphone within the price range that Meze 88 is price currently. Just want a opinion about this head phone of any headphone within that price range.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
John Blade said:
Hello Audio Gaf here.

I was wondering what is your opinion of Meze Headphones (mostly target to Meze 88 Classics and Meze 66 Classics). I am interested in buying a headphone within the price range that Meze 88 is price currently. Just want a opinion about this head phone of any headphone within that price range.
Click to expand...

What is this price range? Meze headphones are more overpriced than Beats, and are a rebrand of a much cheaper brand ESMOOTH.
 
O.DOGG

O.DOGG

Member
Hello, Headphone Gaf,

My Sennheiser CX 880s finally went to headphone heaven the other day and I'm in need of new headphones. I'm looking for similarly priced (>$100) earbuds/IEMs that I can take with me everywhere I go. Any recommendations?
 
John Blade

John Blade

Member
HiResDes said:
What is this price range? Meze headphones are more overpriced than Beats, and are a rebrand of a much cheaper brand ESMOOTH.
Click to expand...

Price range is around $100 to $200 CDN dollar. Also, where can you buy ESMOOTH as it sound like you can't buy it for the customer directly.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
John Blade said:
Price range is around $100 to $200 CDN dollar. Also, where can you buy ESMOOTH as it sound like you can't buy it for the customer directly.
Click to expand...
Let's just forget about them since there are much better things in your price range. What kind of genres do you favor? Are you looking for closed over-the-ear sets?

Here are some great options:

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649097436-focal_spirit_one_headphones_red_brand_new_in_box/


http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649131650-ultrasone_hfi_580/

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649130797-brand_new_sennheiser_amperior/

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649128061-brand_new_beyerdynamic_dt1350_facelift_version/
 
John Blade

John Blade

Member
HiResDes said:
Let's just forget about them since there are much better things in your price range. What kind of genres do you favor? Are you looking for closed over-the-ear sets?
Click to expand...

Similar to Meze design headphone. As for music, more in musical instrument music style (piano, guitar, etc) and music can range romance slow to high speed style like those movie soundtrack epic music if you know what I mean. Also, price have to be include tax here. This will be my 1st serious head phone and something I will use for a long time so something in quality of not only music but also the product design.
 
John Blade

John Blade

Member
HiResDes said:
Focal ones or the Beyers I posted would be best.
Click to expand...

Are they easy to get replaceable ear cup for them? As for buying use headphone, wasn't expect but if they're okay, I might be fine to buy one on the site link you post. Also, what your opinion with ESMOOTH headphone? Are they worth the money at the lower price for them?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Esmooth headphones aren't very good, especially for what you're going using them for, just forget about them. I don't think the earpads are replaceable in the Focal's, but they're very well built. The Beyer's offer pads replacement.

...I mean if you're really just all about the aesthetic of the Meze then buy them, sometimes people already know what they want, they just want me to confirm that a headphone is good..Which I can't really do in this case
 
John Blade

John Blade

Member
HiResDes said:
Esmooth headphones aren't very good, especially for what you're going using them for, just forget about them. I don't think the earpads are replaceable in the Focal's, but they're very well built. The Beyer's offer pads replacement.

...I mean if you're really just all about the aesthetic of the Meze then buy them, sometimes people already know what they want, they just want me to confirm that a headphone is good..Which I can't really do in this case
Click to expand...

Well...just like the wood stuff on the headphone. But will do some more research. A questions I think people ask here too many time if you're new, which headphone brand should I look for in that price range and which head phones are hidden gems that most people pass it over. Just want to have more choice to look at before I open my wallet to buy one.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
John Blade said:
Well...just like the wood stuff on the headphone. But will do some more research. A questions I think people ask here too many time if you're new, which headphone brand should I look for in that price range and which head phones are hidden gems that most people pass it over. Just want to have more choice to look at before I open my wallet to buy one.
Click to expand...

The OP has good suggestions, but since you're in Canada finding them at reasonable prices is a bit harder.
 
A

Arulan

Member
I'm not looking to upgrade in the immediate future but I have been doing some research for when I do.

I'm currently using a pair of Ultrasone Pro 550s. These are my first "audiophile-level", for lack of a better term headphones I've owned. I really enjoy them, but due to my lack of experience I don't have much to compare them to. For example, I've heard they have a good sound stage, especially for closed headphones, but how exactly do they compare to open headphones in this aspect?

My primarily use for headphones is gaming, almost exclusively. I have these paired with a X-Fi Titanium sound card and a Objective2 Headphone Amp. The headphone amp is overkill for these headphones but I managed to get a great deal, and it will serve me for future purchases. I currently use CMSS-3D when a game supports hardware audio or at least 5 discrete channels.

My research is focused on understanding the best possible setup for gaming, and when I do eventually upgrade headphones what I could improve on. CMSS-3D for instance has mixed opinions. It appears to do the best job at creating convincing 3D sound (especially for true hardware audio support) but it does degrade audio quality to an extent. Secondly, it appears that open headphones do not work well with CMSS-3D for Headphones, can any contribute to this statement? Would the open headphone design be good enough in sound stage and 3D sound without the need for CMSS-3D for instance? Is hard left to right stereo panning a hard reality with headphones if you aren't using something like CMSS-3D?

I want to clarify though that when I say these are exclusively for gaming I do not want artificial advantages at the cost of sound quality and balance. Having incredible Mids and sound stage while allowing you to hear footsteps at large distances may provide competitive advantage but it isn't realistic and may degrade other aspects of the sound. In essence while I will use these almost exclusively for gaming I want a very natural and neutral sound, and ideally convincing 3D spatial audio.

If you can answer any of my questions, give suggestions, or provide any feedback on a headphone gaming setup that would be greatly appreciated.
 
T

T Dollarz

Member
Alright I finally got my money straight and will be ready to buy my new headphones today!!! They will be replacing my Studio Beats by Dre, which I loved but finally broke after a few years. My favorite thing about them was how comfortable they were, they would never hurt my head. Things I'm looking for:

-Comfortable
-Over ear
-Plug can fit inside the OtterBox on my phone, otherwise a detachable chord so I could get my own just in case
-Will be used primarily for hip hop music but also movies and gaming
-Best headphones with these qualities I can get TODAY for $100 or less!

Hope to get your recommendation and I'll make my purchase! PUMPED! Been using this generic on-ear Sony pair the past few months and it's just the worse lol
 
H

HiResDes

Member
T Dollarz said:
Alright I finally got my money straight and will be ready to buy my new headphones today!!! They will be replacing my Studio Beats by Dre, which I loved but finally broke after a few years. My favorite thing about them was how comfortable they were, they would never hurt my head. Things I'm looking for:

-Comfortable
-Over ear
-Plug can fit inside the OtterBox on my phone, otherwise a detachable chord so I could get my own just in case
-Will be used primarily for hip hop music but also movies and gaming
-Best headphones with these qualities I can get TODAY for $100 or less!

Hope to get your recommendation and I'll make my purchase! PUMPED! Been using this generic on-ear Sony pair the past few months and it's just the worse lol
Click to expand...


My first suggestion:

JVC HA-S680

Option: HM5 Replacement Pads to increase isolation and pad size if you have bigger ears

Headfi Appreciation Thread



My second suggestion:

Audio Technica ATH M30x



My third suggestion:

Creative Aurvana Live! or AE-51
 
T

T Dollarz

Member
I bought the JVC's HiRes, I'm excited they looked great and relatively inexpensive! Got the 2 year warranty for $7 too. Now just have to wait 3-4 weeks for shipping :(
 
T

Tawney Bomb

Member
Hey guys, I've had a pair of UE Triple Fi 10s for about 4 or 5 years now and the cable I was using for about 2 years is starting to go. I can't seem to find the replacement on Logitech's site. And was wondering if any of you know where to get the replacement for a not insane price, or what is a solid other brand replacement?
 
RubxQub

RubxQub

φίλω ἐξεχέγλουτον καί ψευδολόγον οὖκ εἰπόν
Dropping in just to say that I recently busted my Monster Trumpet headphones that I loved to death by running them through the wash (completely ruined the bass) and went hunting for an upgrade.

Given that I like a V-shaped sound signature, my digging yielded the Dunu DN1000 as a set I should check out.

Ended up getting them, and admittedly at first I was disappointed with the bass. The bass recovery was a bit slower on the DNKs and the impact a bit less, so immediately my heart sank that I'd been duped.

...for whatever reason, be it burn in, retraining my ears to the new signature or whatever...I'm now extremely happy with these. The added clarity in the mid to top end of the spectrum is really a step up from the Trumpets, and the bass may not hit as hard in the DNKs, they bass clarity is higher and the impact is definitely at an acceptable level for my pseudo-basshead preferences.

Overall a great IEM. Was happy to see it at the top of the list in the OP.
 
K

Keldor

Member
Does anyone have any recommendations for some good IEM's for metal music? I'm looking for something in the $200 range. I can go a little over if the cost is worth it.
Headphones I own: Allessandro MS2i, DT-990, Amperior, Denon D5000, and HD-25. Of all those, the MS2i is my favorite. So maybe an IEM that is Grado like? Maybe with a little more bass. I will also use it for 3DS and Vita but mostly for music.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Keldor said:
Does anyone have any recommendations for some good IEM's for metal music? I'm looking for something in the $200 range. I can go a little over if the cost is worth it.
Headphones I own: Allessandro MS2i, DT-990, Amperior, Denon D5000, and HD-25. Of all those, the MS2i is my favorite. So maybe an IEM that is Grado like? Maybe with a little more bass. I will also use it for 3DS and Vita but mostly for music.
Click to expand...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009SKA1LG/?tag=neogaf0e-20

... Sorry I'm on mobile, but if you search for reviews of the TDK IE800 on Head-Fi you'll find that it's pretty much exactly what you want.
 
A

Ark

Member
Hey Audiohpile GAF; I'm going to jump on this deal on some AKG Q701's before it finishes tomorrow, but I'm just wondering if my FiiO E7 will be enough to drive them? At the moment I'm using the on-board audio that came with my MSI Z87 motherboard, but I'm not sure if I'd need a soundcard as well as the E7?
 
C

Calibrated Chaos

Member
Gaf I'm in (central) London for one more day before I head back to NYC. Is there a decent place to buy headphones around the $60-$150 range? Preferably where I can try them on as well.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Ark said:
Hey Audiohpile GAF; I'm going to jump on this deal on some AKG Q701's before it finishes tomorrow, but I'm just wondering if my FiiO E7 will be enough to drive them? At the moment I'm using the on-board audio that came with my MSI Z87 motherboard, but I'm not sure if I'd need a soundcard as well as the E7?
Click to expand...
The E7 has a built-in DAC so you shouldn't need a soundcard.

I actually came to tell y'all that the V-Moda M80 were on sale for $80 today, which is insane but it's over.
 
T

terrible

Banned
I almost bought those Q701s but I convinced myself not to over the last few days. I don't really need another pair of headphones with a treble peak like that. Fantastic price though.
 
J

jesalr

Member
Calibrated Chaos said:
Gaf I'm in (central) London for one more day before I head back to NYC. Is there a decent place to buy headphones around the $60-$150 range? Preferably where I can try them on as well.
Click to expand...
You're better off in NYC, cheaper and probably a better range. That is unless you really need them for the journey?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Arulan said:
I'm not looking to upgrade in the immediate future but I have been doing some research for when I do.

I'm currently using a pair of Ultrasone Pro 550s. These are my first "audiophile-level", for lack of a better term headphones I've owned. I really enjoy them, but due to my lack of experience I don't have much to compare them to. For example, I've heard they have a good sound stage, especially for closed headphones, but how exactly do they compare to open headphones in this aspect?

My primarily use for headphones is gaming, almost exclusively. I have these paired with a X-Fi Titanium sound card and a Objective2 Headphone Amp. The headphone amp is overkill for these headphones but I managed to get a great deal, and it will serve me for future purchases. I currently use CMSS-3D when a game supports hardware audio or at least 5 discrete channels.

My research is focused on understanding the best possible setup for gaming, and when I do eventually upgrade headphones what I could improve on. CMSS-3D for instance has mixed opinions. It appears to do the best job at creating convincing 3D sound (especially for true hardware audio support) but it does degrade audio quality to an extent. Secondly, it appears that open headphones do not work well with CMSS-3D for Headphones, can any contribute to this statement? Would the open headphone design be good enough in sound stage and 3D sound without the need for CMSS-3D for instance? Is hard left to right stereo panning a hard reality with headphones if you aren't using something like CMSS-3D?

I want to clarify though that when I say these are exclusively for gaming I do not want artificial advantages at the cost of sound quality and balance. Having incredible Mids and sound stage while allowing you to hear footsteps at large distances may provide competitive advantage but it isn't realistic and may degrade other aspects of the sound. In essence while I will use these almost exclusively for gaming I want a very natural and neutral sound, and ideally convincing 3D spatial audio.

If you can answer any of my questions, give suggestions, or provide any feedback on a headphone gaming setup that would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
There are a few closed headphones with very good soundstage that might b upgrades in some areas such as the NAD Viso hp50, KEF M500, Mad Dogs, P7, Beoplay H6
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
186 187 188 189 190
9K
1M
Chittagong replied
  • Locked
Recommendations for PORTABLE Headphones
4
1K
nhlducks35 replied
"I Need a New PC!" 2017 The Ryzing of Kaby Lake and NVMwhee!
236 237 238 239 240
12K
1M
DGrayson replied
  • Locked
"I Need a New PC!" 2016 Plus Ultra! HBM2, VR, 144Hz, and 4K for all!
401 402 403 404 405
20K
2M
GreenTornadoX replied
  • Locked
What kind of headphones do you use?
2 3 4
166
11K
hsin replied
Top Bottom