If there's one thing I've realised in the last 10 years is that high end, ultra revealing audio equipment is completely overkill and even detrimental to a huge number of modern recordings. I'll be honest and say 30-40% of my music collection sounds terrible on my usual HD800 setup.
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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
thoseAREmySHOES
Member
After reading through the OP and being fairly intimidated, I'm reaching out for some recommendations for some earbuds/IEMs for my current setup. I'll use the price-tiering from the OP and say my budget is at approximately $60, but I'd be willing to go higher (~$100) if there is a big jump in quality.
Here's my situation: I live in an apartment with pretty thin walls. My TV happens to be in the same room as my really loud wall air conditioning unit. Because the walls in my apartment building are pretty thin, I don't have any speaker system (and therefore no receiver), so the air conditioner drowns out any game or show with dialogue from the puny TV speakers.
So, for gaming/dialogue heavy TV shows, I've been using an old Turtle Beach headset. My main (#firstworldproblems) complaint is that any typical headset really mats down my hair after just a little bit of use, and it's really obnoxious to have to fix my hair to look presentable after watching TV. I figure I may as well go for a good pair of earphones to use instead.
Since I switch consoles often and also just watch regular old TV with my headset, my current setup is optical-out from my TV into a Turtle Beach DSS, and then use the headphone-out on the DSS to hook up my headset. I can probably just buy an AUX extension cord for use with whatever earphones you guys suggest. Currently for games I've been using an old dirt cheap set of earbuds and just plugging that into the 3.5mm jack on the Xbox One/PS4 controllers, but I seem to get a lot of audio crackling, especially with the Xbox One controller.
So, to summarize:
- Earphone recommendation, hopefully $60 or less, but willing to go up to $100 or so if there is a big quality jump.
- I'm assuming the Turtle Beach DSS with an aux extension cord will work fine for this setup. I have been eyeing the Astro MixAmp Pro TR for it's simplicity in streaming voice during Twitch broadcasts and such, but I don't think it will provide any benefit over my current DSS outside of the streaming features.
- Ideally, I'd like a pair that has fairly good sound isolation so I could also use them at work without disturbing others around me. This isn't mandatory, though, as these would be primarily for home use/times where it isn't imperative that the sound is totally isolated.
Here's my situation: I live in an apartment with pretty thin walls. My TV happens to be in the same room as my really loud wall air conditioning unit. Because the walls in my apartment building are pretty thin, I don't have any speaker system (and therefore no receiver), so the air conditioner drowns out any game or show with dialogue from the puny TV speakers.
So, for gaming/dialogue heavy TV shows, I've been using an old Turtle Beach headset. My main (#firstworldproblems) complaint is that any typical headset really mats down my hair after just a little bit of use, and it's really obnoxious to have to fix my hair to look presentable after watching TV. I figure I may as well go for a good pair of earphones to use instead.
Since I switch consoles often and also just watch regular old TV with my headset, my current setup is optical-out from my TV into a Turtle Beach DSS, and then use the headphone-out on the DSS to hook up my headset. I can probably just buy an AUX extension cord for use with whatever earphones you guys suggest. Currently for games I've been using an old dirt cheap set of earbuds and just plugging that into the 3.5mm jack on the Xbox One/PS4 controllers, but I seem to get a lot of audio crackling, especially with the Xbox One controller.
So, to summarize:
- Earphone recommendation, hopefully $60 or less, but willing to go up to $100 or so if there is a big quality jump.
- I'm assuming the Turtle Beach DSS with an aux extension cord will work fine for this setup. I have been eyeing the Astro MixAmp Pro TR for it's simplicity in streaming voice during Twitch broadcasts and such, but I don't think it will provide any benefit over my current DSS outside of the streaming features.
- Ideally, I'd like a pair that has fairly good sound isolation so I could also use them at work without disturbing others around me. This isn't mandatory, though, as these would be primarily for home use/times where it isn't imperative that the sound is totally isolated.
opticalmace
Member
Am I doing it wrong, or can my Denon D2000 sound better than my Hifiman HE-400i?
Tried listening directly to my Sony DAP, and also with a Headroom Micro Amp and DAC.
I think on almost every song I prefer the old workhorse, the D2000. Is it just the music I listen to? I haven't listened to the HE-400i very much, maybe 10 hours max now. Halp.
Tried listening directly to my Sony DAP, and also with a Headroom Micro Amp and DAC.
I think on almost every song I prefer the old workhorse, the D2000. Is it just the music I listen to? I haven't listened to the HE-400i very much, maybe 10 hours max now. Halp.
Well what aspect of the D2000 sound better to you?
They're very different sounding headphones. D2000 has fat mushy bass and a rather thick lower midrange while the HE-400i doesn't really have those things. If you wanted something similar to the D2000, the Fostex TH-X00 would probably be the obvious "upgrade" route here.
Hey guys, need some help. Need the best budget in-ears for with good bass. I listen to a lot of electronic, house, techno and hip hop music so want something with strong and good bass. Budget is £50 ($70 or so).
Anyone know how the Sony MDR-XB90EX are? Or the Xaomi Dual driver Pistons or Dual Driver ones? Currently use the RHA MA600, and while good sound quality, want something with more bass.
Thanks!
Anyone know how the Sony MDR-XB90EX are? Or the Xaomi Dual driver Pistons or Dual Driver ones? Currently use the RHA MA600, and while good sound quality, want something with more bass.
Thanks!
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Xb90ex is what you want at that budget.
I really didn't like the dual (hybrid dynamic and BA) xiaomi IEM's, very bassy but no mids to speak of. Pistons are supposed to be much better and I will grab a pair the next time I'm in China.
Consider the E-mu Teaks, less of a PITA with shipping times than TH-X00 and with a more even FR, if you are selling the D2000s I can take them off of you...
Robobandit
Member
Thanks for that. I've been enjoying reading Jason's book but I keep forgetting to check for new chapters.
These would also satiate the guy looking for quality bass in a budget iem
Yeh the Shozy's looks great, and the Head Fi comments on it are very positive. Seems like I found my choice.
I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, but really interesting reading Head Fi etc. Any good articles/tips on different IEM tips and getting a good fit?
thoseAREmySHOES
Member
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Nothing really because it really is up to the individual, but commonly recommended aftermarket tips are the spinfits and spiral dots. I enjoy both, but it depends on which IEM I use it on.
Xander51
Member
My god. What a brilliantly-written takedown piece of the entire high-end market. It also made me really want to finally buy a Schiit stack.
Yep, fantastic article and I agree with everything he has written.
PDF of the whole book is here
http://www.head-fi.org/t/701900/schiit-happened-the-story-of-the-worlds-most-improbable-start-up/5805#post_11463255
http://www.head-fi.org/t/701900/schiit-happened-the-story-of-the-worlds-most-improbable-start-up/5805#post_11463255
Xander51
Member
Awesome! Thanks!
Soodanim
Member
It's my damn phone. Still need a fix but it's not the Carbo
Chittagong
Gold Member
I've never really used IEMs as I don't like the sensation of the ear being entirely blocked (probably because I suffered of wax blocked ears some years ago).
So really basic question, please don't laugh. Do IEMs necessarily require blocking the ear, the way ear plugs do? I have always assumed that would be the case to get their performance, so I thought I better check.
So really basic question, please don't laugh. Do IEMs necessarily require blocking the ear, the way ear plugs do? I have always assumed that would be the case to get their performance, so I thought I better check.
They are in ear monitors, so yeah. They make ones that are earbud hybrid style though that you might like. The Dunu Titan series instantly comes to mind.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Cool thanks, yeah I have no issue with Apple earbuds so that sounds interesting
Z3 compact's audio jack is so shitty. I've had 2 different z3's in the past 18 months and both audio jacks have shitted out.
Xander51
Member
I feel exactly as you do. I've also had ear wax blocking problems a number of times, and IEM's are not super comfy for me as a result. It's an unsettling, unnerving experience.
I know that they're not the most beloved brand in audio circles, but the only full insert IEM tips I've been able to stand are the ones Bose makes. They have a really good ergonomic fit, and they're the closest I've ever come to having an IEM tip "disappear."
Hybrid models, as suggested, are a great compromise too. Also sometimes it's nice/safer to not have large levels of isolation.
Mammoth Jones
Member
So here's my situation.
I own a pair of Jaybird X2 Bluetooth earbuds and I love them. But after my two hour commute they're dead by lunchtime.
I need mobility so I'm going Bluetooth but I also want decent battery life.
I've narrowed my choices to two:
Sennheiser Urbanite XL wireless:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SJ1KG06/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Or
Parrot Zik 2.0:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NPZG6DW/?tag=neogaf0e-20
I have a big head and the office can get loud so noise cancellation might be worth it.
My price range is up to 250 for over the ear Bluetooth cans.
Halp, any suggestions?
I own a pair of Jaybird X2 Bluetooth earbuds and I love them. But after my two hour commute they're dead by lunchtime.
I need mobility so I'm going Bluetooth but I also want decent battery life.
I've narrowed my choices to two:
Sennheiser Urbanite XL wireless:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SJ1KG06/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Or
Parrot Zik 2.0:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NPZG6DW/?tag=neogaf0e-20
I have a big head and the office can get loud so noise cancellation might be worth it.
My price range is up to 250 for over the ear Bluetooth cans.
Halp, any suggestions?
Hi Hi-Fi GAF,
I've never been here and I feel like I am failing you all already. >_> Let me explain...
Decided to build a brand new PC, a perfect PC which left no stones unturned. That meant exploring better audio components. So I had acquired the Creative Sound Blaster Z.
As I was using a Steelseries Siberia V2 headset before, I just kept reading on and on about how a true headphones would sound miles better and destroy my old headset.
Then there came a deal on the Beyerdynamics DT990 Premium (250 ohms).
I bought them, and am wearing them right now (and they are clenching my upper jaw a bit but they should loosen up a tad over time I suppose).
Been doing some comparisons by listening to high quality audio files from artist Stumbleine and switching back and forth the connection between the two headsets.
The sound is a bit cleaner with the DT990. But not mindblowingly so. So I plugged it directly into my home theater receiver and...same result, really.
I was promised to have bleeding ears because of their bright trebles and deep bass. What am I doing wrong? Google is telling me that some people believe the SB-Z card cannot drive them properly (its rated up to 600 ohms, but still), but I have difficulty believing that if I did not hear any difference between it & my receiver (unless my receiver is as "equally bad" in that regard). Do I need to go higher than FLAC? Do I just not have the musical ear?
I'm looking for some perspective T_T
I've never been here and I feel like I am failing you all already. >_> Let me explain...
Decided to build a brand new PC, a perfect PC which left no stones unturned. That meant exploring better audio components. So I had acquired the Creative Sound Blaster Z.
As I was using a Steelseries Siberia V2 headset before, I just kept reading on and on about how a true headphones would sound miles better and destroy my old headset.
Then there came a deal on the Beyerdynamics DT990 Premium (250 ohms).
I bought them, and am wearing them right now (and they are clenching my upper jaw a bit but they should loosen up a tad over time I suppose).
Been doing some comparisons by listening to high quality audio files from artist Stumbleine and switching back and forth the connection between the two headsets.
The sound is a bit cleaner with the DT990. But not mindblowingly so. So I plugged it directly into my home theater receiver and...same result, really.
I was promised to have bleeding ears because of their bright trebles and deep bass. What am I doing wrong? Google is telling me that some people believe the SB-Z card cannot drive them properly (its rated up to 600 ohms, but still), but I have difficulty believing that if I did not hear any difference between it & my receiver (unless my receiver is as "equally bad" in that regard). Do I need to go higher than FLAC? Do I just not have the musical ear?
I'm looking for some perspective T_T
Sleeping Lesson
Member
Sound cards tend to have good (well, better than onboard) DACs and bad amps. This is consistent with your receiver outputting similarly unimpressive audio to your headphones. I'll bet you'd hear a big difference with a dedicated external headphone amp, Guesong. Even my Astro Mixamp, which I use for games, improves the sound massively over direct audio from my sound card.
There are a bunch of possibilities but the most likely are maybe you just don't like the DT990s sound signature or like you said you just don't have the ear to discern the differences... It's definitely not a file compression problem.
Well, I wouldn't say "unimpressive" audio. As I said, I do notice a clearer shape in the sound but the Steelseries <--> Beyerdynamic difference has to be bigger than what I am hearing.
I used to EQ my previous headset to have a bit of a V-Shape, which would be consistent with what the DT990 offers.
I could try to get my hands on a FiiO E10K, which I guess I'd have to plug into the SBZ headphone port? But that'd make it 2 amps...would that crush everything somehow?
I can't fathom how both sound card and home theater receiver wouldn't be able to properly drive a headphone, though. (Or rather I don't want to... how deep does this rabbit hole goes
)
I used to EQ my previous headset to have a bit of a V-Shape, which would be consistent with what the DT990 offers.
I could try to get my hands on a FiiO E10K, which I guess I'd have to plug into the SBZ headphone port? But that'd make it 2 amps...would that crush everything somehow?
I can't fathom how both sound card and home theater receiver wouldn't be able to properly drive a headphone, though. (Or rather I don't want to... how deep does this rabbit hole goes
)opticalmace
Member
Sorry for not getting back to this. Thanks for responding.
I think I'm actually coming around (strongly) to the He-400i. My problem was that I was trying to replicate the sound of the D2000 on them. I had the EQ (and whatnot) all wrong for it.
I played around with my DAP's sound adjustments and found a really fantastic balance for my tastes. I don't know how to describe it, but the music seems more 'pronounced' than the bass-heavy feel of the D2000. The presets I would use to optimize the D2000 simply were a poor match for the new headphones.
I still love the D2000, as it's great for some of the harder music I listen to, but I'm definitely going to play around with the Hifiman more.
SolarMystic
Member
Trying to decide between the Momentum 2 and Pm3 proved difficult, so I got them both too compare and will sell the one I like the least.
No no I really wouldn't waste any more, but if you really want to try anything maybe try a different set of headphones altogether.Well, I wouldn't say "unimpressive" audio. As I said, I do notice a clearer shape in the sound but the Steelseries <--> Beyerdynamic difference has to be bigger than what I am hearing.
I used to EQ my previous headset to have a bit of a V-Shape, which would be consistent with what the DT990 offers.
I could try to get my hands on a FiiO E10K, which I guess I'd have to plug into the SBZ headphone port? But that'd make it 2 amps...would that crush everything somehow?
I can't fathom how both sound card and home theater receiver wouldn't be able to properly drive a headphone, though. (Or rather I don't want to... how deep does this rabbit hole goes
Xander51
Member
Well, I wouldn't say "unimpressive" audio. As I said, I do notice a clearer shape in the sound but the Steelseries <--> Beyerdynamic difference has to be bigger than what I am hearing.
I used to EQ my previous headset to have a bit of a V-Shape, which would be consistent with what the DT990 offers.
I could try to get my hands on a FiiO E10K, which I guess I'd have to plug into the SBZ headphone port? But that'd make it 2 amps...would that crush everything somehow?
I can't fathom how both sound card and home theater receiver wouldn't be able to properly drive a headphone, though. (Or rather I don't want to... how deep does this rabbit hole goes
You'd plug in the E10K through USB actually, bypassing the SBZ altogether. Des is probably right though, you may just not like the sound of the DT990. How much listening time have you put into them? Your brain will adjust to their character the more time you listen.
On a somewhat related note, I just picked up the Sound Blasterx G5 on sale, and it's a great little headphone amp. Puts out an absurd amount of power for my needs, and the hardware DSP is nice too. Haven't had any kind of "true" hardware audio functions for my PC in years.
My sony mdr zx750 bluetooth headphone's earpad just snapped from the band again, happened to left one, now right one, this time without warranty. Really low build quality this one.. Idk if other sony headphones are like this, but I'm not sure I want another sony now :|
I haven't been following audio stuff much, but can anyone suggest good $75-150 headphones? I'm gonna read the thread for some ideas, but I'l appreciate any help
*edit* Audio-Technica ATH-M50X seems pretty good.. need to try first I guess
I haven't been following audio stuff much, but can anyone suggest good $75-150 headphones? I'm gonna read the thread for some ideas, but I'l appreciate any help
*edit* Audio-Technica ATH-M50X seems pretty good.. need to try first I guess
One week long listening impressions of the TH-X00:
Aesthetically speaking these are nice, clean looking headphones. You can't go wrong with mahogany cups, and the polished finish isn't as easily scratched as I remember. Build quality wise they're merely okay, certainly somewhat flimsier than I expected but for $400USD you can't expect the world. For comparisons sake my old M50s were built like a tank. I wouldn't be taking these outside, which is a shame because they are relatively easy to drive. The cable is another disappointment, it's ridiculously long, not detachable and not especially high quality. As I mentioned previously you don't really want to be using these outside of the house, so it's not a huge issue. Comfort wise they're decent, but they're a tight fit for my ears. Then again I'm used to the gigantic cups of the HD800s.
Now to the sonics. I'm running these through a Woo Audio 2 with stock tubes and a Bifrost 4490. The amp isn't exactly a perfect match, so factor that into these impressions. The TH-X00 are inherently warm sounding headphones, and tubes just accentuate that in most cases. Having said that, even with tubes the TH-X00s have a more balanced frequency response than I was expecting. I was under the impression these were extremely bass heavy headphones but to my ears they're not as dominant in that area as I thought.
Obviously with its design and target audience these are still bassier than average, but not to the point where it overwhelms the rest of the sound spectrum. Drums in particular sound incredibly punchy on the Fostex, so records like Bloc Party's Silent Alarm and The National's Trouble Will Find Me really sing on these things. The depth is a little lacking though even though the mid-bass "hump" is incredibly fun sounding. I find the bass depth on my HD800s to sound more enveloping if that makes sense despite the quantity being substantially less. Perhaps the Purple Hearts will yield an improvement in bass depth? Vocals are even more dominant to the point where they can be fatiguing, especially if you like to listen at higher volumes. It's basically like the singer is standing right in front of you, definitely "front seat" cans. They sound fantastically lush even at lower volumes and have quite an addictive quality to them.
"Agreeable" is how I would describe the treble. It's not prominent or especially refined, but there's just enough sparkle there to keep it from sounding too dull. Sibilance probably won't be an issue for most people. That combined with the mid bass performance make these fantastic headphones for pop music. The soundstage isn't a strong point here which isn't a surprise with its elevated bass and closed cups. It's not completely bereft of it, but definitely quite limited when you compare them to most open headphones. It doesn't help that my usual cans are the HD800s where it's a night and day difference. Detail and "separation" is acceptable, but again it's not the go to feature of the sound signature. All the details are there, they just take a back seat and get somewhat lost behind the vocals and mid-bass. Honestly I'm pretty pleased, they're nowhere near as muddled in the mid range as I was expecting. The frequencies aren't just one gigantic blob like a lot of bass heavy closed cans are.
All in all I'm quite impressed by these headphones. I wouldn't go as far as Jude saying they're worth twice their price tag, but at $400USD you can't really go wrong with these as your all round closed cans. When you compare the price to almost every other similarly designed headphone on the market they're ultra competitive. They even hang fairly closely to my old D7000s. They sound decent for pretty much anything and really nice when it comes to drums and vocals. To my ears they are vastly superior to the PM-3's for pure enjoyment even though some might argue they're not as technically proficient.
Aesthetically speaking these are nice, clean looking headphones. You can't go wrong with mahogany cups, and the polished finish isn't as easily scratched as I remember. Build quality wise they're merely okay, certainly somewhat flimsier than I expected but for $400USD you can't expect the world. For comparisons sake my old M50s were built like a tank. I wouldn't be taking these outside, which is a shame because they are relatively easy to drive. The cable is another disappointment, it's ridiculously long, not detachable and not especially high quality. As I mentioned previously you don't really want to be using these outside of the house, so it's not a huge issue. Comfort wise they're decent, but they're a tight fit for my ears. Then again I'm used to the gigantic cups of the HD800s.
Now to the sonics. I'm running these through a Woo Audio 2 with stock tubes and a Bifrost 4490. The amp isn't exactly a perfect match, so factor that into these impressions. The TH-X00 are inherently warm sounding headphones, and tubes just accentuate that in most cases. Having said that, even with tubes the TH-X00s have a more balanced frequency response than I was expecting. I was under the impression these were extremely bass heavy headphones but to my ears they're not as dominant in that area as I thought.
Obviously with its design and target audience these are still bassier than average, but not to the point where it overwhelms the rest of the sound spectrum. Drums in particular sound incredibly punchy on the Fostex, so records like Bloc Party's Silent Alarm and The National's Trouble Will Find Me really sing on these things. The depth is a little lacking though even though the mid-bass "hump" is incredibly fun sounding. I find the bass depth on my HD800s to sound more enveloping if that makes sense despite the quantity being substantially less. Perhaps the Purple Hearts will yield an improvement in bass depth? Vocals are even more dominant to the point where they can be fatiguing, especially if you like to listen at higher volumes. It's basically like the singer is standing right in front of you, definitely "front seat" cans. They sound fantastically lush even at lower volumes and have quite an addictive quality to them.
"Agreeable" is how I would describe the treble. It's not prominent or especially refined, but there's just enough sparkle there to keep it from sounding too dull. Sibilance probably won't be an issue for most people. That combined with the mid bass performance make these fantastic headphones for pop music. The soundstage isn't a strong point here which isn't a surprise with its elevated bass and closed cups. It's not completely bereft of it, but definitely quite limited when you compare them to most open headphones. It doesn't help that my usual cans are the HD800s where it's a night and day difference. Detail and "separation" is acceptable, but again it's not the go to feature of the sound signature. All the details are there, they just take a back seat and get somewhat lost behind the vocals and mid-bass. Honestly I'm pretty pleased, they're nowhere near as muddled in the mid range as I was expecting. The frequencies aren't just one gigantic blob like a lot of bass heavy closed cans are.
All in all I'm quite impressed by these headphones. I wouldn't go as far as Jude saying they're worth twice their price tag, but at $400USD you can't really go wrong with these as your all round closed cans. When you compare the price to almost every other similarly designed headphone on the market they're ultra competitive. They even hang fairly closely to my old D7000s. They sound decent for pretty much anything and really nice when it comes to drums and vocals. To my ears they are vastly superior to the PM-3's for pure enjoyment even though some might argue they're not as technically proficient.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Awesome review leng jai. I've been intrigued about the TH-X00s since I love my TH-600s, shame if the bass is weaker. If they are anything like them though, I'd expect the soundstage be much airier and more impressive than PM-3s. Sounds like they aren't good for travel like the PM-3s are thought, with the bulk and cable.
If someone would do PM-3 form factor with TH-600 sound it'd be HOAT.
How're you enjoying the Bifrost?
If someone would do PM-3 form factor with TH-600 sound it'd be HOAT.
How're you enjoying the Bifrost?
It sounds like a toned down version of the D7000s with more midrange.
I'm not much of a fan when it comes to the PM-3 but you can't deny how impressive the actual design and form factor is. The PM-3 shell with the TH-X00 sound would be incredible indeed, but you can't have everything. The Fostexs definitely have a better soundstage than the PM-3, but it's still not something to get excited about.
The Bifrost is fine, but if I'm being honest I can barely tell a difference between it and my old DAC Magic.
So after some digging, somebody in the area is selling a Schiit Magni 2 Uber for cheap.
How's the amp quality on the Sound Blaster Z anyways? There were discussions on another forum that while the DAC on it is fine, it cannot gives enough mW to the DT 990 for them to be properly driven. Any truth to that? Could that be my issue?
Hell, the Magni 2 Uber is so heavily discounted that I should jump on it regardless of the situation. Importing them to Canada is pricy nowadays...
How's the amp quality on the Sound Blaster Z anyways? There were discussions on another forum that while the DAC on it is fine, it cannot gives enough mW to the DT 990 for them to be properly driven. Any truth to that? Could that be my issue?
Hell, the Magni 2 Uber is so heavily discounted that I should jump on it regardless of the situation. Importing them to Canada is pricy nowadays...
Xander51
Member
It sounds to me like you're really desperate to buy something new. I read a little bit about the Sound Blaster Z. It has a headphone port that's specifically amped, and it should be more than capable of driving 250ohm headphones.
With a Magni 2, my hunch is that, best case scenario, you'd just be able to get your 990's a little louder. How long have you had the Beyers? Have you spent time just sitting and enjoying them? Have you done A/B testing, with a quick switch? Our brains are pretty bad at remembering what something sounds like, so if you're comparing two headphones you only have a few seconds to switch between them.
I'm sorry if it seems like I'm being hard on you, but I recognize where you're at, and it probably ends with you buying a new amp that makes little difference even though many of us advised you not to. I've been there, I've had upgrade-itis many many times, I get it, it's not easy. My advice, which you probably won't follow, is to use them for a week. Just the DT990's. Get used to them. Give your brain time to appreciate them. Then, try them against your other headphones. If you still don't hear a difference, new headphones will make a much bigger impact than your amp, honestly. DACs and Amps make way less of a difference than headphones do, and I only bought an upgraded one recently because I wanted to plug in more sources, not because I was looking for a magic upgrade. See leng jai's post up there where he barely notices a difference between the bifrost and the Dac Magic.
Thank you!
No, you are not being hard at all. And I fully know what you mean about upgrade-i-tis, ah ha. I just went through it with the brand new computer and all...and for the first time in ever, I was like "you know what, let's take sound seriously, it deserves it". Hence the soundcard and the cans.
I've done some A/B ; not as easy as it could be, since I have to listen to the song, then quickly reach to the rear, unplug and quickly plug the other and put that one. And as I said, from what my audio memory tells me, the Beyer sounds a bit clearer, more distinction, than my Steelseries V2 gaming headset.
It's not about me wanting to buy something for the sake of buying - god knows this PC has cost alot already. It's really just...I don't know. I want to be wrong. I want to believe that all the posts online, mostly at hi-fi, about the width and deepness of the bass and piercing trebles, and that the DT should have a warning sticker on it, all that good stuff. I want my mind to be unraveled. I want my FPS games to feel alive (audio hacks, as MLE put it)
So I just kind of focus into that amp issue since I did read some posts about it + DT990s. Something about the ohms impendence being there but the mW from the card not properly feeding the cans so the drivers aren't be fully driven (but to be fair, it seems to be mostly 2 or 3 posters over at [h].).
Local stores around here don't really do high-end audio. Mostly Bose, some closed-back Sennheisers, some Sony, and some random brands I've never read about...that's it, really. Otherwise I would've went and listened over there and this whole thing would be easier.
To try other headphones - let's say the Sennheiser 598 - I'd have to order them from amazon, and that's like another 200 CAD. Yeah, I could ship them, or the DTs, back and forth until I find my match...quite the hassle.
Maybe I'm just not listening to the right sources either, though ; I have some FLACs of...video games rips, basically, and Stumbleine. Tried to look around for some kind of headphone showcase playlist but ofc a youtube playback wouldn't cut it anyhow.
I do have to mention I went through a lot of upgrades in the span of a month as I was building the PC, though. From a Sandy Bridge motherboard codec, to the Realtek one on a Z170-A (to be quite honest, that jump was the biggest one I've heard so far in my process), to the SBZ, to a proper headphones. Maybe that's why I'm less impressed now than if I had upgraded directly from Sandy Bridge to DT990s.
My home theater receiver is a (very) entry-level TX-SR333 from Onkyo. I couldn't find any details online about the headphones port ohms and mW, but the odds of that having a problem as well are low I realize.
tl;dr. : You are quite probably right, and I will listen to you guys. Just wish my first foray into hi-fi headphones territory would have been glorious.
Xander51
Member
Thanks for giving all that detail! Sounds like you've been on a pretty reasonable path. I caught the bug pretty bad in the past, particularly last summer, but I've since quelled my habits and been all the better for it. So that's why I was a little severe.
Head-Fi has a tendency to overhype everything. To the extreme. Everything is either great or garbage.
Yeah, quickly A/Bing stuff can be tricky, especially because it also has to be volume matched for it to be ideal. I don't have a great setup for doing it myself.
It might also be that you've just reached the maximum that your audio can give you. After a point, headphones can't reveal detail that wasn't there in the first place, and suddenly you'll now be noticing the difference between well-recorded and badly-recorded audio. There are lots of good articles out there listing showcase audio tracks, and even through Spotify or another streaming service you should be able to hear the difference between well-mastered and poorly-mastered audio.
The Siberias are known to sound pretty good for gaming headphones. I've also seen reviews of the DT990 that actually say it doesn't have a very in-your-face sound, and is natural and smooth, like this one https://youtu.be/lp8pw9f0C0M?t=192 .
I'm sorry your hi-fi adventures weren't more impressive!
Robobandit
Member
That is definitely true about head-fi. There's always a hype train rolling out of the station over there about something.
In my experience, personal audio purchases are a slippery slope.
I almost got caught up in it even more after I bought my Ether-C's and picked up a Yggy and Ragnarok. Though I'm sure they are fantastic products, they would be rather unpractical for my space, so I "settled" for the Gungnir multibit and Mjolnir 2.
The truth is, I was entirely happy with my Bifrost Uber and my Vali 1 and my HD800. I'd just always had the feeling that I was gimping the HD800 by having them in that configuration. So I got into my head that I wanted a balanced setup because I'd always heard from Head-Fi that balanced sounds "better".
$4000 later and all I can really say definitively is that the Ether-C and the HD800 both sound amazing with the Gungnir and the Mjolnir 2. It does sound better than the Bifrost and the Vali, but if I'm being fully honest with myself, I'm not confident I could pick the right one out every time in a A/B/X test with every song I have.
In my experience, personal audio purchases are a slippery slope.
I almost got caught up in it even more after I bought my Ether-C's and picked up a Yggy and Ragnarok. Though I'm sure they are fantastic products, they would be rather unpractical for my space, so I "settled" for the Gungnir multibit and Mjolnir 2.
The truth is, I was entirely happy with my Bifrost Uber and my Vali 1 and my HD800. I'd just always had the feeling that I was gimping the HD800 by having them in that configuration. So I got into my head that I wanted a balanced setup because I'd always heard from Head-Fi that balanced sounds "better".
$4000 later and all I can really say definitively is that the Ether-C and the HD800 both sound amazing with the Gungnir and the Mjolnir 2. It does sound better than the Bifrost and the Vali, but if I'm being fully honest with myself, I'm not confident I could pick the right one out every time in a A/B/X test with every song I have.
Oveja Negra
Member
Hahaha, your post made me laugh, mate
By the way I agree 100% about the level of insanity among so many audiophiles. I know I know... it has been known for decades, but I still get a huge shock when I met some guys reaching new levels of craziness.
OdysseusVA
Banned
Nothing yet on the Massdrop VE Monks. Looks like a July delivery.
Guess I should have gone through Aliexpress :/
Guess I should have gone through Aliexpress :/
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Yeah send like it was an unexpectedly big order.
Ah well, it's just how Massdrop operates.
Ah well, it's just how Massdrop operates.
so after some reading, I'm looking at:
Also important is comfort (I wear specs) and reliability I guess, don't wanna have one snap on me again
If anyone here has used them, impression is appreciated as so far I can't find place that lets me try all of these in Jakarta lol
- Audiotechnica m40x (~Rp1.1-1.2m, cheaper, more worth it than m50x?) / m50x (~1.9m, the more I read the reviews, the more unsure I've become lol),
- Shure SRH 440 (~1.5m, similar perf to 840 without amp?),
- Beyer DT770 (~2.5m here, not really portable compared to the others).
- other brands?
Also important is comfort (I wear specs) and reliability I guess, don't wanna have one snap on me again
If anyone here has used them, impression is appreciated as so far I can't find place that lets me try all of these in Jakarta lol