Fidelio X1/X2 is similar with peaks, but less sharp ones and easier to amp. Sony MDR MA 900 are more balanced with bass that's more full than the AD700 but not as pronounced as the DT990 or Fidelio. AKG Q701 is one of the headphones that comes close to the width of the AD700, but is maybe even more detailed when it comes to sound separation which comes in handy for games, but they are also peaky for overall. I think for gaming you should be okay with some peakiness and treble forwardness as it supposedly helps pinpoint things in certain games. I think you'll be okay with the DT990 but you'll definitely want to buy a nice sound card or amp if you purchased the 250 ohm version. I definitely think the DT 880 is superior for music though, it sounds better with a wider variety of music.
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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
LQX
Member
That's awesome. Enjoy!
opticalmace
Member
Little bump, any thoughts? Thanks.
I'm currently using a Headroom Micro stack:
They're maybe 7 or so years old, I think MSRP was $300 each. Some info: http://www.laaudiofile.com/headroom_microamp.html and http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0362/2465/files/MicroAmpDACManual.pdf?3919
My main headphones are:
Denon D2000
Hifiman HE-400i
I was just wondering if I would get much benefit out of buying a new amp and/or dac. I mainly listen to electronica (bass heavy) and some metal, pop/indie. Thanks.
Foldable, over-ear headphones that are comfortable enough to wear for 2-3 hours at a time. Decent noise canceling preferred. $80 budget.
I'll be using them at my college when my Bluetooth headphones die/aren't with me/I want something a little better sounding (my Bluetooth headphones are pretty low quality, they were about $50).
Any suggestions?
I'll be using them at my college when my Bluetooth headphones die/aren't with me/I want something a little better sounding (my Bluetooth headphones are pretty low quality, they were about $50).
Any suggestions?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Mee audio matrix 2.
Noise cancellation might not be feasible at that price range, but I'm not the most knowledgeable about noise cancellation headphones.
Also got my noble savanna in. The fit is perfect. So perfect. Much better than my AAW A3hpro. Doesn't move even when I'm eating, seals like crazy, and the noise isolation is honestly scary. Even the rumble of the buses are shut down. I can't hear anything from the outside at all. The acrylic work is very clear without the hint of cloudiness I got from the A3Hpro. Very solid work.
As for the sound, my impressions remain the same from the universal version, which is that it is a very clear, very neutral monitor with a hint of warmth in the mids that keeps it from sounding too sterile. The better seal does give it better subbass extension though with the customs. Not a basshead sound though, but that wasn't what I was looking for with these. Mids don't sound sweet, they sound dry, they sound right. Treble extension and resolution is very good, but very well controlled with nary a peak, and not emphasized to the point of being bright.
Does sound better from my dragonfly red than straight out of the nexus 6P. Something about the dynamics in the lower region benefits when using the dragonfly red. It's not going to thump like a big dynamic driver but the quickness and warmth of the bass is satisfying enough, and I have my big bass earphones already anyway.
Overall, noble lives up to the hype so far.
Noise cancellation might not be feasible at that price range, but I'm not the most knowledgeable about noise cancellation headphones.
Also got my noble savanna in. The fit is perfect. So perfect. Much better than my AAW A3hpro. Doesn't move even when I'm eating, seals like crazy, and the noise isolation is honestly scary. Even the rumble of the buses are shut down. I can't hear anything from the outside at all. The acrylic work is very clear without the hint of cloudiness I got from the A3Hpro. Very solid work.
As for the sound, my impressions remain the same from the universal version, which is that it is a very clear, very neutral monitor with a hint of warmth in the mids that keeps it from sounding too sterile. The better seal does give it better subbass extension though with the customs. Not a basshead sound though, but that wasn't what I was looking for with these. Mids don't sound sweet, they sound dry, they sound right. Treble extension and resolution is very good, but very well controlled with nary a peak, and not emphasized to the point of being bright.
Does sound better from my dragonfly red than straight out of the nexus 6P. Something about the dynamics in the lower region benefits when using the dragonfly red. It's not going to thump like a big dynamic driver but the quickness and warmth of the bass is satisfying enough, and I have my big bass earphones already anyway.
Overall, noble lives up to the hype so far.
1st Course
Member
What AMP/DAC combo to get for 300 bucks?
ODAC/O2 or Magni/Modi? Or something else?
ODAC/O2 or Magni/Modi? Or something else?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Either of those 2, yeah, would probably go schiit because they have reportedly good customer service.
Speaking of schiit, recently had a listen to the jotunheim, and it's... Alright? I guess? Doesn't seem to be a step up from my mojo, pretty similar if I'm being honest. Of course the mojo is slightly more expensive, bit i much prefer the form factor of the mojo compared to the jotunheim.
Mainly listened to them with the ether c flow which is the first super totl headphone i really enjoyed with no reservations. One thing that really stands out is the depth and tautness of the bass while being very even with the mids. Will have tk listen to the elear first though before i make my decision.
Speaking of schiit, recently had a listen to the jotunheim, and it's... Alright? I guess? Doesn't seem to be a step up from my mojo, pretty similar if I'm being honest. Of course the mojo is slightly more expensive, bit i much prefer the form factor of the mojo compared to the jotunheim.
Mainly listened to them with the ether c flow which is the first super totl headphone i really enjoyed with no reservations. One thing that really stands out is the depth and tautness of the bass while being very even with the mids. Will have tk listen to the elear first though before i make my decision.
SolarMystic
Member
Magni/Modi combo for sure.
Did the Jot run off the internal DAC? It leaves a lot to be desired. Sounds a lot better when paired with something like the Mimby.
What about the Sony UDA-1? I saw it on head-fi's buyer guide and I saw people selling used ones for around 300. Not many impressions on it though.
Also what are the common choices for DAC+AMP units for around 1k nowadays? I'm using a Larry DA11 but thinking of getting something different.
Also what are the common choices for DAC+AMP units for around 1k nowadays? I'm using a Larry DA11 but thinking of getting something different.
LQX
Member
The DAC in Jotunheim they say is not very good or at-least it does not stack up to the something like the Mojo, so if anything, you a owner of the Mojo saying they are pretty gives me a lot of confidence in the Jotunheim's DAC as I'm hoping to get one in few weeks and was still contemplating weather I should get it with the DAC.
opticalmace
Member
Thanks, I probably would if I were in the US (I'm in Canada).
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I actually ran the jot as an amp with the mojo feeding it. So maybe the reason why it doesn't sound much different from there mojo is because of that? I was hoping for the amp section to be a major improvement but it isn't really, at least from what i have tested.
Funnily enough even though the mojo is a dac only with the analog output coming straight out of the dac i really don't find it to be wanting of power, even compared to something like the jotun.
That's 100% my impressions of the Jot from Addicted to Audio. Its another decent solid state amp only that it has enough power to power my HE-6s to adequate levels.
Its why I said in the past that Schiit making mono-blocks that didn't have some special sauce, like powering 2 ohm loads, was a waste of time. Because it really is, especially if you're going about a roundabout way that fucks up the minute you play EDM or loads below 4 ohms.
Its why I said in the past that Schiit making mono-blocks that didn't have some special sauce, like powering 2 ohm loads, was a waste of time. Because it really is, especially if you're going about a roundabout way that fucks up the minute you play EDM or loads below 4 ohms.
Flying Toaster
Member
The HE-6 is a ridiculous to power headphone. What do you usually use as an amp?
I've used it with a Crest Audio CA2 but I don't really use the HE-6 anymore. Its too heavy, the treble is seemingly uneven, and its technicalities aren't particularly good for such an expensive headphone. Everything about the bass is exceptional though.
I didn't feel the Jot had any trouble powering the HE-6. 5w into 50 ohms isn't anything to scoff at after all.
I didn't feel the Jot had any trouble powering the HE-6. 5w into 50 ohms isn't anything to scoff at after all.
Hey!
I was wondering if anyone could give me recommendations for headphones. I only recently really started getting into music and exploring different genres, and after trying my friends bose Quietcomfort 25's I decided that I should take the plunge and invest in a nice pair of headphones. My music taste vary a bit, but I mostly listen to electronic music like James Blake, synthpop like Purity Ring, and Palmistry, or really any sort of trippy electronic music. I really liked the noise cancellation on the headphones I tried, but I don't think its entirely necessary if I can get a really similar experience without it and save a bit. I think about 250 is my upper limit but less than that would be great haha. Thanks in advance!
I was wondering if anyone could give me recommendations for headphones. I only recently really started getting into music and exploring different genres, and after trying my friends bose Quietcomfort 25's I decided that I should take the plunge and invest in a nice pair of headphones. My music taste vary a bit, but I mostly listen to electronic music like James Blake, synthpop like Purity Ring, and Palmistry, or really any sort of trippy electronic music. I really liked the noise cancellation on the headphones I tried, but I don't think its entirely necessary if I can get a really similar experience without it and save a bit. I think about 250 is my upper limit but less than that would be great haha. Thanks in advance!
Chittagong
Gold Member
Will you listen in home or on the go, or both?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Probably the senn momentum 2.
Chittagong
Gold Member
If they're for home use only, for 50 bucks more Fostex TH-X00s would be phenomenal value, James Blake on Foxtex sounds amazing, and the bass is brilliant for electronic music. Fostex is no good for travel.
Mostly at home, with the occasional use on flights or while I'm out studying somehwere
I saw them on Amazon just now for Android for 350 but used for 195. Would you suggest used headphones at all?
Thanks! When you say they're not good for travel do you mean they're cumbersome to haul around but I could still be able use them for the occasional flight, or is there something else about them that makes it a problem to travel with?
Chittagong
Gold Member
They are just quite bulky, so they require something like a Slappa hardbody case to travel. No problem otherwise.
Here's a motivational piece
http://headfonics.com/2016/02/the-x00-by-fostex-massdrop/
OdysseusVA
Banned
Looking for new IEMs, but curious to know if they'll be a noticeable difference from my Piston 3 in the ~$50 range? Interested in a mostly neutral sound with a slight bump in bass?
Thanks
Thanks
Xander51
Member
I dove in one more time and picked up a pair of Audio-Technica MSR7NC's. For the first hour I felt like the highs were slamming me in the face, but now that I've adjusted I quite like them. It's the brightest headphone I've ever used, and probably right near my tolerance level. I think the response/crispness is worth it though. The clamp is about as tight as I can tolerate while still finding something comfy, and the ear pads fit around my ears much better than those on the M50X.
The noise-cancelling is surprisingly decent for a non Bose or Sony headphone. It doesn't cause any noticeable hissing or ear pressure. Unlike Bose models where the additional resistance load is handled by an internal amp, here that load is passed on to the source...so turning on noise cancelling takes them from a ~40 ohm headphone to a ~150 ohm headphone.
Still have to give them a few days to really know if I love them, but I'm enjoying them thus far. Always been curious about the MSR7 after so many positive reviews, and it's great to give them a proper listen.
The noise-cancelling is surprisingly decent for a non Bose or Sony headphone. It doesn't cause any noticeable hissing or ear pressure. Unlike Bose models where the additional resistance load is handled by an internal amp, here that load is passed on to the source...so turning on noise cancelling takes them from a ~40 ohm headphone to a ~150 ohm headphone.
Still have to give them a few days to really know if I love them, but I'm enjoying them thus far. Always been curious about the MSR7 after so many positive reviews, and it's great to give them a proper listen.
Flying Toaster
Member
Late response but how long was the wait?
So, my A151P broke after not even half a year of use so I thought I'll shell out a bit more to get even better isolating ones (cause even though I wasn't impressed by the sound they actually did a nice job blocking noise).
Well what can I say..first I bought the Yamaha EPH 100, amazing sound, decent isolation but boy they are uncomfortable as fuck..sent them back
Then I bought the Shure SE215..really disappointing sound for the price and they're even more uncomfortable than the EPH 100, wearing them over the ear feels just weird and the cable is way too thick. Plus even though everyone is raving about how great they are at isolating any noise they were just a bit better at that than the A151 and worse than the Klipsch S4 (which unfortunately have terrible build quality) Did I mention that the sound quality sucks?
Ok then I said fuck it and I bought some Bose QC 35 with 'active Noise Isolation'..what the fuck are they supposed to isolate? Even with music playing you can clearly hear voices for example..not having to hear people talking on the phone or any other pointless conversations on my daily commute was one of the main reasons I was looking for isolating headphones in the first place..needless to mention I sent them back as well. And they don't sound nearly good enough for that price tag (like basically all Bose products)
Long story short I gave up and simply ordered some foam tips for my Carbo Tenore. For 30$ they sound way better than the Shure or the QC 35 and they aren't that much worse when it comes to isolation.
If anyone has any recommendations for in ear that do a good job at both I'm happy to hear them. Should be available at amazon so I can send them back if I'm not satisfied.
Well what can I say..first I bought the Yamaha EPH 100, amazing sound, decent isolation but boy they are uncomfortable as fuck..sent them back
Then I bought the Shure SE215..really disappointing sound for the price and they're even more uncomfortable than the EPH 100, wearing them over the ear feels just weird and the cable is way too thick. Plus even though everyone is raving about how great they are at isolating any noise they were just a bit better at that than the A151 and worse than the Klipsch S4 (which unfortunately have terrible build quality) Did I mention that the sound quality sucks?
Ok then I said fuck it and I bought some Bose QC 35 with 'active Noise Isolation'..what the fuck are they supposed to isolate? Even with music playing you can clearly hear voices for example..not having to hear people talking on the phone or any other pointless conversations on my daily commute was one of the main reasons I was looking for isolating headphones in the first place..needless to mention I sent them back as well. And they don't sound nearly good enough for that price tag (like basically all Bose products)
Long story short I gave up and simply ordered some foam tips for my Carbo Tenore. For 30$ they sound way better than the Shure or the QC 35 and they aren't that much worse when it comes to isolation.
If anyone has any recommendations for in ear that do a good job at both I'm happy to hear them. Should be available at amazon so I can send them back if I'm not satisfied.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
6-ish weeks.
Xander51
Member
You should be fine plugging into the speakers. In my experience with Bose speakers (Companion 5 and Companion 20, over the years) they have decent headphone outs.
Now, if your motherboard itself is causing any issues with interference/hissing/machine noise/etc, then you may benefit from running everything through a dedicated external sound card or DAC. You can test for this by making sure nothing is playing, and turning up your speakers. Then, move the mouse around or a window around on your machine to stress the processor a bit and listen for any hissing noise. If you don't hear anything, and you're pleased with your current sound quality, you're probably good to go.
Ok, tried that and i didn't hear anything so it should be fine. Thanks a lot. Plugging the heaphones into the speakers will be much more comfortable, i love that Bose put that jack into the right speaker.
Can't wait to get the Sennheiser to test them a little bit, especially because i never had headphones with a huge soundstage so i'm very curious to hear how they sound. Amazon took their sweet time to ship them lol
Nope not in that range, you basically have what you're looking for in that range
OdysseusVA
Banned
Xander51
Member
Hope you have fun! Sennheiser 555's were the first headphone that allowed me to distinguish what "soundstage" even was.
DarkChronic
Member
Cool. Yeah, these will strictly be for gaming. No music.
I'm using a Yamaha receiver to run the headphones through, so no problem with the amp.
Should be arriving next week. Real excited to give them a spin.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
It's slightly more expansive but I've been hearing good things about the sony mdr1000X. Haven't heard it.
Xander51
Member
Le-mo, at that price, there are two solid choices. For best noise-cancelling performance, check out the Bose QC25. Some folks find the sensation of pressure it causes unpleasant, but I quite like their isolation performance.
If sound quality is more your focus, then maybe try the Audio-Technica MSR7NC. I've had a great time with these recently. The noise cancelling isn't quite as effective as the Bose model, but it also produces no pressure and no effect on the exceptional sound quality. Both headphones are exactly $300 dollars.
Also I can corroborate what Antiwhippy has said, the MDR1000X is getting great reviews, but it's $400 dollars. It also seems to be a little hard to find. I think it's rolling out in a very gradual launch, or something. I'm tempted by it myself, but I don't usually spend that much on headphones.
I do a lot of computer work remotely, so isolation is important to me for focusing on my writing and my sound. I don't usually wear IEMs because of ear wax and comfort issues. I used to think Bose was the top of the heap, but the Audio-Technica's provide vastly superior sound quality. So, it's really down to what you want to use these for.
OdysseusVA
Banned
They seem to have some serious quality issues
Anyone recommend me a pair of headphones for when I go on a plane, got a few trips coming up so want to be actually able to listen / watch something instead of the drone of the plane.
Doesn't matter to me if they are wired or wireless, don't have a massive idea on budget but maybe $300ish tops though obviously the cheaper the better
.
Doesn't matter to me if they are wired or wireless, don't have a massive idea on budget but maybe $300ish tops though obviously the cheaper the better
.Where? When? What?
OdysseusVA
Banned
Based on the comments section of the drop.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
And the fact that it's hifi man.
Thanks! I'm really loving them and wow does the huge soundstage make a difference! I also used them with Razer surround for games and they're amazing even for that. Bass is good all things considered, and they're also very comfortable.
I have a question though: should i burn in the headphones by sitting them on a desk and playing dozens of hours of music? Alternatively, if i just listen to them when i want to, will they burn in anyway when i reach 80-100 hours of usage?