He didn't insinuate you made a mistake
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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
The year end drop.
Ohh, my mistake (no pun) lol
Though. I trust your opinion . So, I wouldn't mind if you guys stopped me from making a bad purchase.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Wait, did you order separately from the latest drop?
Lockjaw333
Member
I'm having an issue you guys/gals may be able to help me with.
Just got a Fiio E10k in tonight, and while testing it out I noticed I get background buzz when playing games/ when my GPU is under load. Like if I pause the game and the GPU is still working, I can hear the buzz when it should be silent.
This also happened on the Sennheiser 3D G4me 1 usb sound card I have, but I thought it was just a flaw with the device itself. Having it also happen on the E10k (the whole reason I went external dac/amp was to avoid this) had me investigating.
The buzz does not happen on the usb sound card included with the Cloud 2. I am not sure it has an amp, I think its just a DAC if that matters.
I tried unplugging components, changing outlets, etc to no avail. Its definitely coming from my GTX 1070 GPU, the buzz even intensifies if I move my head to the side of my case while wearing my headphones.
Any ideas on how I can eliminate this? One other thing to note is that the CLoud 2 usb sound card has a thick, braided usb cable. The Fiio E10k and Sennheiser sound card just have regular thin usb cables. Would a thicker USB cable maybe work? How about a USB hub?
Thanks in advance!
Just got a Fiio E10k in tonight, and while testing it out I noticed I get background buzz when playing games/ when my GPU is under load. Like if I pause the game and the GPU is still working, I can hear the buzz when it should be silent.
This also happened on the Sennheiser 3D G4me 1 usb sound card I have, but I thought it was just a flaw with the device itself. Having it also happen on the E10k (the whole reason I went external dac/amp was to avoid this) had me investigating.
The buzz does not happen on the usb sound card included with the Cloud 2. I am not sure it has an amp, I think its just a DAC if that matters.
I tried unplugging components, changing outlets, etc to no avail. Its definitely coming from my GTX 1070 GPU, the buzz even intensifies if I move my head to the side of my case while wearing my headphones.
Any ideas on how I can eliminate this? One other thing to note is that the CLoud 2 usb sound card has a thick, braided usb cable. The Fiio E10k and Sennheiser sound card just have regular thin usb cables. Would a thicker USB cable maybe work? How about a USB hub?
Thanks in advance!
Well, it might come down to the bass, as the ATH is very flat, while the 770 Pro 80 is very not. If you're looking for exciting, thumping bass, you went in the wrong direction.
This type of noise seems to be more of an issue with USB DAC/amp devices that use USB power exclusively. This is one reason that I am a proponent of devices that do not use USB power but have a separate wall wart/ power supply and do not need power from the USB port.
We've had some folks with issues like this previously in this thread and the common denominator is almost always power and data over USB. If you have a USB hub that is plugged in to the wall then running your Fiio off of that might eliminate the noise. Otherwise I would consider sending the Fiio back and finding a device that does not use power over USB.
Lockjaw333
Member
Do you know of a DAC/amp that doesn't use USB? Something in the $100 price range.
Going to try the powered external USB hub and see if that works.
Xander51
Member
You could try something with an internal rechargeable battery maybe? I've had good luck with the Creative Labs E-series. The E1 is super cheap if you're looking to go that route. Lots of DAC/Amp combos out there made for phones that use their own internal battery and also work with computers.
Not sure about wall-powered stuff in that price range. I'd almost recommend stepping up a bit to a basic Schiit stack, or something.
It's not that using USB is bad (well, it kind of is but that's a whole other ball of wax) it's that using USB for both power and signal can cause sound quality issues. When you use a DAC/amp that pulls its power from the wall jack then you eliminate that as a potential source of noise from the PC.
The closest I could find to $100 on Amazon was this unit by Topping at $119: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EO0SEPK/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Like Xander51 said, a basic Schiit stack would be a pretty big jump in quality over the Topping or anything from Fiio and the Amp (Magni 2) and DAC (Modi 2) are $99 each. If you can up your budget a little bit then those would be the easy recommendation.
Lockjaw333
Member
Would a powered USB hub possibly eliminate the interference since the DAC would be getting power from it instead of the PC USB? I might just return the Fiio and look towards something better like you mentioned down the road.
Man coil whine is annoying.
Possibly, yes. If you have a USB hub with AC power than I would certainly test that first.
Hey, I need some dac/amp recommendations. Combo or not, doesn't matter a ton.
The specific thing I'm looking for is a headphone and RCA out which I can toggle between and have volume control on both from the same nob. I will be feeding the RCA out to some powered speakers and I don't want to reach behind them to adjust the volume. I'd also like to avoid unplugging the headphones to make the toggle happen, but I'd be willing to deal with that if there isn't a great option.
Right now the fostex hp-A4BL is the only product I've found which will do exactly this.
The specific thing I'm looking for is a headphone and RCA out which I can toggle between and have volume control on both from the same nob. I will be feeding the RCA out to some powered speakers and I don't want to reach behind them to adjust the volume. I'd also like to avoid unplugging the headphones to make the toggle happen, but I'd be willing to deal with that if there isn't a great option.
Right now the fostex hp-A4BL is the only product I've found which will do exactly this.
Well, as an owner of an HP-A4BL I can tell you that it is well made, aesthetically pleasing and exhibits no hiss or hum even with sensitive IEM's. It's not very powerful but it still has plenty of power for most of the stuff on the market.
And of course the upside is you can always add a more powerful stand alone amp later and use those same RCA ports to use the HP-A4BL as a DAC only or switch back to the internal amp via the press of a button. It's very convenient.
And of course the upside is you can always add a more powerful stand alone amp later and use those same RCA ports to use the HP-A4BL as a DAC only or switch back to the internal amp via the press of a button. It's very convenient.
The power is my main concern with the A4. I have the HD650 right now, I assume they would be fine. I'd rather not have to buy new gear if I get new headphones though. Trying to keep the AV equipment on my desk minimal as well.
Lockjaw333
Member
Tried a triple shielded and braided, short 0.5 ft micro USB cable. No dice, still get buzz from the GPU under load.
Might try the powered USB hub tomorrow. If that doesn't work I'm sending the E10k back.
VlaudTheImpaler
tl;dr
I'm having the same exact issue as you, please post here if you find a solution. I haven't been able to try a powered hub or non usb powered DAC yet because of life stuff.
biosnake20
Member
So what are the best Bluetooth earphones for under 50 bucks?
MyNameIsRye
Member
Was told to post here by another poster, so I'll just copy my original post. I'm pretty ignorant to headphones, so the simpler the better.
I know there's a lot of threads asking about headsets, but a lot of them aren't looking for high end. I'm looking for a high end headset that works on PS4, X1, PC. Preferably wireless since I wear a headset when I workout. Also want 7.1.
I recently upgraded my Sony golds to the Platinums, and I hate them. The VSS/3D sounds like I'm in a cave, and the sound just doesn't seem that much better than the golds. So now I'm looking to get something drastically better, and would like some recommendations. Thanks guys.
Price range of $200-$300.
I know there's a lot of threads asking about headsets, but a lot of them aren't looking for high end. I'm looking for a high end headset that works on PS4, X1, PC. Preferably wireless since I wear a headset when I workout. Also want 7.1.
I recently upgraded my Sony golds to the Platinums, and I hate them. The VSS/3D sounds like I'm in a cave, and the sound just doesn't seem that much better than the golds. So now I'm looking to get something drastically better, and would like some recommendations. Thanks guys.
Price range of $200-$300.
Lockjaw333
Member
What case do you have?
Powered USB hub is coming in tomorrow, will try and report back.
Anyone have a Schiit Gungnir Multibit or Yggdrasil? I am considering the move from WooAudio WA7. They have served me incredibly well for the past 3 years, but the lack of a TOS link port unfortunately means i am unable to connect my consoles to it. If only the USB DAC would work!
Mainly curious about impressions, and better yet, those who have had the chance to compare the WooAudio and Schiit. I will be pairing with HD 800's and Ether Flow.
Over a period of 6 years, i went from HD 598's, to 650's and now have the 800's. When it comes to high-end audio, it really is a personal experience, and well for me each jump was worth it.
May i ask what DAC/AMP you will be pairing the headphones with? Though i am not trying to steer you away from the 800's, i would seriously recommend auditioning the Ether Flow by Mr. Speaker. It is almost double the cost, but much like GoldenEar speakers, they are endgame worthy, while priced more competitively than its peers.
In fact, you can audition a pair of 800's from Amazon, and audition a pair of Ether Flow from mrspeakers.com, if you so desire. Both have great return policies, and in the end you can decide if it is even worth upgrading from the 650's.
Mainly curious about impressions, and better yet, those who have had the chance to compare the WooAudio and Schiit. I will be pairing with HD 800's and Ether Flow.
Over a period of 6 years, i went from HD 598's, to 650's and now have the 800's. When it comes to high-end audio, it really is a personal experience, and well for me each jump was worth it.
May i ask what DAC/AMP you will be pairing the headphones with? Though i am not trying to steer you away from the 800's, i would seriously recommend auditioning the Ether Flow by Mr. Speaker. It is almost double the cost, but much like GoldenEar speakers, they are endgame worthy, while priced more competitively than its peers.
In fact, you can audition a pair of 800's from Amazon, and audition a pair of Ether Flow from mrspeakers.com, if you so desire. Both have great return policies, and in the end you can decide if it is even worth upgrading from the 650's.
Know I'm late on this response but yes, I got in touch with Chan directly right around New Year's.
Go to a store and audition with songs you know and like. Headphones are easy to audition.
What stores carry the hd 800s? I live in the Midwest btw
I'm planning on purchasing the X2 for gaming. Can I plug it into the ps4 controller directly or I have to use the usb port on the console?
Where in midwest? I'm sure Minnesota has some pretty decent audiophile stores that'd carry these. Do some google research, Yelp the major city centers commutable from you.
Yeah I'm in MN. I didn't have any luck doing any initial google research but I'll look into it some more. Thanks for the help!
AstroNut325
Member
Any thoughts on these headphones;
https://slickdeals.net/f/9716536-ph...ree-shipping-via-newegg?src=SiteSearchV2Algo1
How do these compare to 598s?
https://slickdeals.net/f/9716536-ph...ree-shipping-via-newegg?src=SiteSearchV2Algo1
How do these compare to 598s?
Well, hello there! Look what the postman left for me. My TH-X00's are here!
They look good, they smell good and I'm currently working on how I feel about the sound. First impressions: holy bass, batman! Vocals and mids are really smooth. Even with less than 15 minutes of listening I can already tell these are producing a much higher quality sound than my Meze 99 Classics.
More to come.
They look good, they smell good and I'm currently working on how I feel about the sound. First impressions: holy bass, batman! Vocals and mids are really smooth. Even with less than 15 minutes of listening I can already tell these are producing a much higher quality sound than my Meze 99 Classics.
More to come.
Well, hello there! Look what the postman left for me. My TH-X00's are here!
They look good, they smell good and I'm currently working on how I feel about the sound. First impressions: holy bass, batman! Vocals and mids are really smooth. Even with less than 15 minutes of listening I can already tell these are producing a much higher quality sound than my Meze 99 Classics.
More to come.
They look sexy - is this real Mahagoni?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I'm not from the US but just saw this clearance sale on reddit and maybe someone around can get some nice stuff:
http://stereoexchange.com/latest-news/se-moving-sale/
http://stereoexchange.com/latest-news/se-moving-sale/
Needledoctor is pretty well known:
http://www.needledoctor.com/Contact
http://www.audioperfection.com/brand/
Lockjaw333
Member
Ive never listened to the 598s (I own the 598 Cs), but the shp9500s are amazing. Absurd for the price. Many people believe they sound just as good as headphones 3-4x their price.
Highly doubt you would be disappointed. They are also comfortable as all hell.
AstroNut325
Member
In your opinion, are they better than the 598Cs?
Right on. I'm gonna have to call and see if they could give me a demo. Have you ever tried the hd 800?
Nah, they are not fit for my purpose. I'm only into portable headphones, so they have to be small-ish and closed backs. I heard much cheaper Senn models with closed backs (not wireless or controllable bass ones - I'm into purity) and for the money (~$200 ish) I thought they sounded very good, so their top end models should be good. It's always a good idea to audition because you never know, you may like the HD650s better and totally hate the HD800s, or, for sure you may love the HD800s. But you don't wanna just spend the cash without knowing, definitely suggest taking some tracks with you that are very familiar to you and flac, 320 kbps mp3 or other high res format.
SolarMystic
Member
The 800 is very dependent on your upstream gear. If your not willing to build a system around it, generally I recommend the 650.
To be honest I actually think the HD800 excel more when it comes to gaming and watching movies due to their soundstage. The imaging, detail and immersion is outrageously good. For music it's much more taste dependent, not to mention gear. Amazing for acoustic, orchestral soundtracks and classical. Pop music not so much. You'll probably be better off with the 650s for a while.
SolarMystic
Member
The 800 can slam with the right gear. Probably the best headphones in the world for gaming, though a bit overkill.
SolarMystic
Member
Budget?
Around 400 maybe, can be flexible if needed.
SolarMystic
Member
You won't be able to get a big upgrade at that price, but something like the Vali 2 would be a better option than the O2 for your amp.
I'd wait until you can stretch for at least a Modi Multibit and a nice amp to pair with it. Vali 2 or wait to see what the upcoming Magni 3 has in store.
I've never had an issue with their bass quantity actually, especially with tubes. Is it even possible for a headphone to have a soundstage that big and tons of bass slam?
The problem with the HD800 with a lot of pop and modern recordings is that they just sound too bright.