• 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.

The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC

J

jongkookie

Member
HiResDes said:
That's it, well id also consider the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0,Sony MDR-1A,Audio Technica MSR7, AKG K553, Fostex T50 MK3, Shure SRH840, NAD Viso HP50, just kind of depends how far from neutral you want to venture.
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks for the ideas!

Gonna read some reviews and maybe hit up a local joint to sample them out before buying.

Essentially, I want something pretty close to the SoundMAGIC E80 but as a headphone not an IEM lol.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
jongkookie said:
Awesome, thanks for the ideas!

Gonna read some reviews and maybe hit up a local joint to sample them out before buying.

Essentially, I want something pretty close to the SoundMAGIC E80 but as a headphone not an IEM lol.
Click to expand...
Soundmagic HP150 are fantastic but they have some build problems.
 
D

deoee

Member
Sesuadra said:
sooo, my uncle wants new headphones and he asked me to help him out. he is 77 years old and only uses them at home.

He lives alone, so open headphones would be good, especially for summer when it's getting really warm. they also need to be super comfy and loud, because he loves to listen to kraftwerk and he likes his kraftwerk loud. .

shouldn't be over 200€

currently my favourites are either the
beyerdynamics DT990
or
Sennheiser HD599

but before I tell him that, I thought I'd ask you all if you got anymore suggestions?
Click to expand...

Beyerdynamic DT 150 maybe?
 
C

Chumley

Banned
Finally got the Sony MDR-1000x I've been wanting for a while. Coming from a 5 year old Bose ae2

6b6d7e420e1f2e8b58deac8357fd1000.gif


So this is what real bass sounds like

I have kind of a specific question regarding plugging these into my PC. I have a Sound Blaster Z sound card that my headphone jack goes into, does anyone have any reccomendations on what settings to enable/disable on the Sound Blaster Pro Studio control panel? Surround sound, crystalizer, bass, dialogue plus, equalizer setting, etc.

The surround sound function I always leave off, sounds like shit when enabled, but I'm undecided on the rest. I feel like it might be best with them all disabled but I don't know.
 
D

deoee

Member
Just turn off EVERYTHING in every program (windows included).

If you want to change your sound, use Equalizer APO + Peace GUI
 
Q

Q8D3vil

Member
So guys, whats the best setup money can buy (for 500$ max).

-Mainly for gaming. I also dont have a sound card.

-I'm Currently using Steel series wireless H( aka siberia 800). It broke but i taped it so its fine for now.

-Dont need a mic, at least not for now.

I understand that gaming headset are frowned upon here so suggest me a good setup.
 
M

matmanx1

Member
Q8D3vil said:
So guys, whats the best setup money can buy (for 500$ max).

-Mainly for gaming. I also dont have a sound card.

-I'm Currently using Steel series wireless H( aka siberia 800). It broke but i taped it so its fine for now.

-Dont need a mic, at least not for now.

I understand that gaming headset are frowned upon here so suggest me a good setup.
Click to expand...

When you say "Setup" do you mean headphone included or just a DAC/Amp combo (which most soundcards are) for your existing headset? The Creative Labs X7 is a pretty good external unit which would power most headsets while also giving you some nifty software to play with for gaming. Being external you wouldn't even need to crack open your PC to install. They can be had for around $350.

For a headphone, the Sennheiser HD598 can usually be had for around $150 and is an excellent general purpose headphone (although a little bit shy in the bass department). If you value excellent bass the Fischer Audio fa-011 starts at about $159 and can be ordered directly from their website.

I used to own the HD598 and enjoyed it and I currently own the fa-011 and like it even more.

Alternatively, if you wanted to get closer to an audiophile experience you could go with a Schiit Modi Multibit ($250) DAC and pair it with a Schiit Magni 2 amp ($99) which would make any decent headphone sound pretty incredible, including the 2 above. Having owned a Modi Mulibit I can tell you that it is a bit of a game changer in terms of bringing incredible musicality and detail in a small and relatively inexpensive box.
 
Q

Q8D3vil

Member
matmanx1 said:
When you say "Setup" do you mean headphone included or just a DAC/Amp combo (which most soundcards are) for your existing headset? The Creative Labs X7 is a pretty good external unit which would power most headsets while also giving you some nifty software to play with for gaming. Being external you wouldn't even need to crack open your PC to install. They can be had for around $350.

For a headphone, the Sennheiser HD598 can usually be had for around $150 and is an excellent general purpose headphone (although a little bit shy in the bass department). If you value excellent bass the Fischer Audio fa-011 starts at about $159 and can be ordered directly from their website.

I used to own the HD598 and enjoyed it and I currently own the fa-011 and like it even more.

Alternatively, if you wanted to get closer to an audiophile experience you could go with a Schiit Modi Multibit ($250) DAC and pair it with a Schiit Magni 2 amp ($99) which would make any decent headphone sound pretty incredible, including the 2 above. Having owned a Modi Mulibit I can tell you that it is a bit of a game changer in terms of bringing incredible musicality and detail in a small and relatively inexpensive box.
Click to expand...
I meant a headphone plus DAC or a soundcard.

Thanks for the advice, i shall do more research in the next two days and decide.
 
Q

Q8D3vil

Member
HiResDes said:
You basically have to chose between precision or fun when it comes to looking for gaming headphones.
Click to expand...

I already have a Steel series wireless h (siberia 800), which i can use it if i want to play some mp games where positioning and precision matter.
What i want is a good sound that enhance the experience in sp games (like Horizon and Witcher for examples).
btw, I used to own sennheiser HD555 + soundcard setup (HT omega striker) 7 years ago and it was very good for music, but that headset had a very bad build quality and broke after 3 years of use.
 
S

Sane_Man

Member
I'm completely inexperienced with good quality headphones/earphones and I'm hoping I could get some advice. I tried the Sony MDR-1000x headphones out the other day and I was legit amazed by the sound quality. Never heard anything like that. I was really tempted to buy them but was scared by the price.

As a compromise I ended up ordering the 1MORE E1001 Triple Driver earphones but I'm starting to have regrets. Will it compare at all to the Sony? I'm really tempted to cancel the order and pay the extra for the Sony's. The noise cancellation and bass pumping were just incredible.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Sane_Man said:
I'm completely inexperienced with good quality headphones/earphones and I'm hoping I could get some advice. I tried the Sony MDR-1000x headphones out the other day and I was legit amazed by the sound quality. Never heard anything like that. I was really tempted to buy them but was scared by the price.

As a compromise I ended up ordering the 1MORE E1001 Triple Driver earphones but I'm starting to have regrets. Will it compare at all to the Sony? I'm really tempted to cancel the order and pay the extra for the Sony's. The noise cancellation and bass pumping were just incredible.
Click to expand...

If the exciting bass of the 1000x was something you loved, you're 100% going to be disappointed with the flat bass of the 1MORE.
 
S

Sane_Man

Member
K.Jack said:
If the exciting bass of the 1000x was something you loved, you're 100% going to be disappointed with the flat bass of the 1MORE.
Click to expand...

Thanks. This and some further research/reviews convinced me to go with the 1000x. Slight buyers remorse over the price but I'm sure once I hit up Kendrick on the Sonys that'll fade :)
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Sane_Man said:
Thanks. This and some further research/reviews convinced me to go with the 1000x. Slight buyers remorse over the price but I'm sure once I hit up Kendrick on the Sonys that'll fade :)
Click to expand...

It's cheaper to buy the one you want now, than to buy something different, then end up buying the one you originally wanted on top of it later.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
I mean unless he really needs all of the features of the 1000x he might enjoy the Sony MDR-1A as well though it's just a little more balanced.

And if it's mostly about the bass some V-Moda M100 might suffice.
 
C

Chumley

Banned
Sane_Man said:
Thanks. This and some further research/reviews convinced me to go with the 1000x. Slight buyers remorse over the price but I'm sure once I hit up Kendrick on the Sonys that'll fade :)
Click to expand...

They're stupidly expensive for sure but the noise canceling, sound quality, and comfort are top notch + wireless is great.
 
M

matmanx1

Member
SolarMystic said:
Where are people finding the Fischer FA-011? Seems to be OOS everywhere I look aside from the $500 10th anniversary edition.
Click to expand...

They were fairly low stock even when I ordered mine back in February. I would shoot them an email through their fischeraudio.com website. They were pretty quick to respond to me when I asked about my order.

I wish I had an extra $490. I would order an Anniversary Edition and sell you my Northern Beechwood.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
sleepnaught said:
Anyone upgrade from the Q701s to the K712 Pros? I'm considering if it's worth it. Using Soundblaster Z and Schiit Magni amp.
Click to expand...

100% no. "Higher" end AKGs aren't remotely close to being worth the money, I don't care what any subjective analysis claims. They're pretty much the same driver hence have the exact same flaws in every single one.

From memory the Massdrop AKG K7XX is suspiciously similar to the K712 at a much lower price point.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
I gotta say the emu teaks are really curbing my desire to upgrade my home setup anytime soon. Though I've always been more inclined to upgrade my portable than home anyway, but the teaks right now just seem perfect for where I'm at and what i want.

I'll have to have a really good tax return this year to even consider anything else. For $500 they are all i need right now.
 
sleepnaught

sleepnaught

Member
Tommy DJ said:
100% no. "Higher" end AKGs aren't remotely close to being worth the money, I don't care what any subjective analysis claims. They're pretty much the same driver hence have the exact same flaws in every single one.

From memory the Massdrop AKG K7XX is suspiciously similar to the K712 at a much lower price point.
Click to expand...

What about the X2? I'm looking for something similar, big soundstage, but with a bit more bass.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
LQX said:
New seller and selling an item way below market value price is never a good sign. It might work out but I have never seen a success story where someone actually got the actual item at way below cost.
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking, bummer
 
Flying Toaster

Flying Toaster

Member
HiResDes said:
That's what I was thinking, bummer
Click to expand...

If it seems fishy it is and it makes me sad. I have only had one stellar deal in my life and that was from a Craigslist seller for my turntable. I honestly thought I was going to be murdered when I went to check it out but it was legit.
 
T

ty_hot

Member
Earphones recommendations? Id prefer bluetooth as Im used to my backbeat pro, only problem is they are too big and too hot for summer time. I highly appreciate sound isolation and bass over other things. up to 100 (not sure how much I should spend), what is the best performance/price I could get? Prefer to spend closer to the 50 range.
 
F

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
A bit of OT, but wohooo. Successfully replayced the foam speaker surrounds for a friend :)

That were 3 stinky, sticky, messy hours. That glue was extremely resistant. So much solvent in the air. :p
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
matmanx1 said:
Oh good find. They are showing in stock on the natural wood version which looks a little sexier (to me) than the northern beech that I got (which is almost black).

Product link: https://www.noisymotel.com/product.asp?ProductID=333

I wonder if they will ship to the USA?
Click to expand...

K.Jack said:
I'm in the US, so yeah, they ship here. I paid $269 AUD shipped.

Shoot them an email and it's a done deal.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys, just wanted to see what my options were. There is someone also willing to sell me a pair but its an older revision so I'm not too sure.
 
L

leroidys

Member
I caved and picked up the sony mdr-1000x about two weeks ago. I'm loving them so far. I find them to be very detailed and balanced, which is great for 80% of what I listen to. My only regrets are that I probably could have gotten a better sounding wired set for that much money, but the wireless feature is very nice for commuting and doing stuff around the house. The noise canceling works very well out of the box, haven't messed with the settings yet.
 
C

Chumley

Banned
leroidys said:
I caved and picked up the sony mdr-1000x about two weeks ago. I'm loving them so far. I find them to be very detailed and balanced, which is great for 80% of what I listen to. My only regrets are that I probably could have gotten a better sounding wired set for that much money, but the wireless feature is very nice for commuting and doing stuff around the house. The noise canceling works very well out of the box, haven't messed with the settings yet.
Click to expand...

I said this when I got my last pair of headphones 5 years ago (Bose ae2's) and the MDR-1000x blows that pair out of the water, but the idea of headphones sounding even better than these seems kind of crazy to me. The only way I can imagine these being better is a lighter and more lower profile version with bluetooth switching, other than that they're perfect imo.

Also, has anyone tried the Bose QC20's? A friend of mine wants some noise cancelling earbuds, I figure the NC on those isn't as good as full size headphones like the Sony's but I haven't been able to try them first hand.
 
Duxxy3

Duxxy3

Member
Hylian7 said:
I'm about to ask what's probably a dumb question, and know what answer I am likely to get.

My cat chewed through the extension cable that came with my Sennheiser HD 598 Cs, and I needed a new one with my setup. I went on Amazon, got one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CNAUYBY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Plugged it in and listened and....
sick.gif


Sound quality dropped off a cliff...do I really need a better cable?
Click to expand...

I don't remember it coming with an extension cable. Just a shorter cable and a longer cable.

That said, I'd just order a cable from sennheiser directly.
 
H

Hylian7

Member
Duxxy3 said:
I don't remember it coming with an extension cable. Just a shorter cable and a longer cable.

That said, I'd just order a cable from sennheiser directly.
Click to expand...

Did both of them output to 3.5mm? I'm trying to find the other one. Perhaps the extension cable I was using came from a different pair of headphones I had before.

Edit: Yeah, just looked it up, one is longer and outputs to 6.3mm, and the other is shorter and outputs to 3.5mm.
 
holygeesus

holygeesus

Banned
Chumley said:
I said this when I got my last pair of headphones 5 years ago (Bose ae2's) and the MDR-1000x blows that pair out of the water, but the idea of headphones sounding even better than these seems kind of crazy to me. The only way I can imagine these being better is a lighter and more lower profile version with bluetooth switching, other than that they're perfect imo.

Also, has anyone tried the Bose QC20's? A friend of mine wants some noise cancelling earbuds, I figure the NC on those isn't as good as full size headphones like the Sony's but I haven't been able to try them first hand.
Click to expand...

Have you tried the Sony with gaming? I heard you mention a 'surround' feature before - was that a feature of the headphones or your sound card?
 
C

Chumley

Banned
holygeesus said:
Have you tried the Sony with gaming? I heard you mention a 'surround' feature before - was that a feature of the headphones or your sound card?
Click to expand...

I've been gaming with them for a few days now, still great. The "surround" feature is part of my Sound Blaster Z series sound card but it's trash, there's no reason to enable any of the SBX features even while gaming. It has settings that supposedly improve bass and clarity, but I think they're only helpful for cheaper headphones as from what I can tell it just dilutes the sound quality on the Sony's.
 
E

eosos

Banned
matmanx1 said:
According to Google that is the lowest price ever for the Solo 3, so yeah, sounds like a good price.
Click to expand...

But are they good? Like do you think I could do better at that price? I'm not locked into Beats at all, just seems real cheap.

Edit: Would replace some Bose QC15s I have that are literally falling apart (the ear cushion piece is crumbling). I also really want bluetooth.
 
Xander51

Xander51

Member
eosos said:
But are they good? Like do you think I could do better at that price? I'm not locked into Beats at all, just seems real cheap.

Edit: Would replace some Bose QC15s I have that are literally falling apart (the ear cushion piece is crumbling). I also really want bluetooth.
Click to expand...

They're fine if you can deal with the clampy on-ear fit. They'll be about 10 times less comfy than your Bose set was when it was new.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Hylian7 said:
I'm about to ask what's probably a dumb question, and know what answer I am likely to get.

My cat chewed through the extension cable that came with my Sennheiser HD 598 Cs, and I needed a new one with my setup. I went on Amazon, got one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CNAUYBY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Plugged it in and listened and....
sick.gif


Sound quality dropped off a cliff...do I really need a better cable?
Click to expand...

You must've gotten a lemon, because I've been using that same Amazon cable for ages, with no SQ issues.
 
T

thefragrance

Member
General concensus on Bose products here at gaf is that it's shit. What about Bang and Olufsen? General thoughts on its headphones and sound systems?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread
398 399 400 401 402
20K
2M
super-famicom replied
  • Locked
What kind of headphones do you use?
2 3 4
166
11K
hsin replied
Top Bottom