-
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
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
DarkHeartedKill
Member
I have a pair of Super Lux HD681Evo and I really like how they look, feel, and sound. Just the wire they come with is a bit annoying. But they're semi-open and have pretty good bass.
Ultimadrago
Member
Awesome, thanks
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Haven't really used them for that purpose but aren't the sennheiser hd25 legendary for live broadcasts? I've used them as my daily commute for 3 years and they're still one of my favourite headphones I've owned.
The UE6000s are a little heavy for my liking and I've never tried open back cans so I am a little curious.
SolarMystic
Member
Unless sound isolation is needed, open backs will generally outclass closed backed.
Yeah in everything except bass until you make up to the upper echelon of open backs.
So after the comments here about surround on headphones being pointless and just using stereo, I played Fallout 4 just using my Sound Blaster G5 again last night.
It might just be placebo but I swear the positional audio was a LOT better than using my Mixamp. Maybe it was because everything sounds a lot clearer. It does lack that roomy bass feel that Dolby was giving but the clarity and feel is still excellent.
I've got an RMA number for a refund for the G5 as I was going to keep the Mixamp but I might do more testing and sell the Mixamp now.
It might just be placebo but I swear the positional audio was a LOT better than using my Mixamp. Maybe it was because everything sounds a lot clearer. It does lack that roomy bass feel that Dolby was giving but the clarity and feel is still excellent.
I've got an RMA number for a refund for the G5 as I was going to keep the Mixamp but I might do more testing and sell the Mixamp now.
I know. I'm trying to pick my entry level opens
SolarMystic
Member
I always found the bass in open backs to be much more natural, but that's just me. I generally gravitate towards slightly warm leaning headphones though, which have a little more bass usually.
I've been using my x'2s from the Amazon sale and they are great. But when I use them for ps4 via the controller, the output kind of sucks.
Can anyone recommend me a good dac/amp combo that I use to drive the x2's on my ps4 (maybe thru the optical input) and thru my pc?
I was considering the Astro mixamp Pro TR but I'd like to use it on my pc as well.
Maybe Schiit modi 2 / magni 2?
Can anyone recommend me a good dac/amp combo that I use to drive the x2's on my ps4 (maybe thru the optical input) and thru my pc?
I was considering the Astro mixamp Pro TR but I'd like to use it on my pc as well.
Maybe Schiit modi 2 / magni 2?
I've read about it, even aptx's official website is pure shit as it is hard as fuck to see the products that have it. They have very few options to narrow down the search like -> 'headphones' cant go anything below this. Then you have a 20+ pages of products that are in alphabetical order (from various brands, release date, types, some even discontinued, some cost 50 others 600... basically you are screwed).
I believe Windows Phone has aptx, as I read on Win 8.1 gdr 1 they would include it, but it came (and gdr 2, 3, and win10) but it never officially came in the 'whats new'. So, WOW, great job hiding the feature.
Ive actually been on a Bluetooth kick as of late for Travel and you will be surprised how many good sounding BT cans there are now
currently trying these-
And these are surprisingly fantastic-
Plantronics BackBeat Pro: great bass, wide soundstage, latest BT tech, and decent NC, though a tad bit of clamping pressure makes them heavy after an hour or so
and if you don't mind spending a little extra-
Def Tech Symphony 1
both are APTX 4.0 with low latency, so they sound great and can be used for movies with out lag.
I will try to find the BackBeat Pro next week when I will be in Paraguay (eletronics paradise for Brazilians). Is there any other cheaper headphone that I should look for? I'd like to spend max 100 dollars/euros, but if I cant find anything this backbeat seems worth the extra money (150 on amazon)
Got 'em, they're great. It's a teeny bit small for my head, even extended all the way, but they feel great on my ears and that's what counts.
Skel1ingt0n
I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
The Magnolia store in Best Buy got a massive upgrade here by my house a few months ago. I wander over and check out their new toys any time I'm in to buy a game. Most recently, I saw they had a new Hi-Res Audio station exclusive to some Sony products. Had a chance to play with some MDRZ7s connected to a ZX2 and PHA-3.
Wow.
Sounded really, really fantastic. Bass was tight, and the first thing I noticed. That said, I was really surprised by the second most apparent quality of the setup - a damn wide sound stage for closed back headphones. Separation was phenomenal - must've been the balanced output coming from the PHA-3. I don't know, but I swear I could damn near pinpoint the standing order of the artists in the studio when listening to different tracks.
I'm not looking to spend ~$3,000 on a new setup any time soon; but I gotta say, it blew away anything I have; which is a mixture of Fiio, Triple.Fi 10s, Westones, X2s, Sennheiser 650s, etc. Expected, of course... but it's fun going back to playing with those things; been a while since I've been on the higher-end scene of things.
Wow.
Sounded really, really fantastic. Bass was tight, and the first thing I noticed. That said, I was really surprised by the second most apparent quality of the setup - a damn wide sound stage for closed back headphones. Separation was phenomenal - must've been the balanced output coming from the PHA-3. I don't know, but I swear I could damn near pinpoint the standing order of the artists in the studio when listening to different tracks.
I'm not looking to spend ~$3,000 on a new setup any time soon; but I gotta say, it blew away anything I have; which is a mixture of Fiio, Triple.Fi 10s, Westones, X2s, Sennheiser 650s, etc. Expected, of course... but it's fun going back to playing with those things; been a while since I've been on the higher-end scene of things.
Sorry, I have a peanut head so I can never tell if something is on the small side.
Haha it's alright. I've compared them with my previous pair of headphones, the Samson SR850, and I've noticed the Takstars are less brighter on the trebles and feel less harsh/plastic-y? I'm glad I can tell the differences, but overall I can't say I prefer one more over the other in sound. I've pulled off the pads and put 'em on my SR850s which feels overall a little bit more comfy but I'll be putting both on rotation depending on whether I'm listening to music, and specifically what type of music, or playing games etcetera. Thanks again!
Ultimadrago
Member
Merry Christmas, AudioGAF!
My sister wants to buy some new IEMs (she usually gets the downright $15-20 budget tier), but I've convinced her to spend a bit more on her next set. She's thinking around $100 this time around.
She mostly listens to electronic music, if that's any help. Any general suggestions, I know it's not the highest budget, so I'm open to any sets that are solid for the price. Thanks!
My sister wants to buy some new IEMs (she usually gets the downright $15-20 budget tier), but I've convinced her to spend a bit more on her next set. She's thinking around $100 this time around.
She mostly listens to electronic music, if that's any help. Any general suggestions, I know it's not the highest budget, so I'm open to any sets that are solid for the price. Thanks!
Soodanim
Member
Got my DT770 Pro 80 Ohms today. Listening through my Fiio E10K and I know they're brand new so no burn in, but listening to tracks like Guns N' Roses - Paradise City has me wishing they had a bit more in the way of the guitars. Maybe the bass is overpowering the mids? Maybe this is that V sound that people talk about. I'm also not sure if sibilance I'm hearing is from low quality music or the phones themselves. Not sure I'm that convinced yet. Might swap for a DT250-250 instead. That said, I haven't played games with it yet, and the soundstage is why I picked them over the 250s in the first place.
Heyo_Rockbreaker
Member
Hey headphonesGAF, I just got some Bluetooth JBL earbuds for Christmas. They have to be charged, and they came with a USB cord do so. If I use an AC adapter to connect the USB into an outlet will it fry the headphones, or will I be fine?
Soodanim
Member
From what I understand USB plug adapters have a certain Amperage, which is a limit on how much power goes through at once. Any adapter, like one that comes with an Android tablet or phone, should be fine.
Heyo_Rockbreaker
Member
Awesome, that's great to hear. I'll probably use an apple block as an AC converter.
Vmoda boom pro has a volume control in line that should take it a bit over the default output IIRC
Definitely V-Shaped, but I'm sure you'll like them a bit more once brain burn-in a little. Still the midrange is definitely not the star.
Just get her some Xiaomi Piston 3
Unrelated, the new Fiio K1 looks like a great little starter amp/dac
Not sure if it's been posted. Jan Meier has the HD800S in stock ($1475):
http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/headphones.htm
http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/headphones.htm
Ultimadrago
Member
Thank HRD, Ill check the Pistons out!
OdysseusVA
Banned
RedAssedApe
Banned
Cheap even for Pistons. Are those legit? Don't a lot of places sell counterfeits?
OdysseusVA
Banned
I guess they're cheaper due to versions that have the flat cables are mostly made out of plastic? and they don't come with the fancy case.
Also,
http://www.head-fi.org/t/760847/xiaomi-pistons-3-0-impressions-thread/270#post_11616333
I just bought them for $5 - if they're fake I guess I'm out a whole 5 dollars - if real a great deal!
Soodanim
Member
You're a fucking wizard mate. I've been listening/playing since I posted and between adjusting where they sit (they were too far back and half of the sound wasn't right) and I guess burn in (whether brain or 'phone) everything sounds much better now. Went back over tracks again and they sound better, and even a track that sounded horrible on lower end ones I tried when shopping (The Clash - Rock The Casbah (Original mix, not Bob Clearmountain Mix) with screechy high notes sounds fine. The bass isn't in the way so much now, although the thumping in certain tracks is a bit too powerful. The sibilance is barely noticable to me now.
Most importantly, the plans of ordering a DT250 to compare to then returning one is gone because the buyer's remorse is gone. Now I just need to decide whether to stretch the tight headband a little bit or see if it sorts itself out naturally.
HiResDes, you're an absolute star.
Edit:
Blitzhex why would you do that? I've JUST got happy with my 770s and you waltz in here and talk about an amazing sounding headphone. I want to order one. I'm still interested in a pair with a huge soundstage, as it sounds like something I'd really appreciate. Shame the 598s are so lacking in bass. They look really sleek, too.
If anyone is looking to buy headphones for gaming I recommend the AKG K7XX. Biggest soundstage (massive earpads helps), kinda neutral, natural sounding and boosted bass over the others in the AKG K7 line. Closed cans just don't compare (unless you have semi-closed fostex). Insane price to performance ratio, but the reason they're cheap is because the build quality is worthless. If you can live with some joint squeaks and creaks, they're some of the best you can buy.
Hi, so I'm someone who's budget unfortunately puts them into a very low-end tier of headphone purchasing. I've had a reliable pair of Sennheiser 201s for around 5 years that that finally broke and was looking for a replacement.
I saw the K240s on sale for around $50 recently and was wondering if that was a good price to grab them at, or if I should be looking at something else in that price range.
I saw the K240s on sale for around $50 recently and was wondering if that was a good price to grab them at, or if I should be looking at something else in that price range.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Does anyone know a way for me to connect my dac/amp onto the PS3 btw?
Bloodember
Member
The optical out should work.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I'm not sure if the oppo ha2 has an optical out?
Damnit, is there a relatively cheap dac/amp that does?
edit: just checking, it seems like I might make a Modi 2 uber + vali 2 order sooner rather than later.
Not too soon though.
Damnit, is there a relatively cheap dac/amp that does?
edit: just checking, it seems like I might make a Modi 2 uber + vali 2 order sooner rather than later.
Not too soon though.
OdysseusVA
Banned
USB?
Link?
Bloodember
Member
They are a massdrop.com limited edition, they come up for sale every so often. You just need to check the site out from time to time.
Not for $50. I'm fairly sure that the drivers are exactly the same and the only difference is a marginal change in enclosure so the overall difference isn't actually a whole lot. At least not enough to justify $50.
1st Course
Member
What are some good headphones for under $300?
I listen mostly to electronic music and video game osts if that matter.
I listen mostly to electronic music and video game osts if that matter.
If you can have open headphones snag the used HE-400 that are on Amazon right now for $230.
If you need closed headphones check out the ADL H118.
SolarMystic
Member
I use a modi 2 uber with my ps4 and Xbox one via optical out and it works great!
I'm looking for on-ear headphones with bluetooth, looking for comfortable ones, also isolation is a plus. Would be mainly using them with my phone, occasionally maybe for gaming. Price range would be 100-150 dollars, any good recommendations? Headphones should also be foldable. Thanks!
1st Course
Member
Rhazer Fusion
Member
This might be a silly question, but since I am all new to headphones listening, I will ask anyway. I keep hearing that headphones will sound better to substantially better with a decent amp. Now I have some Sennheiser HD205's for my primary listening such as music, movies, some games, computer, TV, etc and I and running them directly though my old Denon AV receiver(like 8-10 years old I think?) and imo they sound absolutely wonderful. I also own the Sony Silver PS4 headphones for PS4 and I am directly running them through the PS4 via USB which enables the virtual surround sound and I think they sound excellent, especially considering what I paid of them. When I run the PS4 headphones through the Denon receiver or PS4 controller, they do not sound near as good though strangely enough, so I am assuming that the little adapter wit the Silver headsets serves as a special amp of some sort? Lastly, I recently got the XBox Stereo headsets as a gift for, you guess it, the XBox One and I and using them through the controller courtesy of the adapter that comes with it and again, I think they sound really good so far.
My question is, should I be running the all of the headphones/headsets directly through my Denon receiver or do I need to buy an amp to bring out the best in all 3 of my headphones. Does my Denon essentially serve as the amp? Also, why did the Sony Silver headsets sound stripped down on my Denon, yet the Sennheiser's shine? Not quite sure about the XBox headsets yet.
Honestly, these headphones/headsets will be used primarily for gaming and then movie watching/music. Thanks in advance. So far, I am happy with the sound from all 3 of them and they each have their own sound which kind of makes each experience a little unique on different devices.
My question is, should I be running the all of the headphones/headsets directly through my Denon receiver or do I need to buy an amp to bring out the best in all 3 of my headphones. Does my Denon essentially serve as the amp? Also, why did the Sony Silver headsets sound stripped down on my Denon, yet the Sennheiser's shine? Not quite sure about the XBox headsets yet.
Honestly, these headphones/headsets will be used primarily for gaming and then movie watching/music. Thanks in advance. So far, I am happy with the sound from all 3 of them and they each have their own sound which kind of makes each experience a little unique on different devices.