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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
I'm just using high bitrate, FLAC is more than enough don't really even buy into the HD track bullshit.
LeroyPantwether
Member
Dumb question time. I recently purchased a stereo receiver. That said, is it true that i can just hook up a headphone DAC/Amp to the tape loop out on the receiver. Also, I read some where that if I find a headphone amp with an output, I can complete the tape loop and the headphone amp will act as a preamp or something. Is any of this true?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
What are your thoughts on it as a neutral reference?
zswordsman
Member
Is there a big difference between the HD598 and the HD650? Like is it worth an upgrade?
Or should I just save up all year until I can get the HD800 lol
Or should I just save up all year until I can get the HD800 lol
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
They're fairly different headphones no? No experience with them, but from what I've gleaned, the 598 are warm with a wide soundstage but not too detailed, the 650 is on the warmer side of neutral with better resolution but smaller soundstage, and the hd800 is a resolution and soundstage monster but can sound sterile with treble that is too emphasized.
SolarMystic
Member
I buy CDs whenever I have the option too, usually from amazon. From there I rip them into FLAC format. If physical discs are not an option than I buy from bandcamp and download FLAC files. HDtracks never seem to have any music I would be looking for that I can't get in CD format.
I went from the hd595 (precursor to hd598) to the hd650 and found it a worthwhile upgrade. Not too long ago headphones like the hd650 were considered TOTL, some still do in fact. Soundstage stayed about the same, but sound quality improved quite a bit. You'll want to use a good quality amp/dac with either upgrade.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
It's not strictly as neutral as the UERM as it exhibits some roll off before hitting the very extremes (I detect roll off at about 40 hz but the bass is extremely tight, clean and punchy), and there's some dips in the mids (1-2 kHz), middle treble (6 kHz) and a peak at 11 khz that can make cymbals sound just a bit tizzy and cutting on poor recordings, but for the record, I think this is overall, one of the most impressive dynamic IEMs I've listened to, and yeah, a pretty good reference for neutralish tuning. I've certainly heard worse in that respect. Detail retrieval and separation is seriously good. Soundstage is also a definite highlight. Superb width and seriously great sense of depth/layering. If you're coming from a phone that's more even in the mids or is more mid centric, it might take some getting used to, as the mids (vocals in particular) can feel thinner.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Mmm, alright, I was thinking of saving up for a uerr because I do want a neutral iem to round out my collection, but I'm honestly still not a fan of pure BAs iems so this might be more up my street for a lot less money.
disastermouse
Banned
You're gonna lose respect for me, but I stream almost everything via Tidal. I haven't really been able to discern a noticeable difference between lossless CD quality and higher resolution formats.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I listen mostly to google music downloads or spotify streaming. Can't tell a difference between properly encoded MP3 and lossless from the same source.
If I get CD I'll rip it in FLAC but that's mostly for archival purposes.
If I get CD I'll rip it in FLAC but that's mostly for archival purposes.
Rhazer Fusion
Member
I got a possible silly question, but here goes anyway. I am primarily using the HD 205 Sennheiser headphones for gaming I think they sound really good, especially for the price I paid and I am using them through the Turtle Beach DSS 7.1 Decoder for digital sound. Sounds powerful, nice and crisp to me. I've been hearing a lot of positive feedback and hype over the Audio Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones. I am sure they are better than the HD 205's, but how much better are the Audio Technica ATH-50X's compared to the HD205 Sennheisers for gaming? Wondering if they are worth the $130-$180 price of admission.
EDIT:
Hmmmm...just found out about Open headphones vs Closed headphones and the open should have a bigger soundstage for gaming and I heard these are good.
Audio Technica AUD ATHAD500X Audiophile Open-Air Headphones
Maybe these would be more appropriate for gaming, but how they sound compared to the ATH-50X headphones with everything else?
EDIT:
Hmmmm...just found out about Open headphones vs Closed headphones and the open should have a bigger soundstage for gaming and I heard these are good.
Audio Technica AUD ATHAD500X Audiophile Open-Air Headphones
Maybe these would be more appropriate for gaming, but how they sound compared to the ATH-50X headphones with everything else?
SolarMystic
Member
I'm not sure about the ad500x, but I know the ad900x ($150) is considered to be one of the best entry level gaming headphones.
I used to own the m50x and would really not recommend them for gaming at all. (didn't even really like them for music either for that matter)
Despite being virtually bass less the open aired AD700 have one of the widest soundstages of all headphones and are very precise for gaming. You probably should have picked up the HD598 from the sale yesterday but the Audio Technica AD700 are about as good as you can do for gaming despite not sounding so great with certain types of music.
.
I just use fairly high bitrate AAC don't really have the ears for the HD track shit.
SolarMystic
Member
Did you mean to quote the other poster?
Is the ad700 better than the ad900 for gaming?
Yes competitively speaking.
zswordsman
Member
Has anyone ever bought used headphones? On Amazon there's like a used version that's like $100 off regular price. It says like new customer return in box with 1 year warranty. I don't know if I should bite or not.
zswordsman
Member
Fuck it, I bought them. Couldn't resist trying them out at that price. $360 no tax, for Like New HD700. Gotta see what all this hate is about.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Lol you should've visited the Tralucent threads back in the day when people were circle jerking to the Uber cable. $1,300 (I think the V2 is somehow even more expensive) for a fucking stiff ass wire that you couldn't even really take outside since it was solid silver core and could snap in half or some shit. People swore it was so transformative that its properties were akin to that of a fullsized DAC upgrade. Headfi in a nutshell.
Jesus Carbomb
From Water into Guinness
I'm thinking about picking up a Vali2 + Modi2 combo to use with my RS1's. Any opinions on this pairing? Any other amps out there to consider at this price range?
Ideally, I would just buy an Ear Purist HD and call it a day but I don't have that kind of coinage right now.
Ideally, I would just buy an Ear Purist HD and call it a day but I don't have that kind of coinage right now.
Just got SR-5 + SRD-6 today. The mids are super nice. The bass is nice and restrained. The soundstage is smaller than the Lambdas, very intimate sounding. They lack the detail of the modern STAX and I'm not really a fan of the cord, I really miss the ribbon cable. I recently bought it as a mere curiosity, but I can certainly see this one getting some regular listening.
I use that combo in my office with a T-amp. Works really well. for a pair of headphones that's about as old as I am, they are amazing.
Depending where you got them from and when they were last used, they may get better after a few weeks of being used. My first SR-5 had a buzz on one side that went away after a few weeks of being energized and they have been flawless since. The fact that you can pick up the set for around $100 is crazy
Yep, my pair has a slight channel imbalance, but that was easily corrected by adjusting the balance on the amplifier. And I agree, these are quite the value, I'd sooner have these over many modern dynamic headphones.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Hey I paid about that much for a linum bax, but the comfort alone makes it worth it.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
The linum cables if you're looking at that price range provides the best comfort. Could be a deal breaker if you need ear guides but the fact that they don't have ear guides is the primary reason why I got them.
Or just buy any 2 pin (tf10 is 2 pin right) cable on eBay that doesn't break the bank.
Or just buy any 2 pin (tf10 is 2 pin right) cable on eBay that doesn't break the bank.
SolarMystic
Member
I have the Vali 2 and like the pairing with my hd650. Though for an RS1, a Project Starlight at $190 should also be a consideration.
Rhazer Fusion
Member
Thanks for the information. I'm still totally new to headphones and I am still learning so much about them. Open vs closed, soundstage, virtual surround, ohms, etc. I guess one of the things that hold me back is that I have to virtually buy all headphones online therefore you never really get a chance to truly compare them and listen to the styles that best suit you preferences. All I really have to go by is reviews and world of mouth. I will also check out the HD598's as well as the AD700. I think the Sennheisers I have now sound good, so I can imagine how a much higher end pair would sound. I think I narrowed it down to the Sennheiser HD598, HD558 or the Audio Technica AD500/700/900's.
Chittagong
Gold Member
So what's the absolute best headset for gaming? I play a lot of Halo 5 in the middle of the night and could invest in one. I guess the key thing is an awesome sound stage.
I have Fostex TH-600s and Oppo PM3s for music at work and travel, respectively.
I could go crazy and get something like LCD-3s, but I don't think their sound stage is particularly impressive so it'd be a waste.
I have Fostex TH-600s and Oppo PM3s for music at work and travel, respectively.
I could go crazy and get something like LCD-3s, but I don't think their sound stage is particularly impressive so it'd be a waste.
IMO AKG K7XX/K712 are the best, for the price. I like them a lot better than my friend's ad700s I've tried. Very immersive soundstage, good separation, decent bass extension and punch. I use k7xx and vali2 for competitive and everything else gaming on pc.
I haven't tried the HD800, but it would be safe to say those have better soundstage and imaging, but they're also expensive and kind of overkill for gaming. You need an amp for akg k7 headphones, which adds to the price.
LCDs are NOT for gaming because of their weight alone. The soundstage is also similar to semi-closed headphones. I love the LCDs and was really close to getting one a couple of times, but I settled on a th-x00 to complement my k7xx for music.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Thanks! HD800 is incredibly compelling, but I seem to see more positive comments in relation to gaming about AKG K7XXs or better even 712s, so that might be a way forwards. Need to find a good deal in UK next.
SolarMystic
Member
The K7xx is sold new exclusively through Massdrop, but they drop pretty often. There is a decent sized used market for them though.
If you can't wait for another drop or buy used, the k712 or even the slightly cheaper k702 would work in those price ranges.
I want to second that you should not purchase an LCD series for gaming. Soundstage is pretty small and the sound signature does not do well for gaming.
Sennheiser HD205 aren't really all that great even within their respective $50 range. You can still make giant leaps in sound quality without breaking the bank and experiencing diminishing returns.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Thanks for the input guys, I placed an order for AKG K712s since they weren't going to break the bank. Should get the, tomorrow - will report back!
Jesus Carbomb
From Water into Guinness
Starlight looks really interesting. I'll have to do some further reading on which opamp and tube combo works best for grados. I already have a pair of OPA627's that I can potentially use. If it sounds good stock right out of the box than that would be even better.
Im looking into the Asgard2 as well. I'll be honest, I keep seeing comments about how the Schiit house sound can be a tad bright and light on bass and it's making me kinda nervous about pulling the trigger on one of their amps.
SolarMystic
Member
The Modi dac is sometimes described as a bit lean, though I doubt anybody outside of head-fi would even be able to tell. I certainly can't. Heck, many people can't even tell the difference between a Modi and a Bifrost.
Most of their stuff is either neutral or sometimes even a bit warm. I've never looked into their TOTL equipment though, as those are forever out of my price bracket.
disastermouse
Banned
My HD650 were used from Amazon and my HE-500 were OB Refurb.
Coreda
Member
What's the matter with Tidal? If it's lossless it should be fine (unless of course the audio is transcoded from a lossy source as some lossless stores have been guilty of, or watermarked as Universal and Sony have been known to do).
disastermouse
Banned
Oh, just because it's streaming and it's not hi-res. They don't make a lot of hi-res stuff in the genres and bands that I like.
Rhazer Fusion
Member
Ah, I see. Funny thing is, I think they are beginning to sound better than my XBox Stereo and PS4 Silver headsets by a noticeable margin. So something like the HD598 or ATH AD500/700/900X would be significantly better I am assuming. I could get some AD500X headphones for a fairly reasonable price, but I am contemplating going with the AD700X's for or even the AD900X's if there is a substantial difference in sound compared to the 500X's. I think I am going to go with open headphones this time for the wider soundstage and more directional sound since they are primarily for gaming. I heard most of them do have some sound leakage which should be fine for what I use them for. Any clue if the sound leakage is so bad on most open headphones to the point where someone can hear you in another room nearby or with your door closed if you have then cranked fairly loud?
1. AD500X's sound similar but do not have the immense soundstage of the AD700, which is what makes them so compelling for gaming
2. If someone is in the same room they will definitely hear you if you are playing anything at a fairly high volume and especially if there's nothing else playing; If the door is closed they probably won't be able to hear you unless you have them turned up real high.
SolarMystic
Member
Crazy that they still have it under "item review". $128 is a fantastic price on these.
zswordsman
Member
Yeah I figure I'd give it a go. They were listed as "like new" so they should be in great shape.