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

My M50s broke :(

Looking for some alternatives. Hows the Sony MDR-7506? Theyre about 80 bucks and have gotten some good feedback.

Basically need something thats good to great for the office and something more expensive for home use.

I loved the M50s so anything similar to those would be nice. I might just repurchase those if anything.
 
SolarMystic said:
The Fulla would be fine with the headphones you listed aside from the DT770 as it is the 600ohm version. That would benefit from an M&M stack. Also, unless your outside the US, the stack starts at $200, $250 if you want to use it with your Ps4 as you will need the Uber version of the Modi 2.




They sold out of all but 50 in the initial batch. My guess is they had AKG produce another batch as soon as the first one was done.



Much better than the headphone jacks on the controller. It is also beneficial if your driving high impedance headphones.



If your on Head-fi, PETEREK does great work with re-cabling at a good price. I think he also has a storefront on Etsy.
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Why do you need the uber for the ps4? Because of the optical out? I have an MM stack just sitting here so I may use it.
 
RoninChaos said:
Why do you need the uber for the ps4? Because of the optical out? I have an MM stack just sitting here so I may use it.
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The Modi 2 would have to be the Uber version if you want to use it with your ps4. The regular Modi is USB powered only. Need the optical inputs of the Uber.
 
Looks like the Modi 2 page specifically mentions the PS4 as compatible.

So, you’re saying you plug this in and you’re ready to go?

Pretty much. In Standard Mode, Modi 2 can be used with virtually any Windows or Mac computer instantly recognizes Modi USB and requires no drivers, and many Linux distros that support USB Audio Standard 2.0 work just fine as well. It can also be used with iPhones, iPads, and Intel Chromebooks, as well as the Sony PS4.
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Good news, since I plan on getting a PS4 soon.
 
Got back from holiday today and picked up two attempted deliveries, Fidelio X2's and a Schiit Magni 2.

I've already got a Schiit Vali and I'm coming from HD650's, having already had X2's previously but selling them as I found them too heavy.

Wow. The X2's are better than I remember, the bass feels so much better than the HD650's for my taste and oddly they don't feel heavy either. The ear cups feel great, although I think the HD650's might have been slightly more comfortable.

I'll probably be returning the Magni 2. I can't quite put my finger on it but the Vali just sounds better with the X2's. Almost like it's opening up the X2's a little more than the Magni, which probably doesn't make sense given the Magni isn't exactly short on power. I think the Vali might be a little warmer from what I've read so I guess that suits me.

I still need to get around to buying a headphone stand though.
 
SolarMystic said:
The only Beyer I have experience with is the DT150. It's closed and the soundstage is very good for a closed headphone, but it is not portable.

Somebody else here might have further recommendations. The Oppo PM-3 is THE portable to get IMO, but that is more than what your looking to spend.

Edit: Forgot about the 99 Classics. Look into those as well, though they are just over your $200 budget.
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I feel bad when I read all the frothing over the PM-3s. I bought mine at launch and have less than 20 hours on them all up. I really just bought them for the sake of it since I don't really need a portable pair and obviously I'm never going to use them at home over the HD800.
 
leng jai said:
I feel bad when I read all the frothing over the PM-3s. I bought mine at launch and have less than 20 hours on them all up. I really just bought them for the sake of it since I don't really need a portable pair and obviously I'm never going to use them at home over the HD800.
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I'd have to agree. They are a solid travel headset, and I do travel, but there is nothing really impressive about them. The sound is clear but not super crisp. The bass is decent but not specacular. The soundstage is not tight but not wide either. The build quality is solid but not stellar. They are like the most inoffensive headset in the market.
 
DagsJT said:
I'll probably be returning the Magni 2. I can't quite put my finger on it but the Vali just sounds better with the X2's. Almost like it's opening up the X2's a little more than the Magni, which probably doesn't make sense given the Magni isn't exactly short on power. I think the Vali might be a little warmer from what I've read so I guess that suits me
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The high distortion of tube amps in general down in the bass region will result in thicker sounding bass. The higher output impedance of the Vali (6.5 ohms vs like 0.1 for the Magni) results in a mid-bass and 10khz+ boost with the X2s due to its impedance curve.

So essentially the X2s will sound thicker (so more warm) and open as well as the "air" frequencies are louder with the Vali than with the Magni 2.
 
effingvic said:
My M50s broke :(

Looking for some alternatives. Hows the Sony MDR-7506? Theyre about 80 bucks and have gotten some good feedback.

Basically need something thats good to great for the office and something more expensive for home use.

I loved the M50s so anything similar to those would be nice. I might just repurchase those if anything.
Click to expand...
I'm not even gonna mince words anymore I hate those particular Sony headphones
 
WhiskerFrisker said:
I looked up the Modi 2 and it looks pretty good and within my price range. Thoughts on it?
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It provides a good, clean sound to my amp at a fantastic price. I won't give detailed sound impressions like there is on head-fi because, quite frankly, if your DAC is drastically changing the sound signature, than its doing something wrong.

leng jai said:
I feel bad when I read all the frothing over the PM-3s. I bought mine at launch and have less than 20 hours on them all up. I really just bought them for the sake of it since I don't really need a portable pair and obviously I'm never going to use them at home over the HD800.
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Pm-3 with that low hours would fetch a good price, any particular reason your keeping them?

Chittagong said:
I'd have to agree. They are a solid travel headset, and I do travel, but there is nothing really impressive about them. The sound is clear but not super crisp. The bass is decent but not specacular. The soundstage is not tight but not wide either. The build quality is solid but not stellar. They are like the most inoffensive headset in the market.
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This is the first time I've ever heard someone complain about the build quality. That's one of its standout qualities, very impressive, premium quality to it that best many headphones much more expensive.
 
Yeah the MDR-7506 are one of those godawful rising frequency response headphones that are garbage for just about anything outside of their stated purpose.

Dunno how we lived through an era where Jude used to recommend them for personal audio.
 
Are there any Bluetooth earbuds that aren't sound cancelling? I got a pair of Jaybird X2s recently and I like them quite a bit, but when I'm walking my dog or driving or at home with my wife I'd really prefer earbuds like the ones that come with Apple products that don't seal in your ears and block out sound. I'd like hear if someone is trying to get my attention, a car is about to hit me, etc.

It seems like almost all premium earbuds, wireless or not, are sound-cancelling and it's really annoying. Yuin earbuds are the only nice ones I can even think of off the top of my head. If there's nothing currently on the market I really hope Apple develops a pair to include with their phones if the rumor about the headphone jack being removed is true.
 
Tommy DJ said:
The high distortion of tube amps in general down in the bass region will result in thicker sounding bass. The higher output impedance of the Vali (6.5 ohms vs like 0.1 for the Magni) results in a mid-bass and 10khz+ boost with the X2s due to its impedance curve.

So essentially the X2s will sound thicker (so more warm) and open as well as the "air" frequencies are louder with the Vali than with the Magni 2.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation :)
 
ClayKavalier said:
Are there any Bluetooth earbuds that aren't sound cancelling? I got a pair of Jaybird X2s recently and I like them quite a bit, but when I'm walking my dog or driving or at home with my wife I'd really prefer earbuds like the ones that come with Apple products that don't seal in your ears and block out sound. I'd like hear if someone is trying to get my attention, a car is about to hit me, etc.

It seems like almost all premium earbuds, wireless or not, are sound-cancelling and it's really annoying. Yuin earbuds are the only nice ones I can even think of off the top of my head. If there's nothing currently on the market I really hope Apple develops a pair to include with their phones if the rumor about the headphone jack being removed is true.
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They'll just use the lightning connector instead of Bluetooth wouldn't they?
 
Antiwhippy said:
They'll just use the lightning connector instead of Bluetooth wouldn't they?
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I've heard both rumors, that they'd come with lightning headphones and that Apple would try to encourage people to switch to Bluetooth.

Either way, if the headphone jack goes away I'm sure it'll raise demand for Bluetooth earbuds.
 
81 euros to repair my DT770 600ohms with leather pads, I think I'll do that so I can once again enjoy them when I get the M&M stack.
I'd assume they're worth more if I end up selling, but probably will keep as lots of good memories with them.

Feels kinda weird, never had the intention of collecting headphones and now I have HD555, DT770/600, ATH-M50x and TH-X00 is coming. Kinda want to sell something but they all sound so different can't really decide which one would I let loose.
If TH-X00 are good as they're promised they might be the only ones I need.
 
SolarMystic said:
This is the first time I've ever heard someone complain about the build quality. That's one of its standout qualities, very impressive, premium quality to it that best many headphones much more expensive.
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"Solid" is not exactly a complaint :-D

They are well built, seem very robust and durable, but I do worry about the plastic painted with metallic ink, and the cable connector seems a bit hit and miss. But overall I think the build quality is fine.
 
Chittagong said:
Wanted to post my thanks to Headphone-gaf for the recommendation of gaming headphones, couldn't be happier. Impressions below!



AKG K712

The specific use context I wanted headphones for was playing Halo 5 late at night. So I needed a headset with a wide, open sound stage, with precise location.

Gaming
These are the best headset for gaming I have heard. The sound stage is so wide it's sometimes hard to remember that you have headphones on. It's very easy to locate sounds around me, using Yamaha Silent Cinema virtual surround. The booms and bangs are satisfying. And it can be played quite loud without becoming jarring. Awesome for gaming, in other words.

Music
The open soundstage makes for a pleasing acoustic and live recording headset. The bass is reasonable, but not in Fostex territory. The mid range gets a bit congested on louder volumes, so vocals are not the strength of this headset. For music I prefer my Fostex TH600s.

Comfort and design
I was blown away by how light and comfortable this headset is, I can wear it for hours. It feels like your ears are out in the open. It doesn't feel very sturdy as a result. They need a lot of amping to run, however. They are open too, so no isolation either way.
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Just saw those on Massdrop, are those cans just rebadged AKG Q 701 Quincy Jones?
 
Hey I am a bit of a basshead. I like a lot of electronic music. I have been looking for the best cans to use on my pc for gaming but also for music. The one set that seems to always be recommended in the JVC SZ2000 + amp. I am not really wanting to go the fiio e17 route as its like $150 for portable when I am only going to be using my pc. Any suggestions for a desktop amp as good or better but cheaper? Different suggestion altogether?
 
CrashPrime said:
Hey I am a bit of a basshead. I like a lot of electronic music. I have been looking for the best cans to use on my pc for gaming but also for music. The one set that seems to always be recommended in the JVC SZ2000 + amp. I am not really wanting to go the fiio e17 route as its like $150 for portable when I am only going to be using my pc. Any suggestions for a desktop amp as good or better but cheaper? Different suggestion altogether?
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I'd also check out the X2. As for amp that's cheaper than e17, I would look at the Schiit Fulla and Fiio e10k.
 
Okay, exchangeable headphone cables are something I did not know about until recently. How well do these resist wear on the headphone end (especially with a locking mechanism like Sennheiser's)?

With the HD598SEs I keep forgetting how the lock works, and end up pulling it hard when the lock is engaged. It's already started to make occasional squeaking noises.
 
CrashPrime said:
Hey I am a bit of a basshead. I like a lot of electronic music. I have been looking for the best cans to use on my pc for gaming but also for music. The one set that seems to always be recommended in the JVC SZ2000 + amp. I am not really wanting to go the fiio e17 route as its like $150 for portable when I am only going to be using my pc. Any suggestions for a desktop amp as good or better but cheaper? Different suggestion altogether?
Click to expand...

I'd get the HE-300 if they're still on sale and just have them recabled.
 
Remembrance said:
Okay, exchangeable headphone cables are something I did not know about until recently. How well do these resist wear on the headphone end (especially with a locking mechanism like Sennheiser's)?

With the HD598SEs I keep forgetting how the lock works, and end up pulling it hard when the lock is engaged. It's already started to make occasional squeaking noises.
Click to expand...

Sennheiser makes well built headphones, however I would start remembering not to pull hard on the cable without unlocking it first. It's just a twist lock.
 
SolarMystic said:
It provides a good, clean sound to my amp at a fantastic price. I won't give detailed sound impressions like there is on head-fi because, quite frankly, if your DAC is drastically changing the sound signature, than its doing something wrong.



Pm-3 with that low hours would fetch a good price, any particular reason your keeping them?



This is the first time I've ever heard someone complain about the build quality. That's one of its standout qualities, very impressive, premium quality to it that best many headphones much more expensive.
Click to expand...

Same reason I didn't sell my T1s after getting the HD800s - pure laziness. I figure at some point I'll need the Oppos anyway.

Their build quality is second to none - the finish, packaging and attention to detail on their products is insane. My Oppo BD-93 was the same level.
 
leng jai said:
Same reason I didn't sell my T1s after getting the HD800s - pure laziness. I figure at some point I'll need the Oppos anyway.

Their build quality is second to none - the finish, packaging and attention to detail on their products is insane. My Oppo BD-93 was the same level.
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I have a PM-2 coming to demo in the next few weeks. Looking forward to getting a chance at their higher lineups. The attention to detail is indeed very good. The travel case is awesome.
 
SolarMystic said:
I have a PM-2 coming to demo in the next few weeks. Looking forward to getting a chance at their higher lineups. The attention to detail is indeed very good. The travel case is awesome.
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I demoed the PM-2's when I bought the PM-3's and came to the conclusion that they were pretty ordinary. Actually similar to my opinion of the PM-3 - just a pleasant listen without exhibiting anything out of the ordinary either way. The difference was the PM-2s were double the price, and when I'm paying over $1k AUD for a headphone I'm definitely looking for some "wow" factor. They were also huge compared to the PM-3s and still not that comfy.

Just browsing AddictedtoAudio and they've updated their prices, some of which are very interesting. The HD800s got a $250 price hike to $1599 as they promised when I bought my pair last year, the LCD2s are at a whopping $1600 for the basic version and the Momentum 2 Wireless dropped to $550. I probably would have gone for the them if they were at the price when I bought the PM-3s instead of the stupid $799 price back then.
 
leng jai said:
I demoed the PM-2's when I bought the PM-3's and came to the conclusion that they were pretty ordinary. Actually similar to my opinion of the PM-3 - just a pleasant listen without exhibiting anything out of the ordinary either way. The difference was the PM-2s were double the price, and when I'm paying over $1k AUD for a headphone I'm definitely looking for some "wow" factor. They were also huge compared to the PM-3s and still not that comfy.

Just browsing AddictedtoAudio and they've updated their prices, some of which are very interesting. The HD800s got a $250 price hike to $1599 as they promised when I bought my pair last year, the LCD2s are at a whopping $1600 for the basic version and the Momentum 2 Wireless dropped to $550. I probably would have gone for the them if they were at the price when I bought the PM-3s instead of the stupid $799 price back then.
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I have the version 1 momentums and prefer the pm-3. However there is a huge price difference between the two.
 
Just researched for hours on end on here and head-fi, and I decided the best solution was to import the JVC SZ1000 (same as SZ2000 with small bass reduction and and slightly less veiled mids due to brass construction on a single internal component), a Fiio A3 (E11k) portable amplifier, and a Fiio X1 + 128gb Samsung MicroSD card. Also a pad change is in the works which will be harvested from a pair of JVC M55x's.

X1+A3 (E11k) seems like a good combo for only $160.

Sure the power from the A3 is similar to that on the old X3 and X5 (1st gen) internal amp, both being around $250 used, the X1+A3 combo sounded like a better option, and new.

X5 2nd gen @ $350 would really only be a side grade audio wise (SLIGHT increase probably imperceptible to me at similar power levels). Bigger screen and dual MicroSD slots would've been sweet tho.

If I was rich I would likely have gone X3 2nd gen or X5 2nd gen + E12 amp. That said, there is room for improvement down the road if this isn't good enough.

The more likely is a E12 Mont Blanc, which is a $160 upgrade and I'll keep the X1 in service should I go that route.

My only concern is how well a Fiio A3 and my on-board ALC898 will play together. I have read many a reviews that claim when shielded properly, the ALC898 competes pretty well with DACs above its own weight class. No Shiit Stack (Magni/Modi) for me until the Fiio A3 + ALC898 proves its garbage.

All that being said, I sure hope I am satisfied for closed back cans for use while gaming.

AMAZON HURRY UP!
 
Be sure to post your impressions. Always kinda interested in the JVC sz2000 because I heard they are literal bass cannons, but while I like bass I also like the other parts of music as well. :P
 
SolarMystic said:
I have the version 1 momentums and prefer the pm-3. However there is a huge price difference between the two.
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I demoed the Momentum 2s and I preferred the PM3's more accurate sound, but the sound was still acceptable. I like the styling of the Momentums a lot more though.

I never considered the original Momentums because of how ridiculously small the pads are.
 
Antiwhippy said:
Be sure to post your impressions. Always kinda interested in the JVC sz2000 because I heard they are literal bass cannons, but while I like bass I also like the other parts of music as well. :P
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That was my thing. I wanted the bass but heard the SZ1000 would give a slightly better sound for less heavy stuff in the mid-range. I can't imagine they are that different from the SZ2000 tho.

I'll be sure to post my opinions, and hopefully exercise my camera a bit (and give a little exercise to the headphone cones)!

Sorry I won't have much to compare it to head-to-head other than some Koss PortaPros and a Razer Carcharias headset.
 
Amped M-Audio Q40 are such an underrated bassy headphone that someone boast a better midrange than many other similarly tuned headphones including the beloved entry standby M50s
 
leng jai said:
I demoed the Momentum 2s and I preferred the PM3's more accurate sound, but the sound was still acceptable. I like the styling of the Momentums a lot more though.

I never considered the original Momentums because of how ridiculously small the pads are.
Click to expand...

I felt the same way about the pm-3, except I really liked the looks. I thought the pad size would be an issue for me with the original Momentums, but surprisingly its not. I may just have small ears, but the soft felt material on the inner side of the pads feels nice, and wrap around my ears without actually sitting on them. I wouldn't use them for an "at home" closed setup, but the size is perfect for portable use for me.

EDIT: I started using MusicBee as my music manager, but it won't let me burn discs. Says burn failed: "The drive reported that the combination of parameters provided in the mode page for a MODE SELECT command were not supported."

I've looked around and still have no idea what that means.
 
Anyone have experience with O2+ODAC? Being on budget I was thinking if it's good alternative for the Schiit M&M stack, it dropped at 199$ earlier so it would be a lot more cheaper if they decide to do a redrop for it.
One downside to it I can see is that can't have PC and PS4 connected at the same time but looks like it supports PS4 through the USB: "Native Driver OS Support: Windows XP & Later, OS X x86, iOS, PS4, Linux".
 
Kudo said:
Anyone have experience with O2+ODAC? Being on budget I was thinking if it's good alternative for the Schiit M&M stack, it dropped at 199$ earlier so it would be a lot more cheaper if they decide to do a redrop for it.
One downside to it I can see is that can't have PC and PS4 connected at the same time but looks like it supports PS4 through the USB: "Native Driver OS Support: Windows XP & Later, OS X x86, iOS, PS4, Linux".
Click to expand...

The O2+ODAC is a great alternative to the Schiit stack. For awhile I was actually using it with the Schiit Asgard 2 and I would switch between the two on a daily basis but after awhile I did not even bother to turn on the Asgard 2 which is now sold and I cant say I really miss it. The O2+ODAC holds it own and is very much worth that $200 on Massdrop. Great DAC and more than enough power for damn near any headphone out there.
 
LQX said:
The O2+ODAC is a great alternative to the Schiit stack. For awhile I was actually using it with the Schiit Asgard 2 and I would switch between the two on a daily basis but after awhile I did not even bother to turn on the Asgard 2 which is now sold and I cant say I really miss it. The O2+ODAC holds it own and is very much worth that $200 on Massdrop. Great DAC and more than enough power for damn near any headphone out there.
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Just what I wanted to hear, looks like I'll start waiting for redrop then.
Thanks a lot to everyone for the help!
 
Best wireless headphones (cans) for comfort/excercise/occasional gaming?

I'm seriously looking at beats studio 2.0 wireless for 299 after tax (I know, I know).

But I'm not really educated on what else is out there

They will be primarily be used in the gym. Comfort is key.

I am actually unable to wear headphones for very long periods of time, because of my big ass head. I have sony mdr-v6's which I can't stand to wear for more than half an hour before my head starts to hut.
 
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