• 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

S

SolarMystic

Member
Vibros will be coming in finally in the next week or two. I joined the Fostex thx00 drop for the third time but ended up cancelling. Thinking about saving up for an hd800 instead.

K.Jack said:
No no no, I wasn't criticizing you at all. Sorry I probably shouldn't have quoted you.

Just got a laugh out of the usual head-fi madness.
Click to expand...

Had to try my best not to reply to someone in the hd650 thread a couple days ago who was claiming to hear dramatic changes between different cables.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
SolarMystic said:
Vibros will be coming in finally in the next week or two. I joined the Fostex thx00 drop for the third time but ended up cancelling. Thinking about saving up for an hd800 instead.



Had to try my best not to reply to someone in the hd650 thread a couple days ago who was claiming to hear dramatic changes between different cables.
Click to expand...

Ooooh, be sure to post impressions. I think I'll join in on the next ZMF massdrop. Hopefully he does the Omni.
 
Xander51

Xander51

Member
K.Jack said:
No no no, I wasn't criticizing you at all. Sorry I probably shouldn't have quoted you.

Just got a laugh out of the usual head-fi madness.
Click to expand...

Ah right on no worries. :) yeah head-fi is...a thing. I lurk there for fun sometimes just to witness the chaos but I've never made an account.

Also SolarMystic oh my god, how did you resist? When people make the cable claim I can't help myself. Part of the reason I'm not a head-fi member, haha.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
Antiwhippy said:
Ooooh, be sure to post impressions. I think I'll join in on the next ZMF massdrop. Hopefully he does the Omni.
Click to expand...

I will. I'll likely be selling them shortly after they arrive to put towards an hd800. If your interested I can hold them for you. Will sell them for less than the massdrop price.
 
S

Sleeping Lesson

Member
While I'm traveling I'm testing a FiiO Q1 portable amp with my Sony MDR-7506s. Sounds great! My Schiit Vali 2 tended to make the high end too harsh on these.
 
R

rbnoble06

Neo Member
Xander51 said:
Yes, absolutely. To quantify it a bit more, the MDR100-AAP is a fair bit lighter than the M50X (220g vs 285g) and also has a lower clamping force, though they still stay on my head just fine. The padding on the top is also a little bit more squishy. The 100 AAP definitely disappears on my head and I've had no comfort issues in long sessions so far. Although, I think in the lineup of Sony headphones, the MDR-1A is just a tiny smidge more comfy thanks to its slightly bigger ear cushions and head cushion.

You can always buy from someone with a good return policy and give them a shot yourself, but the light weight and comfort of the 100AAP were the first positives that stuck out to me. I banished my M50X's to a shelf on the other side of the room I never look at. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info. You've twisted my arm and I've ordered a pair from Amazon UK via Prime. Should hopefully get them tomorrow. Then I can decide whether to keep these or the ATH-M50x.

I'll keep you updated, thanks again!
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
SolarMystic said:
I will. I'll likely be selling them shortly after they arrive to put towards an hd800. If your interested I can hold them for you. Will sell them for less than the massdrop price.
Click to expand...

Hmm, maybe. Depends on your impressions. :D

Probably not though. Still saving up for my stupidly expensive totl.
 
L

leng jai

Member
Kind of tempted to buy the Mahogany TH-X00 off Massdrop even though I already have the Purplehearts purely because they ship in 2 weeks.
 
N

NotSelf

Member
leng jai said:
Kind of tempted to buy the Mahogany TH-X00 off Massdrop even though I already have the Purplehearts purely because they ship in 2 weeks.
Click to expand...

You could buy it then sell which ever one you don't like. I'm interested to hear what the Purplehearts sound like but I doubt i'll hear any difference.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
leng jai said:
Kind of tempted to buy the Mahogany TH-X00 off Massdrop even though I already have the Purplehearts purely because they ship in 2 weeks.
Click to expand...

You can get the EMU Teak direct from EMU if you want one with exotic cups right now. Can get it in Teak, rosewood or ebony.

Just have to email Chan and let him know you want to special order one. Same price as they were on massdrop.
 
L

leng jai

Member
SolarMystic said:
You can get the EMU Teak direct from EMU if you want one with exotic cups right now. Can get it in Teak, rosewood or ebony.

Just have to email Chan and let him know you want to special order one. Same price as they were on massdrop.
Click to expand...

Not familiar with EMU headphones. Had a quick look and it looks essentially the same as the Fostex TH series.

NotSelf said:
You could buy it then sell which ever one you don't like. I'm interested to hear what the Purplehearts sound like but I doubt i'll hear any difference.
Click to expand...

That's true, the Purplehearts should be super easy to sell. Anyone know how long Massdrop's freight forwarding takes to Australia?
 
D

Doge

Unconfirmed Member
removed

New question, I remember asking about some headphones for gaming in here. Around that time I was going to make the purchase, but life happened and my money was better spent elsewhere. If I recall, some Sennheiser HD 598s, DT990 Pros were recommended. I was wondering if I should get one of those, or ad700xs? I am looking for positional audio and I know they both offer that. My question is which, and what mic do I get for them and how would I attach it.

Headphones in question:

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0042A8CW2

http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-990-Pro-250-Professional-Acoustically-Applications/dp/B0011UB9CQ

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ

I was also looking at these, but are they just rebranded AD700Xs with just a mic?
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-ADG1X-High-Fidelity-Gaming-Headset/dp/B01AYZZP5U

If I were to go that route (ADG1X), would it not be better to just buy Astro A40TRs with a Mixamp TR?

http://www.amazon.com/ASTRO-Gaming-A40-Headset-MixAmp-Xbox/dp/B014H2T84K/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463736742&sr=1-4&keywords=astro+a40

They are the same price, but I get a mixamp with it. Someone that is knowledgeable help me decide! I am going to make some purchase today, but I am indecisive so some word around here would be appreciated!
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
If you primarily want the mixamp that's fine, but I still don't see the need for surround DSP because I still feel that stereo allows me to experience environmental cues, but I don't seriously assess the sound of games so I might not be the one to ask. People seem to like the mixamp for that purpose but you probably could do better than the a40. Depends if you value surround DSP or sound quality.
 
D

Doge

Unconfirmed Member
Antiwhippy said:
If you primarily want the mixamp that's fine, but I still don't see the need for surround DSP because I still feel that stereo allows me to experience environmental cues, but I don't seriously assess the sound of games so I might not be the one to ask. People seem to like the mixamp for that purpose but you probably could do better than the a40. Depends if you value surround DSP or sound quality.
Click to expand...

I'm just curious as to what I should choose from the options I presented. The reason I brought up the Astros was that I was drawing a comparison cause of the price of the headset.

I'll go with whatever provides the best experience.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Depends on what you want. It's sometimes hard to nail what's best because people just have different preferences. Dt990 has the bass, but the highs might be too much. Ad700 for soundstage. 598 is kinda in between?

Also for mics, zalman clip on.
 
Kudo

Kudo

Member
After 4 grueling months, finally the TH-X00 are here!
5KmFyFx.jpg
Click to expand...

Been listening for few hours now and liking what I hear.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
leng jai said:
Not familiar with EMU headphones. Had a quick look and it looks essentially the same as the Fostex TH series.
Click to expand...

They sound different depending on the wood used. The magnets in the EMU are between the thx00 and th900 in strength.

Emu is also updating the line to detachable cables in a couple months.
 
D

Doge

Unconfirmed Member
L

leng jai

Member
Tommy DJ said:
Massdrop shipped mine on the 05/12. Arrived 21/12. Good thing too, it was a Christmas present for someone.
Click to expand...

That seems reasonable, possibly slower than usual since it was during the Xmas rush. $15 isn't much then, considering that's probably what you pay normally without the freight forwarding part.
 
Xander51

Xander51

Member
rbnoble06 said:
Thanks for all the info. You've twisted my arm and I've ordered a pair from Amazon UK via Prime. Should hopefully get them tomorrow. Then I can decide whether to keep these or the ATH-M50x.

I'll keep you updated, thanks again!
Click to expand...

You're welcome, hope you have fun picking a favorite! :)
 
S

Soulflarz

Banned
soo, any good wireless headphone choices? >_<

(I'm lurking here more now~ My brother loves the ones recommended in here for normal use by the way!)
 
D

Doge

Unconfirmed Member
I am browsing massdrop. Anything worth checking out in particular on there?
 
F

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
So, I need some suggestions.

Beyerdynamic T1v1 or.... what are other options? The main call is universal. So no HD800 with their unbalanced treble.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
The Beyerdynamic T1's treble is just as wonky as the Sennheiser HD800 in terms of having a stupid treble peak. The difference is that the T1 peak isn't at 6khz but closer to 10khz so you may perceive it as relatively benign.

The HD800's problematic treble peak is basically moot when the Superdupont resonator exists. Its still bright but the mod removes the majority of the edge that comes with having such a sharp peak. After creating one and verifying the results subjectively and objectively, I don't really have any real desire to go back to the HD600. That being said, a pair of T1 V1 (not V2 since they move the peak to 6khz what the hell) that isn't suffering from Beyerdynamic's non-existent quality control can be subjectively better sounding due to a larger bass and midrange lift (and probably more 2nd order distortion) than the HD800.

Other suggestions might include a second hand pair of Hifiman HE-6's (heavy/ergonomically challenged, bad availability, needs beefy amp due to terrible sensitivity, needs mods to fix treble), Mr Speakers Ether (stupid expensive, some people think its bass light), and maybe some Stax Lambdas/Koss ESP950 (electrostats, need good seal). Expensive full sized headphones are kind of awful really because every single one of them have issues that require some end user modification to get just right. To be honest though, I think a heavily modded Hifiman HE-6 is probably the best headphone in the world for all round usage (smooth sound signature, bass with actual balls with none of that mid-bass impact bullshit, super low distortion) but I can never find anyone selling them in Australia.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
Someone actually selling an LCD-2 at a fair price for once. $550 shipped pre-fazor. It's like sellers on head-fi don't realize these go on sale all the time.


Tommy DJ said:
The Beyerdynamic T1's treble is just as wonky as the Sennheiser HD800 in terms of having a stupid treble peak. The difference is that the T1 peak isn't at 6khz but closer to 10khz so you may perceive it as relatively benign.

The HD800's problematic treble peak is basically moot when the Superdupont resonator exists. Its still bright but the mod removes the majority of the edge that comes with having such a sharp peak. After creating one and verifying the results subjectively and objectively, I don't really have any real desire to go back to the HD600. That being said, a pair of T1 V1 (not V2 since they move the peak to 6khz what the hell) that isn't suffering from Beyerdynamic's non-existent quality control can be subjectively better sounding due to a larger bass and midrange lift (and probably more 2nd order distortion) than the HD800.

Other suggestions might include a second hand pair of Hifiman HE-6's (heavy/ergonomically challenged, bad availability, needs beefy amp due to terrible sensitivity, needs mods to fix treble), Mr Speakers Ether (stupid expensive, some people think its bass light), and maybe some Stax Lambdas/Koss ESP950 (electrostats, need good seal). Expensive full sized headphones are kind of awful really because every single one of them have issues that require some end user modification to get just right. To be honest though, I think a heavily modded Hifiman HE-6 is probably the best headphone in the world for all round usage (smooth sound signature, bass with actual balls with none of that mid-bass impact bullshit, super low distortion) but I can never find anyone selling them in Australia.
Click to expand...

The superdupont mod has essentially convinced me to go for an hd800 at some point. What makes you say the Ether is overpriced? I only heard it briefly but I was also considering the Ether instead of the hd800.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
$2,500 AUD is way too expensive considering how cheap the HD800 can be found second hand, especially if it has paint chips.

To be clear, I haven't heard it but I still think $1,500 USD is a really high asking price for a planar headphone that apparently doesn't really have anything going in the sub-bass / bass texture department.
 
D

Doge

Unconfirmed Member
On that tek syndicate video that I was linked to. A gentleman on there said he likes to buy his headphones used. What are your guys opinion on that?
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
Tommy DJ said:
$2,500 AUD is way too expensive considering how cheap the HD800 can be found second hand, especially if it has paint chips.

To be clear, I haven't heard it but I still think $1,500 USD is a really high asking price for a planar headphone that apparently doesn't really have anything going in the sub-bass / bass texture department.
Click to expand...

There is only about a $500 difference here in the states.
 
N

Nero's Neptune

Member
Doge said:
On that tek syndicate video that I was linked to. A gentleman on there said he likes to buy his headphones used. What are your guys opinion on that?
Click to expand...

I buy most of my headphones used, and have never been burned by it. Assuming you buy from a reputable seller you should get something virtually indistinguishable from a new pair of headphones, with the benefit, of course, being that you pay drastically less. And then on top of that there's always the option of buying a headphone that might be cosmetically flawed, but is still functionally perfect, for further mark-down.
 
L

leng jai

Member
SolarMystic said:
Someone actually selling an LCD-2 at a fair price for once. $550 shipped pre-fazor. It's like sellers on head-fi don't realize these go on sale all the time.




The superdupont mod has essentially convinced me to go for an hd800 at some point. What makes you say the Ether is overpriced? I only heard it briefly but I was also considering the Ether instead of the hd800.
Click to expand...

Its price in Australia atrocious, $2500AUD is nonsense.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
What would you guys consider a good price on a used pair of HD800? There is a seller that has one a few years old but perfect cosmetic shape (no paint chips) for $725 USD. Seems like a solid deal, but with the rapidly declining prices (thanks HD800S) maybe there is better. New prices have seemed to settle at $999 USD for the past couple months.

leng jai said:
Its price in Australia atrocious, $2500AUD is nonsense.
Click to expand...

Yea that's nuts, not worth it. Have you heard both though? If they were the same price, which would you buy between the two?
 
Xander51

Xander51

Member
SolarMystic said:
What would you guys consider a good price on a used pair of HD800? There is a seller that has one a few years old but perfect cosmetic shape (no paint chips) for $725 USD. Seems like a solid deal, but with the rapidly declining prices (thanks HD800S) maybe there is better. New prices have seemed to settle at $999 USD for the past couple months.



Yea that's nuts, not worth it. Have you heard both though? If they were the same price, which would you buy between the two?
Click to expand...

$725 for a perfect pair seems like a great deal to me personally.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
Considering Amazon is selling the HD800 for $1,000 new, that's probably a fair price. That's why I still think the Ether is a little overpriced at $1,500 USD as $500 is 50% of the current HD800 price.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
The ether C is marketed as a portable though isn't it? I can see why that might be a use that commands a higher price.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
5304 HE-350 sold so far. Gatdamn.

Decided to pass myself. I'm going planar for my open set. No idea what direction to go in, right now.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
I'm just trying to figure out my budget.

Can I get great soundstage and great bass, with $500?

Would need whatever I get to run well from a GO 1000.
 
Rhazer Fusion

Rhazer Fusion

Member
Ok, I am a little confused. Got the DT770 250 Ohms and the ATH-M50X's and think they both sound really good considering I am still using that TB EarForce DSS amp device. The DT770 obviously comes up quieter, softer since it is harder to push than the ATH M50X, but imo it still sound good, just not as loud or crisp as the M50's since they are lower impedance. Ok, that was expected. Right now, I am comparing these two closed headphones because I couldn't decide which ones I wanted more. Most people recommend the Beyer's or the M50's, but I think they both sound good and unique. The DT770's are considered to be the better, more high end headphones though, right? Seems like it has a pretty good soundstage for closed headphones and the sound is kind of warm. I am still looking to get an open pair eventually as well just to see how they sound.

Ok, confusing part. Why is it when I plug in both of them into my Denon AVR587 AV receiver which is almost 10 years old btw, they sound almost identical to each other, even volume-wise? DT's have slightly more bass I think, but besides that they are seemingly very close to each other. Does anyone have a clue is that question more for an AV Forum?

Also, is there anything for headphone virtual surround sound for the PS4 or XBox One that can that is considered better than the EarForce DSS like an Astro Mix Amp or an AV receiver with Dolby headphone built in to properly power these headphones, especially the DT770's that isn't like $2000?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Neither the Soundstage nor bass is that great on the 400i or 400S,the original 400 is the model with absurd sub bass depth and great quality.
 
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