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Which Headphone?

G

Gamedude

Member
just bought a new PC, I have a Logitech Z-680 soundstation for playing games when no one sleeps, though.. when it's night I have a crappy headphone from Philips.

I'd like to buy a headphone with superb sound, I heard Sennheister has a big reputation?

My budget lays around: 65$-100$ and I'd like to have a micro too to speak with friends in MP games. (doesn't need to be a headset, can buy an extra micro and put it somewhere)

What about Zalman's 5.1 headphone? http://www.nt-micro.com/product_images/ZM35HP-RS6F.jpg or should I better go for Sennheiser?

Which headphone do you have, which one do you recommend me etc! :)

(Sennheiser PC-150 looks nice too: http://www.easycomm.it/images/sennheiser/PC150.jpg) but what about it's sound quality from it's ears?
 
If they're just for home use, look into the Grade SR-80s.

The sound is fantastic and they don't cost too much either. They use an open design, though, so they are quite loud for those around you, which is why they're best for using at home.
 
Grado SR-60's, 80's, or 125s all sound great (the latter works better for a wired stereo than portables or computers), are very reasonably priced, and have fantastic service. However, I find the design really uncomfortable and would recommend that you try them out first.

I use a Sennheiser HD 280 pro, which are closed design, and I like a lot. Some people have complained that they can be a little tight around the head, however.
 
If you don't mind open-air headphones I recommend the refurb Sennheiser HD590 for $150 from Amazon. They're better than the famed HD580's if you aren't willing to invest into a decidated headphone amp, and are super comfortable. Extremely high resolution headphones without the fatigue.

Grados are awesome for the money, except they hurt your ears after a while (since they're uncomfortable) and look ugly.
 
GXAlan said:
If you don't mind open-air headphones I recommend the refurb Sennheiser HD590 for $150 from Amazon. They're better than the famed HD580's if you aren't willing to invest into a decidated headphone amp, and are super comfortable. Extremely high resolution headphones without the fatigue.

Grados are awesome for the money, except they hurt your ears after a while (since they're uncomfortable) and look ugly.
Click to expand...
i don't agree with this at all. the 580 is a superior phone, period. if you're thinking of buying a 590 because you don't want to amplify, buy something else (the new senn series is one possiblity, but there are plenty others).
 
fart said:
can you deal with leakage (sealed/unsealed)? do you listen to music? how big? give us some details man

check out http://www.head-fi.org/ while you're at it
Click to expand...
I will not listen music with it, I do that in the day with my dolby system.

this headphone will only be used for games.

@the sennheiser 480: 149$ is too much for me, my max. budget is 100$, a good sennheiser in that price class?
 
fart said:
i don't agree with this at all. the 580 is a superior phone, period. if you're thinking of buying a 590 because you don't want to amplify, buy something else (the new senn series is one possiblity, but there are plenty others).
Click to expand...

I actually own both the HD590 and IS850. Yes, I own the IS850 not "have heard..."

Sennheisser themselves marketed the 590 as a higher-end model than the 580. The 580/600 has a smoother and darker sound than the 590's. The 590's brought exceptional detail without fatigue. Unfortunately, since the 590's offered a different sound than what some Sennheiser fans were used to, people didn't like it. The 590's are better at transients and air, but aren't quite as smooth/warm as the 580. The 590's are precise and sharp without being brittle. On portable music devices or sound cards, the 580 is woefully underpowered. You can read a glowing review of the HD580 but none of that sound will be available to you without a good headphone amp (and no, the Sennheiser DSP Pro wasn't very good).

The Sennheiser IS850's are an oddity in that they were the first audiophile-grade digital wireless headphones. The drivers were matched like the HD600. With a DC amplifier, you would expect this to offer incredible sound. It didn't for most people -- the ADC on the transmitter wasn't very good and so it ended up being a poor performer for listening to analog sources. The magic happened when you were transmitting digital audio. The IS850's used the venerable Philips DAC7 and so for CD playback, the IS850's provided exceptional quality on par with the HD600 and a good dedicated headphone amp.

Still it sounds like the original poster is just dealing with games, and so none of this matters :)
 
I have the HD590 and use them for console gaming, iPod, GBA, DS, PSP, and other audio work. I love em. Very comfortable and sound delicious. If I can't get to my surround setup, these are the best alternative.
 
GXAlan said:
I actually own both the HD590 and IS850. Yes, I own the IS850 not "have heard..."
Click to expand...
all this tells me is that you're eccentric.

The 580/600 has a smoother and darker sound than the 590's. The 590's brought exceptional detail without fatigue. Unfortunately, since the 590's offered a different sound than what some Sennheiser fans were used to, people didn't like it. The 590's are better at transients and air, but aren't quite as smooth/warm as the 580. The 590's are precise and sharp without being brittle.
Click to expand...
i have heard the 590s and to my ears they're extremely brittle and pointlessly forward. if you want a hump, buy grado. for the record, my home phones for the last few years have been amplified hd600s.

anyways, back to the topic... for gaming you probably want sealed, and you want that cinematic low end, so off the top of my head, sony mdr-v6 (not v600) aka 7506 (in the professional line) or sennheiser 280s might work for you, and are both in your price range. the nice thinga bout the sonys is that they're tanks. the hinging is all metal (the only pair i've seen break were run over by a car), and they're also quite easy to drive.

for more suggestions, ask around at head-fi.
 
golly. scary amounts of knowledge on headphones here.

while i was still working at GMR, a new company called ultrasone sent me their HFI-15G headphones. i quite like them. they're light, comfortable, and reasonably portable (if need be.) they also don't fatigue your ears -- supposedly, this is due to technology newly developed by ultrasone. i dunno what the deal is, but so far it seems to be true. i don't get the whole vague earache thing even when i listen to them for a flight from coast to coast, or all day at work.

think they cost about $100.

http://www.ultrasone.com/htdocs/02_products/hfi.php?subcat=1&id=4
 
fart said:
all this tells me is that you're eccentric.
Click to expand...

True =) I just gave that detail to mean that I've spent years listening to these headphones rather just me saying "I heard it at a store."

They are definitely forward sounding headphones which I prefer, but I don't think it's fair to say they're brittle at all. You don't get fatigued when listening to the HD590s. They're closer to sound of a Cremona Auditor versus the a classic Concerto. When you listen to an soprano, I want it to be just a hair away from being shrill as it would be live...

Although I will say that I prefer the sound of my silver-speaker wire which you might find to be too bright.

fart said:
my home phones for the last few years have been amplified hd600s.
Click to expand...
Awesome setup.

fart said:
cinematic low end, so off the top of my head, sony mdr-v6 (not v600) aka 7506 (in the professional line)
Click to expand...

Agree 100% with this recommendation.
 
GXAlan said:
True =) I just gave that detail to mean that I've spent years listening to these headphones rather just me saying "I heard it at a store."
Click to expand...
i'm not questioning your credentials, i really do firmly believe the 590s were badly voiced.

i have heard good things about ultrasone as well
 
fart said:
i'm not questioning your credentials, i really do firmly believe the 590s were badly voiced.
Click to expand...

Fart, I didn't mean to imply that you were questioning the credentials. I was just saying that in advance for the general GAFer.

I think it's fair to say that the HD590 and HD600 are voiced differently, and there appears to groups of people who favor one over the other, which is why we have the HD595 and the HD650.

We should probably bring the discussion of the HD590/595 vs HD580/600/650 to PM though, since it's out of Gamedude's budget.
 
fart said:
i have heard good things about ultrasone as well
Click to expand...
i'd recommend checking them out, but clearly, i have no ability to actually offer you advice or recommendations. i'd be curious to know what someone who actually knows about headphones thinks, though.
 
GXAlan said:
We should probably bring the discussion of the HD590/595 vs HD580/600/650 to PM though, since it's out of Gamedude's budget.
Click to expand...
thanks. ;)

What about the Sennheiser RS30-8 ? any thoughts about that one? + how many does that Sony 7506 cost?
 
Sony MDR-7506 is $100 at Amazon -- these are the headphones you'll see being used at the guy monitoring the Academy Awards, concerts, etc. (FYI, SF's Symphony's SACDs were monitored on both the MDR-7506 and HD580).

Snooty audiophile review of the MDR-7506

I'd stay away from RF based wireless headphones. Not high-enough quality.

------------
You know, for just gaming, I'd consider the dirt-cheap Koss PortaPro's for $35 on sale. Don't let the name or appearance fool you, like the Grado's, the PortaPro is an ugly pair of headphones, but sounds exceptional. The nice thing is that these have a lifetime warranty as long as you pay for shipping both ways.

Not-so-snooty review of the PortaPros
 
I've got the Grado sr125's, and absolutely love them. I'm someone who cares just as much about detail in the highs as in the lows, so the detail in things ilke cymbal decay and harmonics and acoustic guitars is very welcome.

The only time they're uncomfortable is when you have the headband too tight and it pushes the cans against your ear. Just bend the headband back a little and problem solved. I think they're quite comfortable actually.

EDIT-

I'll also add, that if you really don't feel like spending alot of money, you could go with the $20 Koss KSC-50's. They're obviously not at the same level as my grado's, but they sound FAR FAR better than any other headphones I've heard for the price, and since they're only 20 bucks you don't to freak out about losing or damaging them.
 
If you're on a budget, look into a pair of Sony's 'street-style' headphones. I found an older model in a bargain bin for 15 bucks and bought two pairs, and they're really nice. Cnet rated them in their top ten.

Link for reference
 
how about a cheapish pair of noise-cancelling headphones for exclusive DS/PSP use on trains and planes? Need to be available in the UK please.
 
morbidaza said:
I've got the Grado sr125's, and absolutely love them. I'm someone who cares just as much about detail in the highs as in the lows, so the detail in things ilke cymbal decay and harmonics and acoustic guitars is very welcome.

The only time they're uncomfortable is when you have the headband too tight and it pushes the cans against your ear. Just bend the headband back a little and problem solved. I think they're quite comfortable actually.

EDIT-

I'll also add, that if you really don't feel like spending alot of money, you could go with the $20 Koss KSC-50's. They're obviously not at the same level as my grado's, but they sound FAR FAR better than any other headphones I've heard for the price, and since they're only 20 bucks you don't to freak out about losing or damaging them.
Click to expand...
how many did they cost you?
 
Man, no one is looking at your budget. THe SR125 is $150. The SR80 is $95 and the SR60 is $70. The problem is that Grado headphones are uncomfortable. They have superb sound, but your ears will hurt...

Try the Koss PortaPro headphones at Amazon for $33 (previous link). They're regularly $45-50, and they're both comfortable and high-end sounding. Significantly better than anything else in Koss's line-up. The only disadvantage is that they look ugly.

Edit: The Sennheiser PX100 ($50) are an alternative to the Porta Pro. Most people say it's 95% of the quality of the Porta Pro's, but much more practical as a portable headphone and cooler looking.
 
Grado SR60

They aren't uncomfortable. You shouldn't be listening to music through headphones for more than an hour straight anyway (you'll kill your ears)
 
Vortac said:
You shouldn't be listening to music through headphones for more than an hour straight anyway (you'll kill your ears)
Click to expand...

Gamedude said:
I will not listen music with it, I do that in the day with my dolby system. this headphone will only be used for games.
Click to expand...

I like Grado headphones too -- they're just not the right set for gamedude.
 
Only if you turn up the volume to much. You can't ruin you ears by listening to anything that's not to loud, just as your eyesight doesn't get worse by reading in poor lighting.
Personally I can recommend the Sennheiser HD 497.
 
GXAlan said:
Try the Koss PortaPro headphones at Amazon for $33 (previous link). They're regularly $45-50, and they're both comfortable and high-end sounding. Significantly better than anything else in Koss's line-up. The only disadvantage is that they look ugly.
Click to expand...

I've got a pair of these. And yes, they look like 1950's braces head gear. They sound a lot better than a lot of the ear bud/street style, etc. headphones you can get for the same price at best buy, and they're pretty light weight.
However, I've totally killed the pads after a year of daily use at the office, which is a small disappointment.

Also, I don't know if Sony still uses a self-adjusting headband on its 'phones, but that's easily the most comfortable setup I've ever worn.
 
I'm vouching for the Koss PortaPro's. Don't let all these audiophiles get to your head ^_^, just try the Koss's out somewhere and I'm sure they'll satisfy you.
 
the problem with the portapros is that they're open and leak sound like crazy. i'm guessing this isn't so good in a gaming enviro where you want the best possible isolation for picking up on locality, and keeping your audio private in competition.

also, i love grados as much as the next guy, but they're not very good gaming headphones for the reasons mentioned, and they're uncomfortable for long periods of time as well. stop suggesting them, or start a new music headphone suggestions thread and post your grado suggestions there.

beyerdynamic, koss 4AAs, etc. are the kind of headphone that should be in the pot here. gxalan and i both agree that sony 7506s would be excellent (and they can be found for ~60-70$ at fry's, ecost, froogle, etc) as well as sennheiser hd280s, sennheiser px100, etc.

i've never heard the senn 497 btw, but i think headroom (headphone.com) didn't review them very well (and they _sell_ them).

whatever you do, DON'T by sony streetstyles, sony mdr-vxxx where xxx = anything but 6 (sony mdr-v6 are identical to the pro series 7506), and that means no v600 either.
 
Gamedude said:
k, just for confirmation.. this MDR-7506 Sony is the on you recommend me? Than I'll be pre-ordering this one in my Sony store. :)
Click to expand...

The MDR-7506 and MDR-V6 are the same headphones.. just relabeled for different markets, I believe.
 
AndoCalrissian said:
Wouldn't it be a lot more expensive in a Sony store? Or am I crazy.
Click to expand...
you're right, I informed in my sony center --> it costs 200$ over there!

the thing is, I don't live in America.. I live in europe (Belgium) so, I'll be "importing" it from a online shop which is cheaper.. which one should I pick? Amazon = 100$

you guys know a online shop which is even cheaper + sends worldwide? (it of course needs to have that SONY Headphone: 7506
 
I personally have trusted GoodCans advice for a while, so if you haven't decided just yet, I'd consider their recommendation of the Sennheiser HD280 Professional as the best closed headphones for the price (99.99). These guys are HUGE Grado whores and for them to give recommendations to anything outside of that line takes a lot. They hate closed because of the sound distortion, so any time they have anything remotely positive to say about a set, I take notice that it must be a pretty nice pair.

http://www.goodcans.com/ListeningStation/
 
Got a pair of Sony MDR-CD580's ages ago, not only does the quality impress me but it's incredibly durable for a Sony product, still works perfectly.
 
Enigma said:
I personally have trusted GoodCans advice for a while, so if you haven't decided just yet, I'd consider their recommendation of the Sennheiser HD280 Professional as the best closed headphones for the price (99.99). These guys are HUGE Grado whores and for them to give recommendations to anything outside of that line takes a lot. They hate closed because of the sound distortion, so any time they have anything remotely positive to say about a set, I take notice that it must be a pretty nice pair.

http://www.goodcans.com/ListeningStation/
Click to expand...
I didn't have chosen yet, so the Sony 7506 is in the same price catagory like that Sennheiser 280 Professional.... which one to pick if you had to choose. (asking to other members ;)

just checking amazon.com --> Sony MDR 7506 vs Sennheiser 280 HD vs Sennheiser SR80
which one :)
 
The 7506 and V6's are supposed to be the same, but I did see http://multimedian.com/pcm/reviews/7506.html

For a while, the V6 and 7506 co-existed. The V6's were officially discontinued a long time ago, but since they were so good, tons of companies stocked up on them. Since the 7506's continue to be manufactured, it's possible that they're better simply because they're newer.
 
I want to find some good phones for my PSP (especially for a certain music-based puzzle game) and other portables. I don't mind leakage so much; in fact it's kind of handy for me to be able to hear when other people are trying to talk to me. I want good sound quality, yet I want to spend less than 50 if at all possible but am willing to spend more if it's really worth it. I would prefer earphones, but headphones are ok too if they are portable and fold up small.

Mostly, I don't want my ears to get all sore or clammy after only 15 min or so. I bought some stock Sony earphones for like 20 bucks recently but they really hurt my ear canals after just a short while.
 
bumping this thread for the last time, I'm going to order a headphone for 100$ in one of the following days. Sony MDR 7506 vs Sennheiser 280 HD vs Sennheiser SR80

All +- 100$
 
Gamedude said:
bumping this thread for the last time, I'm going to order a headphone for 100$ in one of the following days. Sony MDR 7506 vs Sennheiser 280 HD vs Sennheiser SR80

All +- 100$
Click to expand...
someone? :)
 
Read the reviews on the two and decide for yourself. How many people in this thread have actually listened to both models with their own ears? It's hard to personally recommend something unless you have.
 
if you're in europe, the sennheisers might be a little cheaper. the highs on the sonys are too shrill for some people, but they're definitely sturdier. i've never heard the hd280, but i've heard very good things about them. my guess is that the hd280 will be more laid back than the sonys, which are very good monitors and have huge bass, but can be a little fatiguing sometimes.

as i keep saying, i would not recommend the grado sr80 for your purposes.

for the person looking for portables, the koss s/portapros or their modern counterparts the ksc-35/ksc-50/ksc-55 are very good bets. they're open and leak sound like crazy, but are cheap, portable and pretty good for music or games. my portable for the last few months have been senn mx550 earbuds. they have a very full midrange but can be somewhat shrill - they have a very high sensitivity though, perfect for portable equipment. not mind blowing or anything, but not bad for 25$. if you want closed portables, pretty much your only option is the senn px100.
 
Thanks for the advice! You're the second person who's recommended koss portapros so maybe I'll pick some of those up. And for me, the leakage is a good thing ;D

Thanks again.
 
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