[KG Jag]

If you had a $300.00 budget and you are just starting out, what headphone/dac/amp combination would you buy?
 
I currently use a pair of Shure SRH440 and primarily listen to music on my desktop (FLAC files + FOOBAR + headphones plugged into my M-Audo AV30 speakers headphone jack). I have been using this combo for about a year now but want to step up and improve my experience. I spend quite a bit of time on my computer (I work from home) and I look at this as a bit of an investment so I am not afraid to spend a bit of money. However, I see this as turning into a very expensive hobby as well!
 
Anyways, I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions regarding my budget and listening habits/tastes? I have outlined my information below...
 

• 90% of the time I listen to music on my desktop computer.
• The headphones will be used for music only (I don't care about movies or gaming).
• I listen to everything...alternative rock, rock, blues (The Shins, Black Keys, Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie, Brendan Benson...too many to list!)
• I have a dedicated office that allows me privacy so open or closed headphones doesn't really matter. I am more or less looking for the best sound and want to get the most out of what I listen to.
• I would love to find something comfortable. That is my only complaint about the SRH440's...they are a little fatiguing after long listening sessions.
• Reliabilty. I want something that will last.
• As far as a DAC/amp goes...I just want something that will be an upgrade from my cheap onboard computer audio and that will pair nicely with whatever headphones you recommend.
• My overall budget is $300.  

 
Considering all these factors, what do you guys recommend? 
 
Thanks for all your help and I look forward to your replies.

If you're happy with your 440's, get the much better 840 ear pads and put them on the 440. It's a cheap fix that might meet your needs.

 

[Bboy500]

Need a little help.

So, my first "Audiophile" headphone pair I bought was the Pro 550's. I loved them and still do to a certain point still. long story short, I started noticing the bad parts of them. SO I decided to go after the next logical upgrade... the Pro 900's.

The Bass is great on these, but they just feel really screechy to me and I honestly don't want that anymore. That was one of my main problems with the Pro 550's and it did not get solved, in fact I think it got worse. As much as I want to enjoy these, when those parts come up they kill all the enjoyment I have at that moment.

What are good some good headphones for me? I'll list the important things and the music I listen to. Bass is still important to me, but I realized I don't need the "Bass Kings" and am willing to sacrifice some bass for SQ.

Budget: $411 (Planning on returning these back to B&H for a full refund)

Priority:
1. Soundstage (I game alot!)
2. Bass
3. Treble/High (This is where I want the schreechyness gone)
4. Mids

Genres:
1. Hip-Hop.... but this might change soon. I'm starting to grow out of it.
2. Rock
3. R&B
3.1 Pop (Very close tie with R&B)
4. Dance/House

Uses:
50% Gaming
40% Music
10% Movies (I do watch movies on a weekly basis, so don't discount movies)

Remember, the main thing I want gone is the screechyness of the Pro 900's. A song I have a huge problem listening to is this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyv4Bjja8yc

And as another example this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn676-fLq7I

Both are in Flac so that is not the problem. I am looking into the Ultrasone Edition 8's (As I seem to like the overall signature of Ultrasones) but I'm a long time away from getting triple digit priced headphones.

Edit: I also have a Fiio E10 as my current amp/dac, Can't really get anything higher atm.

 

[153jam]

Audio Technica M50S: are mine faulty or am i just picky?
 
Ok so i will start off by saying I am not particularly knowledgeable about headphones and such.. This is the most i have ever spent on a pair.
 
I bought a pair of these headphones last week for listening to music through my Ipod classic and a fiio e5 using a line out adapter. They have had around 40 hours listening to break them in. 
 
I was expecting a punchy bass from the review and I can barely even hear the bass on some tracks. I am not a "bass head" by any means but I am a professional bass guitarist and not one to struggle to pick out the bass notes.
 
The headphones just don't sound particularly "active", is the word I would call it (apologize for my lack of terminology), they sound slightly dull, although i think the highs and cymbals do sound great. 
 
On some tracks which have a heavy bass such as Jamiroquai- "feel so good" I am hearing distortion in the bass part. The EQ on my Ipod and e5 are flat.
 
Main reason I am asking this is because I heard great reviews about these phones and heard they have a solid punchy bass which mine just don't. If anything the bass sounded more refined on my HD202's.
 
Thanks very much for reading, again I apologize if anything I am saying does not make sense to you headphone gurus.

 

[viralcow]

Quote:

Need a little help.
So, my first "Audiophile" headphone pair I bought was the Pro 550's. I loved them and still do to a certain point still. long story short, I started noticing the bad parts of them. SO I decided to go after the next logical upgrade... the Pro 900's.
The Bass is great on these, but they just feel really screechy to me and I honestly don't want that anymore. That was one of my main problems with the Pro 550's and it did not get solved, in fact I think it got worse. As much as I want to enjoy these, when those parts come up they kill all the enjoyment I have at that moment.
What are good some good headphones for me? I'll list the important things and the music I listen to. Bass is still important to me, but I realized I don't need the "Bass Kings" and am willing to sacrifice some bass for SQ.
Budget: $411 (Planning on returning these back to B&H for a full refund)
Priority:
1. Soundstage (I game alot!)
2. Bass
3. Treble/High (This is where I want the schreechyness gone)
4. Mids
Genres:
1. Hip-Hop.... but this might change soon. I'm starting to grow out of it.
2. Rock
3. R&B
3.1 Pop (Very close tie with R&B)
4. Dance/House
Uses:
50% Gaming
40% Music
10% Movies (I do watch movies on a weekly basis, so don't discount movies)
Remember, the main thing I want gone is the screechyness of the Pro 900's.

 
The screechiness is called "sibiliance," and is a problem in a lot of bright headphones. However, you seem especially sensitive to it since I listened to both songs with the DT990 (also known for having sibiliance) and I didn't think it was bad at all. But I haven't heard the Ultrasones so I can't say for sure. I certainly would have recommended the DT990 which is one of the few cans with both good bass and wide soundstage, but since it also has very forward treble you'll probably dislike them.
 
Try the AKG Q701... It won't have the bass impact you want (still nicely extended, deep bass) but it's not as sibilant and has great soundstage.

 

[TheHowzer]

Quote:

 
Id say some used m50's from Ebay would do you good. I'd stay away from AKG's as the few I've heard are a little bass lacking. Generaly if you can swap out the cable on a headset you can simply put in another one with the mic and such, Otherwise I believe audio technica has some bass-ier headphones with mics. Hope this helps and as thecansman said the SRH840's may be a good idea but beware that the comfort of those depends on the person.
 

Thats great, but I really need something with a removable cord. Will I be making a mistake if I just go with the Numark Red Waves?

 

[Bboy500]

The screechiness is called "sibiliance," and is a problem in a lot of bright headphones. However, you seem especially sensitive to it since I listened to both songs with the DT990 (also known for having sibiliance) and I didn't think it was bad at all. But I haven't heard the Ultrasones so I can't say for sure. I certainly would have recommended the DT990 which is one of the few cans with both good bass and wide soundstage, but since it also has very forward treble you'll probably dislike them.

Try the AKG Q701... It won't have the bass impact you want (still nicely extended, deep bass) but it's not as sibilant and has great soundstage.

Since my local B&H has them (Yay for living in NYC) I can try then and return them, as I'm about to do with these.

But what's scaring me is doing a quick Google search and looking @ topics/reviews the genre this seems to be going for is completely opposite of mine. I don't want to be known in the store as "The guy who opens then returns our headphones" lol.

As another example, I also listen to these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keBkITSkLlM

or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OnnDqH6Wj8

If the above would work good enough for those types, I can give it a shot.

 

[viralcow]

Quote:

I bought a pair of these headphones last week for listening to music through my Ipod classic and a fiio e5 using a line out adapter. They have had around 40 hours listening to break them in.
 
I was expecting a punchy bass from the review and I can barely even hear the bass on some tracks. I am not a "bass head" by any means but I am a professional bass guitarist and not one to struggle to pick out the bass notes.
 
The headphones just don't sound particularly "active", is the word I would call it (apologize for my lack of terminology), they sound slightly dull, although i think the highs and cymbals do sound great.
 
On some tracks which have a heavy bass such as Jamiroquai- "feel so good" I am hearing distortion in the bass part. The EQ on my Ipod and e5 are flat.
 

 
This is why the rule of thumb is to take all reviews with a grain of salt. Many reviews say the M50s have punchy bass, so it gives the impression they have satisfying bass impact, but in reality they are much closer to neutral. They used to be more bass-heavy a couple years back but a recent revision by Audio Technica made them less so. Also, when reviews say "punchy bass," they are often exaggerating for the sake of comparison. Punchy bass compared to what? AD700? Of course. HFI-580? Not at all. So a lot of people buy the M50s expecting bass but are disappointed.
 
I'm more worried about the distortion you're hearing. Your source might be the problem there. What bitrate music files are you listening to?

 

[Bboy500]

Anyone know anything about these?

http://www.amazon.com/HiFiMAN-HE-400-Planar-Efficiency-Headphones/dp/B007ZG32I4

These seem like the solution I'm searching for.... but not sure.

 

[153jam]

Quote:

 
This is why the rule of thumb is to take all reviews with a grain of salt. Many reviews say the M50s have punchy bass, so it gives the impression they have satisfying bass impact, but in reality they are much closer to neutral. They used to be more bass-heavy a couple years back but a recent revision by Audio Technica made them less so. Also, when reviews say "punchy bass," they are often exaggerating for the sake of comparison. Punchy bass compared to what? AD700? Of course. HFI-780? Not at all. So a lot of people buy the M50s expecting bass but are disappointed.
 
I'm more worried about the distortion you're hearing. Your source might be the problem there. What bitrate music files are you listening to?

Thanks very much for the reply mate! That is disappointing to hear, would you be able to recommend a similar priced pair of headphones which would give me a bit more punch? How about those HFI-780 you speak of? I would prefer to use closed back headphones.
 
I believe all my music is at 320kbps.

 

[viralcow]

Quote:

Since my local B&H has them (Yay for living in NYC) I can try then and return them, as I'm about to do with these.
But what's scaring me is doing a quick Google search and looking @ topics/reviews the genre this seems to be going for is completely opposite of mine. I don't want to be known in the store as "The guy who opens then returns our headphones" lol.
As another example, I also listen to these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keBkITSkLlM
or this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OnnDqH6Wj8
If the above would work good enough for those types, I can give it a shot.

 
 
Yes... but the biggest problem here is that you're wanting a lot of bass but also good soundstage for gaming. In most cases, closed-back headphones have better bass response, but at the cost of soundstage.
 
So if you prioritize gaming over music listening, then I would be ready to sacrifice a lot of the thumping bass, and vice versa. I suggested the Q701 because it has a decent amount of bass for an open can. If it's not enough for you, then always a little bit of eq'ing can set things right. And btw you will want to amp these. I suggest the Fiio e10, which also comes with a bass boost switch (not much, but still noticeable).
 
EDIT: Just realized you had $400 to spend on headphones. I would go for the Hifiman HE-400 then.

 

[drumsnspace]

Going to be purchasing a HRT Headstreamer (or similarly priced USB DAC/ amp) sometime soon, and I would like someone to advice me on the following headphones.
 
1. AKG K550 - I hear these are difficult to get a good fit, although I have a bigger head (close to 60cm). Also hear there is a lot of sibilance, which I won't mind if it's accurate and in proper proportion to the rest of the sound frequencies.
 
2. Sennheiser Momentum - I don't want bass heavy 'phones, not looking for a Beats impersonator. Is that what these are?
 
3. Sony MDR-1R - Really liking all the positive things I hear about their comfort factor. Does the SQ live up to the comfort these provide?
 
Essentially, I need something that is comfortable and most suitable for home use. Looking for closed backs, but I can make do with (semi) open sets as well if its a much better option.
 
I listen to all forms of rock, experimental music, ambient tracks, lo-fi, hip hop, jazz, classical, and most anything relating to those genres. If there are better options for either a DAC/ amp combo or full-size headphones I am more than willing to hear them out. Definitely seeking out accurate sound reproduction, but still fun to listen to. Form factor is another category I am considering, but it is low on my priorities. Thanks for the help!

 

[Taosta]

Hey everyone,
I'm new to the site, but have been following the fischer eterna v1s, and they seem to be the pair of IEMs perfect to what I'm looking for. But it seems now that they're all long gone and I'm SOL.
Does anyone know where i can find some or any ideas of an alternative to these with similar sound quality?

 

[SRCP]

Best gaming headphones under $200? To connect to an Onkyo sound system for use with a PS3 and PC that are connected to it.
 

 

[lastdefenders]

Quote:

Alas, my old headphones are wearing out after seven (!) years of daily use.  They're Sony MDR-NC40s, not terribly great unless I turn the noise-cancelling on.  So I've decided I want some new headphones for Christmas.  I'm really in love with the Ultrasone PRO 750s, but unfortunately they're a bit out of budget.
 
Here's what I'm looking for:
--~$150.
--Will be used with the Asus Xonar DG soundcard--these will ALWAYS be attached to this computer.
--Listening habits: Asian Pop (think Sakamoto Maaya, Girls Generation!, that sort of thing), Epic Trance (Armin van Buuren, etc.), classical (particularly Organ or French Horn).  Really a bit of everything, but those three types make up about 80% of my collection.  I also do a lot of MMO-gaming, running both the game with sound and a VoIP client.  I don't play FPSes, though, so positional sound isn't really a big thing for me.
--Nothing in-ear.  Open or closed doesn't matter, I've used a wide variety of headphone styles and don't really have a preference beyond the no in-ear thing.
--I'd really PREFER something with non-leather/pleather covering on the pads.  It wears out, makes me sweat, and...turns my ears black.  Yuck!  So fabric, velour, something not leather/pleather.
--Some degree of isolation would be nice, but not actual noise-cancelling.  But if someone is yelling at me in Ventrilo, I would like my roommate to not actually know that my friends curse like drunken sailors.
--A certain bit of "classic style" is very much a plus!  The AKG 701s are my ideal in this regard--so pretty!
--I do not, at this point, have either a DAC or an amp.  I do, however, have a very large CD collection (hundreds and hundreds).
--A cord no shorter than 4'.
--Something comfortable, not too heavy and that doesn't feel like you're wearing a pair of bricks.  I wear my headphones every day for hours at a time.
--The big thing--this will be the sole audio output for this computer; it has no speakers.  So I'd like something versatile, something that will give me at-least-decent sound whether I'm watching the latest viral video hit or listening to a CD.
 
Thanks in advance!

Woe to my budget.  A friend just pointed me at the Sennheiser HD598s, which are exactly what I'm looking for--but a hundred dollars more than I'm looking to spend!  Anyone have any other recommendations?

 

[KG Jag]

Hey everyone,
I'm new to the site, but have been following the fischer eterna v1s, and they seem to be the pair of IEMs perfect to what I'm looking for. But it seems now that they're all long gone and I'm SOL.
Does anyone know where i can find some or any ideas of an alternative to these with similar sound quality?

If you're looking for advice on IEM's, you're in the wrong section of the forum.