Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide: (8/18/2022: iFi GO Blu Review Added)
Mar 9, 2013 at 4:47 PM Post #12,196 of 48,566
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@chicolom
 
I see your avatar pic is AKG Q701 white(I guess by your avatar that you own a AKG Q701) and you listened to how many models, 50-100, and you are primely into gaming, right?  So if it is the best posibble choice for you and you are fond of Dolby Headphone as I am too why would I look any further? From what I read I concluded that you cant really beat AKG Q701 for gaming and everything else I mean all around headphones. Just to add that I never listened anything else on PC except Beyerdynamic MMX 300 and my opinion is based on reading the forums, reviews on internet and so on...  

 
Yes, the Q701s are MY favorite headphones out of the ones I've tried (see my profile), but that doesn't mean they will be YOUR favorite headphones
 
But they are my top recommendation. 
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Mar 9, 2013 at 4:50 PM Post #12,197 of 48,566
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Just got the vegan (velour-ish) LCD2. Just as amazing as the leather padded LCD2 + velour comfort. The bass is just as amazing as I remember. Worries have been squashed.
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I wonder if those Vegan pads would fit on D7000s.  Probably too big.
 
I think there is a business opportunity for just making aftermarket earpads for various high end headphones, and someone should do it.
 
Mar 9, 2013 at 6:45 PM Post #12,198 of 48,566
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I've looked at the Stax Lambda and that looks really nice just don't know how I'd go about getting a set-up with XLR or RCA that would be as productive as I hope so they will be replacement set afterwards I've decided when I'm willing to spend a bit more. For now I think I've decided on the K550 or K701/702 or the Q701. So in order to keep the cost down now and speed along the Stax setup would a Creative Titanium Fatal1ty with a built in 600ohm headphone amp be decent or should I go with a Soundblaster X-fi XtremeGamer and get an amp? If this is the case what amp would pair well with these?
 
I need to be able to hear distinctly different channels and have surround sound in every game I play. This is why I need CMSS-3d then right?

 
Mine sounds fine with RCA. I'm not sure that I want to go to the expense of running XLR. Also remember that you can get 3.5mm TRS to dual RCA adapter cables.
 
X-Fi cards tend not to have built-in headphone amp ICs, but you have plenty of external ones to choose from. Popular choices these days include the JDS Labs-built Objective2 and the Schiit Magni, though I have no ears-on experience with either of those, let alone in combination with the AKG headphones mentioned.
 
Also note that as soon as you jump into Stax, you're going to have to sell off whatever headphone amp you were using prior, unless you're using some kind of integrated receiver as a headphone amp and connect a transformer box to the speaker taps. Electrostatics require specialized amplification, which is why you have to budget for the system, not just the headphones.
 
Yes, that's why you need CMSS-3D Headphone-to get nicely virtualized surround sound, or even a proper binaural HRTF mix for the games that allow that, over headphones.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 12:46 AM Post #12,199 of 48,566
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I can take those D7000s off your hands.
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I like the Pro 2900s for gaming, but they are really overpriced...


 yeah the price on the 2900s are over the top ..    ive heard them briefly, and still prefer the 2400s ...
 
ill get those 7000s recabled too.   that denon cable is SO easy to tangle ... not that its a bad cable, but damn, it gets messy.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 12:46 AM Post #12,200 of 48,566
Will go Soundblaster X-fi XtremeGamer and Q701 then I believe, anyone got a recommendation on a good amplifier for these headphones? I'm going to look into that now however would appreciate the input.
 
Anyone know of somewhere that you could hear these headphones in person?
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 12:51 AM Post #12,201 of 48,566
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Willing to bet the MMX300 is not gonna be bested or rivaled by many in terms of positional cues. The DT770, which those are modeled after, are literally the best I heard in positional cues. However, due to the closed design, it loses in air and sheer soundstage/openness. That isn't a detriment to its competitive gaming prowess, and I doubt anything you get will be a true upgrade for that purpose.

 
the mmx300 is basically a DT770 premium. at 32ohms. with a broadcast mic .. (if your into voice comms in games, u probably wont find better)
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 1:29 AM Post #12,202 of 48,566
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Dan (MrSpeakers) also posts here on HF and there's a long thread about 'em if you wanna look into them. I haven't heard 'em myself but impressions look pretty good, not sure if they'd be up there w/the DT 770 in terms of sound stage tho. The pads look superb if you're not opposed to leather (it's real lambskin leather).
 
There's varying degrees of open headphones, sort of, some just seem to leak out a lot more than others... But most are gonna leak out enough that anyone in the room will hear it unless there's also music playing over speakers or something (in which case you'll clearly hear that). So yeah, not recommended if you routinely game in the presence of others... Unless you have a closed option as a backup to switch to, it's gonna bug either you or them.
 
I think you have a good sense of what MLE means by fun factor, tho ultimately the exact balance is gonna be subjective and something that's particular to your personal taste... Some might crave a lil more bass impact, others just want it present and detailed, etc. I've never heard the 350 but if it's anything like the 360 then it's kind of at the opposite end of the spectrum as the M-100, but I think there's plenty of room between those two (as far as where other headphones would fall).
 
Mixamp will struggle w/some $300-range headphones (MD possibly) but not all, AT A-series are easy to drive (as are the two you've tried), DT 770 80-ohm version might be fine too.

the sound stage is a touch smaller than my xb 700 [which is technically semi open ish] and my dt 880s also DAMN ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. Sheesh the Mad Dogs are not BASS head cans. As mine have some serious sub bass ROLL OFF, listening to Nu Tone, and they have the detail of SUB BASS, but not the DAMN SLAM of sub bass...
 
hmm my xb 700s have gone out I think... poor things lasted me a year e.e... and DMN I don't have another Sub Bass Can atm q.q [ NO mad Dogs u not good enough] TO THE TRADE forums
 
maybe not, there is a TON MORE BASS in the left than the right... and Foo bar shows the front left being a louder current, still putting left to right ear balances them out :O... I don't  hear this with any other can... I take that back, I switched left and right in on my amp and it sounded balanced again... the tube maybe voltage is off? [but thankfully it's not the cans [cuz dmn they sound good] 
 
Yup its the tube... one side is at 14.2 the other 13.34, ima roll another and see the differance. I have 4 rca Clear tops e.e
 
so new 12ua7a balanced out... 
 
 
Ehmm stil everything not xb 700 20hrz sounds BAD
 
Ahh well I leanred something about the indeed g3, the bass switch Unb blances ur tube! It cranks the voltage up by about .1 or so... an so I guess after being used for so long one side gets more volts than the other
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 9:39 AM Post #12,203 of 48,566
Calpis, did the headphones reach you?

Not quite :p .  It's actually this guy


Looks like the picture was taken at Yale... No offense to any alumni of that school, but when I visited the campus I got the sense that Yale could be a place to see people wearing expensive full-sized headphones while walking about. And I'm not talking in the sense that an MIT student would wear a full size headphone too, an MIT student would more likely wear Mad Dogs connected to a custom O2 that is somehow more portable and an upgraded Android smartphone – the Yale student would probably have AKG Q701s or K550s connected to an iPhone 5 (cable shortened for portable use by someone they know) along with a sweater vest in the spring or fall.

What actually grabs my attention in that linked photo the most is that girl on the right, with what looks like a stocking over her face and coming up over her head. Could be a shadow because the contrast is quite high in that photo, but the effect is weird
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 12:46 PM Post #12,204 of 48,566
More questions out of me :)
 
Would pairing the Senn PC350 with some type of desktop AMP increase the "funness" of these cans? If so, I may try that (as it looks like I'll need an amp regardless of the cans I end up deciding on). I've seen the Fiio 9 series on Amazon (and here in this post on the first page), would that be a good place to start?
 
Also, what are the benefits of using an E9K with an E17? Why use them together? One's an amp and the other is a DAC? I'm not quite sure I understand what a DAC is or does, and/or why they would both be needed or used in tandem?
 
If there would be better solutions for the money, please give me links :)
 
Also, should I decide on headphones before picking an AMP/DAC, or would I need to use the same AMP/DAC regardless of cans?
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 1:18 PM Post #12,205 of 48,566
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Originally Posted by kayan /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Also, what are the benefits of using an E9K with an E17? Why use them together? One's an amp and the other is a DAC? I'm not quite sure I understand what a DAC is or does, and/or why they would both be needed or used in tandem?
 
If there would be better solutions for the money, please give me links :)
 
Also, should I decide on headphones before picking an AMP/DAC, or would I need to use the same AMP/DAC regardless of cans?

 
DAC stands for Digital-to-Analog Converter and all it does is change your digital audio signal that your computer produces into an analog signal that your amp and cans understand. The overwhelmingly large amount of sound cards out there perform DAC operations for you, so you will very likely not need this. It becomes more important when you are dealing with devices that have poor or non-upgradeable DACs (laptops, portable players, etc...). Basically, if you have a decent enough sound card, you can simply grab an amp (the E09K in this example) and not worry about the DAC.
 
In terms of decision making, decide on the sound signature you're looking for first, then the headphones that fit that signature, then the amp that pairs well with those cans. Unless you are getting some wild interference from the sound card, an outboard DAC is the very distant and last thing to look at, it at all.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 3:32 PM Post #12,206 of 48,566
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Looks like the picture was taken at Yale...

 
I think it was Oxford (England)
http://ofcblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/aural-style-headphones-looking-good.html
 
Ironically, I live in Oxford, Ohio.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 3:36 PM Post #12,207 of 48,566
Sigh, my car broke down yesterday. Talk about bad timing. Depending on how much it costs...I might have to sell the Annies. I don't want to. I REALLY don't. But the LCD2 nuked my wallet. Here's hoping it's not gonna cost a lot.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 4:44 PM Post #12,208 of 48,566
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Sigh, my car broke down yesterday. Talk about bad timing. Depending on how much it costs...I might have to sell the Annies. I don't want to. I REALLY don't. But the LCD2 nuked my wallet. Here's hoping it's not gonna cost a lot.

 
Out of the sheer kindness of my heart and my general giving nature, I shall humbly offer you a monetary exchange for the Annies, if it so does come to that. Yes, I am a good person.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 4:47 PM Post #12,209 of 48,566
Hahah. I'll keep that in mind. I rather not sell it. I will want it again, and with it's limited availability, I don't wanna take that risk of not being able to, and not for a decent price. I do NOT wanna get a standard K70x/Q with Annie pads and deal with that headband.

Funny, the Annie holds up real well against the LCD2, IMHO. Even in bass. Surely, not matching the LCD2's bass, but it puts up a fight there.
 
Mar 10, 2013 at 4:52 PM Post #12,210 of 48,566
Will go Soundblaster X-fi XtremeGamer and Q701 then I believe, anyone got a recommendation on a good amplifier for these headphones? I'm going to look into that now however would appreciate the input.


Budget? The usual suspects at $100-150 are the O2 (sold by JDS Labs & others), the Fiio E09K, and the Schiit Magni... There's several posts detailing the differences between them within the last few pages.


What actually grabs my attention in that linked photo the most is that girl on the right, with what looks like a stocking over her face and coming up over her head. Could be a shadow because the contrast is quite high in that photo, but the effect is weird


The one in the blue stripes? Looks like she just has a cap on and she's looking down, and the rest is some shadow or whatever above/behind her on the back wall..

Yale/Oxford dude's headphones are halfway down his neck tho, and those pants are either not sown like regular men's pants or he's got some serious twisting going on.

Totally ruined your avatar for me... :p
 

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