++ FULL-SIZE HEADPHONE RECOMMENDATIONS THREAD++ CLOSED: Please post a thread in the Introductions, Help and Advice forum
Dec 30, 2010 at 1:53 PM Post #346 of 29,490


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Just a warning to people looking at the ATH-M50. Fakes for these are prevalent. Use common sense, save yourself some grief and purchase from an authorised dealer. It's not worth saving a few pennies when you hand over the cash for a fake.

 
thanks for this because I was about to buy some on ebay !  I think I will go with these , I read a lot of reviews last night on this forum everyone seems to love them.
 


A lot of people love them because there's so much hype, then all the newbies go out and buy one, and of course since it's their first "high end" headphone it sounds great and they come back to the forum and praise it, which perpetuates the hype.
 
I'm not saying it's bad (though personally not my thing), it is certainly a very solid performer in its price range, even though prices for new ones have jumped back up recently (possibly due to all the hype).
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 2:20 PM Post #348 of 29,490
Oops. Well, it's nothing a whole 30 seconds on your own with a search couldn't have accomplished. Since I'm feeling generous though, here you go...
 
1 review on headfi for the 600: http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd600-over-ear-open-dynamic-hi-fi-professional-stereo-headphones-black
3 reviews on headfi for the 580 (hint: they're virtually the same thing): http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-hd-580
 
68 review on Amazon for the 600: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD600-Dynamic-Professional-Headphones/product-reviews/B00004SY4H/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
 
142 reviews on audioreview for the 600: http://www.audioreview.com/cat/headphones-home-audio/headphones/sennheiser/hd600/PRD_117995_2750crx.aspx
141 reviews on audioreview for the 580: http://www.audioreview.com/cat/headphones-home-audio/headphones/sennheiser/hd580-580/PRD_118000_2750crx.aspx
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 2:56 PM Post #349 of 29,490
Hi everyone. I am going to be purchasing some new headphones very soon. My price range is about 150ish. I enjoy doing DJ home mixing. And i will be listening out of my laptop half the time, and the other half at school during class with my first gen iPhone. Since i'll be listening during class, I NEED very good ISOLATION. The room will basically be silent and I can't have others hearing my music. I plan on keeping these headphones for many YEARS, so durability is a MUST.
 
Also, please recommend and amp if  it would help.
 
Thanks.
 
 
EDIT Sorry i didn't clarify. They must be OVER EAR or ON EAR. Nothing that goes inside my ear.
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 3:21 PM Post #351 of 29,490


Quote:
afinch, we were close to a discussion in another thread, but I guess this is a better thread to discuss it in.
 
I mostly listen to hip=hop/rap, older stuff if that matters. I'm really leaning towards the AKG K142HD and a FiiO E5 amp. I really want a pair of headphones that sound good, but also look good. I'm digging the AKG style. The only thing that bothers me is them being on-ear. Someone on another forum told me to watch out for that, so now I'm a little worried about getting them. Do on ear not produce the same quality of around ear headphones? Do they leak a lot more noise?
 
Thanks for the help guys.

Bump this
 
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 3:22 PM Post #352 of 29,490


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Yikes this thread sure moves fast. I'm just going to address everything from the previous page...
 
 
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Hello everyone, I am interested in upgrading from my HD555 and I'm wondering what to get. 
 
I live in Canada.
 
My budget is around $500.
 
I tend to listen to a wide range of music, particularly: classic rock, trance/techno, oldies, classical, to name a few.
 
So far I'm leaning towards either an AKG K701 (which I can get for about $250) or a Beyerdynamic DT990 600ohm version (which I can get for about $215). 
 
I am also looking at the FiiO E7-E9 combo for use as an amp/dac (I do not own one). I tend to listen to music on my computer if it matters.
 
I'd really appreciate any advice you fellows could give me!


That's a great price for the DT990, and even better one for the K701 (especially buying in Canada). Either one paired with the E7+E9 will be a great combo and serve you for a long time. I'm personally not a huge fan of either of those cans, but if I had to pick I'd go with the K701 (or better yet find yourself a Sextett).
 


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Hey guys. A while back (more than a year at least) I bought a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 headphones, and I've absolutely loved them. Very comfortable, very good sound quality. However, a few days ago, the left headphone suddenly became a whole lot more quiet than the right one.
 
Thinking they'd runt heir course, I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD515s, but the sound seems very sketchy compared to the AD700s.
 
I was wondering if anybody here knew of a way to fix the AD700s or a way to digitally increase the volume to the left headphone, or decrease the volume to the right one, just to even up the sound, or am I doomed to spend $AU295 on a new pair?
 
Thanks in advance.


As someone else mentioned, if they are still under warranty you can send them back.
 
If one channel has dropped, don't start trying to adjust the audio balance. Crack the cans open and look for loose wires or broken solder points... anything that looks out of place really. We can't help much until you start poking around to see if anything is out of place.
 


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i just bought the srh750dj headphones from shure and i am not to impressed with the sound. who has experience with these headphones. do i need an amp. or should i let it burn in some more.


Give them some time and see if you adjust to the sound. If you still don't like it, an amp won't change that (although you can always try plugging into a receiver and see how they sound through that). Otherwise, return then and try something else.
 


Quote:
Hi all,
 
I am a complete noob looking to buy my first pair of (good) headphones, i.e. those that don't come from the audio stand at the local BestBuy for $29.99.
 
I was browsing this forum, as well as other resources, for a while but am still pretty confused at what to go after.
I listen to a lot of different types of music, but mainly ambient/accoustic/atmospheric, metal, electronic (darkwave, trance), and folk/world.
My price range is about $300, although hopefully less than that, and the headphone type I'm looking at is either full ear cover, or earbuds/in-ear.
Maybe even 2 different pairs: 1 full, 1 in-ear, with the full ear at the price range above and the in-ear at around $100-$150....
 
I guess what I am looking for is something that can bring every note in ambient music come alive. If anyone's familiar with artists like Steve Roach, Kitaro, Robert Rich, or Jon Jenkins, you'll know what I mean. At the same time I'd like it to handle well inherently louder things with deep basses such as metal, trance, or techno.
 
From what I could gather, I need to look at Senheiser, Bose, AKG, or Audio Technica, just not sure which models exactly. Also, forgive the probably stupid question, but are external headphone amps essential for higher end headphones? And can I get good quality sound without them?
 
If anyone can please shed a bit of light and help me out here, I'd be grateful. It's all a bit confusing right now...
 
Thanks a bunch, guys
 
Jackie


For your type of music, I really enjoyed the M-Audio Q40 which you can probably find for $100-150. It has a deep rumbly bass which gives a great body to electronica. It doesn't need an amp, but it does scale up nicely when you give it more juice. If you want to, spend the rest of your budget on a small amp or dac/amp (many options).
 


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I'm somewhat new to higher end headphones, but I'm looking for some advice.  I'm hoping some of the experts around here can steer me in the right direction...

I travel quite a bit and I'm looking for better audio quality than I'm currently getting from my current Bose qc3. While noise canceling isn't a priority, I believe I will need a closed set of over ear headphones (I'm not a big fan of earbuds or on-ear headphones for long trips) with very little noise leakage, so I'm not bothering the person in the seat next to me. 

I believe I've come close to deciding on the Sennheiser PXC 450.

I'm just looking for a little guidance from some people that have been following these products for a while.

I've noticed that the PXC 450 model was released back in 2007.  Is there a common span of time between Sennheiser  product refreshing?  Has there been any indication that a new model may be coming out in the next few months?

Are there any other headphones in this price range ($400 ish) that you guys could suggest?

Any help would be great!   Thanks!


It's very difficult to predict when new products will come out. Even if there is though, it's not like the old models become magically obsolete, and there's no guarantee that the newer models are any better (though it's a good chance they'll be more expensive). The high end Sennheiser typically review quite well. If you travel a lot though, you might want a smaller supraaural set which will fold up much smaller and be easier to carry, like the PXC 300 or 250.
 


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Was hoping for some advice.
 
I currently own some Audio Technica ATH-A700's and I just got some Senn HD595's. I've got a pair of Grados sr80i's on the way because I wasn't sure if I totally enjoyed the Senn's. I'm trying to find great pair of headphones for under $200 USD. My library of music consists of mostly rock/metal, but recently I've been stepping well outside the genre's and I'm slowly making over my library (been addicted to Animal Collective this past week..). Can anyone point me in some directions? 
 
A bit more detail:
When I got the HD595's out of the package I was rather underwhelmed, but now after giving them a much deserved chance, I can see the appeal of them in the detail they provide (at least in reference to my A700's). I've been looking at maybe getting some Beyerdynamics (the 990's or 770's), but I'm not sure.
 
My Grado's should get here either today or tomorrow (dec 29/30). Excited to give them a try due to the praise the brand gets on this board at least as entry level cans.
 
I do not currently have a serious headphone amp or DAC, all I've got is the Fiio E5 currently. Looking to get both an amp and DAC in the future.
 
I can only afford to keep one pair, but I've got a place with a nice return policy, so I'm trying out stuff. I want to be happy with my new cans, not just content 
atsmile.gif

Any help would be appreciated!


Take a breather and spend some time with your current cans and get a feel for how they sound. Listen to a song, switch headphones, listen again and see if you can pick out the differences as well as what aspects you prefer. If you feel like you need an amp, plug into a receiver at home. Otherwise you succumb to "new toy acquisition syndrome" which makes you bored of your current stuff after only a few months (or weeks... or days) and you wind up spending way too much money buying more gear.
 
You gotta educate your ears a bit before listening to the yammering masses.
 


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Need headphones to $ 200. Listen to rock 45%, jazz 35, classic 20% playback from my PC without an amplifier



Grado SR225i.
 
Next!

 
Quote:
hey everyone
i recently started my hifing with klipsch custom 3's. i really like them, but id like to get some headphones since the custom 3's arent exactly easy to put on. my budget is around $150. I really like the way the custom 3's sound, but id like the headphones to have a bit more warmth than dead neutral. even though i listen to quite a bit of hip hop/rap, using my custom 3's has showed me that bass does not matter that much to me anymore. now, id like a bit more bass than my custom 3's, but im not a bass head. music listened to-pretty much everything-rap, folk, alternative, rock the most. i was looking at grado sr 125i(or sr 80i, since i wont be amping) or maybe audio technica m50, but i like the way the grados look more then the m50s. any other suggestions? thanks guys.


Try the Alessandro MS1. Similar to Grado but a touch warmer and nicer across wider genres than rock.



thanks-but i cant go with the alessandro. i have to get the headphones off of amazon, and they dont have em. So i was thinking-grado sr 125i or something else? I can push my budget up to 200 if i have to, so i could get the sr225i's. anything else sound good. isolation isnt very important to me.
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 3:37 PM Post #353 of 29,490


Quote:
Hi everyone. I am going to be purchasing some new headphones very soon. My price range is about 150ish. I enjoy doing DJ home mixing. And i will be listening out of my laptop half the time, and the other half at school during class with my first gen iPhone. Since i'll be listening during class, I NEED very good ISOLATION. The room will basically be silent and I can't have others hearing my music. I plan on keeping these headphones for many YEARS, so durability is a MUST.
 
Also, please recommend and amp if  it would help.
 
Thanks.

 
For you case I would highly recommend looking into IEMs for the isolation and leakage. Even the best isolating headphones will leak sound in a dead quiet room. Also, your teacher likely will not appreciate you wearing large headphones in class. I would recommend the best Shure or Etymotic IEM you can fit within your budget. Preferably one with a deep insertion, not one that rests shallow on the ear canal.
 
 


Quote:
Quote:
afinch, we were close to a discussion in another thread, but I guess this is a better thread to discuss it in.
 
I mostly listen to hip=hop/rap, older stuff if that matters. I'm really leaning towards the AKG K142HD and a FiiO E5 amp. I really want a pair of headphones that sound good, but also look good. I'm digging the AKG style. The only thing that bothers me is them being on-ear. Someone on another forum told me to watch out for that, so now I'm a little worried about getting them. Do on ear not produce the same quality of around ear headphones? Do they leak a lot more noise?
 
Thanks for the help guys.

Bump this
 


There is no inherent quality difference of on-ear (supraaural) vs over-ear (circumaural). Same for isolation and leakage and comfort, since everyone's ears are different. Some people report better isolation with on-ear, some better with over-ear, and it depends on how the particular headphone fits on your ear too. Best thing you can do is find a local shop which has them and try it out.
 


Quote:
thanks-but i cant go with the alessandro. i have to get the headphones off of amazon, and they dont have em. So i was thinking-grado sr 125i or something else? I can push my budget up to 200 if i have to, so i could get the sr225i's. anything else sound good. isolation isnt very important to me.


Get the best grado you can comfortably afford then (though I feel that the SR80 or MS1 are the best cutoff points in that range). If you're feeling adventurous, you can even open them up for modding, which is not as difficult as it sounds.
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 3:40 PM Post #354 of 29,490
 
Hi everyone. I am going to be purchasing some new headphones very soon. My price range is about 150ish. I enjoy doing DJ home mixing. And i will be listening out of my laptop half the time, and the other half at school during class with my first gen iPhone. Since i'll be listening during class, I NEED very good ISOLATION. The room will basically be silent and I can't have others hearing my music. I plan on keeping these headphones for many YEARS, so durability is a MUST.

 

Also, please recommend and amp if  it would help.

 

Thanks.

 

 

EDIT Sorry i didn't clarify. They must be OVER EAR or ON EAR. Nothing that goes inside my ear.

 
Dec 30, 2010 at 3:59 PM Post #355 of 29,490
 
Hi Head-Fi!

 

I've decided to purchase some nice headphones for a little better music-listening experience.

I listen mainly to Rock and Metal (Metallica, ACDC, Cheap Trick, Airbourne, The Offspring) but I also ocasionally enjoy some pop (Gaga) and rap (Eminem).

 

My budget would be $150 for headphones. (How do Alessandro MS1, 2009 edition sound?)

I'm also guessing an integrated soundcard will not be the best choice for music listening. Could you recommend me a sound card? ($100 budget) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102032&cm_re=soundblaster-_-29-102-032-_-Product this one looks nice.. and it's USB.

 

Also is there any way I could extend the cable, since the headphones usually come with about a 3m long cable and I'd need about 5m. (should I go wireless?)

 

That's all for now.

Hope you'll help me answer some of these questions.

 
Dec 30, 2010 at 4:03 PM Post #356 of 29,490
Hi All,
 
I currently own a iBasso D4 Mamba but I'm considering upgrading my cans to the HD600's or the new 598's.  I'm sure a lot of people here own the HD600's so I'm wondering if my amp is going to be enough to power the 600's?  If not, I'm seriously considering the 598's.  Thanks guys.
 
Dec 30, 2010 at 4:15 PM Post #357 of 29,490
 


Quote:
Quote:
afinch, we were close to a discussion in another thread, but I guess this is a better thread to discuss it in.
 
I mostly listen to hip=hop/rap, older stuff if that matters. I'm really leaning towards the AKG K142HD and a FiiO E5 amp. I really want a pair of headphones that sound good, but also look good. I'm digging the AKG style. The only thing that bothers me is them being on-ear. Someone on another forum told me to watch out for that, so now I'm a little worried about getting them. Do on ear not produce the same quality of around ear headphones? Do they leak a lot more noise?
 
Thanks for the help guys.

Bump this
 


There is no inherent quality difference of on-ear (supraaural) vs over-ear (circumaural). Same for isolation and leakage and comfort, since everyone's ears are different. Some people report better isolation with on-ear, some better with over-ear, and it depends on how the particular headphone fits on your ear too. Best thing you can do is find a local shop which has them and try it out.
 
 
Thanks a ton. I think I'll go for the open ear then, and see how I like them. Would you recommend getting a portable headphone amp for something like the 142HD?


 
Dec 30, 2010 at 4:52 PM Post #358 of 29,490
well...are the 125i's fine without an amp? and if not, is there a suitable amp under 50?
 
Quote:
Quote:
Hi everyone. I am going to be purchasing some new headphones very soon. My price range is about 150ish. I enjoy doing DJ home mixing. And i will be listening out of my laptop half the time, and the other half at school during class with my first gen iPhone. Since i'll be listening during class, I NEED very good ISOLATION. The room will basically be silent and I can't have others hearing my music. I plan on keeping these headphones for many YEARS, so durability is a MUST.
 
Also, please recommend and amp if  it would help.
 
Thanks.

 
For you case I would highly recommend looking into IEMs for the isolation and leakage. Even the best isolating headphones will leak sound in a dead quiet room. Also, your teacher likely will not appreciate you wearing large headphones in class. I would recommend the best Shure or Etymotic IEM you can fit within your budget. Preferably one with a deep insertion, not one that rests shallow on the ear canal.
 
 


Quote:
Quote:
afinch, we were close to a discussion in another thread, but I guess this is a better thread to discuss it in.
 
I mostly listen to hip=hop/rap, older stuff if that matters. I'm really leaning towards the AKG K142HD and a FiiO E5 amp. I really want a pair of headphones that sound good, but also look good. I'm digging the AKG style. The only thing that bothers me is them being on-ear. Someone on another forum told me to watch out for that, so now I'm a little worried about getting them. Do on ear not produce the same quality of around ear headphones? Do they leak a lot more noise?
 
Thanks for the help guys.

Bump this
 


There is no inherent quality difference of on-ear (supraaural) vs over-ear (circumaural). Same for isolation and leakage and comfort, since everyone's ears are different. Some people report better isolation with on-ear, some better with over-ear, and it depends on how the particular headphone fits on your ear too. Best thing you can do is find a local shop which has them and try it out.
 


Quote:
thanks-but i cant go with the alessandro. i have to get the headphones off of amazon, and they dont have em. So i was thinking-grado sr 125i or something else? I can push my budget up to 200 if i have to, so i could get the sr225i's. anything else sound good. isolation isnt very important to me.


Get the best grado you can comfortably afford then (though I feel that the SR80 or MS1 are the best cutoff points in that range). If you're feeling adventurous, you can even open them up for modding, which is not as difficult as it sounds.



 
Dec 30, 2010 at 5:00 PM Post #360 of 29,490

 
Quote:
 
Hi everyone. I am going to be purchasing some new headphones very soon. My price range is about 150ish. I enjoy doing DJ home mixing. And i will be listening out of my laptop half the time, and the other half at school during class with my first gen iPhone. Since i'll be listening during class, I NEED very good ISOLATION. The room will basically be silent and I can't have others hearing my music. I plan on keeping these headphones for many YEARS, so durability is a MUST.
 
Also, please recommend and amp if  it would help.
 
Thanks.
 
 
EDIT Sorry i didn't clarify. They must be OVER EAR or ON EAR. Nothing that goes inside my ear.


The best isolation I have heard in full sized headphones would be the Senn HD280, Senn HD25-1-ii, and Beyer DT770. Since you will be doing mixing, the 280 might be your best bet as it has the flattest frequency response. Trying to mix on bass heavy phones will give you a distorted mix (with basically the opposite response of your headphones).
 
 


Quote:
 
Hi Head-Fi!
 
I've decided to purchase some nice headphones for a little better music-listening experience.
I listen mainly to Rock and Metal (Metallica, ACDC, Cheap Trick, Airbourne, The Offspring) but I also ocasionally enjoy some pop (Gaga) and rap (Eminem).
 
My budget would be $150 for headphones. (How do Alessandro MS1, 2009 edition sound?)
I'm also guessing an integrated soundcard will not be the best choice for music listening. Could you recommend me a sound card? ($100 budget) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102032&cm_re=soundblaster-_-29-102-032-_-Product this one looks nice.. and it's USB.
 
Also is there any way I could extend the cable, since the headphones usually come with about a 3m long cable and I'd need about 5m. (should I go wireless?)
 
That's all for now.
Hope you'll help me answer some of these questions.


At those distances you might want to look into wireless. You can purchase extensions, but then the weight of the cord will start pulling you and the risk of tangling or tripping goes up dramatically unless you're going to be sitting still the whole time. Unfortunately, wireless options start to get expensive.
 
The MS1 is a very good headphone and suits your primary genre well.
 
If you don't need the sound card to be transportable, get a pci version as it will be cheaper overall.
 


Quote:
Hi All,
 
I currently own a iBasso D4 Mamba but I'm considering upgrading my cans to the HD600's or the new 598's.  I'm sure a lot of people here own the HD600's so I'm wondering if my amp is going to be enough to power the 600's?  If not, I'm seriously considering the 598's.  Thanks guys.


The D4 should be enough most most headphones (orthos and electrostats notwithstanding) unless you want to blast your ears out.
 


Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
afinch, we were close to a discussion in another thread, but I guess this is a better thread to discuss it in.
 
I mostly listen to hip=hop/rap, older stuff if that matters. I'm really leaning towards the AKG K142HD and a FiiO E5 amp. I really want a pair of headphones that sound good, but also look good. I'm digging the AKG style. The only thing that bothers me is them being on-ear. Someone on another forum told me to watch out for that, so now I'm a little worried about getting them. Do on ear not produce the same quality of around ear headphones? Do they leak a lot more noise?
 
Thanks for the help guys.

Bump this
 


There is no inherent quality difference of on-ear (supraaural) vs over-ear (circumaural). Same for isolation and leakage and comfort, since everyone's ears are different. Some people report better isolation with on-ear, some better with over-ear, and it depends on how the particular headphone fits on your ear too. Best thing you can do is find a local shop which has them and try it out.
 
 
Thanks a ton. I think I'll go for the open ear then, and see how I like them. Would you recommend getting a portable headphone amp for something like the 142HD?


If you've got money to burn and have some other headphones laying, sure. But otherwise, no it's not necessary.
 

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