swbf2cheater
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2009
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Well, I seem to have a problem here on head fi, checking and rechecking the forums just to help people out, i really like it and will do whatever I can to help anyone who asks or seems to need it, offer my advice and my experience as best I can. This guide is written mostly due to the overwhelming volume of the same questions asked. "what is the best in this or that area" And most of us will more than likely say the same things in each topic. So, lets just make it a little easier for those searching for help 
I'm going to give a short, to the point guide on my favorite and what I feel to be the best bang for your buck for 2010. Most of the gear listed came out prior to 2010, but remain the best bang for your buck in my eyes.
Amps:
The Cmoy Bass Booster 2.02
This amp is beyond impressive and came out of nowhere. It can be had for around $40 on ebay, and around $65 direct from jdlabs. It is well worth the price, it is quoted at being twice as powerful as normal, past cmoys and the bass booster switch gives you 2x the bass...and its very true. However, the quality of the bass is what makes it special. It does an immensely fantastic job, paired with certain iems and other headphones, like the Sennheiser HD555 or 595 for example, which lack bass, it gives a really nice low end experience without thwarting the quality of the mids and highs as most amps will. Overall incredible deal, especially so if you can snag one in Blue wintergreen color
The fiio e5
When used with weak mp3 players like the ipod shuffle or similar, this tiny little amp can drive iems very well, giving it that extra kick you might find to be absent without amping. It's cheap, durable, and kind of cute but it gets the job done. It also has a little brother named the Fiio E3. This amp does almost nothing for powerful mp3 players like the Sansa Fuze.
Mini Cables
The Griffin 3ft low profile Mini 1/8 to 1/8
Well, this little guy is a star player. What makes this so special is that its head is so tiny and skinny, it will fit into almost any audio jack hole. Some headphones have detachable cables, such as the Sennheiser Hd485 but also have a really small entry way to the audio jack that normal cords cant fit in, due to the circumference of their heads. This cable has no problem and would likely fit ANYTHING. If you have ever used a Yuin IEM, the cord end is near the same, very small, bordering the size of a cell phone type audio cord. The cord is quality as well, and can be had for around $10. Check ebay often, sometimes they appear for a few bucks alone, or in a pack. The pack can be found at walmart for $12 or so and includes an array of other cables as well. It can also be purchased direct from griffin as well. Awesome cord. Always nice to have a good mini around with a low profile head.
IEMS:
The JVC Marshmallow
Well, well. what to say about the marshmallows except that they are awesome and dirt cheap. I recently purchased a set for $5 on ebay. They have memory foam tips and are easily modded if you dislike the immense bass they offer. They lack a soundstage, but are very clear and have a good balance of mids and highs, not really lacking or overpowerful. But that bass can get you riled up, thankfully the mod is pretty easy to do, slip off the tips and pull off the paper screen and the bass experience will be less thick without ruining the sound of anything else. Overall awesome deal, easily the best inner ears under $30
The monster Turbine originals
Even though monster in general lets us all down, the turbine series is made of win. The original turbines can be had for around 80$ now if you do a bit of searching and are patient. They have a nice wide sound and plenty of bass, the quality of that bass is not as nice as I would like, but i really enjoy the mids and highs a lot. Well crafted and durable set, Heavy, sexy, but an overall good buy. It's big brother the Copper and gold series are awesome as well, but expensive.
The Fischer Audio Eterna
The Eterna rev1 and 2 are not so different, the bass experience is slightly "of a higher quality" in the rev2 actually and the original is now discontinued. If you can snag a set, do so immediately. They are easily the most fun and engaging set of iems sub $100. Awesome clean bass at a fantastic $70 or so price tag. The sound stage is large and spacious compared to most iems.
The Sennheiser MX 580, 880, 980 series
( mx 980 above )
This entire series is made of win. The mx580 is only $30 and outperforms ( IN MY OPINION ) all of the yuin series and is a small step down from the expensive Yuin pk1 which is sold at over $100 new now. The 580 has plenty of kick and has a more distance spacious sound than all of the yuins. The 880 is a large step up from that and the bass experience is very thick. It can be purchased for around 70$ now.
But the real star of the show is the Sennheiser MX 980. It is unlike ANY iem I've ever encountered before. The sound produced is border line audiophile grade. It is the only neutral sounding of the series, as its little brothers are heavily colored. It has the most bass ive ever witnessed in a non inner ear set. Almost to the point of unbelief having experienced most of the newer models of this year and 2009. The downsize is its price and the size of the set, its a hefty set and not really considered "budget" but should still get included as a best buy of 2010. It is sold for around $170 new, and the size of the driver housing is huge. It's too big to fit in your ear unless you are a giant. Despite you not getting the full sound unless you press them harshly into your ear for a full seal, the sound is magic, pure magic and no other words accurately describe it. It is my pick for the best non inner ear iem...ever
Full sized
The JVC HA-s700
This is one of my absolute favorite budget cans ever. It is light, very comfy, plenty of bass and lots of kick and sparkle. It is only $30 new and sounds incredible for such a price. ( you will notice a JVC trend soon here on this thread )
The Sennheiser Hd 485
This set is my undisputed favorite set of all time. The sound it produces is my favorite sound ever. It is warm and very colored, but just perfectly tuned to my liking. The bass is a bit muddy but its pretty thick and heavy. Very comfortable and easily driven, the detachable cable is awesome and I use the Griffin cord as mentioned above with it. It is now discontinued but if you can snag a used set somewhere, do it. Its awesome. The sound stage is lacking heavily compared to its big brother models in sennheiser, but the fun factor reigns supreme. I've seen some go for $30-40 on ebay recently
JVC Harx900
the rx900 is a monster. The soundstage and overall experience is huge. Very comfy, Doesn't really change much with budget amping, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. I am not too fond of the mids, but everything else is top tier and an incredible value at $80 or so.
The Sennheiser Hd555
Still the best all around can available sub 100$. Great for every genre and is the big brother to the HD485 with less coloring and bass. However, its stage is pretty spacious and awesome for gaming. The cord is not detachable but is removable if you can solder. The same drivers are found in the hd555 as in the much much more expensive Hd595. There is a very simple mod in removing a small rubber foam piece that blocks nearly 50% of the grill on the back side of the Hd555, and after doing so your HD555 now sound 95% like the HD595 that is so much more expensive. Overall awesome buy, still one of the best even years and years later after its release. It can be purchased for around $75 used or refurbished.
Audio Technica AD700
This set is massive, but perhaps the most comfortable out of all listed here, and immensely light and deceptive in that context. Its huge, the biggest out of all listed, but again its the most comfy and light. Those earpads are huge and snuggly. Love it. The sound stage is 2-3x everything in this thread, its huge sounding. The mids and highs are not so clear and the bass is almost non existent, however, the undisputed best gaming set you can buy IMO. With proper amping, bass can appear and give a nice low end experience. The set is pretty awesome, but not the most clear. It is a direct rival to the Sennheiser HD555. Pick your poison type thing. Still an awesome buy and a very unique sounding set, if you never listened to it before, please do so, and you will be absolutely floored by the staging, its just massive. It can also be purchased for around $70-90 new
The Shure 840
This is the star set of the past few years. Undisputed king of closed backs and awesomeness without question. It has a magic to it, the sound produced is extremely clear and punchy. Its more neutral than colored, but not absent of color at all. It has in my opinion the perfect balance of lows, mids and highs. Distant sounding, not forward compared to other "forward sounding" cans, but still awesome. INSANELY UNCOMFORTABLE. As you can see, this is my personal set that I modded just to get it to be wearable. Thats not to say most people enjoy it, most do. I didn't. I loved the sound so much, I had to mod it because I wanted to use it forever and ever. It can be purchased now on ebay for around $120.
The Shure 750Dj ( the shure 840s 1st cousin )
The undiscovered gem of the last few years. In my opinion, the 750dj is king. The sound produced is just so fun and awesome, clean bass and powerful, very colored and plays every genre well, soundstage is smaller than the other shure models but the is the only one really geared for MUSIC enjoyment. It is no monitor. The earcups are meant for dj style listening but if you are a small person your ears may fit inside just perfectly. If not, sorry :[ The pads are not comfortable and soft, but the upside is you wont notice because the set has almost no clamp compare to the others. It rests at just the right angle to sway the clap off and your ears will not really notice after a few minutes. Awesome set, my pick for the best closed back set of the past 20 years.
Audio technica M50
This set, along with the Shure 840 and 750DJ seem to be the top players and stars of the past few years. This set is also magic. The stage is nice and wide and very colored, bass is pretty thick. I won't say its better or worse than the other two rivals as the fan bass on each seems equal, so you will have to decide for yourself. It is a sidestep from the other two. It is fun and engaging, immensely sparkled sounding, more so than any set listed. It can also be purchased for just over $100 on ebay sometimes
ATH-ES7
Due to overwhelming demand, I've added this. I specifically chose not to include this originally because I feel the option of a used HD555 to be a better choice. However, I see my flaw in now including it and always considered the es7 one of the best closed backs for that price. It's got a nice clean sound with some excellent bass kick. It has been a very long time since I've used the es7, so that was a major reason why I didn't include it. However, it is a general consensus that the es7 is top tier. It is on on ear set which I am not at all fond of, but just like the shure 840, comfort doesnt really matter to most and its awesome sound and value outweigh its lack of comfort. Definitely a set to pick up for under 100$. Beware of Fakes, as these are one of the most fake reproduction sets ever to exist. Buy from an authorized dealer only, or someone you know for sure has a real set with a receipt or proof of purchase from another authorized dealer.
DBI Pro 700 - $30-40
Well, the DBI pro 700s are without a doubt the best value you can get sub $50 and they compete with sets up to an exceeding three times their price. The look large but are actually small and very light. Built tough, made to last with a great armored cable. It has extremely smooth and clean bass. If you cannot afford any one of the full size sets listed above, the pro 700 is for you...wait...scratch that...just buy it. Its seriously incredible and a 10/10 value. It does not sound anything like a sub $50 can would, you will be impressed beyond reason. I snagged mine for 20$ here on head fi. Its got a few comfort issues that can be fixed with new pads and a little stretching over a few days, but overall the DBI pro 700 are STELLAR quality cans and will blow your mind if you have owned expensive cans and get to compare this dbi pro against them. Also, majin buu approved. If Chuck Norris were to transform into a set of headphones, he'd be the DBI Pro 700s
Hope this simple guide to the best picks of 2010 helps a few people at least.
I'm going to give a short, to the point guide on my favorite and what I feel to be the best bang for your buck for 2010. Most of the gear listed came out prior to 2010, but remain the best bang for your buck in my eyes.
Amps:
The Cmoy Bass Booster 2.02
This amp is beyond impressive and came out of nowhere. It can be had for around $40 on ebay, and around $65 direct from jdlabs. It is well worth the price, it is quoted at being twice as powerful as normal, past cmoys and the bass booster switch gives you 2x the bass...and its very true. However, the quality of the bass is what makes it special. It does an immensely fantastic job, paired with certain iems and other headphones, like the Sennheiser HD555 or 595 for example, which lack bass, it gives a really nice low end experience without thwarting the quality of the mids and highs as most amps will. Overall incredible deal, especially so if you can snag one in Blue wintergreen color
The fiio e5
When used with weak mp3 players like the ipod shuffle or similar, this tiny little amp can drive iems very well, giving it that extra kick you might find to be absent without amping. It's cheap, durable, and kind of cute but it gets the job done. It also has a little brother named the Fiio E3. This amp does almost nothing for powerful mp3 players like the Sansa Fuze.
Mini Cables
The Griffin 3ft low profile Mini 1/8 to 1/8
Well, this little guy is a star player. What makes this so special is that its head is so tiny and skinny, it will fit into almost any audio jack hole. Some headphones have detachable cables, such as the Sennheiser Hd485 but also have a really small entry way to the audio jack that normal cords cant fit in, due to the circumference of their heads. This cable has no problem and would likely fit ANYTHING. If you have ever used a Yuin IEM, the cord end is near the same, very small, bordering the size of a cell phone type audio cord. The cord is quality as well, and can be had for around $10. Check ebay often, sometimes they appear for a few bucks alone, or in a pack. The pack can be found at walmart for $12 or so and includes an array of other cables as well. It can also be purchased direct from griffin as well. Awesome cord. Always nice to have a good mini around with a low profile head.
IEMS:
The JVC Marshmallow
Well, well. what to say about the marshmallows except that they are awesome and dirt cheap. I recently purchased a set for $5 on ebay. They have memory foam tips and are easily modded if you dislike the immense bass they offer. They lack a soundstage, but are very clear and have a good balance of mids and highs, not really lacking or overpowerful. But that bass can get you riled up, thankfully the mod is pretty easy to do, slip off the tips and pull off the paper screen and the bass experience will be less thick without ruining the sound of anything else. Overall awesome deal, easily the best inner ears under $30
The monster Turbine originals
Even though monster in general lets us all down, the turbine series is made of win. The original turbines can be had for around 80$ now if you do a bit of searching and are patient. They have a nice wide sound and plenty of bass, the quality of that bass is not as nice as I would like, but i really enjoy the mids and highs a lot. Well crafted and durable set, Heavy, sexy, but an overall good buy. It's big brother the Copper and gold series are awesome as well, but expensive.
The Fischer Audio Eterna
The Eterna rev1 and 2 are not so different, the bass experience is slightly "of a higher quality" in the rev2 actually and the original is now discontinued. If you can snag a set, do so immediately. They are easily the most fun and engaging set of iems sub $100. Awesome clean bass at a fantastic $70 or so price tag. The sound stage is large and spacious compared to most iems.
The Sennheiser MX 580, 880, 980 series
( mx 980 above )
This entire series is made of win. The mx580 is only $30 and outperforms ( IN MY OPINION ) all of the yuin series and is a small step down from the expensive Yuin pk1 which is sold at over $100 new now. The 580 has plenty of kick and has a more distance spacious sound than all of the yuins. The 880 is a large step up from that and the bass experience is very thick. It can be purchased for around 70$ now.
But the real star of the show is the Sennheiser MX 980. It is unlike ANY iem I've ever encountered before. The sound produced is border line audiophile grade. It is the only neutral sounding of the series, as its little brothers are heavily colored. It has the most bass ive ever witnessed in a non inner ear set. Almost to the point of unbelief having experienced most of the newer models of this year and 2009. The downsize is its price and the size of the set, its a hefty set and not really considered "budget" but should still get included as a best buy of 2010. It is sold for around $170 new, and the size of the driver housing is huge. It's too big to fit in your ear unless you are a giant. Despite you not getting the full sound unless you press them harshly into your ear for a full seal, the sound is magic, pure magic and no other words accurately describe it. It is my pick for the best non inner ear iem...ever
Full sized
The JVC HA-s700
This is one of my absolute favorite budget cans ever. It is light, very comfy, plenty of bass and lots of kick and sparkle. It is only $30 new and sounds incredible for such a price. ( you will notice a JVC trend soon here on this thread )
The Sennheiser Hd 485
This set is my undisputed favorite set of all time. The sound it produces is my favorite sound ever. It is warm and very colored, but just perfectly tuned to my liking. The bass is a bit muddy but its pretty thick and heavy. Very comfortable and easily driven, the detachable cable is awesome and I use the Griffin cord as mentioned above with it. It is now discontinued but if you can snag a used set somewhere, do it. Its awesome. The sound stage is lacking heavily compared to its big brother models in sennheiser, but the fun factor reigns supreme. I've seen some go for $30-40 on ebay recently
JVC Harx900
the rx900 is a monster. The soundstage and overall experience is huge. Very comfy, Doesn't really change much with budget amping, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. I am not too fond of the mids, but everything else is top tier and an incredible value at $80 or so.
The Sennheiser Hd555
Still the best all around can available sub 100$. Great for every genre and is the big brother to the HD485 with less coloring and bass. However, its stage is pretty spacious and awesome for gaming. The cord is not detachable but is removable if you can solder. The same drivers are found in the hd555 as in the much much more expensive Hd595. There is a very simple mod in removing a small rubber foam piece that blocks nearly 50% of the grill on the back side of the Hd555, and after doing so your HD555 now sound 95% like the HD595 that is so much more expensive. Overall awesome buy, still one of the best even years and years later after its release. It can be purchased for around $75 used or refurbished.
Audio Technica AD700
This set is massive, but perhaps the most comfortable out of all listed here, and immensely light and deceptive in that context. Its huge, the biggest out of all listed, but again its the most comfy and light. Those earpads are huge and snuggly. Love it. The sound stage is 2-3x everything in this thread, its huge sounding. The mids and highs are not so clear and the bass is almost non existent, however, the undisputed best gaming set you can buy IMO. With proper amping, bass can appear and give a nice low end experience. The set is pretty awesome, but not the most clear. It is a direct rival to the Sennheiser HD555. Pick your poison type thing. Still an awesome buy and a very unique sounding set, if you never listened to it before, please do so, and you will be absolutely floored by the staging, its just massive. It can also be purchased for around $70-90 new
The Shure 840
This is the star set of the past few years. Undisputed king of closed backs and awesomeness without question. It has a magic to it, the sound produced is extremely clear and punchy. Its more neutral than colored, but not absent of color at all. It has in my opinion the perfect balance of lows, mids and highs. Distant sounding, not forward compared to other "forward sounding" cans, but still awesome. INSANELY UNCOMFORTABLE. As you can see, this is my personal set that I modded just to get it to be wearable. Thats not to say most people enjoy it, most do. I didn't. I loved the sound so much, I had to mod it because I wanted to use it forever and ever. It can be purchased now on ebay for around $120.
The Shure 750Dj ( the shure 840s 1st cousin )
The undiscovered gem of the last few years. In my opinion, the 750dj is king. The sound produced is just so fun and awesome, clean bass and powerful, very colored and plays every genre well, soundstage is smaller than the other shure models but the is the only one really geared for MUSIC enjoyment. It is no monitor. The earcups are meant for dj style listening but if you are a small person your ears may fit inside just perfectly. If not, sorry :[ The pads are not comfortable and soft, but the upside is you wont notice because the set has almost no clamp compare to the others. It rests at just the right angle to sway the clap off and your ears will not really notice after a few minutes. Awesome set, my pick for the best closed back set of the past 20 years.
Audio technica M50
This set, along with the Shure 840 and 750DJ seem to be the top players and stars of the past few years. This set is also magic. The stage is nice and wide and very colored, bass is pretty thick. I won't say its better or worse than the other two rivals as the fan bass on each seems equal, so you will have to decide for yourself. It is a sidestep from the other two. It is fun and engaging, immensely sparkled sounding, more so than any set listed. It can also be purchased for just over $100 on ebay sometimes
ATH-ES7
Due to overwhelming demand, I've added this. I specifically chose not to include this originally because I feel the option of a used HD555 to be a better choice. However, I see my flaw in now including it and always considered the es7 one of the best closed backs for that price. It's got a nice clean sound with some excellent bass kick. It has been a very long time since I've used the es7, so that was a major reason why I didn't include it. However, it is a general consensus that the es7 is top tier. It is on on ear set which I am not at all fond of, but just like the shure 840, comfort doesnt really matter to most and its awesome sound and value outweigh its lack of comfort. Definitely a set to pick up for under 100$. Beware of Fakes, as these are one of the most fake reproduction sets ever to exist. Buy from an authorized dealer only, or someone you know for sure has a real set with a receipt or proof of purchase from another authorized dealer.
DBI Pro 700 - $30-40
Well, the DBI pro 700s are without a doubt the best value you can get sub $50 and they compete with sets up to an exceeding three times their price. The look large but are actually small and very light. Built tough, made to last with a great armored cable. It has extremely smooth and clean bass. If you cannot afford any one of the full size sets listed above, the pro 700 is for you...wait...scratch that...just buy it. Its seriously incredible and a 10/10 value. It does not sound anything like a sub $50 can would, you will be impressed beyond reason. I snagged mine for 20$ here on head fi. Its got a few comfort issues that can be fixed with new pads and a little stretching over a few days, but overall the DBI pro 700 are STELLAR quality cans and will blow your mind if you have owned expensive cans and get to compare this dbi pro against them. Also, majin buu approved. If Chuck Norris were to transform into a set of headphones, he'd be the DBI Pro 700s
Hope this simple guide to the best picks of 2010 helps a few people at least.
), but overall a decently well written buying guide. Great job!
