[btsgreg]

Though I haven't been posting too much, I've been reading a TON of information on Head-Fi (I started reading because I knew I was interested in purchasing headphones) and I think I'm at the point in which I know enough to buy an entry-level pair of headphones.

I will be using my headphones to listen to music through my computer. All of my music files are mp3's at 320kbps (and I'm willing to look into flac after I get a new pair of headphones. I currently have ATH-M20's and they can't discern between the two).

I'm considering the HD-595 and the 555. Does the price difference warrant a better headphone? On Sennheiser's website, it doesn't look like the 595 is much better then the other. At this point, the only advantage I really see is aesthetics. I don't really like how either of these headphones look (although the 595 is better) aesthetics are not a big issue, obviously the issue is performance. They both look extremely comfy though and I do like the look of the velour padding. I would be willing to pay for the 595's if it truly is worth it, although I would like something more along the price range of the 555, especially if I'm going to have to buy an amp and/or soundcard along with it.

I intend on simply plugging my headphones into my onboard audio ports. Is this a bad idea and do I need to purchase a sufficient sound card? If so, how are the X-Fi line of products? Will I need an amp?

If you guys agree with my choice, great; however it's not entirely set in stone and I'm willing to look into a different brand or model as you see fit. However your recommendations must be full size, circumaural headphones. I want them to cover my ear entirely and they should be less then or around $200 USD (for the entire setup).

Now for a quick question about headphones in general (don't poke fun!)

What are open headphones? I thought open referred to the design of the can, and how they fit around your ears. I thought that (for example) the Grados RS1 were an open design and the 555's weren't because they covered your ear entirely. Now that I know they are both of an open design, I'm slightly confused.

Also, I wasn't sure if what type of music I listened to affected your decision very much, so I decided to screen shot my Last.fm charts for good measure -
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7246/69793586.jpg

It's fairly accurate as to what I listen to on a regular basis, except there's more hip hop and less metal then the usual.

Thank you for your time, Head-Fi!

 

[saintalfonzo]

I would suggest putting the money you have into only the headphones right now, and getting an amp later. Maybe HD600? How long before you could save money for an amp? Eventually you will also want an external dac; I wouldn't bother with another soundcard, I'd just go with a usb dac. Of course there are many more qualified headfiers to give you advice, and this will end up being an investment you most likely won't forget.

 

[btsgreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saintalfonzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would suggest putting the money you have into only the headphones right now, and getting an amp later. Maybe HD600? How long before you could save money for an amp? Eventually you will also want an external dac; I wouldn't bother with another soundcard, I'd just go with a usb dac. Of course there are many more qualified headfiers to give you advice, and this will end up being an investment you most likely won't forget.

Why would I purchase an amp later? It seems logical to purchase them at the same time. Why do you suggest the 600, over my original choice of the 555 or 595? If you had to choose between the 555 and the 595, which would you go for (taking my current situation into consideration) Why am I going to want an external DAC?

So many questions!

Thank you for your reply!

 

[nullstring]

First,
With open headphones, others can hear the music.
therefore, there is no isolation eitherway.
It also means that there is move movement of air... and stuff.. which tends to make open headphones sound better.

I don't think that the 555/595 are really that great. This is from what I've read, not experienced, but that said, It doesn't seem like there are too many fans of them.
You're going to need to tell us your total budget in order for us to really help you.

What else.. it might be a long time before you can tell the difference between 320kb and lossless. They are very close, and you need good ears and high end equipment to tell the difference.

And lastly, I wouldn't recommend the X-fi if you're only going to be using headphones with them.. However, if you have onboard sound and you think you'll be using more than headphones with it you could get a sound card. I have an X-fi that I got on blackfriday. You should also look into ASUS.
Otherwise, an external DAC would be better.

 

[nullstring]

Quote:

Originally Posted by btsgreg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why am I going to want an external DAC?

a DAC is part of the function a sound card does. It is the only function that headphones listeners care about. It stands for Digital to Analog Convertor.
products labeled as "DAC"s tend to be high quality compared to sound cards.

 

[btsgreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullstring /img/forum/go_quote.gif You're going to need to tell us your total budget in order for us to really help you. What else.. it might be a long time before you can tell the difference between 320kb and lossless. They are very close, and you need good ears and high end equipment to tell the difference. And lastly, I wouldn't recommend the X-fi if you're only going to be using headphones with them.. However, if you have onboard sound and you think you'll be using more than headphones with it you could get a sound card. I have an X-fi that I got on blackfriday. You should also look into ASUS. Otherwise, an external DAC would be better.

I've already mentioned what I want to pay for an entire setup in my original post.

I've got excellent ears, but these headphones simply can't demonstrate the differences, they're pretty bad!

I should look into ASUS for what, a soundcard? Would you care to recommend an external DAC?

Thanks for your post.

 

[nullstring]

Sorry, I missed the price.

That price, however, is pretty low for a full setup.
HOTAUIOD.COM - HAND MADE AUDIO PERFECTION makes some nice external DACs for cheap.
And yes, ASUS for a sound card.

If you don't have onboard sound, I would skip the sound upgrade for now...

 

[Berlioz]

I agree with what others have posted. Skip the soundcard. Any well made, budget DAC will be superior.

Open headphones have an opening in them that leads to the outside. Both the Sennheiser's and Grado's that you mentioned have large "holes" that go directly through the cups to the outside. In both cases, they are covered with wire mesh. This is an open design.

The advantages are: the headphones are less resonant, due to less material composing the actual cups, and that there is more movement of air. The disadvantage is that there is no sound isolation, and also the bass tends to suffer, unless more complex construction methods are used.

If you are coming from ATH headphones and you like them, you may want to consider another pair of ATH headphones. They have a very distinct sound signature compared to the other brands. You may not like what you hear on another product. It's best to try out as many of the brands as possible (on set ups that do them justice) to see what kind of sound you like.

The reason people have stated that you should spend it on the headphones, is that $200 is not going to get you a decent headphone amp - certainly not a headphone amp and a pair of headphones. That being said, an amp is a cost effective and often necessary addition to a high quality headphone set up. It wouldn't hurt to wait just a little bit. You want this set up to last more than a year don't you?

The Sennheisers in particular, will really benefit from having an amp. Just find a lower-middle range amp thats sturdy, and it will likely be able to drive your headphones, and any upgrades you make for a good while. The higher end cans are more picky, but I doubt you'll have to worry about those anytime soon. At least I hope so, for your wallets sake.

Hope that helps.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Open headphones are open behind the driver. There's no cup behind it, so sound radiates from both sides of the headphone.

Closed headphones have what's usually called a cup behind the driver, blocking sound radiation and sealing off outside noise.

At first thought, you'd expect closed headphones to be superior.

However, open or closed, there's a soundwave coming from both sides of the driver. The problem is that the cup reflects the soundwave back at the driver which will cause the driver to vibrate and introduce colorations. There are some ways to fix this, but they all involve compromises. Another issue is that drivers behave differently when you put them into a sealed enclosure.

There are many more compromises in a closed headphone. Some closed headphones are done very well, but I've never had much interest. I've always preferred open headphones and just keep two closed ones around. The MDR-7509HD is great for travel and the DT48 is one of the closed headphones that's been done exceedingly well.

 

[1Time]

I wouldn't choose the HD555 or HD595 for that type of music.

Have you decided on open or closed headphones. Closed headphones are known for having more pronounced bass, which is often preferred with that kind of music.

A few options...

- on board (computer) sound, or sound card, or USB DAC, to headphones

- on board sound, or sound card, or USB DAC, to small amp, to headphones

You actually could end up preferring any one of these configurations (if compared). There is no hard and fast rule in choosing one over another. You won't be comparing them ahead of time, so you'll have to take a chance on which way to go.

One popular way of going about this is to spend your budget on the headphones you want and run it from the DAC and amplification that you already have, which for you is your on board sound from your computer. The idea here is to enjoy it that way until you are ready to spend more money on a better DAC and/or amplification. A lot of people do this because 1) they plan on spending more money later, or 2) they had no idea in the first place that those expensive headphones don't sound so hot without better associated equipment (DAC/source and amp).

If you are determined to only spend up to $200 for the best sounding rig, with no plans of spending more in the future, then I suggest making that clear. Otherwise, you're likely to get a flood of posts from those who will assume you can always spend more money later.

I highly suggest posting whatever it is you think you want to buy and consider the opinions offered before buying.

 

[Drumonron]

I can't add any more to what others have said in terms of defining open circumaural headphones(those that go around the ears) vs those that sit on the ears. I've always enjoyed open headphones for their ability to relate detail, width, clarity and separation. Welcome to Head-fi. In terms of your decision on the sennheiser's I have not heard the hd555/hd595 but the hd600s are a purchase that you will never regret, that I can say after having owned them for more than 2 years...they scale very well without breaking the bank but, as stated before, they will need an amp(as imo all headphones do). If you're firm on simply listening without an amp and not flexible about this...I would suggest leaning towards a Grado SR80i...this is a very efficient phone that requires little juice via amplifier but, of course, will shine with an amp. Consider, if you will, an 8.00 FIIO E3 or a 22.00 FIIO E5 as a starter amp...easily bought from a head-fi sponsor...select link from head-fi.org(Head-Direct.com | YUIN).

Good Luck and happy trails!

 

[btsgreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullstring /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry, I missed the price. That price, however, is pretty low for a full setup. HOTAUIOD.COM - HAND MADE AUDIO PERFECTION makes some nice external DACs for cheap. And yes, ASUS for a sound card. If you don't have onboard sound, I would skip the sound upgrade for now...

It's alright, don't worry. Like I said, I'm just starting to get involved and I'm looking for a pair of 'entry-level' headphones. Though I'm not so great with headphones themselves, I have a pretty good ear for what sounds great, what doesn't. Thanks for the link, as well as your advice!


Quote:

Originally Posted by Berlioz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with what others have posted. Skip the soundcard. Any well made, budget DAC will be superior. Open headphones have an opening in them that leads to the outside. Both the Sennheiser's and Grado's that you mentioned have large "holes" that go directly through the cups to the outside. In both cases, they are covered with wire mesh. This is an open design. The advantages are: the headphones are less resonant, due to less material composing the actual cups, and that there is more movement of air. The disadvantage is that there is no sound isolation, and also the bass tends to suffer, unless more complex construction methods are used. If you are coming from ATH headphones and you like them, you may want to consider another pair of ATH headphones. They have a very distinct sound signature compared to the other brands. You may not like what you hear on another product. It's best to try out as many of the brands as possible (on set ups that do them justice) to see what kind of sound you like. The reason people have stated that you should spend it on the headphones, is that $200 is not going to get you a decent headphone amp - certainly not a headphone amp and a pair of headphones. That being said, an amp is cost effective and often necessary addition to a high quality headphone set up. It wouldn't hurt to wait just a little bit. You want this set up to last more than a year don't you? The Sennheisers in particular, will really benefit from having an amp. Just find a lower-middle range amp thats sturdy, and it will likely be able to drive your headphones, and any upgrades you make for a good while. The higher end cans are more picky, but I doubt you'll have to worry about those anytime soon. At least I hope so, for your wallets sake. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the explanation on open design. That cleared up everything pretty well.

I hate the Audio-Technica's I currently own. They are a pretty low-end pair of headphones and I bought them in moderate condition from a previous owner. There is a consistent sibilance, clarity is downright terrible and they don't reproduce sound at a level which I think is enjoyable. However, I'm willing to give ATH's a second chance, thanks for the advice.

Yes, I want this setup to last more then a year. I'm willing to purchase headphones now, and at a later date get an amp as well.

And yes, that helps very much. Thanks!


Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Text

Your explanation/addition to help define the open design was excellent, and educational! Thanks for the clarity!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't choose the HD555 or HD595 for that type of music. Have you decided on open or closed headphones. Closed headphones are known for having more pronounced bass, which is often preferred with that kind of music. A few options... - on board (computer) sound, or sound card, or USB DAC, to headphones - on board sound, or sound card, or USB DAC, to small amp, to headphones You actually could end up preferring any one of these configurations (if compared). There is no hard and fast rule in choosing one over another. You won't be comparing them ahead of time, so you'll have to take a chance on which way to go. One popular way of going about this is to spend your budget on the headphones you want and run it from the DAC and amplification that you already have, which for you is your on board sound from your computer. The idea here is to enjoy it that way until you are ready to spend more money on a better DAC and/or amplification. A lot of people do this because 1) they plan on spending more money later, or 2) they had no idea in the first place that those expensive headphones don't sound so hot without better associated equipment (DAC/source and amp). I highly suggest posting whatever it is you think you want to buy and consider the opinions offered before buying.

"That kind of music"? Why wouldn't the Senn's benefit from that type of music?
I haven't decided on closed or open yet, but I'm leaning towards open. Your suggestion is awesome, however I didn't have the knowledge previously to need to know to post the information you're asking for!

I think I'd like to go from an external USB DAC to headphones, using my computer as the amplification. It seems most logical to me at this point....

Thanks for your reply!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumonron /img/forum/go_quote.gif In terms of your decision on the sennheiser's I have not heard the hd555/hd595 but the hd600s are a purchase that you will never regret, that I can say after having owned them for more than 2 years...they scale very well without breaking the bank but, as stated before, they will need an amp(as imo all headphones do). If you're firm on simply listening without an amp and not flexible about this...I would suggest leaning towards a Grado SR80i...this is a very efficient phone that requires little juice via amplifier but, of course, will shine with an amp. Consider, if you will, an 8.00 FIIO E3 or a 22.00 FIIO E5 as a starter amp...easily bought from a head-fi sponsor...select link from head-fi.org(Head-Direct.com | YUIN). Good Luck and happy trails!

Why did you suggest the amps you did? Will they work well with the 595 and 555 as well as the 600? I assume that is what you would pair the amp up with, correct?

Thanks for your reply!