Best Headphones for home theater?
Oct 11, 2004 at 4:14 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 24

hoffmanb

New Head-Fier
Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Posts
1
Likes
0
The more I listen the more I read the more confused I get. I keep being pulled from, cordless to wired from surround sound to no surround, from closed cans to open, from senns to grados. I have a home theater/ stereo system that I am very pleased withy the sound since I have put in a lot of effort. My question is if most of my listening will be for nightime home theater since my 6 year old dauter sleeps in the next room. What headphones would you recommend?
 
Oct 11, 2004 at 7:35 PM Post #2 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by hoffmanb
The more I listen the more I read the more confused I get. I keep being pulled from, cordless to wired from surround sound to no surround, from closed cans to open, from senns to grados. I have a home theater/ stereo system that I am very pleased withy the sound since I have put in a lot of effort. My question is if most of my listening will be for nightime home theater since my 6 year old dauter sleeps in the next room. What headphones would you recommend?


Dont buy this from my suggestion...but the Sennheiser RS-65 are wireless and have SRS Tru Surround

Less than 100 refurb at ecost.com




Waiting for people to tell me I'm horridly wrong...
 
Oct 11, 2004 at 7:56 PM Post #3 of 24
I personally like the Sony v6s for movies.
Their good bass, isolation and relatively flat response goes well with 5.1 tracks.
Some find them too dry for music though.
(but I like them)
 
Oct 11, 2004 at 8:17 PM Post #4 of 24
The Audio Technica A500 or A900 would probably do very well for an HT setup (easily driven, very forgiving, great soundstage), especially if your receiver has some kind of headphone surround processing like Dolby Headphone or SRS Tru Surround. The Beyerdynamic DT770/80 would also do well, but you should only get it if you're a big fan of bass (the ATs should have enough for most people).
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 1:21 AM Post #5 of 24
If money is not an issue the best you could get IMO would be a qualia 010 or Sony mdr-r10( I use my r10 for movies and besides some coloring it's really just off the wall). And then in a slightly lower price range the best is the STAX SRS-3030 (which like the others has huge soundstage, i've used this for movies before and I was just amazed).
Rock on
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 1:56 AM Post #6 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Radar
The Audio Technica A500 or A900 would probably do very well for an HT setup (easily driven, very forgiving, great soundstage), especially if your receiver has some kind of headphone surround processing like Dolby Headphone or SRS Tru Surround. The Beyerdynamic DT770/80 would also do well, but you should only get it if you're a big fan of bass (the ATs should have enough for most people).


Yes, the A900 works very well. It isolates, it's comfortable, it presents a good frontal image (which means that dialogue comes through nicely), and it has enough bass to be fun when stuff blows up.

As for the whole wireless thing...I don't see the point of settling for a lesser headphone just because it's wireless. Go with the cord. Add an extension if you need one. You'll have a much wider choice of headphones that way.
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 3:27 AM Post #7 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by 450
Waiting for people to tell me I'm horridly wrong...


You're horridly wrong!
tongue.gif
biggrin.gif
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 3:31 AM Post #8 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
You're horridly wrong!
tongue.gif
biggrin.gif



Finally!!!
smily_headphones1.gif


Thank you bLue_oNioN!!!

At least i know someone's keepin me in line!
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 3:38 AM Post #9 of 24
A900s - they're comfortable, closed, and not too expensive. The A500 are meant to be 80-90% as good for %55 the price. Open headphones will still be quiet enough so they won't wake your daughter, but you'll be able to hear here if she yells (if you keep the volume down).

A900 are better ballanced than my not-burned-in 770-80s.
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 5:20 AM Post #10 of 24
CD3Ks for more bass, R10s for overall sound. I like a closed phone so I am not distracted by outside noise and vice versa.

For price performance CD3Ks. They will sound pretty good even out of a typical HT receiver, like Yamaha or Dennon. Senns HD650s need an amp. With an amp becomes personal preference.

I have ditched my HT setup in favor of the better 2ch sound. Sure I lose a little effect, but most movies are dialogue and music with the odd special effect is just that. Sure it is nice effect to hear the arrows flying by your head in LOTR, but the voices and music is so much better in 2ch.

Trade off. Pick your poision, better special effects/surround with lesser voice/music or vice versa. This approach also allows for more $ in your music rig, which gets way more use for me.

Cheers.
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 8:04 AM Post #11 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by tk_suki
CD3Ks for more bass, R10s for overall sound. I like a closed phone so I am not distracted by outside noise and vice versa.

For price performance CD3Ks. They will sound pretty good even out of a typical HT receiver, like Yamaha or Dennon. Senns HD650s need an amp. With an amp becomes personal preference.



I'm going to have to disagree with two things there:
- The CD3K may be technically closed, but it offers practically no isolation. http://graphs.headphone.com shows it well
- The CD3Ks don't have either low or strong bass, IMHO.

I cover this better in my "monster" closed can review, linked below. I prefer the sound of the A900, and they'er about half the price.
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 8:43 AM Post #12 of 24
I agree these have a fair gap. But still better than say Senns for isolation.

The lady of the house agrees to.

CD3Ks maybe the bass is not so low/deep but I think it has a good impact/effect for movies.

Have not owned the A900s.

At least my 2ch suggestion is worth considering.
 
Oct 12, 2004 at 8:54 AM Post #13 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by tk_suki
I agree these have a fair gap. But still better than say Senns for isolation.

The lady of the house agrees to.

CD3Ks maybe the bass is not so low/deep but I think it has a good impact/effect for movies.

Have not owned the A900s.

At least my 2ch suggestion is worth considering.



Agreed more than open senns - but it still has practically none. CD3K's bass is almost the weakest i've tried - only the Senn 280 is weaker. A900 is definitely the best closed cans i've tried.
 
Oct 18, 2004 at 9:52 AM Post #14 of 24
How do the Audio Technica A900 and the Sennheiser 580 compare for home theater? I'd like to get the best <$200 headphones I can for listening to DVDs and HDTV.

I would be using an amp with Dolby Headphones as the source.
 
Oct 21, 2004 at 1:00 AM Post #15 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by KenAF
How do the Audio Technica A900 and the Sennheiser 580 compare for home theater? I'd like to get the best <$200 headphones I can for listening to DVDs and HDTV.

I would be using an amp with Dolby Headphones as the source.



I have quite a few headphones from very different price renges. I prefer my ($70 street price) Sennheiser HD-280 to all of them when whatching movies with Dolby Headphone processing. The extended detail/quality of higher end headphones does not improve the movie soundtrack when Dolby Headphone processing is engaged. The virtual cues produced by Dolby Headphone processing are realistic sounding as if coming from a very high-end theater souround sound system. Perhaps it is the tight, acurate bass and isolation of a well burned-in Sennheaser HD-280 that makes a great combination within a Dolby Headphone system?
280smile.gif
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top