[zdh7]

Looking to upgrade from iPod buds to something better.
 
Budget: CAD $200-$225ish, not including shipping if buying online.
 
Genre: Metal, rock, blues predominantly. Lots of variation (I listen to a lot of prog) within genre however.
 
Player: Currently using an iPod touch; however it's on its last legs and I'll likely upgrade to a different player (no idea what that might be yet). I also listen to a lot of music at my computer through the soundcard.
 
Usage: I'm a student so I'm on the move often. Should be comfortable for longer periods of time. Not worried about being able to fold them up.
 
Open/Closed: Closed; can't afford to get kicked out of the library.
 
Amp'd: Not planning on it.
 
I haven't really explored my brand options too closely. I hear Grado being mentioned more than other brands for metal/rock, though I'm not sure which headphones lie within my budget.
 
Thanks.
 
 

 

[hellomoto170]

Quote:

Looking to upgrade from iPod buds to something better.
 
Budget: CAD $200-$225ish, not including shipping if buying online.
 
Genre: Metal, rock, blues predominantly. Lots of variation (I listen to a lot of prog) within genre however.
 
Player: Currently using an iPod touch; however it's on its last legs and I'll likely upgrade to a different player (no idea what that might be yet). I also listen to a lot of music at my computer through the soundcard.
 
Usage: I'm a student so I'm on the move often. Should be comfortable for longer periods of time. Not worried about being able to fold them up.
 
Open/Closed: Closed; can't afford to get kicked out of the library.
 
Amp'd: Not planning on it.
 
I haven't really explored my brand options too closely. I hear Grado being mentioned more than other brands for metal/rock, though I'm not sure which headphones lie within my budget.
 
Thanks.
 
 

 
I'm no expert but I believe Grado's are open so that may not suit you? Apologies if I'm wrong.

 

[MichRT]

Quote:

I'm no expert but I believe Grado's are open so that may not suit you? Apologies if I'm wrong.

Yes, Grado's are open.
 
@zdh7: check out Sennheiser HD448, SRH440, SRH840 (though the Shure's need an amp to sound their best IMO)

 

[Lemiix]

Can someone please help me choose between the Sennheiser HD280 Pro and the Sennheisser HD555.
I am mostly going to be using the headphones for music, movies and gaming.
I want to know which of the two headphones have the most best, most realistic and accurate sounding reproduction.
 

 

[hellomoto170]

Ok I just had to share this as I have literally just been blown away...

I went onto iTunes and discovered that EVERY CD that I had ever imported had been at AAC quality. I changed the settings to ALAC and have now started re ripping every one of my CD's and I can already here the difference using a pair of Goldring mx200 IEM's...
 
I can't wait to try them with my AKG K701's. Seriously if you're reading this and you use iTunes, change the import settings to ALAC and re import all your CD's.
 
that is, assuming you have enough space, one song can be around 40mb!

 

[bchockey9]

hey guys. im hoping you can give me your opinion on which headphones i should get. i like all of these but don't know which to get. I want quality but i also want looks. The first is the skullcandy skullcrushers in white, the next is the sony piiqs smooth, and then the sony piiqs impact resistant. here are the links below. i really hope you guys can help me out. by the way, im a 16 year old boy if it helps. i play sports so good headphones for the lockerroom is a must. im starting to doubt the sony piiqs impact resistant headphones though.
 
 http://www.amazon.com/Skullcandy-SCS-SCW3-5-Skullcrusher-Subwoofer-Headphones/dp/B000CQPWMS/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1299348578&sr=1-7 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Smooth-Headphones-MDR-PQ2-GRN/dp/B003MG5NQU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299374266&sr=8-1 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Resistant-Headphones-MDR-PQ3-YLW/dp/B003MG5P7M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1299374266&sr=8-4 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

well i had started a thread, but I guess I should probably ask here..  i currently have sennheiser HD 280 and wanting to upgrade.. looking to spend between 85 and 150 bucks..  the Audio technica AD700 open back caught my attention at as well as their closed back A700s and also considering the AKG K271 mkII and wanted to see what peoples thoughts on them are.. better than my sennheisers? worse?  the reason I want to upgrade is that while they sound good the HD 280s don't sound as natural as i'd like.  others i should consider?  I listen to just about everything from jazz/blues to classical to rock and rap.  though rap is on the low end.  also been into bluegrass/folk country lately as well.,

 
The AD700 are very good for the price and I would consider them the most "natural" of the choices you listed. They are excellent for jazz and folk.
 
 


Quote:

My budget is around 300$.. A lot of my friends have Monster Beats Studio by Dr. Dre , I've used them on several occasions and I have to say the sound is o.k, but I know I can get alot more for 300$. Also, NO amp, please..

My knowledge on headphones is VERY limited, so I'd appreciate all the advise you guys can give..

 
Are you looking for open or closed? full sized or portable? what kind of music do you listen to? Some random suggestions:
Audio Technica ESW9
Phiaton MS400
Beyerdynamic DT770 (32 or 80 ohm models)
Sennheiser HD25-1-ii


Quote:

I didnt see this thread until now so here goes my question:
 
I need advice to buy my first Studio/audiophile Headphones for Music and Movies
I will also be doing some gaming with them

Will listen mostly to Pop music and some Dance/trance on Mp3 320kbps 100db
(i might go over to Flac in the future but for now i need stay with mp3 since since i use mp3gain to higher volume for mp4players i never listen to music under 99db and so far found very few programs that increase db in flac)
anyway i never go under 256-320 kbps quality and sometimes m4a
This headphones will NOT be used for the mp4 player but all music i have on Pc i adapt to it
have separate headphones for mp4 player so this studio headphones is for inndoor use

Beside music i watch Action/Sci-fi/scary movies and play Shooter games like Crysis,mass effect,dead space and road simulators.
I also plan do a few use of them on my Homecinema Tv for movies and Ps3 but mainly headphones will be for Pc use.

I plan on getting either X-fi extreme gaming or Titanium HD soundcard (has to be X-fi compatible with most games)

Ok so the most important for me is that headphones has good bass for Pop music
can give good explosions on Movies and still be aceptable for gaming.
(i dont care about if you can hear footsteps or not in the games just good sound)

Keep in mind This would be my First ever Studio headphones
and so far the best normal headphones i owned has been Koss KSC35/75 or Sennheiser Px100 which i use now

Have narrowed by choices down to:

Beyerdynamic Dt990 Pro 250ohms (Good bass, but hard to drive would need to buy an amp later)
Beyerdynamic Dt770 pro 80ohms (Easyer to drive but might be a bit over bassed)
Audio Technica AD 700  (perfect for games, good for music but lack bass)
Sennheiser HD 595 (good for all around music,movies,games.... but not good for some kind of music?)

Btw, I am leaning most toward Beyerdynamic since i love how they look
anyway i think any of this choices would be good it just depend how good they are for me.
Keep in mind my taste for Pop music and Dance/Trance music.

As for Price Max price is HD595
but preferable around the price range of DT770/990 pro.
(Dt770/990 premium or MMX300 is too expensive right now)

I have no problem getting an Amp later in fact i find Tube ambs quite fun
I absolutly love how that blue Fornier Dac/amp look i saw on ebay i realy want to buy it later on.
but need to save some money for amp in future not now.
 
For now i see most important to have a good Soundcard like X-fi xtreme gaming or Titanium HD
For me is most important that soundcard work perfect for games than going the Asus xonar way of better sound.
also pricewise x-fi is better for me .

So What do you recomend for headphones
i need to buy them at online store.

Should i go Beyer as my first headphone?
This video inspired me a lot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXDKdrKHqwo

For all your uses, I would say the DT990 is the best choice, and get a pro audio headphone amp if you don't want to spend the extra money for audiophile branding.
 
For mixing, the Senn HD280 is a staple headphone with very flat frequency response. It's cheap enough that you could get that and another one for gaming (like the AD700 or something).
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Was redirected here . 
 
 
Hi  .
 
I'm new to this forum and headphones in general, I've had my first pair of headphones (Sony MDR-NC7) when I was 15 and I still use it to date. Being the person that only uses his headphones in the bus and at home for gaming I never actually spent time to notice the sound quality of it. Recently I did and I keep noticing the horrible quality which makes me want to throw this pair of headphones out the window. So now I'm looking for a new pair of headphones.
 
I've narrowed down my search to these two pairs of headphones
 
-Ath M50
-Hfi 580
 
Most of the threads I saw said that the HFI 580 was clearer and the instruments were more distinct than the M50. The M50 is still a pretty good pair however it was "muddier" than the HFI 580 and the difference was noticeable. However, the HFI 580 is 40$ more expensive than the M50, (170$ vs 130$) and it's less common as well. Considering i'm a 17 year old teenager with a restricted budget, should I get the M50s or the HFI580. Also, is it necessairy for me to get an amp? (Talking about Portable Amp)
 
If I do need get a portable amp, which one should I get? If it's 50$ or more, it'll take a delay of 2 months for me to get it so will I be able to live without one.
 
Types of songs I listen to : Hip Hop, Pop, Classical, Techno 
 
Bass matters to me, but mid and high as well, I want a balance of them. I would want a good bass but not at the expense of covering the other sounds.
 
 
Note. I'm Canadian so that's why the prices are so expensive, the shipping fees are a steal. 
 
Thanks in advance for helping this newbie

 
I'm just not a fan of the M50, so I recommend the 580

  Then again, the M50 for $130 Cnd is actually a really good price. Maybe consider the HFI 450? it's about $100 Cnd
 
Also keep an eye out on the sale forums here if you don't mind buying used.
 
None of these headphones will need an amp.
 


Quote:

Looking to upgrade from iPod buds to something better.
 
Budget: CAD $200-$225ish, not including shipping if buying online.
 
Genre: Metal, rock, blues predominantly. Lots of variation (I listen to a lot of prog) within genre however.
 
Player: Currently using an iPod touch; however it's on its last legs and I'll likely upgrade to a different player (no idea what that might be yet). I also listen to a lot of music at my computer through the soundcard.
 
Usage: I'm a student so I'm on the move often. Should be comfortable for longer periods of time. Not worried about being able to fold them up.
 
Open/Closed: Closed; can't afford to get kicked out of the library.
 
Amp'd: Not planning on it.
 
I haven't really explored my brand options too closely. I hear Grado being mentioned more than other brands for metal/rock, though I'm not sure which headphones lie within my budget.
 
Thanks.
 
 

My general brand recommendation for closed rock headphones is Ultrasone. If you're really concerned about being quiet in a library though, consider looking into iems first. Even the best isolating headphones will leak sound and potentially disturb others if it's a very quiet environment.

 
Quote:

Can someone please help me choose between the Sennheiser HD280 Pro and the Sennheisser HD555.
I am mostly going to be using the headphones for music, movies and gaming.
I want to know which of the two headphones have the most best, most realistic and accurate sounding reproduction.
 

Do you want an open or closed headphone? That will make your decision for you.
 

 
Quote:

Ok I just had to share this as I have literally just been blown away...

I went onto iTunes and discovered that EVERY CD that I had ever imported had been at AAC quality. I changed the settings to ALAC and have now started re ripping every one of my CD's and I can already here the difference using a pair of Goldring mx200 IEM's...
 
I can't wait to try them with my AKG K701's. Seriously if you're reading this and you use iTunes, change the import settings to ALAC and re import all your CD's.
 
that is, assuming you have enough space, one song can be around 40mb!

Or rip to flac to stay at the same quality and gain the option of using your music with non-mac products in the future.
 

 
Quote:

hey guys. im hoping you can give me your opinion on which headphones i should get. i like all of these but don't know which to get. I want quality but i also want looks. The first is the skullcandy skullcrushers in white, the next is the sony piiqs smooth, and then the sony piiqs impact resistant. here are the links below. i really hope you guys can help me out. by the way, im a 16 year old boy if it helps. i play sports so good headphones for the lockerroom is a must. im starting to doubt the sony piiqs impact resistant headphones though.
 
 http://www.amazon.com/Skullcandy-SCS-SCW3-5-Skullcrusher-Subwoofer-Headphones/dp/B000CQPWMS/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1299348578&sr=1-7 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Smooth-Headphones-MDR-PQ2-GRN/dp/B003MG5NQU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299374266&sr=8-1 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Resistant-Headphones-MDR-PQ3-YLW/dp/B003MG5P7M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1299374266&sr=8-4 

There is very little love for Skullcandy here at headfi. That said, if you're going to be playing sports and bashing the heck out of the headphones, go with skullcandy and their lifetime warranty.
 
 

 

[MichRT]

Quote:

Can someone please help me choose between the Sennheiser HD280 Pro and the Sennheisser HD555.
I am mostly going to be using the headphones for music, movies and gaming.
I want to know which of the two headphones have the most best, most realistic and accurate sounding reproduction.
 

 
HD555 is much more accurate, has a much wider soundstage, cleaner tighter bass. IMO, the HD555 sounds a LOT better than the 280 Pro. The "built in spacial reflector" is kinda like a hardware crossfeed function, which makes it totally awesome for music, movies, and games.

 

[GarageBoy]

Hey guys, I just ruined my PX100s (first edition) by melting their cords on a heater. I loved their warmth, but the bass was a tad heavy and could be VERY warm on certain recordings. Anything with a similar or more neutral sound and around $50-60? (full size, never cared about folding)
 
 
 
 

 

[MichRT]

Quote:

Anything with a similar or more neutral sound and around $50-60? (full size, never cared about folding)

 

[size=1.7em] SRH240, Sennheiser HD428[/size]

 

 

[bchockey9]

well im not going to be bashing the hell out of them, just listening to them in the lockerrom

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

If you try to upscale an MP3, say covert a 128kb/s to a 320kb/s, the quality will get worse. When you encode an MP3, artifacts of the music are compressed and lost, and they cannot be recovered.

I second that. I used to do that thinking it would make my music better....but it never did and I was really puzzled.
 
I almost always rip my CD's in FLAC and/or Apple Lossless format(s) now. That way if I want to convert it to a smaller file size for my iPod, I can convert it to 320kbps MP3.
 
BTW MichRT, I love the Linus quote in your signature. I laughed really hard upon reading it. >_<

 

[SoulStand]

selections at the moment: Sennheiser HD 25-1 II , Allen & Heath XD 53, Technics RP-DH1200, ETC
 
Hey guys, just bumped into this site while researching for headphone info
 
Budget: $150-250
Genres: Electronic, RnB, HipHop Rap, Rock, Classical, everything really
Players: iPod touch, mixers&internal audio interface (DJing & Production), regular laptop with factory soundcard
Usage: DJing, Production(Studio Monitoring), Music listening
Closed Dynamic Design
Amp: If it is necessary
 
Planning on upgrading some DJ headphones but still very indecisive about which one to choose out of the bunch.  Right now i have the Sennheiser HD-25 SP...haha.  I've taken into consideration about the basic necessities for DJ headphones, durability, sound quality, comfort.  I think I've done enough research to pick but still waiting for that perfect reason for me to seal the deal.  I rarely DJ out (hard to get gigs), so i mainly DJ at home but i also produce.  I need some suggestions from people who have owned these headphones to get a more in depth/detailed reference, some of you guys might have the same preferences as me so it would be helpful.  I considered buying two sets of headphones 1 for DJing 1 for production, but it seems i cannot afford that at the moment so for now i need a pair that will definitely be able to suffice for both my needs.  My main issue is with the frequency range of the HD 25's and not being able to mix properly, or being able to experience more out of my music(listen to every genre, mix mainly electronic music).  I read that they have flat response and all round produce high levels of balance from Hi's to Low's.  From what i can hear right now with the HD 25 SP's is that the sounds are definitely limited (30hz-16khz), bass has no punch but decent umph (but that's also because of the isolation), hard to distinguish instruments and the frequencies( seems as if the sound isn't spread out).  I only got to test out the HDJ2000 and i have to say, they aren't good, absolutely no bass even when i push the headphones against my ears.  Definitely would not spend $300 for them.  What i loved about them were the clarity and distinct mid and highs, and feel when synths were entering.  I need a pair of headphones that give me that warmth and clarity that fit my needs of a DJ/Producer(Studio Monitoring) but i'm not too sure how the HD25-1 MK2 or XONE XD 53 will be like.
 
***Supposedly it is better to upgrade the cable for the HD 25?


Please feel free to take some time and give some suggestion, Thanks
 
 

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Looking to upgrade from iPod buds to something better.
 
Budget: CAD $200-$225ish, not including shipping if buying online.
 
Genre: Metal, rock, blues predominantly. Lots of variation (I listen to a lot of prog) within genre however.
 
Player: Currently using an iPod touch; however it's on its last legs and I'll likely upgrade to a different player (no idea what that might be yet). I also listen to a lot of music at my computer through the soundcard.
 
Usage: I'm a student so I'm on the move often. Should be comfortable for longer periods of time. Not worried about being able to fold them up.
 
Open/Closed: Closed; can't afford to get kicked out of the library.
 
Amp'd: Not planning on it.
 
I haven't really explored my brand options too closely. I hear Grado being mentioned more than other brands for metal/rock, though I'm not sure which headphones lie within my budget.
 
Thanks.
 

 
Quote:

In to library use some inear
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/etymotic-hf3.php
 

If you're consiering iems, this thread will help you choose from the absurd variety of iems out there.  Personally I use iems (SE530) out my ipod when on the move and in the library and keep my full-sized headphones at home.