[MorbidToaster]

I don't thonk the E10 is portable, but yeah that's about right.
 
Quote:

Thanks you two, the girl decided on the T50p already though so now she's looking into a cheap, portable amp under $100. I pointed her in the direction of the Fiio E7, E10, and E11. Was that the right thing to do?

 
 

 

[Loquah]

Quote:

Actually, back to this...Does anyone actually have a way at identifying fake M50's from real ones. I haven't used them before, and my ears aren't well seasoned enough to tell by just sound.

Where are you located, RockJaw? If you're in Australia, I'd highly recommend just buying a pair from Addicted to Audio or from headphones.com.au (Headphonics). It's just not worth the delays and potential fakes / frauds on eBay.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Hello, I'm kinda new here. I'm looking to upgrade a bit from the m50s I have now. I listen to mostly Drum and Bass, some dubstep, electro, Rock, Hard Rock. My budget is around $250-300. I'll be listening through my iPod Touch mostly. I was thinking something like the Beyerdynamic DT 770, Or maybe the Ultrasone PRO 650. Also since I would be using my iPod mostly, would these require a portable amp? Would something like the FiiO E11 work well? Also one more thing, Beyerdynamic DT 770, Would the 80 ohm be to hard to drive from an iPod Touch or would the 32 ohm be better? Thanks

For bass quantity and isolation, the DT770pro is hard to beat. I've seen them on sale around $180 before, which should leave you enough money for a portable amp. You could also find an Ultrasone Pro900 on sale within your budget, and that one doesn't need an amp as much.
 


Quote:

My computer is almost finished and I need some help with the headphones, my soundcard is the Titanium HD. I was reading in Mad lust envy's thread which is for consoles about how good the K701's are. Are they still the best for Cmss3d? I already have some M50's for music just need some help getting the best gaming headphones I can for under $300.
Thanks, Enemygate

The K701 and AD700 are standard recommendations for gaming.
 


Quote:

What are the most comfortable closed headphones for under £300.

Most comfortable for me were the Phiaton PS500.
 


Quote:

I know nothing about headphones.  I am looking for a decent pair.  I have narrowed it down to 3 based on reviews.  Will gladly look into others if you recommend them.  Looking to spend around $150-200.  I will be using them a lot on airplanes.  Probably 50/50 music and movies.  I  know all three will do just fine for music, I am mainly wondering which would be best for movies.
 
Ultrasone HFI-780
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
Beyerdynamic DT 770-PRO 250

On an airplane, the noise isolation is a top priority. The DT770 is easily the best of those three. Also consider the Senn HD280/380. 
 


Quote:

$100-$150 budget. Looking for something portable and suitable for use in noisy situations (airport, public transit, etc). Music preference is mainly choral and instrumental, but I'd like enough bass to be able to switch over to something with beat if the mood strikes. Comfort is important. Any recommendations?

Would you be ok with iems? Your genres have a wide dynamic range which really wants stronger isolation than most headphones will be able to provide.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Hi, 
 
First post, but have been reading and researching for a while.  I'm looking for a new set of headphones, currently using Beats Studio and although they aren't perfect they have treated me well, but it's time I upgrade and move to a better more all around headphone.  I ideally am looking for something that is very versatile, in both what can be listened to on them and places to listen.  I do listen on my iPod/iPhone a lot, but typically listen on my mac.  I would be looking for something that was ok on my iPhone, but also could be amped and played through my computers/ record player.
 
My music tastes are:
35%% Indie rock/ Rock (bands such as The National, Sufjan Stevens, The XX, Radiohead, Animal Collective, etc.)
20% Singer Songwriter (Bon Iver, Jack Johnson, acoustic music guys, blah, blah)
20% Dubstep/ modern (LCD Soundsystem, Pretty Lights, SBTRKT, etc)
20%Intstrumental/ Jam Bands (DMB, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky)
5% Hip Hop, R&B, & Jazz
 
I'm trying to stay under $400 for the headphones and amp, but can go up a little bit to get what would work best for me.  I would like a portable amp that I could take with to school and on the go, and maybe it would even work with my iPhone, iPad. I haven't really done any research on amps so any advice in that department would be great.
 
As for headphones, I have been looking into Grado's a lot and they seem to be a pretty balanced headphone that excels in rock, but I'm not sure if they would be good for the Dubstep like stuff.  I've mostly looked at the SR325is.  I've also been looking at some of the Sennheiser's, and on the expensive side for me the Denon AH A100.  I'm open to any and all suggestions though.
 
Thank you so much for any help.  This site is great and all of you seem so helpful.  I really appreciate it.
 
Garrett

Since you intend to do some portable listening, I would suggest going with a closed can. Random suggestions: Ultrasone HFi780 + iBasso D2. Good balanced sound and overall versatility.
 

 
Quote:

Hi guys, I'm going to keep it short and sweet. Would a pair of Sennheiser HD 598 and Fiio E7 or E9 be good?

Yes.
 


Quote:

Hello, I'm planning on buying new headphones on this upcoming black friday. This will be my first pair of REAL headphones (ones that cost more than $30) so I'm super excited.
 
I'm trying to decide between Sennheiser HD 518's and Audio-Technica ATH-M50's. I listen to mostly 90's rap, but I also like lots of other genres including rock, pop and even oldies. The Sennheisers are cheaper but come with a 2 year warranty, which I like. The m50's are more expensive and come with only a 1 year warranty.
 
Which of these would you recommend for my musical tastes?

The M50s are probably the safer bet for most people, and are also closed so provide some isolation if you ever want to use them portably. The Senns are good, but not suitable for moving out and about.
 


Quote:

 
I am looking for headphones primarily for home use.
 
Music genres: 
40% Classic Rock (Queen, Allman Brothers, Dire Straits, ELO, Pink Floyd... a little of everything)
20% Rock/Alternative (Foo Fighters, Green Day, The Wallflowers, Goo Goo Dolls)
20% Jazz/Classical/Acoustic (John Mayer, Puccini, Mozart, Nick Drake, Madeleine Peyroux)
 
Portability: 
Portability is only a minor concern as I will mostly be listening to these at home on the couch, or in bed.
 
Price range: 
I am looking to spend under $200 if possible.
 
Closed/Open: 
Sound leakage is an issue (to my wife), so closed headphones are a must.
 
Source: 
Mostly iPhone4 > line out > mini3, but also Dell XPS laptop > mini3. I would like the cans to be drivable without amplification, but I won't do that often. Also, although I am trying to increase the quality of my music library, 3/4 of it is still 128kbps MP3. I have noticed some headphone reviews seem to specifically say that they make poor sources stand out. If I can keep from emphasizing the quality issue as much as possible that would be a plus.
 
Comfort:
Every pair of headphones I have ever owned have been uncomfortable to me to one degree or another. I seem to be quite sensitive to pressure on my ears, which has me leaning heavily toward circumaural headphones.
 
Headphone preference: 
Although my music preference would probably lend itself to a bass-light setup, on music with a notable bass presence I tend to find myself turning up the bass for a little extra thump sometimes. However I think my overall preference would be for a fairly balanced sound, with the capacity to put out a bit more bass than would be natural with an EQ change. I should also note that I would like to use these headphones for watching movies, and gaming, if that is possible. 
 
Although I have no experience to go off of (the best headphones I have are Sennheiser px200's) I do think that I would like a large soundstage (as much as possible with a closed set). Other than liking bass in some situations, I am not yet sure what my tonal preferences are.

Perhaps the Audio Technica A700/900 would suit you. They are very comfortable and have moderate bass, with excellent soundstage.
 


Quote:

How do the m50's compare to Beats by Dre? Are you at all concerned with only a 1 year warranty? I'm a bit worried about buying expensive headphones only to have them break soon after the warranty expires.
 
my bro bought some Beats and now they're broken, he owned them for only a short time. He had no warranty.

The M50 is hands down better than the Beats in every category except maybe aethetics.
 


Quote:

Hi there,
 
I am looking for new headphones around 200€ (250$). I even have not decided between in-ear and over-ear, although I tend to over-ear because I have made rather bad experiences with my super.fi 5EB concerning comfort and seal.
Mainly, I listen to jazz, fusion and progressive metal. Noise isolation is kind of important due to almost third of the time listening to music I am in rather noisy places.
I have selected ATH-M50s and possibly Sennheiser IE8s so far. What are (dis-)advantages of those headphones? How good is ATH-M50s noise isolation compared to the in-ears?
Are there better alternatives meeting my requirements?
EDIT: Durability is another important aspect. I am tired of broke Ultimate Ears cables.
 
Thank You
                                      

IEMs will almost always have significantly better isolation than regular headphones, especially through the mids and upper bass. 
 
 
 


Quote:

So assuming I jump in "head first" to some nice fresh cans what would be a good aftermarket cable? I don't have the tools or know how for DIY. And I don't have $$$ to go all out on some moon cables. I'm currently figuring out witch cans I want. Looking at the Ultrasone's 750-900. Also doesn't need to be 10ft.

Don't bother with aftermarket cables. Just buy the headphones and enjoy. Chasing cables is a lot of diminishing returns to swallow when you're new to the hobby.
 

 

[Armaegis]

 

Quote:

Hey, here's a new recruit of good sound. I'm looking to buy myself first set of quality headphones. I'm looking for a good all-arounder which would serve me for couple years. I've done my homework and have read a lot reviews but still can't decide between these 2. I can get a pair of new Sennheiser HD 598s for 160euros, which is a great deal as they can go up to 250e here, or I can grab a deal for HD 650s, exhibition model with 2 year warranty for 250e (dropped from 450e). I am aware that HD 650 is harder to drive and I hardly shelled 150e for the Essence STX soundcard, but I heard mixed opinions about that card being a good pair for HD 650. I'd use these babies for all kinds of music (hip hop, rock) and games. Is it worth it to extend my tight budget for HD 650 in this case, as a long term investment? 

The STX has a beefy headphone amp built in. It should have no trouble pushing the HD650 (and that's a decent price for them, assuming the exhibition model is still in virtually new condition). 
 


Quote:

right, somehow the idea of a single thread being used for multiple people's question seems... uh, against internet standards, but i just come here for advice, so no complaints.
 
Anyway, i'm enjoying my senn 25-1 IIs for music, but i'm looking for another set for gaming cause the senns can't be worn for hours on end.
My priorities are comfort, clear audio (for games, not music), decent mic and preferably decent 5.1 or 7.1 audio. In that order.
 
The surround sound can be skipped if it costs too much for a decent pair and i could probably use a separate mic, though i find them a bit annoying.
 
My motherboard's on-board audio controller is Realtek's ALC892 8-Channel HD audio which i wont be upgrading.
 
I'm trying to save as much money as possible and would prefer something around $100 but could probably go up to $200.
 
Also, i'm in canada, in case that makes a difference for availability and such.
 
I appreciate any suggestions, thanks.

Options are pretty terrible here in Canada... your best bet is to watch the sale forums here and try to nab a used Audio Technica AD700 or Senn HD555, and use a separate mic.
 


Quote:

Can anyone comment on the leakage of the T50p vs. HD25-II? As in, which would be best for use in a library?

Thanks!

 
Both have excellent isolation. The T50p is slightly better, but takes some fiddling to get it there.
 
See my comparison here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/574617/review-comparison-beyerdynamic-dt1350-t50p-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-hd25-13-ii-pioneer-hdj-2000-v-moda-m80-aiaiai-tma-1
 
 
 
 

 

[JSitthi]

Quote:

I don't thonk the E10 is portable, but yeah that's about right.
 

Alright, thanks. Yeah I was looking at the E10 but I think it's fine - she's referring to portable as a size rather than functionality; either way the amp will be sitting on her desk and not in her pocket.
 
 

 

[MorbidToaster]

E10 is the way to go then. Unless she wants to go for true Head-fi fashion and get an XM6.

 

[CRIOLLAZO]

12345142: I think you do not understand me, music is like food, one likes sour, another person spicy and etc. I owned before many different phones, I love vinyls, open reel tapes, cassettes and live music. I tried to share my experience in a non theoretical way, this is what I "tasted". This person is a "club" listener, no an audiophile I think. You are right in the sense of price, but this is not a "pass away" in the budget, if you listen those Denons immediately you will realize what I'm talking about (with that kind of music), this person could push the wallet something more. They are no too hard for driving. If someone can borrow ones to you test them with your PC or your MP3 player and tell me about your experience. In Forums of arts, food and audio video electronics 50% is MAN TASTING. It doesn't exist a unique pair of headphones who match with all kind of recorded or live music and I don't think you will add strawberry ice cream to your 21yo whiskey

 

[linuxid10t]

This isn't even theoretical though.  There is general consensus about this stuff and it isn't statistical anything.
 
Quote:

12345142: I think you do not understand me, music is like food, one likes sour, another person spicy and etc. I owned before many different phones, I love vinyls, open reel tapes, cassettes and live music. I tried to share my experience in a non theoretical way, this is what I "tasted". This person is a "club" listener, no an audiophile I think. You are right in the sense of price, but this is not a "pass away" in the budget, if you listen those Denons immediately you will realize what I'm talking about (with that kind of music), this person could push the wallet something more. They are no too hard for driving. If someone can borrow ones to you test them with your PC or your MP3 player and tell me about your experience. In Forums of arts, food and audio video electronics 50% is MAN TASTING. It doesn't exist a unique pair of headphones who match with all kind of recorded or live music and I don't think you will add strawberry ice cream to your 21yo whiskey

 

 

[Crescendo]

Hello,
 
Been a long while since I've been on here. Very informative forum btw.
 
I just got Monster Beat Solos as a "gift" and within 2 minutes an audio guy and I now consider them garbage. Worse than I even anticipated.
I'm going to sell them cheap and would like to get some other Over the ears.
 
My budget is $150 max. If a headphone amp is needed for optimal performance, that's fine.
Looking for a good freq response were you actually hear some of the higher end spectrum...unlike the monsters.

 

[randomstranger]

Currently I own a pair of ATH-M50 cans and thought they were a huge step up from what I was using, I know they are still entry level headphones.  I don't really have the budget for a multi-thousand dollar set up nor can I fit a set up in my dorm.  Therefore I would be using something like a FiiO e7 & e9 set up for dorm use and portable.  I was also thinking about upgrading from my clip+ & e11 to my ipod 5th gen 30gb with a nicer DAC + LOD that could also double for use with my laptop.  Since I have a pair of decent closed headphones, I'd rather spring for an open set of cans that give me a better soundstage since the soundstage on the M50s is almost non existent.  Obviously walking around with open cans isn't the greatest idea but I have no problem swapping to my M50s for when I need to be silent to those around me.   
 
Music consisting of .flac encoded at 24/96 or 320kps mp3:
Drum n Bass/Industrial: Nine Inch Nails, Pendulum, Prodigy
Classic Rock: Zeppelin, The Who,
Metal: Megadeth, Metallica, Mastodon
Electronic: Daft Punk, Tiesto, Kaskade, Deadmau5
Dubstep: Skrillex, Bassnectar
 
 
I would assume that buying any of these headphones would be a poor idea since they wouldn't be at their full potential without a multi-thousand dollar rig even though these would be "future proof" headphones.
 
$1,000+
Audez'e LCD 2
Sennheiser HD 800
Beyerdynamic Tesla T1
Beyerdynamic T5P
 
There are plenty of headphones in the sub $400 market that are well respected.  This bracket would allow me to pick up a decent headphone plus a portable DAC + Dock. 
 
Sub $400
Sennheiser HD 650
AKG K701
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600 OHM
Denon AH-D2000
Grado SR235is
Shure SRH940
 

 

[OneSec]

I seeing a few gaming phone questions in last couple posts, I hope the following links will help.
 
This link was actually from the 1st post itself:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envy-aka-shin-czs-guide-to-headphone-gaming-particularly-with-dolby-headphone#post_7208658
 
If  you want to listen to more voices there you go:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/514055/best-gaming-headphones-with-poll-budget-100-250
http://www.head-fi.org/t/532474/best-headphone-for-gaming-with-poll-vote
 
If you are going for onboard sound, I would say go for cheapest that you can get, since good phones full potential will not be realized. If you decide to go serious with dedicated source, you can always resell the current phone.
 
 

 

[MorbidToaster]

With an E7/E9 and your music preferences you might want to look into a D7000. It pairs very well with the E9 combo, and has nice sound stage for a closed can. It's also the most comfortable headphone I've ever worn. You get that sweet bass that EDM needs and it does metal and rock well (IMO). 
 
Then again, that's ignoring budget. In which case look into a D2000 and mod it along the way with new cups, cable, etc. For the love of god do not get a Grado. You will loathe it. The 650 and the 2000s are really the only cans on your list I think sync well with your heavily EDM preferences. Either one would be a good choice, but I think the 650 might want a little more quality juice. 
 
tl;dr - D2000 with modding along the way. 
 
Quote:

Currently I own a pair of ATH-M50 cans and thought they were a huge step up from what I was using, I know they are still entry level headphones.  I don't really have the budget for a multi-thousand dollar set up nor can I fit a set up in my dorm.  Therefore I would be using something like a FiiO e7 & e9 set up for dorm use and portable.  I was also thinking about upgrading from my clip+ & e11 to my ipod 5th gen 30gb with a nicer DAC + LOD that could also double for use with my laptop.  Since I have a pair of decent closed headphones, I'd rather spring for an open set of cans that give me a better soundstage since the soundstage on the M50s is almost non existent.  Obviously walking around with open cans isn't the greatest idea but I have no problem swapping to my M50s for when I need to be silent to those around me.   
 
Music consisting of .flac encoded at 24/96 or 320kps mp3:
Drum n Bass/Industrial: Nine Inch Nails, Pendulum, Prodigy
Classic Rock: Zeppelin, The Who,
Metal: Megadeth, Metallica, Mastodon
Electronic: Daft Punk, Tiesto, Kaskade, Deadmau5
Dubstep: Skrillex, Bassnectar
 
 
I would assume that buying any of these headphones would be a poor idea since they wouldn't be at their full potential without a multi-thousand dollar rig even though these would be "future proof" headphones.
 
$1,000+
Audez'e LCD 2
Sennheiser HD 800
Beyerdynamic Tesla T1
Beyerdynamic T5P
 
There are plenty of headphones in the sub $400 market that are well respected.  This bracket would allow me to pick up a decent headphone plus a portable DAC + Dock. 
 
Sub $400
Sennheiser HD 650
AKG K701
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600 OHM
Denon AH-D2000
Grado SR235is
Shure SRH940
 

 
 

 

[12345142]

Quote:

Currently I own a pair of ATH-M50 cans and thought they were a huge step up from what I was using, I know they are still entry level headphones.  I don't really have the budget for a multi-thousand dollar set up nor can I fit a set up in my dorm.  Therefore I would be using something like a FiiO e7 & e9 set up for dorm use and portable.  I was also thinking about upgrading from my clip+ & e11 to my ipod 5th gen 30gb with a nicer DAC + LOD that could also double for use with my laptop.  Since I have a pair of decent closed headphones, I'd rather spring for an open set of cans that give me a better soundstage since the soundstage on the M50s is almost non existent.  Obviously walking around with open cans isn't the greatest idea but I have no problem swapping to my M50s for when I need to be silent to those around me.   
 
Music consisting of .flac encoded at 24/96 or 320kps mp3:
Drum n Bass/Industrial: Nine Inch Nails, Pendulum, Prodigy
Classic Rock: Zeppelin, The Who,
Metal: Megadeth, Metallica, Mastodon
Electronic: Daft Punk, Tiesto, Kaskade, Deadmau5
Dubstep: Skrillex, Bassnectar
 
 
I would assume that buying any of these headphones would be a poor idea since they wouldn't be at their full potential without a multi-thousand dollar rig even though these would be "future proof" headphones.
 
$1,000+
Audez'e LCD 2
Sennheiser HD 800
Beyerdynamic Tesla T1
Beyerdynamic T5P
 
There are plenty of headphones in the sub $400 market that are well respected.  This bracket would allow me to pick up a decent headphone plus a portable DAC + Dock. 
 
Sub $400
Sennheiser HD 650
AKG K701
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600 OHM
Denon AH-D2000
Grado SR235is
Shure SRH940
 

There's no such thing as 'future proof' headphones. They're not like electronics. Case in point: the Sennheiser HD25s are a decades-old design, but they still sound great today.
Anyways, for dubstep, you can forget about the Grados, AKGs and DT880s. I find the HD650s and Denons to be too sluggish for rock. I'm not going to talk about the SRH940s since I haven't heard them.
 
Since you like rock and dubstep, you ought to try the DT990s, which are essentially the DT880s with stronger bass. I think they would suit your tastes perfectly.

 

[Clockmaker]

Hey guys, decided to finally make an account here. i've been lurking for quite some time (about 4 moths or so), and i currently own a pair of grado sr80i's. these are amazing, but they're open. i commute to college via public bus, and i can just feel people giving me dirty looks as i use them in public. i need a closed can with decent isolation and SQ. i know that closed cans usually have worse sq, but its better than having to ride the bus for an hour with no music (not that i can hear much over the bus engine). i'm currently eyeing the AIAIAI tma-1 or the senn hd 25, but i'm not sure. any reccomendations?
 
tl;dr version
 
Music genres: rock, alt rock, post-hardcore, electronic, dubstep, symphonic metal, industrial, etc
Portable: yes
Price range: under 300usd
Amped: no
Closed/Open: closed (unless someone can convince me that the AKG semi open don't leak much.)
Headphone preference: currently eyeing the AIAIAI TMA-1's, own grado sr80i.
 
 
also, my grado hurt my ears after about 2 hours, is there anything i can do about that?