[Kyle11690]

Ok so, I am looking to buy a new set of headphones. I would really prefer them to be noise canceling due to the fact that I am a college student and it helps when I'm studying ect ect.
 
Right now I am using a pair of Denon AH-D1001 's that have been pretty decent over these past years but have recently been broken.
 
As far as how I am going to use them, it will be mostly for listening to music and movies. As far as music goes, I listen to everything from classical to rock, but more  rap, hip-hop, techno so decent bass is a must.
 
Also I will probably be wearing them for extended periods of time, so comfort is pretty essential.
 
I have looked at the Sennheiser HD 380's and a few others but I am pretty much indifferent between choosing one or the other.
 
I'm just looking for a well rounded pair of noise-canceling headphones. Any advice or suggestions for a great pair of headphones would be extremely helpful.
 
Thanks

 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

One issue I had with the Grados (purely by reading up on them, I haven't had the opportunity to try them) is that they are apparently uncomfortable. Could someone enlighten me on this subject? Are they really that bad?

Comfort is a very subjective thing. Personally, I found the flat pads ("comfies"?) the most comfortable and did not like the bowls. On the overall comfort scale though, I rank them a "meh"
 

 
Quote:

Just purchased an AKG K701 and I really hoped it would be less needy than it is.  I dont plan on buying another amp but it just doesn't mesh well with my gear.  I am really looking for the best soundstaging experience available ( around $225 ) I wasn't really sure which what to do and may have jumped the gun on the K701, Im not a bass head but I do appreciate and prefer more bass than what it offers.  Anyone have any other suggestions for me, maybe the D2000 or DT880 32ohm?

Best I can think of is to plug it into a home receiver for power and/or turn up the bass boost. The full sized Beyers aren't that much better and like to have more power, even the 32 ohm ones. I've owned or tried the 770/880/990 in various impedances, and the 880 had the best staging to my ears (pretty close with the 990 though).
 
I don't recall the D2000 haven't particularly large soundstage. Better than a typical closed headphone, but still not that large.

 

[Armaegis]

 
Quote:

Hello. Since I'm new and inexperienced to the world of headphones, I will try to be as concise as possible.
 
I'm looking to buy a good set of headphones that will last me through college (the next four years, essentially). I love good music, and sometimes I watch a movie or play a video game here and there. In terms of aesthetics, I'm not too picky. I do prefer a comfortable headphone though.
 
Any former experience with headphones is summed up by Skullcandy. I didn't have much preference in headphones; I just thought music was music and there's be no real difference between stylish and accurate headphones (you can guess how this ends. My skullcandy HESH'd headphones are great for looking like a punk for a good hour before its iron grip and weird sound quality gives me a headache).
 
So here's my question, half way into this giant essay I'm writing as a reply to this thread:
Given that I have no experience with even entry-level audiophile headphones, and that I have roughly $200 to spend,
And that I enjoy a deep, bass (more boom, less punch), especially in rock and alternative (think Gorillaz, Zebrahead, and Billy Talent)
No real taste for classical or jazz or country or dubstep or anything like that (maybe a little rap here and there, some electronica; Gorillaz likes to do a bit of everything)
 
Which headphones are right for me? I've done probably over five hours of just reading reviews and debates in these forums.
Right now my sights are set on Sennheiser 555, 558, 595, and Grados 225i (sorted by price)
I have no clue as to if I should get an amp (apparently some headphones need them and some don't, also depends on my output source).
I spend half my listening time out and about with my iPod Touch, and the other half at home on a HP laptop with foobar2000's bass equalizer.
 
If I had to rate the importance of the different aspects of a set, I'd say I prefer them in this order: Comfort, Sound, Durability, Price
Any and all advice is appreciated; I've been stewing over this for nearly a month.

 
None of the headphones you listed have particularly strong bass. For a deep bass and good build quality with some portability, my vote goes to the M-Audio Q40. It has a great low end which rumbles rather than punches, and can be driven out of an ipod. It does improve quite nicely with an amp, but it isn't required at all. They are comfortable, don't heat up as much as other closed headphones, you can change the pads out for Beyer pads if you want more isolation or comfort, and are somewhere around $100-120 or less.
 

 
Quote:

Ok so, I am looking to buy a new set of headphones. I would really prefer them to be noise canceling due to the fact that I am a college student and it helps when I'm studying ect ect.
 
Right now I am using a pair of Denon AH-D1001 's that have been pretty decent over these past years but have recently been broken.
 
As far as how I am going to use them, it will be mostly for listening to music and movies. As far as music goes, I listen to everything from classical to rock, but more  rap, hip-hop, techno so decent bass is a must.
 
Also I will probably be wearing them for extended periods of time, so comfort is pretty essential.
 
I have looked at the Sennheiser HD 380's and a few others but I am pretty much indifferent between choosing one or the other.
 
I'm just looking for a well rounded pair of noise-canceling headphones. Any advice or suggestions for a great pair of headphones would be extremely helpful.
 
Thanks

When you say noise cancelling, do you mean active noise cancelling (the kind that requries batteries), or just good noise isolation (ie: passive noise cancalling, which just blocks out noise by sealing around your ear)?
 
For active NC, I like the Audio Technica ANC7B.
 
For passive, the best headphones I've heard for that are (listed approximately by price)
Sennheiser HD280
Shure SRH840
Sennheiser HD25-1-ii
Beyerdynamic DT770

 

[keanex]

Quote:

Thanks, Armaegis, keanex, and 12345142.
 
Couple of questions:
 
1. How do the AD900 compare to the AD700 in terms of sound? I really, really love the sound of the AD700, yet I haven't heard many other higher-end cans to judge on. I really like the arid feel, and the sense of balance that the AD700 provide. I don't need or want a heavy bass, just something that is present, maybe a little weak.
 
2. Does anyone know how well the Millett Hybrid Minimax would agree with the k701?
 
3. I've also been recommended the Beyerdynamic DT880, how do those stack up with the AD700 and AD900? I see a lot of mixed opinions on them. 
 
Thanks again!

 
1: http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-technica-ath-ad900-open-air-dynamic-headphones/reviews My review of the Ad900 is there, mostly compared to the Ad700. The same airy feeling is there, with slightly better bass and slightly better clarity. If you love the Ad700 you'll love the Ad900 even more.

 

[enmitic]

Ok so ive found a pair of hd555s now. They are a little over my desired budget but i may consider them if they are much better than the hd485s. I can find the hd485 for $153nzd and can be shipped to me for free, the hd555 is $207 and will cost an additional $10 to ship and my desired budget was $170.

Again i will stretch to that price if it will be worth my while. But if it is better compared to the hd485s can you tell me why? Ive heard the hd485 is nice n bassy which i enjoy since when i listen to musc it tends to be dubstep, electronica and hip hop mainly. But these will be teamed up with the asus xonar dg soundcard which os low end but will do everything i need it for.

Are the hd555s that much better? Using for gaming and a little music here and there.

 

[penguinz]

Quote:

None of the headphones you listed have particularly strong bass. For a deep bass and good build quality with some portability, my vote goes to the M-Audio Q40. It has a great low end which rumbles rather than punches, and can be driven out of an ipod. It does improve quite nicely with an amp, but it isn't required at all. They are comfortable, don't heat up as much as other closed headphones, you can change the pads out for Beyer pads if you want more isolation or comfort, and are somewhere around $100-120 or less.

Thanks for the advice-- I'll definitely look into the Q40s.
Do you have any suggestions in terms of open headphones?
 

 

[gurpswu]

Will I need an amp for Shure SRH840's when using an iPhone or laptop to play music? 
 
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Ok so ive found a pair of hd555s now. They are a little over my desired budget but i may consider them if they are much better than the hd485s. I can find the hd485 for $153nzd and can be shipped to me for free, the hd555 is $207 and will cost an additional $10 to ship and my desired budget was $170.

Again i will stretch to that price if it will be worth my while. But if it is better compared to the hd485s can you tell me why? Ive heard the hd485 is nice n bassy which i enjoy since when i listen to musc it tends to be dubstep, electronica and hip hop mainly. But these will be teamed up with the asus xonar dg soundcard which os low end but will do everything i need it for.

Are the hd555s that much better? Using for gaming and a little music here and there.

Owch, for that price go for the 485. The 555 should be half that; not worth the price bump there.
 

 
Quote:

Thanks for the advice-- I'll definitely look into the Q40s.
Do you have any suggestions in terms of open headphones?
 

Hmm, I can't really think of any open headphones offhand that have a big bass... I really enjoy my Senn PX100-ii which is relatively bass heavy for an open headphone, but it's a small portable and I'm not sure if that's the style you're looking for. They also aren't as durable as some of the bigger ones I've mentioned, although at significantly lower cost so it doesn't hurt to replace them if they break. I actually just picked up a hard shell sunglasses case from the dollar store the other day and the PX100-ii fits perfectly inside (they come with a cloth case, which doesn't protect them very much when you toss them in a bag).
 
 


Quote:

Will I need an amp for Shure SRH840's when using an iPhone or laptop to play music? 
 
 

Nope, not at all.
 

 

[enmitic]

Owch, for that price go for the 485. The 555 should be half that; not worth the price bump there.
 

Thanks man, hd485 it is
Keeping in mind $1nzd = .50c usd

 

[foolishmatt]

Can anyone make a recommendation on a headphone in the $150 - $200 range? (200 is absolute max, under 170 is preferred)
 
I bolded the most important attributes.  The non-bolded qualities are gravy.
 
Closed is preferred over open, but not required.
 
Genres: Almost everything in the rock spectrum except death metal, nu metal, etc.  I also have a lot of acoustic guitar (like Bob Dylan) and piano music.
 
Bass: Speed, impact, detail, punch and extension are wanted, large quantity is not.  I'd like a smallish amount of high quality bass.
 
Mids: Very clear, very detailed, smooth and slightly warm.  Preferably on the brighter side too, but not grado-bright.  Vocals are important to me too.
 
Highs: Detailed, extended and accurate.  I like my cymbals to sound like metal, not paper.  Sibilance is (obviously) unwanted.
 
Soundstage: I'd like a good sized soundstage, but it doesn't have to be huge.  More importantly, I want good imaging and instrument separation.
 
Just FYI - I already have some SR60i's, so no grados please.
 
If anyone could make some recommendations that would be great!  Thanks!
 
- Matt

 

[Ali 93]

 
Hello there I was wondering if some one could help me. I currently use Turtle Beaches X1's for Xbox 360 gaming and PC  I also use them occasionally for music and thought they sounded really nice but recently I tried professional music headphones and was blow away by the sound quality.

 

My turtle Beaches are getting a bit old now and have a crack in them and won't be long till they break and ive taken the decision to buy a professional pair of music music headphones.

 

I'm willing to spend around £200 maybe more on a new pair of headphones I'll be using them for Music, gaming and movies.

 

Could anyone please suggest a pair of headphones that would suit my needs. And for music I listen to Drum and Bass and Dubstep so I would preferable like a pair with lots of bass.

 

Many thanks.

 

[velvet396]

Quote:

Hello - great forum and posters you have here.  Kudos on all of that.
 
I come to all of you, hat in hand, asking your advice before spending 10x more on headphones than I ever have in the past.
Nothing new around here, I'm sure.  I currently have Senn HD201's and really like them.
 
Here's the breakdown:
Budget: $300 +- 10%
Uses (in order): Xbox360, TV/movies, music. (Sitting back about 12 feet or so from the tv, would like wireless)
Considering: Sennheiser 555/595 with Astro Mixamp 5.8, zalman clip-on mic
Music genres: interested in most things that aren't hip-hop, rap, techno, or country
 
I'm not a big bass-head, so that's not my main consideration, I don't want it to be missing, but I prefer subtlety I guess.  The 201's lack bass, yes, I still like their sound but it would be nice to have just a tad more.
 
I'm afraid to pull the trigger though, am I getting the right multi-purpose headphone?  Is the 595 worth $65 more than the 555?  Their Amazon prices are $150 for the 595 and $85 for the 555.  It's the same driver and housing aside from a little foam pad from what I've read.  Are the earcups the same?  Comfort level?  Is the mixamp 5.8 my best solution?
 
I started out thinking I'd like to watch tv or play games at a reasonable level while my wife sleeps.  After looking at other Senns online b/c I like my 201's, I found the 555/595.  About to buy them and I noticed someone complaining about sound leak, then I learned what "open/closed" means and I've been digging through forums & reviews for a week straight.  Everything I read suggests open is better, and my wife is a solid sleeper, so if what she hears is as loud as our tv at a reasonable level but what I'm hearing is loads better, then it's win-win.  Better quality audio in the bedroom without having to bother with a surround setup.  And I really like the idea of the surround processing and wireless nature of the mixamp 5.8.  The other main reason for the mixamp is its ability to mix adjust the voice chat level independently of game audio.  I've found that using headphones and selecting "send chat audio through speakers" on the xbox provides terrible results.
 
But you're the experts.  What do you think?

 

Allow me to post the abridged version to see if that helps generate a response: 

 
$330 budget.  Considering Sennheiser HD555/595, Astro Mixamp 5.8, zalman clip mic - mute switch solution needed though
Main use: gaming, need wireless due to distance from TV
Secondary use: movies/tv/music
 
Why I haven't pulled the trigger: confusion over 555/595 (are the 595 worth $70 more?), and I need a mute switch for the mic.
 
I suppose in the meantime I could just order the mixamp and try it out with my KSC75 or HD201's, sans mic.
 
Thanks again!
 
 

 

[hellomoto170]

AAAH sorry but it's me again!
 
I placed an order for the 2500's on Sunday, on a website called simplyelectronics.net
 
However, they have since sent me an email saying my order has been put on hold until I send them a photocopy of the front of my debit card and also a copy of a utility bill, which they say is to prove my identity.
 
Now, I've ordered online several times and this has never been asked of me before, so should I be worried?
I have also done some research and it sadly looks like many people have been scammed using this website.
 
Could someone please tell me if they've ever used the website? I'm getting really worried

 

[enmitic]

Ive read up about the 555 and 595. Just buy the 555 and remove the foam which turns them into 595s and save urself the $70 google : hd555 mod to hd595 for reference

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Can anyone make a recommendation on a headphone in the $150 - $200 range? (200 is absolute max, under 170 is preferred)
 
I bolded the most important attributes.  The non-bolded qualities are gravy.
 
Closed is preferred over open, but not required.
 
Genres: Almost everything in the rock spectrum except death metal, nu metal, etc.  I also have a lot of acoustic guitar (like Bob Dylan) and piano music.
 
Bass: Speed, impact, detail, punch and extension are wanted, large quantity is not.  I'd like a smallish amount of high quality bass.
 
Mids: Very clear, very detailed, smooth and slightly warm.  Preferably on the brighter side too, but not grado-bright.  Vocals are important to me too.
 
Highs: Detailed, extended and accurate.  I like my cymbals to sound like metal, not paper.  Sibilance is (obviously) unwanted.
 
Soundstage: I'd like a good sized soundstage, but it doesn't have to be huge.  More importantly, I want good imaging and instrument separation.
 
Just FYI - I already have some SR60i's, so no grados please.
 
If anyone could make some recommendations that would be great!  Thanks!
 
- Matt

I consider the MS300 to be very close to all those properties you are looking for. The sound is fast and detailed, yet retains some of that characteristic Phiaton warmth. The soundstage is on the small side, but the separation is very good. The highs and mids are crisp and reminiscent of grado yet pulled back a bit. The bass is the leanest of the Phiaton family, yet the most punchy and decisive, and can definitely kick when needed. No amp is required, though a little extra juice brings up the bass and separation.
 

 
Quote:

 
Hello there I was wondering if some one could help me. I currently use Turtle Beaches X1's for Xbox 360 gaming and PC  I also use them occasionally for music and thought they sounded really nice but recently I tried professional music headphones and was blow away by the sound quality.
 
My turtle Beaches are getting a bit old now and have a crack in them and won't be long till they break and ive taken the decision to buy a professional pair of music music headphones.
 
I'm willing to spend around £200 maybe more on a new pair of headphones I'll be using them for Music, gaming and movies.
 
Could anyone please suggest a pair of headphones that would suit my needs. And for music I listen to Drum and Bass and Dubstep so I would preferable like a pair with lots of bass.
 
Many thanks.

Try a Beyerdynamic DT770 (32 ohm). They are on the big side, but are very well built, have great isolation, and solid bass end. The 880 and 990 are also worth a look. They typically like to have an amp behind them, but a decent soundcard or home theatre receiver will do just fine.
 

 
Quote:

Allow me to post the abridged version to see if that helps generate a response: 

 
$330 budget.  Considering Sennheiser HD555/595, Astro Mixamp 5.8, zalman clip mic - mute switch solution needed though
Main use: gaming, need wireless due to distance from TV
Secondary use: movies/tv/music
 
Why I haven't pulled the trigger: confusion over 555/595 (are the 595 worth $70 more?), and I need a mute switch for the mic.
 
I suppose in the meantime I could just order the mixamp and try it out with my KSC75 or HD201's, sans mic.
 
Thanks again!
 

Well neither the 555 or 595 are wireless... and I'm really not familiar with wireless headphones so I can't really help you there. Sennheiser are one of the most popular brands and have pretty good reviews, but that's about all I can tell you.
 
The better value is the 555, and if you remove the foam inside it's basically the same as the 595 anyways (do a search on the forums for the 555 foam mod to see pics).
 
I'm thinking if you need a wireless solution that also has a wireless mic, a gaming headphone might be your only choice...