[tyoung8]

I expect you have seen this thread?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/534479/mad-lust-envy-aka-shin-cz-s-guide-to-headphone-gaming-particularly-with-dolby-headphone/855#post_7360675
 
The Sennheiser PC360 is suppose the be best thing since slice bread for gaming.

 

[joelpearce]

If you want durability, Beyerdynamic sells versions of the DT250 and the DT150 with mic attachments.  Considering that the DT150 was my all-time favourite closed gaming headphone, the DT190 would probably be a sweet headset, though the DT290 might be a bit more subtle looking, if you care about that.
 
Quote:

I have been looking far and wide for comparison about headphone before I buy anything because I want something that will work for what I need. Strolling head-fi forum for a while now (3 days) and I've learn in those 3 days more about headphone that I tough would be possible. Seeing has you people are extremely knowledgeable and helpful I tough I might submit my little problem to this forum.
 
I have been playing games forever with my .audio 510 from Panasonics. They were good and did their time (7 years). When they died, I though to myself lets get something better, more comfortable, more awesome, etc. So I bought the Megalodon From Razer thinking they would fit my need. I was somewhat surprise by them because the microphone feedback with the headset. (not cool). So I'm back on my quest to find a better headset. I've look at Astro, Tritton, Razer. All the ''gamer'' headset but most of the time they seem little for the cost and prone to easy damage.
 
So I'm asking for your neverending knowledge O great inhabitants of this forum.
 
So here what I'm looking for:

1. Microphone on a boom (not one of those detachable one that are prone to easy failure)
2. Overall good Sound Quality
3. Good microphone quality that doesnt feedback (noise canceling)
4. Ear Coupling : Circumaural (because I find it more comfortable(who doesnt))
5. A headphone that have a microphone (not the Get the AD700 and get the omnidirectional Zalman)
6. No Price range because I want to see all possible option.

 
I have been eying The PC360 from Sennheiser with a good sound card from Asus (Stx) but a lot of people have been bashing them.
 I am open to all suggestion and await opinion eagerly.
 
Dz
 

 

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Hi
I am looking to purchase a good quality set of headphones but there's so much choice - where to start?   Here is some basic information. I wish to do silent practice on my Roland digital electronic piano, or on my organ.
 
Music genres:  Classical
Portable: No, only used for the piano or organ.
Price range: around UK £100
Amped: No
Closed/Open: Undecided but probably closed. Need guidance here.
Headphone preference: good quality
 
Comfortable fit is important as I find them quite hot to wear for long.  On my other phones the leatherette covering the ear pads has crumbled away and I can't find those small cotton covers to buy.  Any advice would be most welcome.  Thanks.
 

 

AKG K501/601 have a very good reputation for piano but do need an amp to shine.  If your keyboard does not have much amplification, Alessandro MS-1 are very inexpensive Grados with decreased/improved treble that would also work well.  They are on-ear but extremely light, are open and never get hot and and most people (including me) find them very comfortable.
 

 

[Ploofafa]

Boop.

 

[macrocheesium]

 
Quote:

Please don't condone pirating on these forums.

FLAC files are indeed very rare; even more so for Indie labels and bands that publish through iTunes or Amazon. A majority of FLAC albums that you'll find online are indeed illegitimate files for download. Buy the CD, and rip it yourself. It's the best way as you can control the quality (even more so then vinyl, who knows what turntable they used to make the file, let alone the quality of the record). Used CD's now are dirt cheap and you can find them in fantastic condition.

 

It's not pirating if you already have rights to own those songs. Like if you buy an album from iTunes, it's completely legal to download that album from anywhere else because you've already paid for it. I've had to buy several albums twice, because the first time was from iTunes and I couldn't find the FLAC online, so I had to buy the CD.
 
Oh, and always check to make sure there's an EAC log, and that there aren't any "errors reported". That way you can see it was ripped from a CD, and that it's a perfect rip.


Quote:

Okay, so I've never put any serious thought or money into headphones (which I should have realized would mean lower quality), and so I thought I'd come to experienced users for some advice!
 
- Currently, I have the oh-so-common pair of generic Apple earbuds that come with any iPod device, and a Logitech ClearChat Pro USB Headset (I got something for the USB, as I'm not quite certain, but anything plugged into the headphone jack on the computer does not sound all that fantastic).  I'm looking for something not exceedingly expensive; something that's good for frequent music listening (as well as for electric keyboard / piano usage), and perhaps gaming (I like the over-the-ear type a great deal more than earbuds); also something that offers more versatility than those cursed Apple earbuds.  
 
- Might anyone any suggestions for a decent pair of headphones (behind the head?) for biking / exercising?
 
Oh, and would it be more wise to get a Headset, or a decent pair of headphones and a microphone?  Any suggestions for either?
 
My apologies for the blatant / poorly written request, but thank you all for your time!

You're going to have to explain your definition of "not exceedingly expensive"; it varies from person to person. The two that come to mind as music/gaming all-rounders are the Audio Technica AD700 or Sennheiser HD595. The 595 isn't necessarily great for gaming, but it does have an open soundstage, and it's extremely comfortable. I often hear the 595 recommended for movies.
 
If you want good music quality, get a headphone and add a mic. The headsets are usually good enough to hear everything in gaming, but they don't fare so well when it comes to music.

 

[Katysax]

Two words: Studio. Monitors.  For piano practice you need to get an accurate piano sound.  While I don't care for them much for general music listening the Sony MDR V-6 are fantastic for piano practice monitoring.  As a general headphone they can get a bit shrill, but purely for monitoring your own piano playing, they are outstanding.  Alternatively I'd recommend any headphones designed mostly for studio work.  The M50s are a pretty good choice.  You can get the MDR V-6 for around $70.

 

[munchzilla]

hurr. really in an inbetween situation here... considering getting a friend for my AKG K701 (or even replace, dunno!) but not sure what to get, I do love the soundstage and nice highs/treble in them, but feels so different from my old sennheisers. feels kinda like I'm more distant from the music if that makes any sense. I'm not a big deep bass fan really so hmm.... yeah... Alessandro MS-Ultimate looks like a very fun mod but I guess impossible to try over here in the cold north, and I don't know anyone who owns a pair of MS Pro anyway
I do like the detailed sound of the AKG K701 a lot too
 
hmm.. Grado? ahh, this is so annoying, I really just want one pair of phones instead of two for my desktop setup...
did I make the right decision with K701?
 
my music taste is kinda leaning to the styles that have bright distorted guitars with funky effects, post-rock etc... but I do listen to classical music and "sludge" too (really "atmospheric" music with dark bass-amped guitars) lots of screechy punk too, and even videogame inspired music
some "minimal" too, and ambient things. aphex twin's selected ambient works 85-92 is def my favorite ambient album of all time!  
 
well my last.fm is http://www.last.fm/user/xeefus if that would make any sense at all
 
I don't really remember exactly how my HD650 sounded but I have got HD555 for gaming and they are kinda involving in another way... haha. well.. hmm..
am running them from a CK2 III amp I built myself, and will soon have a Gamma 2 DAC too.
 
any sort of help or talking sense into me is appreciated  
 
thanks in advance!

 

[macrocheesium]

@munchzilla: Telling about your sound preferences would help more than your music preference. I'm not really sure what you're asking, but it sounds like you like the k701? What's wrong with them? From what I've gathered from your post the other one I would recommend is the k601, which is basically a more fun k701 with some less detail.

 

[munchzilla]

well I don't know, cymbals and such can sometimes feel too bright. not sure what the word to describe that would be...
well yeah, I like bright sound, but some treble can get a bit harsh if you get what I mean?
 
I do like the K701 a lot if it wasn't for that some cymbals and some sounds in vocals such just get a little bit too harsh
it could very well be a bad recording, but it is def not as noticable with my sennheiser hd555... but they just sound very weak and undetailed in comparison, and way too "dark"
 
I might just not be too used to it yet, although I'm just checking, since I haven't heard that many headphones really..

 

[Dobrescu George]

are there any akg which are huge(big ears)... and to have good bass?....

 

[macrocheesium]

 


Quote:

well I don't know, cymbals and such can sometimes feel too bright. not sure what the word to describe that would be...
well yeah, I like bright sound, but some treble can get a bit harsh if you get what I mean?
 
I do like the K701 a lot if it wasn't for that some cymbals and some sounds in vocals such just get a little bit too harsh
it could very well be a bad recording, but it is def not as noticable with my sennheiser hd555... but they just sound very weak and undetailed in comparison, and way too "dark"
 
I might just not be too used to it yet, although I'm just checking, since I haven't heard that many headphones really..

 
 
Have you tried to EQ the highs down a bit? A few db quieter around the highest frequency can make a difference. Whenever my cans sound too harsh this always works for me. I've heard from a lot of people that the k701 sounds way too bright, so you're definitely not the only one.

 

[munchzilla]

I like the brightness a lot to a certain point, it's just very few sounds, and it sometimes can bother me a little... but I really like everything else about it. maybe it's just that little detail which makes me feel less involved with the music, just some slight psychological issue maybe expecting it to appear or so
 
well anyway, I just now plugged in my HD555 to the amp and it's def the recording I was testing with that sounds a bit hissed at certain points. I'll probably get used to it, since everything else is so lovely about the phones. maybe the DAC could help a little with that when I receive it... who knows!
 
I tried EQ'ing a little and it does help with that recording quite a bit in the hissing matter, but some other details just sounded strange too...
 
I think I'll just keep on rolling with these, most of my music sounds aamaaaazing with them
 
(still open for suggestions though, just in case... )
 
thanks

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

 
Music:  Female vocals.
Price range: under UK £100
Amped: No
Closed/Open: Prefer Open.
 
Looking to buy a headphone to compliment my Ultrasone DJ1.  Looking at Shure 440 and Superlux 668b.  Any particular cans really suited for female vocals?  Price range is flexible.

Audio Technica are excellent for female vocals in general. The AD700 would be the ideal model in your price range (maybe a used AD900 if you can find one at your price point). I find Sennheisers are good all-purpose headphones as well. Consider the PX100 or HD518/558.
 


Quote:

whats the dt990 600ohm sound like compared to the ms1?

Have you ever heard a Grado before? Strong and clear mids, very articulate sound, lean bass, decent midbass, sharp high end, good soundstage.
 
The DT990 while technically an open can still feels somewhat closed (which affects soundstaging), it has a thin midsection, and stronger bass and highs. I consider the highs to be somewhat shrill, but those resonant peaks are highly dependent on the listener.
 


Quote:

It's that time where I want to upgrade again...
 
-Open Headphones
-Under $200, preferably around 130 or so
-I want these to sound great unamped
-I'm going to be listening to alternative rock on these, and maybe a little bit of rap.  Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Flaming Lips, etc.
-Portability is not an issue
-Looks only matter if they are horrendously ugly
 
 
Go!

standard recommendation: Grado SR80 or SR225 or Alessandro MS1 (or maybe try the SR325 or MS2 if you can find them used at your budget)
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Okay, so I've never put any serious thought or money into headphones (which I should have realized would mean lower quality), and so I thought I'd come to experienced users for some advice!
 
- Currently, I have the oh-so-common pair of generic Apple earbuds that come with any iPod device, and a Logitech ClearChat Pro USB Headset (I got something for the USB, as I'm not quite certain, but anything plugged into the headphone jack on the computer does not sound all that fantastic).  I'm looking for something not exceedingly expensive; something that's good for frequent music listening (as well as for electric keyboard / piano usage), and perhaps gaming (I like the over-the-ear type a great deal more than earbuds); also something that offers more versatility than those cursed Apple earbuds.  
 
- Might anyone any suggestions for a decent pair of headphones (behind the head?) for biking / exercising?
 
Oh, and would it be more wise to get a Headset, or a decent pair of headphones and a microphone?  Any suggestions for either?
 
My apologies for the blatant / poorly written request, but thank you all for your time!

 
It was linked earlier, but here it is again:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/534479/mad-lust-envy-aka-shin-cz-s-guide-to-headphone-gaming-particularly-with-dolby-headphone/
 
Beyer also makes some headsets. In general though, unless gaming is a big priority just go with a regular headphone and a plug-in mic.
 
Any of the sporty Sennheiser pmx series should be fine for biking.
 


Quote:

hurr. really in an inbetween situation here... considering getting a friend for my AKG K701 (or even replace, dunno!) but not sure what to get, I do love the soundstage and nice highs/treble in them, but feels so different from my old sennheisers. feels kinda like I'm more distant from the music if that makes any sense. I'm not a big deep bass fan really so hmm.... yeah... Alessandro MS-Ultimate looks like a very fun mod but I guess impossible to try over here in the cold north, and I don't know anyone who owns a pair of MS Pro anyway
I do like the detailed sound of the AKG K701 a lot too
 
hmm.. Grado? ahh, this is so annoying, I really just want one pair of phones instead of two for my desktop setup...
did I make the right decision with K701?
 
my music taste is kinda leaning to the styles that have bright distorted guitars with funky effects, post-rock etc... but I do listen to classical music and "sludge" too (really "atmospheric" music with dark bass-amped guitars) lots of screechy punk too, and even videogame inspired music
some "minimal" too, and ambient things. aphex twin's selected ambient works 85-92 is def my favorite ambient album of all time!  
 
well my last.fm is http://www.last.fm/user/xeefus if that would make any sense at all
 
I don't really remember exactly how my HD650 sounded but I have got HD555 for gaming and they are kinda involving in another way... haha. well.. hmm..
am running them from a CK2 III amp I built myself, and will soon have a Gamma 2 DAC too.
 
any sort of help or talking sense into me is appreciated  
 
thanks in advance!

Sounds like you're really just wandering all over the place... here's what I did over the past summer: pick a budget, buy one or two items that you see pop up on the sale forums all the time. Embark on a silly journey of buy/sell/trade and cycle through stuff on the forums while trying very hard not to add more money into the pot. Trying out gear is the best way to develop a sense of what you like/want and what you're willing to spend money on.
 
If they are any meets nearby, do check them out.
 
Also try plugging the K701 into an amp (a home receiver will do) and see if that livens them up a bit.
 
Other stuff:
- get a Grado SR60 or 80 or MS1 and mod it
 


Quote:

are there any akg which are huge(big ears)... and to have good bass?....

All of their full sized models are quite large. The K701 is a bit lean in the bass, but I've read the vintage K500/600 are better but hard to find. I currently have a Sextett MP which I think is great with plenty of bass (though probably not enough for a basshead). All the full sized AKGs like to have an amp behind them though.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

I like the brightness a lot to a certain point, it's just very few sounds, and it sometimes can bother me a little... but I really like everything else about it. maybe it's just that little detail which makes me feel less involved with the music, just some slight psychological issue maybe expecting it to appear or so
 
well anyway, I just now plugged in my HD555 to the amp and it's def the recording I was testing with that sounds a bit hissed at certain points. I'll probably get used to it, since everything else is so lovely about the phones. maybe the DAC could help a little with that when I receive it... who knows!
 
I tried EQ'ing a little and it does help with that recording quite a bit in the hissing matter, but some other details just sounded strange too...
 
I think I'll just keep on rolling with these, most of my music sounds aamaaaazing with them
 
(still open for suggestions though, just in case... )
 
thanks

I very rarely recommend these, but a Beyerdynamic DT48 might be your thing. They are super detailed and bright, but I never found them harsh. The clearest midrange I have ever heard, to the point that I actually found it distracting which doesn't even make sense when I write it out like that. They are lacking in bass though, but everything else is crystal clear.