[NamelessPFG]

I already have a pair of AD700s that I'm rather fond of...but I'm wonder just how much better it gets in the world of high-end headphones.
 
It seems that to get a reasonable upgrade in the qualities I'm looking for-directional imaging and clarity (mostly for gaming, with some music on the side)-I'll have to enter the exotic world of electrostatics.
 
Only problem is, I'm not too familar with the differences between different Stax earspeaker models besides the obvious physical ones (a select few have the speakers in front of the ear rather than beside it). There are different "driver" units, some being full-fledged amplifiers/energizers that take line-level input, others like the SRD-6/7 that need speaker-level input from a speaker amplifier (for which I can use one of two old receivers lying around here). The latter route should save significantly on cost, though it might impair sound quality.
 
Is there a reasonably affordable option when it comes to starting electrostatic equipment? Vintage Lambdas and their deriatives seem to be out of my reach, but the SR-X/Mark III paired with an SRD-6 or SRD-7 seems to be reasonably affordable enough. The question is whether the Lambda lineup is better enough to just save up for that instead, without even having an idea of what the electrostatic sound is like. (Supposedly more like having the sound just float into your ears instead of being pushed in. Less bass slam and whatnot that way, but I'm fine with that.)

 

[Tablo]

Is the quality of the music I rip (Class 8 FLAC) directly off a CD the same as if I covert music to FLAC from an mp3? Please help.

Nope, you're basically creating a lossless duplicate of the MP3 file.

 

[NoirNL]

Hi guys,
 
I'm looking for some advice, i'm thinking about buying some new headphones.
I'm currently using a sennheiser pc350 with a xonar essence ST and stock opamps.
 
The new headphones will be used for 75% music (dubstep mostly) and 25% movies and gaming.
 
I was looking at the Denon AH-D2000 and can get them for around 225 EURO. I'm trying not to spend more then 300 EURO
I tried looking for information to see if the essence ST can do the those headphones justice but couldn't really find any difinitive anwsers.
 
So i'm wondering if the Denon AH-D2000 are the "best" headphones i can get for my budget, and/or if there is even any point in upgrading from a sennheiser pc350.
 
Thanks in advance and if there is any other information i forgot please let me know.

 

[forcooler]

Hi,
 
I'll try to make this simple, I own a pair of Sennheiser CX-400-II in-ear phones and I'm completely happy with them for the kind of music i listen to.(Pop,Country,Soft/classic rock,trance nothing very complex).So this can be used as a reference to what kind of headphone would suit me.
 
I'm planning to buy a pair of decent full size headphones(closed circumaural) to further enhance my listening experience.As they would be my first full-size I'd rather not spend too much.
 
From what I've seen around on the web,the Sennheiser HD 448's are looking good to me.
 
I would like to know if they would really be a step-up from the cx-400's ? and if they would suit my listening style?
 
And any other suggestions are welcome too,although Senn's are the easiest to obtain for me so I'd prefer them.
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[lobbleton]

 
Quote:

The Denon D2000 or Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 are good for that sort of thing.
 

 
If it came down to the better gaming headphones, which would be best of these two?
Keep in mind these headphones will be used 100% gaming, no music. I need total experience in game.

 

[Nallows]

Long time lurker finally making the jump in.  Anyway, I'm looking for some guidance on the Beyerdynamic DT880 headphones strictly for gaming.  There are three versions (32, 250, 600 ohms).  I currently have an Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card and I'm really confused on which of the three headphones ohms to get. 

1.  From what I understand, if I get the 32 ohm version, a dac/amp is not necessarily required.  However, the Asus STX says that it can drive headphones up to 600 ohms, but I'm assuming the quality of the 600ohm version would be way below what it can be with proper dac/amp.  Is this right?
 
2.  I've read that soundstage in games doesn't change much, if any, between the 32, 250 and 600 ohm DT880's.  If that's the case, I could just get the 32 ohm with no dac/amp and be fine?
 
3.  However, if I actually would get better soundstange with higher ohm versions, than would I need something like the Fiio E7 and Fiio E9 dock?  The DAC/AMP requirements for anything above 32 ohms is quite confusing to me.  But like I said, if there is no change in regards to sound stage between the 32 ohms and 250/600 ohms verions than I really am not worried about the DAC/AMP.
 
 

 

[loller]

hi, i'm new, i've been reading for a while but i can't figure out what to buy so i decided to register and ask to you!
(at this point you would probably have already understand that my english isn't so good, i'm sorry, i'm italian but i think that this forum is the best place to ask!)
 
so.. my speedlink medusa 5.1 had just broken, after 5 years. and now i'm searching for a substitute..
i'm totally new on headphones "hi-fi", i would use them with my computer, on a creative xfi xtreme music.
the budget is 180 - 200$, i prefer circumaural headphones and i'm looking for a open or semi open one, just because i'd like to hear if someone is calling me..
 
i listen to rock music starting from the sixties (beatles, kinks, who, simon n garfunkel, steppenwolf ecc) to contemporary bands like radiohead, muse, strokes, arctic monkeys, beady eye ecc..
sometimes i listen to some heavy/trash metal too..
 
after reading a lot of post i was thinking to get some sennheiser hd595/598 or akg 242 or something like that..
most important i've many doubts on my soundcard. i don't want to change it but it makes sense buying 200$ headphones knowing that i will use them on a xfi?? would i hear the difference between these and some 100$ headphones?
 
thanks. and sorry for my english!

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

If it came down to the better gaming headphones, which would be best of these two?
Keep in mind these headphones will be used 100% gaming, no music. I need total experience in game.

I didn't own either one for very long and I had them at different times so I don't really remember enough to give a detailed comparison in that one area.
 
I mostly remember that neither one was disappointing with games or moves without having to EQ up the bass like I do with most open 'phones.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

My local store is going out of business and has a lot of great Sennheiser's for sale at huge discounts. After doing a lot research, I realized the HD25-1s were best for me because I'm someone who likes portable, comfortable headphones and closed sound since I commute often. BUT this store also has the HD 598's for a very great price, and seeing as its one of the Audiophile type cans, I'm assuming this is one of Senn's best sounding headphones.
 
So the dilemna is I don't know which pair suits me best since the Hd25s are a great price no matter what and supposedly sound great for a portable closed pair, but I'm also an audiophile and I may want superior sound quality over portability.
 
So what are the major differences in quality between the HD25-1 and the HD598? I'd choose the 598 if they sounded much much better. Keep in mind I use a PA2V2 for amplification, and genres of music I'd prefer to be best driven from either cans are jazz, metal, ambiance, rock and acoustic folk. 

Get the HD25-1-ii and enjoy your music all the time, as opposed to only being able to enjoy your music some of the time. The HD598 are open and not portable at all.
 


Quote:

Hello headfiers ! i have been looking for a set of akg k1000 without luck,i saw 2 on ebay but sadly seller wont ship them to my country,does anybody know who has a set for sale,who would ship them overseas ? im offering 1250  
 
many thanks! 

You just have to be patient and keep an eye on the sale forums here, on Audiogon, on ebay, and any local listings.
 


Quote:

Looking to replace a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 that were stolen.  I really liked their sound, but I have a small head and not much hair, so they were somewhat uncomfortable and very goofy-looking.
 
While not much better looking or more comfortable, I'm looking at Grados, mostly because I've always been curious about them.
 
Locally, I can get SR-60i's for $70, SR-80i's for $80, or online I can get the Alessandro MS-1's for $99.  At these prices, I figure I should just get the MS-1's, right?  Are the MS-1's the same as SR-125's (which I can get locally for $120)?
 
I use a Sansa Clip+ and a CMOY with bass boost.  I'm not a critical listener (obviously), I just want the best quality sound under $100 without spending unnecessary money.
 
What would you do?
 

I would consider something more like a Senn PX200-ii. The Grados are open and might not be suitable if you need any sort of isolation.
 


Quote:

Hello,
 
I am hoping for some help in choosing some wireless headphones. The main uses would be watching movies, playing games and talking over VoIP/Ventrillo. I would prefer over the ear cups, but anything that is comfortable for long use periods would work.  I was hoping to keep it under $200, but this can be raised if needed.
 
So in short,
Wireless
for Movies and Games
with a microphone for voice chat
Prefer over the ear cups, but anything comfortable
 
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know of too many options... but here's one:
http://www.amazon.com/AKG-K830BT-Wireless-Bluetooth-Headphone/dp/B004O2NK0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1310174283&sr=1-1
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

I already have a pair of AD700s that I'm rather fond of...but I'm wonder just how much better it gets in the world of high-end headphones.
 
It seems that to get a reasonable upgrade in the qualities I'm looking for-directional imaging and clarity (mostly for gaming, with some music on the side)-I'll have to enter the exotic world of electrostatics.
 
Only problem is, I'm not too familar with the differences between different Stax earspeaker models besides the obvious physical ones (a select few have the speakers in front of the ear rather than beside it). There are different "driver" units, some being full-fledged amplifiers/energizers that take line-level input, others like the SRD-6/7 that need speaker-level input from a speaker amplifier (for which I can use one of two old receivers lying around here). The latter route should save significantly on cost, though it might impair sound quality.
 
Is there a reasonably affordable option when it comes to starting electrostatic equipment? Vintage Lambdas and their deriatives seem to be out of my reach, but the SR-X/Mark III paired with an SRD-6 or SRD-7 seems to be reasonably affordable enough. The question is whether the Lambda lineup is better enough to just save up for that instead, without even having an idea of what the electrostatic sound is like. (Supposedly more like having the sound just float into your ears instead of being pushed in. Less bass slam and whatnot that way, but I'm fine with that.)

You'll probably be better off starting your own thread for this. Most people answering in here are more budget/midfi oriented and not that many here (or on headfi overall) have stax experience.
 


Quote:

Hi guys,
 
I'm looking for some advice, i'm thinking about buying some new headphones.
I'm currently using a sennheiser pc350 with a xonar essence ST and stock opamps.
 
The new headphones will be used for 75% music (dubstep mostly) and 25% movies and gaming.
 
I was looking at the Denon AH-D2000 and can get them for around 225 EURO. I'm trying not to spend more then 300 EURO
I tried looking for information to see if the essence ST can do the those headphones justice but couldn't really find any difinitive anwsers.
 
So i'm wondering if the Denon AH-D2000 are the "best" headphones i can get for my budget, and/or if there is even any point in upgrading from a sennheiser pc350.
 
Thanks in advance and if there is any other information i forgot please let me know.

The D2000 should be a step up. That's an ok (though not great) price for them. How much can you find the D5000 for?
 


Quote:

Hi,
 
I'll try to make this simple, I own a pair of Sennheiser CX-400-II in-ear phones and I'm completely happy with them for the kind of music i listen to.(Pop,Country,Soft/classic rock,trance nothing very complex).So this can be used as a reference to what kind of headphone would suit me.
 
I'm planning to buy a pair of decent full size headphones(closed circumaural) to further enhance my listening experience.As they would be my first full-size I'd rather not spend too much.
 
From what I've seen around on the web,the Sennheiser HD 448's are looking good to me.
 
I would like to know if they would really be a step-up from the cx-400's ? and if they would suit my listening style?
 
And any other suggestions are welcome too,although Senn's are the easiest to obtain for me so I'd prefer them.
 
Thanks in advance.

Options for a closed full size Senn are limited... there's the HD280 or HD380. There's also the HD448 though I'm not a big fan.
 


Quote:

Long time lurker finally making the jump in.  Anyway, I'm looking for some guidance on the Beyerdynamic DT880 headphones strictly for gaming.  There are three versions (32, 250, 600 ohms).  I currently have an Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card and I'm really confused on which of the three headphones ohms to get. 

1.  From what I understand, if I get the 32 ohm version, a dac/amp is not necessarily required.  However, the Asus STX says that it can drive headphones up to 600 ohms, but I'm assuming the quality of the 600ohm version would be way below what it can be with proper dac/amp.  Is this right?
 
2.  I've read that soundstage in games doesn't change much, if any, between the 32, 250 and 600 ohm DT880's.  If that's the case, I could just get the 32 ohm with no dac/amp and be fine?
 
3.  However, if I actually would get better soundstange with higher ohm versions, than would I need something like the Fiio E7 and Fiio E9 dock?  The DAC/AMP requirements for anything above 32 ohms is quite confusing to me.  But like I said, if there is no change in regards to sound stage between the 32 ohms and 250/600 ohms verions than I really am not worried about the DAC/AMP.
 
 

A good thread comparing the different versions:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more#post_6938759
 
In general, the differences are rather small. Get the 32 ohm version if you don't want to use an amp.
 


Quote:

hi, i'm new, i've been reading for a while but i can't figure out what to buy so i decided to register and ask to you!
(at this point you would probably have already understand that my english isn't so good, i'm sorry, i'm italian but i think that this forum is the best place to ask!)
 
so.. my speedlink medusa 5.1 had just broken, after 5 years. and now i'm searching for a substitute..
i'm totally new on headphones "hi-fi", i would use them with my computer, on a creative xfi xtreme music.
the budget is 180 - 200$, i prefer circumaural headphones and i'm looking for a open or semi open one, just because i'd like to hear if someone is calling me..
 
i listen to rock music starting from the sixties (beatles, kinks, who, simon n garfunkel, steppenwolf ecc) to contemporary bands like radiohead, muse, strokes, arctic monkeys, beady eye ecc..
sometimes i listen to some heavy/trash metal too..
 
after reading a lot of post i was thinking to get some sennheiser hd595/598 or akg 242 or something like that..
most important i've many doubts on my soundcard. i don't want to change it but it makes sense buying 200$ headphones knowing that i will use them on a xfi?? would i hear the difference between these and some 100$ headphones?
 
thanks. and sorry for my english!

Best for the budget is the HD555 and mod it into the 595 (or get the 558 and mod it similarly). A quick google search will give videos on how to do it.
 

 

[Cpt5lImjIm]

Thank you very much for that, did not really understand.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

If it came down to the better gaming headphones, which would be best of these two?
Keep in mind these headphones will be used 100% gaming, no music. I need total experience in game.

While I prefer the Denons for music, the cartoonish DT770-80 signature (intense bass, treble & soundstage) could be fun with games.  I once read a post by a DT770-80 owner who commented that their exceedingly good ability to pinpoint sound sometimes got him accused of cheating.  They scale immensely with amplification, so if you could run them through your stereo their sound would improve a lot.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Not at all. The whole idea of an mp3 is compressing an audio file by removing some data. You can't 'regain' that data just by converting it to FLAC. Once you lose that data, it's lost forever. 
 

 
Quote:

Thank you very much for that, did not really understand.

 
 
Think of it as a photograph.  If you reduce a 3 megapixel picture to a 1 megapixel picture (akin to compressing a CD into an mp3), and converted that resulting 1 MP picture to a 3 MP picture of another format, that picture would not regain the original detail .  Now if you converted the original 3 MP picture to a 3 MP picture of that other format, it would have a lot more information/detail, even though the two converted files would be exactly the same format and file size.
 
 

 

[dragmagpuff]

Thanks in advance.
 
For the past three years, I have been using some Sennheiser HD 280 pro headphones on my computer. However, they are extremely uncomfortable on my large head, and am looking to replace them with some nicer quality headphones (hopefully a step or two up from them).
 
My criteria are:
 
SETUP: These would be used on a computer in my bedroom. Currently, I have an Auzentech X-fi Forte which has a dedicated headphone amp. (I have no idea if the amp is any good). I would have no interest in taking this new purchase anywhere, so portability is not a concern. I am also leaning toward open air (noise isolation both ways isn't necessary), but if I can find a comfortable closed ear pair that would better meet my criteria, I am not opposed to the idea.
 
MUSIC:I listen to rock/metal (Particularly Tool) about 75% of the time and bass-heavy electronic music the rest of the time. If I could get  more bass than in my HD 280s, I would probably be satisfied.
 
GAMING: I tend to game a lot. FPS and action-RPGs tend to get the majority of my playtime. Good positional audio would be a huge plus.
 
COMFORT: This is a huge selling point. I would like to start wearing my headphones instead of using my normal PC speakers. I am a engineering student, so I spend lots of time at my computer working listening to music. With the HD 280s, I can generally only wear them for 2-3 hours before I have to take them off.
 
BUDGET: I am looking to spend less than $300 on a setup. I keep seeing all of this stuff on DAC/AMPs, but am pretty clueless in this regard. I am not opposed to eventually upgrading to using one at a later date.
 
I have read some good things on the Audio Technica ATH AD900s, but am slightly concerned about people mentioning the lack of punchy bass as a con. Of course, I wouldn't really know what qualifies as "lack of bass" in the higher quality headphones.
 
Again, thanks for the help.

 

[andrewberge]

Quote:

Here's a list of Canadian retailers. In general though, the M50s are very expensive up here. Long & McQuade has them for $190.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/548624/listing-canadian-companies-retailers
 
For better bang for the buck (relatively) at that price, consider the Beyer DT770pro or Shure 840/440.

 
My reply is a little late, but i only saw this now. I saw them for $180 while i was in Quebec city just couple days ago.
I'll check out the other two before spending that much on M50s, though. Thank you very much