[Kudos]

What's this I hear about keeping your source at 50%? Does that mean keeping my media player's volume at 50%?

 

[Eskanasi]

Hey there, I have a friend who is looking to spend about $500 on a hi-fi setup. But she has never really researched and doesn't know anything about hi-fi, and I'm merely enthusiastic, not knowledgeable.

So she has no gear whatsoever, and uses only a laptop so soundcards are out.

I only know a bit about computer audio too so I think she needs this to get started for this much money at once:

A DAC
An Amp
A pair of headphones (preferably durable but I know enough that the build quality is usually great)

I have never really researched amps and DAC's before, preferring to get the essence STX as an all-in-one. lol

So suggestions, @$500 total for the lot.

She listens to classical, with a definite lack of any contemporary music whatsoever. She'd be using them pretty much exclusively for music. I know that it says in the OP to look elsewhere for advice on amps and DAC's but as she's getting it all at once it's a bit hard to not include that she needs them as well. As well as that I'd need to create 3 posts or more saying exactly the same thing so yeah.
 
She's happy for all components to be full-sized and not portable. As they would pretty much live in her room.

 

[Eskanasi]

I'm actually now sorta set on getting her the senn's HD 650's. However they would need a decent amp to drive them. and I don't know how much that would cost.
 
You can get them at $381 with free shipping right here in Australia and that sounds like a great price for them.

 

[puresilence]

In regards to DAC/amp combos that can drive them that would keep you somewhat around budget with the HD650s (I'm basing this off of USD, but it should be around the same price in AUD) the FIIO E7 + E9 and the Audio-GD NFB-12, which are both roughly $200 USD, not including shipping.

 

[THETEST]

Hi everyone ! I`ve just returned from a shop where I had some time testing Senns HD 25 1 II with my Cowon X7. I like everything about them except for the higher frequencies (compared to Phonak Audeo PFE 112, which I`ve been using about one year and a half). So I need more detailed sound and clarity. Can anyone recommend some other headphones which would make a great pair with my X7 ? I love grunge, rapcore, rock, punk-rock, alternative, nu-metal. If HD 25 1 II is still the best option (but there SHOULD be other), I think I`ll buy them. Thanks.
 

 

[malignant]

Hi guys,
I am looking for a headphone at around 50-70 US$ from amazon to replace my 10 bucks Sony. MDR-G45 earclip because it is almost totally useless in term of sound isolation Main priorities for the new headphone are :
 
1. Isolation - Living in a male dorm, can be very noisy at times and I also dont want to disturb my roommate cos our sleeping schedule differs
2. Comfort - I will be wearing this for hours every day
3. Sound quality
 
The headphone will be used for my gaming pc. No dedicated sound card, only an onboard one, AMD High Definition Audio, whatever that is.
My music collection is composed of around 20% 128 kbps bitrate, 30% with 160-192 kbps while the rest are 256-320 kbps with a little bit of FLAC. Genre : Classical, Pop, Rock and Opera / Musical
 
I read some guides and reviews here and currently am considering Shure SH-440.
Buying it will be a big chunk out of my budget so I'd like to have some more advice before comitting.
 
Thanks in advance !

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

What's this I hear about keeping your source at 50%? Does that mean keeping my media player's volume at 50%?

It's only a concern if your source tends to clip, which isn't that common. More often, people will keep the source lower simply because their amp has too much gain. In general, you want to turn your source up in order to minimize the signal/noise ratio, turning it down a notch only if you have distortion.

 
Quote:

Hey there, I have a friend who is looking to spend about $500 on a hi-fi setup. But she has never really researched and doesn't know anything about hi-fi, and I'm merely enthusiastic, not knowledgeable.

So she has no gear whatsoever, and uses only a laptop so soundcards are out.

I only know a bit about computer audio too so I think she needs this to get started for this much money at once:

A DAC
An Amp
A pair of headphones (preferably durable but I know enough that the build quality is usually great)

I have never really researched amps and DAC's before, preferring to get the essence STX as an all-in-one. lol

So suggestions, @$500 total for the lot.

She listens to classical, with a definite lack of any contemporary music whatsoever. She'd be using them pretty much exclusively for music. I know that it says in the OP to look elsewhere for advice on amps and DAC's but as she's getting it all at once it's a bit hard to not include that she needs them as well. As well as that I'd need to create 3 posts or more saying exactly the same thing so yeah.
 
She's happy for all components to be full-sized and not portable. As they would pretty much live in her room.

 
Quote:

I'm actually now sorta set on getting her the senn's HD 650's. However they would need a decent amp to drive them. and I don't know how much that would cost.
 
You can get them at $381 with free shipping right here in Australia and that sounds like a great price for them.

 
Just to throw a ton of options at you... a small dac/amp unit like an iBasso or Leckerton could also work. There are several options from Audio-gd, and Fiio has the ever popular e7+e9. Firestone Audio has their Fubar line of dac/amps which are nice as well.
 
 
 

 
Quote:

Hi everyone ! I`ve just returned from a shop where I had some time testing Senns HD 25 1 II with my Cowon X7. I like everything about them except for the higher frequencies (compared to Phonak Audeo PFE 112, which I`ve been using about one year and a half). So I need more detailed sound and clarity. Can anyone recommend some other headphones which would make a great pair with my X7 ? I love grunge, rapcore, rock, punk-rock, alternative, nu-metal. If HD 25 1 II is still the best option (but there SHOULD be other), I think I`ll buy them. Thanks.
 

With the same form factor, the Beyerdynamic DT1350 has been getting a lot of press lately. The Shure 940 is also well regarded for detailing.
 

 
Quote:

Hi guys,
I am looking for a headphone at around 50-70 US$ from amazon to replace my 10 bucks Sony. MDR-G45 earclip because it is almost totally useless in term of sound isolation Main priorities for the new headphone are :
 
1. Isolation - Living in a male dorm, can be very noisy at times and I also dont want to disturb my roommate cos our sleeping schedule differs
2. Comfort - I will be wearing this for hours every day
3. Sound quality
 
The headphone will be used for my gaming pc. No dedicated sound card, only an onboard one, AMD High Definition Audio, whatever that is.
My music collection is composed of around 20% 128 kbps bitrate, 30% with 160-192 kbps while the rest are 256-320 kbps with a little bit of FLAC. Genre : Classical, Pop, Rock and Opera / Musical
 
I read some guides and reviews here and currently am considering Shure SH-440.
Buying it will be a big chunk out of my budget so I'd like to have some more advice before comitting.
 
Thanks in advance !

 
The Shure 440 is an excellent all-rounder that I found comfortable with good isolation. Less comfortable but much better isolation was the Sennheiser HD280.
 

 

[THETEST]

Quote:

With the same form factor, the Beyerdynamic DT1350 has been getting a lot of press lately. The Shure 940 is also well regarded for detailing.
 
 

What about some mobile over-ear solutions ? Are HD598 good for the types of musiс I mentioned ?
 
Update. After reading some reviews of srh840s I`m gonna try them.

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

What about some mobile over-ear solutions ? Are HD598 good for the types of musiс I mentioned ?

The 598s wouldn't be very good to use on the go.  They're open so you'll be able to hear everything around you and everyone around you will hear what you're listening to.

 

[jcamui420]

Hi. What are the best headphones for jrock? 
Here is a thread i started which has more detail about the music i listen to and stuff like that
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/559200/jrock-gear-help-needed-for-headphones-portable-amp-cables-etc#post_7553048
 
THank you

 

[Sanctuary]

I need some advice with a pair of headphones specifically to use with movies with Dolby Headphone.  I had been using a pair of Sennheiser HD280s for the last four or so years, and then started looking around for upgrades (also just bought my first MP3 player in the Cowon S9).  I ended up purchasing some Phonak PFE 122s as well based on all of the rave reviews--I'm also completely green when it comes to IEMs in general.  I've also borrowed a pair of HD 595 for a few weeks, and all three have their strengths and weaknesses.
 
1. HD 280: even though they are a pretty old model and closed, they are still the best "all arounder" to me.
 
2. HD 595: obviously superior for music, and not bad for movies, but it's lacking with movies and Dolby Headphone.  It has better seperation for sure, but it does not sound nearly as "theater" like as the HD 280. 
 
3. PFE 122: I honestly don't like the way these sound compared to either of the headphones for music/games and they really start to make my ears hurt after only an hour or so, but they shockingly are the best by far with Dolby Headphone.  I just recently tried them out just for the hell of it to see if they were useful for anything at all, and the seperation is astonishing and I need help to understand why, as well as finding a pair of headphones that have a similar channel seperation (clarity?).  The bass was pitiful compared to the HD 280 for movies (and even those have plenty of room for improvement), yet dialogue and the whirring effects or slashing/bullet effects (i.e. The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded) were immediately improved, and while the simmulated channel seperation was "good" with either of the Sennheisers, it was on an entirely new level with these.

Is this simply because of the differences between IEMs and headphones?  I've heard that to get a good Dolby Headphone sound field that you need a "fast" set.  Are these faster than either of the headphones, or is it just a matter of not having a proper amp? 

What I want is the channel seperation and clarity of the Phonaks with the theater quality of the HD 280, except with even more bass (without it occluding the rest of the sound field).  I'm also looking at the sub $500 area.  So far, the only headphones that look appealing would be the DT990 premium, but I have no idea if they are going to give me what I'm looking for, and I don't have the luxury of testing headphones before purchasing them.

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

I need some advice with a pair of headphones specifically to use with movies with Dolby Headphone.  I had been using a pair of Sennheiser HD280s for the last four or so years, and then started looking around for upgrades (also just bought my first MP3 player in the Cowon S9).  I ended up purchasing some Phonak PFE 122s as well based on all of the rave reviews--I'm also completely green when it comes to IEMs in general.  I've also borrowed a pair of HD 595 for a few weeks, and all three have their strengths and weaknesses.
 
1. HD 280: even though they are a pretty old model and closed, they are still the best "all arounder" to me.
 
2. HD 595: obviously superior for music, and not bad for movies, but it's lacking with movies and Dolby Headphone.  It has better seperation for sure, but it does not sound nearly as "theater" like as the HD 280. 
 
3. PFE 122: I honestly don't like the way these sound compared to either of the headphones for music/games and they really start to make my ears hurt after only an hour or so, but they shockingly are the best by far with Dolby Headphone.  I just recently tried them out just for the hell of it to see if they were useful for anything at all, and the seperation is astonishing and I need help to understand why, as well as finding a pair of headphones that have a similar channel seperation (clarity?).  The bass was pitiful compared to the HD 280 for movies (and even those have plenty of room for improvement), yet dialogue and the whirring effects or slashing/bullet effects (i.e. The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded) were immediately improved, and while the simmulated channel seperation was "good" with either of the Sennheisers, it was an entirely new level with these.

Is this simply because of the differences between IEMs and headphones?  I've heard that to get a good Dolby Headphone sound field that you need a "fast" set.  Are these faster than either of the headphones, or is it just a matter of not having a proper amp? 

What I want is the channel seperation and clarity of the Phonaks with the theater quality of the HD 280, except with even more bass (without it occluding the rest of the sound field).  I'm also looking at the sub $500 area.  So far, the only headphones that looks appealing would be the DT990 premium, but I have no idea if they are going to give me what I'm looking for, and I don't have the luxury of testing headphones before purchasing them.

 
Read here.  I mostly liked the DT990s with movies (though with a different surround DSP) but you might want to beware of their highs since they're pretty bright.  That part ruined them for me, but plenty of other people love them.

 

[Sanctuary]

That was extremely helpful, thank you very much.

 

[Joakcbasse]

Hey guys, some advice?
 
I have these equipment (and my ratings of how much i enjoy them):
 
Sony MDR-V6 - 8/10
Grado SR60 w/HD414 reverse quarter mod - 6.5/10
Koss KSC75 - 9/10 (not as good as SR60, MDR-V6, but the value just amazes me)
NuForce uDAC - i haven't A/B tested, but i honestly cant tell the difference when using these with MDR-V6, SR60s. 
Sennheiser MX560 - 5/10 (just for portable use)
 
Source: Laptop running Foobar2000 with NuForce uDAC (with ASIO4ALL)
 
Type of music: I listen to mostly to rock/indie rock (thus, the Grados were recommended to me first) BUT in actuality i really listen to everything from hip hop to black metal to jazz to electronica to classical to female diva pop. So I would like headphones that are versatile to handle mostly everything.
 
I really really like my Sony MDR-V6's for the way they can separate instruments. I prefer hearing all the instruments and seeing how they contribute to the overall sound, instead of how Grados blend everything together. Does this mean I like "analytical" as a sound signature?  The MDR-V6's guitar-detail isn't as good as the Grados, but I feel like the Grados basically shine with guitars, and that's about it. It's a little too over-the-top with it's forwardness.... it's disappointing a very "niche" headphone, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy them!... I just feel it's appeal is limited to very certain situations.
 
I don't know if this is just my personal sound preferences, or my ears are dumb or what..... To be honest, I  dont feel like the Grados are THAT much better than my Koss KSC75s (which never fail to astonish me, and fulfill the same general purpose of the SR60s for me for like 8% of the price or so, since i got my KSC75s for $6). 
 
Anyways, that makes me think of my next upgrade path: I'm thinking about getting some Sennheisers. Just because I've never heard Sennheisers (i dont think the MX560 counts....), but from everything I've read, it seems like Sennheiser's the next logical path to explore (People seem to put Grado and Sennheiser at polar opposites, anyway?) Correct me if i'm wrong, but I THINK i'm looking for a "laid-back", "warm", "analytical" signature. 
 
So I'm thinking the Sennheiser HD598 or (possibly) HD600/650. BUT I get the feeling that my uDAC cannot power the HD600 series enough, and I don't have the money to get a desktop amp. (My budget overall is about $450, tops... if getting a HD600 series phone means getting a desktop amp as well, that means I can't get a HD600 phone).  
 
Is there another headphone you can recommend? Most importantly, I'm trying to explore different sound signatures, and I think Sennheiser is the next logical step? I'm open to ANY advice you guys can provide. 
 

 

[Nom de Plume]

Well, "analytical" is one way to put it. You seem to value instrumental separation (soundstage and imaging).
 
I just want to clarify the HD598 isn't like its siblings. It's brighter and more forward than other Sennheiser 'phones, but its detail retrieval, versatility, and gigantic soundstage make it a great jack of all trades.
 
Considering your price range, I emphatically recommend the AKG K701 + Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 (others have recommended the Audio-GD NFB-12, but I've never heard this DAC/amp combo); I've seen the K701 fetch ~$250 new, and the D1 is $200 (~$450, which is the cap on your budget). It's a champ at instrumental separation, and it fares well with many genres (albeit not my top pick for electronica/hip-hop).
If you feel like allocating ~$270 elsewhere, call J&R for the latest price on the HD598 ($180 + free shipping). You won't need to purchase a new DAC/amp for that.
 
Quote:

 
I really really like my Sony MDR-V6's for the way they can separate instruments. I prefer hearing all the instruments and seeing how they contribute to the overall sound, instead of how Grados blend everything together. Does this mean I like "analytical" as a sound signature?
 
Anyways, that makes me think of my next upgrade path: I'm thinking about getting some Sennheisers. Just because I've never heard Sennheisers (i dont think the MX560 counts....), but from everything I've read, it seems like Sennheiser's the next logical path to explore (People seem to put Grado and Sennheiser at polar opposites, anyway?) Correct me if i'm wrong, but I THINK i'm looking for a "laid-back", "warm", "analytical" signature. 
 
So I'm thinking the Sennheiser HD598 or (possibly) HD600/650. BUT I get the feeling that my uDAC cannot power the HD600 series enough, and I don't have the money to get a desktop amp. (My budget overall is about $450, tops... if getting a HD600 series phone means getting a desktop amp as well, that means I can't get a HD600 phone).