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Hi guys, I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I've been doing a lot of reading and research here on the forum and elsewhere on the web, trying to learn everything I can.
Some background on me: I guess you could call me a 'budding' audiophile. I recently bought a pair of Sennheiser HD380's. Got them for $165, seemed like a good sound for the price. I need headphones that are portable, full size, closed, offer as balanced of a sound as possible, and work with as many genres of music as possible. In particular, I listen to acoustic/indie rock, electronica, classic rock, with some R&B and other random stuff mixed in... it also helps if they're comfortable and not too bright/shrill. I listen on my ipod & laptop. My recent purchase of the 380's was so that I'd have a good headphones that would faithfully reproduce the music better than my crappy earbuds. Well these succeed at that. Actually I was blown away by the difference. I had a pair of Klipsch S4's and they were good but don't get the full spectrum, and I find in-ear headphones uncomfortable for long-term listening.
So anyway enough boring stuff about me, just thought some background might be useful for anyone wanting to help me out. Having these 380s has made me curious about what else is out there. I feel like I want to hear everything, and maybe upgrade what I've got to something better. Been thinking about the Ultrasone 900's. I know it's a jump in price, but seems like it might be worth it if the performance is much better, I've never heard any of their headphones so I don't know but the reviews are awesome.
Also I picked up the X fi go pro usb sound card, to improve the sound on my laptop, and am pretty satisfied with it. The things I'm wondering about is whether I need a DAC or an amp or whether upgrading to the Ultrasone is worthwhile. For being on the go, I don't really want to carry a ton of equipment. The usb sound card is the size of a thumb drive, and these headphones fold up nicely in the case they included. Someday I'll build a nice home setup but for now I'm a student and need to be mobile.
I have more questions but I don't want to ask too many things at once. I'm very new to the audiophile community and trying to learn as much as I can quickly, like what the purpose is for a DAC as an example, and so if anyone has general advice or a list of the best threads to view on this forum... there are so many I don't know where to start. Thanks in advance for any help.
I don't know how balanced the Pro900s will be, as they're known to be a bit bass-heavy. For more neutral you could look into the Brainwavz HM5 or Shure SRH940.
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Hi! I am looking to move into the world of fantastic sound. I've had decent speakers and decent soundcards, but never decent headphones.
I listen mostly to rock (alternative/punk mostly) I'd say 75% of the time, and also folk, electronic, rap, classical, etc (all genres, really).
Rock is the most important to me, and I like emphasis on the mids and the highs much more so than bass.
I would prefer closed headphones, since I will be using these at work and people can get loud and obnoxious, and likewise, I do not want to bother people, but I could also be convinced to do open if this is the better option and will deliver a better sound. I will not have an amp. Budget is at most 200.
I was looking at the:
Closed:
Ultrasone HFI-780 $150
Beyerdynamic DT-770 80 ohm $200
Audio Technica ATH-M50s $150
Open:
Audio Technica ATH-AD700 $100
Grado 225 $200
All suggestions are appreciated as to what would be good. I've been eying the 780s. How do they sound for rock? They seem like they would also suit my other genre needs quite well.
Thank you very graciously in advanced for any suggestions.
For your uses it sounds like closed might work better. I don't know about the 780s, but the M50s work quite nicely for rock, and a lot of other stuff, too.
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I've been looking for a pair of good over ear headphones, I typically listen to music through Pandora on my PC. The genre I usually listen to is Modern Rock. I want to get the best over ear headphones possible for $100 the headphones cannot exceed $100.
Try the Creative Aurvana Lives, or the Koss DJ100.
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I'm looking at the Hifiman he-500 and Audez'e lcd2 rev and was wondering if anyone had any preference between the two, I understand that the price difference is pretty significant but if the lcd2s are noticeably better I really don't mind. Mainly I'm looking for a headphone that will nix my fix of wanting more headphones. Right now I'm leaning towards the hifiman's but if anyone has listened to both any input would be much appreciated.
I think for information on flagship-level cans you're better off asking in the Summit-Fi forum, as few people here will have heard both, or even any of them.
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hello guys! I've been reading this forum for more than 1 year and finally i can afford to get some more serious audio gear. I have soo many options available that im completely lost and confused and everything u could imagine..
I know that Beats headphones are not so popular here, im not a fan of them too, just wanna say that i tried them yesterday and i was not really pleased with the quality of the sound and when u check the price of these headphones everything is clear.. now im a little bit afraid of spending 1000+e on the setup and not being satisfied with the sound quality..
in that case i'd just pick up something cheap like ath m50 or maybe denon ah-d2000, bassy "semi-closed" cans without wasting my money on amp/dac unit and call it a day
(maybe e7?)
In case that i wont be dissapointed with the sound quality i have ~1500e bugdet for both cans and amp/dac.
Im a piano player so i'd use them for that, a little bit of jazz, classical, pop, techno... but nothing really fast i'd say..
Like 10 days ago i had an awesome deal: Burson HA-160DS with the Sennheiser hd800 for 1400e which i think is really good deal. Yesterday i contacted the dealer and he said that senns are like 20% more expensive now so i can expect like 250-300e more for the same package these days.. is it worth it? should i spread a little more and get it or not? I was not sure if i should buy it coz i've read here on the forum different expiriences and most of the hifi-ers doesnt like that combination and im completely aware that burson wont pull 100% out of hd800, but at the same time im not sure if i will be dissapointed with it or not? I cant even imagine what can i expect from it? I have no opportunity to test any kind of headphones (best headphones i tested were beats).
third solution: Burson HA-160DS with senn hd 650 - same thing, lot of different things heard about this setup but i think that hd 650 is far easier to drive compared to his older (actually younger) brother hd 800.
My "ultimate" setup would be burson with LCD-2.2 coz i've heard only good things about it but its really hard to find a decent price for a used rev 2 headphones (that are willing to ship around EU) and new pair is pretty expensive in Europe. I've contacted one dealer in UK and they are asking 1k for it which is plenty in my case coz i wont have enough money to get a decent dac/amp for them. Any suggestions where could i find lowest prices for the lcd's in EU?
Thanks a lot for your time and effort!
First of all, what does "1000+e" mean? Is it USD, or some foreign currency? Also, you're really considering 2 polar opposites, between a single sub-$200 pair and a flagship-level setup. At the end of the day, it's really up to you how much you're willing to spend to make your music sound good. How much does music matter to you? At the end of the day, it's really up to you. The M50s are nice though, if you can get them for a good price.
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Best headphone for under $125 that will go well with my sound card Asus Xonar Essence ST?
That's incredible broad, but see if you can find the M50s for that price, or maybe SRH840s, that could work. A bit cheaper you get the Koss DJ100, CAL!, HFI580, etc.
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I currently have hd555, and I mostly use it for gaming / music purposes. I dont like it much because it seems to sound a bit bland with barely any bass. Also I don't really like the open cans anymore. I'm looking for new ones that can commute with but still be used to play games. I listen to owl city, trance, and maybe a bit of r&b. I play battlefield 3, Dota2 and other shooting games. I prefer closed cans, short wired (commuting purposes), maybe slight noise cancellation, and my budget is under 130ish.
I was looking at the shure srh 840, but the wire is so long.. Is there a replacement cord?
Thank you in advance.
The 840 cables are detatchable, so if you could find a shorter replacement that could work. For portable, check out the CAL and HFI580/780.
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Getting a new first setup put together and was just wanting some second opinions. FIrst off, I will be mostly listening to electronica on the go/at home and playing video games on my PC with this. Sources are currently my android phone (lg optimus aka p500) which will be replaced with a dedicated device, likely a sandisk clip/clip+/fuze, and my x-fi xtrememusic. I'm fairly set on getting the Beyerdynamic DT770/80. I've owned these previously and loved them for all of my uses. I'm aware that neither of these sources (sansa player of x-fi) will drive the Beyer's at their best and this is where my questions come in. I'm kinda torn between the fiio e6 and the e11. The e6 allows use while charging (for use dropped in between the 770s and x-fi), while the e11 is a much better unit (for my portable listening). Is there a competitor in the arena that is on par with the sound quality of the e11 and will be more suitable to use on my desktop? The ibasso d-zero is out there, but i'm trying to go a little cheaper than that if possible.
For the DAC/amp combo, check out the Fiio E10. The E9 will also work as a standalone amp for desktop usage.
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Hi, everyone. I'm new here and don't really know anything.
I need some help deciding whether to get the Sennheiser CX 880 or Shure 215.
I listen to rap/hip-hop, metal, rock, dance/electronic and ballads.
I'm coming from the Audio Technica CKM77, which I think are pretty good.
So which do you think is better for my taste? Thanks for the help!
Are you locked into those 2? I would recommend you spend some time browsing around on ljokerl's 214-IEM review thread, which will give you a ton of other choices, and will give you a much more comprehensive analysis than I ever could in 1 post. you can find it here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/478568/multi-iem-review-214-iems-compared-jvc-ha-fxt90-and-ha-fx500-added-1-8-12
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Alright, so I've got a pair of HD448's, I've only had them for a little over a month, haven't tried modding them yet so I was wondering whether it was worth upgrading. I was thinking about getting the Ultrasone pro 900's or Grado HF-2s.
My main concern is SQ, the biggest factor of that being bass. Do you think it's worth upgrading yet?
Those two are radically different headphones. For one thing, one is closed and one is open, which makes a big difference depending on your usage environments. They'll also probably need an amp to drive properly, so factor that into the cost. Since the 900s are closed and a bit bass-heavy, they'll give you significantly more bass, if that's what you want. Maybe look into a price point midway where you won't need an amp.
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i want to buy a portable headphones below 50$ which have deep bass and good comfort. i've search and find a lot like : HT-21, HD202, Hd238, PX 100.. which should i buy ?, thanks
also check out the AKG K81s, or if you want a lot of bass the XB500s.
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Thank u so much for your reply. I found a pair of black px 100 II for under $50 on Amazon so off your recommendation I will order them. I originally bought a pair of Grado SR80 to replace my AKG K26P's but will be returning them this week. I can't lie after using them for a week I will miss certain things about them. Just wish the bass on them wasn't so nonexistent or I'd keep them and be very happy. Ironically now I almost feel the px 100 II will be a small downgrade from the Grado but maybe that's because the size is smaller and construction from what I can see doesn't look as quality. Or maybe because I found them so cheap I assume they will be cheap in construction. Anyway I'm going to get them and hope for the best. Thanks again for your recommendation!
I don't think the PX100s will be an upgrade at all from the SR80s, unless you didn't like the Grado sound sig. For more bass, maybe try a closed pair (which the PX100s are not). They are very portable though, if that's a priority.
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Hey all,
Little bit of history: I used to lurk on head-fi for years back when I was a starving college student. I started off with some Koss PortaPros and Shure SE215s, and it's time for a change now that I have some disposable income ^^
I'm looking in the 150-300 range (though cheaper is obviously preferred), and I've looked through the deals/help threads as well as the Fall Gift Guide. I was initially smitten with the B&W P5s, but after reading some less-than-stellar reviews about the muddled sound (even after modding), I've shelved them.
I'm looking for around-the-ear (on-the-ear if they're exceptional) cans that shouldn't be used for much traveling, but I'd still like the opportunity to use them with some degree of portability.
Sound-wise, my PortaPros have kind of spoiled me with their (IMO excellent) bass and clear high/mids, but I want to move forward with some retaining of dominant bass.
I listen to a lot of rap/hip-hop/trance/jazz/some classical/rock; basically, everything NOT country, folk, or dubstep
I need to be able to wear them comfortably for at least a few hours at a time, with good isolation preferred. Call me vain, but I do prefer good-looking headphones (see: B&W P5), but prefer excellent sound, durability, rock-solid construction, and comfort above looks, if it comes to that. I don't really like the look of the Senn 5XX for some reason...just seems too
long
Any and all recommendations are entertained!
Help me head-fi, you're my only hope!
Check out the M50s, SRH840s, HFI780s, Phiaton MS400s, M80s, HD25s, etc, as well
this thread. The last 3 on the list also look pretty good IMO.
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Alright so my mom wants a new set of headphones. I told her I could help her find a good, cheap pair of headphones. The most important thing about these headphones is they must isolate outside noise decently. She's going to be listening to her iPod in the car while my dad plays the radio so she wants to make sure she doesn't hear too much of that. Decent sound quality is of course preferred. Her price range is up to 30 dollars. So I know that's not much to work with.
I heard really good things about the Monoprice 8323. I just wanted to make sure they isolate some outside noise. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Look into some of the cheaper brainwavz or MEElectronic IEM models. The monoprice might work too, though they look odd, and the build is not the best.
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I'm looking to invest <200$ in quality over-ear headphones. At work I use Sennheiser HD280s and I enjoy the quality on those and the fact that the cord is only on one side, but I'm looking for something with one more feature: apple 3-button controls. I also like open-back designs and detachable cords, but those aren't necessary. I know I don't want Beats. I'll primarily be using these with an iPhone and MacBook and I don't want to buy an amp. I listen to primarily to blues and rock (Muddy Waters, Seasick Steve, Black Keys, White Stripes), so I appreciate bass but wouldn't want it do dominate. I also like to tune out the world when I get work done, so I'd like some isolation - passive noise cancelation. I do work for hours at a time though, so I wouldn't want to sacrifice comfort.
Some models I like:
Audio Technica ATH A700
incase sonic
Nixon RPM
AIAIAI TMA-1
The A700s don't have the detachable cord I'm looking for and I've heard incase's audio products aren't very durable. I've heard Nixon is uncomfortable and AIAIAI might need an amp, which would put it out of price-range. A friend of mine has v-moda's Crossfade but my ear is slightly too low on one side for those.
I know I have to make compromises, but I like to research big purchases. Perhaps something middle of the road would be best. With a detachable cord, I could use iLUV's extender instead of inline 3-button controls, but I would need to find a male-male 3.5mm adaptor. Do those exist?
Any thoughts?? Thanks for any advice you can give.
Definitely add the M50s and SRH840s to your list, and maybe the HFI780s (No remotes, though). The AIAIAIs aren't known to be the best headphones for the price, but are nice portables and have good bass. Also, you don't want open headphones if you'll be using them in any kind of noisy or on-the-go situation, because they leak a lot of sound in and out. For 3-button remotes, try the V-moda M80s.
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I’m looking for circumaural headphones in the $300 price range. I currently am listening to a Samson SR850 (I know…obviously an audiophile) after deciding that my Shure SRH840s and Aiaiai TMA-1s were just too dark. I guess I’d call the highs of the Shure “polite” and the TMA-1 is, as one reviewer said, not for bass lovers as much as for treble haters. From my comments it’s obvious, but it’s taken me hours on this site to realize, that I’m a treblehead, maybe because of my aging ears or musical tastes or both. I listen to a lot of acoustic music, particularly singer-songwriters. To give you an idea of my tastes, the albums I’ve recently been listening to the most are Tom Waits’ Bad As Me, Gillian Welch’s The Harrow and the Harvest, Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago, James Blake and The Incredible String Band.
Because I like the sound of the Samson I’m leaning towards open, but haven’t ruled out a good pair of closed cans. I listen mostly to high bit rate mp3s or FLAC files from an iPhone 4S or iPad2. I’d like something for home listening, preferably with a detachable cable ending in a 1/8” plug and something that would sound fine without, but would benefit from, a budget amp like a Fiio (either an E11 or the upcoming e17). Something with sparkly, detailed extended treble, smooth mid-range and clean bass when needed. From what I’ve read I think the Grados would suit me well, but SR125 and up models have a ¼” plug and non-detachable cable and are not supposedly very comfortable, which I also find is the case with the SRH840. If I go with Grado I’m thinking maybe the SR325i. If not, then the Beyerdynamic DT 990, which from the reviews may be the closest to the Grado sound, the HiFiMAN HE-300 or the Audio Technica ATH-AD900. For closed, the Denon AH-D2000, Sony MDR-Z1000 or the Shure SRH940, since I’ve read they’re much more treble forward than the 840 model, which does have a rich, smooth sound. I guess what I’m looking for is something with the extended treble and detail of the SR850 and the smoothness of the SRH840.
What has thrown a monkey wrench into my plans and my finances is the Sennheiser RS 220. It’s twice what I want to spend, but a recently acquired Pioneer receiver with AirPlay opens the possibility of one headphone for music, TV and movies, using my iPhone and iPad as basically a remote for the receiver when I listen to music at home. Since this is based on Sennheiser’s 6XX series I’m afraid, from what I’ve read, that it will be too lacking in the highs for my tastes.
My brain is fried from reading way too many threads and reviews, so any input you folks can give me is appreciated.
I don't think the open cans you listed will do that well without an amp, and won't suffice if you plan to wear your headphones portably. The closed headphones seem to fit you more.
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Ok so I'm definitely enjoying my HD 598s (using at work with the HeadStreamer DAC/Amp, I will do what I can to review the HeadStreamer after burn in on the cans and after I take the time to compare with and without), but now I'm really wanting to upgrade my home equipment.
I was thinking about the HE-500 (at $699 from Head-Direct), plus a HRT Music Streamer II ($150 from Amazon), but I was hoping something like the Schiit Asgard ($250) would suffice for an amp until my research showed I need to spend around $1,000 on an amp/pre-amp to power these cans. Plus would a cable upgrade be recommended for these?
The T1 is $1,099 on Amazon too, and I've been keeping that in my mind as an option (with HRT Music Streamer + Schiit Asgard?). The HD-700s seem interesting but I'm not sure if I want to wait.
Music genres: 40% metal, 30% full orchestra (soundtrack music, not stage recordings), 30% trance
Portable: No, only at the computer
Price range: $1,000 including DAC/Amp (not a hard stop once I hit $1,000, just would like to be around there)
Amped: Yes.
Closed/Open: Open
I would love to hear these prior to buying, but I don't know of anywhere near the Akron, OH area that I can go to.
Again, Summit-Fi might be a better place to be asking these questions, though if someone here can help you, that's great too.
