[Boullion]

Quote:

Well, maybe you'll have better luck with the 440 pads? My M50 pads are still fairly soft, though, and I think if you maintain them by wiping sweat and oils off them after use, you should be fine.

Hmm, I guess I'll just play it safe by buying the original pads, then.
...But if they're stiff and uncomfortable like the first ones I received, I'm going to pop a (couple) vessel(s)

 
Thanks for all your help, 50an6xy06r6n. These advice threads would be pretty static if it weren't for people like you, y'know.
 

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Hmm, I guess I'll just play it safe by buying the original pads, then.
...But if they're stiff and uncomfortable like the first ones I received, I'm going to pop a (couple) vessel(s)

 
Thanks for all your help, 50an6xy06r6n. These advice threads would be pretty static if it weren't for people like you, y'know.
 

Thanks, just doing what I can with my limited knowledge and experience. I got a lot of help when I was new, so I'm just paying it forward.
 

 

[shorke]

Thanks! I grabbed some that just went up on Electronics Expo as Open Box for 200, can't wait for them to arrive!
 
edit: I did some reading and apparently they sound better amped. If I do get an amp, I guess it will be the O2 since that seems to be the best one for the price. I'll try them out for a while unamped, but if I were to get an amp should I get a DAC/Amp combo or is the DAC on my sound card (AK4396VF) better than what I'd get in something external for under 200?
Quote:

 
 

The D2000 run ok unamped, or so I've heard, so I don't think you'll have too much of an issue with that.
 
 
 

 

 

[grave00]

So I bought some Audio Technica ATH-AD700 and I don't think they are for me.  I'm at the computer quite a bit and I my primary need turns out to be comfort.  They get too hot, they sit on the back of my jawbone so I don't like wearing them for long for those reasons.  I can still send them back.  I have a large head but these are too big even for me at least the earmuffs are.   I thought I'd like them as I had tried on the closed A700 with the wing design but these seem much bigger around the ear.  I wanted mine to be open as I like to hear myself and my surroundings so I went with the AD.  Also I'm not an audiophile and I know people say these aren't bassy.  They seem tinny to me though.  I have primarily pop and rock and I tried some easy listening stuff but still...a little harsh. 
 
I also have Sennheiser HD280 but they are too tight.  No amount of stretching has ever worked well there.  Heavy too.
 
My go to was always the PC161 headset.  A little larger on-ear than the PC151 and more comfortable because of it. 
 
I've been trying to find something a little more general purpose than the headsets for music and movies.  I'm new at this.
 
Anyway, goldilocks needs help.  I'm willing to go a little more, sub $200 hopefully.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Thanks! I grabbed some that just went up on Electronics Expo as Open Box for 200, can't wait for them to arrive!
 
edit: I did some reading and apparently they sound better amped. If I do get an amp, I guess it will be the O2 since that seems to be the best one for the price. I'll try them out for a while unamped, but if I were to get an amp should I get a DAC/Amp combo or is the DAC on my sound card (AK4396VF) better than what I'd get in something external for under 200?

I don't really know anything about your soundcard, but you might consider something like the Fiio E10, which is purportedly better than most dedicated soundcards. Fiio might have some other comparable DAC-only products, if you're still getting the O2 to take care of the amp side. 
 


Quote:

So I bought some Audio Technica ATH-AD700 and I don't think they are for me.  I'm at the computer quite a bit and I my primary need turns out to be comfort.  They get too hot, they sit on the back of my jawbone so I don't like wearing them for long for those reasons.  I can still send them back.  I have a large head but these are too big even for me at least the earmuffs are.   I thought I'd like them as I had tried on the closed A700 with the wing design but these seem much bigger around the ear.  I wanted mine to be open as I like to hear myself and my surroundings so I went with the AD.  Also I'm not an audiophile and I know people say these aren't bassy.  They seem tinny to me though.  I have primarily pop and rock and I tried some easy listening stuff but still...a little harsh. 
 
I also have Sennheiser HD280 but they are too tight.  No amount of stretching has ever worked well there.  Heavy too.
 
My go to was always the PC161 headset.  A little larger on-ear than the PC151 and more comfortable because of it. 
 
I've been trying to find something a little more general purpose than the headsets for music and movies.  I'm new at this.
 
Anyway, goldilocks needs help.  I'm willing to go a little more, sub $200 hopefully.

Hmm... Maybe the Sennheiser HD558? I've not heard any complaints on comfort from them, and they're good all-around cans.
 

 

[shorke]

 
Quote:

I don't really know anything about your soundcard, but you might consider something like the Fiio E10, which is purportedly better than most dedicated soundcards. Fiio might have some other comparable DAC-only products, if you're still getting the O2 to take care of the amp side. 
 

If I were to get a Fiio, I'd probably get the E17 since that seems to be the E10 but improved. My soundcard apparently has a nicer quality DAC than it though, but I guess it can also have to do with implementation and what not. I've also been thinking about getting an Essence ST (slightly better DAC and built in amp) but I'm not so sure the sound quality increase would be worth the money. I'll give it all some thought after actually hearing them out of my soundcard unamped. Thanks for the help though, I might be back around at some point!

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

 


If I were to get a Fiio, I'd probably get the E17 since that seems to be the E10 but improved. My soundcard apparently has a nicer quality DAC than it though, but I guess it can also have to do with implementation and what not. I've also been thinking about getting an Essence ST (slightly better DAC and built in amp) but I'm not so sure the sound quality increase would be worth the money. I'll give it all some thought after actually hearing them out of my soundcard unamped. Thanks for the help though, I might be back around at some point!

Well, as long as you're getting an amp it might as well be something competent, like the O2 you were looking at... Just my personal thoughts. If your soundcard is competent, focus on the amp part for now.

 

[abbztract]

Can someone please help me with this? Pleaseeee??

I'm after :
something thats good for hip-hop, rap, dubstep and whichever category Coldplay falls into.
something thats good for FPS gaming, thus needs sufficient bass for the explosions yet so that i can still hear the footsteps and directions..
something portable so that i can wear it outside, on buses, trains, planes and so on..
something that can run off my phone and at times, my computer (via the 3.5mm jack, obviously)..
 
I originally had a budget of $150 AUD but after being recommended the M50, which costs $160~ on eBay and does not meet the gaming criteria, i have decided to put it up to $200. I doubt that a $50 increase will mean much but i'll try going a bit higher if it means i get what i want..
And you might know the SteelSeries 7H "gaming" headset..thats also about $150. Its should meet the gaming requirements but does anyone know how it'll do with music?
 
Hopefully this is a bit more precise that my previous help requests..
Cheers guys, Abz

 

[scohen158]

Quote:

Thanks! I grabbed some that just went up on Electronics Expo as Open Box for 200, can't wait for them to arrive!
 
edit: I did some reading and apparently they sound better amped. If I do get an amp, I guess it will be the O2 since that seems to be the best one for the price. I'll try them out for a while unamped, but if I were to get an amp should I get a DAC/Amp combo or is the DAC on my sound card (AK4396VF) better than what I'd get in something external for under 200?


 

Do you have a link as I am not seeing them for the $200 price on that site.

 

[Jxuu]

Hey, what about the AKG 172HD with a Fiio E7? I need something that isn't as "thick" on the ear cups so I can fit it under my hood when it rains and such, so would the HM5 be possible? They look extremely thick where as the AKGs look a little flatter, or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me again.  
 
Quote:

ANC probably won't be necessary, unless your roommates are really loud, and you're willing to pay more and sacrifice sound quality (I know, I'm biased). DJ-style cans like the M50s will probably do it sound quality-wise, but can get uncomfortable after a few hours of continuous wear. Something like the HM5s or Denon D2000s will probably be more comfortable, but the D2000s will isolate a bit less. Come to think of it, the HM5s seem to be ideal, as they're pretty well-isolating, are comfortable, and have detachable cables. The only thing to note is that they're pretty neutral, so they won't give you exaggerated bass if that's what you're looking for. 
 
 

 

 

[omegad]

I live in the UK and has scant difficulties at finding wired headphones which last for a decent length of time (i.e 3 years) up to the point they last about at worst a hour and at best two weeks. I know the typical advice given is that you must treat headphones with care, but the problem with that is that I go everywhere with them, therefore I walk and run and jump with them outdoors and indoors since I am quite a active person and enjoys also whilst being active listening to music. My top budget would have to be £150 and basically I really want a good pair of headphones which can withstand such headphones which can be purchased within the UK and last typically for 3 years as a minimum requirement, since the idea of buying one pair of headphones every week is not exactly a practical or financially sound plan for me also hence the large budget. So any help would be much appreciated. 

 

[kurd]

okay guys I've got some headphones here, which one is the best? I'd like to spend max 50 euros. I also got the aurvana live which are probably 60 euros, if they are really a lot better than the ones I'm mentioning here, I'll get that one. but if the difference isn't that big, please tell me which one is the best: 
 
Sennheiser 219 (50 euros), Audio Technica T300 (50 euros), Creative HQ-1600 (35 euros), Sennheiser 202(35 euros and kinda big to be honest), AKG K81 (40-50 euros) and the MEElectronics HT-21 Portable Travel Headphones (30-40 euros). 
 
 
 

 

[shorke]

 
 Quote:

Do you have a link as I am not seeing them for the $200 price on that site.

http://www.electronics-expo.com/denon-ahd2000-high-performance-over-ear-headphones-ob 
 
The stock comes and goes, you just have to keep an eye on it.


Quote:

Well, as long as you're getting an amp it might as well be something competent, like the O2 you were looking at... Just my personal thoughts. If your soundcard is competent, focus on the amp part for now.

Yeah that is what I think I may end up doing, the O2 seems like the best for the price and my soundcard seems competent enough. Thanks for the help, though!

 

[AxelCloris]

Quote:

Thanks for the info AxelCloris. Yeah, I used to have thinner frames, but now I have the plastic frames to avoid bending, but has made my HARX-700's uncomfortable. Yes, I've gone through the sale section and there sure are a lot more 'waiting to buy' threads than selling for the FA-011. Seems like they get sold within minutes of getting posted up. Following up one possible deal right now.
I might just be able to do what I did with my HARX-700's and puff the pads up with some material like Styrofoam to give my ears some more breathing space. Otherwise, I just hope the clamping force isn't too much to cause my glasses to shift. Do you find the headband for the FA-011's to be pretty good? The ones on my HARX-700's are pretty uncomfortable on my hair.
One more question, if you don't mind: is there that much of a need for a good amp? I've read posts that a sound card should do, which I do have (Turtle Beach Montego DDL) so I was hoping that would provide enough juice to power the FA-011. What are your experiences with FA-011 and amping? Thanks for your help!

I can say straight out of my computer there is more than enough power behind them to make them loud, but having one can definitely increase the sound quality. I have an Asus G53 and when I run them through either my ZO2 or my cheap little CMOY they sound better because it balances the sound. Both of those add a bit of warmth to the mids for me, which helps them balance well with the bass. They also seem to soften the highs a little bit which to me is great because they are fairly bright to start. So the FA-011s are easy to power, an amp isn't necessary to drive them, but it can definitely make them shine more. I have to have my laptop set to the lowest volume setting it allows for it not to be too loud for me directly out of the sound card. Having the ZO2 adds resistance to the signal and lowers it a bit for me, allowing for some more fine tuning.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Can someone please help me with this? Pleaseeee??

I'm after :
something thats good for hip-hop, rap, dubstep and whichever category Coldplay falls into.
something thats good for FPS gaming, thus needs sufficient bass for the explosions yet so that i can still hear the footsteps and directions..
something portable so that i can wear it outside, on buses, trains, planes and so on..
something that can run off my phone and at times, my computer (via the 3.5mm jack, obviously)..
 
I originally had a budget of $150 AUD but after being recommended the M50, which costs $160~ on eBay and does not meet the gaming criteria, i have decided to put it up to $200. I doubt that a $50 increase will mean much but i'll try going a bit higher if it means i get what i want..
And you might know the SteelSeries 7H "gaming" headset..thats also about $150. Its should meet the gaming requirements but does anyone know how it'll do with music?
 
Hopefully this is a bit more precise that my previous help requests..
Cheers guys, Abz

HFI780? comparable sound to the M50s, and better soundstage. I wager it'll sound better than that gaming headset, though it lacks a mic.
 


Quote:

Hey, what about the AKG 172HD with a Fiio E7? I need something that isn't as "thick" on the ear cups so I can fit it under my hood when it rains and such, so would the HM5 be possible? They look extremely thick where as the AKGs look a little flatter, or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me again.  
 

It may be a bit smaller in the earcups, but I don't know how the sound compares.However, it may also add a little height on the headband side, because of the double headband, which the HM5 lacks. The HM5s are indeed a bit wide in the cups, but I think it'll still fit under a standard hood. Also, the HM5 fits all your other requirements better than the AKGs, and the short cable options means it can be used comfortably as a portable. My recommendation is still with the HM5s. 
 


Quote:

I live in the UK and has scant difficulties at finding wired headphones which last for a decent length of time (i.e 3 years) up to the point they last about at worst a hour and at best two weeks. I know the typical advice given is that you must treat headphones with care, but the problem with that is that I go everywhere with them, therefore I walk and run and jump with them outdoors and indoors since I am quite a active person and enjoys also whilst being active listening to music. My top budget would have to be £150 and basically I really want a good pair of headphones which can withstand such headphones which can be purchased within the UK and last typically for 3 years as a minimum requirement, since the idea of buying one pair of headphones every week is not exactly a practical or financially sound plan for me also hence the large budget. So any help would be much appreciated. 

Well, if your problem is exercise, you may want to consider just getting a pair of extra-durable IEMs for active use, and maybe a better pair for sound-quality when you're not out and about. That being said, I suspect your main problem if with your cable shorting out, and I'll tell you right now, there's not a whole lot you can do about that if you're rough on your cables. Something like the v-Moda M80s might work, if you believe their durability claims,  and they have a 135-degree hybrid plug that might stand up to your abuse...
 


Quote:

okay guys I've got some headphones here, which one is the best? I'd like to spend max 50 euros. I also got the aurvana live which are probably 60 euros, if they are really a lot better than the ones I'm mentioning here, I'll get that one. but if the difference isn't that big, please tell me which one is the best: 
 
Sennheiser 219 (50 euros), Audio Technica T300 (50 euros), Creative HQ-1600 (35 euros), Sennheiser 202(35 euros and kinda big to be honest), AKG K81 (40-50 euros) and the MEElectronics HT-21 Portable Travel Headphones (30-40 euros).
 

I'd say the K81s or the CAL!s are your best bet. The K81s are more portable, but clamp harder and are bassier, while the CAL!s are a bit bigger but better all-around.