[bixby]

Quote:

I've heard some very good things about the headstage arrow, and "the national"
 
However, the HD650 would be best driven from a desktop amp.
There was a thread started on this a couple of years ago, it may not be up to date, but it's a good place to start.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/518419/best-amp-for-hd-650-under-500

 
Quote:

oh wow! haha...literally what i was hoping for. thanks! i'll start there =)

Decent thread but it leaves out two of the best amps for the 650s under $500.  The Darkvoice 336 and the La Figaro 336 Classic.  With the right older tubes these amps make the 650s sing like no solid state I have heard for that price.

 

[lpkdoop]

My teammate is seeking closed headphones strictly for gaming for less than $150 max.
 
Preferences:
Good isolation (We play in big lan centers/events with lots of excessive noise)
No modifications required (Plug and play preferred)
Soundstage comparable to open (I know this is abit unrealistic)
Stereo only (The game we play does not work well with DolbyHD or Xfi/Xonar settings)
No Amp Needed (Just not feasible at this time)
Comfort (Sometimes 4+ hour sessions)
 
From some snooping I found these:
Fostex TRP 50 $99 (Seem to require modifications for good sound)
Shure SRH440 $75 (Flat response, reviewer commented on their seal)
Ultrasone HFI-580 $120 (I don't know how the V-shaped eq will work with gaming)
Audio Technica M50 $130
Shure SRH840 $140 (Neutral, possible comfort issues)
AKG K271 $140 (Comfy and bass light which is good for gaming i guess)
DT 770 pro ~$80-100 (used from an old teammate, don't know the care he took of them)
 
I would appreciate your guy's input as I am not an audiophile and don't really know what I am looking at.
Also please make suggestions to other headphones if they aren't on my list that I found. I just snooped around the site abit.

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

My teammate is seeking closed headphones strictly for gaming for less than $150 max.
 
Preferences:
Good isolation (We play in big lan centers/events with lots of excessive noise)
No modifications required (Plug and play preferred)
Soundstage comparable to open (I know this is abit unrealistic)
Stereo only (The game we play does not work well with DolbyHD or Xfi/Xonar settings)
No Amp Needed (Just not feasible at this time)
Comfort (Sometimes 4+ hour sessions)
 
From some snooping I found these:
Fostex TRP 50 $99 (Seem to require modifications for good sound)
Shure SRH440 $75 (Flat response, reviewer commented on their seal)
Ultrasone HFI-580 $120 (I don't know how the V-shaped eq will work with gaming)
Audio Technica M50 $130
Shure SRH840 $140 (Neutral, possible comfort issues)
AKG K271 $140 (Comfy and bass light which is good for gaming i guess)
DT 770 pro ~$80-100 (used from an old teammate, don't know the care he took of them)
 
I would appreciate your guy's input as I am not an audiophile and don't really know what I am looking at.

If you want him to have an unfair advantage, try the KRK KNS-8400. It's the closest thing to a closed Q701.
It has one of the best soundstages i've heard in a closed headphone except for the K550 and D2000. It gets larger with a good amp and computer DAC.
If you pair it up with even an X-Fi Go Pro, it gets even larger.
 
The pads are also memory foam and it's comfortable for hours.
 
I've been suggesting these for competitive gamers for nearly a year and nobody listens

 

[saxophone]

Hi guys,
 
Thanks to this thread, I bought myself SRH 840s a year and a half ago. Ever since, I have loved the hell out of them and listen to them on a daily basis. So, thank you for that.
 
 
Anyway, to get back to the purpose of this thread, my friend's Grados are at the end of their life and I wanted to buy a pair of headphones for him. I know that he enjoys a wide variety of music from folk and blue grass to more energetic genres such as punk, progressive rock and metal. These headphones must be suitable for this wide range, although he mostly listens to the energetic end of the spectrum.
 
Additionally, he has made me believe that he really wants a closed or at least semi-closed pair. (He has always been jealous that I could listen to my music as loud as I wanted in the library

)
 
The guy does not seem to care for his belongings the same way that I do, so something durable would be a huge plus. Ideally, this would include detachable cabling (this is the root of his problem with the Grados).
 
My budget for the gift is around $100, but I am willing to go over.
 
Again, thanks for your help, guys!

 

[lpkdoop]

Thanks for the suggestion, however any need for dac or amp is something we arent looking for.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Hi guys,
 
Thanks to this thread, I bought myself SRH 840s a year and a half ago. Ever since, I have loved the hell out of them and listen to them on a daily basis. So, thank you for that.
 
 
Anyway, to get back to the purpose of this thread, my friend's Grados are at the end of their life and I wanted to buy a pair of headphones for him. I know that he enjoys a wide variety of music from folk and blue grass to more energetic genres such as punk, progressive rock and metal. These headphones must be suitable for this wide range, although he mostly listens to the energetic end of the spectrum.
 
Additionally, he has made me believe that he really wants a closed or at least semi-closed pair. (He has always been jealous that I could listen to my music as loud as I wanted in the library

)
 
The guy does not seem to care for his belongings the same way that I do, so something durable would be a huge plus. Ideally, this would include detachable cabling (this is the root of his problem with the Grados).
 
My budget for the gift is around $100, but I am willing to go over.
 
Again, thanks for your help, guys!

For $114 shipped from Amazon--the KRK KNS 8400.

 

[bundy845]

Hello I am looking to get my first open headphones. Artists that play heavy in to my rotation include: Pink Floyd, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Eminem, Kid Rock, Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, The Black Keys, Wolfmother, The White Stripes, Muse, Them Crooked Vultures, White Zombie/Rob Zombie, Static-X.  I would be playing my music from either an iPhone or an Macbook Pro Retina. I don't have an amp currently but am not opposed to getting one.  I would like to keep the headphone price under $300.
 
After lots of reading, I seem to be considering the Grado 225i, Sennheiser 598, and Beyerdynamic DT 880. I am not sure what would be best for my taste.  I am also open to other suggestions.
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[Xaverian]

Quote:

Hello I am looking to get my first open headphones. Artists that play heavy in to my rotation include: Pink Floyd, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Eminem, Kid Rock, Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, The Black Keys, Wolfmother, The White Stripes, Muse, Them Crooked Vultures, White Zombie/Rob Zombie, Static-X.  I would be playing my music from either an iPhone or an Macbook Pro Retina. I don't have an amp currently but am not opposed to getting one.  I would like to keep the headphone price under $300.
 
After lots of reading, I seem to be considering the Grado 225i, Sennheiser 598, and Beyerdynamic DT 880. I am not sure what would be best for my taste.  I am also open to other suggestions.
 
Thanks in advance.

I haven't tried the others, but I can vouch for HD598s. They have a very laid back soundstage that is really quite impressive. They are also very bright with a sparkly treble. Very nice, musical cans. 

Judging from you musical tastes though, I think the Grados would suit you better as I have read that they are very good for rock and have seen them recommended for rock music before.

 

[Chimecho]

I'm looking for closed-back headphones for general listening, movies, gaming and studying with good isolation at a moderate volume level. I have a budget of $200 but I am willing to top out at around $300 - no amp as of yet, so something that is able to be driven by an iPod or a laptop with a built-in sound card.
 
Music genres, approximately from most often to least often: Pop (Mainstream, korean and japanese), Ballads/R&B (well, slow songs), Rock/Alternative/Acoustic, Hip-hop/Rap, Jazz and Classical. I'd like a tight and controlled bass with mids that aren't recessed nor forward, I'm not sure how to word that or if there is such a thing. And trebles that aren't harsh or too bright. If anything, something balanced, nothing too coloured. Preferably it comes with a detachable cable.
 
Thanks!

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Hello I am looking to get my first open headphones. Artists that play heavy in to my rotation include: Pink Floyd, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Eminem, Kid Rock, Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, The Black Keys, Wolfmother, The White Stripes, Muse, Them Crooked Vultures, White Zombie/Rob Zombie, Static-X.  I would be playing my music from either an iPhone or an Macbook Pro Retina. I don't have an amp currently but am not opposed to getting one.  I would like to keep the headphone price under $300.
 
After lots of reading, I seem to be considering the Grado 225i, Sennheiser 598, and Beyerdynamic DT 880. I am not sure what would be best for my taste.  I am also open to other suggestions.
 
Thanks in advance.

The DT 880 is a great can, but need an amp and is not something you want if you are playing standard issue MP3's.
 
That leaves the Grado and Senn.  Get the 225i if you want a great rock can with "wall of sound" slam and a "sitting on stage with the band" sound.  Get the 598 if you want more extension in the bass (but not bass heavy) and a good sound stage in a can that handles most genres very well.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

I'm looking for closed-back headphones for general listening, movies, gaming and studying with good isolation at a moderate volume level. I have a budget of $200 but I am willing to top out at around $300 - no amp as of yet, so something that is able to be driven by an iPod or a laptop with a built-in sound card.
 
Music genres, approximately from most often to least often: Pop (Mainstream, korean and japanese), Ballads/R&B (well, slow songs), Rock/Alternative/Acoustic, Hip-hop/Rap, Jazz and Classical. I'd like a tight and controlled bass with mids that aren't recessed nor forward, I'm not sure how to word that or if there is such a thing. And trebles that aren't harsh or too bright. If anything, something balanced, nothing too coloured. Preferably it comes with a detachable cable.
 
Thanks!

No amp and closed limits your choices.  My first thought is the AKG K 550, but I can't guarantee that what you have will push it enough or that you will get the seal you need to make it sound its best.  Other options (all below $180) are the KRK KNS 8400 (very good sound stage for a closed can but it may not have enough bass for your taste--especially for bass heavy music), Shure SRH 840 (has more bass than the KRK through its mid-bass hump), Sony MDR-V900 or MDR 7506 (both are good all around but perhaps too pedestrian for your tastes).

 

[luke738]

Hello Head-Fi. I'm looking at getting my first nice pair of headphones. I'm looking for closed headphones that don't require an amp. I mainly listen to dubsteb and electronic music, although I do also listen to rock and classical pieces. I'm not a basshead, but I do enjoy bass. Being good for gaming (better than my Logitech G930 headset) would be a plus as well. Being somewhat portable would be nice, but doesn't matter that much. I also plan on getting an ASUS Xonar DG sound card for my desktop to go with the headphones (although I will probably get it a few weeks after the headphones). I don't want to spend more than 150$ on the headphones. Thanks for helping.

 

[Chimecho]

Quote:

No amp and closed limits your choices.  My first thought is the AKG K 550, but I can't guarantee that what you have will push it enough or that you will get the seal you need to make it sound its best.  Other options (all below $180) are the KRK KNS 8400 (very good sound stage for a closed can but it may not have enough bass for your taste--especially for bass heavy music), Shure SRH 840 (has more bass than the KRK through its mid-bass hump), Sony MDR-V900 or MDR 7506 (both are good all around but perhaps too pedestrian for your tastes).

 
That's true, but if I were to get an amp, would a Fiio E6 suffice because I can only spend around $30 on an amp. Based just simply on the type of music I listen to with no required sound preferences, would you recommend the same headphones?

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

 
That's true, but if I were to get an amp, would a Fiio E6 suffice because I can only spend around $30 on an amp. Based just simply on the type of music I listen to with no required sound preferences, would you recommend the same headphones?

I don't own any portable amps, but know enough that a $30 amp is probably not worth the money for these types of cans, even if it technically "worked" with them.
 
With regard to additional can recommendations, I haven't got anything more for you--given you want closed and based on your treble requirements.

 

[Chimecho]

Quote:

I don't own any portable amps, but know enough that a $30 amp is probably not worth the money for these types of cans, even if it technically "worked" with them.
 
With regard to additional can recommendations, I haven't got anything more for you--given you want closed and based on your treble requirements.

 
Yeah, I'm planning on saving up for something better that would just stay in my room. In comparison between the KRK KNS 8400 and the Shure SRH 840, from what I've read, it seems that the 840s have a warmer tilt to them, right? How does this affect how my songs sound like?