[MangyFoxtrot]

Hey all, I'm new to the site and I didn't get the automated welcome message telling me to avoid posting any "need headphone recommendations" threads until I had already done so. XP
 
Anyways, I am currently looking for a pair of over-ear headphones to use for casual music listening, gaming, and possibly the occasional audio edit. I would like to have fairly low impedance to enable un-amped mobile use, and would prefer a pair with low sound leakage. Good build quality and a headband big/flexible enough to fit around my massive dome without breaking is a must.
 
More details, as well as the list of models I am currently looking at, can be found in my original post.

 

[Wildflower81]

Thank you so much for recommending a headphone model. I did some research after your recommendation and the Momentums sound like just what I'm looking for. One question--and this is because I'm brand new at this whole audiophile world--do they sound just as good through an iPod as they would through a more expensive sound system? I read in one of the introductory threads that this should be a consideration when purchasing headphones, and since my iPod is the main way I listen to music, it's an important consideration. Thanks again. 

 

[dryvadeum]

Thank you so much for recommending a headphone model. I did some research after your recommendation and the Momentums sound like just what I'm looking for. One question--and this is because I'm brand new at this whole audiophile world--do they sound just as good through an iPod as they would through a more expensive sound system? I read in one of the introductory threads that this should be a consideration when purchasing headphones, and since my iPod is the main way I listen to music, it's an important consideration. Thanks again. 

The ipod dac is decent so it should sound ok with a Fiio E11 or even without an amp. Although an amp will give you more volume and a more full-bodied sound. Of course if you bought a dedicated dap like an ibasso DX100 or had a smary phone and used an amp/dac it will sound better than an ipod I believe. If you buy good headphones theyll sound good, expensive gear will just push them to their full potential. Theres also such thing as diminishing returns when you start paying serious amounts of money for audio equipment.

If i were you Id stick with the ipod and get the Fiio E 11 and try to use uncompressed music files. It should sound pretty good.

 

[sampi]

Quote:

My question for today is what pair of headphones will be best for me. I listen to most types of music but mostly folk and heavy metal. I have a $400 price range but id dont know if i should put some of it into an amp. I have been thinking about the hifiman he-400 and he-300. I don't know what amp would be best but i want a desktop amp and would prefer tube. I can do some diy but i have very little practice so nothing to hard, and no surface mount if possible (that stuff is the bane of my existence). I dont want overly detailed headphones cause the give me a headache after a while. I want them to be open if possible but it is not a necessity. It is however necessary that they have a removable cord. If they sound better with a different cord please mention that. I think that is all but feel free to ask for any info i left out. thanks for any replies.

just moving this to the front so people will read it sorry if it seems like im impatient

 

[bareyb]

Quote:

just moving this to the front so people will read it sorry if it seems like im impatient

The HE 400s are Planar design and they are pretty detailed. Based on your description of what you are looking for they may not be the best choice. The Beyerdynamic headphones have a pretty smooth top end. Maybe one of those? I think you have to move up in the line to get a removable cable though...

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Hey all, I'm new to the site and I didn't get the automated welcome message telling me to avoid posting any "need headphone recommendations" threads until I had already done so. XP
 
Anyways, I am currently looking for a pair of over-ear headphones to use for casual music listening, gaming, and possibly the occasional audio edit. I would like to have fairly low impedance to enable un-amped mobile use, and would prefer a pair with low sound leakage. Good build quality and a headband big/flexible enough to fit around my massive dome without breaking is a must.
 
More details, as well as the list of models I am currently looking at, can be found in my original post.

What sound signature are you seeking?  I see from your first post that you have two basshead cans.  What's your budget?

 

[KG Jag]

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Quote:

My question for today is what pair of headphones will be best for me. I listen to most types of music but mostly folk and heavy metal. I have a $400 price range but id dont know if i should put some of it into an amp. I have been thinking about the hifiman he-400 and he-300. I don't know what amp would be best but i want a desktop amp and would prefer tube. I can do some diy but i have very little practice so nothing to hard, and no surface mount if possible (that stuff is the bane of my existence). I dont want overly detailed headphones cause the give me a headache after a while. I want them to be open if possible but it is not a necessity. It is however necessary that they have a removable cord. If they sound better with a different cord please mention that. I think that is all but feel free to ask for any info i left out. thanks for any replies.

just moving this to the front so people will read it sorry if it seems like im impatient

Exactly what sound signature are you seeking?  What do you mean by "overly detailed"?

 

[sampi]

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Exactly what sound signature are you seeking?  What do you mean by "overly detailed"?

I am not very familiar with describing a sound signature that i like but by overly detailed i mean that the sounds seem to crisp especially in the highs and it hurts my ears after listening for a little.

 

[sampi]

Quote:

The HE 400s are Planar design and they are pretty detailed. Based on your description of what you are looking for they may not be the best choice. The Beyerdynamic headphones have a pretty smooth top end. Maybe one of those? I think you have to move up in the line to get a removable cable though.which

which beyerdynamic would you recommend and also what amp would go well with it that does not go much over $400

 

[MangyFoxtrot]

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What sound signature are you seeking?  I see from your first post that you have two basshead cans.  What's your budget?

I tend to be pretty picky about treble, so for now I'd like something with more pronounced mids and lows, probably saving a brighter headphone for a later buy. As far as budget I'd like to stay in the price range of $300-400, though I'm willing to pay more for the right headphone.

 

[bareyb]

Quote:

which beyerdynamic would you recommend and also what amp would go well with it that does not go much over $400

I've only personally heard the DT770s. If you are looking for smooth top end, those would do it. Pretty decent soundstage and separation too. I've seen them referred to as "basehead" phones, but that was not my experience.  They do have a very nice, detailed low end, but not as pronounced as the Pro 700s  you are using now.
 
I used an E11 Amp with them and I thought they sounded pretty happy. They have a pretty low impedance and are designed to be used with portable music players. You CAN run them off an iPod, but of course, they sound much more dynamic with an Amp. 

 

[KG Jag]

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Quote:

Exactly what sound signature are you seeking?  What do you mean by "overly detailed"?

I am not very familiar with describing a sound signature that i like but by overly detailed i mean that the sounds seem to crisp especially in the highs and it hurts my ears after listening for a little.

I think that you do not like bright headphones.  That is not the same as being detailed.
 
There are a number of cans with recessed highs (like the Shure SRH 840), but what are looking for in your mids and bass?  Is a large sound stage important?  We can't be of much help unless you can tell us about the sound you want them to deliver.

 

[KG Jag]

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Quote:

What sound signature are you seeking?  I see from your first post that you have two basshead cans.  What's your budget?

I tend to be pretty picky about treble, so for now I'd like something with more pronounced mids and lows, probably saving a brighter headphone for a later buy. As far as budget I'd like to stay in the price range of $300-400, though I'm willing to pay more for the right headphone.

That helps, but it's still not enough to give you a quality recommendation.  Check out the buying guides linked in the opening post of this thread.  Tell us which ones you like and why.

 

[MangyFoxtrot]

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What sound signature are you seeking?  I see from your first post that you have two basshead cans.  What's your budget?

I tend to be pretty picky about treble, so for now I'd like something with more pronounced mids and lows, probably saving a brighter headphone for a later buy. As far as budget I'd like to stay in the price range of $300-400, though I'm willing to pay more for the right headphone.

That helps, but it's still not enough to give you a quality recommendation.  Check out the buying guides linked in the opening post of this thread.  Tell us which ones you like and why.

 
I'm not quite sure if I know what you're asking for, so apologies if I come across as being tedious or uninformative. If what you want to know is my thoughts on various models I am considering, I included that in my first post.
 
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A few models I am looking at right now as prospective buys include:
Audio Technica ATH M50S
My “safe” choice, since these seem to come very highly recommended for their price range, that said, I am willing to spend more on headphones than these would cost and if I could get a better pair for a higher price I would prefer to.
 
Beyerdynamic DT 880
The set I like the most so far. Their frequency response graph on =963&graphID[1]=&graphID[2]=&graphID[3]=&graphType=0&buttonSelection=Compare+Headphones]headphone.com looked promising and the cups are nice and large, the only big problem for me is impedance. The reviewer in this video said that the 32 OHM versions did not sound that great for what you pay for. They also said that the 250 OHM versions were decent on mobile devices, but nevertheless 250 OHM sounds pretty high to me for an un-amped mobile device. Also out of curiosity, is it possible to get the DT 880 PRO with a straight cable?
 
Denon AHD2000
This seems to be a very well-liked headphone. I have only heard good things about the Dx000 series, and this is definitely backed up by what I saw on headphone.com. On the negative side, the build style and general structure of the headphones looks, in a word, unorthodox. I do not want to be stuck with an awkward pair of headphones which I do not enjoy wearing. Additionally, I have been made aware that they were discontinued, and I’m not sure how long I want to spend hunting down a pair.
 
Sennheiser HD 650
I will start by saying that I should not like these headphones. The band looks pretty small and tight which has me worried, it looks like it would have a lot of leakage even compared to other open-backed headphones, and while Sennheiser lists its OHM at 300, it’s graphed as rising past 400 around the low-mids. Despite this, I keep coming back to the 650’s as an option. They look like a very good pair of headphones, and I’ve heard a lot of good things concerning the sound both from friends and around the net. To top it all off, it’s listed as the #1 pair of headphones on this site, which has to be worth something, right?

Please let me know if you are looking for more or different information, I would be happy to provide it.

 

[Knorz]

I posted in here about two days ago. (forget about the hearing impairment nonsense, while testing I found out it hardly matters.) Yesterday I got the opportunity to test some headphones.
 
I'm tending towards buying the Beyer DT 880. Probably the 600 Ohm version.
I really liked them, very clear sound, but I am also interested in the Philips Fidelio X1. Problem is, I could not test these, but on the other hand I haven't seen any other headphones that received so many positive reviews. In fact, I could only find 100% positive reviews for them online, not one person who complained so far. The first hifi-magazine I checked even rated them as the "best of Hifi Test 2013", which compared it to many other good headphones.
 
Also, for the Beyer I'd need an AMP (would they also require a DAC?). I've been looking at the O2 (or possibly O2/ODAC, if that's required). Would that be a good choice? I want to spend no more than 250 or 300 € for an AMP (and possibly DAC, combined). I still couldn't quite figure out when exactly an AMP or a DAC or both are needed. But with the 600 Ohm version I am aware that at least one of these devices is definitely required.
 
I should say, I want to use the setup on my laptop or pc mostly, for listening to music.
 
So, any experience with the Beyer DT 880 compared to the Fidelio X1? And any ideas for good affordable AMP (and/or DAC) for the Beyer? Possibly the O2?
And with the Fidelio I guess I would need neither AMP or DAC, is that right?