Headphone selection
Oct 15, 2002 at 10:46 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 27

Kintoun

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Looking to grab a pair of headphones mainly for gaming. To start, got TBSC and BA7800 speakers.

Want best price/performance ratio headphones, preferably within $100. I need em for games mostly, but also late night music. Bass isn't too much of an issue, I'd prefer clarity and good range of sounds but bass would be nice (for music). Closed/open does not matter, but whatever fits the glove better.

As for their positional audio ability, this is what I am looking for the most. Pinpoint imaging/positioning. Not the "general area", but precisness. An example would be in CS. I would need to know if a player is coming around a corner and that they are 2 feet from the corner so that I may time my HS perfectly. Player tracking is also very important. Being able to accurately stare at an opponet without visual cues to where he is. Not only on the left/right plance, but also players moving around on roofs, and good front to rear audio. Beyond-the-speaker Imaging, Floating, Coherent, Strong focus all a major factor.

Audio has always been my form of wallhacking and it has rarely let me down.
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 11:16 AM Post #2 of 27
Maybe it's just my setup, but I find I get slightly less effective cues from a headphone rather than the 5.1 speakers. However with 4 PC's in my gaming room, putting in a 5.1 system per PC would be a disaster
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First of all, there is the venerable Sony MDR-V6. I haven't tried this for gaming, but I'm sure others can tell you about it. Cheaper than any other phone here in the US, and probably the best value.

If bass is not an issue, and you don't mind a slightly harsh sound, the Sennheiser HD280 Pro would be one of the better choices when purely sound for games is considered. It's not a perfect choice - as I said bass is somewhat lacking (in terms of balance to the rest of the sound - the phones actually go pretty low) and although it may work for you, it wasn't very comfortable for me until I made a small modification. It does isolate hugely however - so you'll be able to concentrate 110% on the game.

The Beyer DT231 is also a choice... However at the prices they charge for it in the US, I'd say you get more bang for the buck with the HD280. The 231's advantage is a balanced (for the human ear) sound which on a PC soundcard goes from sparkling highs to subwoofer-like lows. Demerits are a strangely shaped earcup that might be uncomfortable and virtually no isolation.

Alternatively, everyone else is going to think this choice a little strange, you could try the Sony Eggo D66SL. This is usually available for just a tad under $100 from many import shops like Audiocubes.com. These phones amaze me - not only are they super-compact (and folds), have about the most perfect compromise between frequency response and overall sound presentation I've encountered to date on a sub-$100 phone. They provide all the frequencies you'll need without being excessively bright or fatiguing. And they're very comfortable once you get the spring tension right. The demerit? Spares (since they're Japan-only) and durability (very flimsy design) and they don't isolate a lot.

Others slightly higher up the price range?

The Ultrasone HFI-650 is a recently introduced phone that uses components off the Sennheiser HD280 and seems to sound different. I have no experience of this.

The Sennheiser HD580 / 600. Super open phones. Although I haven't given the 600 a try with games, I think they'll work very well provided you haven't got a lot of noise in your room.


Phones to avoid:

The Beyer DT250-80, although they're very comfortable for extended wearing, has IMO too recessed a treble to work effectively for gaming. Response falls away from about 16-17000hz and that's not enough to create an effective space positioning effect. Compared to the D66SL, they're considerably inferior for gaming.

The Sennheiser HD212 has a sound that's too unbalanced for games.

The Sony DJphones are not gaming phones. In fact for this use avoid any phones with 'DJ' in their name.
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 11:23 AM Post #3 of 27
Odd... I've heard from one who games professionally that, with the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, the DT250-80 is the best out there... better than even the HD590, which are also known to be good with the Cruz...

But, this guy's budget is $100...

so that means....

Closed options:
MDR-V6
HD212 Pro
HD280 Pro
DT231

Open options:
HD497
HP890
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 4:10 PM Post #4 of 27
Quote:

Originally posted by Magicthyse
The Ultrasone HFI-650 is a recently introduced phone that uses components off the Sennheiser HD280 and seems to sound different. I have no experience of this.


Magicthyse
Where did you come by this information?
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 5:36 PM Post #5 of 27
As Gluegun said, the DT250-80 are great for gaming. Despite the slight roll-off in the highest treble frequencies, the detail is great (most "detail" isn't contained in the highest treble, especially with computer games), the soundstage is very good, and they work great with most soundcards -- in fact, the fact that they have a slight high-treble roll-off is what makes them good for computer use, as they tend to be more forgiving of the grainy edge that computer audio is known for.


Unfortunately, it looks like the DT250-80 are out of your price range. That leaves the DT231, HD 280 Pro, and MDR-V6. I don't like the DT231, and out of the HD 280 Pro and V6, I prefer the V6 for gaming. The HD 280 Pro have *slightly* better soundstage, but the bass response on the V6 is much better for gaming -- more pronounced, but still tight.
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 7:14 PM Post #6 of 27
Quote:

Originally posted by kelly
Magicthyse
Where did you come by this information?


I remember reading from a thread that someone claimed the 2 headphones have the same headband (as seen from the pictures, maybe?) I think maybe that's what Magicthyse means by using the same components.
confused.gif
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 7:16 PM Post #7 of 27
Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor
I remember reading from a thread that someone claimed the 2 headphones have the same headband (as seen from the pictures, maybe?) I think maybe that's what Magicthyse means by using the same components.
confused.gif


Lots of headphones have similar looks but are not the same components. If Ultrasone is OEM'ing their components, I'd like to get information on that.
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 7:48 PM Post #8 of 27
The headband assembly is certainly lifted straight from the HD280. Ultrasone also makes reference to "German Technology".

There's also one other phone on the market - the IXOS DJ1001 - which looks identical but has different specs.

Whatever the truth is, I'm hoping that Jan Meier hasn't been knocked out by a recased HD280 with an 11ohm resistor soldered to the terminals
very_evil_smiley.gif

 
Oct 15, 2002 at 7:50 PM Post #9 of 27
Quote:

Originally posted by Magicthyse
The headband assembly is certainly lifted straight from the HD280. Ultrasone also makes reference to "German Technology".

Whatever the truth is, I'm hoping that Jan Meier hasn't been knocked out by a recased HD280 with an 11ohm resistor soldered to the terminals
very_evil_smiley.gif


Ah, I expected it was presumptious disinformation but didn't want to assume, so I thought I would ask.

Ultrasone is a German company. Thus, their technology is German Technology. They are no affiliated with Sennheiser, at least not in any public capacity.
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 7:57 PM Post #10 of 27
Let's not get too off topic, but well, no it's not exactly disinformation. The headband on the Ultrasone HFI-650 and certainly on the ISOX DJ1001 are from the HD280 - or vice versa, who will know... The earcup-to-band components are totally different.

I'm sure they must have an OEM department which manufactures badged products. After all, they've certainly got the facilities to do so. They probably don't use the same drivers or perhaps engineer existing drivers specifically for customers - you know that on Sharp earphones shipped with the recent range of MD's, the casing is identical to the Sennheiser MX series?
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 8:05 PM Post #11 of 27
I disagree that because something looks similar that it "must" be from the same manufacturer. I inquired this in regards to MB Quart which were similar in looks to Beyerdynamic. They assured me they were very competitive and in fact insinituated that they had ... inspired... Beyerdynamic. To presume and then repeat is to create disinformation. Better would have been to say, "the headband looks similar to the HD280" which would not have implied anything about the two headphones being or sounding similar as your original post did.

I will inquire with Ultrasone regarding their headband components.
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 10:28 PM Post #12 of 27
Magicthyse,
rolleyes.gif


Did you EVER in your life admit (or at least considered the possibility) that you might be wrong (at least from time to time) in your opinions? Did this happen to you at least once?

Why always selling your (sometimes obviously wrong) impressions as certitudes?

Don't you think the acronyme "IMHO" (In My Humble Opinion), inserted every second line in your posts, would be of some benefit to them?

You would only gain some respect on this forum...

Well, that's just MHO, of course.
biggrin.gif
 
Oct 15, 2002 at 11:56 PM Post #13 of 27
Um... I didn't say it looks similar. The headband is, get this, EXACTLY the same as the HD280. Take off the cushion of the HD280 and take a look.

Oh, that is assuming you have either of these phones of course, as I'm sure you do if you're prepared to mouth off on it...
very_evil_smiley.gif


Here's a nice close-up of the HFI-650 to compare with your 280.
http://www.apollonmusic.com/Ultrasone/hfi650sp.htm
 
Oct 16, 2002 at 12:36 AM Post #14 of 27
I don't have an HD280 nor do I claim any knowledge about it. I do have the Ultrasone HFI-650. From the reviews and opinions of people who have heard it, some of whom have heard the Ultrasone as well, I would not expect them to be the same headphone.

The HD280 is pictured here:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/images/SK.../S302-1016.jpg

It does not look like the same headphone nor made of the same components to me. Even if it looked exactly the same, though, there would still exist no evidence yet that they actually are made by the same manufacturer. Only assumption by a single person.

Nonetheless, I await for a reply from Ultrasone.
 
Oct 16, 2002 at 1:10 AM Post #15 of 27

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