Headphones for computer ?

[Quelch]

Hi all,

I need new headphones and would appreciate a little help in deciding

I'm currently using Panasonic RP-HT41 listening to video sound and digital radio on the computer

I'd like to upgrade to better sound without going over the top money wise, say around $200- Australian, that's about a hundred pounds or so UK

I have an Asus P5K SE/EPU motherboard with 'Realtek High definition audio'

So I need headphones with:

The ability to reproduce the quality of the Realtek

They sit on the ears, is that 'supra aural' ?

Velor not pleather, pleather disintegrates here in sub-tropical Queensland !

Short cable, 1.2 to 1.5 metres, just to reach the desktop computer

I'm not locked in to any of this so any alternative ideas would be appreciated too !

Quelch

 

[Currawong]

I wouldn't call a regular sound card "high definition audio" - they generally sound like crap. However, if you're going to just use the cans out of your computer, maybe consider something from Audio Technica. Their AD700 are popular and easy to drive and spot on your budget. If I were still listening to headphones just out of my computer, I would have probably bought a pair.

 

[Gurck]

Realtek isn't going to win any awards. I'd suggest going half/half on a sound card and phones, at that budget. There are a few good card choices from $50-$100, do a quick search. As for phones, that's a whole nother thread... take a look at the stickied buyers' guide in the fullsize can forum, you're looking for phones with a "1", eg. amp not needed. They're low impedence phones that your PC will have no problem driving. While I'm on it, I might as well mention that online radio is generally pretty poor quality as well haha... I'm not sure where you go, but I know di.fm is 96kb mp3 free (unacceptable) and 192kb mp3 for subscribers (good enough, but I'd prefer better). To really make a new setup shine you'll probably want to listen to higher bitrate music, and preferably from good recordings. Crap is crap even if it's lossless, and a lot of modern music is produced badly.

 

[Nocturnal310]

My brother has same motherboard same audio.

its horrible compared to even my laptop. and has a hiss noise sometimes too with my HD555.

even if u get decent headphones.. u wont really enjoy them.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

yeah your sound source is pretty bad. I say split the budget as well.

 

[Quelch]

Thanks for all the ideas and advice

Evan though you've all made me realise it's not as simple as I expected !

The music I listen to on the computer is not online radio, it's 'free to air' digital radio, I have a Compro TV card and a good quality antenna

The same quality sound as digital TV !

I'll upgrade the sound card first, can you suggest a card to get, or where to look on the forum

How do I disable the existing Realtek when I install a new card, I think I can just turn it off in the software ?

Would I need to match the headphones to the new card, impedance etc ?

 

[Gurck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quelch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for all the ideas and advice Evan though you've all made me realise it's not as simple as I expected ! The music I listen to on the computer is not online radio, it's 'free to air' digital radio, I have a Compro TV card and a good quality antenna The same quality sound as digital TV ! I'll upgrade the sound card first, can you suggest a card to get, or where to look on the forum How do I disable the existing Realtek when I install a new card, I think I can just turn it off in the software ? Would I need to match the headphones to the new card, impedance etc ?

I have an Asus Xonar DX, it cost $90 US. I'm probably biased, but I think it's great. It's definitely not the only choice though.

Once you get it, to get rid of onboard sound you first need to disable it in the bios, usually hit delete to get into it while your computer's booting. Then find it in control panel -> add/remove programs and delete it from there as well.

You only need to worry about getting phones that don't require an amp, most phones under $100 don't so no worries. If you want to be 100% positive, check the fullsize can forum's stickied buyers' guide.

 

[cjcerny]

Definitely worth spending a few dollars on an inexpensive sound card, like a used Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2 Value. You'll find audio to be much cleaner than the motherboard sound even though this soundcard way down the soundcard food chain. It's usually $10-$15 U.S. when purchased on eBay.

Grado SR60 or SR60 would be a great headphone to try, if your PC isn't terribly loud. Remember that loud fans on a PC can easily be heard through "open" headphones, regardless of whether they are supra-aural or circumaural.