[somapopper]

Hi folks,

I'm looking for an open headphone that will be used mostly on the computer for dvd watching and gaming. For music, it'll be mostly folk, with some rock and classical thrown in. I've got a 50 dollar sound blaster card (don't remember the model but can look it up if it matters) and don't plan on adding any further amplification or anything else to my rig.

I'd naturally like for it to be suitable for mp3 player/ receiver use, but these are secondary.

$150 US is the most I want to spend, but I'm willing to bide my time and wait for deals (used cans are also fine). I like the Sennheiser and Ultrasone brands, but perfectly happy to go outside those. Comfort is very important.

Also, $90 or so is probably the least that I'd spend, but if I'm not going to see a big improvement by shelling out for my full budget, I'd rather get in under the mark.

I like clean bass and decent mids, and I'd say that I don't have audiophile ears. Thanks!

 

[ericj]

Good open headphone for $150?

I hear good things about the Goldring DR150:

Goldring DR-150 Headphones

I haven't really heard of any good open 'phones at $100. Not new, anyway. There are excellent price/performance closed cans at that price point, though.

 

[fraseyboy]

Audio Technica AD700 should fit the bill nicely.

Ginormous soundstage, very energetic which is good for rock, lovely mids.... The bass extends but isn't really that impactful. Certainly is tight though. Very comfortable too.

I'm finding it hard to even $200+ headphones that beat my AD700's.

 

[JayB18]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraseyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Audio Technica AD700 should fit the bill nicely. Ginormous soundstage, very energetic which is good for rock, lovely mids.... The bass extends but isn't really that impactful. Certainly is tight though. Very comfortable too. I'm finding it hard to even $200+ headphones that beat my AD700's.

I agree the AD700 are great headphones and Id also recommend them for your purposes. They are especially great for movies, games and classical music due to their soundstage. Folk and rock are great too though. They are a bit light on bass compared to other headphones but you can always equalize if you want to. They are also the most comfortable headphones Ive ever tried.

 

[WiredCon]

Another vote for AD700. It fits the bill.
Great choice for OP's needs.

 

[glac1er]

Good recommendations here. AD700 might be the way to go, they are cheap.

My recommendations will be (from best to worst IMO):
1. DR150. Love this for rock. Think lively sound (a little like Grado) with comfort and a little bit of soundstage. I think they go used for (~$110)
2. HD595. Overpriced new, but the going rate used (~$120) is a good value. Can be used well for music, gaming, and movies. Improves with amp too.
3. MS1. I love how it renders rock and acoustic music with lots of guitars. They are only O.K. for classical, gaming, and movies with O.K. comfort too

.
4. AD700. Very good and lively sounding headphone without being harsh. Soundstage is big, bass is a little light for many people though I think it's still ok. Not much too complain about this headphones. IMO, detail and refinement suffer when compared to $200 phones.

 

[divideby0]

The headphone buyer's guide is a great starting point:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3454398-post1.html

 

[jonathanjong]

OK, sommapopper, right now you should go find out what's wrong with the AD700s. We might have been inflicted by groupthink. I know some people have fit issues, for starters.

 

[REB]

AD700 or AKG K501. You should be able to get a K501 for under 150 at flea bay. They're not ideal straight from a DAP, though.

 

[coolcat]

I am another one who loves AD700.
and I suggest you too to buy it because I like folk music and use it for gaming like you and I've found that I really like AD700 for this use .
But it's the fact that its bass doesn't satisfy many people include me when listen to some kinds of music(some rock songs).

conclusion: for your purpose I think AD700 is a good choice you will like sound stage for Gaming and because it's airy you will like it for folk music

 

[solar_ythm]

for <150$ you can get a used 580

 

[glac1er]

K501 and HD580 doesn't work well ampless and from less than ideal sources.

I actually quite like the K501 out of most things, though I admit they sound very thin and basslight if underpowered. The HD580 ampless, or even powered with something like GoVibe V4 was very underwhelming to me. The sound perfectly showed off what many people refer to as the Sennheiser veil. Slow and recessed. Other than the big soundstage and quite good bass, I found HD595 unamped to be better than those. Some people do disagree with me on these

 

[somapopper]

Wow, this forum is speedy, thanks for all of the advice guys!

OK, so consensus is definately forming around the AD700s. I had seen positive comments about these before, the only thing I'm concerned about here is the fit. Anywhere I can try these on?

I'm also going to look into the DR150s.

Ericj, allow me to show my ass for a moment: I was under the impression that all other things being equal open headphones were superior to closed for sound, and the only real reason to go with closed was if you wanted superior noise cancellation/ not to annoy your neighbors. Are you saying that's not the case at this price point? Also, I'm very sensitive to pressure on my ear, and I don't want it to feel like it's constantly being suctioned.

As far as the 580s go, are these going to be superior to the AD700s without an amp? In theory I'd love to have a pair of these, but I wonder if they'd be the best in practice for my needs.

 

[fraseyboy]

IMHO the AD700's are better than the HD580 even with an amp. That's just my opinion though.

The HD580's however will not suit your music at all. They're laid back, slow and dark. Much better off with the AD700's.