[imported_Oo_oO]

Hey all! I've recently (well over the last year or so) been quite interested in how headphones could sound over expensive speakers.

I listen to a lot of metal, rap, hip hop and r 'n' b but are also in love with my instrumentals, orchestrals and.. well I'm an all round audio lover I suppose!

I've owned a set of Altec Lansing 2.1 speakers for a few years now and I run them through a soundblaster Audigy NX external unit from my laptop.

I've been looking at a number of reviews and tips on headphones purchasing but are often confused by all the terminology as well as all the extras along with the headphones like amps and cables... leaving me at a loss for what to do.

I've been looking around and have been recommended the grado series and the seinnheiser series, but I like the sound of the seins more as they are much more comfortable (I could never wear uncomfortable headphones for the hours of music I listen to.)

I'm not an overly serious audiophile however I do like my bass and crisp music (I rip all my music onto my computer in mp3 format but using 320 kpbs VB as minimum) however I've been noticing more and more the annoying "buzz" and somewhat muffled sound my speakers, though good, produce.

I'm not looking to spend an exorbitant amount, however within around £200-250 is ok (ish) although if I don't need that sort of high quality then less is obviously better!

for comparison; the SR 225s I've seen cost around £150 and the sein HD650s are around £200.

Again, I'd like to point out that I have no idea what you'll all be talking about, however please recommend me a good set of cans and whatever I need for the best listening experience possible from a pc!

Thanks much in advance!

 

[crimson_squee]

beyerdynamic DT880 are clear but dont have much slam to their bass

hd650 have good bass but are very warm sounding not that great for rock imo

audio technica w1000 are somewhere in between but can be very sharp sounding too sharp for me i found

you should be able to get any of these for under £200 in the uk hope this helps in your search

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

Ah... I absolutely adore my bass

Bass is essential!! But not at the cost of crap sounding screaming guitar soloes...

 

[crimson_squee]

there is always the akg 701, i have never heard this can but its not hard to find a thread about them around hear

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

Woah! nice looking and apparantly sounding but much muuuuch too expensive ^^"

 

[Asr]

You should get HeadRoom's Total Bithead if you're going to use >$200 headphones, because your computer's sound card is a terrible source.

I'd recommend <$200 headphones though, simply because your computer is your source. The Audio Technica A900 and Beyer DT770 are great closed cans for the price and are easily driven from a computer. You didn't say if you wanted open or closed though.

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

I don't know the difference between open and closed ^^"...

Also are you saying I'd need extra parts along with a set of headphones because i'm using them through a computer?

edit: Oh and audio goes through the SB audigy not the internal card of the laptop

edit 2: Oh and I just looked that bithead thing up; doesn't appear to be available to the UK...

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oo_oO I don't know the difference between open and closed ^^"... Also are you saying I'd need extra parts along with a set of headphones because i'm using them through a computer? edit: Oh and audio goes through the SB audigy not the internal card of the laptop edit 2: Oh and I just looked that bithead thing up; doesn't appear to be available to the UK...

Open headphones let in noise from the outside and often present a more realistic sound. Closed headphones do not leak sound but are not as common in Audiophile varieties (aka really good sounding). Not to say there aren't some... but only one or two major companies have really good closed headphones as opposed to the several that make great open headphones.

What he's saying is that the SB Audigy tiself is the terrible source. It is a good gaming source (positional audio with speakers etc) but really quite terrible for actual music. If you're planning on spending over 100 of them english pounds, I'd consider buying the bithead too. Otherwise, you're not getting the refinement that your shiny new cans can provide... and most likely you won't be able to drive them properly. Good headphones need juice to run!

If you decide to do the "audiophile" thing and want superior music quality, the Bithead is available from www.headphone.com. I was pretty sure they'd ship it overseas, but I could be wrong. Try the For Sale Forum here, there may be one for sale in the amps section.

If you decide you want a great pair of all-around nice sounding headphones but don't want to get too lost in this hobby (my wallet is on crutches) try one of the "Bose Triport" alternatives listed in the Team Bose Converters link in my signature below.

Sorry about your wallet.

 

[BennyBoy]

I started small, first HD555's(Sennheisers) I liked them so much I felt I needed more! I could have gone 580's than 600's than 650's.
To save money I jump over all and got the HD650's. I sold the 555's at a loss of about $20. And I'm very happy with the 650's as they seem to do everthing really well. The 555's were only $100. and I feel there by far the best value in cans today. the 650's were $300. and I'm glad I got them but I feel for the money, the 555's are better.

If your not going to upgrade your source or get an Amp? Your best can would be the Sennheiser HD 555.IMO!

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

Yes... as a student it's hard to get the kind of funds you need for major purchases like this...

Sounds to me like if I want a good set of headphones to listen to music from my computer I should get an amp (any recommendations apart from the bithead?) and maybe just an SR125 or 225 if I can afford it.

Or am I grossly mistaken?

Taking a look through that thread, it was interesting to see how many different makes of headphones there are and yes I want open phones (point isn't noise reduction so much as just good sounding music!)

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BennyBoy I started small, first HD555's(Sennheisers) I liked them so much I felt I needed more! I could have gone 580's than 600's than 650's. To save money I jump over all and got the HD650's. I sold the 555's at a loss of about $20. And I'm very happy with the 650's as they seem to do everthing really well. The 555's were only $100. and I feel there by far the best value in cans today. the 650's were $300. and I'm glad I got them but I feel for the money, the 555's are better. If your not going to upgrade your source or get an Amp? Your best can would be the Sennheiser HD 555.IMO!

thanks! that's very useful info and I'll look into the 555s.

I think I would be getting an amp eventually if not immediately, and the 650s just look so niceeee!

Thing is though I won't do this as a hobby, it's just for good music and from a casual listener's POV should I just get something that'll sound pretty good as opposed to perfectionist good? My ears are pretty good and tuned from years and years (15 I'm 20 now) of piano and I can often pick up on things most people can't from low bitrate recordings or ripped from CD mp3s.

 

[drivel]

I'm thinking Senn HDHD555, HD595, Beyer DT990 (with an amp),or Beyer DT770 32Ohm would be worth testing. The Beyer's are really comfortable for me.

Is there somewhere you can go to try out headphones in your area? It's better to trust your own ears.

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

Sadly no

I live in a medium sized town and there are no audio specialists... home cinema specialists and electronics stores everywhere and a few small premium stores but they have no idea what they're talking about... XD

 

[imported_Oo_oO]

Ok I'm quite fixed on the 555s now... but a few more questions first:

How much difference is there between the 555 and, say the 650 in terms of sound quality and what would be a cheap but good quality amp to use with either?

Thanks for patience!

 

[crimson_squee]

if you are set on seins you could pick up the 600`s instead of the 650`s
(alot of people prefer them to the 650`s and they are cheaper not by much but could help towards a amp)