[TLoFP]

Hi Everybody,
 
My Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's are falling apart (ear-pads are disintegration). I love these headphones they have done everything for me I could have ever imagined.
 
BUT: it is time for more. I want better sound. My entire setup is wrong and I realize I probably never got to fully appriciate the Sennheiser's. I listen to shady mp3s through my computer's build in sound card. I am tiered of this.
 
1. First I need a replacement for the HD280Pro's: Audio Technica ATH-M50X
Does the ATH-M50X match the sennheiser in monitoring quality as well as sound isolation?
Can you suggest another headphone that has the same degree, or more, of sound isolation that the HD280's have, while being able to reproduce sound very accurately. I am willing to spend around $200 for a good pair of cans. I would want these headphones to be driven without a dedicated amp.These would be headphones I can wear comfortable for extended periods. (I can wear the sennheisers for 10+ hours taking half hour breaks every three hours, approximately)
2. My source sucks: I need flac music and a DAC
What are some great places to get the highest quality possible music, without any DRM.
I need a suggesting for a USB DAC (my google-fu did not turn up suitable results). Here is what I am looking for in order of importance to me:
 
- Less then 200
- USB
- Accurate Sound Reproduction
- When my audio file plays silence I don't want there to be crackling or this annoying HISS, is it unreasonable to expect silence when the audio file says silence?.
- I would like a build in EQ, something simple like a three knob EQ would do. Sometimes I wake up a bass-head and other times I find that excess bass detracts from music. My philosophy is that the headphones should be neutral and any sound coloring that I want to introduce should be done via an EQ.
- Preferably electrically isolated from the USB ground.
 
3. So the above covers my primary need. However, I also play video games (About 30 minutes a day) and I am seeking a surround headphone. I don't care how it sounds, I will not listen to music with it. What I care is that I can pinpoint in 3D space where sounds are coming from. I believe you call this "sound stage". Again they don't have to be comfortable, they don't have to be over ear. They can be anything that maximizes sound stage. I would prefer to spend less then $100 for this pair.
 
4. I would like to have a set of quality In-Ear phones as well. One for traveling and two to give my head a rest from carrying the big can's. I am willing to spend around $200 on such a pair. (i currently own a pair of skull-candy head-phones). Are In-Ear headphones of the type that give very good sound stage? Could these be my gaming headphones as well? For these travel cans I would prefer them to be bass heavy as I most likely will be plugging them into w/e I can find and won't have an EQ on hand.
 
I know this is allot to ask, but I would like to draw on the collective experience of people when I set-up my first (low end) high-fi setup.
 
TLoFP

 

[zunehdrocks]

  Hi Everybody,
 
My Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's are falling apart (ear-pads are disintegration). I love these headphones they have done everything for me I could have ever imagined.
 
BUT: it is time for more. I want better sound. My entire setup is wrong and I realize I probably never got to fully appriciate the Sennheiser's. I listen to shady mp3s through my computer's build in sound card. I am tiered of this.
 
1. First I need a replacement for the HD280Pro's: Audio Technica ATH-M50X
Does the ATH-M50X match the sennheiser in monitoring quality as well as sound isolation?
Can you suggest another headphone that has the same degree, or more, of sound isolation that the HD280's have, while being able to reproduce sound very accurately. I am willing to spend around $200 for a good pair of cans. I would want these headphones to be driven without a dedicated amp.These would be headphones I can wear comfortable for extended periods. (I can wear the sennheisers for 10+ hours taking half hour breaks every three hours, approximately)
2. My source sucks: I need flac music and a DAC
What are some great places to get the highest quality possible music, without any DRM.
I need a suggesting for a USB DAC (my google-fu did not turn up suitable results). Here is what I am looking for in order of importance to me:
 
- Less then 200
- USB
- Accurate Sound Reproduction
- When my audio file plays silence I don't want there to be crackling or this annoying HISS, is it unreasonable to expect silence when the audio file says silence?.
- I would like a build in EQ, something simple like a three knob EQ would do. Sometimes I wake up a bass-head and other times I find that excess bass detracts from music. My philosophy is that the headphones should be neutral and any sound coloring that I want to introduce should be done via an EQ.
- Preferably electrically isolated from the USB ground.
 
3. So the above covers my primary need. However, I also play video games (About 30 minutes a day) and I am seeking a surround headphone. I don't care how it sounds, I will not listen to music with it. What I care is that I can pinpoint in 3D space where sounds are coming from. I believe you call this "sound stage". Again they don't have to be comfortable, they don't have to be over ear. They can be anything that maximizes sound stage. I would prefer to spend less then $100 for this pair.
 
4. I would like to have a set of quality In-Ear phones as well. One for traveling and two to give my head a rest from carrying the big can's. I am willing to spend around $200 on such a pair. (i currently own a pair of skull-candy head-phones). Are In-Ear headphones of the type that give very good sound stage? Could these be my gaming headphones as well? For these travel cans I would prefer them to be bass heavy as I most likely will be plugging them into w/e I can find and won't have an EQ on hand.
 
I know this is allot to ask, but I would like to draw on the collective experience of people when I set-up my first (low end) high-fi setup.
 
TLoFP

The ath m50 does not have amazing isolation.
Its also very hard to beat the hd280's isolation.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD280Pro.pdf
 
These might be pretty close though
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/KRKKNS8400.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/ShureSRH840.pdf
 
For basshead iems:
http://theheadphonelist.com/earphone-buyers-guide/#basshead

 

[TLoFP]

thanks zunehdrocks,
 
I was not aware of innerfidelity. What a great resource. That being said it looks like the 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/BeyerdynamicDT770.pdf have quite good isolation too, and a boosted bass profile which I just might really enjoy.

 

[zunehdrocks]

  Hi Everybody,
 
My Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's are falling apart (ear-pads are disintegration). I love these headphones they have done everything for me I could have ever imagined.
 
BUT: it is time for more. I want better sound. My entire setup is wrong and I realize I probably never got to fully appriciate the Sennheiser's. I listen to shady mp3s through my computer's build in sound card. I am tiered of this.
 
1. First I need a replacement for the HD280Pro's: Audio Technica ATH-M50X
Does the ATH-M50X match the sennheiser in monitoring quality as well as sound isolation?
Can you suggest another headphone that has the same degree, or more, of sound isolation that the HD280's have, while being able to reproduce sound very accurately. I am willing to spend around $200 for a good pair of cans. I would want these headphones to be driven without a dedicated amp.These would be headphones I can wear comfortable for extended periods. (I can wear the sennheisers for 10+ hours taking half hour breaks every three hours, approximately)
2. My source sucks: I need flac music and a DAC
What are some great places to get the highest quality possible music, without any DRM.
I need a suggesting for a USB DAC (my google-fu did not turn up suitable results). Here is what I am looking for in order of importance to me:
 
- Less then 200
- USB
- Accurate Sound Reproduction
- When my audio file plays silence I don't want there to be crackling or this annoying HISS, is it unreasonable to expect silence when the audio file says silence?.
- I would like a build in EQ, something simple like a three knob EQ would do. Sometimes I wake up a bass-head and other times I find that excess bass detracts from music. My philosophy is that the headphones should be neutral and any sound coloring that I want to introduce should be done via an EQ.
- Preferably electrically isolated from the USB ground.
 
3. So the above covers my primary need. However, I also play video games (About 30 minutes a day) and I am seeking a surround headphone. I don't care how it sounds, I will not listen to music with it. What I care is that I can pinpoint in 3D space where sounds are coming from. I believe you call this "sound stage". Again they don't have to be comfortable, they don't have to be over ear. They can be anything that maximizes sound stage. I would prefer to spend less then $100 for this pair.
 
4. I would like to have a set of quality In-Ear phones as well. One for traveling and two to give my head a rest from carrying the big can's. I am willing to spend around $200 on such a pair. (i currently own a pair of skull-candy head-phones). Are In-Ear headphones of the type that give very good sound stage? Could these be my gaming headphones as well? For these travel cans I would prefer them to be bass heavy as I most likely will be plugging them into w/e I can find and won't have an EQ on hand.
 
I know this is allot to ask, but I would like to draw on the collective experience of people when I set-up my first (low end) high-fi setup.
 
TLoFP

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHM50x.pdf
Not quite but its got great isolation

 

[zunehdrocks]

  Hi Everybody,
 
My Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's are falling apart (ear-pads are disintegration). I love these headphones they have done everything for me I could have ever imagined.
 
BUT: it is time for more. I want better sound. My entire setup is wrong and I realize I probably never got to fully appriciate the Sennheiser's. I listen to shady mp3s through my computer's build in sound card. I am tiered of this.
 
1. First I need a replacement for the HD280Pro's: Audio Technica ATH-M50X
Does the ATH-M50X match the sennheiser in monitoring quality as well as sound isolation?
Can you suggest another headphone that has the same degree, or more, of sound isolation that the HD280's have, while being able to reproduce sound very accurately. I am willing to spend around $200 for a good pair of cans. I would want these headphones to be driven without a dedicated amp.These would be headphones I can wear comfortable for extended periods. (I can wear the sennheisers for 10+ hours taking half hour breaks every three hours, approximately)
2. My source sucks: I need flac music and a DAC
What are some great places to get the highest quality possible music, without any DRM.
I need a suggesting for a USB DAC (my google-fu did not turn up suitable results). Here is what I am looking for in order of importance to me:
 
- Less then 200
- USB
- Accurate Sound Reproduction
- When my audio file plays silence I don't want there to be crackling or this annoying HISS, is it unreasonable to expect silence when the audio file says silence?.
- I would like a build in EQ, something simple like a three knob EQ would do. Sometimes I wake up a bass-head and other times I find that excess bass detracts from music. My philosophy is that the headphones should be neutral and any sound coloring that I want to introduce should be done via an EQ.
- Preferably electrically isolated from the USB ground.
 
3. So the above covers my primary need. However, I also play video games (About 30 minutes a day) and I am seeking a surround headphone. I don't care how it sounds, I will not listen to music with it. What I care is that I can pinpoint in 3D space where sounds are coming from. I believe you call this "sound stage". Again they don't have to be comfortable, they don't have to be over ear. They can be anything that maximizes sound stage. I would prefer to spend less then $100 for this pair.
 
4. I would like to have a set of quality In-Ear phones as well. One for traveling and two to give my head a rest from carrying the big can's. I am willing to spend around $200 on such a pair. (i currently own a pair of skull-candy head-phones). Are In-Ear headphones of the type that give very good sound stage? Could these be my gaming headphones as well? For these travel cans I would prefer them to be bass heavy as I most likely will be plugging them into w/e I can find and won't have an EQ on hand.
 
I know this is allot to ask, but I would like to draw on the collective experience of people when I set-up my first (low end) high-fi setup.
 
TLoFP

Theres the fiio e7 and audioquest dragonfly. You could spend more but it probably wouldn't be worth it for most of these headphones.