[alexsc25]

Hello!
I am terribly sorry to use this forum as a resource without offering something in return, and I understand that this may be annoying and you guys aren't a directory, but nevertheless...! I need your help.

I've recently purchased a new computer, a quite sizable investment for a college student. I've found that I spend 75% of my time listening to music/sound from film, 15% listening to other people on ventrilo and the other 10% listening to sound in game.

My sound card is an audigy 2 zs.

I've been using a pair of zalman 5.1 headphones, which worked perfectly untill I dropped them too many times and now only one of the three channels works, and it is a little louder on the left side... so my audio situation is terrible.

I don't even know how well they sound fully functioning now as I am using only one of the 3 speakers on each ear. Right now they sound completely ******. I have a very keen sense of picking up very quiet sounds (I'm the guy that can hear you talking behind 20 closed doors etc).

So I ask you, experts, to provide me with salvation.
Do I buy another zalman 5.1? When comparing (from memory) the sound quality of it vs my buddy's home theatre crazy expencive surround sound system around the couch we sit on... the home theatre blows it out of the water.
Or do I forget the foolishness that is trying to squeeze a 5.1 in headphones and buy a pair of normal stereo headphones? As far as I know my audigy and current positioning tricks can do some fancy stuff with 2 speakers.

I have only a few details:

The headphones must be like.. around my ears. Resting not on my ears. The ear should practically not even touch the headphone.
They must be comfortable. The zalmans are pretty nice, but they could be more oval and stretched vertically. As a reference point, I've heard about the Grado SR 60 and it seemed to small -- it'd sit on my ears, and that is not comfortable. I don't like my ears being pressed on too much.

How are Sennheiser HD 205s? 201s? 435s? 415s?

Please help!

 

[feh1325]

the three headphone jacks seem kinda...really...silly to me

do your headphones need to be closed? or can they be open?

 

[sgrossklass]

Multi-driver 5.1 headphones can't be any good from theory alone - first we only have two ears to begin with, and then two good drivers are certainly more capable than 6 crappy ones on the same budget.

Circumaurals under $80, hmm, that's tricky. One might be able to pick up some HD515s or HD570s, but sonically these are... not so good. Maybe some HD485s then, which also tend to be circumaural for most people, or HD280s which might just fit the budget at a bargain price. Otherwise I'd look at the used market, some HD590s perhaps.

 

[alexsc25]

snipping posts!
Quote:

Originally Posted by feh1325 /img/forum/go_quote.gif the three headphone jacks seem kinda...

Heh, it just seems that my soundcard has so many jacks yet I'd only use one!

As far as you say closed vs open, by open do you mean using the open air principle?

All I want is for them to rest around my ear, not on my ear. Whether there is a grille on the back or not does not really matter to me -- I listen in very quiet conditions on low sound volumes. They just need to be Circumaural!


Quote:

Originally Posted by sgrossklass Multi-driver 5.1 headphones ...

You do make a great point. Expecially when I think of a great surround sound experiance, it is due to low frequency sounds actually being felt by my body with quite powerful speakers.

As far as budget goes, I could raise it to $120~ but I would still prefer to keep it low! (S&H).

I looked at a bunch of pictures, and it seems to me that HD515, HD570, HD590 (<Expecially), and 280s provide the kind of cup I would say is the most comfortable, ie http://www.byrneweb.com/sunburn/audio/img/hd280.jpg

while the 285s seem smaller (Might be the sample of pictures I looked at, however).

And how huge of a quality difference is there between the model (Expecially to someone who is NOT looking for it)?

Thank you for your responses so far, I hope my answer clarifies and somewhat entertains.

 

[Szabi]

I would try to get a HD-5x5. Replace the x with the one what u can afford. If u can strech your budget to 120+, you could try to get the 595's from ebay. Yo can't go wrong with the 555 either (can be found on ebay around 80$). Theese phones are comfy. I can use em' for the whole day without even noticing them. I have the 2zs too. It can drive the 5x5's. Amp is a big improovement imo, but not necessity.

 

[Murdoch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Szabi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would try to get a HD-5x5. Replace the x with the one what u can afford. If u can strech your budget to 120+, you could try to get the 595's from ebay. Yo can't go wrong with the 555 either (can be found on ebay around 80$). Theese phones are comfy. I can use em' for the whole day without even noticing them. I have the 2zs too. It can drive the 5x5's. Amp is a big improovement imo, but not necessity.

Agreed. You should get the hd555.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexsc25 /img/forum/go_quote.gif snipping posts! Heh, it just seems that my soundcard has so many jacks yet I'd only use one! As far as you say closed vs open, by open do you mean using the open air principle? All I want is for them to rest around my ear, not on my ear. Whether there is a grille on the back or not does not really matter to me -- I listen in very quiet conditions on low sound volumes. They just need to be Circumaural! You do make a great point. Expecially when I think of a great surround sound experiance, it is due to low frequency sounds actually being felt by my body with quite powerful speakers. As far as budget goes, I could raise it to $120~ but I would still prefer to keep it low! (S&H). I looked at a bunch of pictures, and it seems to me that HD515, HD570, HD590 (<Expecially), and 280s provide the kind of cup I would say is the most comfortable, ie http://www.byrneweb.com/sunburn/audio/img/hd280.jpg while the 285s seem smaller (Might be the sample of pictures I looked at, however). And how huge of a quality difference is there between the model (Expecially to someone who is NOT looking for it)? Thank you for your responses so far, I hope my answer clarifies and somewhat entertains.

100% False . Probably feels alright for the first 5 minutes. Any longer than that. Its torture.

 

[brainstorm]

I'd really take a look at the HD485s... their pretty under appreciated here being a budget headphone but I have a set that works pretty well for what I paid for them... this thread and another one elsewhere is what sold me -

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ighlight=HD485