[Galeonero]

Hi everyone, I want open back headphones to have a different type of sound and experience to play games, listen to music or watch movies.
I don't want something super expensive, my budget is around $80 maximum

And as for the sound, nothing that is sibilant / very high pitched, that's why I ruled out the Philips SHP-9500, I read many reviews that are like that.

I am between these 4 headphones or can you recommend something else, I think the one I would rule out the most is the Koss UR40 I had it and I returned it for its construction quality, it was broken and the pads peeled off in less than 2 days, I think it was a faulty unit. But I also consider them because I read that they have the same driver as the Porta Pro and you have to spend 20-30 more for the pads to make it more comfortable.

As DAC/AMP I use my PC and plan to buy a FiiO BTR5 to use with iPhone.

 

[Sonic Defender]

For me anyway, the HE400SE stands out.

 

[Cheesebuggah]

If you can find a HE400SE or HD58X for less than $80 then go for it. The Koss Porta Pro, KPH30i, KPH40, and KSC75 have decent sound but there is a concern for build quality, at least without modifications.

 

[silent-circuit]

The HE400SE are much more capable than the other headphones you're considering, in my experience, but they're also the only planars, and are much more power hungry. The BTR5 may be enough to drive them, it may not. The others will, by contrast, work with just about any source, but aren't going to be able to keep up with the HE400 on technicalities and clarity.

Build quality isn't Koss or HiFiMan's strong suit, so if you're hard on gear you may need to save up a bit more and look elsewhere.

I don't know the used market in India, but the Philips X2HR or X3 may be in budget, and if so, are also worth considering. They're great for positional audio in games and the warm tuning is forgiving for a wide range of music and movies. Also much easier to drive than the planars, but wil stilll scale up (to a point) with higher quality sources, well beyond what you could get out of the Koss.

 

[silent-circuit]

Delete.

 

[Galeonero]

If you can find a HE400SE or HD58X for less than $80 then go for it. The Koss Porta Pro, KPH30i, KPH40, and KSC75 have decent sound but there is a concern for build quality, at least without modifications.

I read the description are the version of 25ohms, it’s the good version?

 

[Cheesebuggah]

I read the description are the version of 25ohms, it’s the good version?

Yep, there is only one 25-ohm variant with stealth magnets. I don't believe there is another version that has a different impedance. Like the HD58X, you can't really go wrong with it.

 

[Galeonero]

Yep, there is only one 25-ohm variant with stealth magnets. I don't believe there is another version that has a different impedance. Like the HD58X, you can't really go wrong with it.

The other version have 32-ohm but cost +35$

 

[Cheesebuggah]

The other version have 32-ohm but cost +35$

I see. HIFIMAN's website says 32 ohms, but Amazon and the Head-Fi reviews say it's 25. I have no idea if that is a mistranslation between platforms or if HIFIMAN made a minor revision. Overall, between 32 ohm and 25 ohm, it shouldn't matter. It also says that the 32-ohm one is 5 grams lighter.

 

[Sonic Defender]

@Cheesebuggah

At audiosciencereview the site owner reviewed the HE400SE very favorably and this was his conclusion:

"
Conclusions
Headphone testing doesn't get simpler than this when the device itself is not too far off the mark as is the case with HE400SE. Add a bit of salt and pepper in the form of bass boost and lower treble energy and you are in business with a very high fidelity headphone. That it comes at such a low cost is a huge bonus, making the HE400SE one of my best picks for a bargain headphone.

I am happy to recommend the Hifiman HE400SE."

 

[Cheesebuggah]

At audiosciencereview the site owner reviewed the HE400SE very favorably and this was his conclusion:

"
Conclusions
Headphone testing doesn't get simpler than this when the device itself is not too far off the mark as is the case with HE400SE. Add a bit of salt and pepper in the form of bass boost and lower treble energy and you are in business with a very high fidelity headphone. That it comes at such a low cost is a huge bonus, making the HE400SE one of my best picks for a bargain headphone.

I am happy to recommend the Hifiman HE400SE."

My thoughts precisely. Though I don't own the 400SE, I see that Amir and the other people in the poll voted favorably for it. Reviewers here seem to like it. Crinacle even listed it as the best under $200 for gaming. Sonically, it should be one of the top contenders for what the OP is looking for.

 

[ANewtypeCentury]

Just want to chime in - I know HiFiMan has advanced since I bought my first pair from them (HE-400), but you should pick a comfortable set of cans, both in terms of weight and head-band design. I used to wear those heavy as hell HE-400's all the time, and I genuinely believe it has permanently effected my head health, can still feel, years and years after having last put on the damn things, how much the band has caused my head along that narrow band to be much more sensitive than it ever used to be. Consider that, if you get a great sounding pair of phones, you'll want to use them *all* the time, and plan accordingly. One thing to wear a chonker set on your ears for the length of an album or a movie, but what about if you're watching a TV series, or playing a game?

 

[Pelperson]

koss ksc75. or he400se + ifi zen air dac / fiio q11 imo