[TBGAPowa]

 

[size=10pt]hello all i'm new here and have constantly be recommended to join and read up on these forums for the higher audio knowledge. have always been used to listening to cheap $30-70 headphones and now i want to enter into a world with better sound quality. i plan on 7.1 after listening to surround sound test demos on youtube and i do find quite a difference to regular soundcards. ath-ad700s seemed like a good choice but i have heard a lot of complaints about things like explosions in movies sounding dull. other brands i was interested in were akg q701 and beyerdynamics dt series but unfortunately i had to cut my budget down. it will be stationary so no chance of portable listening. my rig will be located in the basement so sound leakage is not a problem. looking for head phones to go high enough but not deafening volume for blocking structure-borne noises resonating from the ceiling.   [/size]

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[size=10pt]i have looked at many threads of people looking to get around $200 headphones for gaming and movies, that's great but none of them had the same music preference that i do. although this seems to be a minority genreish area i enjoy listening to soundtracks/scores (film, video games etc...) and epic/trailer music. some mainstream artists for reference would be hans zimmer, james newton howard (for movies) and two steps from hell (trailer/epic music). but music only takes up a small portion of my listening habits. my movie genre preferences are comedy and action not into horror if that helps at all. i do more rpg, mmo, action-adventure and rts gaming than fps and racing. so #1 gaming, #2 movies and #3 music[/size]

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[size=10pt]thinking about using these [/size][size=10pt]as my soundcard cant go with higher price. headphones no higher than hd 598 price range[/size]

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[PurpleAngel]

You might pass on the HT omega and get a used Xonar DX or D1 ($55)
and put the leftover cash towards a low cost headphone amplifier.
Headphone wise the AKG K240 Studios can go for $80.
Brainwarz HM5 $100-$120

 

[TBGAPowa]

would this do http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=35_766_777&item_id=029447&sid=vljes82v47p50phumleiaae4m1 ? for the amp, i changed to xonar d1 but it is still at $80

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

would this do http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=35_766_777&item_id=029447&sid=vljes82v47p50phumleiaae4m1 ? for the amp, i changed to xonar d1 but it is still at $80

I think it would work, but I know very little about it.

 

[TBGAPowa]

a there any amps around that price that you'd recommend me? i appreciate your participation

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Is there any amps around that price that you'd recommend me? i appreciate your participation

If you really wanted to save some cash, get the Asus Xonar DG ($25) or DGX ($40) for now.
They will work with just about any headphone up to around 150-Ohms.
How much cash would that leave for headphones?

 

[IDReaper]

There are a few inexpensive dac/amp usb combos out there but I haven't heard them myself. Perhaps you could try this one though:
 
Hifiman HM101
 
As for headphones for gaming and movies I'd put you on these:
 
Superlux HD 668B
 
Signature is fairly neutral with a bit of a treble tilt and an expansive soundstage. As a heads up there is a bit of a spike in the 8-10khz range. Makes for a very crisp sounding headphone but can be harsh to some. Detail is the name of the game with these at a reasonable price. They are pretty light and can be equipped with akg velours to increase comfort as well. These are another inexpensive alternative that still sound great:
 
Panasonic RP-HTF600-S
 
These are a bit more V shaped in their frequency response. The bass is lifted but has a soft impact to it and the treble has a decent amount of sparkle. The soundstage is a bit more intimate. These aren't detail kings but rather a smoother sounding set. Other than the pads which can get a bit sweaty they are phenomenally comfortable and light. Velour pads can be had for them as well.
 
Those would pretty much be my suggestion for a good setup on a budget. My personal favorite however is in my sig if you could stretch the budget a bit. Fiio E10 -> Brainwavz HM5. Together might cost close to $200 though.

 

[TBGAPowa]

it appears audio in canada is way overpriced. the brainwavz m5 are at $240 What....
 
if this doesn't work out with headphone price then i'll just go with a better known and reputable amp and a lower by $50 for pair of headphones