Need help finding the right headphones for my specific situation
Apr 18, 2020 at 5:36 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 2

pimbee

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So im pretty new to the headphones scene. Ive been using these old astro a40s for the past several years and ive decided that i need an upgrade.

Im looking for a good set of headphones that wont hurt my wallet too much during this pandemic crisis. I will mostly use it for gaming, so a good sound stage is required, but im also looking to use it for a lot of other things like music and such.

Im currently using a behringer uphoria um2 as an audio interface that i use for my mic because i occasionally stream on twitch, so id like to get a pair of headphones that can be powered by this so i dont have to spend any extra on an amp and dac if i dont need to.

Ive heard suggestions like the philips shp9500, beyerdynamic dt770, akg k612 pro but i have next to no idea which i should pull the trigger on since i have no experience in this field.

Im not specifically looking for cheap headphones, but instead the best value headphones, if you get what i mean. If any of you know a really bomb ass pair for only like 100-200 USD that fits my needs, then that would be amazing.
 
Apr 20, 2020 at 12:55 PM Post #2 of 2
For what you're doing, I think you'd want to go the open-back route because they're going to give you the best sound stage. Just a couple headphones to look into; Philips Fidelio X2, Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee, AKG K7XX. All of these are below $200 and don't require a ton of power to drive. My personal favorite is the Sennheiser HD6XX (basically the HD650, but at a reduced cost), but they have an impedance of 300 ohms, so you might want to get an amp to fully appreciate these headphones. Another great option, which I've ordered and am waiting to arrive, is the HIFIMAN HE4XX, but, like the HD6XX, they require a little more power.

Edit: Just realized two of the options you mentioned are open-back, whoops. If you're looking at either of those three strictly, I'd say go Philips. I've got three AKG products - K371, K553, and N40 IEMs. The K371s sound really good for very specific tracks, otherwise they just sound harsh. They also lack a sound stage. The K553 have far better sound stage, but just sound really boring - I've never been impressed by them. The N40s are great, but required some "modding" to get them to where they needed to be. Basically, I sort of have a "been there done that" attitude with AKG. Unless, you're looking at some of their more expensive headphones (like $300+), it can be really hit or miss with them. I suggested the 7XX from Drop because those are basically the K712s ($500) with a $200 price tag.
 
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