New to High-end Headphones, need advice.
Oct 17, 2012 at 11:32 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 16

Katarack21

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Okay, I've never purchased a pair of headphones that cost over $20 before. I have used quite a lot of headphones in my time however, and I know that the full-size headphones that cover your entire ear is what I want. I think it's called circumaural? Like I said, I'm new to this. I want this style because they feel the most comfortable to me and seem to provide the best sound quality in my experience. If possible I'd like headphones of this style that will work well with eyeglasses, but if I have to take off my glasses so be it.
 
I mainly listen to rock music--classic rock, hard rock, metal, and punk rock. A sizable minority of my music taste is rap, however. My budget is $150 or less. No stretch on this--I have a very limited income.
 
Oct 18, 2012 at 12:50 AM Post #2 of 16
a) Are you open to buying used? If so, are you open to buying from other people - such as on headfi/ebay etc? The reason for the second question is because people generally sell them cheaper than authorized resellers will sell used merchandise (this opens up more possibilities).
 
b) Do you mind if they leak sound? Likewise, do you mind if external noise tampers with your listening?
 
c) Do you care about portability? This kind of relates to the previous question in a sense.
 
d) Is this your be-all end all or do you see yourself going beyond this purchase in the future? (Some headphones are not really all-purpose, but are decent gateways into being curious about sound)
 
 
Oct 18, 2012 at 1:01 AM Post #3 of 16
I'm open to buying used, but only over a place like ebay. I'm very nervous about buying direct from somebody on the Internet, and a system like ebay just makes me feel more secure.
 
I really don't mind if they leak sound--I tend to listen at a farily high volume, so in the past people have pretty much always been able to hear some of what I'm listening to. Outside sound is an issue, however--I use music to block out the background noise when I want to isolate myself for a little while. Doing schoolwork, browsing the Net, or just closing my eyes and relaxing for a while. Since I live near a railroad crossing, blocking out as much noise as possible is a good thing.
 
Portability is not a concern at all. These would be used almost exclusively at my computer desk.
 
The last is a very good question. I see these as a first step into the world of high-quality audio. In the future I can save up money over time and buy something even better, but these will be headphones to last me for quite some time. A year or so, at the least, barring damage or some other valid reason to replace them.
 
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
 
Oct 18, 2012 at 3:20 AM Post #4 of 16
Quote:
I'm open to buying used, but only over a place like ebay. I'm very nervous about buying direct from somebody on the Internet, and a system like ebay just makes me feel more secure.
 
I really don't mind if they leak sound--I tend to listen at a farily high volume, so in the past people have pretty much always been able to hear some of what I'm listening to. Outside sound is an issue, however--I use music to block out the background noise when I want to isolate myself for a little while. Doing schoolwork, browsing the Net, or just closing my eyes and relaxing for a while. Since I live near a railroad crossing, blocking out as much noise as possible is a good thing.
 
Portability is not a concern at all. These would be used almost exclusively at my computer desk.
 
The last is a very good question. I see these as a first step into the world of high-quality audio. In the future I can save up money over time and buy something even better, but these will be headphones to last me for quite some time. A year or so, at the least, barring damage or some other valid reason to replace them.
 
Thank you for taking the time to read my post!


1) Grado SR 80i - SR 125i
2) SRH 840
3) HFI 780
4) V-Moda M-80
 
 
I haven't tried any of these except the Grados and the Shures, but I really enjoyed the Shures. The rest are recommendations I see thrown around for people in a similar situation. The Grados will be more sensitive to external noise than the SRH 840s as they are closed.
 
Oct 18, 2012 at 4:42 AM Post #5 of 16
X2 for the Grado's. They are easy to drive and have an exciting treble and punchy sound that is great for genres like Punk Rock
 
Oct 19, 2012 at 8:33 AM Post #7 of 16
Grado is a nice choice considering your genres, but it won't be excellent for rap
DT770 is a good choice too and handles rap music better than Grados but you'll need an amp
 
Oct 19, 2012 at 12:11 PM Post #8 of 16
Avoid Grado if you know what soundstage is.

You don't really need an amp for a DT770, just turn up a bit the volume.
Maybe Sennheiser 518? Audio Technica M50?
Search on the forum for impressions and reviews.
 
Oct 19, 2012 at 12:19 PM Post #9 of 16
Grado soundstage is ideal for Rock music, Jazz and any small ensemble. They put you right in there.
 
Nov 3, 2012 at 12:14 PM Post #11 of 16
I decided to go with the Shure SRH-840  headphones in the end. I found them on ebay for $145, so they were within my budget, and everywhere I looked they had glowing reviews. They just arrived today, and right out of the box they just blow away everything else I've used. However, I have one question.
 
Many reviews said that these headphones benefit from 50+ hours of burn-in. Now I understand what this means, but how does one go about it? Do I just get an audio file of white noise and set it to repeat for a couple of days?
 
 
Nov 3, 2012 at 12:47 PM Post #12 of 16
Are they new or used? I ask because if they're used, it's possible they've got quite a few hours already on them.

Anyways, you can accomplish burn-in just through using them, or hook'em up and have them play whatever music you listen to for however many hours (you might wanna clamp them on a pillow or something, to keep the noise down). There are more rigorous "burn-in procedures" out there I'm sure, but I wouldn't worry too much there. My best advice is just to use them and enjoy them - any burn-in will occur "naturally." [And I have no interest in having a burn-in debate]
 
Nov 3, 2012 at 12:55 PM Post #13 of 16
They're supposed to be new, but the box didn't have any user manuel or documentation, so I'm going to assume they're actually used. I have no idea how much. I'll just use them and let it happen naturally, I guess. Thank you for the advice.
 
 
Nov 3, 2012 at 3:06 PM Post #15 of 16
With all the effort put into accurate forgeries in some countries, it's impossible to be 100% on anything you buy--even some products purchased from major retailers can in fact be frauds. I'm reasonably certain with these headphones. They have all the correct logos in the correct positions, they seem to use all the correct materials, they seem to match every picture and description perfectly, and the box itself was absolutely legitimate. They came with the the bag, the spare earpads, and the screw-on 3/4 adapter. And, of course, they sound amazing, but since I'm completely new to this that might not mean much coming from me.
 

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