[Beats on Smash]

Hi everyone, im new to the forums, but ive been reading threads here and there. Ive learned a few things, but im still very new to this all. Im not familiar with a lot of terms, or their meanings. so its difficult for me to distinguish pros and cons of each headphone i come across. Basically im looking to buy a good quality (build and in sound), thats also good looking, and performs well. What originally started me on this search for quality headphones was my interest in the beats by dre headphones.
 
Im looking to invest in a good set, and once i started doing my research, everywhere i visited had the same reviews on the beats. Too much money for too little value. Im looking for headphones that have good bass, something that really kicks, and helps the music grab me, but can also provide clear sounding high and low vocals, and the other background layers to the music. Im assuming thats what everyone means when they refer to the highs and lows. Ive seen people list out the music types they listen to in order to aid the search for their ideal headphones; im really into hip-hop. alternative rock,some jazz. I like music that layers different sounds and beats to create an entire experience. therefore im also looking for headphones that can handle the subtle violins mixed with soft high pitched vocals, with a a deep bass. basically a kanye west beat is my ideal kind of beat. For alternative rock im usually listening to radiohead.
 
These headphones would be used for daily traveling from dorms to class room, for my mp3 player / smartphone, and my laptop. I would really like them to be noise canceling. I want to be isolated in my own music world. i like to listen to my music at loud volumes ( i think this is mostly because the headphones i have now dont drown out outside noise). I also want them to be able to be loud, but not bothersome to my roommate 7 feet away ( i live in a small dorm room for most of the year -__-). if they came with a portable case that would also be ideal. i have terrible luck when it comes to maintaining headphones.
 
Ive come across many recommendations, and i would really appreciat anyones help. the headphones ive seen recommended often as alternatives to the beats by drea are:
 
1. Sennheiser HD 25-1 II. Ive read these are classics, but i dont know how they would perform with the kind of music i like. I like how these look for the most part, but i wouldnt mind something more stylish. Also, how portable are these?
 
2. The Sennheiser HD555 and the Sennheiser HD595 . I dont know the pros and cons between these two. From a noobs perspective they both look alike. I dont really like the way either one of these two look. As much as i want good headphones, i also want something that looks cool.
 
3. This isnt a headphone but ive read that an amp is useful, but not necessary. someone recommeded on a random thread i was reading the Rolls HA43-Pro 4 Output Stereo Headphone Amplifier as a good relatively inexpensive amp. I wouldnt mind adding an amp to my setup for use with my laptop. What would really make me inclinded to picking one up would be a good recommendation, and an amp that will really take my headphones to the next level. heres a link for this amp http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0010BWLMS//ref=nosim/thestyleforum-20
 
 
If anyone read all of this, i would like to thank you, and any help anyone can provide would be really appreciated. im new to all of this, but eager to learn and invest in my first set up. my budget is around 150, but im willing to be flexible.
 

 

[BotByte]

Ok, ok, ok
 
1. Too much text.
 
2. SQ = Sound Quality EQ = Equalizer DAP = Digital Audio Player
 
3. Senn will not give you good Bass. But the HD25-1 II are very good headphones, so that's an option
 
4. I would say that a pair of Sony MDR-V6 are a good match for you, why?:
 
They have good kick
Good SQ
Good comfort
Isolate - they don't cancel the noise but will block out 75% of the sound when listening to music and 90% when you turn them up. People can yell at me and I won't hear them.
Great Bass
Some treble, not so good for classical, but great for rap and hip hop
Soft mids
$60 - don't hate, they beat out Beats any day
 
There is two problems with them:
 
They don't drive well, meaning that they do need an amp. BUT this is only if it depends on what DAP you're using.
Long Cord - not so good with walking but they do go around your neck well and you can still walk with them.
 
Example:
Out of my computer, they sound grainy when turned up
Out of my Cowon S9, they sound perfect. $170
 
It's because my Cowon has more drive to the headphones.
 
DO NOT BUY A AMP
 
I say this because with these you won't need them because you won't hear the difference so soon.
 
 
Now I move on to you DAP. If your using a laptop, it depends on your soundcard, but it will push the V6's just fine. Now I question if it's a mobile laptop or a unmovable one?
 
If you're going to move it with you, forget about a amp, don't get one.
 
If you're going to keep it in place, go find a Am/Fm receiver. Like in stereo equipment, like this:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26%23153%3B+-+200W+2.0+Channel+Stereo+Receiver/9693507.p;jsessionid=7BDDA245F67A25B9A814212697FBFCEF.bbolsp-app02-44?id=1218151628383&skuId=9693507
 
But just look this over for what you need and
 
find this:
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-Stereo-3-5mm-AUD-1200-25/dp/B0016LTZFI
 
Now go to Goodwill, or any other second hand store and buy a receiver that will have an input for the white and red RCA cable and has a 1/4inch headphone jack in the front.
 
THIS will give you a good solid desktop amp for about $20. You can add speakers if you wish, but they will be loud. Don't just grab the first receiver you see also, wait off for a good name brand like Sony and they grab it. I got my Sony receiver for $15, the cable at Walmart for $3 and that was all I needed.
 
Just in case, if you have any questions, feel free to PM anytime.

 

[DemonicLemming]

Noise canceling is worthless. The very few cans that pull NC off effectively have very poor musical sound quality, and that's if you can stand the constant whining/buzzing NC cans create (although if you're not sensitive to high frequencies, you probably won't hear it). A good set of closed cans that offer decent external sound attenuation and have a good sensitivity will be all you'll need to cover up external ambient noise and just hear your music.

I don't really think any of those three cans are Beats competitors, at least in how they present music. I'd say the Ultrasone HFI-580/780, Sony XB700, and Audio-Technica M50s would be the best competitors in the sub-$200 range, and they'll all do everything better than any version of the Beats. And they won't break if you sneeze in the next room like Beats do, either.

On the amp, I agree with BotByte - don't buy one at first. Get the headphones you decide on, listen to them for a couple weeks, and then decide if you want to get an amp. If you do, there are a lot of good low-cost ones to be found, and some good recommendation threads in the amp forum section.

 

[Beats on Smash]

 
Quote:

Ok, ok, ok
 
1. Too much text.
 
2. SQ = Sound Quality EQ = Equalizer DAP = Digital Audio Player
 
3. Senn will not give you good Bass. But the HD25-1 II are very good headphones, so that's an option
 
4. I would say that a pair of Sony MDR-V6 are a good match for you, why?:
 
They have good kick
Good SQ
Good comfort
Isolate - they don't cancel the noise but will block out 75% of the sound when listening to music and 90% when you turn them up. People can yell at me and I won't hear them.
Great Bass
Some treble, not so good for classical, but great for rap and hip hop
Soft mids
$60 - don't hate, they beat out Beats any day
 
There is two problems with them:
 
They don't drive well, meaning that they do need an amp. BUT this is only if it depends on what DAP you're using.
Long Cord - not so good with walking but they do go around your neck well and you can still walk with them.
 
Example:
Out of my computer, they sound grainy when turned up
Out of my Cowon S9, they sound perfect. $170
 
It's because my Cowon has more drive to the headphones.
 
DO NOT BUY A AMP
 
I say this because with these you won't need them because you won't hear the difference so soon.
 
 
Now I move on to you DAP. If your using a laptop, it depends on your soundcard, but it will push the V6's just fine. Now I question if it's a mobile laptop or a unmovable one?
 
If you're going to move it with you, forget about a amp, don't get one.
 
If you're going to keep it in place, go find a Am/Fm receiver. Like in stereo equipment, like this:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26%23153%3B+-+200W+2.0+Channel+Stereo+Receiver/9693507.p;jsessionid=7BDDA245F67A25B9A814212697FBFCEF.bbolsp-app02-44?id=1218151628383&skuId=9693507
 
But just look this over for what you need and
 
find this:
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-Stereo-3-5mm-AUD-1200-25/dp/B0016LTZFI
 
Now go to Goodwill, or any other second hand store and buy a receiver that will have an input for the white and red RCA cable and has a 1/4inch headphone jack in the front.
 
THIS will give you a good solid desktop amp for about $20. You can add speakers if you wish, but they will be loud. Don't just grab the first receiver you see also, wait off for a good name brand like Sony and they grab it. I got my Sony receiver for $15, the cable at Walmart for $3 and that was all I needed.
 
Just in case, if you have any questions, feel free to PM anytime.

Hey man thanks for all your recommendations and advice. i was just doing some reading on another thread and someone did a review on the Audio-Technica ATH-M50, saying that the M50 are good quality and provide good bass. Do you have any feedback on thse? i looked in the MDR-V6, and someone reviewed them a 7/10 in sound. heres a link to the review http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318/shootout-84-portable-headphones-reviewed-fischer-audio-fa-004-koss-ur55-added-06-06  thats also where i read up on the M50. the m50 scored 9/10
 
 
My laptop is usually unmovable unless im going to the library. My portable device is mainly my smartphone, and an old first gen ipod touch as back up. 
 
 
 

 

[BotByte]

For the Value, ATH-M50's actually settle down well in their price range, but then the reviewer is the one who is stating his own opinion. He is also basing his whole judgement on the under $200 range. Which if on a massive scale upward of the greatest headphones, they would score 3/10
 
Now in my opinion:
 
I think that for the price, MDR-V6's are great. But what I'm getting at is that if your source, the item that will hold and play your music is not at the greatest quality, then your music will not be the same.
 
THink about this: Get ATH-M50's and push them with your smartphone, they will not change the way you listen to music vs. your old earbuds of what ever
 
Now think that if you buy the MDR-V6's and a Cowon S9 you will have that great sound and enough money to purchase both.
 
To my ears, the ATH-M50's only have better Treble and more liquid mediums then the MDR-V6's and that's not much when the V6's take EQ settings well and you can really play with them with the Cowon. Cowon are known for their massive EQ settings.
 
Trust me on this, A V6 with a S9 will surprise you when you fist listen to them together.

 

[derycksan]

Demo some HFI-580's, fairly portable (do wish the headband was smaller), seem to have the sound signature you're looking for (may be a bit strong in the bass/treble, not sure), won't need an amp and stylish IMO.  I'm very happy with them for any style of hip-hop and do a good job at alternative rock, its more the acoustic and concert rock that they miss on (I still enjoy but there is better). 
 
Please note that the bass will be bloated out of the box, but it tightens up pretty quickly and the mids come forward after a longer burn in. 
 
Noise cancelation is a non-issue, they isolate sound very well, use them all the time on the train and walking in downtown SF, almost never hear anything that impedes on my music.

 

[Beats on Smash]

 
Quote:

For the Value, ATH-M50's actually settle down well in their price range, but then the reviewer is the one who is stating his own opinion. He is also basing his whole judgement on the under $200 range. Which if on a massive scale upward of the greatest headphones, they would score 3/10
 
Now in my opinion:
 
I think that for the price, MDR-V6's are great. But what I'm getting at is that if your source, the item that will hold and play your music is not at the greatest quality, then your music will not be the same.
 
THink about this: Get ATH-M50's and push them with your smartphone, they will not change the way you listen to music vs. your old earbuds of what ever
 
Now think that if you buy the MDR-V6's and a Cowon S9 you will have that great sound and enough money to purchase both.
 
To my ears, the ATH-M50's only have better Treble and more liquid mediums then the MDR-V6's and that's not much when the V6's take EQ settings well and you can really play with them with the Cowon. Cowon are known for their massive EQ settings.
 
Trust me on this, A V6 with a S9 will surprise you when you fist listen to them together.

I looked into the MDR-V6 and i liked what i read from what i understood. Im still struggling to understand certain sound qualities being judged. What exactly do you mean by treble and liquid mediums?
 
Also what do you consider a good length for the cable to be? the MDR-V6 have a 10 feet cable which is a really big turn off for me. i used to own a pair of song headphones that were also meant for the studio, managing the cord was a annoying. I think thats one area where i think the ATH-M50s might also have the MDR-V6 beat, the M50's have 3.9 feet cable. But is that also still too long?
 
Could i change cables and add one that had a mic attached to it (for my phone), this would make my setup more versatile. I dont think id be purchasing the S9 just because i cant afford another mp3 player right now. But i am intrigued by the fact that your music player can affect the quality of your music. I wasnt aware of that.
 
I looked into the Sony XB700 and i ruled them out because of the size of the earcups. They would deffinitely become too hot for me to wear, especially in this summer heat.
 
What i do like about both the MDR-V6 and the ATH-M50's is the straight plug design they have. I prefer it over the L shapped plug some headphones have. Am i getting to specific with my search? or is all this part of the journey for everyone personal set up?
 
 

 

[ZARIM]

Klipsch Image ONE are very good sounding headphone (also very loud) with crisp, punchy bass and they isolate outside noise well.

 

[Beats on Smash]

 
Quote:

Demo some HFI-580's, fairly portable (do wish the headband was smaller), seem to have the sound signature you're looking for (may be a bit strong in the bass/treble, not sure), won't need an amp and stylish IMO.  I'm very happy with them for any style of hip-hop and do a good job at alternative rock, its more the acoustic and concert rock that they miss on (I still enjoy but there is better). 
 
Please note that the bass will be bloated out of the box, but it tightens up pretty quickly and the mids come forward after a longer burn in. 
 
Noise cancelation is a non-issue, they isolate sound very well, use them all the time on the train and walking in downtown SF, almost never hear anything that impedes on my music.

 
I read a review on the HFI-580's and i liked what they offer. They seem to be comparable to the ATH-M50's. In summary, the M50's beat the 580's in bass, but the 580's are superior when it comes to mids and lows, but the 580 still packs a good bass punch. What exactly are the mids and lows? the review i read was http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/531691/review-ath-m50-vs-hfi-580-vs-sr-80
 
also a general question, what are the pros and cons between a straight cord and a coiled cord?

 

[DemonicLemming]

"Liquid midrange" refers to very smooth mids, rather than recessed or grainy mids.  Think female vocals - if a headphone can accurately portray throaty, velvet female vocals, they likely have a "liquid" midrange.  A lot of lower-priced cans have a metallic or thin midrange, which is pretty much the opposite of a liquid midrange. Treble is a common term for the higher frequencies.  Lows are usually anything under ~200Hz, down to between 30-50Hz, depending on the frequency range of the driver being discussed, normally called bass in day to day discussion.
 
I think the V6 headphones have a coiled cable, meaning it would be ~3m stretched out, but much shorter if coiled.  A 4' cable is pretty short; if you're using them for just a portable setup, it wouldn't be bad, but a short cable can lead to accidentally pulling the headphones off your head or worse on occasion.
 
On cable changes, it's doubtful, but possible.  One thing to consider is potential degradation of the audio signal when using an aftermarket cable with an in-line mic.
 
Different music players can have quite a large impact on how music sounds; some have better digital to analog conversion sections, some better, while others have better amplification sections, or worse.
 
On cords, coiled cords are often seen on studio monitors and portable headphones, to allow for good freedom of movement and length of cord, while keeping it coiled so you don't have 10' of straight cable hanging around.  As far as I know, there's noother  difference aside from form factor.
 
Quote:

 

I looked into the MDR-V6 and i liked what i read from what i understood. Im still struggling to understand certain sound qualities being judged. What exactly do you mean by treble and liquid mediums?
 
Also what do you consider a good length for the cable to be? the MDR-V6 have a 10 feet cable which is a really big turn off for me. i used to own a pair of song headphones that were also meant for the studio, managing the cord was a annoying. I think thats one area where i think the ATH-M50s might also have the MDR-V6 beat, the M50's have 3.9 feet cable. But is that also still too long?
 
Could i change cables and add one that had a mic attached to it (for my phone), this would make my setup more versatile. I dont think id be purchasing the S9 just because i cant afford another mp3 player right now. But i am intrigued by the fact that your music player can affect the quality of your music. I wasnt aware of that.
 
I looked into the Sony XB700 and i ruled them out because of the size of the earcups. They would deffinitely become too hot for me to wear, especially in this summer heat.
 
What i do like about both the MDR-V6 and the ATH-M50's is the straight plug design they have. I prefer it over the L shapped plug some headphones have. Am i getting to specific with my search? or is all this part of the journey for everyone personal set up?
 
 

 
 

 

[Beats on Smash]

Thanks, the liquid midrange makes total sense. i reviewed the M50's and the V6 and they both have colied cables, which i guess now is a plus. Im currently trying to weigh the pros and cons between the MDR-V6, ATH-M50, and the HFI-580. its so difficult to decide. is there anything anyone can recommend when it comes down to when deciding? i gave it some thought, and a mic wouldnt really be a priority.
 
Quote:

"Liquid midrange" refers to very smooth mids, rather than recessed or grainy mids.  Think female vocals - if a headphone can accurately portray throaty, velvet female vocals, they likely have a "liquid" midrange.  A lot of lower-priced cans have a metallic or thin midrange, which is pretty much the opposite of a liquid midrange. Treble is a common term for the higher frequencies.  Lows are usually anything under ~200Hz, down to between 30-50Hz, depending on the frequency range of the driver being discussed, normally called bass in day to day discussion.
 
I think the V6 headphones have a coiled cable, meaning it would be ~3m stretched out, but much shorter if coiled.  A 4' cable is pretty short; if you're using them for just a portable setup, it wouldn't be bad, but a short cable can lead to accidentally pulling the headphones off your head or worse on occasion.
 
On cable changes, it's doubtful, but possible.  One thing to consider is potential degradation of the audio signal when using an aftermarket cable with an in-line mic.
 
Different music players can have quite a large impact on how music sounds; some have better digital to analog conversion sections, some better, while others have better amplification sections, or worse.
 
On cords, coiled cords are often seen on studio monitors and portable headphones, to allow for good freedom of movement and length of cord, while keeping it coiled so you don't have 10' of straight cable hanging around.  As far as I know, there's noother  difference aside from form factor.
 


 
 

 

 

[derycksan]

I wouldn't say the M50's beat the 580's, its just a different kind of bass.  M50s bass goes deeper but the 580's have tighter, punchier bass. I did this same comparison before my purchase and ended up with the 580's, they just seemed to be over-all cleaner sounding than the M50's and nicer looking.  It's a toss up though
Quote:

 

 
I read a review on the HFI-580's and i liked what they offer. They seem to be comparable to the ATH-M50's. In summary, the M50's beat the 580's in bass, but the 580's are superior when it comes to mids and lows, but the 580 still packs a good bass punch. What exactly are the mids and lows? the review i read was http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/531691/review-ath-m50-vs-hfi-580-vs-sr-80
 
also a general question, what are the pros and cons between a straight cord and a coiled cord?

 

 

[Beats on Smash]

hmm im not sure which of the two i would prefer, could you try to describe the difference between a deeper bass and a tighter, punchier bass?

 
Quote:

I wouldn't say the M50's beat the 580's, its just a different kind of bass.  M50s bass goes deeper but the 580's have tighter, punchier bass. I did this same comparison before my purchase and ended up with the 580's, they just seemed to be over-all cleaner sounding than the M50's and nicer looking.  It's a toss up though