[Dylanbenimble]

Hi all,
I have been poking around the web and this site for a while now and am graduating high school. I am in the market for a new pair of headphones and was wondering if anyone had any ideas about a comfortable pair of headphones being used primarily with a dell xps 1530 laptop? Price range if somewhere around $150-$250. Some pairs that i had been looking at include the Denon AH-D200, the AKG 601 or 701 and the Beyerdynamic DT880. I'm just wondering if these models would work being used with a laptop of if something else would be better suited.

Thanks!

 

[triggerc]

It would be advisable to have an amp for the headphones you mentioned. Though the headphone out on your laptop should be able to drive the D2000 loud enough, you will not be getting the most of of them. I would look into the ATH-AD700, AD900, and HD595 for unamped use.

 

[Joeshmo39]

depending on what you listen to consider SR225. At that price you should probably consider an Amp/DAC it's stick though because then you couldn't get the greatest cans. Consider this : used K601 and a hotusb1 (look for it on ebay). I think that would be enough juice. Maybe a total bithead...don't know DACS well someone else could probably make a better reccomendation but consider that at least. I would say no to K701s because they are too expensive to buy a decent amp for so cross that off the list.

 

[TheDeliveryMan]

The HD515 G4ME has a standard 1/8" connector and is easy to drive without an amp, and for a few more days we're offering some cash back...www.sennheiserusa.com/g4me_rebate

 

[funniecow]

I'm not giving head phone names, but I'm going to say. College, esp dorms, means that a lot of people would be moving back and forth, things might go "missing". Especially if your room mates have a lot of friends since you don't know them personally you can't really screen them.

 

[Rednamalas1]

grab AD900 and sugically implement them to your head so they won't go missing

 

[jgonino]

You will absolutely want some good closed headphones for use in a dorm.

Beyer DT770, Audio Technica a900, Senn HD280, Denon D2000.

Also look at the Ultrasone 750 and 780. You can find them in your price range around here.

 

[monolith]

The D2000 might be good for your purposes, as they're relatively easy to drive. The AKGs and Beyer you mention would want an amp to sound their best, so if you're sticking to a laptop I'd look elsewhere.

You should decide if you want open or closed headphones first, I think. If you're with a roommate or something, I should think open headphones might bother them, or let too much sound in while you're listening. You might want to look into Beyer DT770/80s.

 

[dgbiker1]

I wouldn't recommend the K701 from your description. Don't get me wrong, it's my absolute favorite headphone, but it wouldn't be my choice as an only headphone. You also need to add the price of a decent amp to actually drive the K701s, completely blowing your budget.

I concur with Joeshmoe in recommending the Grado SR225. If I could only have one home headphone, it would be the SR225s. They can handle a wider range of music than the K701s- the K701s are jawdropping with acoustic music, but aren't very good with a lot of rock. The SR225 handles everything very well, it just doesn't do any one genre as exceptionally well as the K701.

Keep in mind though, they're a burden to try to wear out and about.

 

[enjoiflobees]

I would go with some SR225s. I just got done with my freshman year in college and I have to say that there isnt really THAT much of a reason to get closed headphones. Also the sr225s are really great phones and you dont look to funny to your neighbors with huge headphones. It is crazy how many comments you get with k701s on. haha. Also the grados will do fine right out of your headphone jack.

 

[grndslm]

D2000 for closed
AD900 for open

I've got the AD700, but I wish I woulda got the AD900. The D2000 is very sweet.

Get both!

 

[Marl]

I found dorm life fairly quiet and my roommate wasn't disturbed by my 595s. I wouldn't say closed is necessary by any means.

 

[klb2122]

perhaps you should take all this advice and hold off until you get to your dorm room, meet your roomies and your neighbors and then you'll know better which way to go, open or closed and then take the plunge. In the mean time try to get out and hear some of the products. The sr60 seems like a good choice for a first semester buy, if $60.00 bucks goes walking another $60.00 and a better lock will likely come quicker then 90 or 200.

I do have to throw my two cents in... the k701 is beautiful with everything in my music library, digital or analog. yes you need an amp to really get 'em going, but they're the only phones I use and they do exactly what I'd want a headphone to do regardless of the genre.

good luck in school.

 

[Dylanbenimble]

Thanks for the queick responses guys. Really appriciated

and i do agree about the theft thing being an issue. However, I did get into the honors program and therefor will be living in the honors housing making me a little more trustworthy. And have met my my roommate who seems like a very easygoing guy.

As for the phones, i am really not that informed on amps, but how practical would it be to try and connect the laptop up to one?

 

[uraflit]

i use an emu 0404 usb... and it's perfectly well suited to any of the recommended phones. great DAC too, and you have the option to have multiple outputs (so if you wanted speakers + headphones at the same time, it would work)

did i mention it cost ~$150? =D