Planar headphones for PC Tidal/Gaming use with Schiit HEL 2 DAC

[CybrSlydr]

Currently I have a pair of Corsair Vengence XTs or something - I've not been very impressed with the sound quality. I also have a pair of Audio Technica M50X I bought a few years ago. The AT's are vastly superior in sound quality, no surprise. I did get the Corsairs because having to utilize two cords (Antlion ModMic plus M50X cord) was an annoyance and I was constantly rolling over them with my chair.

Recently I got Schiit HEL 2 and a sub to Tidal just to see how my M50Xs sounded plugged into it with their Master level quality. I was really, really impressed!

I used to have the Monsoon 2.1 planar magnetic desktop sound setup (waaaay back in like 2002 or therebouts). I liked them - but I've never had a planar magnetic headset. I'm curious what a decent set of planars might sound like with the HEL and Tidal.

So here's my conundrum. I know Audeze makes the Mobius and Penrose wireless gaming planar headsets. I nearly bought them but the Corsair was cheaper and available at my local BestBuy, so I went with it. I've kinda been regretting it ever since.

I want to use the HEL2 for my audio, but then I need wires (unless there's some kind of wireless 3.5mm dongle you can plug into the DAC and broadcast to a wireless headset - lol) to utilize the HEL.

What might you folks recommend in the planar field to try them out with the HEL? Hifiman has the Deva, Audeze has those gaming headsets - I think their normal offerings might be a bit out of my price range. Who else might be in that $3-400 range?

Or am I just being silly and save my money for something else? lol Thanks!

 

[msing539]

Currently I have a pair of Corsair Vengence XTs or something - I've not been very impressed with the sound quality. I also have a pair of Audio Technica M50X I bought a few years ago. The AT's are vastly superior in sound quality, no surprise. I did get the Corsairs because having to utilize two cords (Antlion ModMic plus M50X cord) was an annoyance and I was constantly rolling over them with my chair.

Recently I got Schiit HEL 2 and a sub to Tidal just to see how my M50Xs sounded plugged into it with their Master level quality. I was really, really impressed!

I used to have the Monsoon 2.1 planar magnetic desktop sound setup (waaaay back in like 2002 or therebouts). I liked them - but I've never had a planar magnetic headset. I'm curious what a decent set of planars might sound like with the HEL and Tidal.

So here's my conundrum. I know Audeze makes the Mobius and Penrose wireless gaming planar headsets. I nearly bought them but the Corsair was cheaper and available at my local BestBuy, so I went with it. I've kinda been regretting it ever since.

I want to use the HEL2 for my audio, but then I need wires (unless there's some kind of wireless 3.5mm dongle you can plug into the DAC and broadcast to a wireless headset - lol) to utilize the HEL.

What might you folks recommend in the planar field to try them out with the HEL? Hifiman has the Deva, Audeze has those gaming headsets - I think their normal offerings might be a bit out of my price range. Who else might be in that $3-400 range?

Or am I just being silly and save my money for something else? lol Thanks!

So just to confirm, you're looking for a wireless planar, either open or closed back... that right?

 

[CybrSlydr]

So just to confirm, you're looking for a wireless planar, either open or closed back... that right?

Well, if I'm going to use the HEL 2, they'd need to be wired. It's just coincidence that the two I listed were also wireless (though the DEVA looks like they're wired as well).

 

[msing539]

Well, if I'm going to use the HEL 2, they'd need to be wired. It's just coincidence that the two I listed were also wireless (though the DEVA looks like they're wired as well).

The Deva can be run wired but the Pro version comes with a Bluetooth R2R DAC Module that you plug in to the headphone jack.

 

[msing539]

When you use a Bluetooth headphone, the processing is done by the onboard dac chip on the headphone itself. So if you really want to utilize the Hel, wired it is.

In the $300 range new, you end up with something like the Hifiman Sundara Open. Some people use it for gaming but there are cheaper and better non planar options for that, like some Sennheisers, AKGs, Beyers, etc. Most of these don't have an inline mic out of the box. If you really need one, then you can look for aftermarket cable options, a standalone mic, modmic wireless, etc. If you want a headphone that has a built-in mic, I'd check out the PC38X.

If these will be more general purpose and for non competitive gaming, the Sundara.

 

[CybrSlydr]

When you use a Bluetooth headphone, the processing is done by the onboard dac chip on the headphone itself. So if you really want to utilize the Hel, wired it is.

In the $300 range new, you end up with something like the Hifiman Sundara Open. Some people use it for gaming but there are cheaper and better non planar options for that, like some Sennheisers, AKGs, Beyers, etc. Most of these don't have an inline mic out of the box. If you really need one, then you can look for aftermarket cable options, a standalone mic, modmic wireless, etc. If you want a headphone that has a built-in mic, I'd check out the PC38X.

If these will be more general purpose and for non competitive gaming, the Sundara.

I was considering getting the ModMic wireless to go with it, so I'd only have to worry about one cable.