[will75]

First let me say what a great site this is. I've been reading the forums for about 3 hours now and feel somewhat informed. That being said, I need some more specific advice.

I am looking to purchase some headphones under $100 (closer to $60-70 is better

)

Will use them for PC gaming (America's Army) and music of all types. (My PC is a Dell 8200. Not sure if it came with a sound card. My paperwork said something about integrated audio.)

I think I want open rather than sealed.

I do not want to buy an amp.

I read something about 32 ohm headphones not being loud enough on a PC (needs amp) but I'm hoping this isn't true for all of them.

That being said, I have possibly narrowed it down to Grado SR-60's or Senn HD-497's. What are your thoughts between the two. Other suggestions are quite welcome. I get the feeling a lot of people on these forums prefer the SR-80's over the 60's but I read on headphone.com (good site?) that the 60's are better if you aren't using an amp. Are the 60's better for portable CD players only? Reviews I've read for the 60's have been glowing.

Comfort is also an issue and I'm betting the Senn's have the Grado's beat. Are Grado's uncomfortable?

Not sure if I've heard open headphones before. How loud is the sound to others? Would it disturb someone in a nearby room?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I'm in St. Louis and would love to find a place to try some for a real-life comparison.

Sorry this is so very long. Hope it isn't too annoying (I am very inexperienced when it comes to headphones) Thx again.

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[usc goose]

if your ears lay relatively flat against your head (like mine

the grados should be plenty comfy. as for the openness of grado's they aren't too bad. someone will be able to tell what you're listening to but just barely, so it shouldn't bother all but the most easily annoyable. (depends on volume level of the headphones and ambient noise too of course.) as for the headphones you're considering, i haven't heard either but i hear the difference between 60 and 80 isn't that noticable until you amp and you hear the 80 difference.

good luck on the search and welcome to head-fi

edit: oh and can you at least names some bands you like? it could help.

 

[will75]

Some bands I'll be listening to are Weezer, Dave Matthews Band, SpaceHog, and many others. The range is huge so I'm guessing there isn't one perfect set for me. Thanks!

 

[Knocturnal]

I would definately go with the grados. If I were you, I would go with the SR-80s because once you've been here for a while you are going to want an amp and the 80s will be ready for that extra power. If you really want comfort you should contact vwap, he makes these custom pads that are comfortable and sound better. BTW welcome to head-fi.

 

[blessingx]

I prefer the Grados 60s/80s to the Senn 497s, but not by much unamped. If comfort is a big issue, maybe the 497s are the way to go. I say that as a fan of the Grados who doesn't mind the slight discomfort.

That said... a lot of people on this site want to avoid an amp... at first. You can get the best ampless phones now or get something upgradeable. An Alessandro MS1 for $99 is a good way to go if you're willing to max out your limit and would grow.

Yeah, it's all confusing options.

 

[Hiker]

If you are going unamped, I would go with the 497s. They can be found for $70 or less depending upon where you get them. They are not very source dependent either which might help you in your case since you are using integrated sound. These cans are open but don't leak as much sound as the Grados, but if you aren't worried about disturbing others in the same room as your, either set should work. What is your ultimate goal in the long run? Do you see yourself upgrading the headphones or source in the future? Will you possibly get an amp? If yes, then maybe the SR-80s are the best bet for you. If no, I would consider the 497s more so than the Grados.

 

[will75]

I probably won't get an amp any time soon. If I do at some point, I don't mind upgrading the cans at that point. Would something like the Senn HD-580s work a lot better than the grado sr-60s if both are unamped? The 580s are more than I want to spend, but I don't know if the sr60s (or 80s) or senn 497s will sound as good as I want them to. I'm kinda stuck here. I'm not even sure where I can go in St. Louis to try them.

 

[usc goose]

by all accounts it's really not worth it to get the hd580s unless you have a good way to power them. i still think you'll be happy with grado sr-60s. and if you ever upgrade they seem to sell pretty quick on the for sale section of the forum.

 

[will75]

thx goose. Are the grados comfortable for up to 3 hours of use? I know they sell different pads but I don't know what would work best. I'm definately leaning towards the sr-60s. I saw the senn 497s today at Ultimate Electronics but I didn't like them from what I saw. They didn't have any hooked up so I didn't hear them (which is kinda the point).
Thanks again, everyone's advice has been and will be helpful.

 

[usc goose]

i can wear grados all day comfortably. but as i said before this seems to come with having ears that lay relatively flat against your head. if yours are as such you should be fine.

 

[will75]

my only other concern is that I don't know if my pc will power 32 ohm headphones well enough. I don't even know if I have a soundcard that came with my computer. I need to contact dell I guess because I couldn't find the specs anywhere on my computer of paperwork. Ugg.

 

[D-EJ915]

yeah, it's like the standard of cheap 'phones, it'll power them just fine, most mobo's put out about 2 watts or something like that...

it won't be of any concern though, just set the main volume really low and adjust the music (wave) volume to make it suit you.

 

[usc goose]

i think i read somewhere that the wav volume should be maxed and the main volume used for control for the best sound quality. anyone want to corroborate?

 

[will75]

another thought. i wish the grados were full-sized like the senn 580s. but again, then I would need an amp. all of the sudden I'd be over $300. I just need to find a store with some grados and senns, etc.

 

[usc goose]

good guys usually has high end sennheisers if you've got any of those near you. and in my experience most hi-fi shops tend to carry grados.

good luck with the search.