[macieqq]

Ok, so the title says it all...

Recently I have purchased a new pair of headphones for gaming purposes and I am quite happy with my choice (which was Sennheiser Game One).

Now I am looking for something different - headphones, which will be used for listening to music mostly from my smartphone.

I wear glasses so I need these new headphones to be super comfy as I will be using them for about 5-8 hours a day. My first choice was Bose QC35 as they are awesome when it comes to being comfortable. However, I didn't really like the sound of those cans so after trying out Sony WH 1000XM2 I decided to switch. These are great - they are comfortable, they have ANC and all but... they feel a bit cheap to me (not to mention cracking issues with MDR 1000X).

As I work in the office, ANC is a good feature but I won't be able to fully use it as I need to hear someone sitting behind me calling my name from time to time. It would be super awkward and tiring if they had to come to my desk everytime they wanted something from me. ANC is cool for flights but I travel once a month tops. Being wireless is a plus of course but then again, I sit next to my desk almost all day long...

So it struck me - wouldn't it be better to just buy some classy cans like ATH-M50X for 1/3 of the price? The problem is I haven't tried those and I am not really sure what to expect (unfortunately most of the stores next to where I live do not have the demo M50Xs which I could try out).

I could really use some help deciding what to get. Maybe you have some other recommendations taking what I wrote above into account?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cossix]

The M50x isn't classy at all IMO HD598 is classy, 650 is classy, Momentum 2 is classy, B&W P7/LCD2/ZMF Eikon are all classy. The M50x are very durable but have been labeled "the Beats of the Audiophile world" by many.

As for sound, what type of sound signature do you like? The M50x are reportedly V shaped

 

[macieqq]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

I am not an audiophile by any means and I don't really know all the terminology. I either like the sound or I don't

But I can tell you that - I've had HD598 for a couple of days before I returned them. I have also tried 650s in the store and I didn't like the sound of both at all - it was too flat for me. My Sennheisers Game One are great for gaming purposes but when I listen to music - they are meh. I like a little more bass.

I would really like to get these Sonys WH 1000XM2 but I have two issues with them - they feel cheap as f... and I am not sure if they are worth the price over something simple like the mentioned M50X for example.

 

[cossix]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

I am not an audiophile by any means and I don't really know all the terminology. I either like the sound or I don't

But I can tell you that - I've had HD598 for a couple of days before I returned them. I have also tried 650s in the store and I didn't like the sound of both at all - it was too flat for me. My Sennheisers Game One are great for gaming purposes but when I listen to music - they are meh. I like a little more bass.

I would really like to get these Sonys WH 1000XM2 but I have two issues with them - they feel cheap as f... and I am not sure if they are worth the price over something simple like the mentioned M50X for example.

The M50x are definitely known to sound more exciting than the 598 and 650 so maybe that's what you need! To me, the Audio Technicas in that line don't feel "flimsy" cheap, but feel "plastic" cheap. It's a very durable plastic but it's just not my style. I'd say go for it though, they may work for you

 

[macieqq]

Well, I've had some time to think today about the new headphones. I wrote down everything that I'd need from them and it turns out that I need the most to be able hear people in my office while listening to my music. In this case, shouldn't I go with open-back headphones instead? I know they leak sound but I don't really care, since people in my office listen to radio through speakers anyway. Having open-backs would let me notice when someone from behind calls my name I suppose. What do you think?

If that would be the way to go - what would you recommend under $300? I know HD600s are tempting but I already own a pair of Sennheisers and I'd like to give something else a try.

On the other hand, I've heard that Sony WH 1000XM2 have ambient mode which could probably solve my problem. However, I am not sure about the sound quality in that mode...

 

[DKohanski]

So I actually am also a gamer, but I just purchased the WH-1000x for office/commuting use myself.

For gaming, I use a pair of open back Audio Technica AD-900x's, and they are a great pair. If you amp them and keep the bass a little high, combined with a very wide soundstage, they make a competitive gaming headset.

Anyway, what I was going to suggest to you is maybe giving those a shot for listening at work, but hell you could also occasionally try them at home for gaming too.

 

[macieqq]

So I actually am also a gamer, but I just purchased the WH-1000x for office/commuting use myself.

For gaming, I use a pair of open back Audio Technica AD-900x's, and they are a great pair. If you amp them and keep the bass a little high, combined with a very wide soundstage, they make a competitive gaming headset.

Anyway, what I was going to suggest to you is maybe giving those a shot for listening at work, but hell you could also occasionally try them at home for gaming too.

Thanks for your answer .

How does the ambient voice mode work? Are you able to actually hear people talking or does it work only for things like announcements at the airport etc?

 

[DKohanski]

Thanks for your answer .

How does the ambient voice mode work? Are you able to actually hear people talking or does it work only for things like announcements at the airport etc?

Couldn't say. Havn't gotten here yet lol

 

[JoshG1217]

The ath m50x are overrated garbage. If you are looking for a $200 headphone, buy the Dt 770, Custom one pro plus, or the UE6000. If you want to be in a similar price range for bleutooth, get the UE9000. The Sony's are okay. The sound is better than the m50x (should be at the price difference), but the bass is a bit blah, and my pair distorted at high volume when in bluetooth. May be because I didn't have it in the correct mode. If you want the V-shaped response, the COP or UE600/9000 are fun headphones that sound better than the ATH m50x. If you want a little more clarity, the 770's have it. For portability, the 32 ohm has a shorter cable. Here's the lowdown: 770>COP>UE6000>M50x