I know its a lot, so please bear with me and I'm sorry for the wall of text. I have an idea of what I want, but first what im looking for in a headset;

Budget - 100 is my limit unless theyre REALLY good for my specific needs.


Source - LG phone, MP3 player, Desktop Computer, Laptop

Isolation - Preferably yes, if it can block out most things id be happy. I plan to use them at home, and if i can on the bus, public, but not much or nothing extreme like working out or running. My house however has a lot of sounds going on around it.

Preferred type of headphone - Full size, but I'm ok if they aren't, i am however looking for one with a mic or where i can attach a mic. If it doesn't have one well ill just need to find a mic as well.

Tonal balance - Honestly, I don't know, I love bass, but sometimes in certain things bass is too much and prefer balance or where i can hear all instruments.


Past Headphones - Philips SHE3590BK/10 (15 dollar), Creative Fatal1ty(got em when I just didn't care but now I do)

Music type - I like any kind, ranging from Rap, Metal, alternative, Pop, Dubstep, Trap, grunge, electric to Classical, smooth jazz, Big Band, Instrumental, Orchestral, Swing, Ska. I dont discriminate. But I do like listening to every instrument in a song, and i love a good bass.

Location just in case: Cali.

Prefer not to buy a AMP/Dac, at the moment money is tight.


I need headphones that are good for gaming/listening to the music i posted/movies, action, thrillers, horror, etc.
I know its a lot so its hard to pinpoint a tone as well as me being very inexperienced in Audio.

I also wear glasses, so some may not be too good for me and I might use them for long sessions.

Based on links provided by this sub and my own research here are some I've been looking at and have my interest with reasons as to why(based on just reviews and that guide and personal):

• [Creative Aurvana Live!] (http://www.amazon.com/Creative-EF0060-Aurvana-Live-Headphones/dp/B000ZJZ7OA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346741568&sr=1-1&keywords=creative+aurvana+live) I read it has good bass, good for gaming, and good all around. However the noise leakage pointed out is a bit of a problem, but I don't know how bad it is. If it had a mic that'd be great, but the price is great. However if theres a better headset that someone could recommend I'd love to know.
  
  
• [Audio-Technica ATH-M50S] (http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346741797&sr=1-1&keywords=ath-m50) I have seen a lot of great review on this everywhere, but are they good for me? In the guide posted for gaming headphones it was stated that it wasn't very well for gaming. The price is also fairly higher than what i can get for others.
  
  
• [NuForce HP-800] (https://www.nuforce.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=311:nh-800&Itemid=194)
  I don't particularly know enough but it did look good considering it has good bass. and faily ok with gaming.
  
  
• [SkullCandy Slyr] (http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/gaming/slyr?icid=245) Great all around, low price, mic, and i love the multiple cables. But im not sure how these go up against better brands and other headphones.
  
  
• [Sony MDR7506] (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E) It's really well liked and often said its great, price is good. But I don't know much or enough about em to compare with others.
  
  
• [Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X] (http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Open-Air-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1385979471&sr=1-2&keywords=ad700) that price doe..a little too high, but if i can find a sale for them i wouldnt mind. The comfort was rated low, and I dont know how this would go with me, also bass was low. but for gaming they look great.
  
  And last but not least...please don't kill me...
  
  
  
• [SkullCandy Crusher] (http://www.amazon.com/Skullcandy-Crusher-Over-Ear-Headphones-Amplifier/dp/B00E1CSEMO/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1397118298&sr=1-1&keywords=skullcandy+crushers) i found these at 80 in another store, and they look fairly nice, but I don't know enough about them. I do know, theyre popular and in some places unliked. I read the bass is great and its a nice gimmick they have, but is it really worth it..also has a small mic, which i dont know how good it is.
  
  I know there are many options and I'm open to any other suggestions.
  
  
  I game a lot, and listen to all sorts of music depending on my moods which are variant throughout the day, but I also love a good film score and bass on certain music. I also would like a mic with it.
  
  Thank you for reading all of it, if you did.
  Sorry for all the info that might be useless. I just want the right pair of headphones, its ok if they don't come with a mic but if they did that would be great.
  
  Please tell me if I'm wrong about something I said about the headphones and please tell me why the headphones are good. I try to do my own research but I'm having less and less time.
  
  Please, help! And thanks again.

Here I have my current setup. The headphones are my Beyerdynamic Custom Studios, the DAC is an Audioengine D3, and the AMP is a Fiio A3 Portable Amp. The entire setup cost me $268, but as of now I believe the Custom Studios are discontinued, so you could replace the headphones with some alternatives in that price range (Audio Technica M40x/M50x or Philips SHP9500.) Anyways, here’s a review for everything.

Beyerdynamic Custom Studio (80 ohm)


Used to be $163, now they are [$250] (https://www.guitarcenter.com/Beyerdynamic/Custom-STUDIO-Headphones-1392652270585.gc)
I bought these headphones around July of 2017 as my first pair of “real” headphones. Initially, I was disappointed, but this was only because I was not used to the sound of these headphones at the time. After about a month of listening to them, I went back to compare them to some old Apple Earbuds and at first, I couldn’t believe the difference. Everything about these headphones was amazing. There’s a great amount of detail in them, the imaging is absolutely amazing, but soundstage is very narrow due to them being closed back headphones. As closed back headphones, they do a fantastic job of not allowing sound to leak about and making sure outside noise stays outside as long as the volume is higher. I use these at the library in my school when I write papers and never get complaints. I’ve tested them before by placing them on my friends’ heads and playing music at a loud volume, but nothing leaks out.


I found the comfort to be alright, but the fault was due to the velour. I really do not like velour as I find it to be very itchy, however, many other people praise the earpads, so it just comes down to preference. I instead replaced the pads with some [Brainwavs HM5 Sheepskin earpads] ( https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Sheepskin-Leather-Memory-Earpad/dp/B01J53KM32) and fell in love with the comfort. The pads increased bass a little and made them incredibly comfortable. I use a [V-Moda Boom Pro] ( https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1524357476&sr=8-1&keywords=vmoda+boompro&dpID=41WfbQw%252Bp8L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch) with it when I game and these never become uncomfortable, even after playing for hours on end. The clamp on these is very strong, but I like it that way as it prevents them from falling off my head.


The unique thing about these headphones is that it has bass sliders on each cup, which allows you to adjust the bass from (Low bass, neutral, vibrant bass, and max bass.) I tend to keep it on neutral and the bass there is more than enough for me (and I love bass.) I use these for just about everything, including gaming and I never have any issues. I wear glasses and these are fine for anyone who may wear glasses.


After trying out different headphones at CanJam this year, I now know where these headphones can improve, but these still manage to keep up with everything else above its price range. You can run these off a phone and get some good volume, but I like music loud, so I use them with an amp at all times. Overall, I’m glad these are my first pair and I plan on keeping them as my closed back pair of headphones after I move on to more expensive headphones.


Audioengine D3 DAC+AMP


[$45 Refurbrished] (https://audioengineusa.com/shop/factory-refurbished/d3-24-bit-dacheadphone-amp-2/)
I bought the Audioengine D3 as the last piece of the puzzle in terms of headphones, amps, and dacs. It is a USB DAC that comes with a ¼ inch adapter and a sleeve to carry it. This is actually what motivated me to listen to music on my laptop as I used to listen to music on my phone. I really have no complaints about it. When it released, it was priced at $200 and was one of the few USB DACs that could compete with the Dragonfly DACs, and from what I’ve read online, a lot of reviewers actually prefer the D3. I saw it on Massdrop a month back for $70ish and wanted it, but I wanted to read reviews about it first. That’s where I found that you can get it for $45 straight out of their website with free shipping included. There really is no reason to look for another DAC when this one is available for such a steal. There is no kind of sound when music is not playing and it is driverless, meaning you can just plug it in to your computer and it’s ready to go. One thing to note is that it gets really hot, but it isn’t a problem, so long as you keep your fingers off of it. I felt like I noticed an improvement in songs, but it could just be a placebo (A B test your gear and see if you can notice a difference.) However, I really like having it around and I don’t listen to anything on my laptop without it.


Fiio A3 AMP


[$59.99] (https://www.amazon.com/A3-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00Z9BIODA)
I bought the Fiio A3 when I bought my headphones because I read that an amp was almost required for anything at 80 ohms and higher. Since then, I’ve loved this little beast of an amp. It has a low and high gain switch to control volume (I keep it on high gain when connected to my phone and low gain when connected to the D3.) It also has a bass boost switch which I really like when I feel like being basshead (The bass boost here + max bass setting on the Custom Studios = Madness.) It has a life of about 16 hours before needing to recharge and it has a blue led that blinks when it needs to charge. It makes headphones very loud very fast. It is also built like a tank. I tried carrying it around in my pocket when I walked on campus and it slipped out. It only took a cosmetic hit, but in terms of functionality, it is untouched.


The only reason I still use it is because I like being able to control audio through a knob as opposed to a digital slider. The only annoying thing about it is that it has a hissing noise when the knob is turned up without any music playing, but when music starts to play, the hiss disappears. Overall, I absolutely recommend this amp if you want something to start with as it will do nothing but impress you every time.


This is my setup and being a broke college kid, I could not be happier. In terms of the things that this sub shows off, I find this to be a very budget friendly setup. Even when I upgrade everything, I still plan on keeping it as I do not want to forget where I started in terms of this hobby. For anyone that may be wanting to jump into the world of audio, I absolutely recommend these products as places to start. I’ve provided straight links for anyone that may want to check out the products.

Wall of text ahead. Please, read only if you are really interested...


What I usually recommend when someone ask for advice about gaming headsets is: Gaming headset are crap 99% of the time. They provide very poor sound quality, and any good headphone (literally, even 40$ ones) will sound far better than expensive 300$ headsets. The question is not if headphones are better than headset (the answer is “Hell, YEAH”). The question is, are they better for you?


What are you planning to use your headphones for? Just for gaming, or for gaming and music listening?


If the answer is “just for gaming”, then ask yourself if a Hifi headphone is what you need. Usually games don’t really need high quality headphones, since they provide low quality sound, and you will be more concentrated gaming than listening. In that scenario, everything will serve you, and gaming headsets have the advantage of the integrated microphone.


So, if you want something good for gaming, and just for gaming, with integrated microphone, then the only two headsets with good enough quality sound (aka don’t suck) are:


HyperX Cloud (70$)


Sennheiser G4me One (170$)


Both are good choices. Or go with any fancy RGB headset you find (Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Steelseries, etc), you will most probably don’t notice the difference while gaming.


BUT, if you plan to use them for music listening besides gaming, then keep reading.


About the microphone problem


Hifi headphones for gaming have the disadvantage of having to deal with the micro thing. None of them have microphone incorporated, and you must use find a workaround to the problem. Options available are:


1- Use a desk microphone like this


2- Some headphones have detachable cable. If the connector is a 3.5mm jack, you can substitute the cable with this V-Moda micro. That way you can have a microphone attached and still use a single cable. Main problem is that you must use this cable, no matter what, and if you end buying an amplifier, you can no longer use this microphone, as amplifiers don’t have micro input. Also, not all headphones are compatible, as not all use 3.5mm jack connections (Audio-technica and Sennheiser headphones are NOT compatible with V-moda Boom micro, cause they use 2.5mm jack)


3- use a modmic like this one or if your budget is tight, something like this.


The first option requires desk space and it’s expensive. The second one is not compatible with every headphone, and forces you to use this cable. The third one are detachable micro, with an extra cable you’ll have to deal with. Any of them are a nuisance. Any solution is annoying. All of them are an extra expense that must be accounted. If micro is a must and you are not willing to bother with this solutions, please, go back to HyperX Cloud or G4me One.


Ok, so, you really want some damn good headphones, that also can be used for gaming! Keep reading, please (are you bored yet?).


You can choose Closed back headphones (the classic ones you have already used. Closed back models offer good isolation and do not leak sound. This is your choice when there are people around you, or you want isolation from noisy a environment.) or Open Back headphones (Open back models offer next to no isolation and will leak sound -and allow you to hear what happens around you-, but they are the best sounding models). Open headphones achieve the best sound, soundstage (feeling that sound is coming from around you) and imaging (ability to locate the origin of one sound).


If you are here because you want to get a replacement for a gaming headset, I would recommend you Open back, but since they don’t isolate, you must choose. If isolation is required, get closed back, if that’s not a concern, go open.


Some closed back cans:


Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 100$. Balanced headphones, very good feedback from lots of people. Typical entry level headphones to the rabbit hole.


Sennheiser HD 598Cs. 125$. Balanced, very very detailed, great instrumental separation. Comfortable as hell, very recommended.


Beyerdynamic DT770. 160$. V-shaped signature (lots of bass and lots of treble). Amazing soundstage (for a closed headphone). Great for explosions, movies, and rock. Treble can be harsh if you are sensible. Get the 32 ohm version, as the 80 (may) and 250 (do) need an amplifier to work properly.


Those are some examples of entry-mid level of closed cans. There are lots more, depending of your budget!


As for open cans:


Superlux HD668b. 40$. Those are THE CANS. The best quality for low budget you can get. Hands down. Great soundstage, Bass light. They are not too comfortable, but pads can be changed for a deluxe comfort (extra expense). You are not getting anything better at this price. For gaming in a budget, this are the headphones you were looking for.


Philips SHP9500. 80$. Mid-forward signature. Good soundstage, great comfort. Very detailed. Another amazing quality for the budget headphone. Due its popularity, they’re getting harder and harder to get.


Sennheiser HD 598 SR. 170$. Very similar to the HD 598Cs, but with open back. Wider soundstage, a little less bass. Very balanced headphones. Super-duper comfortable. Great for long gaming sessions.


Philips Fidelio X2. 250$. V-shaped signature. Those are in another league. Build quality is just.. OMG. Extreme soundstage and imaging. More comfortable than the HD 598. Bass is BOOOOOM!!!. A little pricey, and can be somewhat fatiguing to listen if you are treble sensible, due to high treble.


Well, that’s all. I have selected only headphones that don’t need an amplifier. Now is your turn to research, watch some Youtube videos, read some reviews, and give them a try.


All this headphones are GOOD. No trash here, and all them will make you open your eyes when listening your music if you are coming from standard headsets. You will notice sounds, instruments, that you never realized they were there, even if you had listened this song a thousand times before. Try them, and be amazed.


Welcome to the rabbit hole.

Hi all, I've not really owned any headphones and only purchased "gaming" Headsets when I was younger. I'm looking to upgrade my sound setup and experience better sound!

I've considered a few headphones but never know which one to go for as there are always pro's and con's for each headphone.
Initially I was going to go for the HD650/HD600 as the more i read on them the more tempted I am in buying one of these. Would these work with gaming also as I've read they don't have the largest sound stage?

Currently, I'm considering - DT990 PRO - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT990-PRO-Headphones-250/dp/B0011UB9CQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
I could also consider the 990 Premium (possibly the 600Ohm one however unsure if my Soundblaster Omni is good enough for it) - Also looked into the DT880's but read that DT990's provide a bit more bass but that the 880s are more clear with vocals.

Also looked into these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-Reference-Open-Back-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B00DCXZY1W however, read that they are light on bass. I like my bass to be quite stronger than neutral but nothing overkill, for movies/music so maybe these might not be for me.

Finally this was last on my list as I'm able to go both open and closed - https://www.amazon.co.uk/HiFiMan-Open-Closed-Back-Headphones/dp/B01EJZHCQQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics-accessories&ie=UTF8&qid=1503143202&sr=1-1&keywords=Hifiman+Edition+S however, read how the build quality is not that great.


Mainly will be using the headphones for 85% gaming, 5% music, 10% movies.

 


Budget - Preferably under £200 but flexible

Source - Creative Soundblaster Omni - USB Sound Card with 600 Ohm Headphone Amp -https://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-omni-surround-5-1 - I'm hoping this is powerful enough to power most headphones without any problems?

Requirements for Isolation - Will only be using headphones at home, I don't mind less isolation but I plan on attaching a mic (ModMic) and don't want my microphone picking up the sound, even at reasonbly loud volumes.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Nope :)

Preferred Type of Headphone - Do you want IEMs, full-sized, or on-ear? Full-sized/Over the ear

Preferred tonal balance - Are you a basshead, particularly fond of a smooth midrange, strong highs, or do you want an overall balanced pair of headphones? - This part I'm not really sure on, I like a decent amount of bass but nothing overkill. I'm looking for something with possibily a good sound stage that works well mainly for gaming/movies and movies, tough to balance all i suppose but in order, Gaming>Music>Movies. Main reason I want decent/good bass as it feels as if it adds to my immersion when gaming/watching movies.

Past headphones - What have you used in the past, what did you like about them and what didn't you like about - Steelseries Siberia Elite - For me, has a great level of base and overall sound and the best sounding headphones I've ever owned, but it's time to step up my sound game now and looking for something a lot better :]

Preferred Music - What do you listen to? If your music tastes are very esoteric, providing some examples (Youtube links work well) may be of some assistance to your helpers. - Music taste varies from time to time, but often listen to house music, electronic dance music, any new music popular music (Global Top 50 etc.)

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - What are you looking for going into your next headphone? More bass? More detail? More treble? - Hopefully, an upgrade in my listening experience in gaming/music/movies, sound in general. Prefer that the bass feels slightly stronger than neutral to help with immersion in games such as Battlefield titles. A good sound stage and clear sound.

Location - UK


Thanks guys.

Help! Comfortable Closed Back Headphone Needed.

• Budget - £150 (approx $215)
  
• Source - Laptop / Desktop computer with headphone amp.
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Good isolation. Using mostly at home, so don't mind a bit of leak.
  
• Will you be using these headphones in public - No.
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Closed Back, Over Ear.
  
• Preferred Tonal Balance - Good, neutral, wide sound. I don't mind a bit of emphasis on the low and high ends, as long as they are well controlled and not muddy. I actually quite liked the bassiness of the ATH-M50x, but a bit more control would be nice.
  
• Past Headphones - Sennheiser HD 215 - very comfortable and they do sound good but looking for an upgrade.
  
• AKG K72 - don't sound too bad for the price, a bit muffled and lacking clarity. Like the design and very comfortable.
  
• AKG K550 - sounded amazing but I had a significant problem with comfort. After about 30 mins use, a real burning pain starts to slowly grow right at the crown of my head where the top of the headband rests. An hour in and it's pretty unbearable. As a result, they sat in my cupboard, unused for two years. I tried using them again a couple of weeks ago, but had the same issue, so I've been forced to sell them.
  
• Audio Technica ATH-M50x - I would say that in terms of sound, these were definitely a bit of a downgrade. The overall sound is just a lot more muddied and coloured, and the soundstage is nowhere near as good as the K550s. They are a bit more comfortable, but not by much. I can only really use them for about 2 hours before I am in considerable pain from the headband. I think I will be returning these and trying to find something more comfortable.
  
• Preferred Music - Listen to a bit of everything. Primarily EDM, Pop, Rock, Alternative, Classical.
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Comfortable! For long periods. I think I might be better off with lighter headphones, since the pain is always due to pressure at the top of my head.
  -Good, neutral, wide sound. I don't mind a bit of emphasis on the low and high ends, as long as they are well controlled and not muddy.
  
  With this is mind, a couple of candidates so far:
  
  
• Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm - from what I've heard, supposed to be pretty comfortable. Link: [DT770] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphones-Ohm/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463390210&sr=1-1&keywords=dt770)
  
• Sennheiser HD 380 Pro - again, supposed to be pretty comfortable and quite light. Not sure these are much of an upgrade in terms of sound. Link: HD 380
  
• AKG K271 Mk II - Lightweight and have a similar headband design to a pair of AKG K72 I have, which are really comfy. Link: [K271] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-K271-MKII-Circumaural-Headphones/dp/B0016MOC28/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463389006&sr=1-3&keywords=akg+closed)
  
  What would you recommend out of these 3? Any better alternatives in my price range?
  
  If anyone can offer any advice or help, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.
  

What is your budget: 200 € that should include any potential Amp/Dac needed to run the cans

Source: pretty old Desktop PC. Integrated Realtek HD Onboard sound. Have a soundblaster. I don't know if it works properly though. Maybe I'll hook them to a PS4 too every now and then.

Isolation: Don't need to be totally isolated from exterior world. I'll use these mainly at night. Sadly I think I have to
dismiss open or semiopen cans because my wife will be at a 2-3 meters from me, sleeping. Maybe in the future can look into some open cans
for daytime use.


Used in Public? No, home office, interior only


Preferred type of headphone: Full size, circumaural.


Preferred tonal balance: I don't really know, and I'll explain. These will be my workhorse. I'll use them to play
music while working (work at home as an illustrator), skype with clients, discord with friends (I'll be buying the AntLion Modmic)
edit videos (not music videos though), Films, Youtube, Playing games...
So I guess they have to be a bit allrounder. That means neutral? Can't really tell, this will be my first pair of
"good" headphones, or the first pair I've done research instead of picking the first cans I saw on the shelf.

Past headphones: An assortment of cheap headphones and a couple gaming sets (don't even recall the names).
The ones I have now are a pair of Philips SHP2000. You can tell almost anything will be an improvement.

Preferred Music: I listen to almost everything, from classical to hip hop. Jazz, Blues, Rock, Metal, Folk. It really depends on my mood.
So not much help here either to go for a defined tonal balance I'm afraid.

Location: Spain, I have access to Amazon.es, Ebay, etc. Don't know much of this world so couldn't tell any place audio specific.

What would you like from your headphones? As I said I want them to be a bit of allrounder. I want to clearly hear the voices when I'm
voice chatting, Clear sound when playing music and Good sound when gaming. And since I'll be wearing them several hours a day, they should be comfortable.

I have an average (towards big because of hair) head and average ears but I do wear glasse so maybe that's a concern if the grip is too tigh.
I know all this "requirements" mean they won't be the best at anything but I'm not an audiophile either....yet, I guess.

I've been researching a lot of reviews, videos, forums and I've seen a lot of recomendations, and situations similar to mine.
So I thought asking here with the template would help me to nitpickc and better tailor the buy for me, since I'm spending that much (for me anyway, I know this hobby can go pretty crazy pretty fast).
In fact in my initial research I wanted to spend max 200€ inclusing the modmic (so that left 130-150 for the headphones) but looking and researching had me raising the dough destined to the cans by a bit everytime
just in case "this new ones they recommend maybe are much better".

I have a list of what I found after a lot of research. I don't even know if any of those will be any good for my situation. There are two "leagues" of cans there as you'll see,
but those really cheap ones I included because I see them recommended a lot as "sound as headphones double or triple their price". Maybe that's BS but... maybe not and I can save me some money

The ones over 200€ I might consider them if they are really, REALLY much, much, much better than any of the other options.
Since going over 200 would have me waiting a bit more to get the cash.

Here's what I have:

• Superlux HD681 and HD668B - 31€ & 38€ respectively at Amazon. These are the ones people recommend as "above their league" so I included them here. I know they're Samson ripoffs?
  
  
• Beyerdynamic D770 Pro - 125€ at Amazon. Another ones with a lot of recommendations, along with the M50X. Some say better, some say equal...
  
  
  
• Audio Technica ATH M50X - 135€ at Amazon. Seem people either love 'em or hate 'em. Youtubers favourite (not that that's a valid reason to pick a pair of cans for me anyway). I know there are way better options, they're here just because they fit into my price range
  
  
• Soundmagic HP150 - 150€ at Amazon. Seen a few recommendations for this ones.
  
  
• Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro - 150€ at Amazon. Seen them recommended here
  
  
• Sony MDR-1A - 185€ at Amazon. Late addition from a few reviews I read
  
  
• Audio Technica MSR 7BK - 185€ at Amazon. The bigger, better, improved brother of the M50X?
  
  
• Audio Technica ATH A900x - 219€ at Amazon. Seems these run for more than that, and people love them, but at that price they're out of my budget. May consider waiting for them if they're absolutely the best for my situation
  
  
• B&O BeoPlay H6 - 238€ at Amazon. Same as the A900x. These are also damn sexy looking like everything Bang & Olufsen does (but that doesn't count towards my decision ;D)
  
  Of course this is only a list of what I've found during my research, but feel free to recommend me anything you feel can be better for me even if not on the list.
  
  
  Thank you very much.
  

Budget ~150-200$

Source - Pixel 2 / Macbook Pro

Requirements for Isolation - Some. Not a huge priority, but nice to have for public transit.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Yes

Preferred Type of Headphone - IEMS or portable over-ear. Possibly bluetooth if there are good options.

Past headphones - MEE audio M6 PRO Liked the sound quality, but they didn’t fit very nicely in my ears, despite trying all of the tips that came with the box.


Brainwavz Delta Black IEM
Again, liked the sound quality, but the buds themselves seemed to be too fat to fit into my ears, even with trying all the tips they gave me.

[Panasonic RP-TCM125-K] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4LGVUO/ref=psdc_172541_t1_B00L2459ZO) Really liked the fit for these. If possible I’d love to find something similar to these in fit, but perhaps a higher quality build or sound quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS Also really like these, but I’ve found that they are too bulky for general portable use.

Preferred Music - Wide range. A lot of quiet female vocalist indie music, as well as a lot of fast and loud ska/punk music. I also listen to a fair amount of spoken audio, such as podcasts and audiobooks. I listen to hip-hop as well, but not as much as the above.

What would you like to improve - As stated in the past headphones section, I am looking to improve the fit of the IEMs that I get. The panasonic ones fit so well compared to the other IEMs I’ve had in the past, so I am looking to get something with a similar fit, but with a better sound stage. Also, I’m looking to try Bluetooth IEMs if anything comes to mind with these requirements, but if not, regular IEMs / over-ears are fine for me.

____

I’ve been eying these: https://www.amazon.com/Jaybird-Bluetooth-Headset-iPhone-Android/dp/B01M7NCT5O and these: https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Bluetooth-Headphones-Controller-RP-HJE120B-W/dp/B071R6VX9Q for bluetooth iem options, but as far as I can tell the reviews for them do not seem completely stellar.

I was also looking into ATH-M40Xs as a portable over ear option, but I’m not sure if I want to sacrifice having a microphone on my main pair of portable headphones.

Budget - £100 Hard Limit

Source - My computer, asrock z97 pro4 onboad audiocard. I'll probably buy a better one soon, also, I'm not looking to buy an amp.

Requirements for Isolation - Little, I'm only going to be using these at home but I don't mind if there's none, or a lot.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Not likely.

Preferred Type of Headphone - I would like on or over ear. I really want to try open back too.

Preferred tonal balance - Ideally I'd like a balanced set of Headphones but I'd like a fair bit of bass.

Past headphones - Nothing worth noting. Just some Sony, HTC and Apple IEMs.

Preferred Music - A lot of Rock, Post-Hardcore, Music with a lot of Screaming, Metal, Hip-Hop, a bit of Chiptune and music like Crystal Castles, You Love Her Coz She's Dead and Kap Bambino

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I'm not sure where I'm going after this, this is my first step into better headphones and potential audiophile territory. I will use the pair of headphones recommended to figure out what I will look for next.

I've already done a bit of research and have found a few sets of headphones that I am interested in but I lack the knowledge of if they're good or not.

Grado SR80e - From what I've heard, these headphones are very well received and liked but lack good bass which concerns me. I also LOVE the look of these headphones, they are probably my favourite.

AKG K240 MKII -
These headphones are my second favourite however, I'm concerned that I may need an amp to make these work to their full potential. I was also looking at the regular 240s but heard these were an upgrade.

Finally, the AKG K271 MKII - As with the K240s I've heard a lot of glowing reviews on these pair but I'm worried that I require an amp. I also really love the fact that the two sets of AKGs have detachable wires.

I'm open to recommendations, but if any of the headphones I'm interested in would be good for me then all the better! Sorry if this has been long winded!

Your post is going to be removed due to rule #1.

🎧 Headphones

Personal recommendations:

• AKG K52
  
  Sound: Has a large soundstage, good imaging, clarity and detail retrieval and decent separation. It doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble. The bass can sound a little muddy in e.g. blasts and explosions. I've explained the sound characteristics further down.
  
  Build: Is closed-back and over-ear. Durable and very lightweight. The cups tilt and swivel, so they should adjust to the shape of your head nicely. The earpads have decent quality and are soft and removable, but they're shallow.
  
  
  
• Philips SHP9500
  
  Sound: Has a medium soundstage, good imaging, separation and detail retrieval and very good clarity. It doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble.
  
  Build: Is open-back and over-ear. Durable and lightweight. The cups tilt and swivel and the cable detaches. The earpads have good quality and they're soft and removable, but they're shallow.
  
  
• Superlux HD668B
  
  Sound: Has a large soundstage, I'd say 50% bigger than SHP9500. It has very good imaging, separation, clarity and detail retrieval. It has emphasized treble and a small boost in the mid-bass.
  
  Build: Is semi-open-back and over-ear. Sturdy and lightweight. The cups tilt and swivel. The cable and earpads are detachable. The earpads have bad quality and are shallow, so I recommend replacing them with pads from HiFiMAN.
  
  
• Superlux HD681 EVO
  
  Sound: Has the same soundstage as HD668B. It has very good clarity and good detail retrieval, but has poor imaging and separation. It's warm sounding with deep bass.
  
  Build: Is semi-open-back and over-ear. Durable and lightweight. The cups tilt and swivel. The cable and earpads are detachable. The earpads have decent quality and are soft and detachable, but they're shallow and the drivers stick out quite a bit, so I recommend taking out the loose felt inside the cups, unless you're sensitive to treble, and replacing the earpads with pads from HiFiMAN or pads from Brainwavz.
  
  

  
  

  
  I also compare to AKG Q701, Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x, Beyerdynamic DT990 (600 ohms), HiFiMAN HE400i, HyperX Cloud, Monoprice Monolith M1060, Philips Fidelio X2 and Sennheiser HD700. I strongly advise against HyperX Cloud / Cloud II / CloudX if you don't need closed-back. I recommend K52 over them for closed-back. My evaluations derive mostly if not only from gaming (so take it with a grain of salt for music listening). I can't emphasize enough that perceived performance in headphones is relative.
  
   
  
  Highly regarded alternatives:
  
  

• Audio-Technica ATH-AD500x (open-back)
  
• Status Audio OB-1 (open-back)
  
• Status Audio CB-1 (closed-back)
  
• Superlux HD681 (semi-open-back)
  
• Superlux HD669 (closed-back)
  
• Superlux HD662 (closed-back)
  
   
  
  Terminology:
  
  
• Closed-back
  
  Headphones that have cups with solid shells that largely isolate sound from passing in and out.
  
  
• Open-back / semi-open-back
  
  Headphones that have cups with perforations/grills that allow outside sound to freely pass in and sound from the drivers to freely pass out. How loud you hear outside sound and how loud people around you hear the sound emanating from the headphones depend on your volume, of course. The sonic benefit to open-back is generally a big soundstage.
  
  
• Soundstage
  
  Perceived space and environment of sound. It can be compared to virtual surround sound; both attempt to produce the same spacious, three-dimensional effect. VSS can sound more ambient and immersive, which depends on the processor (CMSS-3D, Dolby, SBX, etc.), but it degrades the sound quality and diminishes detailing due to compression from digital processing. You might also experience less accurate imaging and separation if the headphone already has good imaging and separation. Note that a deep soundstage is equally important as a wide soundstage.
  
  
• Imaging
  
  Determines how accurately sounds/objects are positioned across the soundstage. And I mean where they are positioned and not merely what direction they come from. This distinction is important because being able to tell only what direction objects come from isn't good enough to me when playing against people.
  
  
• Separation
  
  Separating individual sounds from a range of sounds. Good separation makes it easier to filter out or discern overlapping sounds from other sounds and track them.
  
   
  
  ---
  
   
  
  

  🔊 Microphones
  

  
  

  
  

  
  Attachable to headphones:
  
  

• Antlion ModMic 4
  
  Uses a clasp system and is easy to attach and remove. Is compatible with all headphones. Comes with and without a mute switch.
  
  
• Massdrop Minimic
  
  Uses a clasp system and is easy to attach and remove. Is compatible with all headphones. Has a mute switch and is modular. Is only available via drops on Massdrop.com. I recommend requesting it if you want to wait for it.
  
  
• V-MODA BoomPro
  
  Connects to the headphone's jack, replacing the headphone cable. Is compatible with Philips SHP9500 and Status Audio CB-1. Has a mute switch and a volume control.
  
  

  
  

  
  Alternatives:
  
  

• Neewer
  
  
• Sony ECMCS3
  
  
• Zalman ZM-Mic1
  
  
• Blue Snowball
  
  
• Samson Go
  

Last update 11/27 1:36am pacific || Removed bold from some items, pruning of dead deals coming.

If the first field is bold it is a new deal

Note, I've hit the text limit so I'm limiting extra text.


 


Headphone | Price | Store | Notes
------------------ |-------|--------|-----------
BeyerDynamic DT 1770 Pro | $416 | Amazon | Available for $405 shipped via 3rd party
BeyerDynamic 990 250 ohm pro | $109 | Amazon | Lowest price ever on Amazon. Thanks /u/Jedi_Pacman!
BeyerDynamic T1 Second Gen | $1099 | BuyDig via ebay |
Sennheiser HD600 | $260 | Amazon | Thanks /u/aasteveo!
BeyerDynamic DT 880 600 ohm | $169 | Amazon | Lowest price on record for both Amazon and 3rd party.
BeyerDynamic DT 770 80 ohm | $118 | Amazon | Thanks /u/ASpaceman :)
Chord Mojo Amp / DAC + NVX XPT100 Studio Headphones | $549 | Sonic Electronix |
MrSpeakers ETHER C Flow | $1620 | MrSpeakers | Thanks /u/MrSpeakers !
MrSpeakers ETHER Flow | $1619 | MrSpeakers | Thanks /u/MrSpeakers !
Samson SR950 | $24 | Adorama
Sennheiser IE80 | $179 | Amazon | Thanks /u/LOMOcatVasilii Also available at Sonic Electronix
Stax SR-L500 + SRM252S | $1009| Shenzhen Audio |
DUNU DN-2000J | $269 | Shenzhen Audio |
TFZ Series 5S | $69 | Shenzhen Audio via Amazon |
Fanmusic E6 | $39 | Shenzhen Audio
Simgot EN700 | $69 | Shenzhen Audio
FORREST FLC8S | $269 | Shenzhen Audio
Audioquest NightHawk | $349 | Crutchfield | Also available from Needledoctor
Audio-Technica ATH-M20x | $27 | BuyDig | Add to cart for final price
Beyerdynamic DT 880 32 ohm includes $50 newegg gift card | $159.99 | Newegg | Also available at BuyDig for $139 add to cart to see discount
Beyerdynamic T90 Chrome Limited Edition 250 OHM| $279 | BuyDig| Also available at Newegg for $299 w/$40 gift card
Sennheiser PC360 headset | $99 | Amazon
Monoprice USB DAC Headphone Amp | $49.99 | Monoprice |
BeyerDynamic DT 770 16ohm | $100 | ebay | Also available at BuyDig for $109
BeyerDynamic A20 Amp | $294 | BuyDig | Use code "DIGTURKEY5"
Westone UM Pro 10 | $99 | Amazon
HiFiMan Edition X | $1299 | Music Direct | Thanks to /u/boombap33 for pointing this out
V-Moda Crossfade M-100 Black | $176.54 | Musician's Friend | Includes free Boompro mic. Use code "blackfriday"
Sennheiser PC350 Headset | $78 | Newegg |
Sennheiser Momentum In Ear | $70 | Amazon | Android or iOS versions
BeyerDynamic DT 1350 | $119 | Adorama
BeyerDyanmic DT 880 250 ohm Chrome version | $149 | BuyDig via ebay
Superlux HD668B | $25 | Gearbest |
Audeze LCD-4 | $2999 | Adorama
Audeze LCD-3 | $1349 | Adorama
Audeze LCD-XC Limited Leather | $1299 | Adorama
Audeze Sine | $299 | Adorama
Audeze Sine w/Lightning Cable | $359 | Adorama
Audeze LCD-2 Rosewood w/Lambskin | $749 | Adorama
Audeze LCD-2 Bamboo w/Lambskin | $699 | Adorama
Audeze LCD-2 Aluminum w/Lambskin | $699 | Adorama |
Hifiman HE-400i | $249 | Headamp | Use code "HEADFI10" thanks to /u/Chillindude82Nein for the better deal!
Hifiman SuperMini DAP + iFi nano iDSD + Fiio Cable| $394 | BuyDig | use code "DIGTURKEY10"|
Audeze 2015 EL8 Open | $404.10 | HeadAmp | Use code "BF2016"
Audeze 2015 EL8 Close| $404.10 | HeadAmp | Use code "BF2016"
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x includes $25 newegg gift card| $224 | Newegg |
Fostex TH-900mk2| $999 | Adorama |
Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 Black| $189 | Amazon
Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 Gun Metal | $189 | Amazon
Philips SHP9500S | $50 | Newegg |


 


General Discounts | Discount | Notes
------|---|---
Earphone Solutions | 25% off | Store Wide use code "CYBER" -- they offer discounts for trade-ins as well.
Master & Dynamic | 20% off | use code "MD20"
Meze | 25% off select headphones
NeedleDoctor | Various |
Monoprice | 20% off | Use code "BF2016"
Audeze | B-Stock| Dedicated thread here. Thanks /u/kangaroo_steak!
V-Moda| 10% | Free Boompro Mic with order of on-ear/over-ear headphones.
Brainwavz | Various | Thanks /u/robotlabs!
Addicted to Audio | Various | "For the aussies" thanks /u/KingJie!
Shenzhen Audio | Various |
Decware | Various | thanks /u/Elnrik!
HeadAmp | Various | Use code "HEADFI10" for 10% off (most?) products
Brainwavz Canada | Various | Thanks /u/custardbun!
Violectric Audio USA | 25% | Code "BLACK-25" thanks /u/novicez!

• Budget - $300. If necessary, I can go over another $50 or so but I'd like to stay around $300.
  
  
• Source - I'll be using these on the go (in the library at school, on the subway...) so they'll either be plugged into my iPhone or laptop 99% of the time.
  
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation - I like a lot of isolation. It doesn't need to be absolutely 100% but the closer to it, the better. I'll be using these on the train and at school.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Over the ear (I'm pretty sure that's the same as full-sized?)
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - I like an overall balanced sound. I really enjoy smooth midranges that give a nice warm sound but I wouldn't want that to come at the price of sound quality and clarity. I don't want overpowering bass but I definitely like it to be there.
  
  
• Past headphones - At the moment, B&W P5. They were my first pair of headphones and I loved them for a few years (I've had them for 3+ years now) until I started listening to other quality cans. Now, the soundstage of my B&Ws sounds pretty thin. The balance they give off seems pretty nice to me, though. But that could just be because they were my first pair.
  
  I'm also borrowing my dad's Sony MDR7506s for the next week or so to see how I like them. Immediately, I could tell that they produce a much nicer soundstage than my B&Ws. I'm still trying to get used to the difference in tone but I really like the Sonys. If they were the best within my price range, I would have no problem sticking with them.
  
  
• Preferred Music - I listen to a lot of genres. A lot of rock/folk/bluegrass type of stuff (Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, The Allman Brothers, Phish), a lot of electronic stuff (Ratatat, The Chemical Brothers, Baths), a lot of jazz, and a good amount in between.
  
  
• Headphones I've been looking at - I've been really leaning towards the Sennheiser Momentums (I could've sworn I just saw these for less than $300 on Amazon a few days ago? Am I going crazy?). I was also looking into Shure SRH840s, Beyerdynamic 770s, and just came across reviews for the PSB M4U 1s. I'm open to any opinions and suggestions! Thanks!

I am torn between two choices. I kind of want to replace my headphones both on the go (bus to and from work) and at work itself (desktop, barely any interaction).

A reminder I am not an audiophile, but I still want great quality and comfort. Since I listen to a lot of podcasts and some music, I wanted great mids to hear the vocals and a closed-back design so I can hear what's being said without having to share that with anyone nearby. I'd also like to not have to deal with heat issues, but I understand if that's unavoidable with that style of headphones.

At the moment, I'm using a pair of Panasonic RP-HJE120-PPKs on the bus and on the go and a pair of Monoprice Headphones.

Here are the two headphones I'm split between:

HD 598 Cs - I wanted good, comfortable closed-back headphones that are worth every penny and are a popular choice. I figured I'd go with the most recent iteration of these since both the Purchase Assistant and the recommendations section say that they are a popular choice.

LucidSound LS30s - My brother says they are the greatest, most comfortable headphones he has ever worn. I trust his opinion, but that doesn't necessarily mean he knows the most about headphones. Since they are also apparently good as gaming headsets, I could use them whenever I do decide to go down that route, but I could just as easily wait and get an external microphone.

If anyone could help me make the choice, or have a better option for me that doesn't include these two but fits my needs, I'd really appreciate it. Since I know quality headphones are an investment, I'm willing to spend between $75-200 on a pair, unless someone convinces me enough to spend more or less.

• Budget: $200 preferred ($300-350 if it's significantly better for price/performance)
  
  
• Location: US
  
  
• Source: PC w/ ALC889 and very rarely potentially my Yamaha RX V765
  
  
• Isolation: None (Home use only)
  
  
• Preferred Type: Circumaural - Full-Sized Over Ear (OPEN)
  
  
• Preferred Tonal Balance: overall balanced
  
  
• Past Headphones: Steelseries Siberia V2 (With USB Vitual 7.1)
  
  
• Preferred Music: Gaming and music - I seriously listen to everything except dubstep unless someone on twitch is streaming it :P - I generally listen to hip hop and rock, but also enjoy classical and other easy listening.
  
  Background/My Thoughts
  
  I generally prefer to invest slightly more in my things for better quality and longevity. I'd happily invest more in things if I knew it was more likely to last or if the quality is significantly higher for the cost.
  
  The left speaker in my siberia just stopped working. I am very close to grabbing the Sennheiser G4ME ONE's used from Amazon because I have a $50 gift card waiting to be used and I'm a sucker for great price/performance.
  
  I figure either $200 for a headset OR $300-$350 for Headphones + whatever else.
  
  Option 1: Headset w/ Mic
  
  I don't necessarily need a headset w/built in mic, I'm aware of the modmic option, but if I'm not mistaken the G4ME ONE essentially an HD 558 just with the added microphone which will be very nice for me due to how much I'm on vent/Teamspeak when I game. I don't see the point in investing much more than 150-200 for an all-in-one because as I understand the quality doesn't go much higher from here anyways.. so to get more quality I'd look at option 2 and by that point it seems to be very costly to compete with the HD 558. And since I can get the ONE used for 150-50=$100 that seems like a great option.
  
  Option 2: Headphone + Soundcard OR DAC/AMP + ModMic
  
  Unless someone knows something that I don't, this is where I'd be spending more than the $200, and hopefully only if it's actually going to be 50-100% better. I considered the AT-ADG1's in option 1 above, but I don't believe they offer $100 more in value over the G4ME ONE (White/red new is $200)- please correct me if I am wrong.
  
  Here are of the products I considered for option 2:
  
  
• HD 598
  
• DT 990
  
• AKG Q701 (Or K701 - but I like the Q design)
  
  I am assuming I'll need to add another 100-200 on top of the headphone to drive them.
  
  
  If there are any options that let me gradually upgrade/add on the DAC/Amp I'd consider that, but my impression is that certain headphones need to be driven properly from day 1. I realize that any headphones, even the G4ME ONE would benefit from a better amp or soundcard, but if I go for them then I don't plan to get another soundcard or external DAC/AMP anytime soon.
  
  Any advice/thoughts on this or anything else would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the wall of text. :D

I'm finally ready to take the plunge.... I am going to buying a portable DAC/Amp and new headphones.


Budget - $200 total with DAC/Amp and headphones. I will also be selling my gen 1 Dre Beats Studio's (B+ condition) in case anyone is interested.

Source - These will be daily drivers. I will be wearing them at work, plugging the DAC/Amp into my work computer, as well as on transportation to/from work using a DAC/Amp plugged into my android phone.


Requirements for Isolation - Not that necessary. I currently listen to music at work at a decent volume without issues and my walk home won't bother anyone. I don't fly or ride the bus very often, but I'm sure I may regret open headphones when I eventually do haha


Preferred Type of Headphone - Full sized. At this point, I don't care how big they are, I just want them to sound amazing. I'm not a huge fan of "on-ear" headphones, as I've had issues with long term listening because they tend to clamp on my head.


Preferred tonal balance - I love bass, don't get me wrong, but I don't listen to much Hip-hop or EDM. I would say mids but honestly, I'm not 100% sure.


Past headphones - I have only ever had Dre Beats studios (first gen), and a shitty $15 pair of Sennheisers.


Preferred Music - I like to listen to a pretty wide range of music. Anywhere from classic rock, electronic, progressive metal, world fusion, to trance.


Some of my favorite artists:

• Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer
  
• Opeth
  
• Nine Inch Nails
  
• Beats Antique
  
• Mastodon
  
• Pink Floyd
  
• Gramatik
  
  
  What would you like to improve on from your set-up - For years now, I've just been rocking my Dre Beats studio's and they've served their purpose. I am now finally getting into downloading and listening to higher quality audio. I want to be able to listen to these high quality songs that Trent Reznor and others put out and hear the little details that I know they spent the time on. I want to listen to Pink Floyd flac files and be blown away. I have also been doing some home recording as of late with a Presonus Audio box and various pedals. It would be an added bonus to have better headphones for that as well.
  
  CONSIDERATIONS:
  
  So far, I've been leaning towards the Fiio Q1 portale DAC/Amp and either Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones or maybe Sennheiser HD 558's. I will also be selling my current gen 1 Dre Beats Studio headphones so if anyone wants those for a quick sale let me know before I post them on ebay then I will have more money for even BETTER headphones. Special reddit discount.
  
  EDIT - Holy crap I just found AudioTechnica's what appears to be ATHM50X's with extra interchangable ear cups on Massdrop for $124! They look like ATHM50's and the description says that it comes with three interchangable cables so wouldn't this be the ATHM50X's? If so, these are my top contender atm.

• Budget: ~$150 USD
  
• Source: PC (Gaming), if they rock maybe my phone.
  
• Isolation: Unsure, usually I use closed headphones. But I hear the ATH-700xs are great for CS:GO and are open. Wouldn't mind trying open ear.
  
• Public: Probably not.
  
• Size: Full sized over ear headset.
  
• Tonal Balance: I like my bass in music, but these headphones are for CS:GO almost exclusively, was seeing good things about the ATH-700xs being light on the bass and it helping not drown out footsteps. I'd prefer more bass for my music but CS is the priority.
  
• Previous Headphones: For gaming I have had SteelSeries Siberia v2, didn't like the sound quality. Comfort was good. HyperX Cloud 1s sound quality quite a bit better, comfort about the same. Currently using the clouds. I have had Beats in the past, they were alright, on par with my $100 pair of Klipsch headphones. I quite enjoyed the Klipsch over ears, not sure what type specifically.
  
• Music Taste: Almost exclusively hiphop, with some 80s rock and a little folk/pop mixed in.
  
• What I want to improve: I want a better headset for CS:GO. My Cloud 1s were pretty solid but the quality has deteriorated over time.
  
  My three main considerations now are: ATH AD700x, Sennheiser GAME ONE, Sennheiser PC363D. Although I do not have USB 3 will that matter at all? I do not need 7.1 sound. The AKG K612 Pro seems around my price range and is reviewed quite well. It seems like the ATH-AD700xs are the headphones to go for as they are about half the price as the rest of the options I suggested. Is it worth spending the extra money on any of those headsets? Also do I need to consider an AMP of any sort for these headphones? I was recommended something such as the FiiO E10k earlier. Not sure if I need an amp or not, I would be willing to purchase one if it allows for me to unlock the full potential of my headset. But not just to spend money on another toy and eek out another 1% or 2% of performance.
  
  Thanks a ton for reading! Any insight is more than welcome.

• Budget
  
  $100-$300 flexible
  
  
• Source
  
  3.5mm jack on a laptop
  
  
• Where you mainly will use your headphones
  
  At work and perhaps occasional flights. Office doesn't have much chatter but has very annoying drone sounds from HVAC and buzzy fluorescent lights
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation
  
  The sweet spot would block out droning sounds but not people trying to get my attention without raising their voice
  
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public?
  
  Just at work and perhaps occasional flights. It's important to me that sound doesn't leak out to others.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone
  
  I think full-sized, but on-ear may be OK too if comfortable for all-day use
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance
  
  Overall balanced
  
  
• Past headphones
  
  At home I've used in the past Sennheiser 280 pro (too busted up now and were never comfortable to wear for more than a couple hours) and currently Sennheiser HD 598SE. The latter in particular I love, very happy with the sound and they're terrifically comfortable to wear for hours on end. I'd probably just buy a second pair of these for work if I had some reason to believe they'd block/cancel the drone sounds well and they weren't open-back.
  
  
• Preferred Music
  
  Electronic, classical, jazz, talk radio
  
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up
  
  Currently I'm using cheapo in-ear buds at work and it's awful. While they're fairly comfortable for extended use, even at louder volumes they don't mask the drone sounds very well. Probably what I would value most in a set of headphones for this office would be noise-cancelling, comfortable for all-day use, and no leakage (closed-back). An attached microphone would not be a deal-breaker but doesn't matter either way.
  
  
• Things I don't know
  
  I've never owned a pair of active noise cancelling headphones. Is it a gimmick? Are they effective for something like this? Can I get a quality pair at this budget that meets my needs and has this feature? Or is it better to forget it and instead focus on something that (without too much bulk!) "muffles" well?
  
  Thank you!

> need an amp for voice chat purposes

This is a strange statement. Voice chat is typically easier on headphones than music is.

But nevermind, let me answer your actual questions:

> I have heard good things about the Fiio E17

So have I, but I've never used it myself. It is battery powered, which may prove inconvenient. There are also cheaper options in the same price range: Monoprice has one (probably a white-labeled FiiO). The FiiO E10K is a USB AMP/DAC. Schiit also has one... but read on.

> would it be better for me just to buy a soundcard instead of the amp

A sound card is nothing more but a DAC/Amp. I prefer external DACs and Amps, as its easier to mix and match as I acquire more pieces. Sound cards tend not to be as high quality as external devices... but it really is just a matter of preference.

> Which amp would you recommend?

Don't get an amp right now. Get the Q701s, listen to them, then decide if you need an amp.

An amp is one of the most expensive ways to improve your sound, and the Q701s don't really need it. The dac/amp in your computer should be more than powerful enough for them. Heck, I just plugged my pair into my phone and it got ear-splittingly loud.

Instead of getting an amp, figure out if you need one:

Line noise: Turn the volume up to max, but don't play any music. Plug in your most sensitive headphones (in-ears, most likely). You should hear silence. If you don't hear silence, a good dac + amp will remove that line-noise.

Overall Power: Turn the volume all the way down. Plug in your listening headphones (Q701 in this case) and start up some music. Now turn it up until the music is playing at a conversational volume. This is the level at which you should be listening. If the volume dial is < 50%, then you don't need an amp. If it's between 50% and 80%, you may benefit from an amp. If it's past 80%, get an amp. (my rule of thumb)

The most important thing though, is that the headphone is the most cost effective way to improve your sound. The amp/dac is a supporting cast ONLY. Collect them if you want (it's fun after all), but don't expect the same level of improvement that you got by getting your first headphone. In fact, today's integrated dac/amps are so good, that any benefit you hear from an upgraded dac/amp may actually be the placebo effect.

In short:

1. Get the Q701s
   
2. Use them
   
3. Figure out if you need a dac/amp. You probably don't.
   
4. But if you want to get a dac/amp anyway, get one that looks awesome. The Magni/Modi from Schiit are good choices.

Sorry for the long post but I hope it is helpful.

If your not opposed to an open back set of headphones then I'd suggest looking at the Philips SHP9500s along with a vmoda boompro microphone. I recently upgraded from those myself and I really loved them, I do have to admit that you lose a bit of audio quality using the vmoda boompro microphone compared to just using a straight audio cable to them. However I felt they were still far superior to conventional "gaming" headsets.

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I just upgraded from the shp9500s to the Philips fidelio x2s myself which you can find used sometimes for around $150. They are really bass but definitely better sounding than the shp9500s.

-

The SHP9500s tend to go on sale quite often for around $45-50 which is a great price for what you get I think.

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https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500S-drivers-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B01N3LM3J5/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511900182&sr=8-3&keywords=philips+shp9500

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https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=pd_bxgy_23_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CQDEX3BN148T7JZG5CV9

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My thoughts on my current 3 headsets

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Sennheiser GameOne Gaming Headsets: Smallest sound stage of the three. Midrange to me is clearer but when going back and forth between the shp9500s the Sennheisers sound "muddy" in a way. Also seem to have the least amount of bass. They aren't bad but I prefer a little more bass.

-

Philips shp9500s with vmoda boompro: Good sound stage with what seems like a very neutral sound. Bass is better than the Sennheisers.

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Philips Fidelio x2s: Largest sound stage of the three. VERY BASSY. Overall audio quality (without vmoda boompro since this DRASTICALLY cripples the x2s) is superior to the shp9500s and the GameOnes in my mind.

-

Again this is all subjective in my mind as I prefer open back headsets as the sound stage is better and I feel like my ears dont get as hot. Some people don't like it though (my wife for example) because everyone around you can hear it also.

-

If it was me I would look for the shp9500s on sale for $45-50 on either amazon or newegg (pops up on the /r/buildapcsales) every now and then. If I had to do it again knowing what I know now I would have gone with a modmic over the vmoda boompro just because of the audio degradation that happens with the vmoda boompro. This was way longer than I wanted but again I hope you find it helpful, if you have Amazon Prime I'd pick up the shp9500s and try them out, if you don't like them then return them.

My main headphones recently stopped working properly so I'm looking for a replacement. I would use them for gaming with a priority on immersion, and as I already have a modmic I don't need a headset. I do watch a lot of videos and sometimes films, so them being good for that would be nice as well, but it isn't strictly the priority.

Budget - I'd like to spend no more than £100 but if necessary I'm willing to go a little over.

Source - My computer, a DAC/AMP would be nice but that would likely be outside of my budget.

Requirements for Isolation - Only going to be used at home, I can use some other headphones when quietness is needed.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized

Preferred tonal balance - I think I'd want balanced?

Past headphones - Well my headphones that just broke were the Creative Aurvana Live! and I'm currently using Koss Porta Pros until I get a replacement. I can't really say what I like about them.

Preferred Music - Lately I've been listening to classical, and I would say it's my favourite, but I do also listen to Rock and occasionally Electronic.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Can't honestly say I know, I felt like something was lacking with my old headphones but I don't have the technical knowledge to pinpoint it.

Location - UK, mainly use Amazon Prime for purchases but if I can get it somewhere else for cheaper then I will.

Other - So I spent a fair bit of last night researching this and the headphones that got mentioned a lot were the SHP9500, the Audio Technica AD series, HD558/598 and sometimes the DT770/990.

The annoying thing is, while the SHP9500 are fantastic value over in the US, like $50-70, they're equivalent to $155 here, at least on Amazon. Now, I could get the 990 for about the same price (£109 for 9500, £104 for DT990) but I would have to get a DAC/AMP to power them, which would put it way over my budget, and the SHP9500's have a detachable cable, which sounds fantastic right now. However, I don't want to be spending money on headphones that are worse than others I could get for the same price.

I've seen the 559's but I don't know what the difference between those and the 558's is, but if they're the same, then I could get them for £89.99 from Amazon.

I've heard mixed things about the AD series and the cheapest ones are still expensive for my budget at £119, again on Amazon.

Trying to decide between these is honestly difficult considering that most of the reviewers and resources are from the US and so they're basing the "bang-for-your-buck" value on the prices of the items over there, where they're a lot cheaper. I'm not saying I'd only pick from these, just that they're the headphones that are mentioned the most when trying to find good open-back headphones for gaming on a small budget. If any of you guys can suggest headphones that are just as good, if not better, but at a better price for my region then I'd happily consider them. Thanks.

>I could've swore the bass was as good as before when I got them a week ago. But now everything sounds distant and "weak"

I actually got that too sometimes and now I think I know what you mean. Sometimes after a lot of listening, the bass would get numbed and I couldn't really hear it. What I did was stop listening for about a week or so and I would put them back on and they sounded fine.

I too only used XB500s, for me it was about 6 years, got them when I was really young and they were still $50 (what a steal), but I have yet to find anything so bass heavy. So far I only have the ATH m50x (which I would describe as perfectly neutral and crystal clear with tight punchy bass), HD598 (which is now my favorite headphone and to me sounds warm and beautiful with a great soundstage and deep refined bass), and SHP9500 (sounds like the HD598 but bass doesn't go as deep and not as warm or clear to me, but probably the best headphones for the price, $60 is pretty unbelievable for how good they sound for the price.

As far as bass goes, I haven't tried anything relatively close to the boomy bass of the XB500, although Ive heard the Fidelio X2 is pretty close but will cost you $250. Next best I would guess from the reviews and discussion Ive read is the dt 770 which is close at $125 for the 32 Ohm, $180 and $190 for 80 and 250 ohm respectively but Im not sure. They're probably my next purchase, even though I already have 4 pairs. My advice is to run far away from here before your wallet suffers.

I'm looking to move up from my HD 428s.

My budget is set at about $200, but I've seen many recommendations fall well short of that.

My source will be either my S3 or iPod Touch, but the main use will come from my 2010 13" MacBook Pro.

I am looking for closed cans and I'm hoping for a reasonable amount of isolation. While most of my time spent will be at home on a desk studying, I will be venturing out to the library for hours at a time and I'd like music or audio from lecture videos to stay close to me and not interrupt others.

I would like them to be on-ear headphones, much like the 428s I'm moving up from.

My past headphones have been iPod/iPhone earbuds and now the Samsung ones with my phone. And then the HD 428s, of course.

I listen to hip hop, classic rock, and trance. Some of the hip hop I listen to is with a focus on lyrics and some hip hop I listen to is solely for the beats. I love bass, but I also prefer the bass to not be exaggerated and stay true to original. I'm not sure if that contradicts myself, but I want deep bass, but as natural as possible. I feel the same goes for my preference on trance.

As for the classic rock, I just like it loud and clear. I have no preference on bass.

I have been suggested a few pairs by friends and some reading around here.

The cult-favorite ATH-M50s. I was hoping these would drop to $100 or less after the M50x came out, but looks like balking on that MassDrop deal was a mistake. Prices are still $140-160, and I am hesitant to spend that much when many people have suggested that there cans were cheaper before they became big. I think they said anything over $100 was overpaying for them.

The other pairs I've looked at were the two Sony MDRs. The V6 came highly suggested but sites like Wirecutter suggested the 7506. The difference between these two, for me, seems to just be the price. I am not sure what rHeadphones verdict on these two is, other than both are good.

The ones that I am most enamored with are the aesthetically-pleasing AKG 550/1. I think they look fantastic but the reviews on these are also 4+*. Right at $200, it would be pushing it, but I wanted to know if the value was still there at $200. MSRP seems to be $320+ elsewhere, other than Amazon.

I've done most of my research on the above sets of headphones. I have been recommended the VModas. Both the LPs and the M-100s. I have no aversion to them, but I just haven't done much research on them.

Which one will fit my needs the best? I should also mention that I do not wish to amp these, and I don't feel like my MacBook Pro will have trouble powering them.

I mentioned the music I listen to, but it would only be 3 hours of it, max, on a daily basis. Because of obvious reasons, movies and TV shows would be even longer. So I would like something that does well with TV/movies too.

Yeah, active noise cancelling headphones cost a bit more than other consumer grade headphones since it's a pretty big Back of the Box feature. The very best in isolation is going to be in the form of IEMs. I can understand not wanting to have things jammed in your ears all day at work, but if you find a pair with a good fit for you, they can block out everything, especially with a comfortable foam tip. Maybe check out the Mee 6 Pros and pick up some Comply foam tips if the silicone tips are uncomfortable for you. Really, a good tip can make a big difference on any IEM. I have a preference for foam, but those have to be replaced a bit more often.

If you'd rather a full sized pair, there are a few options, but since you don't care too much about sound, the important thing to look for is clamp force and the pad material. Clamp force is pretty obvious, you want tighter for more isolation. As for pad material, leather/pleather with soft foam or memory foam inside is gonna be the best for blocking out outside noises.

As for recommendations, I would probably look at the Audio Technica ATH-M40X, though the ATH-M50X do go on sale for $99 occasionally. I only mention that because I've read more opinions on the M50Xs because they're a bit more popular around here.

Now, as a disclaimer, my recommendations are largely just based on things that are spoken of positively around here, but since you don't care too much about sound, the important thing is fit and comfort which can potentially be found on an off-brand headphone for cheaper, but not knowing how your ears and head are shaped, that's something you'll have to figure out as you go. At least Amazon has a pretty forgiving return policy.

I hope that helps and feel free to ask anything else you might be wondering about.

I'm not really a headphone buff so I'm just gonna put everything that may be useful here because I'm not 100% sure what exact info you need. I know I won't find anything dead on to what I want so just fit it as best as you can.

I'm looking for a decent set of headphones to use primarily for listening to progressive metal like Dream Theater and Haken, as well as power metal such as Sabaton, HammerFall, and Blind Guardian. The gold standard of what I want a mix to sound like is Haken's album Affinity.

I also am a PC gamer, but gaming is less important in my headphones than listening to music. I also listen to audiobooks, and the only thing headphones affect there is being comfortable over a long period of time, ie 3-4 hours with occasional short breaks.

Budget <$100, though I don't care if I get a $90 pair of headphones or a $50 pair of headphones and a $40 amp, whatever is gonna sound best. Also, I don't need to spend $100, I'm good with $40 or $50 ones.

I prefer leather pads, synthetic is fine. I hate felt pads.

Full sized, over ear headphones that will fit over my large ears.

Leaning towards bass, but with bands like Blind Guardian and HammerFall and sometimes even Dream Theater too much bass causes the whole thing to sound bad. I'm a bassist myself and would like at least enough bass to be able to hear the low end in most situations. Neutral or bassy are both fine though.

Leakage is a non issue. Open is great but whatever is fine.

Will remain stationary at my desk. Will sometimes be plugged into things other than my PC, such as my phone while it is on the desk or a CD player.

I'd like it to be decently durable. I'm not looking to get into headphone collecting as a hobby but do want a solid pair that will hold up for a good while.

I'd also like them to fit snugly to the head so that if I need to headbang I don't have to worry about them falling off.

I'd like a detachable cable, but this is secondary.

I don't really want to mod them.

What I've been looking at are the Superlux HD668B and HD681 EVO. Brand doesn't matter but from what research I've done these two seem the best two options so far.

Thanks for the help!

• Budget: $250 max
  
• Source: Realtek ALC1150 on PC motherboard (says it can handle up to 600ohms)
  
• Requirements for isolation: Going to be used for gaming at home mostly, but if I'm buying a bangin' pair of headphones, I'd like to take them to work or on the road sometimes and some isolation would be nice
  
• Preferred type of headphone: Full sized preferably, possibly on-ear
  
• Preferred tonal balance: Overall balanced but I want to be able to hear footsteps and precise gun shot locations in game more than anything else
  
• Past headphones: Wal-mart headphones, Turtle Beach P11, Siberia V2's. Music sounded okay, they were comfortable, I could hear enemies and sounds well in FPS games
  
• Preferred music: I listen to just about everything music wise but I'm more interested in game sound quality
  
• Extra: I've been suggested the K550 and the Q701's from multiple people. I'm leaning partially towards the Q701's as I could use this in-line boom mic since the 701's have a detachable cord, as well many people are saying the soundstage is much larger and I'd be able to hear things much more precisely. Though they then would be lacking the isolation that I'd like to take them around with me. After researching and considering using a clip on zalman or modmic and sleeving the two wires, I want nothing to do with that, which seems to make the 701's even more of the logical choice. I guess I'm just hoping for someone elses opinion or to make sure I'm making the right decision.
  
  
  Also, if there is anything similar to the V-MODA BoomPro mic I listed, I'd be super interested in that as well.
  
  And lastly, just because my budget is $250 doesn't mean I need to spend that much. Pros use $100 headphones and they're the best in the world, I'm 100% looking for something that's nice and will help me in game, but getting the best bang for my buck. I've seen a few people mention the HyperX Cloud's as they're a rebranded headphone and say they're decent. How would those hold up against other options?

How much experience do you have with headphones? Usually if you're just going for music listening it's good to have a little color to the headphones, maybe a little more bass or treble depending on your preferences. Also what kind of music do you listen to? A lot of people prefer a more flat sound, though, so it entirely depends.

The M50x can be a good starter pair. It has kind of boosted highs and pretty significantly boosted bass, not a lot of sounstage but solid detail and clarity. They're also closed back and provide a lot of isolation.

There's also the a few good AKG headphones like the K240 and K92 but they're pretty flat and AKG is known for not having a ton of bass.

I don't know how massdrop handles customs or if they ship to europe but the HE 4XX is basically a steal at ~$140 USD if you're able to put a little more money in. It's also open back, though.

You may love the HM5, though. They're not a bad headphone at all they just don't align with my preferences so I usually use them for their flat response rather than their musical capability. If something doesn't have enough bass you can also EQ it if nothing else. If you don't have a lot of headphone experience it can be hard to recommend headphones since I don't know what you like. My best advice is take advantage of the refund policy with amazon or something. Try out a pair or two and just send them back if you don't think you like them, just make sure you give it at least a few days if not a week to see if they grow on you.

Edit: I know it's not technically under 100 euro but the DT 770 is 114 on amazon which might be your best bet. Just prepare for pretty amped up high frequencies haha.

Sounds a lot like how I use my closed VModa M100s. They're a bit bassy though and at $300 I really can't justify suggesting you stretch the budget. It's not really worth the $50 on top unless you get a lot of utility from the fact they collapse so small for easy transport, the super hardcase you get, detachable cables, etc. Sound alone you can do the same for less.

Such as the Beyerdynamic Custom One. They can be bassy if you want, less so than the VModas, but have adjustable ports to move towards the "open" side of headphone world. Which might be nice for later nights in the office when you're not so worried about sound leaking in. Also the Beyer DT770, which is the earlier forerunner to the Custom. They are both super comfortable for long periods (so is the VModa).

The Custom One has a detachable cable while the DT770 has a typical studio long-as-heck cable. Those are bits to keep in mind if you're going to, say, roll from the office to public transit to the home office. You don't want a 12' cord with you.

Speaking of 12' cords, the ATh-M50 will of course get mentioned. Also very comfortable. More bassy than it should be for a monitoring headphone but I've noticed that changes with dacs/amps. Taking the M50 right out of my Macbook there's a lot of difference between it and the VModa also running out of the macbook. put a Fiio E07K in the signal path and the differences get cut down a bunch. Not entirely sure why as I just noticed this over the week. But wanted to put that FYI out there.

If you stay with these choices, and/or other 32 ohm and less models, you don't need an AMP or a DAC/AMP, but they can make a solid amount of difference. But perhaps not in the sense of "I can't believe I used to listen straight from my headphone jack." These headphones will themselves make the biggest impact with regard to quality difference in the sound. The amp or amp/dac will do more of the Quality Control side.

To me, especially if I'm seated in an office for a long period doing computer work uninterrupted, getting quality full sound out will keep me from putting the volume up too high to compensate for any SQ shortcomings derived from the computer, power requirements which change the power going to the headphone out, etc. Plus, I can EQ some bass away if the closed office headphones necessitated by the isolation requirement remain too boomy for the music de jour.

Things like the Fiio E07K or E17 are great and cheap, so is the Schiit Magni/Modi stack or the o2/odac. While the E07K is probably the only bit that would fit with headphone at a combo price in your budget, they are all interesting $100 bits to add to the setup later to up the sound quality (from the sound card). Not a ton of difference between them all so I would just go on price/feature basis. Or just collect them all. I have a Fiio stuck in my bag for mobile and a schiit magni now at the office, which is easy to connect to the Fiio as a DAC. Probably will grab the modi at some point because stringing cables to the Fiio isn't always "office friendly" in appearance for days where it shouldn't look like I was soldering at my desk, but I am really happy with the setup and work flow it creates. YMMV but hope that paints a complete picture which perhaps can help you judge other recommendations relative to your planned usage.

Hey guys, before I start I just want to thank you for taking the time.

Budget: $200 (whatever cheaper than this for same quality does the trick

Source: Desktop, laptop, phone, ipod

Isolation: None required. Comfort is more important

Type: Anything but IEMs and buds. I have cheap ones.

Tonal Balance: I honestly don't know what I want here as I'm new to this concept. But some booms and bass without losing mid and highs would be nice

Past Experience: Skullcandy {Skullcrushers, Hesh, Lowriders, Smoking Buds, Jackets, cheap buds} Bose { 1 closed over ear active noise isolation} Steelseries {Siberia V3 and some neckband model I can't remember} and I borrowed some gaming headsets.


Music: I listen to everything but I'm going to be mostly focused on EDM, DnB, Trance, Indie/Altern, R&B, Jazz and Hip Hop. So something like the bass on this
I'm going to be listening to stuff like this:

Roosevelt

Arctic Monkeys

Cruz

Miike Snow

Diplo

Subformat

Improvements: The comfort of the Siberia V3 but hopefully with a less mediocre sound and something better than my Skullcandy experiences. Though I must say my cheap $20 dollar Skullcandy IEMs sound better than the V3.

Location: Northern Virginia, US.

I've read the guides (that are 4 month old) and I came with these options:

Sennheiser HD 558

Audio-Technica ATH-M50

Sennheiser HD 598
I'm more inclined to this because of looks

AKG Q 701

Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro Headphones (250 Ohm)

Grado Prestige Series SR225e

If anybody has any recommendations on which one I should pick out of this or even recommend something else that'd be nice, since the guides are 4 month old and lots of things come out in 4 months. I also noticed nobody mentioned Shure.
In a future I'd love to learn more about DACs and buy stuff to build my setup.

I took a second look at the Head-fi purchasing guide (I find it confusing) and also bought a pair of headphones suggested to me here, the 598s. However, I hate the way they sound and want to return them, and I was wondering if anyone could make a suggestion for a replacement. I'd love to go somewhere to hear any set of headphones for myself, but no such place exists within an hour's drive for me.

Budget Originally I wrote $100 as a flexible limit, but ideally $150, flexible, but no more than $200. If it's necessary that I need an amp to make them sound good, I'd rather not buy them. I don't have the extra money to get an amp.

Source Case-integrated input/output hub.

Requirements for Isolation None.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No

Preferred Type of Headphone Preferably full-sized. On-ear makes my ears hurt.

Preferred tonal balance Unfortunately I'm not entirely sure what specific things the terms used here reference, despite the the reading I've done, but bassy and tinny sounds give me a headache.

Past headphones - I wasn't very specific the first time but here's a comprehensive list now that I'm on PC and can look for everything:

[Current problem] Sennheiser HD 598 - I didn't order from Amazon, and also yes they're authentic. They're shipped from Sennheiser but I didn't order from Sennheiser. I don't like how muffled everything sounds. I messed around with EQ and while I can make voices sound clearer, any more silky sort of sounds sound tinny.* I noticed that cymbals tended to sound clear, but guitar and synth sounded like it was played through a towel.

Skullcandy UPROCK S5URDZ-074 - Everything sounded tinny or muffled. Everything.

AxentWear - Felt like listening to music through a pillow or in a box. Everything sounded distant and heavy. Also they're heavy headphones and made my neck hurt like all hell. I still own them. I still don't like them.

Various pairs of Gummys, more Gummys, and Skullcandy Ink'd. They all sounded fine, aside from bass sounding nearly non-existent. They were clear and I liked that at least. But I want to upgrade in hopes of doing my hearing some justice and lessen the chance that I'll give myself extreme tinnitus.

Preferred Music - I listen to most genres, but there's a specific sound that I enjoy.* Specific examples, some with time-stamps:

The synth roll sounds at within the first 10 seconds

The synth alternating note sound. Sort of like ABCBCBC. Sorry, I don't study music so I don't know what they are

The synth in the beginning

All of this song. Everything sounds muffled

The beginning sounds here

The guitar at any point in this song

Sorry I can't use proper terms for anything.

It's nice that I can finally hear the bass in many songs, but I hate that I have to trade in clarity. Also, the bass can be a bit thumpy and excessive. I want to hear it, but I don't want my brain to be rattled in the process.

The sounds I like the most tend to be very synthy. I actually love the sound of violin for example. My absolute favorite sound is the first two seconds of this song. Currently listening on the 598s. Sounds muffled.

*The silky sound that violin has or that sharp, sort of bouncy sound that synth has. I also love electric guitar, especially that within Djent. I'm a sucker for that sort of complex/conflicting sound.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - If detail is all those synthy and violin sounds I like, then more detail?


^^^I ^^^hope ^^^I ^^^don't ^^^sound ^^^demanding. ^^^I'm ^^^just ^^^really ^^^specific ^^^about ^^^what ^^^I ^^^like ^^^in ^^^sound, ^^^but ^^^unfortunately ^^^that ^^^don't ^^^do ^^^too ^^^good ^^^with ^^^my ^^^lack ^^^of ^^^knowledge..

Hi, I'm looking for comfortable wireless headphones and the purchase assistant only suggests one pair of headphones that fit my needs, and I can't find those anywhere in my country. Maybe some of you can help me with suggestions.

• Purpose: I want comfortable headphones that I can use for gaming and for listening to music/podcasts for hours on end. I value comfort over anything else.
  
• Budget: I'd like to stay within ~60€ (Germany) if at all possible, but I can go up to 100€ if I don't have any cheaper, half-decent alternatives. If literally nothing broadly fits my criteria then non-bluetooth headsets for up to ~60 would be fine as well.
  
• Source: PC and phone (both capable of bluetooth and have a regular headphone jack)
  
• Requirements for Isolation: None. I'll mostly listen at home, and when in public I don't mind ambient noise.
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public?: Regularly, but only in short bursts (therefore not of importance to me).
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone: Anything but in-ear.
  
• Past headphones Creative Aurvana Live!, imo very crisp, clear and vibrant sound quality at a cheap price, but the usability was horrible. Comfortable at first, they start putting noticable pressure on the edges of my ears after 30 minutes. An hour into playing games/listening to music and I subconsciously start taking them off. Together with daily annoyances caused by its short cable, I just want decent-enough wireless headphones that are very comfortable to wear for longer periods now.
  
• Preferred tonal balance: I don't know. Something that gets the job done for games, music and podcasts, I suppose.
  
• Preferred Music: Bass-heavy house music, mostly, but also some rap and metal.
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up: DEFINITELY more comfort. Over the past ~2 years I realized that there's not much point to having really nice headphones if you never want to use them because they hurt after a short while. I barely even use my current headphones to listen to stuff, I just use my speakers when I'm at home.
  If there's literally no decent, comfortable headphones with wireless capability available in that price region then I'm willing to look at regular headphones too, just tell me if you thik that that's the case.
  
• Location: Germany. This site is really great to scan the German market: https://skinflint.co.uk/. Please be aware that this page shows you offers from UK by default. Please change that to Germany to check the German shops!
  

From experience, the AD700 is a pretty safe choice, and they're good for the price range in general. Some people may consider the lows/bass pretty weak (and I can see why), but it seems to make the lows play a much more background role. Overall, I'd call them pretty mid-centric.

I haven't heard the AKG K240, but I've been very curious about their sound overall. From what I can gather, they have more bass than the AD700, but some nice extras to consideer on the K240 are the velour AND pleather pads they come with and that their cable is detachable. Usually replacement pads are around $20 or even more, but to have velour pads as well? Using different material earpads actually makes the headphones sound different (not too drastically though).

So to be different, to satisfy curiosity, and for the nice little extras, I'd get the AKG K240. If you like a lot of bass, I'd stay away from the AD700, but if it doesn't matter that much, the AD700 is pretty safe.

Regarding mics, the Zalman mic linked below is sufficient in most cases at $9, but at times it can pick up background noise. One of my friends uses a very, very old Plantronics mono-speaker headset, and even though it's quite literally from either the 1990s or very early 2000s, it hardly picks up background noise (an attempt at mic spamming through an electric piano completely failed and was reduced to a whisper until he set it on the piano speakers) and is the clearest mic I've EVER heard by quite a bit (infinitely better than the Zalman mic). If you'd consider using it, perhaps you can modify it by twistie tying it to the headphone wire or even using Velcro to attach it to your headphone or your wire. To reduce weight, cut out the Plantronic mono headset's headband and/or sound parts and you'll do great. I have no idea what model it is however.

Zalman:

http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333784834&sr=8-1

Regarding the Plantronics headset, I tried my best searching for what it could be, but no actual luck. He said it looks much cheaper than the following link though. He found the mic just randomly in his garage. I can't guarantee that this mic is as good as the random garage Plantronics mic though, but it might be a safer risk.

http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-Cordless-Phone-Headset-M210C/dp/B000ANJVKW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1333785004&sr=8-11

Trying again, since yesterday no one could help me :)

I kind of feel like spending some money on me which I didn't do in a a while and I feel I listen to so much music, it'd be worth to upgrade here :) (also feel like I have the most potential here).

My current setup is the following, and basically I'm looking for the best upgrade for my buck:

• On-board sound on my pc
  
• EDIFIER C2X 2.1
  
• Sometimes I plug in the headphones, especially during the later time of the day: Creative Aurvana Live
  
  Budget - Optimally I'd like to spend around 100 EUR, my hard limit would be 150 EUR. No idea if there's an upgrade within that budget that's worth it.
  
  Source - My setup is described above. The question is, would I profit more from a DAC/AMP, new headphones? Or nothing for that money?
  
  Requirements for Isolation - as described above, primarily at home, sometimes someone watches YouTube on a phone/tablet, but generally isolation is a secondary factor
  
  Preferred Type of Headphone - Well, since I'm looking for something for the PC, I'd like some full-size.
  
  Preferred tonal balance - Balanced, since I listen to all kinds of stuff on my PC (see further down)
  
  Past headphones - Currently on the PC I use the 2.1 linked above and if I use headphones it's the Aurvana Live. I like about them price and that I feel that I get a good value for what I've paid. The headphones are also light so it's not tiring to wear them.
  
  Preferred Music - I listen to all kinds of music, primarily electronic music, but not necessarily bass heavy. Throw in some classic music, some OSTs and some Hiphop here and there, and you know what I listen to. Other than that I play video games, but nothing with a special requirement. I also watch series/movies on the PC with DTS. I'd say that means it should be rather all round than bass-heavy or something.
  
  What would you like to improve on from your set-up - This is the question. Basically I want to improve my setup without spending like 500 EUR, if there's anything I can do. There's the FiiO E10k that my search lead me to a couple of times that's like 83 EUR, so within my budget. My question is, would I even notice a difference with my cheap Aurvanas? Could I put the DAC/AMP before the 2.1 and would hear a difference? If yes, is it okay to put the headphones in the 2.1 amp and it would still make a difference? Although the FiiO 10k has an output for the speakers and one for the headphones. As you can see, I'm lost and maybe it's not even worth to upgrade anything. Somehow I think I should invest more than 50 EUR in headphones and 90 EUR in a 2.1, if I listen to so much stuff all day.
  
  Location - Germany, preferred place to buy obviously amazon.de or you can check price comparisons on geizhals.eu
  
  Thanks a lot for your help and enlightenment :)

Hey there, I posted yesterday too and need some more advice in deciding for a headphone+mic combo

Budget: $300, flexible

Source: My PC, so I guess standart audio output/USB

Requirements for Isolation: I'm currently using Sennheiser PC 360, which are completely open. I love this design because I don't like being cut-off from the world when I'm sitting at my desk

I will not use them in public, maybe a lan-party or two a year but thats it

Type of Headphone: I have very sensitive ears, so nothing that touches my ears.

Tonal balance: Balanced

Past headphones: Sennheiser PC 360. I've had those for over 5 years now and I love them. I can wear them for long gaming sessions and the microphone is usually pretty good. I use my headphones 90% of the time for gaming

Preferred Music: I listen to everything, EDM and classical music is what I hear most of the time

What am I looking for?: I'd love to hear where exactly enemies are, crystal clear sound and comfort even when wearing it for 5 hours+

I want a headset that I can have on my head for extended periods of time without any loss of comfort.

I looked into the Sennheiser HD 598 and into the Phillips Fidelio X2/27

Friend of mine also recommended me this one: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-701-Studio-Reference-Headphones/dp/B000EBBJ6Y


Same friend also recommended this Amp DAC
http://www.amazon.de/FiiO-E10k-Olympus-Kopfh%C3%B6rer-Verst%C3%A4rker/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463518630&sr=8-2&keywords=kopfh%C3%B6rerverst%C3%A4rker


Top Priority for me is comfort and sound quality.




Thanks in advance!

Hey guys! As a first-time buyer, I'd greatly appreciate any advice.

Budget + Source - $200 or so, more or less | iPhone 6s, PS4, Macbook Pro.

Requirements for Isolation - Not really any.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Comfort is king!

Past headphones - On-Ear Sol Republic Tracks HD are the only pair of recognizable headphones I've owned. I have no issues with the top part of the band, but my ears start hurting after about an hour or less, which makes them basically only good for the gym at this point.

Preferred Music + Tonal Balance - Pop, hip-hop, rock, and classical music are my favorites. I love bass, but love listening to classical as well.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up? - Anything that sounds better than my Sol Republics and is miles ahead in terms of comfort. Beyond using them for music, it would be great if they could be used when gaming on a PS4.

I've been considering the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xWH, the Sennheiser HD 598, the AKG Pro Audio K612PRO, the AKG Q 701 Quincy Jones Signature, the V-MODA Crossfade M-100, the Beyerdynamic DT line, and finally the Beyerdynamic 709093 Custom One Pro Plus which I was almost dead-set on buying, but figured I'd post here first. Thank you for taking the time to read this, any help (or suggestions) would be greatly appreciated!

Hey, r/headphones! I'm looking for a quality pair of headphones I can wear at home. I think I've narrowed it down to the Sennheiser 185s or the [Sennheiser 598s](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0126HISOO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_ETiExb1F3K62Z]. I can't seem to find any reviews for the 185s, let alone comparison reviews. I like the idea of wireless headphones with a dock that plugs into my entertainment system, so I don't want to write these off just yet. What do you guys think? Is there maybe a better option for me that I'm missing?

Budget - I'd prefer to stay around $200, but I'm flexible. I have a $100 credit on Amazon, so they definitely need to be sold on there.

Source - I have two different sound systems I alternate between. In my living room, I have a ps3 set up that I put YouTube playlists on. In my bedroom, I have a smart DVD player and my laptop that both plug into my soundbar. Both rooms have optical and mini jacks.

Requirements for Isolation - Mild. I have less-than-great hearing, so I like the clarity headphones offer, and my boyfriend likes to play his own music/Skyrim on his side of the apartment. Bleeding is fine, but we can't keep competing with our sound systems.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Nope.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Circumaural, no exceptions. I wear glasses so I already get headaches and supraaural headphones make it worse. My ear canals are small and I have piercings that make IEMs a nightmare.

Preferred tonal balance - Crisp, natural sound with a wide soundstage. I don't need a lot of bass enhancement.

Past headphones - Nothing of quality, I tell you hwat.

Preferred Music - Chillstep, zen, trance, acoustic, meditation music, binaural beats, etc. Pretty low-intensity stuff.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I want clear, detailed sound without ear fatigue. I have some different IEMs and I can't wear any of them for more than about 45 minutes.

I mostly sit in a variety of places to do homework, study or read, but I do like to cook a lot and would love something I could walk around in. The flexibility that comes with the Bluetooth headphones is really attractive to me, but unless I hear from someone who has them I just don't think I can commit.

• Budget: Around 60 CAD (flexible, but no more than 100).
  
• Source: The 3.5mm jack on my computer.
  
• Requirements for Isolation: Good passive sound isolation is important. I like to have my window open in my room and I live on a somewhat busy street; I don't like the idea of increasing the volume just to hear what someone in a video is saying. In my experience, active sound isolation is too big of a compromise on sound quality, especially at this price point (but feel free to prove me wrong).
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public?: No, desktop use only.
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone: Full-sized, circumaural (over-ear) for passive sound isolation.
  
• Preferred tonal balance: I actually don't really mind, but for my usage, a V shape would work well.
  
• Past headphones: I've had a pair of Shure SE-M390s for like eight years. I remember getting them for 45 bucks. The earcup on one side broke, so I fixed it by drilling a long screw into the plastic... and then the other earcup broke, so it was the end of these phones. Good times. They got uncomfortable after a while but otherwise they did their job perfectly. Since then I've been using these bad boys which my employer gave away at the end of an internship (they would've thrown them away for sanitary reasons). Sound "quality" is garbage and their on-ear design means they don't block out outside sounds at all. I'd like to keep them just for video calls (e.g. Skype) and replace them with something a little less crappy.
  
• Preferred Music: I know I really can't get picky with my budget, and honestly, I'll mostly be watching YouTube videos, so... I feel it would be kind of pointless to point to one song in particular. When I have more income, I'll get a $200-300 pair to actually enjoy uncompressed music with; only then will I worry about sound signatures and the like.
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up: See "Past headphones". I need a relatively cheap pair with good passive sound isolation, good comfort and great value overall in areas other than outright sound quality.
  
  I might end up getting something like these. Any thoughts on them, or something better to recommend?
  
  EDIT: I just noticed the section for budget headphones! These look like they would fit the bill... Would they suit my needs?
  EDIT 2: ...or these. Ugh, too many choices! Any recommendations?

All info below. Thanks in advance!

Budget: ~ $100. This is pretty flexible though. I'd be willing to spend around $150 if I though it was worth it.

Source: Laptop, iPad, iPhone

Requirements for isolation: I'd like a fair amount of isolation. I'm starting school in the fall so i'll be doing a lot of studying. I'm sure I'll be spending lots of time in a library where it isn't too loud to begin with, but I do like studying in cafes and other public areas as well.

Preferred Type of headphone: Full-sized.

Preferred tonal balance: I'm thinking i'd like something pretty balanced since I listen to a wide array of music genres.

Past headphones: I've never owned a "nice" pair of headphones. I've always had the $20 kind of headphones you get from walmart, best buy, etc.

Preferred music: Everything from electronic/house to old-school rap to country.

After doing some of my own research (thank you, Headphone Buying Guide!!) I've come across some headphones that I think i'd like (below). Any opinions on these would be great. I'd also love some other options if you guys think I might be missing out on something!

Cheaper end of the price range:

NVX Audio XPT100 (http://www.amazon.com/NVX-Over-Ear-Headphones-ComfortMax-Cushions/dp/B0093PVTPS)

KRK KNS6400 (http://www.amazon.com/KRK-KNS6400-Studio-Headphones/dp/B004ARSMXQ)

Higher end of price range:

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xWH (http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86)

KRK KNS8400 (http://www.amazon.com/KRK-KNS8400-Studio-Headphones/dp/B004ARUO2S)

Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U)


Lastly, I'm pretty big on comfort. I plan on wearing these headphone for hours on end.

Thanks!

> ... how do you get the best possible quality out of a set of PC headphones for gaming and streaming services like Netflix? Say you had a budget of $200. Do you spend it all on headphones? Is a sound card important here? Is a headphone amp? I'm interested in how each of these work with a PC specifically.

That's a good question. For under $200 for an entire setup you're likely not going to need a separate amp. Most headphones in this price range will be low impedance, so they won't need much power anyway. Depending on your PC you might have a decent onboard DAC on your motherboard. If you built your PC and the motherboard cost over $50 your sound should be quite good, so I wouldn't recommend eating into the budget of your headphones. However, if you feel like you get any background noise from your headphone ports or want something with slightly better sound, you could get a fairly cheap DAC/amp like this one. (Keep in mind this will take away from the budget of your headphones). If you do buy a DAC, make sure it has some kind of built in headphone amp or that it doesn't require extra amplification.

For $200 this is what I would recommend buying for movies/tv, music and gaming:

• Option 1: 200 bucks on a single pair of headphones; that's it. If you feel like your motherboard has decent sound, then put all of the money into what will make the biggest difference; the cans on your ears. Spend as much as you can on a good pair that fits your tastes in sound characteristics. For a closed headphone you have lots of choices, too many to list or recommend. For open cans the AKG Q701 is fantastic for detail and sound stage and is under $200 currently.
  
  
• Option 2: If you don't like the quality of sound coming from your motherboard (static, noise or low dynamic range) you could spend around $50-$100 on a fairly good DAC/amp and then spend $150-$100 on a quality pair of headphones. If you want closed cans, I would look at the ATH-M50 series or Sennheiser HD-380s which are on a fantastic sale. (I own the 380s, they are phenomenal for that price). If you want open headphones the Fidelio L1s are crazy cheap right now.
  
  Personally, I wouldn't buy an internal PCI sound card for a few reasons. For one, they are in close proximity to high voltage/amperage components which can introduce EMI and noise into the signal. Also many internal sound cards aren't as good for the money as an external DAC/amp and they often have really iffy driver support and need updates. External setups usually don't need to be touched and are pretty much universally compatible since it's just USB or optically connected. The biggest benefit of an external DAC/amp is the portability and ability to easily use it on another computer, laptop, phone or other device.

Full disclaimer, read through the sub but know very little about headphones.
I'm looking for a pair of over the year headphones with isolation and maybe noise cancelling. Currently in betweent TH-M50X and some refurbished Sennhiser Urbanite XL (Indeed, tons of refurb jobs here ).

• Budget - Around £80 but will stretch, no more than $120 or so - but would love if I could get something cheaper.
  
• Source - My android phone/macbook.
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Yes please. London commute, open plan office, bedroom by a noisy road. I need to be able to switch everything off. They sounded crap, but being able to switch the noise cancelling on/off on the Souls was pretty dope. Over the ear for sure.
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Yes yes yes
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-ear
  
• Preferred tonal balance - I'd love for it to sound rich and to be able to pick up different detail/tonality. I know it sounds odd but when I hear music on friend's who knows about this shit set-up everything sounds enhanced and creamy. I'm a bit sensitive to high-tones. I lived with musicians and often, after a few hours of listening to music/guitar it literally scratches my ears... I tested the MX50s instore and it sounded a little quiet to me? The MX40s couldnt even drown out the sound of store...
  
• Past headphones - I tried to look for the exact model but it's not available anymore, it was basically a mid-range, Skullcandy earbud set. Wasn't a huge fan to be honest - super fragile, broke really quick and their customer support was dreadful. Sounded nice enough but I'm looking forward to hearing what a half-way decent pair of headphones can do.
  
• Preferred Music - Shit, I do listen to a lot of different stuff. I guess mostly house, ambient and similar electronic, but then throw in some bossa nova, samba and rock in the middle.
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up - As much as I love music its just not a facet of my life I spend a lot of money on so sound wise, I want an upgrade from the bare bones, with isolation/noise-cancelling if possible so I can switch off my commute/coworkers and busy road by my bedroom. A solid noob pair that will keep me happy for a while and is sturdy and preferably somewhat portable.
  

First time I wandered into this subreddit was yesterday, so I'm just a fellow noob, so keep that in mind :D

I don't know about them all that much, I personally have forwarded all of my research into the DT990 Pro's, but I think the DT770 Pro's have a V-shaped sound signature just like the DT990 Pro's, meaning that bass and treble are "elevated". I believe the bass is really strong in the DT770 Pro's. Here's some good discussion about the matter.

For the 250 ohm version I do think you will need an amp, but I think you will be just fine without an amp with the 80 ohm.

Here's a video review of them, the cans in the video are the 250 ohm versions but I think the difference between the 80 ohm and the 250 ohm is just that the 250 ohm gives a more punchy and accurate sound, I dont think they are all that different in terms of sound signature.

If you do plan on getting an amp, you might as well get a DAC too. I'm planning on stepping into the audiophile world soonish too, and I'm planning on getting the DT990 Pro's and this amp/DAC combo. People seem to say that it's enough for the 250 ohm DT990 Pro's, so I think it will be just alright with the DT770 Pro's too.

Don't be afraid to use Google, it's your best friend at finding the best headphones for you! :)

Edit: I'm not personally all that interested in buying expensive things used, if I'm buying something expensive I might just as well buy it brand new, just to ensure it works as it's supposed to.

Look for the original ATH-M50 for around $80 USD refurbished, or a new M40x. The newer models are awesome but rise above your budget by a bit, with not too huge of a performance difference. The Sennheiser HD419's are a great deal right now, and are nice, sexy, and comfy, albeit with a fragile headband. 439's and 449's are also good budget options, especially on sale like they are now. Sony's MDR-7506 is a phenomenal industry-standard pair but might be a little more clinical than she'd like, as they have a mid-range boost for monitoring pro audio. MDR-V6 is a tad warmer and more musical, but just as detailed. Also good to note that the sony's are pretty much indestructible, and fold and bend nicely while the sennheisers can't bend much at all.

Hey guys. I'm a commuter student with a love for music. I need something to listen to my Spotify on my metro and bus rides. Seems to me like the only options for me are collapsible over-ear headphones or an IEM.

• Budget - $100-$200 (Eager to lean towards $175 if the bang for the buck is good)
  
  
• Source - Samsung Galaxy S4
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Public transportation is noisy, but I don't care enough to specify a fancy noise-cancelling can
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - I'd prefer an IEM that doesn't go around the ear (I wear glasses) but I'd be open to over-ear closed headphones too, if they aren't too bulky. Either works.
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - I like a punchy bass that doesn't interfere with the melodic mids and highs. I like the strong foundation the lows provide in my type of music.
  
  
• Past headphones - I like my current Astro A40's but the soundstage is too open for intensive listening and it lacks the full sound I like.
  
  
• Preferred Music - I range from Alt-Rock to hard EDM. Here's my spotify playlist for those of you that can open it. Get to the more recently added songs for a more relevant taste.
  
  Sunlight - Bag Raiders An example of the lighter EDM I enjoy, note the the strong beat.
  
  Tightrope - Walk The Moon Note again the need for a strong bass in the definitive beat and pulse of the song, however there's a risk of the bass overpowering the melody
  
  Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand Alt rock, or the primary victim of a bass that doesn't know it's place
  
  Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet More of my rock that needs a responsible bass.
  
  I've scoured the lists and come up with a few cans that may do the job, however I'm light on an IEM option.
  
  

1. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x It seems pretty popular, but harsh on transportation.
   
   
2. Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700MK2 I've heard about the bass on this and I like it. Again, there's the issue of transportation. They seem pretty bulky like the Beyer DT 660 I also have my eyes on.
   
   The pair of IEM I've seen that I kinda like are the VSonic GR07 However I have little information on them and other IEMs.
   
   Thanks a lot guys!

• Budget - ~$150 USD
  
  
• Source - Desktop, Laptop, Phone, MP3 Player - Also, I'll be using a V-Moda BoomPro Mic on the computers, so the headphones need to be compatible. (It seems like any 3.5mm detachable cable will do.)
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation- Open.
  
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone Around-Ear.
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - Warm bass to neutral. The treble spikes on the DT 990's scared me away though I've never actually tried them out in person.
  
  
• Past headphones - V-Moda Crossfade LP (had these for 5 years; still using them to this day, but I want to get some open cans to go along with them), AKG K240 (I ordered these on a whim, and had to return them because they weren't compatible with my mic. Nice sound signature though), Turtle Beach Earforce X12 headset (These sound and feel fine. The mic works well, but the build quality was terrible. The plastic extenders snapped on both sides within a year of use).
  
  
• Preferred Music - Hip Hop, Rock, Indie, Instrumental, Classical
  
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up -
  
  

1. Open headphones (since I already own a good pair of closed)
   
   
2. Felt/velvet/velour earpads for extended use
   
   
3. Compatible with a V-Moda BoomPro Mic
   
   
4. I really liked the AKG K240's style and feel when I was wearing them. They felt very lite weight, like they were almost floating over my head. And using only one cup at a time felt very natural and secure. The individual arms felt very flexible. I liked that a lot, but this isn't a make or break requirement as I've been using Crossfade LPs for years and still love them.
   
   From my own (limited) research, I've got my eye on Sennheiser's HD 598 and HD 558, but I would have to buy an aftermarket 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter. I don't mind the price of an adapter, but I don't want it to be cumbersome. And are the HD598's better by $40? They seem to nearly be the same exact headphone.

• Budget - $100 max, but looking for great bang-for-the-buck mostly
  
• Source - Galaxy S3, desktop, laptop. Mostly 320 kbps mp3's
  
• Isolation - would prefer a pretty good amount, I'd like to use these for travel and walking about, as well as at home
  
• Preferred Type - closed
  
• Tonal Balance - balanced with a bias toward bass, especially sub-bass
  
• Past Headphones - nothing special, JVC marshmallow in-ear for music, Turtlebeach X-12 for gaming. Whatever I end up getting will be the best headphones I've owned so far
  
• Preferred Music - electronic, mostly dubstep (deep UK type, tons of consistent low frequency sub-bass, ex: Breakage - Rain) and hip-hop, some house and trance, but also metal, rock, indie, anything really
  
  The three cans I've been looking at, but I'm open to more recommendations:
  
  
• The Monoprice 8323 seem to be a great value, and I love the idea of a detachable/replaceable chord for travel, but I've heard these cans are insanely uncomfortable. I know I can replace the pads with velour pads, but I'm not looking to spend half the price of the cans or more on new pads, and I've heard you lose some bass from these when you do that.
  
  
• The ATH-M30 look like a great value, but I've heard they're a bit dull and may be lacking in bass.
  
  
• The Sony MDRV6 look like the most promising, but the massive chord length seems bad for traveling. Any home solutions to keep most of it wrapped up? Also, how is the bass on these?
  
  Basically looking for affordable, balanced but with good bass, isolated, comfortable for hour+ listening, and decent for travel.

Never had good headphones before, looking for a pair to use next year in med school for quality music while studying. Pretty set on Sennheisers just cuz I have friends who've recommended them. I like the style of the ivory 598s but wanted some general input before I bite the bullet. My friend specifically recommended the 598s but didn't give a reason as to why that particular sennheiser model

Budget: $500 USD MAX but preferably <$450

Source: MacBook and PC

Isolation: I'll be studying in coffee shops and quiet libraries both so some is preferred but it doesn't have to be like TOTAL ISOLATION

Use in public: Yes, so some with a travel case would be nice

Preferred Type of Headphones: I've mostly been looking at Sennheisers cuz they're the brand I know the most about. I like "woodsy" styles like the Sennheiser 598 ivory the most but styles like this are cool too (I'm all about aesthetics). I'll need to be able to attach a separate mic for when I game tho

ALSO I'm a small female with a small head so something that won't fall off every time I move my head would be nice. And I wear glasses 24/7 so headphones that won't make my head hurt after 4-5 hours of straight studying would be nice too

Preferred tonal balance: No preference

Past headphones: A $25 pair of Sades Spirit Wolfs bc I needed something ASAP and didn't want to drop $$$$ without a fair amount of research

Preferred Music: Electronic, indie/folk, rap/hip-hop

What would you like to improve on from your set-up: Something that's not cheap and doesn't suck and also looks pretty (again, I like the color/style of the Sennheiser 598 in ivory and also styles with wood)

Location: USA

Hey guys been lurking for a few weeks here now off and on, hopefully you can toss me some advice.

Budget - I'd say 150-200$~

Source - PC. Gaming, and music listening. (Many times both at the same time)

Requirements for Isolation - The idea in my mind is that I'm going to end up using these in my dorm/room during college. So sound isolation would be good so I dont disturb my roommates.

Preferred Type of Headphone - I honestly haven't experienced many quality headphones, but as long as they are comfortable for long gaming sessions + sound isolation then I'd be satisfied. That being said over-ear headphones seem to be pretty comfortable.

Past headphones - A couple cheap gaming headphones, and then 3years ago I purchased some Razer Megalodon's which are extremely comfortable. So I'm looking for a comfort level that can be on par with them (I think they use similar ear pads to the DT 770s)

Preferred Music -I listen to anything with a good baseline, but this mostly includes Electronic Music and Rap/Hip-Hop.

Preferred tonal balance Hard to say. Probably balanced for gaming +music, but I have been known to be a basshead

Amp? - Well to be completely honest the requirement of an external amp is still pretty foreign to me, but I'm willing to learn! Seeing as these headphones will generally be staying by my PC I wouldn't mind picking up a Schiit combo or something if its necessary.

One last requirement - I don't know the state of other headphones but one of the greater attributes of my current headphones is the virtual 7.1 surround sound. I've found them incredibly useful for gaming and hearing enemies behind me, so I would like the same or some similar feature in my next headphones.

Something from the Beyerdynamic line, one of these perhaps?

Thanks for your time.

Budget - $100 range, flexible

Source - PC/3.5mm headphone in

Requirements for isolation - None, wouldn't mind a little, but it's by no means a requirement especially if it means i'd be missing out on something better.

Will you be using these headphones in public? - No

Preferred type of headphone - Full Sized Ear Cups - ear encapsulated

Preferred tonal balance - No preference.

Past Headphones - Old skull candy headsets, Turtle beaches, currently my favorite pair is (Philips SHP9500 HiFi Precision Stereo Over-ear Headphones (Black) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ENMK1DW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) Had these for 3 years and they still work just fine, but the lack of easy cup replacement has annoyed me for a long time.

Preferred Music - I love it all, but most of the time I bands from MCR / Greenday to Mumford and Sons / Imagine Dragons. I love most genres besides Heavy metal and some of the more obscure ones. Folk, rock, house and electric swing are some of my favorite genres though.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I want something durable, I'd love to be able to easily switch out the cable and ear cups. If it's above 100$ It'd have to be really tough and hard to break. I wear my headset all the time, I want it to be comfortable or at least made comfortable by replacing the cups or something simple like that. that's it, thanks in advance!

Fiio FH1
MSRP: $75
Amazon link


Shure SE215
MSRP: $99
Amazon link

I have had the SE215s for around 3 months now--first impressions here-- and got my FH1s around three days ago--first impressions here. I bought the FH1s to use at my workstation and for on-the-go listening and had bought the SE215s to just try out IEMs with a earhook design.

SE215 vs. FH1


In terms of comfort, I feel that the FH1 are way better than the SE215s, majorly because of the ear hooks on the cables. The hooks on the SE215s just jut out and do not go around the back of my ear as much as securely as I would like them to, whereas the ones on the FH1 fit perfectly.

The eartips of the FH1 seem to go all the way inside my ear, while those on the SE215s do not. This makes for a better seal with the FH1s, making the isolation much better for me. Do keep in mind that everyone’s ears are different, hence this might not be true for your ears.

Now that we have the comfort discussion out of the way, let’s talk about sound quality. This is where the SE215s justify their $24 premium over the FH1. The separation of the instruments was way better on the SE215s, I could clearly make out the different instruments in the track while using the SE215s, but with the FH1 they just seemed to be overlapping to some extent.

The sound seemed to be warmer on the SE215s compared to the FH1s. As for the bass, the FH1s are the clear winners there. The bass on the FH1s is clear and does not leave a rattle.

Disclaimer: I am using the cables and the ear tips that came with the products. Both headphones were tested using my MacBook Pro.

TL;DR: FH1s better than the SE215s in terms of comfort, while SE215s are the clear winners in the sound quality department and justify the $25 premium over the FH1s.

Hope this amateur review is of use.

Hi! I currently have 2 pairs of Sennheiser headphones, namely Sennheiser 598 and the Sennheiser HD 360 Pro. They both have pros and cons, but as I'll be moving soon and would like to sell them both to buy a single superior pair, as I can't justify having two pairs for much longer.

My biggest gripe with the 598's is how much they leak noise. I know they're open headphones, but people could hear my skype conversations across the hall in another room at school when the doors were open... audio quality was fantastic though.

The 360s had okay audio quality, focused more on the low ends, and nice noise cancellation.

I think I'll be able to sell the headphones for a total of about $200-$300, maybe a bit more.

• Budget: $250-$400
  
• Source: iPhone/iPod or desktop PC.
  
• Requirements for isolation complete isolation is necessary.
  
• Will you be using these headphones in public? Yes. At the gym, at work, on the bus. Would be best to avoid noise leakage.
  
• Preferred size of headphone I definitely prefer full-sized headphones. On-ear is alright too, but not looking for IEMs at all.
  
• Preferred tonal balance A good, well balanced pair of headphones would be nice.
  
• Preferred type of music I listen to a variety, from hip hop to indie and alt rock, and sometimes a bit of classical.
  
• What would you like to improve from your setup? Like I mentioned above, the 598s leak like crazy, while having solid audio quality (a little light on the low ends though), while the 360s aren't as great in quality and focus more on bass. Something moderately balanced with improved sound isolation and no noise leakage would be perfect.
  
• Location I live in Canada, but I'm moving to the USA soon, so I can purchase from either location.

Budget - ~300, Flexible

Source - Galaxy S6, Desktop PC, or Mpow Bluetooth v4.1 Receiver

Requirements for Isolation - More Isolation. I plan to use these in my office and in public

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-ear/ full sized

Preferred tonal balance - I prefer a more natural balance, maybe some emphasized bass and mids, but nothing crazy. Just some cans that are a pure joy to listen to.

Past headphones - Sennheiser earbuds (old, and not sure which model), Sony Gold Playstation headset

Preferred Music - A pretty wide range, mostly acoustic and alternative (Lewis Watson, Cody Fry, John Mayer). Classic rock (Queen) and more modern rock (Thirty Seconds to Mars, Pierce the Veil). Piano centered classical (Ludovico Einaudi). A bit of EDM/ Pop/ House music (DJ Snake, Kygo, Lauv). Some hip-hop/ rap (Run the Jewels)

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - For my next set I'm really looking for a pair of closed backs that are a joy to listen to for hours, with the best sound stage and positioning (I'd like to use these for gaming as well). I know that's difficult for closed backs obviously, but I have come up with some potential choices:

• SennHeiser HD 598 Cs
  
• Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80
  
• Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7
  
• Audio-Technica ATH-A990z
  
• NAD - VISO HP50
  
• B&O Play H6
  
• Oppo PM-3 - probably too pricey for me, but I can be patient if they're worth it.
  
• B&W P7 - Pricey as well
  
• Sony MDR1A
  
  I'm very unsure though, and I'd love to hear your comments and recommendations. Also, a detachable cable is preferred but not required (I wouldn't mind modding the 770s if that ends up being my choice).
  
  Thanks!

Hi all. I'm looking for a new pair of every day headphones to wear around the house, out on walks, and in transit. Comfort is a big factor. Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks :)

Budget - $200 CAD, flexible
Source - Typically my phone (Nexus 6P)
Requirements for Isolation - Some - Typically I use headphones at home, but I'd like them to be appropriate for long walks, flights and bus trips as well.
Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Yes
Preferred Type of Headphone - Full size or on ear, slight preference for full size.
Preferred tonal balance - Overall balance, slight warm or bassy leaning is second preference
Past headphones - Koss PortaPro
Preferred Music - Lots of various genres of electronic/bassy music - Most listened to being Pretty Lights, Griz, Gramatik, Odesza, Kaytranada. Also Lots of hip hop - NxWorries, Anderson .Paak, Kendrick Lamar being favourites. And a lot of spoken word stuff - stand-up comedy and podcasts mostly.
What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Better clarity than the Koss PortaPro, found that the sounds blended together a little more than I'd like.

Location - Canada

EDIT: These HD 598's seem to fit the bill for the most part, is this a good price for these? Link

Budget: ~$150, maybe $200 maximum.

Source: This is tricky. I recently broke the headphone jack on my phone, so I'm possibly looking into a budget-oriented DAC to use with my Nexus 6, or using an old Galaxy S3 as an mp3 player. Might also try to fix the N6.

Isolation: More would be preferred. I ride the bus a lot.

Type: Around-ear, closed headphones would be best.

Current: Nothing to speak of.

Balance: I definitely enjoy a good amount of bass, and I like a V-shaped response.

Preferred music: I listen to a good variety of music. I'm into a lot of house, but also enjoy some hard rock/punk stuff.

Basically I'm looking for a comfortable fitting headphone with good bass response. I'm not sure if springing for a DAC is worth it, especially as I'll be using these on the bus/on the go and I can't carry around a big DAC, but I'm very open to options (must work with Android).

So far I've looked into ATH-M50x's which seem to be a good fit for what I'm looking for. I tried on a pair recently and they didn't quite have the bass I'm looking for but I'm hoping to boost that a bit with an EQ or DAC.

As for a DAC, the Fiio K1 seems like a good idea but there's mixed responses on Android compatibility.

Thanks in advance!!

Budget - Around $150 give or take $10.

Source - Mainly my phone. Sometimes my computer.

Isolation - As much as possible. I plan on using these in public.

Wireless/Charging - Wired (preferably less than 5 feet) without the need to charge, please. (I do not want to have to charge my headphones.)

Type - Full size closed (over ear).

Appearance - I would prefer they be aesthetically pleasing because I do plan on wearing them in public. The colors black, Red, Grey, and Blue are preferable but any colors could be fine. Just avoid suggesting things that look like this.

Balance - Heavy Bass preferred but neutral is fine too.

Past Headphones -

• Beats Studios (They're Ok/10)
  
• Apple Earpods (Uncomfortable/10)
  
• Senheiser HD 202 IIs (Best I've ever owned/10)
  
• Sennheiser CX 300 IIs (Awesome/10)
  
  Perfered Music - I listen to a lot of genres, honestly. Mostly general Electronic/Dubstep/DnB but also things like Rock, Metal, Chiptune, Jazz, Rap, and Hip hop. (Most) Artists I listen to:
  
  
• Anamanaguchi
  
• Childish Gambino
  
• Daft Punk
  
• Feint
  
• Foxy Shazam
  
• Hopsin
  
• Icona Pop
  
• Jay Z
  
• Kanye West
  
• Kendrick Lamar
  
• Madeon
  
• Mediks
  
• Nas
  
• Netsky
  
• Nujabes
  
• Saberpulse
  
• Tyler, the creator
  
• Zedd
  
  tl;dr: I'm looking for portable headphones that sound as good as they look. They don't have to be an audiophile's wet dream or have Beats quality aesthetics though. I'm currently looking at ATH-M50X's and, before you say it, yes, I know they're not meant to be portable and yes I know they're over recommended. I'm willing to sacrifice portability since they look really nice imo and they have pretty good sound quality that slightly favors lows (which is perfect for me). Thoughts? Recommendations?
  
  

The $50 Klipsch IMAGE S4 are great for the price. I used mine for over 2 years before they broke. They won't be as durable as some IEMs but if you take care of them they're great.

These $55 VSONIC R02 IEMs are apparently pretty great, but I haven't tried them.

These $30 Monoprice over-ear headphones are supposedly great for their price. I've never listened to them though.

And there are always the $11-17 Monoprice earbuds. They sound awesome for how cheap they are, but they would benefit from better tips.

Those are just some of your options though!

Posted yesterday with minimal response.

---

Budget: US$200 is a hard limit for everything, including any recommended DACs or amps.

Sources: Laptop computers, mobile device, and headphone-out jack to my (not-so-high-quality) home audio system.

Requirements for Isolation: Though I'll primarily use headphones indoors, I may be listening to my iPod in public. I'd therefore want good isolation.

Preferred Type of Headphones: Closed over-ear > closed on-ear > alternatives. I am not interested in IEMs.

Preferred tonal balance: Unsure; probably neutral? See "Preferred Music" below if that helps.

Past headphones: Mostly cheap, sub-US$40 on-ear eadphones or earbuds/IEMs. Over 10-15 years ago, I think I had the predecessor to the Sony MDR-V6, which I liked, though I had no decent frame-of-reference to which to compare them at the time.

Preferred Music: I actually listen more to podcasts than music; ideally, I'd like something that is a good complement to something like Radiolab, which has detailed, interesting sound engineering. In terms of music, I listen to rock (especially alternative), electronic, and mashups. I'd prefer healthy bass, but nothing so bass-heavy it creates a lopsided profile. I also expect to use these to listen to TV and movies as well as on my computer, but I don't do any gaming.

Miscellaneous: I'd prefer something that does not require an amp or DAC, especially since I may be using this in public with mobile devices. I'd also prefer something sturdy enough to last many years, including travel. Being able to replace the earpads would be a definite bonus. What the headphones look like is secondary to me, provided they're neither comically large, nor scream, "Expensive! Steal me!"

What I'm Currently Considering:

1. Sony MDR-V6: US$80 at Amazon.
   
   
2. Sony MDR-7506: US$85 at Amazon.
   
   
3. Audio-Technica ATH-M50: US$127 at Amazon. (Left to my own devices, I'd likely get either these or the ATH-M50x below on the strength of reviews and recommendations for headphones in my price range.)
   
   
4. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: US$170 at Amazon.
   
   
5. Shure SRH840: US$200 at Amazon; very close to my budget's hard limit. (Considered primarily since it was suggested as an alternative to the ATH-M50/ATH-M50x.)
   
   
6. Whatever additions to this list you fine people may suggest.
   
   Addendum: Suggestions currently include:
   
   Beyerdynamic DT770, 80 ohms, via /u/TheJosablo; US$170 on eBay.
   
   Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro, via /u/DependantBlackWoman; US$172 at Amazon.
   
   Thanks for any counsel you can provide!

Budget - ~$70-120 but willing to go up if really necessary


Source - For home use on my PC, for gaming and all genres of music.

Requirements for Isolation - I share a room and do not live alone. So I suppose the more isolation the better. If less isolation helps with quality while not disturbing isolation too much though, I'd entertain the thought.

Preferred Type of Headphone - I honestly don't care as long as the quality for what I want is good.

Preferred tonal balance - I honestly can't say. Whatever's balanced?

Past headphones - Sennheiser 201s and 202s, both did the job for me just fine.

Preferred Music - I honestly listen to a lot of different genres, and play a lot of games on my PC.

I was looking for good quality suggestions for headphones that shouldn't bother the people that live with me, and found these:


Creative Aurvana Live! Headphones



Sony MDRV6 Studio Monitor Headphones



KRK KNS6400 Studio Headphones


Takstar Pro80 Headphones

Any opinions? I'm also open to other suggestion of course, I'd appreciate any help given. I game a lot and listen to all genres so I don't really have a specific niche for some particular headphone style. Not having to buy an AMP would also be cool, but I'm willing to hear suggestions for buying.

Sennhesier HD 25!


They are high efficiency so they will work wonderfully with both your S6 and laptop, additionally the build quality is very very rugged, I take my pair to the gym. The sound signature is a Dark slight V shape, the biggest selling point for these is the isolation. They are an On Ear headphone, but they isolate extremely well, better than my Full Sized headphones in this price point.


If your insistent on a full size for comfort,
Koss Pro DJ200!

Audio Technica ATH M50X

Are both excellent choices, as in the Audio Technica ATH A900X, the 900X seems to be out of stock on Amazon, but you may find it used either here or on Head Fi. In terms of sound signature, I've only heard the DJ pro 200 and the A900X, the Pro Dj200 is fairly neutral. I enjoyed it, pretty even tone nothing stood out to much, the A900X is more V shaped, so a touch above neutral bass, the mids are very clear and the highs sparkle, it's a really dry headphone, but those tend to sound nice with really "warm" sources like a lap top or a Galaxy

I'm looking for a comfortable set of headphones I can wear all day, that accurately and cleanly reproduce sound.

Budget - Theoretically unlimited, but I'm usually happy enough in the low-mid range.

Source - HiFiMAN EF2A

Requirements for Isolation - These will be used at work to drown out the noise of the mechanical keyboards my new coworkers use.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over the ear

Preferred tonal balance - Studio monitors, I want accurate sound reproduction.

Past headphones - For years I used a pair of Sennheiser PXC-350's for travel and occasional office use. I love the sound but they are too tight on my head to wear comfortably for hours.

In the last few weeks I've tried out 3 different pairs:

• Sennheiser Momentum - I think these sounded good, but despite being sold as "over the ear" on me they were definitely "on ear". I returned them.
  
• Sony MDRV6 - I love how these sound. They're crisp and clear and everything sounds wonderful on them. The only problem is that they aren't quite big enough to fit over my ears comfortably. After an hour I have to take them off for at least 20 minutes.
  
• Sony MDR1R - These sound muddy compared to the MDRV6's, but they're so much more comfortable.
  
  Preferred Music - Vocal/R&B, Rock, Classical and occasionally Jazz. The first things I listened to when I got the two Sony headphones were Amy Winehouse, a Dvorak concerto, Pink Floyd and Joe Satriani.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x! They are $149.99, but I was able to get mine during the holiday season last year for like $110 on Amazon, I believe. They aren't specifically made for gaming, but they work well for it imo. They have the removable cable like you were looking for. They come with 3 cables, so you can throw on the short cable if you are just going to keep them at your desk plugged into your keyboard (same as I do). They are also insanely comfortable, especially if you have a larger head or wear glasses. The ear pads are pretty big, which I really like. They are closed back. They don't have any active noise cancellation, but they are pretty decent just naturally due to the large ear pads. The only thing that might be a problem for you is that they will have a lot less bass than Astros, if Astros are like any other gaming headsets I ever used. I know some people like the bass for stuff like FPS's, but I haven't missed it myself.

I use them for gaming as well as music/movies. Granted, I mostly play mobas/mmorpgs, which aren't as demanding in the sound department, but when I have played stuff like Overwatch or CS, I was able to hear footsteps and what not more clearly than I have on any gaming headset I've had in the past. Plus, if you do watch any Netflix or listen to music on your PC, you will 100% notice a difference imo.

Also, I would stay away from the AD700x's since they do not have a detachable cord and are open backed, meaning they will basically have no isolation whatsoever.

Budget - 150-170$ hard limit

Source - Laptop, iPhone, DJ Mixer

Requirements for Isolation - Isolation is very important for me, because most of the time I will use them on the train or DJing

Preferred Type of Headphone Over-Ear preferred

Preferred tonal balance - Kind of a bass lover, but not exaggerated

Past headphones - Beats Studio (yeah, I know... I was young and silly)

Preferred Music - Electronic Music (especially Trap & Electro House), Hip Hop

Location - Italy (don't worry about it, Italian Amazon works great and the prices are very similar to the American store, the only con is that sometimes they have less products)


I'm Considering

[V-MODA Crossfade LP] (http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Over-Headphones-Gunmetal/dp/B003BYRGKY/ref=pd_cp_e_0) [129$]
The cheapest option, durable and DJ-friendly, but what about the sound quality? Can it stand a comparison with the other headphones?

[Audio-Technica ATH-M50x] (http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412457622&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+technica+ath-m50) [169$]
From what I heard, great sound quality, but is it possible to use them as DJ headphones without breaking them in 1 month?

[Sennheiser HD25-1 II] (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD25-1-II-Closed-Back-Headphones/dp/B000TDZOXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412457578&sr=1-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd+25-1+ii) [205$]
Possibly the best option, but out of my price range at the moment.. Do you think they are worth the extra price? If so, I can start to put my liver on auction on eBay :D

Thanks for all your kind suggestions, hope you all have a great day :)

Budget - $100-$150 (although my max is $200 if they're that good)

Source - iPhone 5s

Isolation - Sound can't leak because I'll be using them in school. They're going to be my go-to for being in public so this is pretty important.

Type - IEM

Past Headphones - NAD Viso HP50. Love these headphones but I need something I can use in public since they look a little silly. Sound wise the're great although I'd like it if they were a little warmer. I also have the apple ear buds but they're extremely uncomfortable and always pop out of my ears when walking. Also, they don't sound that great.

Preferred music - I'm really into hip hop right now (Kendrick, Kanye). I like alternative music as well and some rock when I'm feeling it.

Additional Info - After checking around on reddit and innerfidelity I've narrowed it down to the Shure SE215 and the RHA MA750. I like that the 215 has such good isolation and base (plus they look cool) but the 750's seem to have better sq overall. The build quality is important too since I can guarantee they'll be seeing some abuse. I'm really looking for a fun IEM so if there are any better ones in my price range please comment and let me know. Thanks for the help!

Budget: $175

Source: My Laptop

Requirements for Isolation: None, I think. I'll be using them at home only and if necessary I can just shut my door

Preferred type: Full-sized, circumaural

Preferred tonal balance: Unsure but I guess balanced? Hopefully my music preference/use will allow for some input here

Past Headphones: Beats are the only notable pair I've had. I enjoyed they way they sounded but that could just be because they were the first non generic pair that I've used. Biggest gripe would be buying batteries.

Preferred music: Electronic, Video Game soundtracks (usually orchestral), hip hop, and power metal

I'd like to use them primarily for music (most importantly) and also as a headset for gaming, although I won't need them for CoD style gameplay where footsteps are important. I was thinking about buying non-gaming headphones and just buying a mic but I'm open to anything.

Regarding standalone mics, I went through Mad Lust Envy's guide and was looking at the V-moda BoomPro and was wondering if it was worth the price? Also I've heard great things about the Zalman and was wondering if I should just get that to save money.

Thanks!

Edit: This is a repost since I'd like a few more responses. u/andysaurus_rex suggested HE-300 but I've also heard that they are just okay for electronic music. I'd like a pair that's made moreso for electronic music/bassy but if u/andysaurus_rex's suggestion still fits best and I've just been misinformed then I'll do that.

Also, if anyone has any input on the mics, that would be much appreciated.

Budget - 200$ is a huge stretch, but I can go there if it's worth it.

Source - Mostly PC, maybe iPhone/Lumia 1520.

Requirements for Isolation - I'm not crazy about noise cancellation.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-Ear. Also, I prefer a detachable cable. I will also be needing to add a mic to the setup (that's why I prefer a detachable cable -- I can add the VModa BoomPro instead of investing double the price in an AntLion ModMic).

Preferred tonal balance - I guess balanced is good?

Past headphones - Steelseries 7H, Logitech G930s (getting a refund on the G930s and looking at new headphones to buy).

Preferred Music - Mostly Hard Rock, some Metal, and Drum & Bass/Electronic. Examples: 1, 2, 3.

I have done some research about this and these are the options I liked:

• Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, 250 OHMs, I will have the option to try these out at my uncles studio this Tuesday. I heard nothing but good about these -- amazing and balanced sound, good soundstage/imaging, and that they feel like clouds. My only problem is the non-detachable 10ft cable.
  
  
• V-MODA Crossfade LP2, these have great reviews and a detachable cable but I'm not sold on the whole noise cancellation thing. They also come with a case thing and a mic cable which is great for me. They also look bad ass. Is there an option to get velvet/cloth ear pads?
  
  
• AKG Q 701, they got good reviews and a detachable cable but are more expensive. They also look like they are comfortable.

I think it could happen pretty easily.

Let's say that you decide that you want a decent pair of headphones and land on a budget of $200. Maybe you have some Amazon gift cards, so you decide to go on Amazon. You start looking at the reviews and come to find that the HD598s are reviewed very well. You read a ton of things that talk about how great they sound, and how well they perform.

You go look around at some other reviews around the internet and see that everyone has the same things to say about the headphones. You look at the specs and see things like "open back" and "over ear", but they're tucked in with things like sensitivity and resistance, which are terms you don't really understand. You think to yourself "well, headphones are headphones. I look at the picture and they look like headphones. I don't know the jargon, but all the reviews talk about how great they sound and I just want great sounding headphones".

If you look on the product page on amazon, you'll notice that there is no reference to sound leakage, either from the description, the top reviews, or the top FAQs. The closest thing you get is this blurb in the description:

> Open-back headphones allow ambient noise for a more natural sound experience

Unless you're familiar with headphone terminology, that doesn't sound like it's talking about sound leakage. It's a very vague claim to say the least.

When I searched for "Sennheiser HD 598 review" in Google, I went through the top results to see when I could find something explaining the potential for sound leakage due to the open design.

• Head-fi reviews. Without expanding any of the reviews, I didn't see anything that would have led me to understand the potential for sound leakage.
  
  
• Nothing in this CNET review
  
  
• The PC Mag review does make a mention! "Since the HD 598 is an open-back design, it does project some audio outward. Those around you will likely hear your music if you're listening at moderate-to-high volumes."
  
  
• The review from digital trends gives the best warning possible ("Of course, no set of headphones come without at least a couple of drawbacks. In the case of the HD 598, we found that the open-backed design allows for a lot of sound to bleed out."), but it's about 1,000 words into the text.
  
  One thing to note is that the mentions of sound leakage are all buried in reviews that all say the same thing. If you start the review and thought "well, I've read this all before", you might stop reading.
  
  For a lot of people, audiophilia and headphones are a hobby. For others, it's just something you want to spend money on once and just enjoy it. For those casual consumers who aren't willing to really dig around it would be easy to not know that open-backed headphones leak sound.

On the case of your wants for a wide soundstage, the AD900x is in fact a great choice, but has bass quality over quantity and are very focused and have extreme treble and upper mid clarity. They are in fact good for games like CS:GO, but if you want to play battlefield with them, you'll want something like X2s which stretch your budget a bit, but are compatible with the VModa BoomPro which is great for the price but doesn't work with everything.

Your PC360s are Sennheiser HD595s with an attached mic basically, and the 595s don't have the widest soundstage at the price of either the 595s or the PC360s.

You may need an amp/dac combo for your 900x, so you can get something like this, which will power it just fine, but if you're on a desktop with a good motherboard, you should be fine.

Also if you can buy the AD900x from USA amazon, they are like $176CAD which is extremely cheap.

Righto. How about the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (80 Ω)?

• Budget: $230 (€171) new, but we recommend you buy used. It's usually not hard to find lightly or even never-used headphones for a big discount. It's not as grody as you might imagine.
  
  
• Source: It comes in two varieties, 250 Ohm and 80 Ohm. They both require roughly the same amount of power, but 80 Ohm is your best bet because you didn't mention anything about a dedicated amp. How important is an amp and DAC to your listening experience? It's pretty important. The amp/DAC in your computer or phone is worth pennies on the dollar. That being said, I still recommend 80 Ohm because it will be easier for you to drive with no amp.
  
  
• Isolation: Reports say isolation is strong, as expected from a well-made closed circumaural like Beyerdynamic.
  
  
• Type: Circumaural, as requested. Beyerdynamic has big, fluffy velour earcups like Sennheiser, so the comfort should be quite sufficient.
  
  
• Tonal balance: These will not be neutral. Reviews say bass is heavy, mids are thin, and highs get sibilant. That being said, (this part is important), you do not have a dedicated amp and DAC in your path. The finer points like this are not the first thing you should worry about or notice. You are basically putting regular petrol in a sports car. While this won't hurt your cans, know that you will not be using them to their full potential, and that is okay. I just don't want you to be thrown off when I say you won't have a neutral signature, because that is both expensive and something you need to overlook until your budget allows for. If you haven't had proper audiophile headpones before (and you say you haven't), your first pair will blow you away. I promise.
  
  That's all I can tell you, because I don't own these headphones and I haven't listened to them. I'm a Sennheiser person. I do know that you can trust Beyer and that they won't steer you wrong. I'm sure you can look around, preferably on Head-Fi, and find first-hand reviews.

Creative Aurvana Live! as your cheapest option, currently $45 at Amazon. A great budget basshead set of cans: bass is very, very strong, but the rest of the ranges are pretty nice, although the mid-range is slightly recessed.

At the height of your budget is the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro. They're known for having a fantastic bass response, and are recommended a lot in this sub. Similar properties to the Aurvana Live: bass is just great, midrange is recessed a bit, highs are clear. They're also very comfortable.

Make sure to get the 32 Ohm or 80 Ohm version (that I linked), and not a version with a higher impedance: the more Ohms the impedance is, the tougher it'll be to drive. The 250 Ohm version would require an external amplifier.

This is where things get slightly complicated.

I feel that when it comes to having a reliable pair of headphones, not keeping in mind any other aspects of a headphone, you come to an interesting crossroad: durability vs. replacability.

For example:

• While the m50x are rather durable, you're screwed out of luck if the headband brakes. You'd then be looking towards headphone repair which not only takes money, but time.
  
  
• The customizable AIAIAI introduce a level of modularity uncommon in any other headphone. I wouldn't say these are as durable as the m50, but the parts on this headphone are REPLACEABLE and EASILY so. If a part brakes, just buy a new one at not that steep of a price point.
  
  Overall thoughts/TL;DR:
  M50s are built tougher and will last longer but only the cable is replaceable. However, they also fold for easy storage when not in use. The AIAIAI don't fold and aren't built as well, but the build quality is pretty good and all of the parts are easily replaceable. Look at both (links provided at end of post), make the decision.
  
  My Opinion:
  
  In terms of sound, I don't really like either of these headphones. I prefer the m50, but it's picking between two different rotten apples. Also, I'm jaded. Every YouTuber loves the m50 (SO: MKBHD). If I had to pick, I'd go with the M50, but I also take care of them sorta well. I will use them in the rain to listen to podcasts and they work fine. I will throw them in my bag casually and carelessly (usually folded) and they work fine. I've not owned the AIAIAI but a close friend has. They felt cheaper, but of still good quality. Probs better if you're concerned about braking shit often.
  
  Links:
  
  Best Price sold from Audio Technica: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500005034&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+m50
  
  Make your headphone at AIAIAI: https://aiaiai.dk/

Budget: ~$80 preferably, $110 maximum

Source: 3.5mm jack in a computer

Requirements for Isolation: None

I will not be using these headphones in public.

Preferred Type of Headphone: Full sized, preferably over-ear but anything will work. Long listening sessions need to be comfortable, and open eared headphones would be nice as well.

Preferred tonal balance: I'd prefer an overall balanced set of headphones. Most of the stuff I listen to has vocals so mid emphasis would be nice as well.

Past headphones: Logitech G430

Preferred Music: Usually Lana Del Rey and some other music

What would you like to improve on from your set-up: I'd like to have a headset that is somewhat sturdy. I understand that at this price range that this goal may not be possible, but it's one I'd like to keep in mind.

One of my friends recommended this and another recommended this, if that helps.

Been looking again for a Christmas treat. The gaming headphones thread in the OP just didn't seem to hit the spot on what I need.


Budget - $0-$50
Source - PC
Requirements for Isolation - No isolation required.
Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized or on-ear. As long as they are comfortable, I'm not picky.
Preferred tonal balance - These will be used for gaming, so I'm thinking midrange or balanced are probably the best candidates.
Past headphones - I've had wireless headphones in the past, and I do not want that again. I'd rather just plug them in than have to worry about charge. A microphone would be nice, but is not necessary. And in-line audio controls are awesome to have as well, but not necessary either considering I probably won't find that for this price.
Preferred Music - My preferred music regularly changes, but I'll just give you some examples of some favorites from each of my favorite genres.
Klangkarussel - Sonnentanz
Good Charlotte - Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous
Pegboard Nerds - Self Destruct
Hot Chip - Playboy

Please tell me if there's anything else you need to know.

Edit - Did a tiny bit of research. Do you guys recommended either of these as a good buy for my needs?

http://www.amazon.com/Superlux-HD-681-Professional-Monitoring-Headphones/dp/B00CAG1ZG0/ref=pd_rhf_cr_s_cp_11_H2D5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1QJ14ZRAKBJV44TGM2T1

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=psdc_172541_t3_B004444O46

Reviews say they are good and they seem like they would do me well, but I know very little about headphones and audio in general, and I'm somewhat stingy with big purchases. I just want extra verification.

Budget - Around $200.

Source - Either my phone (Android Samsung Galaxy S6) or a CRT TV port.

Requirements for Isolation - A lot. This is the most important aspect of my purchase. As much noise canceling as possible. I will be wearing this at SSBM tournaments; it will need to block things ranging from casual conversations nearby to crowds or people chanting (I understand full noise blockage is probably not feasible, but as much as possible).


Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Yes

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized closed over-ear. This is pretty much a requirement, in-ear is very uncomfortable to me.

Preferred tonal balance - This doesn't really matter, I guess I would rather have it be balanced overall but it's unimportant.

Past headphones - I currently have the Sony MDRV6 but it doesn't block enough sound around me. The fit is nice if that is relevant at all

Preferred Music - If I'll be listening to anything, it will be nature sounds or white noise.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I'm looking for more noise cancellation.

I basically want headphones with as strong of noise cancellation as possible. I'm thinking like industrial strength stuff if that exists for consumers within my price range. I would like to focus solely on the game I'm playing, and not on anything/anyone in the background :)

I am free to answer questions about this, as it might be an odd request.

Been doing research and want o jump into getting good phones to use at home. I like the idea of a large sound stage but also like teh idea of closed backs to really pump bass. I'll be listening to a lot of genres, but mostly Jazz, Blues, lots of Hip Hop and Rap, and some Classic Rock. I love listening to the Doors, Nina Simone, rapper Nas Wu-Tang Clan, Led Zeppelin's Dazed and Confused, Black Sabbath. LOVE house of the rising sun by the Animals to give an idea of the sounds I'll be hoping to listen to. I'm looking for the most versatile head phones that would give me good play back and sound the crispest over the widest range of genres.

After my research I'm deciding between the pricey but well regarded Sennheiser HD 598 and the more affordable but good bang for your buck Audio-Technica ATH-M30x. I'm just curious if I should shell out the extra $ for the 598 or settle for the AT M30x. The Senn have wider freq range and are open so better sound stage but are more $ the AT are closed and have a narrower freq but are less $ wondering if anyone has any points that might put me over the edge on one of them. Thanks.

Budget < $150 US

Source: surface pro 3, ipod

Isolation: Passive - Want to be able to sit with a study group and not be distracted by annoying people.

Public: yes

Preferred type: IEM

Balance: neutral/warm

Past headphones: Shure E2s from 2006.

Sennheiser HD 570

Preferred Music: Jazz and classical for studying. Also rock, folk, etc. Not much of a basshead at all but if there is bass in the song then I want to know it's there.

More info: Looking for a durable set of headphones that can survive being carried around in my backpack, so if it comes with a small case that is a plus. I've had the shure e2s since '06 and the right ear wire is finally splitting, and shocking me. They were pretty awesome headphones for the time and have held up wonderfully over the past 10 years.

I'm currently trying to decide between the Shure SE215 and the Ety HF5. I was sold on getting the shure until I saw they were bass heavy. Then I saw the HF5s which have good reviews but it looks like they have weird ear plugs which I don't know if they would fit.

I've looked through some of the links at the top and it's a bit overwhelming. Any suggestions to push me towards the se215 or the HF5, or a different set all together would be super helpful. Thanks!

• Budget: $200 flexible, preferably less but I don't want to stop myself from not getting as close as possible to what I want.
  
  
• Source: PC/Phone, maybe amp too in the future?
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation: I'm looking to use these pretty much everywhere: at home, in the office, airplanes, library, etc. isolation seems like it would be a must.
  
  
• Will you be using these headphones in public?: Definitely, library and office use.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone: Closed over the ear, comfort seems like it will be an important factor.
  
  
• Preferred Tonal Balance: I'm not an experienced audiophile if at all, overall balanced would be great.
  
  
• Past Headphones: Don't think I have ever owned anything that was worth over $30, mostly IEMs and a few cheap on/over ear closed.
  
  
• Preferred Music: Pretty much anything; trap, jazz, folk rock, pop, edm, psychedelic rock.
  
  
• Improve from current set-up?: I am not very experienced so anything that improves sound quality and comfort would be great.
  
  
• Misc: I have been really drawn to these, and I keep reading over the resources, but I still feel so clueless due to my lack of any actual experience.
  
  
• Location: US

"Preferred Tonal Balance" is simply how do you like your music, example: "I listen to Rap so I want as much bass as possible!". With your taste it would be safe to say you want a bit more bass.

Personally I wouldn't recommend buying something from Bose unless you really wanted good noise-cancellation (tip: you don't). They are a bit pricey for what you get.
At that price range you might want to check out headphones from Audio Technica, specifically the M50's or the M40X's. Now I like the M50's because they have nice slightly punchy bass but it doesn't overpower the rest of the song. Sounds pretty good with Glitch-Hop and other electronic music in general IMO. I've had them for 3 years now and is a solid common go-to with their sweet price tag.

The list goes on and on since around $100 is where you start getting good headphones but i'll throw in another two headphones for you to consider: Shure's SRH440. For more bass, check out the V-MODA Crossfade LP. They're quite stylish, come in lots of colors and have a more bassy sound. V-MODA has a few other headphone line-ups you might like if you like their headphones.

Hope that helps, give us updates!

First I will start this out with: I have never bought headphones worthy of the name "audiophile". But im very interested in learning about different headphones and such.

Budget - $200 flexible budget

Source - computer motherboard connections or amp if needed

Isolation - none

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - No

Preferred Type of Headphone - Around ear

Preferred tonal balance - balanced

Past headphones - Razer Kraken 7.1, I liked the leds ha nothing else.

Preferred Music - I listen to many types of rock. From Smashing Pumpkins to bands like Five Finger death Punch.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - More comfort, better sound, better everything.

• I will be using these headphones for hours nonstop each day so i would like them to be comfortable.
  
• I play games on steam for many hours, listen to music and I watch you tube a lot.
  
• I would like headphones that preferably have open back so I can hear myself talk in a game and also because I heard that a wide sound stage really helps in games that sound is vital (like csgo which I play a good amount).
  
• If I would need a amp to run the headphones that would be fine also.
  
  Currently what Im thinking of getting is the
  Sennheiser HD 598 SE with the FiiO E10K amp/dac and a modmic 5.0.
  
  Basically what Im asking is for the much more experienced in sound to suggest what you think I should get headphone and amp wise (if needed). Thank you all that respond.

I have four very long flights coming up (two 13 hours and two 9 hours), and I am interested in some comfortable active noise cancelling headphones. To be honest I've never tried noise cancelling on an airplane, but I hear it helps. I'm also willing to try anything to make those flights more comfortable, so I figure that's a way to go.

Over ear would be best I think. Budget is $100-200.

I've looked into Bo$e, but that seems like overkill. Audio Technica has these, but I'm not sure how comfortable they are. I've always read here than Sennis are great, and I'm interested in these, but they don't have noise cancelling.

Am I on the right track? Any help is appreciated.

Budget - $250

Source - Desktop PC as well as my iPhone.

Requirements for Isolation - 99% of the time, I use them at work, but as soon as my home desktop situation looks better I will start using them at home as well. It's not a cubicle layout at work. More of an open table, so I have somebody about 2-3 feet to my right.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public?

-No plans to use them in public areas aside from my work station.

Preferred Type of Headphone - On/Over Ear, no preference for open/closed back.

.Preferred tonal balance - Used exclusively for music, so slightly bass oriented, maybe neutral?

Past headphones - Currently using Sony MDR7506. Not that these are particularly bad, but I know I can do better. Super thankful because I was given these as a gift, and I wanted to actually do some research and don't mind spending some money on the pair I want that fits me best.

Preferred Music - Listen to a wide variety of music. Mostly Trap/Bass music and Classic Rock but love Folk, Alternative Rock, and go through occasional rap/hip-hop phases.

I'm an absolute noob when it comes to this stuff, so I'm hoping somebody can guide me. I'm going to give the purchase assistant tool a whirl, but like I said, I have no idea what I am/should be looking for. Appreciate any help!

What style are you interested in? IEM, over ear, or on ear? I'm going to guess over ear, and recommend you check out AKG k240, since they are generally pretty comfortable and sound good during games, since they have a pretty good soundstage. If you're willing to spend a little more, ATH M-50 is a very popular headphone, and has the bass you're interested in, as well as good performance in games.

For a mic, I use this Zalman mic, and it's pretty good. Wow, it was a lot less expensive when I bought it.

I think they're pretty great, but it depends on what you wanna use them for.

the M50x is a great portable closed-back headphone, so I found that they worked well to stuff into my backpack and use while studying in the library.

If you need something even MORE compact, then your money might be better spent on some good earbuds, like the Shure SE215.

Similarly, if you only want these headphones for gaming or some other at-home use, and don't care about portability, then you could buy a larger set of open-backed headphones. Something like the Philips 9500 or Sennheiser HD598 would be way more comfortable than the m50s, and give great sound, but with the main trade-off being that they're not portable.

I live in Canada, amazon preferred for purchasing. Alot of stuff on the US amazon is not available in Canada.

Budget - $200 CDN (about $150 USD), flexible.
Source - PC front audio port (onboard audio)
Requirements for Isolation - Office use. I'll take what I can get. Would be nice to turn it up without others hearing it.
Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Yes for at work, but appearance isn't an issue.
Preferred Type of Headphone - Full sized
Preferred tonal balance - Dubstep-type music mainly. Bass is good.
Past headphones -
1: Blackbox M10SE. They were decent but seriously flimsy and tin can sounding. Had a suction feeling on your ears and TOO quiet. Most 3.5mm connectors didn't fit. I didn't do much research in those days.

2: Razor Blackshark. Built like a tank. Sound could be better, but not bad. Never any ear cushions in stock, seems intentional. Headphones still working after 1 year but ear cushions are toast. Never had to readjust them.

3: Mostly $50 radioshack stuff, breaks after 3 - 4 months.

Preferred Music - Dubstep, psytrance..etc

Warning, loud.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA7iOmQ7Hj0&t=0m17s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygCaKB7Cbhc&t=0m33s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9sB6T29xkI&t=5m42s

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Mainly, something that's built well and won't break; something that isn't designed to fail. Pretty much anything would be a sound upgrade at this point. Comfort with prolonged use would be nice.

Note: I am really interested in these: beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0016MNAAI/ref=s9_simh_gw_g267_i1_r

However, they are fairly old. Technology might have improved since then. A huge price drop from the $280 makes me suspicious. Not sure if the quality went downhill recently or what? I'm open to suggestions.

Please help me out! I want to purchase Sennheiser HD598 Headphones. First of all I am in Canada and here is an amazon link I found:

https://www.amazon.ca/Sennheiser-HD-598-Headphones-Accents/dp/B0042A8CW2?th=1

Burl Wood accent for $180 where I save $200. I think that this is a great deal and all other website sell these headphones for much more. I'm just making sure, this is a real deal right? I'm still getting the exact same headphone that is being sold for $300 on their official website?

And now I have a weirder question.... what is so special about the special addition?

On the amazon page is says that the special edition is compatible on almost all devices, such as phones and the burl wood accent one doesn't say that. Does this mean that the burl wood one won't work on my phone (im mostly using it for gaming on my pc anyways but it would be nice to use when im travelling)???? Also, why is the special edition $20 MORE but the list price for it is only $200, while the list price for burl wood is $380?

I am just really confused now as this will be my first "real" headphones and want to make sure I am getting what I am paying for and not missing out on anything.

THANKS A LOT :)

EDIT: ALSO FOR SOME REASON ON THE CAD WEBSITE THE SPECIAL EDITION COSTS $20 MORE BUT ON THE USA AMAZON SITE IT IS $2 CHEAPER THAN THE WOOD ONE. But just making sure, what are the differences between them?

Well if you insist on open, the Sennheiser HD558 seem to be available for ~120€ right now, so I kinda have to point you at them. Great pair of headphones, can't go wrong with them.

The AD700X are out of your budget. They're good, but I can think of several alternatives for less money.

I would like to suggest the AKG K701... they're considered to be a higher class than the HD558, and I believe they have a fast detailed bass that would work great for DnB. But they're 120€ only if you get them used (for what it's worth, that's how I got mine, and you can get a pair where only the box has wear marks, not the headphones). And the second bigger issue is that the K701 need an amp to drive them well, and the Fiio K1 is about 50€, so you'd really put the "flexible" part of your budget to the test. OTOH a DAC/amp combo is never a bad thing to have.

Some other great choices in case you want to read some more and reconsider closed back: ATH A500x (not AD500x), or the V-Moda XS (used). These would offer more impactful bass at the expense of soundstage, their sound signature is a lot of fun (while not skimping on quality), are better quality/better tuned than the M50x, and don't need an amp. I think they're likely to offer a more entertaining experience for your first steps into serious headphones. Perhaps I'm speaking out of my ass here, but I always felt that open cans are something that people should get as their second "good" pair, after they've had a chance to experience decent headphones for a while and have a better idea of what they want.

TL;DR If in doubt, grab the HD558 and don't look back.

Hey Guys! I think I've narrowed down my choice in wired IEM to these two.
Sennheiser Mometum IEM vs Shure SE215. I'd love to hear your opinions! Information about what I'd like below. Also, if you know of a better option than these two that fits my needs I'd love to hear it! Thanks!

Budget - Below $200 (The two I'm deciding between are ~$130)

Source - iPhone X

Requirements for Isolation - Some, to a lot. Using in gym/university, decently loud areas.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Yep.

Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM (see above)

Preferred tonal balance - I wouldn't go as far to say I'm a basshead but I like my metal to hit hard and my hip hop beats to feel deep.

Past headphones - I had a pair of Senn IEM's for like. 8 years. Loved them. Cable broke. Don't know the model, but paid like $80 for em.

Preferred Music - Metal/Hiphop/Prog/Everything else. (sorry, this is no help)

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I just have to imagine that a bit more in spending + 8 years in technology changes means I have to be getting a better sound with these, no? That and I'd love it they last as long as my last pair.

Budget - My budget is about $290 dollars

Source - A Samsung Galaxy S5, an Asus ROG laptop, and an Xbox One controller

Requirements for Isolation - I don't need a ton of isolation, although obviously some would be nice.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Probably not, maybe rarely

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full sized

Preferred tonal balance - I like the sound to be overall balanced with not too strong treble and a bass that is pronounced but not muddy or overbearing

Past headphones - I currently have a pair of Bose QC15, which are nice for the noise cancelling, but aren't exactly the most incredible sounding headphones in the world. I also have a pair of cheapo JVC earbuds which sound suprisingly nice given they were only $7

Preferred Music - I listen to lots of different kinds of music, but if I had to narrow it down it would be classic rock/rock/metal/etc

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I want a pair of headphones that sound great (duh) and potentially be used with the mic I have. Right now I think I've narrowed it down between the V-MODA Crossfade M-100s along with the XL Memory Cushions
or the Blue Mo-fi headphones, which are on sale on this website for $270 dollars. The Crossfades seem like a better choice at the moment because I already own the mic, and I don't think the mic would work with the Blue headphones, but the built in headphone amplifier seems pretty nice too.

Oh I would definitely prefer an open set. I need them to be quiet-er, not completely silent.

And all of the advantages of an open pair seems to be pretty huge.

I do want to have these ordered very soon, so the AD700's are looking to be the best bet, even with such weak bass.

I think it's weird that when I jumped up to the price range of 150+, I found some great headphones but they all needed an amp of some kind, which would drive the price even higher.

Mad Lust Envy says for the Beyerdynamic DT 770's, 880's, 990's that they absolutely require an amp to sound great. And maybe I'd be willing to drum up just that little extra bit of cash to pick one of those up, but without an amp it seems to hurt it quite a bit.

Maybe for now I could use these, as they have better bass, and then pick up an amp later down the road? This may be the best overall option for the long term investment (Going from normal speakers to a good set of headphones was a gamechanger). Sounds like it has a very great bass, but not too overpowering.

Really, thanks for all the help. I know I ask a lot of questions, but I am very careful about how I spend my money so I want to be as detailed as possible.

I love my MadDogs by Mr. Speakers

They are a mod of the Fostex T50RP, here's a good review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCIRlC_TSrQ

Some say they require an amp, I bought a small FiiO E12 which is small and portable, but it's not required to get them up to a good listening volume. I listen to everything from Rap/Hip-hop to EDM to Classical on these guys, had them 2 years. Might upgrade to the Alpha's soon.

If you want more of a lifestyle headphone, I'd go with something like the Sennheiser Momentum or the VMODA M100

People also rave about the Beyerdynamic DT 770, someone else will have to weigh in on those, I've never heard them. I hear they are on the bassier side, but not overwhelming. Not sure what Ohm option will suit you best, so do some research on that if you're interested in those cans.

Finally, if you want to go cheaper, bought these for my buddy last year to use as office cans, I'm pretty sure he just never takes them off. Very neutral sound, light, but durable, I love them but my ears stick out and touch the drivers which gets irritating after a while. Part of the reason I went with mad dogs is there's plenty of room for my Dumbo sized satellite dishes.

Good luck.

To expand a little bit on what ImKrimzen is getting at...

This community is really, really hardcore about headphones. I say this in an affectionate but matter-of-fact way: we are a bunch of elitists who mostly look down our noses at products like the one you're asking about. Most gamers here prefer to use an awesome pair of headphones with a regular 3.5mm audio hookup, and then attach something like this mic to it. This tends to give you better value for your money than buying an overpriced gaming headset. Now, playing on console is a little more complicated...I've never even used a mic when console gaming, but if you can find a way to set that up via a bluetooth mic or something, then you can always just use the PS4 controller's headphone jack to plug in a regular pair of headphones and then go to town. (Or alternatively, your TV's aux out if it has one, or optical digital out through a DAC.) Here are a couple of relatively inexpensive headphones that have an absolutely stellar reputation around here for gaming. (And will also bring your movies and music to another level.)

Less expensive

More expensive

Most expensive (or actually not, because they're on sale)

Edit: Oh, just one important thing to note: this is /r/headphones 101, but since you're new, I'm just going to assume you may not realize that all those options I linked are open-back headphones, which means that they do not isolate sound well and they leak your sound out. In other words, other people around you can hear your stuff and you can probably hear noises in your environment, so if you need sound isolation, get a closed-back pair like this. But the advantage of open-back is that you generally get better-quality sound for your dollar, and the sound stage is always better, meaning the locations of sounds in your 3D headspace are very detailed and precise. This is really awesome for immersive gaming and movie-watching, so people love open-back headphones for those uses.

For the $200 range closed over-ear headphones: Beyerdynamic DT770s are practically a perfect fit. They've got great quality sound with healthy and accurate bass, accurate highs and good mids. They have a V-shaped frequency response curve, so the bass and highs are emphasized a bit more than mids, but they're still very excellent. As far as comfort goes, they're excellent - light and feel like pillows on the ears. IMO you'd have to spend over $300 to get headphones that sound much better, probably more.

They don't need much amplification if you go with the 80ohm version (it helps though). They're my favorite headphone in that range and my primary set (also have some open-backed Sennheiser 518s, the DT770s are substantially better). $170 here @ B&H Photo for 250 ohm version or $229 @ Amazon for 80 ohm version. I'd go with the 80 ohm version to avoid needing to buy an amp if you don't want to go that route (which would add $50-100 or so for a basic but decent quality amp).

Budget: sub 80$

Source: PC, sometimes smartphone.

Requirements for isolation: prefer open, since they are more comfortable, but open to compromises.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public: no.

Preferred type of headphone: full size preferred

Preferred type of balance: balanced, but i think at this price point I'll take what sounds best.

Past headphones: Reloop RH 10. Liked them very much in terms of sound, but they turned out to be very fragile.

Preferred Music: EDM

Location: Ukraine, but the purchase itself will be probably within the US. Might look at the EU, if the deal is right, not familiar with the market though.

Potential headphones: shp9500(s), OB-1 (really nice price on this one on Amazon 50 bux only), maybe ATH-M30x. Open to new suggestions.

Edit: also looking at AKG K 240 and LyxPro HAS-30, but design wise LynxPro looks like my former reloops, which turned out to be not very reliable. Certified refurbished ATH-M40x deal looks nice, but I've had no experience with this type products.

Thank you for your help in advance :)

Looking for an upgrade to my ATH-M50s with a better sound stage. They are great for work/travel with the noise isolation from being closed back, but I'm looking for something a bit better for home use. I'm also looking for something a bit comfortable to wear for long periods, as the ATH-M50, and my AKG headphones are both tight on my head and I can only wear them for an hour or so before needing a break.

 

• Budget - $200-$350
  
  
• Source - Fiio E17 Alpen, possibly buying Schiit Stack in future for my home setup.
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Using at home - Gaming, Music.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Over Ear, Open Back. Looking for comfort and quality
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - Heavy bass but with clear Highs and Mids.
  
  
• Past headphones - Audio Technica ATH-M50, AKG K81DJ, Corsair Vengeance 2100 (gaming only)
  
  
• Preferred Music - Electronic, Trance, Chillstep, EDM
  
  
• Usage - Mainly listening to HQ audio/FLAC, or while gaming.
  
   
  
  I've looked at the Sennheiser HD598, and I'm not sure how much better they would be. The Sennheiser HD600 are a bit out of my price range right now. I wonder if it's too late to get in on the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6XX deal? I'd definitely consider other models.
  
   
  
  
  I also rather like the Audio Technica wing designs. I will want to try them on to see if they are comfortable though. I've seen the "rubber band" trick to get them to stay firmly. The ATH-AD900X might be an option, but I'd appreciate other recommendations.

Shit is getting expensive here. I managed to buy my pair of m50x for 120 not that long ago on amazon.ca. But I doubt you will be able to find them for that price now.

I can list a few options for you based on popular products.

Closed headphones:

Sennheiser HD 280 PRO
They are 112 right now, so a good deal. The only thing with them is that they are super analytical, so they have a very flat response.


Audio Technica ATH-M40X
The little borther to the m50x. Still a good pair of cans. A little less bass but still have the same sound stage as the m50x. Going for 130.

Open Headphones:

Audio Technica ATH-AD500x
These are a no brainier if you want them for gaming. Open sound stage really makes for good location accuracy. Still great sound quality for other uses. They are super open, so they won't be good for walking around. 130.

In Ear:

RHA MA750
No one will argue with these. They sound amazing, come with all the tips you could want. Have a great sound stage for in ears. A little pricey at 150 but so worth it.

Shure SE215
I loved these. I used them until they fell apart, then I upgraded to the MA750. Warm mid forward sound. I would recommend getting some comply tips for them. They go for 125.

I've been slowly getting more and more interested in the world of "proper audio", after several cheapish headset solutions for gaming in the past.

Budget: Flexible to be honest, but I'd have to be really committed to my choice to spend more than about £120 ($154 USD).

Source: My desktop computer. I do not believe it has a fancy soundcard.

Requirements for Isolation: Low. I might want to take these for a long car ride from time to time but it'll mostly be used for gaming and music at my desk (osu, Overwatch, etc).

In public?: Unlikely.

Preferred Type: I haven't had many circumaural headphones, but I love them. Proper comfort is my preference!

Preferred Tonal Balance: I understand the underlying theory here, but I'm not really knowledgeable enough to say I have a preference. I believe that a wide sound-stage is important for gaming because of the positional audio.

Past Headphones: Some Sennheiser gaming headset I won in a competition - I don't really remember the sound other than "good!" but the bracket and hinge on the left earpiece eventually disintegrated. Currently I'm using a Jabra BIZ 2400 after several other office-style headsets broke.

Preferred Music: Again, I'm not really an expert on genres, but most of my music comes from anime and / or osu maps. Examples/favourites are Highscore, Scarlet Rose, Talent Shredder and Mythologia's End.

Improvements: This is my first foray into the world of actually caring about audio rather than some £10 office headset, so I'm improving from "not caring" to "proper audio".

The things I've been looking at so far are the Superlux HD668Bs, the Sennheiser HD 558s (which one commenter described as "wallhacks" quality) and possibly the Hyperx Cloud II (which has the advantage of coming with an okay microphone - possibly also considering the Stinger!)

Please help and educate this filthy casual!

Footnote edit: There's also the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.

Budget: $150-$200

Source: iPhone 5S, Laptop, PS4 controller jack

Requirements for Isolation: Isolation needed, as I will be using them in a shared apartment space for music/gaming, so I don't want to disturb or be disturbed. I'm not interested in active isolation.

Preferred Type of Headphone: Must be full sized, I've never had a pair of on-ear that didn't hurt after an hour.

Preferred tonal balance: Preferably Neutral, but bass skew wouldn't upset me too much as long as it isn't too bad.

Past headphones: Skullcandies, nothing more expensive than that.

Preferred Music: Electronic, Pop, Accoustic, Classical.

I've been looking for a while, and I think the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are a good choice. Is there a set that would meet my needs better for roughly the same amount or a little more? (Up to $200) I realize these don't have an inline mic, which would be a huge plus, so if there's a comparable set with mic, I would love to know about them. Thanks!

EDIT: Now also considering the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro and VERY strongly the Sony MDR-1RBT (bluetooth enabled AND wired) which would be excellent because I like listening to podcasts during the day.

Budget - $120 slightly flexible

Source - iPhone, PS4 controller, PC

Isolation - none

Public? yes

Preferred Type - Never used IEMs but from some googling it seems to be better than earbuds?

tonal balance - balanced because I'll be using it for gaming as well as music

Past headphones - HD 598. Loved everything except bass was slightly lacking and they are basically unusable in public.

Preferred Music - Don't think it matters since I'll be gaming with these earbuds too. I don't listen to bass heavy music but I do need an acceptable amount of bass for shooting and explosions while gaming.

improve on from your set-up - I have no other earbuds to compare iphone earbuds to so pretty much everything. Comfort is really important because I'd like to be able to fall asleep on my side with the earbuds on.


Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Thinking of getting the Shure SE215. Is there anything as good or better with a mic?

Yeah that's very overpriced. I paid about $100 USD for them shipped to Australia so I understand the pain since Americans can get them for $50 shipped.

The only other open back headphones I can think of are Sennheiser 598 which are super comfortable headphones with a trusted brand and probably the most popular headphone for gamers who've made the switch to audiophile headphones. They should be getting reduced in price to 99usd in the next couple of hours for black Friday sales for both Amazon US and UK. Keep your eye on the subreddit and the stickied black friday thread for details I guess.

For closed headphones-

Apparently Skullcandy SLYR are recommended and fit within your budget as well as being availble in Europe. No idea on the comfort.

http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-gaming-headphones

Status Audio CB-1 are also good, comfortable and compatible with a vmoda boom pro. Their branding and packaging is purposely very plain though.

Finally Sennheiser 598c are the closed version of the 598 and being heavily discounted by Amazon right now for Black Friday. Quite an amazing deal. Needs an adaptor if you want to use a boom pro

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Around-Ear/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1480072738&sr=1-5&keywords=Sennheiser+HD+598

Finally, some people really hate modmics because of having to deal with the extra cable. The boom pro is only compatible with 3.5mm jacks unless you buy a 2.5mm male to 3.5mm female adapter for it(should be pretty cheap).

Out of my recommendations if I had to chose now, I'd probably for the 598C as it's a once a year price for a trusted headphone brand that is comfortable.

Hi!

Not too long ago I purchased the ATH-MSR7 Headphones, which definitely was a big step up from my previous Steelseries gaming headset. I noticed, however, that there seems to be some interference, which is especially the case when the Air Conditioner is turned on. It's some kind of high pitch noise with some occasional cracking. I have the headphones plugged into a AT2020USB+ microphone. Directly plugged into the computer is worse.

Would a AMP+DAC help against this kind of interference? And while the ATH-MSR7 is pretty easy to run, would they benefit from an AMP+DAC?

I'm not super knowledgeable about audio yet, so I could use some advice. I'm currently living in Japan, and found 2 that might be interesting:

• Fiio E10K USB DAC and AMP (Amazon.jp / Amazon.com) for 8,980 yen (~80 US dollars)
  
• Amulech AL-9628D USB DAC and AMP (Amazon.jp / Amazon.com) for 14,500 yen (~130 US Dollars)
  
  The Fiio E10K is of course pretty popular already. The Amulech AL-9628D doesn't seem to be well-known outside of Japan (it's a Japan based company), but it seems to be a bit more powerful, and is getting really good reviews inside of Japan. You can either run it through USB or the provided 100-240V AC Adapter. But honestly, DSD.. ASIO 2.1.. I don't know much about it all.
  
  Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

• Budget - 100 gbp (sterling), it's definitley flexible. That's for just the headphones as well.
  
  
• Source - I was planning on an amp of some sort maybe this Bravo AUDIO V2 I've used it in the past but no other headphone amps so not sure if this is as good I believe. It does look funky though as well.
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation - I am open to open back headphones (that gives you a bigger soundstage right? that's what I'm after really) so it can let some background noise in or out but not so much that it's noticeable. Probably closed headset would be a safer bet I imagine.
  
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Very doubtful, but possible.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - I want headphones that wrap around my ear not rest on the ear, I find it more comfortable.
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - close to balanced but with more bass, not bass as in over the top but as in I can hear the difference with different bass notes.
  
  
• Past headphones - Previous headphones have been trash to be honest and only purchased because I needed something in a hurry and didn't know any better. Currently using some plantronics gamecom headset and mic combo, they're pretty good value for money when you have the drivers for artificial surround sound.
  
  
• Preferred Music - It tends to be some form of funk, disco, house or dance but not limited to them that's just what I listen to the majority of the time. Here's a playlist of mine you can see that the latest ten tracks differ slightly.
  
  Now the format has been followed I'll show you what I have so far for options, if they're all shit fair enough.
  
  

1. Audio-Technica
   
   
2. Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro
   
   
3. Beyerdynamic DT770 - although there are multiple ohm versions, I'm not sure would be right for me.
   
   Whichever of these that I'll get I'll probably get that amp I linked above, unless any of you nice folks have a better recommendation.

Budget - $125. Really don't want to spend more than $100 unless you can convince me.

Source - Dell laptop

Requirements for Isolation - All the isolation. I don't want to hear around me, and I don't want them to hear me.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Closed. See above. I want solitude and I don't want to bother others with my music.

Preferred tonal balance - Probably can't really tell the difference in mids and highs, but I love bass.

Past headphones - Grado SR80i. Sounded great, but they're open so they didn't block out noise and everyone could hear me even at low volume, which is not what I want. Also the pads pressing against my ears for awhile hurt pretty quickly.

Preferred Music - Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Ambient/Post Rock, Trip Hop

Misc - I tried my friend's Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and it was incredible. A little big, but I did like the coiled cable. The cable on my SR80 has gotten twisted a lot from storing it in various places. I will use these primarily for studying and occasionally watching TV or movies on my computer. I love the M50, but the price tag may be a bit too high. Should I go for the M40x or the M30x? How much "worse" is the M30x than the M50? Are there alternatives that are better for the price? Also I have Amazon Prime which is why I keep linked to Amazon haha. Saves 10-15 bucks.

> listening at a reasonably low volume Should be fine

So far it seems there's enough ambient noise in the office that I can listen at whatever volume I find comfortable. Definitely won't be blasting them, but that's fine!

> People who have replaced the pads with the HM5 velours seem to be quite pleased

I read a number of threads on the topic before I bought them. It definitely seems like the right way to go for me, since I'm going to be wearing these for so long every day. I'll post my thoughts once they arrive and I've had some time with them.

> Good luck on sorting out your library and acquiring a DAC; there are plenty of options to choose from.

Thanks! I've got a few recommendations from friends. I just wish I could try them out first, you know? Maybe I can find a local store that has some in stock.

> I always thought Astro A50s were more expensive than that

Forgot to mention I'm in Canada. Retail for Sennheiser HD 598 SE on Amazon is $279.99.

The new A50s are $349.99, but the first generation (the ones I own) retailed for $299.99

So really only $20 difference.

I also snagged the 598s for $160 lightly used from someone looking to upgrade to HD 800s.

> Also, on a side note: your old headphones bear a striking resemblance to the Turtle Beach X12 .

Holy fuck o_O that looks identical. Mine even had the mic boom originally until I removed it by force :P

I wonder if Turtle Beach licensed that design from iMego, or maybe the other way around?

I'm thinking, that to get a sense of what i'd want, i'd have to get the train up to Trafford center or something and hope they have a good selection of headphones to try out(It should since it's a huge shopping center). I doubt they'd have high end headphones on display for use, but i assume headphones by the same manufacturer would have similar qualities, and thus i could try a cheaper headphones by various companies and that'll give me an idea of what their higher end ones sound like.

Yeah, i just listened to the song on my speakers and it is much less annoying than i found it was through my headphones aha.

I'd happily spend money on a portable amp, is there any you'd recommend? Or does that not matter as much as the headphone itself? I found this amp which seems like a good choice according to most reviews.

I'm a pretty patient person tbh, but would you say it's worth waiting for them to become available again?

Nah, i think i understand it more now than i did before to be honest aha.

If you're looking into external solutions, you might want to grab a DAC and headphone amp. It'll be a fair price jump from $9.99, but the extra power from the amp will really help your DT-770's; you can probably get away without an amp with an 80 ohm set, but they are in the impedance range where an amp will really help them shine.

A small all-in-one DAC/Amp like the Schiit Fulla 2 ($99) or Fiio E10K ($75) would give you a nice boost and a good DAC and will work well in both desktop and portable (laptop) setups.

I use a Schiit Fulla 2 at work with a pair of Sennheiser HD598Cs (70 ohm impedance) and it sounds great!

Asking this for the second time. I do a lot of long session gaming (anywhere from 4-10 hours + breaks), comfort and build quality are top priorities. I don't play games like CSGO that rely on keen positional awareness. I don't listen to much music either. I use an ATR2100 as my own dedicated mic.

Budget ~$100, flexible

Source Onboard sound with my PC and laptop

Requirements for Isolation I always prefer closed headphones. If they're open, I'd like a minimal amount of sound leak. I don't ever blast the volume on my headphones (volume is around 30% when I check through Windows, though that's probably normal?).

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No

Preferred Type of Headphone Full-sized over ear

Preferred tonal balance Anything that isn't bass heavy.

Past headphones
1st: HyperX Cloud

• Really comfortable, semi-portable. Good sound.
  

• Sound started popping and crackling a lot after about a year and a half. Headphones started to deteriorate overall. Built-in mic was unnecessary, already have one.
  2nd: NVX XPT100
  

• Ridiculously comfortable, easy to hook up to my laptop if I wanted. Good sound.
  

• Build quality was less than ideal. I've owned this pair for around ~11 months. The pads are deteriorating, the headband has cracked on the right side and completely snapped on the left. I've super glued it back together, but it might snap again if I twist the headphones on accident. I doubt it's worth replacing the pads and headband if it'll just break within a year again.
  
  I want to say that I've been careful with them, but since they've deteriorated so much already, that's obviously not the case.
  
  Preferred Music Nothing in particular honestly, I don't listen to music regularly.
  
  What would you like to improve on from your set-up I need something that lasts much longer than these two headphones have. I absolutely loved them when they were working in top condition. I've tried on my dad's ATH-M40x's, and while they sound nice and feel really sturdy, it's really tight on my head and the pads feel rock hard.
  
  I was recommended the SHP9500, but I'd be more comfortable with different options.

Philips SHP9500 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENMK1DW

I own a pair of these and I love them. I think they will meet a lot of your requirements as well. They sound very neutral/balanced with a lot of clarity. I like to listen to a lot of live recordings and vinyl with these, my current favorite being Jimmy Hendrix Live at Berkley. Voices would be very clear using these for transcription purposes. And your music will sound fantastic with a lot of detail.

They are also extremely light weight and very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They have an expansive and open soundstage and I've heard others say they are great for gaming due to their detailed sound and also their comfort. They're open back which means they aren't super isolating so you wont have a problem hearing LANmates. A lot of people like to attach a V-Moda BoomPro mic. - http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK


.



But I think the best part is the price. Amazon has them for 80$ right now and I've seen them go for even cheaper on flash sales etc. (I got mine for 70 on a New Egg sale)

Seriously, these cans sound absolutely insane considering the price. The SHP9500 can stand its ground against headphones that cost three times as much are a steal for being under 100$. I hope you give these a look, you wont regret it.

Most people looking for a gaming headset are looking for the mic but you said you don't need it. (also the best thing is to buy a good pair and buy a mic)

As for "hearing footsteps and grenades", in relation to the post on M50's you linked, what you're looking for is soundstage. Soundstage is the ability of the headphones to create seemingly different location for the sound. IE. most cheap in ears will sound like the sound is directly inside your skull whereas good soundstage will separate instruments in a song so that they feel at different distances. M50's would have a quite "cramped" soundstage, given that they are closed etc.

Open headphones generally carry the best soundstage, though they leak their sound completely to those around you (and let outside noises in), something like HD558 I feel would work well for you if outside noises aren't a problem.

I'm looking to buy my first ever pair of headphones. I've used $10-$30 earbuds my entire life and figured it was about time to change that in whatever post-xmas sale I can find.

99% of their use will be indoors or stationary, and there is nothing professional about my needs.

I want comfort first and foremost. While I can wear contacts, I'd be happier with a pair that fit comfortably with glasses.

These Sennheisers are absolutely fucking gorgeous, and have made me realise a very shallow part of me wants a pair that look this good.

Budget - Flexible. If you recommend a $50 pair for a newbie like me with nothing to compare to, that's great. I'm happy to go up to $150ish though if the quality is THAT much better.

Source - 95% Basic laptop, 5% cellphone.

Requirements for Isolation - Enough to be able to watch a movie in bed without the wife complaining? I don't think I need anything particular.

Preferred Type of Headphone - I think I want a large over-ear pair with nice comfortable padding in order to accommodate glasses, but if you tell me on-ear is comfy too, that's fine with me.


Preferred tonal balance - I'm lost here. I want to enjoy a movie without worrying about adjusting sound, but I imagine that's more to do with my computer settings than headphones.

Past headphones - I have cheap Sennheiser IEMs I spent no more than $30-40 on. Never owned a pair of cans.

Preferred Music - I listen mostly to simple voice videos, with "epic" orchestral music coming next (think Inception/Jurassic Park/Star trek), classic rock, and piano music following. I don't listen to hiphop, metal, rap, anything I'd be blasting out my car window. While I do enjoy music, I'm not one you'd consider "into" music though. I'm not worried about epic music quality.

My priorities are

1. Comfort
   
2. Movie watching
   
3. Enjoying crisp stereo voice videos with that binaural "ear to ear" effect.
   
4. Looking cool as shit
   
5. Music

Budget - Prefer around $70 but can go upto $100

Source - Laptop (Dell 15RSE) or Mobile (iPhone SE)

Requirements for Isolation - Some isolation needed

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Yes

Preferred Type of Headphone - full-sized, or on-ear

Preferred tonal balance - overall balanced

Past headphones - Panasonic HJE120E (purchased and used multiple times over past few years) - Found them to be relatively neutral and giving more detail than "standard earphones that come with the mobile". But since they are IEMs, they are not comfortable for very long durations. Also, looking to step up to higher quality sound now :)

Preferred Music - Varies from Progressive House to Metal to Acoustic to sometimes just audio books. This is why I am looking for a good balanced pair of headphones.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - More detail. More comfort for extended duration (for example, listening to music while working throughout the day, and while commuting).

Additional info - I'd prefer ones with removable cable.

Currently considering - NVX XPT100 or ATH-M40x

I had posted the same info yesterday and /u/username1615 suggested the M40x, which is why they got added to the list today. I will be making my final decision within 24 hours now, and have been doing quite a bit of reading of reviews, but am still uncertain about which one of these two would be good.

Please let me know if it would really be worth paying the 25% extra for the M40x (since I am still a college student and every dollar saved counts).

I was in the same position as you a while ago. I ended up getting the Corsair Vengeance 2000's and they were good headphones for gaming but broke within the first month and I had to get a replacement. After a month of having those headphones they broke again on the exact same spot. I ended up getting a full refund (amazon is awesome) and getting the Audio-Technica ATH-M50's and getting a little clip on Zalman Mic that attaches perfectly to the headphone cord. This combo is awesome, it mixes great and balanced sound with a nice mic for gaming. If you want great sound quality but also need a mic for gaming, I would recommend this combo. Here are the links for both items.
I hope this helps.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375314096&sr=8-1&keywords=ath-m50

http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=pd_bxgy_pc_text_y

The price for the headphones seem to have gone up $30 for some reason, you might want to check out some other sites.

Hey there, I'm pretty new to this subreddit! I would love to purchase a new set of cans but I'm very indecisive at the moment. I seem to have answered my own questions by filling out this form but I still cannot decide on what to get. I'm looking to pair a set of headphones with a Dac and Amp of some sort. Recently I have been leaning towards the Beyerdynamic DT990 Premium 600Ohms (As they are on sale on Massdrop for $219.99 CAD), but I'm skeptical on how I'm going to drive those headphones with such a low budget. All help is appreciated thank you very much!


The headphones I've been researching on so far:
Sennheiser HD598

Beyerdynamic DT990 Premium 600Ohms

Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X


Budget: $300~$500 CAD

Source: Looking to buy an Amp/Dac combo

Requirements for isolation: None, just for personal use in my home

Will you be using these headphones in public: No

Preferred type of headphones: Open back

Preferred tonal balance: Balanced would be nice along with a decent bass.

Past headphones: I'm currently using a pair of Kingston HyperX Cloud gaming headset. Mic quality is subpar and and the sound is not too good for my liking.

Preferred music: Indie/Rock, Alternative, EDM, Hip-Hop. (I'm pretty much open to all genres of music but above is what I usually listen to).

What would you like to improve on from your set-up: Coming from a pair of Kingston HyperX Cloud's, I would like to improve on sound quality all together.

Location - UK

Budget - ~£60, flexible on price. Lower is also perfectly fine.

Source - Will be using them for Console gaming mostly but with a chunk of films and music also. So a bit of everything but mostly gaming.

Requirements for Isolation - Will be using them at home so no preference here, open or closed is fine.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over Ear / Circumaural. I have a large head and fairly large ears and will be wearing them for fairly long periods of time for gaming so large cans would also be preferable.

Preferred tonal balance - Not too sure, whatever is best for the things which I will be doing. Maybe a bit more on the Bass side.

Past headphones - I am new to the world of decent headphones so my past consists of the bog standard apple and in ear Samsung earphones etc.

Preferred Music - Fairly general taste in music, little bit of everything but probably favour R&b/Rap and dance/ electro a bit more.

Notes - I have spent the past week looking into getting a pair of headphones but I am still fairly lost as to what to get with such a huge variety. The AD700s and Senn 558s and other models above those are widely recommended but they seem to cost almost twice as much in the UK as they do in the US and so they are out of my price range which is disappointing.
Audio Technica M50s and Senn HD 518s can be had for around £80 but they are really pushing it price wise for me unless they are definitely worth it. Found some cheaper Senns like the 419s or the 429s but what is their quality like? Sony MDR-V6s are also another pair i have seen recommended.

Obviously for gaming I would pair these with a clip on mic of some description. something like the Zalman clip on or similar and a 2 to 1 splitter to plug into the DS4 controller. The dislike of gaming headsets is well known but never the less I have seen a couple recommended here and there and they are reasonably priced so it's not a total loss if they are useless: [The Logitech G430] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CJ5FPUE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LHKRQNKZ0EPX&coliid=I1XWGCGB108WMV) and the Plantronics GameCom 780.

PS4 will likely be my console of choice that I will be using these for if that makes any difference. I have seen lots of talk about surround sound in relation to gaming headphones but a lot of it seems to be for PC, will it function properly on consoles too? does anyone know if the sound would be impacted if I was to plug into the controller jack or the USB slot on the console?

Thanks in advance.

It's a little difficult finding a good low end headset. I've heard OK things about the Skullcandy SLYR but it's a little above your budget.

Consider that with any of the above recommendations from joesavu, you can add a Zalman mic for only ~$8. At this budget, adding this to a pair of headphones will likely get you better bang for your buck in terms of sound quality. For example, the zalman + the superlux 681 evos works out to be about $51 usd.

A quick glance at the Ceres-400 makes me a little hesitant to recommend going ahead with the 300.

If you want to go as cheap as possible, I'd go with the Koss KSC75 (if you're ok with clipons) and a zalman mic. They're supposed to be pretty comfortable and have pretty great quality for the price. Otherwise, joesavu's recommendations aren't bad.

• Budget - $150-$200
  
• Source - desktop PC/iPod
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Isolation is important. Home use with 3 family members in close proximity and frequent use in school library and public transit
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Fullsize
  
• Preferred tonal balance - somewhere in between neutral and bassheavy
  
• Past headphones - mostly shit headphones, apple buds, skullcandy Icon 2, turtle beach z11s and x12s
  
• Preferred Music - anything and everything. from electronic to pop to rap to jazz (i have all of these songs in my library)
  
  Right now I'm between the M50x and HD598 as they are within 10$.
  
  from what I've read the sennheiser is the superior set in terms of audio quality but I'm by no means an audiophile and want to know if the sound neutrality and comfort outshine the portable-ness and tougher build of the M50s.
  
  This was a very helpful thread and if anyone has any comments about it they're welcome.
  
  also if these two headphones are not the best and someone has a better recommendation in my price range I'm all ears.
  
  sorry one more thing I like about the m50x is that there is a bundle on amazon that includes an amp. whether it's a good amp i don't know as I've never used one before but free is free.

This is a question for gamers.

Budget: $100 - fixed

Source: PC primarly, this motherboard if that helps with suggesting any extra stuff, and an android phone.

Isolation: Enough that people about 15 feet away or so aren't bothered by it at moderate sound volume. The only public place I plan to use them are in my university's library.

Using in public?: University library only, not while walking around.

Type: Full sized and closed since I think that will help with isolation.

Tonal preference: I can't say, unfortunately, as I have no experience with more expensive headphones. I'm hoping my music preferences and other use case can help with that.

Past headphones: Nothing worth mentioning. I think pretty much anything would be a step up, but since this is my first expensive set of headphones, I'd like some guidance.

Preferred music: Rock music. I'm not too savvy with genres but from what I can tell, mostly progressive rock (Fair to Midland, Karnivool, Rishloo), and some heavy metal (Black Sabbath and similar commonly known bands).

Improvements from current set-up: I think ultimately anything remotely up there in price is better than what I've ever had.

My intended use is probably a 80-20 split between gaming (80%) (leaning more towards rpgs but I do play some FPS like battlefield 4 and overwatch) and music (20%) but I'd like to try to accommodate those equally in terms of sound quality if possible, sacrificing music quality if necessary. I'll be buying modmic so I'm hoping to get as much as I can out of $100 geared towards sound only.

I was looking towards the HyperX Cloud 2 at first, as they're one of the few recommended gaming headsets that are ok in the sound and voice department but I found the microphone a bit lacking from tests I'd watched/listened to so I decided to just buy a separate mic and buy some good headphones. At present I was looking at the Audio Technica ath-m40x but couldn't find a lot of info from those who use it for gaming. The detachable cable would make it convenient for me to take it around since I could bundle the modmic and one of the long cables and just detach the cable and use a shorter cable for on the go.

Thanks.

Can you still return the Bose Soundtrue? The honest truth is you can do a lot better for the money than any Bose product. They're overpriced in the same way Beats are overpriced.

If you need Active Noise Cancelling, then the Bose QC 25 is the best noise cancelling headphone on the market.

But if you just want a good sounding closed headphone, I'd recommend the Audio-Technica MSR7. You'll listen to these and think the QC 25 sounds like garbage in comparison.

The m50x is at a great price right now though

If you like bass, the v-moda m-100 is a good option as well.

Hey people! I'm new to the headphone game and I'm trying to upgrade. I've been looking at these four, but I'm still not sure if these are my best bets:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AIO8XVA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001ARCFA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A34VCPZVL7E6XQ

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BDX1IVW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A30DTQ2AMNXSE

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00001WRSJ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A13BNE3P7C8THK

Here are my specs below. Are any of these good bets, or is there a better one I'm not listing:


Budget - $80 USD or under, preferably around $50

Source - iTunes on iPhone, corded

Requirements for Isolation - I'd prefer a little but not super important

Will you be using these Headphones in Public?- Yes, at work mostly

Preferred Type of Headphone - On ear

Preferred tonal balance - Probably balanced, but I'm open to anything

Past headphones - Audio-Technica ATH-M30

Preferred Music - Very varied, I try a little of everything. Lately I've been into Elvis Costello's Get Happy!! and the Hamilton soundtrack.

Improvement- I would like to upgrade a little bit, but not a ton. Very budget conscious. I'd like these to last at least a year or two.

Budget - $75-300 (hard limit Is $300 – around $200 would be great but I’m flexible if I can find the right headphones)

Source – Dell laptop computer E7470 (work). At work I’m usually using the high quality stream/download from Spotify. I also use Soundcloud for DJ mixes, and Apple Music.

Requirements for Isolation – I prefer at least some. I work in an office where some people are fairly loud

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? – Yes, daily at work. It is possible I would take these on flights, but I wouldn’t be using in any other public area.

Preferred Type of Headphone – Full sized is preferable, but I would consider on-ear or even in-ear if all other criteria could be met.

Preferred tonal balance – I prefer balanced. I could deal with a little bit of bass enhancement as long as everything else is balanced and the bass isn’t overdone (which usually seems to be the case when bass is enhanced).

Past headphones – Right now I’m using cheap Skull Candy earbuds at work. I previously used Shure SE215-K at work. I recently lost these on a trip when I left them on a plane. I did like the Shure headphones. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PNZFZ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I used to use Sony MDR V700 headphones for club DJ’ing (house music).

Preferred Music:

• Electronic (house, downtempo, trip-hop, drum and bass): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEMiwEn-cwk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTFrCbQGyvM
  
• Hip-hop/Rap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUC2EQvdzmY , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkGwI7nGehA , and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK-EZwZviv8
  
• Alternative, Rock, County/Alt-country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fCknJQpLjw , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEr9gMYdkHI , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u57d4_b_YgI
  
  What would you like to improve on from your set-up – I prefer over the ear/full size headphones. I feel like in ear headphones often ‘hurt’ my ears after prolonged use (maybe it’s just the crappy ones I’m using?). I’m looking for a cleaner, more balanced sound. I know that won’t be hard to find considering I’m using Skull Candy earbuds. but here’s the kicker… I need something that won’t give me “headphone hair.” I work in a fairly professional office and often have meetings with executives. I prefer not to go into those meetings looking like I’ve been dj’ing for 6 straight hours. I’m not sure if there are models that the headband part can easily be turned towards the back of my head or can be extended and still stay on my ears.
  
  Thanks for any help that can be provided. I greatly appreciate it!
  
  edit: formatting
  

Well, I'll be honest in saying that I haven't heard of the Superlux until now, but from a quick glance and read of that it seems to be a semi-open pair of headphones, while the 598 SR is a fully open back pair of headphones. You'd have a larger soundstage and might enjoy it more, but at the same time you may not. With that larger soundstage, you might value it to be worth the difference in price or not, but the 598s are also commonly regarded to being incredibly comfortable for long periods of time and people also love that.

There is certainly a cost different between the two, but maybe instead of jumping to that right away you might want to look at the Philips SHP9500 HiFi Precision Stereo Over-ear Headphones (Black), but from Newegg instead. They often have these headphones that are also good open back headphones on sale for roughly $50 USD, and right now they are on sale for another hour (at least in the US).

Regardless of what you do, you could order them and try them out for a few days and if you don't like them you can return them for your money back. This deal may not come around again until Black Friday/Christmas time, so do take that in mind, but it won't go away.

I posted yesterday, but only got 1 response;

Budget: $50-$200 CAD (total for headset and mic)

Location: Ontario, Canada

Source: standard USB port (need more info?)

Isolation: For use at my home desk. Need some cancellation (I live with 3 others); just enough to not annoy them.

Public?: Not at all

Type: Over-ear

Tonal balance: I have very little knowledge about this, but I will be mainly using them for gaming and Skype. I think balanced?

Music: Classic rock, but mainly just games on my PC.

Past headphones: Logitech G430;

Pros: comfortable, mic (not needed), decent sound (not a huge audio expert though), straight wire.

Cons: white noise when silent (I like to wear them whenever I'm at my desk), pretty quiet overall (even at max.), controls on wire in the way.

Improvements: Though I have little knowledge on audio terms or concepts, I want next-to-no white noise (sound & mic).

Comfort is a must, since I often game for hours at a time. An attached mic is not necessary (apparently they often suck), but I'd like it to be on the headset (like a separate, attachable one). I'm also used to straight cables; coiled ones just seem too in-the-way (but I may be wrong).

Smooth surround sound (virtual?)

What I've found: (based of Amazon reviews alone) Too lazy to find Amazon.ca ones ATM, hopefully I can ship here.

Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO

Shure SRH840

Shure SRH440

Sennheiser HD 558

Audio-Technica ATH-M50S

Edit: prices