Good Quality Headphones

[hotlikedimes]

So I recently moved from a headset setup to a standalone microphone and headphones setup.  I'm currently just using some Sony headphones that I wear to school but I'm looking for something with better quality, but not like full noise cancelling headphones that make it so I can hear everything going on in my body...

[poog]

what's your price range? and what kind of things do you plan on using it for? (ie. movies, games, music, etc) and are you gonna be carrying it around a lot?

[davkol]

Headphone Buying Guide

[precarious]

i've owned closed-back sennheiser hd 280 pros for a while and always thought they were a great balance of price and performance.

[hotlikedimes]

My price range is around $100.  I'd like to get circumaural or supra-aural. Open vs Closed doesn't really matter, it's more about finding something that's in the middle. On the one hand I hate headphones like skull candy earbuds where when you say something it sounds like everything is reverberating in your head and you have no concept of how loud you're being, but on the other I live in Boston on the ground level so there's a lot of people walking by talking loudly and ambulances / firetrucks / police cruisers / the T right by my window, so some amount of noise cancellation is necessary.. I mean I can read reviews all day but it's a lot easier to get recommendations based on what people know work rather than me reading reviews for hours to find something that might work!

Also I'm not going to be taking them anywhere so they can be bulkier, and using them mostly for music and video games. 

i've owned closed-back sennheiser hd 280 pros for a while and always thought they were a great balance of price and performance.

Have you used these with a microphone? I like the look of them and I like Sennheisers and the price is pretty solid, but with it being closed I'm a little worried that if it's 'too closed' that I'll hear the vibrations in my brain when I talk.

[JPG]

I read that the Astro headphones are very nice, but they are a bit pricer for your budget.

IF I didn't get a bill from a policeman, I would have a pair right now...

[cytoSiN]

I'm currently drooling over these, but they're out of both of our price range.  http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AH-D600-ManiacTM-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B00858I4F2

[precarious]

Have you used these with a microphone? I like the look of them and I like Sennheisers and the price is pretty solid, but with it being closed I'm a little worried that if it's 'too closed' that I'll hear the vibrations in my brain when I talk.

I've used them with an AT2020 USB and not had any real issues, but now that you mention it I suppose I usually keep an ear free in those situations, or more commonly I just used speakers.  If I were playing a game like a first-person shooter or something you might otherwise use Ventrilo/Teamspeak with, though, I don't recall there being any real issues.  It's not a preference of mine to use isolating headphones like that with VOIP applications, but I wouldn't let it dissuade you from trying out some pretty good headphones.  I think the 280s were replaced by the 380s or something similar.

[PointyFox]

Sennheiser HD600 or HD650.  Whichever you can get cheaper.  If that is too expensive, then Grado SR80i.  If even that is too expensive, Koss PortaPro or ViSang R02.

I use a clip-on Zalman microphone.  It clips to the headphone cable.

[wetto]

Get a Samson Go Mic for Microphone. At US$ 27 that's just about as good as the Quickfire Rapid at 50 bucks.



As for headphones, at US$ 100 I just love the AKG K240... 




Nice soundstage without sacrificing bass, good price range, looks and actually is vintage, sounds nice and it's quite sturdy.

[davkol]

i've owned closed-back sennheiser hd 280 pros for a while and always thought they were a great balance of price and performance.

I actually don't consider sound of these models enjoyable, I find them rather suited for monitoring. Aren't they too tight as well?

[precarious]

i've owned closed-back sennheiser hd 280 pros for a while and always thought they were a great balance of price and performance.

I actually don't consider sound of these models enjoyable, I find them rather suited for monitoring. Aren't they too tight as well?

I have a huge head and haven't had any issues with the tightness.  Yes, they fit tight, but you can ease them out a bit and they are meant to be isolating headphones, but I'd rather have them that way than falling off of my head.

If you didn't like the sound, had you tried them with a sound card with an amplifier for headphones?  I think the newer models have a lower rating, but the ones I own are 64 ohms and sound a lot better with the boosted output.  Also, EQing properly for whatever you're listening to will make a huge difference.  I think the sound is great, but I agree there are headphones which sound better if you've listened on more expensive equipment.

[davkol]

Yep, but it should be noted that I strongly prefer sound signature of grados or beyers, which somehow cannot be fixed by proper amping.

[tp4tissue]

The problem with headphones is you don't get to "feel" the bass.... they make those vibrating chair attachments, but they're no substitute for REAL earth-moving bass.

[davkol]

The problem with headphones is you don't get to "feel" the bass.... they make those vibrating chair attachments, but they're no substitute for REAL earth-moving bass.

IDK about you, but that's why I go to concerts.

[precarious]

The problem with headphones is you don't get to "feel" the bass.... they make those vibrating chair attachments, but they're no substitute for REAL earth-moving bass.

Speakers are definitely better in this regard if you're in a position to turn up the volume, but higher end closed-back headphones are pretty good as far as bass reproduction goes, at least.

[hotlikedimes]

The other problem with headphones is when you're talking with people in VOIP it's kind of obnoxious to hear background noise other than your own sounds

[thegunner100]

I certainly "felt" the bass when I had the dt990/600, even with no EQ.

[MMB]

[metafour]

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I see so many guys at the gym with those beats on.

[mrboli]

One of these days... I'm going to get myself one of these:

[thegunner100]

I don't exactly think the HD25-II are the best for techno, but they're still very good portables. I feel that the amperiors are superior in every way, but they just cost so much more.

[wetto]

For Techno, I think these two would be far better than a Sennheiser...

[PointyFox]

For Techno, I think these two would be far better than a Sennheiser...

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Clearly techno requires bloated bass and lack of transparency.

[thegunner100]

At the current price of $104, I'd recommend the ath m50 for the OP. They're closed back and definitely worth the price atm. And the bass on the m50 isnt THAT bloated.

http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATHM50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355670361&sr=8-1&keywords=m50

[CPTBadAss]

I just went through this process myself. I never bought high end headphones before so I did a bit of research. And I bought them because I listen to a ton of music, while I'm playing StarCraft 2 and usually when I'm doing anything else.

I used this link as sort of a primer on headphones. Much like the mechanical keyboard thread where the OP drops lots of general knowledge, I found this to be the same thing.

Then I saw this list and started hunting down some of the headphones to listen to. I've heard the following:

• Audio Technica ATH-M50

[indent]My roommate had these and I got to listen to them. I really liked how they sounded and the pads are ultra comfortable. I don't exactly remember the sound quality since this was a few months back so forgive me. The pads were either real leather or a really good fake. The headphones are closed back. However, they're SO BIG. I really had an issue with the size and weight. I kinda felt like I was working at the airport tarmac and had those ear protectors on. Or the big ass ear muffs they had at WCS or any other event. The price was a bit steep for me when I was looking again recently.

• Bose QuietComfort 15

These headphones are closed back and have noise cancelling so it seems like you're in a vacuum. The sound is really warm and rich. The bass is really nice as well. The cups are comfortable but a little tight around the ears and they seem to pick up a lot of the oils in your skin. My issue with these is that for the price I'm paying, the construction seemed a bit flimsy and it was just not in my budget. Also, if you have these on, you're not listening to anything else. So if you're looking for something in the office or at home that's fine, but anywhere in public and you won't hear ANY outside noise.

You can listen to these at Best Buy or Micro Center. Or if you're lucky and have a Bose store at the mall, they'll have these as well.

• Sennheiser HD 280s

This was my second choice for headphones. Really clear, good amount of bass without being overkill; it was a clear and crisp sound. They are also closed back so the outside sound is muffled but the music sounds great. The cups are huge and very comfortable on your head. They are a bit big though, so a bit of extra weight might be an issue. And again, you can't really hear any outside noise. The price point on these was in my budget range of about $100.

You can listen to these at Best Buy as well.

• Grado SR-80i

I bought these after listening to 2 songs. They're amazing. They're nice and light. And despite what I've read online about the cups being too hard, I think they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. The sound? They're open back so it's almost like you're on stage with the artists when they play. The bass is just right and the music sounds very natural and breathes. So in other words, you can hear what's going on around you as well as the music. I was blown away by the sound to be honest. However, the HD 280s were a very close 2nd. These headphones were right in my budget zone.

I got these at a specialty store in Ohio. They had a pair that I could demo. If you want to try a pair, you can use this link to try and find a place near you that sells Grados. You can see if they demo as well.

Now I heard that Guitar Centers carry a lot of good headphones that are listed in the Lifehacker list but that they don't allow you try them on. I'm sure you can go and find out yourself but I got lucky and found all the pairs I wanted.

[PointyFox]

    Grado SR-80i


I bought these after listening to 2 songs. They're amazing. They're nice and light. And despite what I've read online about the cups being too hard, I think they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. The sound? They're open back so it's almost like you're on stage with the artists when they play. The bass is just right and the music sounds very natural and breathes. So in other words, you can hear what's going on around you as well as the music. I was blown away by the sound to be honest. However, the HD 280s were a very close 2nd. These headphones were right in my budget zone.

There are 2 types of ear cups on Grado.  The lower-end ones like the SR60 and SR80 use the soft ones.  The higher end ones use hard bowl-shaped cups which hurt like hell.
What I don't like about Grados is their complete lack of soundstage and how their ear pieces tend to swivel more than 360 degrees and twist the wires up.  Also, even the soft ear pads hurt my ears after a while since they sit on the ear instead of around the ear like some other headphones.

[davkol]

    Grado SR-80i


I bought these after listening to 2 songs. They're amazing. They're nice and light. And despite what I've read online about the cups being too hard, I think they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. The sound? They're open back so it's almost like you're on stage with the artists when they play. The bass is just right and the music sounds very natural and breathes. So in other words, you can hear what's going on around you as well as the music. I was blown away by the sound to be honest. However, the HD 280s were a very close 2nd. These headphones were right in my budget zone.

There are 2 types of ear cups on Grado.  The lower-end ones like the SR60 and SR80 use the soft ones.  The higher end ones use hard bowl-shaped cups which hurt like hell.

I actually strongly prefer L-cushion.

[hotlikedimes]

Tons of good info here, thanks all Looks like I'll be going to Best Buy to try some of these suggestions out, hopefully they've got a couple of these pairs in stock to try out.

[modulor]

I definitely want to spend some more time on this thread, but it's quite late here.  I did want to mention what I'm about to pull the trigger on, though:



I'm very excited to have my first pair of open headphones, and for them to be as nice as these are.  After countless hours of research, I find my preferences should be met by the HiFiMan HE-400.

[Atakp]

I definitely want to spend some more time on this thread, but it's quite late here.  I did want to mention what I'm about to pull the trigger on, though:

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I'm very excited to have my first pair of open headphones, and for them to be as nice as these are.  After countless hours of research, I find my preferences should be met by the HiFiMan HE-400. ;D

Those are really nice planars for the price. The mids, especially with female vocals, and the separation are what I remember the most about them. I'm pretty sure the bass extension is good too but it's been a while since I've listened to them. Sold them to a friend a few months back. Nice choice though. Are you going to be driving them with an amp/dac?

[sammsorensen]

Check out that headphone buying guide, it definitely has some great recommendations. However, I recommend you bump your price range up about $80 and consider some beyerdynamic dt990s or ATH AD900's..

[modulor]

I definitely want to spend some more time on this thread, but it's quite late here.  I did want to mention what I'm about to pull the trigger on, though:

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I'm very excited to have my first pair of open headphones, and for them to be as nice as these are.  After countless hours of research, I find my preferences should be met by the HiFiMan HE-400. ;D

Those are really nice planars for the price. The mids, especially with female vocals, and the separation are what I remember the most about them. I'm pretty sure the bass extension is good too but it's been a while since I've listened to them. Sold them to a friend a few months back. Nice choice though. Are you going to be driving them with an amp/dac?

Indeed, I'm deciding between the Objective2 and the Schiit Magni as the amp...something small, neutral and that has alot of power.  My DAC is the X-Fi Titanium HD, so I should be able to do an RCA connection with either, which would be ideal.  Other headphones on my wishlist were the DT880/DT990 (among others, but was deciding between those two before learning of the HE-400), which I may still check out down the road.  I currently have a pair of DT13550 and I like the Beyer house sound from those (not sure how the others compare, as most say they are a baby T1).  Unfortunately, I had originally gotten them for travel, and while they sound amazing, they become uncomfortable quite quickly as I wear glasses.  I've since moved into IEM territory for my portable setup, so I'll be selling the DT1350 to help fund my new desktop setup.

[Atakp]

Indeed, I'm deciding between the Objective2 and the Schiit Magni as the amp...something small, neutral and that has alot of power.  My DAC is the X-Fi Titanium HD, so I should be able to do an RCA connection with either, which would be ideal.  Other headphones on my wishlist were the DT880/DT990 (among others, but was deciding between those two before learning of the HE-400), which I may still check out down the road.  I currently have a pair of DT13550 and I like the Beyer house sound from those (not sure how the others compare, as most say they are a baby T1).  Unfortunately, I had originally gotten them for travel, and while they sound amazing, they become uncomfortable quite quickly as I wear glasses.  I've since moved into IEM territory for my portable setup, so I'll be selling the DT1350 to help fund my new desktop setup.

Oh boy an o2 vs. magni...now that's a tough decision right there. I don't own either so I can't really comment on them but it's my understanding that they are both pretty amazing for the price. I drove my HE-400s with a violectric v200 when I had them but they have been replaced with LCD-2s as my go to planar headphone.

I have a DT990-600 that shares the "used most often" headphone stand with the LCD-2s. I power them with a Woo Audio tube amp and they really are my normal go to heaphone for mostly everything. Very comfy also.

[modulor]

Indeed, I'm deciding between the Objective2 and the Schiit Magni as the amp...something small, neutral and that has alot of power.  My DAC is the X-Fi Titanium HD, so I should be able to do an RCA connection with either, which would be ideal.  Other headphones on my wishlist were the DT880/DT990 (among others, but was deciding between those two before learning of the HE-400), which I may still check out down the road.  I currently have a pair of DT13550 and I like the Beyer house sound from those (not sure how the others compare, as most say they are a baby T1).  Unfortunately, I had originally gotten them for travel, and while they sound amazing, they become uncomfortable quite quickly as I wear glasses.  I've since moved into IEM territory for my portable setup, so I'll be selling the DT1350 to help fund my new desktop setup.

Oh boy an o2 vs. magni...now that's a tough decision right there. I don't own either so I can't really comment on them but it's my understanding that they are both pretty amazing for the price. I drove my HE-400s with a violectric v200 when I had them but they have been replaced with LCD-2s as my go to planar headphone.

I have a DT990-600 that shares the "used most often" headphone stand with the LCD-2s. I power them with a Woo Audio tube amp and they really are my normal go to heaphone for mostly everything. Very comfy also.

Indeed...I think either will be satisfactory (and likely to exceed expectations) for my first desk amp.  Both look very nice, though the Magni will look a bit neater with the connectors in the back.  As someone who's tried both the HE-400 and the DT990-600, can you comment on them in comparison?  The reason I'm leaning more towards the HE-400 is they seem to be more mid-centric than the DT990, while remaining a little more colored and with more bass emphasis than the DT880.  I've never heard a Planar can before, so that is also intriguing.

[cgg123321]

If you are looking for a dirt cheap bang for buck headphone, check out the Koss KSC75. They go for $16 new shipped on ebay and are awesome. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD558's and TF10's and I still use my KSC75 from time to time. I love mine so much that when I wrecked the cable, I spent $10 recabling it


Here are mine after the recable (No, the original cable is not like this).

[Atakp]

Indeed...I think either will be satisfactory (and likely to exceed expectations) for my first desk amp.  Both look very nice, though the Magni will look a bit neater with the connectors in the back.  As someone who's tried both the HE-400 and the DT990-600, can you comment on them in comparison?  The reason I'm leaning more towards the HE-400 is they seem to be more mid-centric than the DT990, while remaining a little more colored and with more bass emphasis than the DT880.  I've never heard a Planar can before, so that is also intriguing.

I'll try to put the sounds into words the best I can

The bass on the DT990 has a lot of energy and has really good impact for an open headphone. I would say it's a bit stronger. On the HE-400 its a bit more structured, it has great texture yet feels tighter and more controlled than on the 990s but still has decent impact and great depth.

The mids go to the HE-400 hands down. Vocals sound more realistic and more upfront than the 990. The Beyers have a U shaped response curve so the mids sound a bit more recessed. Some people say that vocals sound like the singer is sitting in a chair singing in front of you. I wouldn't go quite that far but it seems to be the best way to describe it.

Both cans have a bit of sibilance in the top end and it seems more pronounced in the Beyers. I managed to tame mine with a good tube combo in my amp, but it does bother some people. Some people call it "sparkle" or "sizzle" but whatever it is I noticed it a bit on both phones.

Overall the HE-400 is more neutral sounding, and the 990s are a bit warm sounding fun headphone that doesn't get fatiguing. I would say the DT990 has better separation and sound-stage. I think if I were deciding between the two I would personally go with the HE-400. I love planar headphones and I don't think there would be a time that I won't have one in my collection. My LCDs well keep me happy for a long time...at least until I can drop the money on some Stax SR-009 and a proper amp for them, but even then I'll still keep the planars close by.

[modulor]

If you are looking for a dirt cheap bang for buck headphone, check out the Koss KSC75. They go for $16 new shipped on ebay and are awesome. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD558's and TF10's and I still use my KSC75 from time to time. I love mine so much that when I wrecked the cable, I spent $10 recabling it


Here are mine after the recable (No, the original cable is not like this).

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These look very nice after the recable!  I've had various pairs of PortaPros since I was a kid, and currently have the 25th Anniversary edition at my home office workdesk.  Koss makes some of the best bang for your buck headphones there are.

Indeed...I think either will be satisfactory (and likely to exceed expectations) for my first desk amp.  Both look very nice, though the Magni will look a bit neater with the connectors in the back.  As someone who's tried both the HE-400 and the DT990-600, can you comment on them in comparison?  The reason I'm leaning more towards the HE-400 is they seem to be more mid-centric than the DT990, while remaining a little more colored and with more bass emphasis than the DT880.  I've never heard a Planar can before, so that is also intriguing.

I'll try to put the sounds into words the best I can

The bass on the DT990 has a lot of energy and has really good impact for an open headphone. I would say it's a bit stronger. On the HE-400 its a bit more structured, it has great texture yet feels tighter and more controlled than on the 990s but still has decent impact and great depth.

The mids go to the HE-400 hands down. Vocals sound more realistic and more upfront than the 990. The Beyers have a U shaped response curve so the mids sound a bit more recessed. Some people say that vocals sound like the singer is sitting in a chair singing in front of you. I wouldn't go quite that far but it seems to be the best way to describe it.

Both cans have a bit of sibilance in the top end and it seems more pronounced in the Beyers. I managed to tame mine with a good tube combo in my amp, but it does bother some people. Some people call it "sparkle" or "sizzle" but whatever it is I noticed it a bit on both phones.

Overall the HE-400 is more neutral sounding, and the 990s are a bit warm sounding fun headphone that doesn't get fatiguing. I would say the DT990 has better separation and sound-stage. I think if I were deciding between the two I would personally go with the HE-400. I love planar headphones and I don't think there would be a time that I won't have one in my collection. My LCDs well keep me happy for a long time...at least until I can drop the money on some Stax SR-009 and a proper amp for them, but even then I'll still keep the planars close by.

A similar impression to what I've heard others say - thanks for taking the time to do the comparison!  I think to me the mids are crucial, and it seems like the HE-400 wins every time.  I have a feeling I will eventually get another pair of Beyers down the road (and maybe explore tube amps at that time), but for now I'm still sticking to the HiFiMans, and I've decided on the Magni for my amp :)

[cytoSiN]

In case anyone's wondering how to rewire headphones, I recently did it for the first time and found this video to be extremely helpful (and coincidentally, the video also uses Koss KCS75s):

[davkol]

I never liked KPP, especially after getting Sennheisers HD202 at the same price, which were incredibly sturdy... But then the cable broke after two years of use and abuse. So yeah, thanks for the video, it will come handy.

[swagpiratex]

Those M50's are phenomenal for EDM. Not so good for gaming. To fill that role, the AD700 is better.

But instead of M50's, I rock the DT770/250 Pro's through my receiver for boomy explosions.

[Atakp]

A similar impression to what I've heard others say - thanks for taking the time to do the comparison!  I think to me the mids are crucial, and it seems like the HE-400 wins every time.  I have a feeling I will eventually get another pair of Beyers down the road (and maybe explore tube amps at that time), but for now I'm still sticking to the HiFiMans, and I've decided on the Magni for my amp

Both great choices I think you'll be happy with both. The Magni would have been my choice as well. I read somewhere that they did a lot of testing on IEMs with the Magni too, I forget if it was on Head-Fi or schiits own product description though.

[mrboli]

So I recently picked up a pair of AKG k7081's paired with the Fiio E9k and E7k. Really amazing sound. Found myself listening to more classical, jazz, acoustic performances and oldies since.

[noisyturtle]

Ignore these fools and just buy some Audeze LCD-2/3 and not have to even think about upgrading for the next 10 years.
source: I own a pair of LCD 2's and they have effectively made everything else sound as if a destitute clown with a heroine problem were pooping directly into my ear canal.

[PointyFox]

If you are looking for a dirt cheap bang for buck headphone, check out the Koss KSC75. They go for $16 new shipped on ebay and are awesome. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD558's and TF10's and I still use my KSC75 from time to time. I love mine so much that when I wrecked the cable, I spent $10 recabling it


Here are mine after the recable (No, the original cable is not like this).

Show Image

These look very nice after the recable!  I've had various pairs of PortaPros since I was a kid, and currently have the 25th Anniversary edition at my home office workdesk.  Koss makes some of the best bang for your buck headphones there are.

Indeed...I think either will be satisfactory (and likely to exceed expectations) for my first desk amp.  Both look very nice, though the Magni will look a bit neater with the connectors in the back.  As someone who's tried both the HE-400 and the DT990-600, can you comment on them in comparison?  The reason I'm leaning more towards the HE-400 is they seem to be more mid-centric than the DT990, while remaining a little more colored and with more bass emphasis than the DT880.  I've never heard a Planar can before, so that is also intriguing.

I'll try to put the sounds into words the best I can

The bass on the DT990 has a lot of energy and has really good impact for an open headphone. I would say it's a bit stronger. On the HE-400 its a bit more structured, it has great texture yet feels tighter and more controlled than on the 990s but still has decent impact and great depth.

The mids go to the HE-400 hands down. Vocals sound more realistic and more upfront than the 990. The Beyers have a U shaped response curve so the mids sound a bit more recessed. Some people say that vocals sound like the singer is sitting in a chair singing in front of you. I wouldn't go quite that far but it seems to be the best way to describe it.

Both cans have a bit of sibilance in the top end and it seems more pronounced in the Beyers. I managed to tame mine with a good tube combo in my amp, but it does bother some people. Some people call it "sparkle" or "sizzle" but whatever it is I noticed it a bit on both phones.

Overall the HE-400 is more neutral sounding, and the 990s are a bit warm sounding fun headphone that doesn't get fatiguing. I would say the DT990 has better separation and sound-stage. I think if I were deciding between the two I would personally go with the HE-400. I love planar headphones and I don't think there would be a time that I won't have one in my collection. My LCDs well keep me happy for a long time...at least until I can drop the money on some Stax SR-009 and a proper amp for them, but even then I'll still keep the planars close by.

A similar impression to what I've heard others say - thanks for taking the time to do the comparison!  I think to me the mids are crucial, and it seems like the HE-400 wins every time.  I have a feeling I will eventually get another pair of Beyers down the road (and maybe explore tube amps at that time), but for now I'm still sticking to the HiFiMans, and I've decided on the Magni for my amp :)

Looks like the cables would be too stiff.

[cytoSiN]

Just got a set of Mad Dogs w/ Alpha Pads and I'm LOVING them.  Driving them with a Schiit stack, and it's the best setup I've ever used (besides some 800s driven by a Mjolnir at a friend's house, but that's a totally different experience and too rich for my blood).

[spidum]

If you are willing to bump up your price range a little bit I highly recommend getting a pair of Vmoda Crossfades. They are about $200 but sound almost as good as my $500 AKGs. Really worth the money!

[tjcaustin]

IEMs FTW

[thegunner100]

Its been a while... has the OP actually bought anything?

[cytoSiN]

IEMs FTW

True.  I LOVE my Etymotic ER4Ps.  I have two pairs just in case ****.  I literally don't think I could live without them.  I'd commit multiple homicides commuting every day.  It would get ugly fast.