Headphone purchase advice

>Headphone purchase advice
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>Sup Forums wiki headphone FAQ:
wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Headphones

Previous thread: bonus track:
youtube.com/watch?v=oikfj8O1kfc

Other urls found in this thread:

pt.aliexpress.com/item/PC-USB-Wire-Controller-USB-Volume-Control-Knobs-Audio-Controller-for-Adjusting-Volume-of-Computer-Laptop/32649442146.html?spm=2114.10010308.1000022.1.D8TZdJ&isOrigTitle=true&isOrig=true#extend
head-fi.org/t/220770/describing-sound-a-glossary
amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT990-PRO-250ohm-Straight/dp/B010IJ9W1U/
head-fi.org/t/766792/usb-dac-not-detecting-even-through-powered-hub-modi-wyrd
audiobot9000.com/fiio/a/e10k
audiobot9000.com/schiit/a/fulla-2
massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-fostex-th-x00-ebony-headphones?1=1&utm_placement=0&referer=2YVXYC&mode=guest_open
audiobot9000.com/match/sennheiser/hd-600/with/schiit/fulla-2
schiit.com/products/fulla-2
twitter.com/SFWRedditImages

>Budget
100 bucks
>Location
USA
>Source
Laptop and Iphone
>Type of headphone
On ear
>Comfort level
Comfy enough to lay on my side with it on
>Sound signature
Doesn't really matter, just needs a decent soundstage for watching movies and shows. Maybe slightly warm for explosions
>Past headphones
Koss Portapros but they broke and I lost my warranty

hd558 maybe

just got a 250 ohm dt 770, it sounds dead without an amp
which one would you recommend out of these 3 fiios
e10k
e17k
a5

also is there any hack/software that might get the max power out of a laptop sound card until the amp arrives, or will it just be snake oil

First for best budget headphones.

Why not just build your own headphones? All you really need is good speakers, no?

Agreed, user. Why can't we just strap speakers onto our ears? Aren't speakers almost always better for the price compared to headphones?

>on ear

Just got some Grado 225s
Holy shit I had forgotten how awesome grados are.
They're like the headphone equivalent of etymotics.
I recommend them to anyone who doesn't care too much about sub bass and likes a lot of detailed crispy highs or mids.

>On ear
>Big soundstage
Choose one
You probably could do well with some m80s. Can't think of anything else flat enough to lie on in that price range.

Only the a5 is strong enough to drive those cans. You could always return them, and get a lower impedance, maybe?

>Budget
$300 for Cans/AmpDAC Combo
>Location
USA
>Source
Currently FiiO K1, will build Classic 47
>Type of headphone
Over ear
>Open or closed
Open
>Comfort level
I'll be wearing them for 5+ Hours so fairly comfy
>Sound signature
Bassy/Balanced
>Past headphones
Pic Related and Superlux 681

I modded my 668B's yesterday by taking out the thin fabric filters behind the the vents and sound imo prefect. I'm stuck between T20RP's, DT 880's and K7XX/K712's. I'll be using these in order of importance: Music>Gaming (CSGO, BF4, Insurgency, osu!)>Movies

>Why not just build your own headphones?
Most people don't have the right tools, time, materials, or know-how.

>All you really need is good speakers, no?
I assume you mean drivers/transducers, and no. Although a good driver is important, actual tuning and shaping itself is far more valuable to getting a competent sound. Getting a neutral sound takes a lot of trial and research. Especially if you're trying to make a closed headphone.

I'm currently in the process of building my own planars. Not easy unless you straight up follow someone else's design.

>Why can't we just strap speakers onto our ears?
Pretty much what AKG did with the K1000, which despite the retardo design, sound amazing.

>Aren't speakers almost always better for the price compared to headphones?
Depends at which price-range. After ~$150, pretty much always. A $30 IEM is going to sound a lot better than a $30 headphone, which should also sound better than a $30 set of speakers. A $70 IEM may sound better than a $70 headphone, which may sound better than a $70 set of speakers.

At ~!$150 I find is where it turns. $130 especially since the JBL LSR305's are sometimes priced there, which fucking stomp most headphones. Though don't forget you often have to factor in a amp/preamp, depending on the speaker.

Used market is something else though. My $30 bookshelves shat on my HD598's, and I still prefer them to my HD600's because of speakers actually having soundstage and imaging. They're pretty damn neutral, and with a sub thrown in they measure even better.

I'd go with T20RP's. They have a lot of potential for modding, which youre clearly not afraid of since you modded your 668b's. Slap some HM5 hybrinds or the Shure Alcantaras on and you've got comfort city. K7XX/712/880's all have more bright highs if you find that an issue.

>hybrinds
Fuck I'm cooked.

lol, I actually don't mind the highs at all on my 668B's. My 681's sounded brighter than my 668B's now but thats coming from memory. So basically T20RP's if I'm willing to invest in modding, K7X/12/880's if I don't?

there only other option is a 32 ohm, I want to buy a decent amp, and maybe upgrade the cans in a year or so.

Pretty much. Yeah If you don't want to mod and don't mind the brightness of Superlux the AKGs/Beyer would do fine, but once you really get into heavy modding of the Fostex they can sound amazing. Tons of threads on headfi for T?0 series modding.

>Budget
100 euro or less
>Location
Europe
>Source
PC, rear audio 3.5 jack
>Type of headphone
Full sized
>Open or closed
Closed
>Comfort level
Moderate, not too stuffy or warm. Wearing for long periods
>Sound signature
Sound-a-like Koss Porta Pro
>Past headphones
Porta Pro, I love em, but the cable's too short for PC and there's nowhere to add a mic

Is there a cheaper alternative to Volbox?

you mean a stereo volume pot?

Thanks, I I'll probably get the T20's when I'm practically shitting out money. I'll probably grab the 880's. What's a decent AmpDAC combo that'll power both T20RP and K712/880's?

What is your budget?

$300 for both headphones and AmpDAC. $100-150 for AmpDAC

I don't know what that is.
All I want is a volume control knob.
That one works through a potentiometer, I believe...

Snagged a pair of AirPods today, and looks like they are still selling on eBay for around $300 (with overnight shipping - I work for a shipping company so US overnight is ~$8). I got em for $170 w/ tax.

Debating keeping them versus eBaying them. Although I know the quality isn't fantastic, it seems like it'd be neat for neatness sake, and I'm not hurting for money.

If I did sell them, what's good in the wireless IEM world? Is it still Jaybirds at the top?

An E10K/M3/Fulla 2 should be able to power anything you throw at it unless you get something like T1's.

Looks like I'm grabbing M3's, thanks.

What brand is best for a small head? I have a problem with headphones being too bulky and clamping too hard.

fill out the form and I'll try to help you out as a fellow pea head

>Budget
Under like, $120.
>Location
USA
>Source
PC, cell.
>Type of headphone
Full headphone.
>Open or closed
Fine with either.
>Comfort level
Would appreciate softness. Some give me headaches due to CLAMP.
>Sound signature
A little bass is fine, but doesn't matter too much.
>Past headphones?
Superlux hd668b.

e10k vs smsl m3?

look into the HD 558. don't bother modding the pads like people will suggest, because I think it reduces the bass.
Definitely research them though before purchasing. They're pretty common in Best Buy's if you wanna demo one

Thanks a bunch! Will look into.

What are the best noise cancelling headphones money can buy? Do they have to be music headphones as well?

I'm willing to spend any amount of money

pt.aliexpress.com/item/PC-USB-Wire-Controller-USB-Volume-Control-Knobs-Audio-Controller-for-Adjusting-Volume-of-Computer-Laptop/32649442146.html?spm=2114.10010308.1000022.1.D8TZdJ&isOrigTitle=true&isOrig=true#extend

Would this be a decent purchase?

It seems he wants analogue control. What you linked would do digital.

are there any good v shaped open backs besides the DT 990's?

Is there a practical difference between the two?

Depending on his output, yes. Some output types cant be controlled digitally. Analogue bypasses the DAC entirely and just limits the output.

Both digital and analogue volume control has their issues, but I'm not an audio/electrical engineer so I won't really say much about either.

Intersting. I'll do more research about that then, thanks.

Still waiting on the user with the Shure Alcantara pads

Im waiting too. They looked really cool. It'd be great if he measured them but I doubt thats realistic.

The T50rp mkiii go on sale A LOT. I mean I've seen them drop in price back and forth $20-30, and i got mine for $120 on Amazon. Just woke up and they were cheap as shit

I would love measurements, I have big ass ears, and want to finally get pads that take me alllll the way ;)
What cans are you thinking of getting them for?

>Budget
300-400$
>Location
Russia, but can order in USA/Europe
>Source
Audio-GD NFB 15
>Type of headphone
Full sized
>Open or closed
Open
>Comfort level
Moderate, not too stuffy or warm. Wearing for long periods
>Sound signature
Dunno, something neutral
>Past headphones
TAD-300TV, love them cause they light. KOSS PRO-4aa, love how they look but sound is shit.

>what music do you listen to
Pretty much everything, ranging from classical to dubstep
>will you use it for gaming/movies or mainly music
Mostly for gaming, but also for movies and music

like the other guy said. 558s will be as comfy as they get along with 598cs which are closed-back versions if you're looking for more bass.

I meant measurements as in how the pads change the freq response lol.

Im considering doing the same thing he did, provided the FR isn't too shitty. I can just EQ it out, though no EQ would be preferable.

My HD600 pads just aren't really big enough for my ears either. It'd be nice to have the alcantaras on there as I've used them on the original 1540's, which were incredibly comfortable.

I hop you guys are willing to answer general audio questions.

Currently I have a fuckhuge Sony receiver, that's not very good, and a pair of Audioengine P4s, and I want to downgrade the size of my setup while possibly upgrading the sound.

Is there anything around the size of a Schiit stack, but for passive speakers?
I'll wanna add a sub, once I get around to buying one.

>budget
$400 US max

Are Sextetts any good if I've got an amp that can drive them? They've caught my eye lately.

How do you know they're dead without an amp? The 770 250 ohm are very easy to drive. My motherboard is just as good as my fiio e10k

I got the Fidelio X2 the other day right..

They are so good.

I think they are better than my 400i. Those were 350usd, X2 was 100.

I'm starting to think that my chinkshit might be broken.

Probably just fits your tonal preference a lot better. Though X2's are a lot more comfy and better built.

>Most people don't have the right tools, time, materials, or know-how.
I'd be interested in know how of headphone design because to me, it seems incredibly complex. You can't just start looking at T/S parameters and insert some values to get an ideal design here.
>K1000, which despite the retardo design, sound amazing.
I would say they sound like ass. Bright, no bass, stupidly low sensitivity, design that is hard to use.

>Budget
~$100, I'd go up to $200 if there was something with really good bang/buck.
>Location
Western Australia, no matter what it is I'd have to get it shipped from overseas.
>Type
Full
>Open/Closed
Open, but I'm not fussed here.
>Comfort level
Maximum overcomfort, I love the ones with the wireframes and pads.
>Sound signature
I almost exclusively listen to downtuned guitar.
>Past headphones
I had 668b previously. It was great and I loved it. The only thing I disliked about it was how flimsy it felt.

If you like 668b's, and dont find them sibilant, I can whole heartedly reccomend the DT990. Pretty similar to the 668b, but built better, and a lot more comfortable. 250ohm variants shouldnt need an external amp as long as your motherboard is from the past few years.

Hm I don't really know enough about audio to be able to say for sure that I noticed something I'd called sibilant. Google describes it as a hissing sound? Is it like a slightly staticky sound? Either way I don't think there was enough to be offputting.

people nowadays just say sibilant if it's bright and they don't like bright headphones

I think any terms to describe the sound other than bassy, neutral, balanced, v shaped & bright are just retarded

Does bright mean a lot of treble?

>oogle describes it as a hissing sound? Is it like a slightly staticky sound?
No, that is the noise floor in your source being picked up. Happens with more sensitive headphones, so the 990's shouldn't pick it up.

Sibilance is a sort of sharpness in the highs, usually common in vocals with 'S' in them, and high hats and the like. Somewhat of an annoying feeling, and if you're really sensitive it can induce pain. Both 668B's and the 990's are kinda common when it comes to that. If you don't notice that with your 668b's you should be good. I never found it an issue with 990's when I used them, but others didn't like it so much.

>people nowadays just say sibilant if it's bright and they don't like bright headphones
I mean, not really. Sibilance is more just describing the highs, not the sound as a whole.

>I think any terms to describe the sound other than bassy, neutral, balanced, v shaped & bright are just retarded
Although the terms you spoke about are useful, they're quite broad and dont really define a whole much. It requires elaboration, or better yet, measurements to give a better idea.

yes
usually when it's used it means it has no to low boosted bass.
Otherwise it turns more into v shaped than bright

however sometimes it's used solely to describe how much treble it has, which is kinda silly

measurements are fine, but terms aren't
Now there's shit like hovering bass, fast bass, attacking sound, honky, juicy, laid back

like COME ON NIGGER LOOK AT ALL THIS SHIT AND TELL ME ALL OF THIS IS LEGIT
head-fi.org/t/220770/describing-sound-a-glossary

Do the HD598s have similar bass to HD650s?

I want to get my brother a pair and I've heard from people that the bass in both HD598s and HD650s is lacking. Personally, I find the bass in the HD650s to be adequate and nice.

Let your brother listen to your 650's and see what he thinks

598's have slighly more low end roll off. Has more mid/upper bass.

>Let your brother listen to your 650's and see what he thinks
Yeah, he did. And his response was "These have enough bass, I don't know why people say they don't."

>Sibilance is a sort of sharpness in the highs
Ah okay. I don't listen to anything with highs anyway. Maybe that's why I never noticed.
I'm looking at the 990s. What else are good about them aside from sound quality? I'm looking on amazon and they're listed at ~220 USD. How much can I get them for if I'm patient? I have headphones to use at the moment, I just don't like them much.

598's should do pretty well for him then. They're not bad if you can get them cheap enough.

>What else are good about them aside from sound quality?

Build is a lot better, comfort is miles better, isolation is less, but 668b's dont isolate in the first place, so It doesnt really matter. Weight is a bit more.

> I'm looking on amazon and they're listed at ~220 USD
I've seen them quite a bit lower. Here:
amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT990-PRO-250ohm-Straight/dp/B010IJ9W1U/
Says it'll ship to me in Melbourne so I'd assume it ships to WA. Pro edition is pretty much just aesthetic differences with more durable pads [and if i remember right cable is better]

>They're not bad if you can get them cheap enough.
Getting them for $165.

The only part that the 400i seems to be better at is the mid tones.

X2 even has better highs than the 400i.

I'm running both out of a HA-2, so my source is good enough.

any suggestions for an amp/dac for AKG K612PRO? I will only be using them on my PC, ideally at/under £150

Fulla 2 if you need both, DAC and an amplifier.

Anyone use any of teac's DACs/amps

Not until you start breaking a grand.

Nonsense. Different devices for different uses. Price points are useless. Loudspeakers at least present the stereo sound naturally.

e10k
X2s probably
HD600
SHP9500

What are the pros and cons to the E10K and SMSL M3?

Fiio e10k or Fulla 2? FiiO is 86€ and Fulla 2 is 116€ or so with shipment.

do you want a bass boost switch
if so e10k

if not, flip a coin, fulla 2 is better, but if it's 30$ better, nobody but you can decide

>Budget
100 bucks, give or take 20.
>Location
USA
>Source
Laptop and PS4
>Type of headphone
On ear
>Comfort level
I don't know
>Sound signature
It should sound better than my past headphone, which I will post below
>Past headphones
The only serious headphone set I've had is JVC HA-RX700. I actually ended up buying two! The reason being that my first pair broke, and I considered them to sound good enough to buy a second pair. Lo and behold, their fucking headphones break after a few months. The jack has to be jiggled around in the audio port before the sound actually plays clearly. Last time I buy anything from JVC.

Just solder on a new 3.5 jack. They break all the time in every headphone, not just JVC.

>tfw never learned to solder as a kid
It's easy, right? I'd have to split up the rubber wire or something like that. I think I did something similar in middle school with a car battery connecting to christmas lights.

Let's try again

>Budget
Around £70
>Location
UK
>Source
PC
>Type of headphone
Full-sized
>Open or closed
Closed
>Comfort level
Doesn't matter
>Sound signature
Doesn't really matter. I listen to pretty much anything, ranging from classical music to electro/dub, if it can help
>Past headphones
Had a pair of Axent Wear for about 2 years, broke a few minutes ago and now I'm using a pair of old ass g430, possibly moldy

So my modi has pretty much broken after 3 years of use. It looks like I have the same issues as this guy head-fi.org/t/766792/usb-dac-not-detecting-even-through-powered-hub-modi-wyrd and I've tried everything he did to no avail.
What's good in the world of DACs that isn't too expensive? Somewhere around $100 is where I am looking.

anyone?

>Budget
100 euro
>Location
Europe
>Source
Desktop PC
>Type of headphone
Over-ear
>Comfort level
Approximately 5 hours of continuous use without my ears feeling like they're going to fall off
>Sound Signature
w/e
>Past headphones
audio technica ath-tad300

Should I look into 7.1 headphones? I play quite a lot of video games on my spare time. Anyone has experience with such headphones? If I just use them for video games, are they actually worth it, do they make any difference?

Some headphones use the bigger jack.

Like the HD598.

>Fiio e10k or fulla2
audiobot9000.com/fiio/a/e10k

audiobot9000.com/schiit/a/fulla-2

The fulla2 provides way more power, has lower output impedance, and is super nifty (more outputs and inputs). It's also made in murika, instead of chink.

Some more details if it can help, I'd mostly use them for gaming, but I occasionally do translations as well, so something that doesn't make voices sound like garbage?

>Budget
~$200
>Location
USA
>Source
Bluetooth
>Type of headphone
Full
>Open or closed
Closed
>Comfort level
Not important
>Sound signature
Neutral

I've had the MDRXB950BT recommended to me, but what do you think, Sup Forums?

>Budget
50$
>Location
Turkey
>Source
Laptop
>Type of headphone
Working
>Open or closed
Dont care
>Comfort level
Comfort is for sissies
>Sound signature
bassy, warm
>Past headphones
5$ chink shit
im a broke nigger

massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-fostex-th-x00-ebony-headphones?1=1&utm_placement=0&referer=2YVXYC&mode=guest_open
X00s are back btw, but they're ebony

>bluetooth
rip
I legitimately can't think of any options that aren't complete garbage or out of your price range

668b/sr850
it's more v shaped to maybe even bright with a bass boost, but I think it's a better option than other things around your price point
alternatively, a second hand hd558/HM5/XPT100
if you can't find any of those, consider 8323 or th02

thanks user

Okay, well consider my budget limitless. What would you recommend?

Superlux 669/Samson SR950 also work. They're the closed variant of the 668B/SR850 if you want something more bassy.

HM5 Hybrids or Shure 1540 Alcantara for the T50rp mkiii?

I'd recommend getting a neutral or close to neutral headphone with a detachable cable and a bluetooth adapter instead of native bluetooth
for example MSR7, which I would have recommended if you were in EU because it's like 50$ more expensive in NA last time I checked.

The problem with bluetooth is that it's by nature something more active than normal headphones. As such, it's more likely that people want them during another activity, so it's more of an accessory than headphones. It's also more likely to be for the more mainstream market rather than the more professional market. The mainstream market mainly prefers either V shaped or Bassy, which is what most bluetooth headphones are (see MDR10RBT/XB950BT for bluetooth headphones that are good, but very bassy). Neutral headphones are mainly used by people who produce music, which don't have a need for wireless headphones. There are some people who prefer neutral for just listening to music, but they're a very very small minority.

Are you even sure you like neutral? For some reason people started thinking neutral as the "good" sound profile, while there is no good sound profile. Each has its own fanbase.

What headphones have you used before and what did you think about them?

I'm basically a headphone virgin. I latched onto neutral as it sounded like the purest and therefore best representation of any given piece of music. You obviously know more than I do, though. I think headphones with a bass leaning are obnoxious, and drown out the higher sounds. Not to say that I dislike bass, but that I dislike it at the expense of treble. I guess I'd be looking for something bright or V-shaped.

I'd never considered going with a detachable cable and an adapter. That does sound like the best solution.

>XB950bt
Doesn't fit the neutral target so well.
There's the upcoming ATH-DSR7BT (wireless MSR7) as an interesting candidate. AT will eventually drop the price a bit, as they usually do.

>I'm basically a headphone virgin. I latched onto neutral as it sounded like the purest and therefore best representation of any given piece of music.
Eh, preference is preference. You are free to experiment with a parametric EQ.
To some extent, the stock frequency response doesn't matter. Application of equalization can shape the response to whatever you like. There are no restrictions to how much you can manipulate the curve as long as the driver stays linear and you have the gain..


>The mainstream market mainly prefers either V shaped or Bassy
Not quite V-shaped. More like neutral + bass boost. At least 5dB more than upper end. Maybe a little more.

If you've never had a good pair of neutral-ish headphones, I suggest you grab Sennheiser HD600. A cheaper alternative (an order of magnitude worse, but still really good value vs cost) is the HD598se, which goes crazy cheap on sales.

If you're slightly worried about neutral being not fun enough, the HD650 are slightly more fun, but still neutral aplenty.

These headphones are high impedance, so an amp (I suggest the Schiit Fulla 2) is strictly needed.

audiobot9000.com/match/sennheiser/hd-600/with/schiit/fulla-2

schiit.com/products/fulla-2

I bought the HD700 out of curiosity. If I like them I'll keep them, if not I'll stick to the HD650