/hpg/ - Headphone General

>Headphone purchase advice:
pastebin.com/fYZLW7Ub

Please put some effort into your requests and questions.

If you dislike a suggestion, explain why and try giving a better suggestion to whomever asked.

For sub-$50 headphones and IEMs, check out the infographic in >Sup Forums wiki headphone FAQ:
wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Headphones

Previous thread:

Other urls found in this thread:

forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/speakers-when-is-good-enough-enough.2512/page-2#post-15412
genelec.com/documents/publications/SurveyofMonitoringConditions.pdf
changstar.com/www.changstar.com/Changstar Buying Guide 2015dfde.pdf?action=dlattach;topic=2562.0;attach=10302
hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/SPDIF-9018-DAC
soekris.dk/dac1541.html
twitter.com/AnonBabble

Are the HD 579's worth it over the HD 559's?

This kills the snapcuck.

>sennheiser

What is the second best headphone manufacturer behind Sennheiser?

A lot of gullible audiophiles believe everything they read and it leads to them believing that even if your current source is loud enough, a more powerful amp will provide more (insert ambiguous audiophile buzzword here). These are the same idiots who believe that $100+ cables sound better than coat hangars: forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/speakers-when-is-good-enough-enough.2512/page-2#post-15412
If your current source is loud enough and not hissy you do not need an amp or dac.

Ok, well what's a better choice in the sub £200 range that
a) has decent build quality / removable cable
b) doesn't look like absolute shit?

There is none.

K702

What's your favorite headphone?

Requires expensive amp. The Sennheisers do not. Inferior sound to the Sennheisers anyways.

>decent build quality
>sennheiser

>Sup Forums is NOT your personal tech support team or personal consumer review site.
Do your own consumer research. These threads are filled with shills and trolls.

The ear can be examined by instruments, as much medical ethics allows. The mind is a different matter.
>mastering for bass
Studio set ups demonstrate significant variation in room characteristic, as demonstrated by Genelec [1][2].
You can listen to some room samples for yourself, courtesy of Gerhard Spikovski of IRT. Headphones are suggested.
>irt.de/IRT/publikationen/studios/assets/audio/dra.zip
>irt.de/IRT/publikationen/studios/assets/audio/bar.zip
>irt.de/IRT/publikationen/studios/assets/audio/moz.zip
>irt.de/IRT/publikationen/studios/assets/audio/jaz.zip
>irt.de/IRT/publikationen/studios/assets/audio/pop.zip

Low frequency response of the common closed-backed headphones tend to be highly variable. Open back moving-coil based headphones tend to be more permissive of leak and exhibit a more stable low frequency response [3][4]. Awareness of LF reproducibility seem more present with canalphones, especially of the balanced armature type[5][6].

About the target curve - Without a definite reference signal such as pink noise or swept sine/chirp, we might resort to using music produced in rooms with highly variable acoustics to judge the sound of headphone or loudspeakers. Olive suggested tone controls to account for track variations [7].

>[1] A.V. Mäkivirta and C. Anet, A Survey Study of Today’s Monitoring Conditions
Copy here:
genelec.com/documents/publications/SurveyofMonitoringConditions.pdf
>[2] A.V. Mäkivirta and C. Anet, A Survey Study Of In-Situ Stereo And Multi-Channel Monitoring Conditions
The more detailed AES version of the first paper.
>[3] T. Welti, Improved Measurement of Leakage Effects for Circum-aural and Supra-aural Headphones
>[4] C. Poldy, Headphone Fundamentals
>[5] S.E. Olive, et al., The Preferred Low Frequency Response of In-Ear Headphones
>[6] P.V. Brüel et al., Impedance of Real and Artificial Ears
>[7] S.E. Olive et al., Factors that Influence Listeners’ Preferred Bass and Treble Balance in Headphones

Provide scientifically rigorous proof that Sennheiser's headphones break more often than other manufacturers' headphones.

>/hpg/
>first line of OP is "Headphone purchase advice"
Really makes me think
This thread may be filled with shills but then so is every other forum and (((consumer review))) site.

>Olive suggested tone controls to account for track variations
I usually just EQ albums in an audio editor when I don't like their tonal balance. It's easier for me and more precise than regular tone knob adjustment.

Just be aware that it's often difficult to get purely honest advice in these threads because requests for recommendations often devolve into brand loyalty/disloyalty wars. Never use these threads as your sole source of information.

Yeah, I've done my own research, don't worry, I'm only posting here to get another opinion.
I know for certain the 579's are "better", just not quite sure if they're worth the extra price.
I still trust Sup Forums more than other forums because everyone here is much better at seeing though marketing BS and meme-tier features.
Thanks for the heads up anyway.

>Inferior sound to the Sennheisers

LITERALLY anything but senncuck

Just came here to post that the HM5 pads are a world of difference for comfort on my M40x. I highly recommend them.

...

>group of people
its just one insanely autistic Belgian sennfag, no one here likes sennshit

>its just one insanely autistic shitposting antisennfag posting snapheiser all day every day
FTFY

The actual compensation used by Innerfidelity. This presents certain problems with in-ears, but should be mostly okay for headphones.


>more precise
It should go without saying that there are more precise methods than high and low shelf filters. The suggestion is of a general one for the sake of ease of end user, as well as the near infinite variations of tonal color that can be embedded into a track.
I didn't figure out the statistical distribution of the subjective results other than the one with the equalized HD 800 (AES 8994). The commonly referenced Harman chart is significantly divergent from Tyll's mannequin.

Personally, I use track-based filters for things like flyback whine going into the track. Notch it out as needed, very high Q (>400). Doesn't contribute to timbre, just pisses me off. Best to get rid of it.

I like my HD600.

Of course you do. It's the best open full-sized headphone in its approximate price range and it's not even really close.

>Of course you do. It's the best open full-sized headphone
FTFY

So, what's your favorite headphone?

Why did they discontinue this

You should see the guides.
>plankton
Changstar in-joke, like the Changstar IRC room, forum titles, or [REDACTED].
It means detail.

Link:
changstar.com/www.changstar.com/Changstar Buying Guide 2015dfde.pdf?action=dlattach;topic=2562.0;attach=10302

Beats Pro

This guy is pretending to be me.
>implying I'm a filthy poorfag
It's actually Ultrasone Edition 10.

i literally hardly post here you homo

Philips discontinues good headphones all the time. Be thankful - because when they do, you can get good shit for cheap... like pic related for $20

Who here has a yggdrasil?

I remember seeing a listen of the new revision of the X2 for around $350 but I guess it was taken down.

Listing* autopilot is great.

>when you realize that even $2000 headphones can't match good $500 monitor speakers

why do you use headphones again?

>if I chart my placebo buzzwords it's a scientific fact
is this what they were thinking?

>tfw only moral objections are stopping me from getting rich by scamming idiot audiophiles with buzzword-based advertising

I just wouldn't want to talk to them

>M40 has a 2.5 detachable, so make sure whatever mic you get accommodates that.

just want to make clear if the user is still around, the m40x, like the 598, has a 2.5mm LOCKING mechanism male end that goes into the headphone. meaning you will need a cable/adapter specifically made for it or a cable with such a thin housing that you won't get blocked by the female end which is recessed. so all those 3.5mm mic addons like the boompro will not work without an adapter. same for a lapel mic, though you could just attach it to the stock cable, same goes for modmic.

aren't those just the 598se recolored? if so, and if the lower one is the rebrand of the 558, it's absolutely worth getting the better one, though I don't know how the foam mod on the 558 has been effected by the change, so if you can still do it and want to save money it might be worth getting the cheaper one.

>Requires expensive amp
not really, as long as the amp on your device/PC is decent and you're not listening as deafening levels you'll be fine. it's a bit hungry but like most headphones that "need an amp", it doesn't. k612 actually needs an external amp.

Thanks user.
The casing / padding is different to the 598se but maybe the internals are the same.
Either way I prefer the color of the 759's anyway.
I think I'll just go for the more expensive ones, I'd rather pay a bit extra for good sound out of the box than start messing about with mods right away and risk breaking something / probably voiding my warranty.
I know the risk probably isn't that high but still, it's a significant investment for me and I'd rather just go with the safe option.

>Why did they discontinue this
the fuck? this was their flagship. I guess they could be updating it but why discontinue it first with no word? they didn't axe the X1 until the X2 was already out iirc.

It'll need an amp for content mastered at a below average volume, like a lot of anime can be, for example.

I have not researched the matter but other than making useless closed versions that just sound like shit, sennheiser usually rebrands. if you can't afford an hd600 just figure out whatever the 598 is now, or get an AKG.

just go over 100% volume in software

but seriously, I've had amps on devices sound bad and/or fucked in some way but never not loud enough, and I have tested on my hd600, q701, and mad dogs which are my hungriest headphones. the one exception being maybe my PSP on a super quiet album wasn't loud enough. maybe I just have sensitive ears and everyone else likes it louder and I just never realized :/

They're definitely updating it. I think they showed off the new revision at CES and i've seen the listing for it on Amazon but I guess it was taken down.

Thanks for the reply, the HD 598 is now the HD 599.
From what I've researched it seems to be the unanimous opinion that the 579 actually sounds better though and most people recommend you just go for the lower model instead.
Plus I almost wouldn't buy the 599 based on it's colour alone.

>just go over 100% volume in software
The problem with this is you don't know if you're clipping during sudden volume spikes when you do this. That's why an amp is preferable.

>just go over 100% volume in software
Isn't VLC the only media player that does this?
>watching anime with VLC

>maybe I just have sensitive ears and everyone else likes it louder and I just never realized :/
I think most normal people, at the very least, like to listen to music very loud for short periods of time.

>Isn't VLC the only media player that does this?
No. The best player out there (mpv) also has this feature.

>The best player out there
NGU AA is a better upscaling algorithm than anything mpv can use. mpv is deprecated until it can use NGU AA.

>mpvfags will never experience K-ON!! looking this great

It's weird, looking at some measurements they seems nearly identical, with the 579 being slightly more even but within margin of error. probably something in the cups or wiring that changed? it seems like it's literally just a 598 without the volvo interior color scheme and for less money.

I'd rather not clutter up /hpg/ debating with MPCtards, so please take this elsewhere.

>NGU AA is a better upscaling algorithm
which player has this and how intensive is it? I already can't use the high settings in madvr cause of crw2dou + hd4650.

NGU AA = latest version of MadVR
There's almost no visible difference between NGU AA medium and NGU AA very high and NGU AA medium is very fast. If you can't run NGU AA medium you're better off with mpv. mpv is faster than MadVR with equivalent settings, so it's better for toasters.

Need help from someone who has a Schiit DAC. I notice that in all their models, they have both USB input and a optical input. Is there a way to choose specifically which input you want to send to your amp? Or does it automatically choose the input that's currently on?

I'm asking because I want to connect both my PC and console to one DAC and don't want to switch cables all the time.

kk. I'll probably be upping my HTPC specs soon anyways, it's just an old desktop that happened to be laying around. think a 2500k and a 7870ghz would be enough? that's my main atm which will become my HTPC when I go ryzen.

99% sure it's auto, but as long as you power down/sleep one or the other while you're using it, it will select the one sending the signal, so you could sleep/shut down your PC while you play on console and keep them both plugged in.

For reference, I don't drop frames upscaling 720p to 1080p with NGU AA medium on an FX-6300 + R9 270x machine.

isn't the crazy scaling usually GPU bound? so the higher single threaded of the 2500k wouldn't help? either way I think I'll be fine. 270x isn't drastically more powerful than a 7870ghz iirc. and it can't use 2 cards right? I have crossfire.

>Budget
Wouldn't like to spend over 225.
>Location
US.
>Source
Phone/Handheld consoles.
>Type of headphone
IEM.
>Comfort level
Would like them to be bearable to wear for about 6 hour intervals. Doesn't have to be super comfortable, but don't want them to hurt my ears.
>Sound signature
Idk, I'll play rhythm games mostly, and sometimes talk on discord if that helps.
>Past headphones
Last pair of earbuds I had was when I was like 14. They were Sennheiser CX 1.00. Usually I only ever had cheaper earbuds and they always hurt my ears. This pair didn't.

>I'll play rhythm games mostly, and sometimes talk on discord if that helps.
Panasonic HJE120. They're extremely comfortable and there is absolutely zero reason to spend $225 on earphones for rhythm games and discord.

Ety, if you're ok with neutral and deep insertion, but like said, the HJE-120 is the best cheap general use IEM and it's arguably the most comfortable that exists.

Alright thanks. I'm kinda hoping I can keep my PC on without having to put it to sleep. I'd be surprised if the DACs aren't smart enough to only pick the input that has a currently active signal. I guess I'll just get one of the DACs for 15 days and try it out.

if all you need is an extra dac you can get a standalone sabre

hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/SPDIF-9018-DAC

if you only need USB it's like $25 for the mini and android ones. last I checked they were all transparent as dacs.

>the mini is only $29 now
Mini + Magni 2 isn't a terrible idea at $128.

thought these were a meme, but fuck, they are actually immensely great

I have a modi 2U, it has a button on the front to switch inputs, and an LED to show which input is selected. I don't think there's any autoswitching at all.

guys i fucked up. I tripped over my headphone cord and my headset knocked my cup of water over which fell on the velour pads of my K7XX... I have been squishing the pad with paper towels to absord the water but the inner ear mesh is kind of damp. AM I FUCKED!? I am incredibly sad damnit. What should I do guys.

Put salt on it. Salt is very hydrophilic and will dry them up in no time.

For even faster drying, put the headphones in the microwave to heat the salt.

If the driver isn't fucked it should be fine. Maybe take off the pad and wait for it to dry if it worries you.

Would I notice if the drivers are damaged? Would a drop or two of water damage it or will i surely notice that it is damaged.

not saying msr7 is bad but I got these for $40 and they sound damn good, comfortable too and came with a hard case and 2 cables. they also fold.
prices are lower on both now.

you'll notice, though it will probably be fine. the driver diaphragm itself protects the electronics unless you spilled on the open back end. all you can do is let it dry and see. if you don't think anything got into the electronics you should be fine, unless the water caused some padding or glued on part to come loose, which should be repairable.

though I must say the driver material matters. 99% of drivers are made of plastic compounds that resist water naturally. if you had headphones with bio-cellulose drivers or some other exotic but absorbent material that could fuck them up. or if they were planars or electrostats.

So far they are ok, but they are AKG K7XX's so i think they are entirely plastic.

yeah. I would take the pads off, dry them. pat down the insides of the cups with paper towel and anywhere else easily reachable where water might have gotten. wait at at least a few hours before putting juice through them again. if nothing rattles or sounds off you're fine. do left/right comparisons, you can use the windows generic sounds settings in the control panel for this.

Never seen one here. I doubt anyone has it.

Thanks man

Your only worry is corrosion. Make sure the voice coil and wiring are void of any water or moisture. Dry them well and quickly.

I do, don't come around these threads often though. Changstar/SBAF is a still a joke.

>I notice that in all their models, they have both USB input and a optical input.
Not all models. Fulla2 only has usb and analog line-in. Modi2 non-uber only has usb.
> Is there a way to choose specifically which input you want to send to your amp?
Yes, on the modi2uber, that round thing in the front is actually a button, used to switch inputs. Bitfrost/etc have physical controls to select inputs, too.
>I'm asking because I want to connect both my PC and console to one DAC and don't want to switch cables all the time.
I'm doing this with 2 computers and 1 ps3. Computers use usb and coax respectively. Console uses optical.

>using a transformer box for an SR-009 and HE-90

May as well use a real amp if you're going to be using those 'phones.

I'm interested to hear why did you choose Yggdrasil?

Wanted to try out an R2R DAC, the whole "keeps the original samples" shtick interested me as well. If I were choosing a DAC right now I'd take a look at this too:

soekris.dk/dac1541.html

How do you like M40x, are they good for a mix of rock/metal and EDM?

Invest in a headphone stand and do some proper cable management so it doesn't happen again. Don't leave your fucking cables hanging off of your desk or laying on the floor

Yes still here and thanks. I want an in line mic for on the go, already found suitable cables for 10-20€.
But i think i go with the MSR7. After all M40x need pads and cable which reduces the price difference to 30€.

1) Good headphones deliver a great amount of details and nuancies at a relatively lower volume than speakers need in order to reach the same result
2) speakers sound shit in an untreated room or with an improper placement
3) unless you're willing to spend way above the required amount of money for a good headphone, speakers can't reach low frequencies very well.

>1)
True. Also most 200ish headphones already provide excellent imaging etc. while speakers in that range will strugle.
>2)
Not entirely true. Depends on speakers. My Edifier R1700BT don't care about positioning.
>3)
True. My speakers basically have no sub-bass, at all. My DT770 have excellent one.
Speakerfags BTFO?

I have both a K702 and a HD600. I'm driving them on a Fiio E10K. K702 doesn't need more power than HD600.

Which model of DT770 do you have?

250 Ohm