Sennheiser HD 518 Upgrade

[Jon Jon]

So I originally had Sony MDR-V6s for a few years and within the last year I have "upgraded" to the Sennheiser HD 518s (when they were on sale for $50 on Black Friday last year on Newegg).

 

These headphones are pretty good, but I feel like I could do far better. In some ways, I like my MDR-V6s better, but I prefer the over the ear ear cups because the MDR-V6s would really hurt my ears after 20~ minutes.

 

What would be a mid-range to high end upgrade to these, just so I can keep my eyes out.

 

For more background information, I primarily listen to music on my PC, which I have an ASUS Xonar Essense ST (PCI) and connect directly to the headphone-amp.

[Kilovice]

3 minutes ago, Jon Jon said:

So I originally had Sony MDR-V6s for a few years and within the last year I have "upgraded" to the Sennheiser HD 518s (when they were on sale for $50 on Black Friday last year on Newegg).

 

These headphones are pretty good, but I feel like I could do far better. In some ways, I like my MDR-V6s better, but I prefer the over the ear ear cups because the MDR-V6s would really hurt my ears after 20~ minutes.

 

What would be a mid-range to high end upgrade to these, just so I can keep my eyes out.

 

For more background information, I primarily listen to music on my PC, which I have an ASUS Xonar Essense ST (PCI) and connect directly to the headphone-amp.

I personally use the Sennheiser HD598se and found that they are amazing. 

[2FA]

What is your preferred sound signature?

[SSL]

17 minutes ago, Kilovice said:

I personally use the Sennheiser HD598se and found that they are amazing. 

 

Not much of an upgrade from the HD518, though, is it?

 

OP is at the point where they need to start forming an idea of sound signature that they like. Otherwise it'll just be a crapshoot.

[Jon Jon]

Funny enough, I do not know what you mean by "sound signature".

 

I can tell you that I like a very subtle bass, not something that's going to blow out my ear drums.

 

I listen to a lot of J-Pop, among other things.

[xtroria]

1 hour ago, Jon Jon said:

Funny enough, I do not know what you mean by "sound signature".

 

I can tell you that I like a very subtle bass, not something that's going to blow out my ear drums.

 

I listen to a lot of J-Pop, among other things.

HE-400i. Subtle mid-bass, really deep sub-bass. Fidelio X2 is another option. I listen to anime songs and these two headphones are great for those semi-rock pop music

 

Sound signature means the overall characteristic of the headphone / speaker.

 

A slightly boosted bass and mid creates a "warm" signature. The headphone sounds polite, inoffensive and rich with slight thickenss

 

Boosted mid creates a very vocal oriented headphone that sounds amazing for accoustic but lacks bass and treble

 

A more flat headphone without any emphasis is good for "monitoring" purpose but some people don't like it because it can be boring sounding and lifeless at times

 

Those are some examples of sound signatures, each person has his/her own preference which is why there are myriads of headphones out there

[Jon Jon]

7 hours ago, xtroria said:

HE-400i. Subtle mid-bass, really deep sub-bass. Fidelio X2 is another option. I listen to anime songs and these two headphones are great for those semi-rock pop music

 

Sound signature means the overall characteristic of the headphone / speaker.

 

A slightly boosted bass and mid creates a "warm" signature. The headphone sounds polite, inoffensive and rich with slight thickenss

 

Boosted mid creates a very vocal oriented headphone that sounds amazing for accoustic but lacks bass and treble

 

A more flat headphone without any emphasis is good for "monitoring" purpose but some people don't like it because it can be boring sounding and lifeless at times

 

Those are some examples of sound signatures, each person has his/her own preference which is why there are myriads of headphones out there

Thanks for that!

 

Would a higher ohm pair be able to provide even richer sound, or is that strictly for bass?

 

I know the ST supports up to 600 ohm on the headphone amp.

[spwath]

On 7/22/2016 at 8:49 AM, Jon Jon said:

Thanks for that!

 

Would a higher ohm pair be able to provide even richer sound, or is that strictly for bass?

 

I know the ST supports up to 600 ohm on the headphone amp.

No, impedance (ohms) doesn't matter for sound quality at all (mostly). 

 

And that statistic is a garbage fact that the manufacturer basically made up. Sensitivity matters more than impedance in determining how hard a headphone is to drive.

[Artemiis]

This is a similar post that I put up pretty much whenever I see people ask about headsets or headphones for gaming, music or whatever so I'm sorry if there are some options out of your price range but at least you'll know what options you can work up to and I don't have to retype this entire thing out several times a day ❤ ... 

 

First off I always suggest that anyone looking for a headset for gaming just use a ModMic and a real set of headphones because most "gamer" headsets are PoS  tbh.. Most of the "7.1 virtual surround sound! blah blah blah" stuff is marketing garbage. It's always better to invest in better hardware instead of just using software to simulate surround sound on a crappy headset in my humble opinion. So here are some options  I have tested and found good and some others that I haven't but which many other people in the audio / "audiophile" community talk highly of, I've added Amazon links, costs and a mini-description based on my own research so you have a place to start at least. Please do not just take my word for it though, everyone has their own preference when it comes to sound. IHIGHLY recommend watching several video reviews and reading many more write-up reviews AND trying the headphones somewhere BEFORE buying them! There are Mid-Fi/Hi-Fi stores everywhere if you search for them and there are also local Hi-Fi meetups where people bring their headphones where you can try them. A good pair of headphones can last you 5-10 years if you're lucky and you don't want to buy something on a  knee-jerk reaction and have buyers remorse as good audio gear is expensive and a costly investment for most of us =D

 

Open-Back: *These will have better soundstage so you can hear and pinpoint where people's footsteps are coming from which is important in FPS games especially like OW and CS. The drawback is you sacrifice sound isolation meaning if your game is playing really loud people in the same room a few feet away will be able to hear you and you'll be able to hear them if you're music/game isn't loud enough to drown them out.

 

Audio Technica ATH-AD500X/AD700X $95/99 One of my favourite headsets for gaming, either are amazing for pinpointing footsteps with accuracy because they have amazingly accurate highs although both are a bit bass light. Honestly I have no idea why the 700X is only $4 more than the 500X atm but hey its a good deal if you want to go this route.  [ https://www.amazon.com/Technica-AUD-ATHAD500X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S333U4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469717657&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+ath+ad500x / https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469717657&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+ath+ad500x ] 

 

Sennheiser HD518/558  $73/$105  The HD518's are on sale for 45% off right now. Both of these are a good balanced open-back option and good intro into "audiophile" headphones, the 518's have slightly more bass but this also means they are more coloured or not true to the actual recorded sound  and it uses lower quality pad materials compared to the 558. [ https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-518-Headphones-Black/dp/B0042A68R8/ref=sr_1_11?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469717603&sr=1-11&keywords=sennheiser  / https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_7?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469717603&sr=1-7&keywords=sennheiser ]

 

AKG K7XX $199 The headphones I personally use at the moment for gaming, they don't have the widest soundstage of all open-backs but they are accurate and have great bass extension which gives you enough of that low frequency rumble without it being overpowering or sloppy. It's an open and accurate headphone for tracking footsteps in fps games and to me, they just sound amazing.. Massdrop basically took a $400 headphone, made them better then halved the price. They're almost always on drop and you can also get them with a black/red limited edition theme if that's your thing. [ https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-headphones ]

 

Phillips Fidelio X2 $228 Another amazing open-back, although now its getting a bit pricey. I haven't heard these myself but have heard a few friends and a lot of reviews raving about how amazing they are. They have a wide soundstage, deep extended bass, and they're amazingly comfortable. If you can get them on sale they'd be a good option to work towards. If you can find the X1's they can be quite a bit cheaper and the only difference between them is that the X1's have a brown headband and silver accents and I think the pads are glued on. You probably would never want to change the pads on these anyways because they're so comfy. They're also compatible with a V-Moda BoomPro Mic so you wouldn't need the extra cable of an Antlion ModMic in your way. [ https://www.amazon.com/Philips-X2-27-Fidelio-Headphones/dp/B00O2Y2MZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469719583&sr=8-1&keywords=philips+x2 ]

 

Closed-Back: *Better sound Isolation, you can't hear others around you and they can't hear you. Drawback is less soundstage so it's harder, but not impossible, to pinpoint where people's footsteps are coming from with accuracy. If you want the sound isolation of closed-back but open soundstage the biggest soundstage I've heard in a closed-back is from the AKG K553 Pro's, although the Beyerdynamic DT770's come in a very close second. Those 2 are almost a toss-up so I'd just go with whichever style suits you better. I like the 250Ohm version of the DT770's the best, although they may be a bit harder to drive so you may want to go with the 32/80ohm versions if you don't have an amp or solid on-board.

 

Sennheiser HD280 Pro $99 A great budget friendly option for an intro into "audiophile" closed-back headphones. Can't go wrong with these and you can try them almost anywhere from Best Buy, Future Shop, Music Stores like Tom Lee etc.. [ https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_10?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469717603&sr=1-10&keywords=sennheiser ]

 

Audio Technica ATH-M40X/M50X $99/$169 A community favourite, although I think they're a bit over-hyped they are a good option if you want something you can wear in public as they don't look like some super nerdy audiophile headphones. The M40X have a more neutral sound, almost perfectly neutral some would say and they're a lot cheaper than the M50X. The M50X is significantly more V-Shaped meaning that it has prominent treble and bass but more recessed mids. The M40X's are a better deal imo if you want to go this route, only downside is the M50X's come with 3 cable lengths but you can buy replacement cables just know that they won't lock into plave like Audio Technica's own proprietary cables.  Both are compatible with a V-Moda BoomPro Mic I believe. [ https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=pd_sim_267_3ie=UTF8&dpID=51BPmi9clEL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR133%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=22NYZQA0096NGSGGWG7D / https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86?psc=1&smid=A9VBWN1Q1U6E6 ]

 

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro $175 Another great closed-back option, the DT770's soundstage is only beaten out slightly by the AKG K553s Pro's but just ever so slightly. Both have AMAZING soundstage for closed backs which aren't known for wide or deep soundstage. The DT770's are the least treble heavy out of Beyer's DT line but are still v-shaped with slightly more treble and less bass than the M50X's. They're super comfy but the cable in non-removable so you'd need a ModMic too for gaming.  [ https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-DT-770-Pro-ohm/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469719385&sr=8-1&keywords=dt770 ]

 

AKG K553 Pro $195 One of my all-time favourites, I actually bought these but only let them go because I fell in love with my Fostex T50RP MK3s and they weren't getting enough love. These have the largest soundstage I've ever heard for a closed-back, I've seen reviews calling them the only "open closed-back" pair of headphones and I agree with the statement. The soundstage isn't as large as some of the open-backs with larger soundstages but I think they rival many of the smaller soundstage open-backs for sure. They sound great, they're comfy, the pads are large enough to fit over the biggest of ears although people with smaller ears may have trouble getting a proper seal I've heard but I have a small head and small ears and never had this problem. [ https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K553-PRO-553-Pro/dp/B00X3MT7F6 ]

 

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus $199 A great option for the bass-lovers out there! There is 4 levels of bass control via switches on the bottom of the earcups. It also comes with its own in-line mic so if you want to use that you can or if you're planning on using them on the go with your phone they'd be perfect for that. They are also one of the more stylish of the bunch, and the ear covers are customizable with all these different patterns you can order from Beyerdynamics website so if you wanted to use these as your go to all-arounder and for listening to music out of the house they'd be an excellent option.

 [ https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Custom-Headphones-Accessory-Microphone/dp/B00PK2LJ4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469721340&sr=8-1&keywords=beyerdynamic+custom+one ]

 

Fostex T50RP Mk3 $160 + $40ish for replacement pads  These are my favourite bar none headphone at the moment. You have to spend a little extra to replace the pads though. I found the Shure1540's to be great but the ZMF pads as well as HM5 Hybrids will work as well. They're technically Semi-Open but when I listen to music at regular/high volumes nobody can hear my music and I can't hear them either. If you turn them up super loud someone sitting right beside you may be able to hear you're listening to music but won't be able to make it out clearly. They are pretty hard to drive though so if you like listening to music loud you'll probably need a portable amp for on the go. [ https://www.amazon.com/Fostex-Professional-Studio-Headphones-Semi-Open/dp/B0167XM092/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1469724756&sr=1-1&keywords=fostex+t50rp+mk3 ]

 

V-Moda Crossfade M-100/Crossfade Wireless $250/$300 Awesome headphones! A tad expensive but my friend owns both of these and I've tried them and love them. The wireless version is especially nice for on the go, they have enough clamping pressure that they won't fall off either. I'm not sure about using them for working out though, most over-ears are a bit heavy but I guess it depends on what exercises you're actually doing and if you're shaking your head around a lot. If you really need a wireless pair for working out I would suggest in ears but that doesn't seem to be what you're looking for atm. [ https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Over-Ear-Noise-Isolating-Headphone/dp/B00A39PPCG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469725023&sr=8-2&keywords=v-moda+crossfade / https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Wireless-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B015R7AGHC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1469725023&sr=8-3&keywords=v-moda+crossfade ]

 

 

 

[Jon Jon]

3 hours ago, Artemiis said:

This is a similar post that I put up pretty much whenever I see people ask about headsets or headphones for gaming, music or whatever so I'm sorry if there are some options out of your price range but at least you'll know what options you can work up to and I don't have to retype this entire thing out several times a day ❤ ... 

 

First off I always suggest that anyone looking for a headset for gaming just use a ModMic and a real set of headphones because most "gamer" headsets are PoS  tbh.. Most of the "7.1 virtual surround sound! blah blah blah" stuff is marketing garbage. It's always better to invest in better hardware instead of just using software to simulate surround sound on a crappy headset in my humble opinion. So here are some options  I have tested and found good and some others that I haven't but which many other people in the audio / "audiophile" community talk highly of, I've added Amazon links, costs and a mini-description based on my own research so you have a place to start at least. Please do not just take my word for it though, everyone has their own preference when it comes to sound. IHIGHLY recommend watching several video reviews and reading many more write-up reviews AND trying the headphones somewhere BEFORE buying them! There are Mid-Fi/Hi-Fi stores everywhere if you search for them and there are also local Hi-Fi meetups where people bring their headphones where you can try them. A good pair of headphones can last you 5-10 years if you're lucky and you don't want to buy something on a  knee-jerk reaction and have buyers remorse as good audio gear is expensive and a costly investment for most of us =D

 

Open-Back: *These will have better soundstage so you can hear and pinpoint where people's footsteps are coming from which is important in FPS games especially like OW and CS. The drawback is you sacrifice sound isolation meaning if your game is playing really loud people in the same room a few feet away will be able to hear you and you'll be able to hear them if you're music/game isn't loud enough to drown them out.

 

Audio Technica ATH-AD500X/AD700X $95/99 One of my favourite headsets for gaming, either are amazing for pinpointing footsteps with accuracy because they have amazingly accurate highs although both are a bit bass light. Honestly I have no idea why the 700X is only $4 more than the 500X atm but hey its a good deal if you want to go this route.  [ https://www.amazon.com/Technica-AUD-ATHAD500X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S333U4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469717657&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+ath+ad500x / https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469717657&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+ath+ad500x ] 

 

Sennheiser HD518/558  $73/$105  The HD518's are on sale for 45% off right now. Both of these are a good balanced open-back option and good intro into "audiophile" headphones, the 518's have slightly more bass but this also means they are more coloured or not true to the actual recorded sound  and it uses lower quality pad materials compared to the 558. [ https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-518-Headphones-Black/dp/B0042A68R8/ref=sr_1_11?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469717603&sr=1-11&keywords=sennheiser  / https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_7?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469717603&sr=1-7&keywords=sennheiser ]

 

AKG K7XX $199 The headphones I personally use at the moment for gaming, they don't have the widest soundstage of all open-backs but they are accurate and have great bass extension which gives you enough of that low frequency rumble without it being overpowering or sloppy. It's an open and accurate headphone for tracking footsteps in fps games and to me, they just sound amazing.. Massdrop basically took a $400 headphone, made them better then halved the price. They're almost always on drop and you can also get them with a black/red limited edition theme if that's your thing. [ https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-headphones ]

 

Phillips Fidelio X2 $228 Another amazing open-back, although now its getting a bit pricey. I haven't heard these myself but have heard a few friends and a lot of reviews raving about how amazing they are. They have a wide soundstage, deep extended bass, and they're amazingly comfortable. If you can get them on sale they'd be a good option to work towards. If you can find the X1's they can be quite a bit cheaper and the only difference between them is that the X1's have a brown headband and silver accents and I think the pads are glued on. You probably would never want to change the pads on these anyways because they're so comfy. They're also compatible with a V-Moda BoomPro Mic so you wouldn't need the extra cable of an Antlion ModMic in your way. [ https://www.amazon.com/Philips-X2-27-Fidelio-Headphones/dp/B00O2Y2MZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469719583&sr=8-1&keywords=philips+x2 ]

 

Closed-Back: *Better sound Isolation, you can't hear others around you and they can't hear you. Drawback is less soundstage so it's harder, but not impossible, to pinpoint where people's footsteps are coming from with accuracy. If you want the sound isolation of closed-back but open soundstage the biggest soundstage I've heard in a closed-back is from the AKG K553 Pro's, although the Beyerdynamic DT770's come in a very close second. Those 2 are almost a toss-up so I'd just go with whichever style suits you better. I like the 250Ohm version of the DT770's the best, although they may be a bit harder to drive so you may want to go with the 32/80ohm versions if you don't have an amp or solid on-board.

 

Sennheiser HD280 Pro $99 A great budget friendly option for an intro into "audiophile" closed-back headphones. Can't go wrong with these and you can try them almost anywhere from Best Buy, Future Shop, Music Stores like Tom Lee etc.. [ https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_10?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469717603&sr=1-10&keywords=sennheiser ]

 

Audio Technica ATH-M40X/M50X $99/$169 A community favourite, although I think they're a bit over-hyped they are a good option if you want something you can wear in public as they don't look like some super nerdy audiophile headphones. The M40X have a more neutral sound, almost perfectly neutral some would say and they're a lot cheaper than the M50X. The M50X is significantly more V-Shaped meaning that it has prominent treble and bass but more recessed mids. The M40X's are a better deal imo if you want to go this route, only downside is the M50X's come with 3 cable lengths but you can buy replacement cables just know that they won't lock into plave like Audio Technica's own proprietary cables.  Both are compatible with a V-Moda BoomPro Mic I believe. [ https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=pd_sim_267_3ie=UTF8&dpID=51BPmi9clEL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR133%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=22NYZQA0096NGSGGWG7D / https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86?psc=1&smid=A9VBWN1Q1U6E6 ]

 

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro $175 Another great closed-back option, the DT770's soundstage is only beaten out slightly by the AKG K553s Pro's but just ever so slightly. Both have AMAZING soundstage for closed backs which aren't known for wide or deep soundstage. The DT770's are the least treble heavy out of Beyer's DT line but are still v-shaped with slightly more treble and less bass than the M50X's. They're super comfy but the cable in non-removable so you'd need a ModMic too for gaming.  [ https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-DT-770-Pro-ohm/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469719385&sr=8-1&keywords=dt770 ]

 

AKG K553 Pro $195 One of my all-time favourites, I actually bought these but only let them go because I fell in love with my Fostex T50RP MK3s and they weren't getting enough love. These have the largest soundstage I've ever heard for a closed-back, I've seen reviews calling them the only "open closed-back" pair of headphones and I agree with the statement. The soundstage isn't as large as some of the open-backs with larger soundstages but I think they rival many of the smaller soundstage open-backs for sure. They sound great, they're comfy, the pads are large enough to fit over the biggest of ears although people with smaller ears may have trouble getting a proper seal I've heard but I have a small head and small ears and never had this problem. [ https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K553-PRO-553-Pro/dp/B00X3MT7F6 ]

 

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus $199 A great option for the bass-lovers out there! There is 4 levels of bass control via switches on the bottom of the earcups. It also comes with its own in-line mic so if you want to use that you can or if you're planning on using them on the go with your phone they'd be perfect for that. They are also one of the more stylish of the bunch, and the ear covers are customizable with all these different patterns you can order from Beyerdynamics website so if you wanted to use these as your go to all-arounder and for listening to music out of the house they'd be an excellent option.

 [ https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-Custom-Headphones-Accessory-Microphone/dp/B00PK2LJ4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469721340&sr=8-1&keywords=beyerdynamic+custom+one ]

 

Fostex T50RP Mk3 $160 + $40ish for replacement pads  These are my favourite bar none headphone at the moment. You have to spend a little extra to replace the pads though. I found the Shure1540's to be great but the ZMF pads as well as HM5 Hybrids will work as well. They're technically Semi-Open but when I listen to music at regular/high volumes nobody can hear my music and I can't hear them either. If you turn them up super loud someone sitting right beside you may be able to hear you're listening to music but won't be able to make it out clearly. They are pretty hard to drive though so if you like listening to music loud you'll probably need a portable amp for on the go. [ https://www.amazon.com/Fostex-Professional-Studio-Headphones-Semi-Open/dp/B0167XM092/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1469724756&sr=1-1&keywords=fostex+t50rp+mk3 ]

 

V-Moda Crossfade M-100/Crossfade Wireless $250/$300 Awesome headphones! A tad expensive but my friend owns both of these and I've tried them and love them. The wireless version is especially nice for on the go, they have enough clamping pressure that they won't fall off either. I'm not sure about using them for working out though, most over-ears are a bit heavy but I guess it depends on what exercises you're actually doing and if you're shaking your head around a lot. If you really need a wireless pair for working out I would suggest in ears but that doesn't seem to be what you're looking for atm. [ https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Over-Ear-Noise-Isolating-Headphone/dp/B00A39PPCG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469725023&sr=8-2&keywords=v-moda+crossfade / https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Wireless-Over-Ear-Headphone/dp/B015R7AGHC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1469725023&sr=8-3&keywords=v-moda+crossfade ]

 

 

 

What a great response! Thanks!

 

I would be interested in a closed back if it means better quality sound.

 

So as an fyi, I do detail in the first post that I have an Asus xonar essence st so I can drive any headphone (it supports up to 600ohms on the headphone amp).

 

I have a pair of hd 518s and am ready to upgrade from there. The sound just doesn't sound that full to me.

 

I primarily care about music, I would have a second pair for games if needed, but music is priority.

 

So you recommend the fostex pair that you have? I'd even be willing to go higher end at this point. I really dont want to go budget again with headphones as I might as well flush the money down the toilet at this point.

 

Thanks!

[Artemiis]

13 hours ago, Jon Jon said:

What a great response! Thanks!

 

I would be interested in a closed back if it means better quality sound.

 

So as an fyi, I do detail in the first post that I have an Asus xonar essence st so I can drive any headphone (it supports up to 600ohms on the headphone amp).

 

I have a pair of hd 518s and am ready to upgrade from there. The sound just doesn't sound that full to me.

 

I primarily care about music, I would have a second pair for games if needed, but music is priority.

 

So you recommend the fostex pair that you have? I'd even be willing to go higher end at this point. I really dont want to go budget again with headphones as I might as well flush the money down the toilet at this point.

 

Thanks!

Closed-back wouldn't mean better sound quality, I think most people would actually prefer open-headphones as they are usually more "true to sound", because they aren't enclosed you don't get that echoing inside your head kind of feeling. Also open-headphones will almost always have better soundstage, which is like the spacial feeling where you can hear an instrument and kind of pinpoint where it was in the room it was recorded in. Headphones with larger soundstage will make the music sound like its coming from all around you in a room, rather than just playing inside your head.

 

You can use your favourite set of headphones for games as well, no need to buy a seperate headphone just for that. You'd just need to invest in a mic (I'll give you some suggestions below). I personally use an open-back set for gaming because of the larger soundstage, I play a lot of OW right now so hearing which direction footsteps are coming from is extremely important which a good soundstage helps with. If you would prefer a closed-back pair though by all means go that route.

 

Just know that the major difference between the 2 is that open-back means that there's no sound isolation, if you're playing music really loud in the same room as someone they will be able to hear your music, at moderate levels they won't be able to hear it more than a few feet away though in my experience. This also means if there's a lot of background noise like people talking in the background that you'll be able to hear them when you're not playing anything very loud. At moderate to higher volumes though you probably won't be able to make people out because there's still a driver an inch from your ear playing music or whatever in it. Open-backs will almost always have a much larger soundstage as I discussed above, there area a couple closed-backs that have excellent soundstage but they only compare to open-backs which have the smallest of soundstages, they still don't compete with the best soundstage open-backs. Again, the bonus of closed-backs is sound isolation, nobody can hear your music and you can't hear them. Some people would argue that closed-back have better bass response as well because they are sealed. I'm not sure if I've found this from my experience but I haven't tried every headphone around for extensive listening time and its hard to recall from memory alone.. 

 

My favourite overall headphone at this time of writing is my Fostex T50RP Mk3s, that being said you're going to have to shell out a little extra (like $40) for replacement earpads because the stock ones are these terrible little pancake pads lol. The Fostex are the only ones on that list that are planar magnetic, its a different kind of driver than conventional dynamic drivers. People would normally call planar's "fast sounding". Also note that the T50RP's are semi-open, they also have the T40RP which is the closed variant and the T20RP which is the open variant. The only difference between the 3 is the thickness of this covering tape over the vents in the earcups I believe. I've heard that the T20RP has more bass, whereas the T50RP has better treble. People who like rock music, new and old, tend to like what treble does to their music. I listen to mostly EDM and some indie, alternative, electronic, experimental stuff as well but I enjoy the T50RP's as well.

 

Also if your soundcard is rated to be able to push 600ohm headphones it should be fine with the Fostex, but just an fyi ohms isn't everything though. Some high ohm models are easier to push than lower ones, it has to do with sensitivity as well and a bunch of other factors that I probably can't explain. If you want to know more about it though this guy makes a good guide about impedance and ohms and stuff: http://nwavguy.blogspot.ca/2011/02/headphone-impedance-explained.html .

 

Right now, I'm using my K7XX's for gaming and my Fostex T50RP Mk3's for everything else. If you really want to throw some money around there are a lot of Fostex T50Rp modders who actually take the original T50RP and improve upon it. Mr.Speakers used to make the MadDogs and AlphaDogs out of the older version the Mk2's, When the Mk3s came out they were significantly better than the stock mk2s, seems like Fostex actually listened to their modding community. Still  though, people are improving upon the stock Mk3 model. Here are a couple links to some people who mod them: http://cascadia-audio.com/category-page-headphones/   and          http://www.modhouseaudio.com/argon/ . Those are just 2 guys who kind of started doing it themselves I guess and have had some success. I'd check out a lot of reviews though before committing so you know exactly what they are changing. Getting the original T50RP's is also an option for now and upgrading later. Most of those guys will also accept you shipping in your own pair later for them to mod at cost if you ever get an itch to upgrade. It's kind of a nice investment the T50RP's because there's still room for improvement without getting a whole new set of cans =D

 

Also here are some mic options you can add to your headphones for Gaming:

 

Mics: **I'm not an expert by any means in the mic game, just going off what I've used, my friends have used and suggested to me and additional information from reviews I've read/seen.

 

V-Moda BoomPro Mic $30 You can attach this one to some of the headphones I listed above by replacing their cable with this one so it adds a mic to those headphones making it into a headset without adding an extra cable hanging down like with the ModMic. I haven't actually tried this option myself but I do have friends who use this who I talk over Discord with regularly and I haven't noticed any issues with their speech nor have they reported anything wrong with it. [ https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469722662&sr=8-1&keywords=v-moda+boompro ]

 

Antlion ModMic $55  I use this to make any of my headphones into a headset for gaming. You stick a tiny little magnet base onto your headset via 3M double-sided tape. It's tiny and you barely see it when the Mic Boom isn't attached by the magnet and it makes it so you can take the mic off whenever you're not using it. I find the audio quality is great for gaming, I don't use it for anything professional or for streaming or youtube or anything but my friends can hear me perfectly in game and the uni-directional option is great since I live with my partner in smaller apartment so my friends can't hear her tv, music or her talking to me in the background. If you're like me and live with others or have music playing in the background or even have loud music on open headphones you will probably want to get a uni-directional one so it only picks up your talking and doesn't pick up any background noise. The one with mute option is always handy too but not necessary if you'd rather save $5 and just click mute in whatever program you use. [ https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469723020&sr=8-2&keywords=antlion+modmic ]

 

Blue Snowball $50  A good cheap option for a desktop stand alone mic. Easy USB plug in and use with no drivers to install. I've heard its a good starter mic if you don't want to wear one attached to your headset. [ https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Black-iCE/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_267_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=41wQ%2Bhc62ZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR125%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=RN1Z5SR62GBTHS230J7W ]

 

Blue Yeti $113 A step up from the Snowball. Multi pattern selections - cardioid, bi-directional, omni-directional and stereo options to fit whatever your needs. Has gain control, zero latency, mute button and even a headphone output on the mic itself. If you're a twitch streamer, musician, youtuber or just want a step-up from the cheapest mics then this could be an option for you. [ https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=bdl_pop_ttl_B00N1YPXW2 ]

 

Audio Technica AT2020 USB $150 If you want a real studio quality cardioid condenser mic for streaming on twitch, making youtube videos, producing music, etc but you want the convenience of a USB connection then this is a great mic option. I've heard great things about this mic, one of my friends had a blue snowball and said once he switched to the AT2020 the snowball just became an unused paperweight because it wasn't anywhere near the same quality. He uses it to stream on Twitch and record professional audio since that's his fulltime job, but most of us won't need this option unless you have money to burn and want something a step above what most people have. If that is the case though,  this is a solid option for a budget friendly professional mic. I see this often go on sale for near $100 pretty often and I've also seen it on Massdrop on occasion so if you watch for deals you can definitely snag one for cheaper. [ https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020USB-PLUS-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00B5ZX9FM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469723209&sr=8-1&keywords=at+2020usb ]

 

PS. Sorry for the wall of text! =O

[SSL]

Closed headphones tend to have better bass response, extension, and lower distortion. The cost is greater coloration and resonance from the driver housing, which also affects soundstage and imaging.

 

Free-air dynamic drivers have 12dB/octave roll-off. A closed housing prevents this by allowing the driver to pressurize the air more effectively - similar to how a subwoofer in a room with the door closed will have more extended response.

[Jon Jon]

42 minutes ago, Artemiis said:

Closed-back wouldn't mean better sound quality, I think most people would actually prefer open-headphones as they are usually more "true to sound", because they aren't enclosed you don't get that echoing inside your head kind of feeling. Also open-headphones will almost always have better soundstage, which is like the spacial feeling where you can hear an instrument and kind of pinpoint where it was in the room it was recorded in. Headphones with larger soundstage will make the music sound like its coming from all around you in a room, rather than just playing inside your head.

 

You can use your favourite set of headphones for games as well, no need to buy a seperate headphone just for that. You'd just need to invest in a mic (I'll give you some suggestions below). I personally use an open-back set for gaming because of the larger soundstage, I play a lot of OW right now so hearing which direction footsteps are coming from is extremely important which a good soundstage helps with. If you would prefer a closed-back pair though by all means go that route.

 

Just know that the major difference between the 2 is that open-back means that there's no sound isolation, if you're playing music really loud in the same room as someone they will be able to hear your music, at moderate levels they won't be able to hear it more than a few feet away though in my experience. This also means if there's a lot of background noise like people talking in the background that you'll be able to hear them when you're not playing anything very loud. At moderate to higher volumes though you probably won't be able to make people out because there's still a driver an inch from your ear playing music or whatever in it. Open-backs will almost always have a much larger soundstage as I discussed above, there area a couple closed-backs that have excellent soundstage but they only compare to open-backs which have the smallest of soundstages, they still don't compete with the best soundstage open-backs. Again, the bonus of closed-backs is sound isolation, nobody can hear your music and you can't hear them. Some people would argue that closed-back have better bass response as well because they are sealed. I'm not sure if I've found this from my experience but I haven't tried every headphone around for extensive listening time and its hard to recall from memory alone.. 

 

My favourite overall headphone at this time of writing is my Fostex T50RP Mk3s, that being said you're going to have to shell out a little extra (like $40) for replacement earpads because the stock ones are these terrible little pancake pads lol. The Fostex are the only ones on that list that are planar magnetic, its a different kind of driver than conventional dynamic drivers. People would normally call planar's "fast sounding". Also note that the T50RP's are semi-open, they also have the T40RP which is the closed variant and the T20RP which is the open variant. The only difference between the 3 is the thickness of this covering tape over the vents in the earcups I believe. I've heard that the T20RP has more bass, whereas the T50RP has better treble. People who like rock music, new and old, tend to like what treble does to their music. I listen to mostly EDM and some indie, alternative, electronic, experimental stuff as well but I enjoy the T50RP's as well.

 

Also if your soundcard is rated to be able to push 600ohm headphones it should be fine with the Fostex, but just an fyi ohms isn't everything though. Some high ohm models are easier to push than lower ones, it has to do with sensitivity as well and a bunch of other factors that I probably can't explain. If you want to know more about it though this guy makes a good guide about impedance and ohms and stuff: http://nwavguy.blogspot.ca/2011/02/headphone-impedance-explained.html .

 

Right now, I'm using my K7XX's for gaming and my Fostex T50RP Mk3's for everything else. If you really want to throw some money around there are a lot of Fostex T50Rp modders who actually take the original T50RP and improve upon it. Mr.Speakers used to make the MadDogs and AlphaDogs out of the older version the Mk2's, When the Mk3s came out they were significantly better than the stock mk2s, seems like Fostex actually listened to their modding community. Still  though, people are improving upon the stock Mk3 model. Here are a couple links to some people who mod them: http://cascadia-audio.com/category-page-headphones/   and          http://www.modhouseaudio.com/argon/ . Those are just 2 guys who kind of started doing it themselves I guess and have had some success. I'd check out a lot of reviews though before committing so you know exactly what they are changing. Getting the original T50RP's is also an option for now and upgrading later. Most of those guys will also accept you shipping in your own pair later for them to mod at cost if you ever get an itch to upgrade. It's kind of a nice investment the T50RP's because there's still room for improvement without getting a whole new set of cans =D

 

Also here are some mic options you can add to your headphones for Gaming:

 

Mics: **I'm not an expert by any means in the mic game, just going off what I've used, my friends have used and suggested to me and additional information from reviews I've read/seen.

 

V-Moda BoomPro Mic $30 You can attach this one to some of the headphones I listed above by replacing their cable with this one so it adds a mic to those headphones making it into a headset without adding an extra cable hanging down like with the ModMic. I haven't actually tried this option myself but I do have friends who use this who I talk over Discord with regularly and I haven't noticed any issues with their speech nor have they reported anything wrong with it. [ https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469722662&sr=8-1&keywords=v-moda+boompro ]

 

Antlion ModMic $55  I use this to make any of my headphones into a headset for gaming. You stick a tiny little magnet base onto your headset via 3M double-sided tape. It's tiny and you barely see it when the Mic Boom isn't attached by the magnet and it makes it so you can take the mic off whenever you're not using it. I find the audio quality is great for gaming, I don't use it for anything professional or for streaming or youtube or anything but my friends can hear me perfectly in game and the uni-directional option is great since I live with my partner in smaller apartment so my friends can't hear her tv, music or her talking to me in the background. If you're like me and live with others or have music playing in the background or even have loud music on open headphones you will probably want to get a uni-directional one so it only picks up your talking and doesn't pick up any background noise. The one with mute option is always handy too but not necessary if you'd rather save $5 and just click mute in whatever program you use. [ https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469723020&sr=8-2&keywords=antlion+modmic ]

 

Blue Snowball $50  A good cheap option for a desktop stand alone mic. Easy USB plug in and use with no drivers to install. I've heard its a good starter mic if you don't want to wear one attached to your headset. [ https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Black-iCE/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_267_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=41wQ%2Bhc62ZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR125%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=RN1Z5SR62GBTHS230J7W ]

 

Blue Yeti $113 A step up from the Snowball. Multi pattern selections - cardioid, bi-directional, omni-directional and stereo options to fit whatever your needs. Has gain control, zero latency, mute button and even a headphone output on the mic itself. If you're a twitch streamer, musician, youtuber or just want a step-up from the cheapest mics then this could be an option for you. [ https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=bdl_pop_ttl_B00N1YPXW2 ]

 

Audio Technica AT2020 USB $150 If you want a real studio quality cardioid condenser mic for streaming on twitch, making youtube videos, producing music, etc but you want the convenience of a USB connection then this is a great mic option. I've heard great things about this mic, one of my friends had a blue snowball and said once he switched to the AT2020 the snowball just became an unused paperweight because it wasn't anywhere near the same quality. He uses it to stream on Twitch and record professional audio since that's his fulltime job, but most of us won't need this option unless you have money to burn and want something a step above what most people have. If that is the case though,  this is a solid option for a budget friendly professional mic. I see this often go on sale for near $100 pretty often and I've also seen it on Massdrop on occasion so if you watch for deals you can definitely snag one for cheaper. [ https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020USB-PLUS-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00B5ZX9FM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469723209&sr=8-1&keywords=at+2020usb ]

 

PS. Sorry for the wall of text! =O

No apologies, I loved the wall of text!

 

I actually have a Blue Snowball that I use as a mic, so I am not too concerned with a mic option!

 

As for headphones, all of that was awesome!

 

I will need to take some time to look at the links you provided, but as for what you'e said, all great stuff!

 

It sounds like for music, I should have an open back then, if I want truer sound.

The one thing I love about my HD 518s is that they completely cover my ears. My ears do not like having pads on them for long, as they just start to hurt, so cups that surround my big ears are ideal.

 

Overall, my goal here is to get a more "full" and "warm" sound, if that makes sense. I feel like with the 518s, some sound is just flat and less life-like.

 

I do love my Sony MDR-V6s, but they really hurt my ears after 10 minutes of use, and in some ways I consider the 518s to be better.

 

Based on your recommendations, it doesn't look like I need to go crazy cost wise. Is there a level of diminishing returns passed the $200 price point?

 

 

 

[SSL]

41 minutes ago, Jon Jon said:

Is there a level of diminishing returns passed the $200 price point?

 

Depends what you're looking for. That said; for open headphones diminishing returns tends to be around $500, although the recent release of the Focal Elear at $1k apparently bucks the trend. For closed headphones, they don't start getting truly good until $300-500.

[Jon Jon]

33 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Depends what you're looking for. That said; for open headphones diminishing returns tends to be around $500, although the recent release of the Focal Elear at $1k apparently bucks the trend. For closed headphones, they don't start getting truly good until $300-500.

Based on what I was saying above, what do you recommend I look into?

 

I would definitely want something over ear.

 

[SSL]

4 hours ago, Jon Jon said:

Based on what I was saying above, what do you recommend I look into?

 

I would definitely want something over ear.

 

The HD 518 is over ear and have some of the larger cups/pad openings out there, especially on the lower range of prices. Also, I'm confused by your description of their sound as the 518 fits the "full, warm" descriptors pretty well I would say.

 

You might need to try some aftermarket pads, like something from Brainwavz.

[Jon Jon]

1 hour ago, SSL said:

 

The HD 518 is over ear and have some of the larger cups/pad openings out there, especially on the lower range of prices. Also, I'm confused by your description of their sound as the 518 fits the "full, warm" descriptors pretty well I would say.

 

You might need to try some aftermarket pads, like something from Brainwavz.

Interesting

 

And I don't know, there is just something about the sound from the 518s that I am not satisfied with.

 

I will look into that.

 

 

[SSL]

5 minutes ago, Jon Jon said:

Interesting

 

And I don't know, there is just something about the sound from the 518s that I am not satisfied with.

 

I will look into that.

 

 

 

You might have more luck with something like the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro, but I'm not sure if the pads would be large enough for you; the round shape might work a bit better, at least.