Looking for headphones at around 100$ price point
in Audio
On 8/1/2016 at 3:40 PM, Tomek20225 said:I've done a little bit of research on my own lately - now I know that it's going to be hard to find good wireless headphones at this price point
Anyway, I'm considering HyperX Cloud IIs at the moment, because I've tested them and I find them super comfortable and delivering awesome audio quality for the price I can live with.
Thanks for your reply! I just have one more question - which one of them would you choose personally (with addition of Clouds)?
Huge thanks in advance!
I will always suggest real headphones with the addition of a mic over gaming headsets, out of all the gaming headsets the cloud 2's are probably the "least bad".... That being said, for that price you can get better headphones and just add a mic. I will always suggest open-back for gaming. My personal fav atm are my K7XX from Massdrop but if you can't afford that the Audio Technica ATH-AD500X's are amazing, the AD700X which are a step up are only $5 more on amazon right now too. They have amazing soundstage and if you play fps games you'll be able to pinpoint where people are coming from with complete accuracy! They have great treble but if you want something more neutral, if you're planning on using them for a lot of music and like vocals to be more pronounced, then the sennheiser hd518/558's are a great choice. They're known for their neutrality and great mids which enhance vocals. I'll post all my suggestions though with a small description below so you can choose which ones you'd like to further research, I've sorted them by open-back, closed-back and mic options:
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.
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 ]
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 ]
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