How to request headphones

[Dragonzeanse]

I've noticed that a lot of people have been posting threads asking for which headphones they want. However, they often make it a little difficult to pinpoint what to recommend because they don't give enough details. I've decided to make this thread to give people something of a form to fill out - criteria that they should meet so that people can give them the best advice.

 

1. Budget: How much money are you willing to spend on headphones? Always list a maximum. Minimum is optional.
2. Location: Headphone availability varies wildly across different regions. List where you're from.
3. Form factor: Circumaural (around-ear), supra-aural (on-ear), or in-ear. Optional; just list which ones you prefer, if any. In-ear monitors generally provide the best isolation of any headphones.
4. Open or closed: Some headphones are designed open-back and others are designed closed-back. Open headphones provide a greater soundstage and might "sound better" to the general user, but offer very poor isolation and are more susceptible to sound leakage. Closed headphones are the opposite, but can still have a really good soundstage. Open headphones are good for home or office use. In environments like commuting, noisy offices, or tightly-clustered rooms, closed headphones reign superior.
5. Usage: Will you be using these for gaming, watching movies, listening to music, or a combination of any of those three? List whatever you plan to use these headphones for. Some headphones that are great for gaming might not be good for listening to music, and vice versa.
6. Music: What kind of genres do you listen to? Electronic, rap, rock, metal, classical, etc.? List these so that people know what kind of headphones to recommend. Some have a more flat response than others, and might sound better for classical music, whereas headphones with a V-shaped or bassy sound signature are better suited to electronic music. Rock and metal music can go either way depending on the user's preference.
7. Sound signature: If you want to be more specific than above, list what kind of sound signature you want from your headphones (warm/dark, v-shaped, bassy, neutral, bright, etc.) You can find a glossary for each of these sound signatures here.

 

If you are considering a headset, please read this thread. Though much of the community has a bias against gaming headsets, do not let that dissuade your purchasing decision. Some good headsets exist. Nobody should flame you for your decision.

 

In some cases, you may require an amplifier in order to drive your headphones. A general rule of thumb to see if a pair of headphones requires an amp is to refer to its impedance. If it's a 320Ω pair, chances are it needs an amplifier (not always true, however). Each set of headphones is different, so the person recommending should suggest such a thing. If you explicitly don't want to have to buy an amplifier, make note of this. It's important.

[Unhelpful]

These are true for any piece of hardware/peripheral.

 

Aside from music, sound signature, and open or closed.

[Dragonzeanse]

These are true for any piece of hardware/peripheral.

 

Aside from music, sound signature, and open or closed.

I see this a lot more with headphones. Concerning most other peripherals, people can make an educated decision and there are less options to choose from. Audio is a bit more touchy, and since a lot more people ask which headphones they should buy, I figured this thread would help guide them in the right direction.

 

You are right, though. It happens with pretty much everything.

[Unhelpful]

I see this a lot more with headphones. Concerning most other peripherals, people can make an educated decision and there are less options to choose from. Audio is a bit more touchy, and since a lot more people ask which headphones they should buy, I figured this thread would help guide them in the right direction.

 

You are right, though. It happens with pretty much everything.

Oh I was agreeing with you, I just thought I should mention to anyone who reads this that this applies to hardware and other peripherals as well.

[Dragonzeanse]

Oh I was agreeing with you, I just thought I should mention to anyone who reads this that this applies to hardware and other peripherals as well.

I know. There ought to be a thread like this for every peripheral subforum, but audio needed a bit more of a specific touch.

[Yummychickenblue]

Is this topic for making requests or a template for other topics?

[jacobffeldman]

This is a great idea, it should be posted as a comment to any vague requests.