Looking for high-end openback headphones setup.

[PopsicleHustler]

Good evening, morning or whatever it is on your planet right now.

 

I'm currently looking to get a high end headset with AMP. My overall budget right now is 500 euros (For both headset and an amplifier).

 

Аfter some research I (Think) on getting open back headset since I'm always listening to music in a quite room where nobody can hear me.  Although good closed back is still an option if I can get something good that doesn't require an AMP. 

 

One option that looks interesting is Audio Technica ATH-R70X. I've seen that headset reviews YEARS ago, like 5-6 years ago they were on the market, and they still are. But I'm still considering my options.

 

Also need good AMP option.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[tewynkoop]

The amp that I would recommend would be the Topping L30. It is cheap enough to be a great starter amp and can power most any single ended (non-balanced) headphone that you throw at it. I currently use it paired with Beyerdynamic DT 990 pros. If you want to splurge a bit more something like the Sennheiser HD 650 open back headphones would be a great option too and have a flatter response curved compared to the 990 pros.

 

Not sure what DAC you have since it wasn't mentioned but if you also need one for HiFI audio the Schiit Modi 3+ is a great place to start.

[FloRolf]

We used to have this sticky about recommended gear. It's a little old but the headphone world doesn't spin that fast. 

 

You are also unlikely to need an Amp and I for one think dacs are way more important. You can look at the small shiit all on one thing, I forgot the name. 

 

 

[PopsicleHustler]

15 minutes ago, FloRolf said:

We used to have this sticky about recommended gear. It's a little old but the headphone world doesn't spin that fast. 

 

You are also unlikely to need an Amp and I for one think dacs are way more important. You can look at the small shiit all on one thing, I forgot the name. 

 

 

Well you see, I'm so inexperienced in high end audio equipment that I don't really know what I need for high end headphones.  All I know for now is that I need something to power high empedance headphones. And my choice currently sits in ATH-R70X which does require additional power.

 

Also, it would be nice to hear from people with experience with both closed and open back headphones. I know basic difference of sound isolation and soud leak with open back. As for the bass, some people say that open back headphones have good bass, even though there is no seal like with closed back. So it would be nice to hear what others here think.

[Psittac]

There are so many way's to skin this cat.  Seeing that you're in the EU that takes out some go to options like schiit, mass drop and apos

 

I would split the price down the middle give or take and go half on headphones and half on dac and amp

 

Maybe a topping stack like L30 and E30

or an ifi zen dac

 

Then a good pair of headphones like the dt880

 

But honestly it's hard to recommend because you guys have access to different stuff and different prices.  Do you have a website you would be shopping on?  Also prices have gone up drastically in recent years

[PopsicleHustler]

1 minute ago, Psittac said:

 

 

But honestly it's hard to recommend because you guys have access to different stuff and different prices.  Do you have a website you would be shopping on?  Also prices have gone up drastically in recent years

Amazon.co.uk Caseking.de and overclockers.co.uk are the main go to websites for PC wardware here.

[BuzzingBee]

 

21 minutes ago, Psittac said:

There are so many way's to skin this cat.  Seeing that you're in the EU that takes out some go to options like schiit, mass drop and apos

 

I would split the price down the middle give or take and go half on headphones and half on dac and amp

 

Maybe a topping stack like L30 and E30

or an ifi zen dac

 

Then a good pair of headphones like the dt880

 

But honestly it's hard to recommend because you guys have access to different stuff and different prices.  Do you have a website you would be shopping on?  Also prices have gone up drastically in recent years

I prefer open back headphones as my own bedroom isn't too noisy and I don't like talking with "ears covered" when using closed back.

 

I don't have many experience with variety of headphones, my only journey was with DT 770 pro, DT 990 pro and my current Sennheiser HD6XX. I honestly disliked DT 990 for music mainly because treble is too high and was too uncomfortable for long use. Now with HD 6XX it's my perfect endgame headphones as it has neutral sound except lacking in sub-bass, which I then cheated using EqualizerAPO to EQ a bit of bass. 

 

I have L30 + E30 in my bedroom, Loxjie D10 in living room and recently bought Loxjie A30 for a gift. It's quite difficult for me to recommend best headphone DAC and amp as there's so many to choose, so I usually prefer on price, looks and features, and avoiding that are BS or overpriced. 

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, PopsicleHustler said:

Good evening, morning or whatever it is on your planet right now.

 

I'm currently looking to get a high end headset with AMP. My overall budget right now is 500 euros (For both headset and an amplifier).

 

Аfter some research I (Think) on getting open back headset since I'm always listening to music in a quite room where nobody can hear me.  Although good closed back is still an option if I can get something good that doesn't require an AMP. 

 

One option that looks interesting is Audio Technica ATH-R70X. I've seen that headset reviews YEARS ago, like 5-6 years ago they were on the market, and they still are. But I'm still considering my options.

 

Also need good AMP option.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

  I like to reccomend the Lake People g103s to Europeans as a great amp option lots of power and sounds great. Lake people is a great European brand and is a perfect schiit substitute.  for headphones what kind of music are you looking to listen to?

[PopsicleHustler]

15 minutes ago, rice guru said:

  I like to reccomend the Lake People g103s to Europeans as a great amp option lots of power and sounds great. Lake people is a great European brand and is a perfect schiit substitute.  for headphones what kind of music are you looking to listen to?

Mainly rock. Mainly TFK and Skillet among many others.

[Psittac]

I don't think you would be let down with the Sennheiser HD660s, everyone seems to love them and says they're better than the 600 and 650.  I have the 6xx (basically a 650) and absolutely love it.  Also seeing as it's rather easy to drive being 150ohm with 104db sensitivity you could get away with putting less of the cost into your dac/amp and get something like a fiio k5 pro or ifi zen dac 

[rice guru]

6 minutes ago, PopsicleHustler said:

Mainly rock. Mainly TFK and Skillet among many others.

The R70x is a great headphone. Sounds close to the HD 650 but with better staging though I still do prefer the 650 a bit more. Other headphones u like that you could get along with the g103s is the hifiman Sundara or akg 712.