Closed back headphones for music and gaming?

[Leychee]

Hello, I'm currently without any headphones and I'm looking for a good pair that could work well without a DAC.

I don't play any competitive games, mostly MMOs and singleplayer games, most of the time with BGM off and Spotify on, or lossless audio files.

 

How's a beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm? It's on sale right now for an affordable price. I'd rather not get open back monitors as it can get quite noisy here.

Another option would be Audio Technica M50x, but if I'm being honest the beyerdynamic ones look much comfier. 

 

Thoughts?

 

[NinJake]

The DT770 is a solid choice. If your main purpose is to ensure there's no sound leakage, I'd look into a few IEMS however I understand a lot of people don't find in-ears to be the most comfortable.

 

I'd go Beyer over Audio Technica if those are your main 2 choices.

[Leychee]

8 minutes ago, NinJake said:

The DT770 is a solid choice. If your main purpose is to ensure there's no sound leakage, I'd look into a few IEMS however I understand a lot of people don't find in-ears to be the most comfortable.

 

I'd go Beyer over Audio Technica if those are your main 2 choices.

In-ears are something I'm trying to avoid atm, I've been using cheap in-ears for a while and my ears just can't stand them anymore.

How about the DT990 Pro? Same price as the 770 Pro.

 

Edit: nevermind, they're open backs.

[Bob__]

I find that there is no reason get more expensive headphones realistically there is not much different than a great speaker system. For example I have a 8000 dollar speaker setup and 60 dollar headphones and the headphones are equal in everything except bass

[Leychee]

3 minutes ago, Bob__ said:

I find that there is no reason get more expensive headphones realistically there is not much different than a great speaker system. For example I have a 8000 dollar speaker setup and 60 dollar headphones and the headphones are equal in everything except bass

Anything more expensive than the DT770 Pro or expensive in general?

[Bob__]

Im sorry what are you asking

[Leychee]

Just now, Bob__ said:

Im sorry what are you asking

6 minutes ago, Bob__ said:

I find that there is no reason get more expensive headphones

 

[Bob__]

Oh ok i was talking about anything like over 100 I have the g533s and they have 7.1 surround and 50mm or 40mm drivers

[Leychee]

1 minute ago, Bob__ said:

Oh ok i was talking about anything like over 100 I have the g533s and they have 7.1 surround and 50mm or 40mm drivers

Oh that makes sense yeah. But I'm not looking for a headset, I want "proper" headphones that are overall good for both gaming and music. Haven't had a pleasant experience with gaming headsets honestly. Glad you're enjoying yours though!

[Psittac]

1 hour ago, Bob__ said:

I find that there is no reason get more expensive headphones realistically there is not much different than a great speaker system. For example I have a 8000 dollar speaker setup and 60 dollar headphones and the headphones are equal in everything except bass

I find that there is certainly more to be had by going with more expensive headphones.  I have them ranging from $15-$500 ($700 pair in the mail) and I love almost all of them for different reasons.  I would say that once you reach a certain threshold the returns can be diminishing for sure but each one has its own characteristics that money certainly can unlock.  Just throwing them on for a few minutes doesn't always show what they can do and you need to get to know them.  But my friends Focal's tickled my pickle in just a couple minutes so I had to get a pair.  I will admit that I do this for a hobby more than anything though so someone that just wants a better experience can spend $100+ and get a great experience.  However my DT880-600 can't do thing's that my 1990pro can, dynamic range separation clarity it's all improved.  But I still love my 880 for it's own reasons.

 

1 hour ago, Leyf said:

Hello, I'm currently without any headphones and I'm looking for a good pair that could work well without a DAC.

I don't play any competitive games, mostly MMOs and singleplayer games, most of the time with BGM off and Spotify on, or lossless audio files.

 

How's a beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm? It's on sale right now for an affordable price. I'd rather not get open back monitors as it can get quite noisy here.

Another option would be Audio Technica M50x, but if I'm being honest the beyerdynamic ones look much comfier. 

 

Thoughts?

 

The DT 770-80ohm is a great headphone, I bought a pair for my blind friend and fell in love with the Beyerdynamic sound signature immediately and dove head first into a powerful amplifier for the 880-600ohm and haven't regretted it or looked back.  770-80 is a solid choice esp if it's on sale.  Another headphone to consider is the Rode NTH-100, it's one that I absolutely adore.  You do give up some durability though because if not taken proper care of (IE laying on them etc) the slider mechanism can break, but anyone that is reasonable with them will have no problems.  Beyerdynamic on the other hand is very rugged and offers replacement parts online.  Sennheiser is another great brand which is very durable and sounds excellent.

[Leychee]

15 minutes ago, Psittac said:

The DT 770-80ohm is a great headphone, I bought a pair for my blind friend and fell in love with the Beyerdynamic sound signature immediately and dove head first into a powerful amplifier for the 880-600ohm and haven't regretted it or looked back.  770-80 is a solid choice esp if it's on sale.  Another headphone to consider is the Rode NTH-100, it's one that I absolutely adore.  You do give up some durability though because if not taken proper care of (IE laying on them etc) the slider mechanism can break, but anyone that is reasonable with them will have no problems.  Beyerdynamic on the other hand is very rugged and offers replacement parts online.  Sennheiser is another great brand which is very durable and sounds excellent.

Thank you so much for this detailed explanation.

I'd rather go with something sturdy for my first pair, something that is supposedly really good (as you mentioned, as well as other reviews and comments in this post), and since I have always used entry to mid tier headphones, I am sure this will be a very pleasant improvement. I'll order the 770 Pro 80 Ohm then, but will definitely keep your recommendation in mind in case I inevitably enter the audiophile community.

[CTR640]

Gaming headsets are poop, regardless what people say they are good. No, they are not. Comfort can be terrible, materials are damn cheap so they break easy and most of them look silly. 

 

If noise is an issue, then definitely the DT770 80ohm. They are like tanks, very sturdy and harder to kill. Comfort is very good too. 

[Leychee]

15 minutes ago, CTR640 said:

Gaming headsets are poop, regardless what people say they are good. No, they are not. Comfort can be terrible, materials are damn cheap so they break easy and most of them look silly. 

 

If noise is an issue, then definitely the DT770 80ohm. They are like tanks, very sturdy and harder to kill. Comfort is very good too. 

I don't consider myself an audophile, but it's true that most, if not all, gaming headsets I've tried were very bad. Although the HyperX Cloud Alphas weren't that unpleasant to use, both in terms of sound quality and comfort. Replaceable cable, too.

 

I can't wait to try them! 

[CTR640]

1 hour ago, Leyf said:

I don't consider myself an audophile, but it's true that most, if not all, gaming headsets I've tried were very bad. Although the HyperX Cloud Alphas weren't that unpleasant to use, both in terms of sound quality and comfort. Replaceable cable, too.

 

I can't wait to try them! 

You don't have to be an audiophile to enjoy audio. Audio has been my hobby because I do enjoy great audio quality and I don't even use my headphones for music. I use them for everything like for gaming, movies, series, YT, for everything. I am an audio-enthusiast   Soon I'll be modding my Amiron Home, stock look is a bit boring so I'll change them a bit. What I like about Beyerdynamic is that you can change the headband, earpads, system bows and sliders. I refurbished my T90 with DT1770 sliders and DT770 system bow AND Tygr headband lol.

 

Keep us updated how you like your DT770, I hope you'll enjoy them!

[Leychee]

27 minutes ago, CTR640 said:

You don't have to be an audiophile to enjoy audio. Audio has been my hobby because I do enjoy great audio quality and I don't even use my headphones for music. I use them for everything like for gaming, movies, series, YT, for everything. I am an audio-enthusiast   Soon I'll be modding my Amiron Home, stock look is a bit boring so I'll change them a bit. What I like about Beyerdynamic is that you can change the headband, earpads, system bows and sliders. I refurbished my T90 with DT1770 sliders and DT770 system bow AND Tygr headband lol.

 

Keep us updated how you like your DT770, I hope you'll enjoy them!

Yeah I guess you're right! I'd still love to know more about audio in general, I'm thinking about dedicating an entire room at my place just for music, with a turntable, stereo speakers, and some other decent equipment  

 

That sounds like a very neat project! Are they all moddable like that? One thing that's stressing me out a bit is the fact that you can't easily replace the cable on a DT770, can you just open the headphones and switch them out in case something happens?

 

I will definitely keep you posted after a few days of heavy testing  maybe this time I'll finally hear the difference between an MP3 and a flac... 

[NinJake]

Yes... most headphones without detachable cables can be swapped out manually... I hope your soldering skills are good! Enjoy your new cans when you get 'em!

[CTR640]

3 hours ago, Leyf said:

Yeah I guess you're right! I'd still love to know more about audio in general, I'm thinking about dedicating an entire room at my place just for music, with a turntable, stereo speakers, and some other decent equipment  

 

That sounds like a very neat project! Are they all moddable like that? One thing that's stressing me out a bit is the fact that you can't easily replace the cable on a DT770, can you just open the headphones and switch them out in case something happens?

 

I will definitely keep you posted after a few days of heavy testing  maybe this time I'll finally hear the difference between an MP3 and a flac... 

The first one regarding turning the room into audio is not really my place, I don't have much knowledge But where we live, we can't have any of that because of noise disturbance for neighbours.

 

And yes, the DT series are like tanks. You can step on them, you can drive on them, you can kick them to the moon or Mars and when they're back, they will still work lol. You can replace everything, you can change everything. I'll be posting screens of my Amiron Home with before and after pictures. I'll also make photos of the service parts so you'll see how they look. It's pretty fun to play around.

[rice guru]

11 hours ago, Leyf said:

Hello, I'm currently without any headphones and I'm looking for a good pair that could work well without a DAC.

I don't play any competitive games, mostly MMOs and singleplayer games, most of the time with BGM off and Spotify on, or lossless audio files.

 

How's a beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm? It's on sale right now for an affordable price. I'd rather not get open back monitors as it can get quite noisy here.

Another option would be Audio Technica M50x, but if I'm being honest the beyerdynamic ones look much comfier. 

 

Thoughts?

 

The 770 is ok. I like them for critical listening but for pleasure personally not a big fan for closed back gaming you have to spend a lot more to top it's performance in gaming when it comes to closed back. If you don't mind getting something slightly worse for gaming I can reccomend the akg k361 and 371 their more relaxed tuning leads them to be more enjoyable for most types of music vs the 770. 

[person123456789]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:39 AM, Leyf said:

Hello, I'm currently without any headphones and I'm looking for a good pair that could work well without a DAC.

I don't play any competitive games, mostly MMOs and singleplayer games, most of the time with BGM off and Spotify on, or lossless audio files.

 

How's a beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm? It's on sale right now for an affordable price. I'd rather not get open back monitors as it can get quite noisy here.

Another option would be Audio Technica M50x, but if I'm being honest the beyerdynamic ones look much comfier. 

 

Thoughts?

 

get the Shure SRH840

[Psittac]

On 3/29/2023 at 1:40 PM, Leyf said:

I will definitely keep you posted after a few days of heavy testing  maybe this time I'll finally hear the difference between an MP3 and a flac... 

I found that during a testing session I did of budget dac/amp combo's against onboard audio any improvement to be found was gone when I played a song on youtube vs originally listening on tidal.  Poor source material or method of delivery will negate a lot of the gains you may find in higher end gear.  I know from your post that you will be using flac's, I just wanted to expand on that comment.

 

Also I have to remove my vote for the NTH-100 as the other day I took them off a headphone stand only to find one of the mechanisms cracked and I haven't abused them at all.  They've been treated like all of my headphones, not with white gloves or anything but everything within reason.

[Leychee]

On 4/4/2023 at 3:23 AM, person123456789 said:

get the Shure SRH840

Thanks for the recommendation, but I already got D770s

 

On 4/4/2023 at 6:51 AM, Psittac said:

I found that during a testing session I did of budget dac/amp combo's against onboard audio any improvement to be found was gone when I played a song on youtube vs originally listening on tidal.  Poor source material or method of delivery will negate a lot of the gains you may find in higher end gear.  I know from your post that you will be using flac's, I just wanted to expand on that comment.

 

Also I have to remove my vote for the NTH-100 as the other day I took them off a headphone stand only to find one of the mechanisms cracked and I haven't abused them at all.  They've been treated like all of my headphones, not with white gloves or anything but everything within reason.

I usually listen to music on Spotify, but for a nice pair of headphones it would be a shame not to properly test them with some uncompressed audio. I might not be an expert, but that I know at least! Thank you for the info by the way! For the first time I actually hear a difference between compressed and uncompressed. I'm basically rediscovering my favourite tunes

I assume it's poor build quality then? I'm glad I got this beyerdynamic pair honestly, it's sturdy, comfortable, love the design, and is customizable, apparently. Being able to easily change the heabdand and earpads is a blessing.

[Psittac]

14 hours ago, Leyf said:

I usually listen to music on Spotify, but for a nice pair of headphones it would be a shame not to properly test them with some uncompressed audio. I might not be an expert, but that I know at least! Thank you for the info by the way! For the first time I actually hear a difference between compressed and uncompressed. I'm basically rediscovering my favourite tunes

I assume it's poor build quality then? I'm glad I got this beyerdynamic pair honestly, it's sturdy, comfortable, love the design, and is customizable, apparently. Being able to easily change the heabdand and earpads is a blessing.

I think that the paid spotify tier is supposed to be pretty good quality, I'm not entirely sure because when I found out that Tidal pay's their artists more per play And they're known for some of the best quality streams it was a no brainer.  You could check out bandcamp they've got a lot of masters and flac's there but it depends highly on what you listen to, most of it is from lesser known artists.

 

As for the Rode I'm pretty sure it's a design flaw because I guess it's a whole scandal where a lot of people are having that happen.  It's a shame because they're some of my most enjoyable headphones too.

[Leychee]

15 hours ago, Psittac said:

I think that the paid spotify tier is supposed to be pretty good quality, I'm not entirely sure because when I found out that Tidal pay's their artists more per play And they're known for some of the best quality streams it was a no brainer.  You could check out bandcamp they've got a lot of masters and flac's there but it depends highly on what you listen to, most of it is from lesser known artists.

 

As for the Rode I'm pretty sure it's a design flaw because I guess it's a whole scandal where a lot of people are having that happen.  It's a shame because they're some of my most enjoyable headphones too.

I mean Spotify is popular for a reason right? Even though there's an obvious difference between lossy and lossless, Spotify at least is far from being unlistenable. I'm starting to buy proper lossless albums now on Qobuz though, the satisfaction of actually owning music is something I really missed. Tidal is a great alternative for sure, but its library is mostly hip hop, right? Last time I checked I couldn't find many artists I listen to.

[rice guru]

On 4/14/2023 at 1:59 PM, Leyf said:

I mean Spotify is popular for a reason right? Even though there's an obvious difference between lossy and lossless, Spotify at least is far from being unlistenable. I'm starting to buy proper lossless albums now on Qobuz though, the satisfaction of actually owning music is something I really missed. Tidal is a great alternative for sure, but its library is mostly hip hop, right? Last time I checked I couldn't find many artists I listen to.

I would revisit tidal. It's library has definitely improved over the years but yes it still lacks plenty of small artists. I would look into apple music or Amazon music as lossless alternatives 

[Leychee]

On 4/15/2023 at 9:30 PM, rice guru said:

I would revisit tidal. It's library has definitely improved over the years but yes it still lacks plenty of small artists. I would look into apple music or Amazon music as lossless alternatives 

I'll take a look at those options then, thank you