Recommendation

[PC-NOOB]

Budget: 100-150 (okay with used stuff as long as y'all tell me where are some good sites)

My thoughts: So in my quest for my first 'legit' headphones, I took a listen to my first 'audiophile' grade headphone. I listened to some hd558 expecting to be blown away from my apple earbuds (the later one) but I wasn't that wowed. In fact I was kind of disappointed. Guaranteed, that was in best buy so I didn't have control over the tracks but I feel like while the sound stage (the distance between everything inside? i think thats the term) was pretty large, I felt like the bass lacking. And the comfort was pretty really bad. The earpads felt so rough around my ears. I really don't think thats the headphone for me but I was listening to tracks I wasn't  that familiar with so idk.

 

Given what I told y'all which headphones should I get?

I mainly just game, watch tv/music, listen to classical and jazz (more classical), occasional rock.

[soaringchicken]

Just get something that is comfortable and something you can have a proper listen to to test. :3

[ShearMe]

558 earpads aren't rough... Sounds like Best buy needs to clean those things. (Gross!)

 

The bass on them is indeed lacking for quite a few people, however. If you're still wanting something open-back you're probably going to have to stick with a Beyerdynamic DT 990, which means you'll likely be looking at used items. eBay and Head-Fi are both good places for that. If you end up with a 250 ohm version, it might need an amplifier of some sort, depending on your typical listening volume and your current gear. Be wary of that.

[PC-NOOB]

i dont think the bass was lacking you may just be a beats generation member.

 

I never listened to beats.

current music is trash. i would take any orchestra/jazz combo over the kind of garbage that gets published.

[Guest]

Classical music has no bass, so it should be all good with the 558.

[Phinbar]

hd558s need a bit more power than a phone can deliver, they would sound better than what they were like in Best Buy plugged into a proper amp

[xtroria]

hd558s need a bit more power than a phone can deliver, they would sound better than what they were like in Best Buy plugged into a proper amp

Nope, wrong. very wrong. My 558 gets loud with 60-75% phone volume. For comparison, I need 50-65% for RE-400

[Lays]

Classical music has no bass, so it should be all good with the 558.

 

u wat

[xtroria]

I never listened to beats.

current music is trash. i would take any orchestra/jazz combo over the kind of garbage that gets published.

 wat? Sam smith is good, so is adele

[Oktyabr]

In that price range I'd recommend the Audio Technica ATH-M50(x) for a closed back can as I think it will give you what you are looking for.  If you can, definitely give them a listen.  Maybe the ATH-AD900X for open backed (open back is my preference for music).  I built my last pair of speakers with Charles Mingus as a reference target.  "Music For Two" by Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyers is another fine example of what acoustic bass (REAL bass!) can sound like.  Kroke.

[Guest]

In that price range I'd recommend the Audio Technica ATH-M50(x) for a closed back can as I think it will give you what you are looking for.  If you can, definitely give them a listen.  Maybe the ATH-AD900X for open backed (open back is my preference for music).  I built my last pair of speakers with Charles Mingus as a reference target.  "Music For Two" by Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyers is another fine example of what acoustic bass (REAL bass!) can sound like.  Kroke.

 

If the M50x hasn't come down in price there is no reason to recommend it over the M40x.

[NannerBeans]

I think you would want a neutral headphone so probably Sony MDR7506. 

[Oktyabr]

If the M50x hasn't come down in price there is no reason to recommend it over the M40x.

I've never had a 40 to compare with.  I understand the 50 has bigger drivers and some of the reviewers that *said* they had owned both said the 40 felt flimsier, more fragile in build quality (it's definitely lighter).  M50 is advertised as extending to 28khz, the M40 to 24khz.  A bit different on impedance, the M50x comes with one more cable than the 40x.  A lot of reviewers say they sound identical, one said the 40x actually had snappier snare drum hits.  Best bang for the buck?  Probably the 40x.  $50 more to spend?  Personally I'd go for the 50x.

[Guest]

I've never had a 40 to compare with.  I understand the 50 has bigger drivers and some of the reviewers that *said* they had owned both said the 40 felt flimsier, more fragile in build quality (it's definitely lighter).  M50 is advertised as extending to 28khz, the M40 to 24khz.  A bit different on impedance, the M50x comes with one more cable than the 40x.  A lot of reviewers say they sound identical, one said the 40x actually had snappier snare drum hits.  Best bang for the buck?  Probably the 40x.  $50 more to spend?  Personally I'd go for the 50x.

 

Cool, you're willing to pay $50 for a cable and silver plastic ring based on meaningless numbers. Once again, marketing triumphs over reason.

[mushies1337]

I never listened to beats.

current music is trash. i would take any orchestra/jazz combo over the kind of garbage that gets published.

well said, I've heard my friend's beats before and they sound awful compared to every pair of headphones I own.

[mushies1337]

In that price range I'd recommend the Audio Technica ATH-M50(x) for a closed back can as I think it will give you what you are looking for.  If you can, definitely give them a listen.  Maybe the ATH-AD900X for open backed (open back is my preference for music).  I built my last pair of speakers with Charles Mingus as a reference target.  "Music For Two" by Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyers is another fine example of what acoustic bass (REAL bass!) can sound like.  Kroke.

 

for this range, if you can find them on sale, the ATH-M50 is a steal

[NannerBeans]

for this range, if you can find them on sale, the ATH-M50 is a steal

Not really...it's all hype.

[xtroria]

There's a used MDR-1R in amazon for $125, i think it's almost a no-brainer for that price

[Guest]

for this range, if you can find them on sale, the ATH-M50 is a steal

 

On sale for $50?

[Oktyabr]

As I said, I've never owned/heard the 40.  I do have hundreds of hours of first hand experience with the 50, and love them.  I'd pay $150 for another pair tomorrow, if mine weren't still working flawlessly.   Very good build quality, sound awesome with any genre, pretty good directional audio (for a closed back), which makes them good for gaming,  $50 is a large pizza and a couple of pitchers of beer, where I live.

[ShearMe]

As I said, I've never owned/heard the 40. I do have hundreds of hours of first hand experience with the 50, and love them. I'd pay $150 for another pair tomorrow, if mine weren't still working flawlessly. Very good build quality, sound awesome with any genre, pretty good directional audio (for a closed back), which makes them good for gaming, $50 is a large pizza and a couple of pitchers of beer, where I live.

It's all fine and dandy to say you think they've great, but how many other headphones of similar status have you had to compare it with? How it compares to other headphones in the same price range is what OP needs to know, not whether or not it is good. Nearly every headphone you spend this kind of money on is good.

[Oktyabr]

It's all fine and dandy to say you think they've great, but how many other headphones of similar status have you had to compare it with? How it compares to other headphones in the same price range is what OP needs to know, not whether or not it is good. Nearly every headphone you spend this kind of money on is good.

That's very true, and why the OP should find a retailer (locally) that will them try several comparably priced cans first hand and/or offer a lenient return policy, for trying them at home.  That's what I did when I bought my 50's (yeah, IMO they sounded MUCH better than the Beats that were out at the time!)  I also briefly tried some Sonys, Senns, Beyers, anything the local Guitar Center, Best Buy, and music shop had on hand for testing, but I don't recall any of the other's model numbers.  I took the M50 home because out of all the headphones I had available to try that day, at $200 or less, they were the ones that pleased me the most and seemed to provide the best value for my money.  YMMV.

[Guest]

As I said, I've never owned/heard the 40.  I do have hundreds of hours of first hand experience with the 50, and love them.  I'd pay $150 for another pair tomorrow, if mine weren't still working flawlessly.   Very good build quality, sound awesome with any genre, pretty good directional audio (for a closed back), which makes them good for gaming,  $50 is a large pizza and a couple of pitchers of beer, where I live.

 

To put it another way, the M50x is sold for 150% of what it is worth.

[Oktyabr]

"Worth" is relative

[Guest]

"Worth" is relative

 

Obviously. The worth of a product is usually determined by comparable products. And the M40x is highly comparable to the M50x.