QUICK: What's the best set of headphones to get (read the discription please)?

[ThatAngryGnome]

So I have the option to sell my ATH M50x's for a good price, and I have HyperX Couds that I can use for the mean time for my music listening (since they don't sound terrible in music). The problem with my M50x's is that the earcups have gotten really worn out, so I bought replacements, and I hate the replacements. So instead of dropping another 30 bucks on new earcups, I can sell my headphones for around 100-120$ and buy a new pair. These can either be new ATH-M50x's or some other pair. The price shouldn't exceed $350 please. Right now I have my eyes on the Beyerdynamic DT-990's, Sennheiser Momentums, AKG k701's, or the Sennheiser HD650's. I would honestly want closed back headphones since I will use them in public areas, but don't be afraid to drop some open backs if you think its really worth it. Also, I am willing to buy a DAC (I don't already have one) if it's necessary.  

  

EDIT: I'm looking for the best listening experince for music listening, and this has nothing to do with gaming!

[jakjakattack]

I am slightly biased, but I have the Sennheiser hd558s and the sound quality on those things are great! I can only imagine the 650s will be even better. That being said, they do leak a LOOOOOTTTT of sound, so I'm not sure about it for you. Just my 2cents.

 

Regards,

Jackson

[KaminKevCrew]

So I have the option to sell my ATH M50x's for a good price, and I have HyperX clouds that I can use for the mean time. The problem with my M50x's is that the earcups have gotten really worn out, so I bought replacements, and I hate the replacements. So instead of dropping another 30 bucks on new earcups, I can sell my headphones for around 100-120$ and buy a new pair. These can either be new ATH-M50x's or some other pair. The price shouldn't exceed $350 please. Right now I have my eyes on the Beyerdynamic DT-990's, Sennheiser Momentums, AKG k701's, or the Sennheiser HD650's. I would honestly want closed back headphones since I will use them in public areas, but don't be afraid to drop some open backs if you think its really worth it. Also, I am willing to buy a DAC (I don't already have one) if its necessary.

Make sure to follow your own posts if you want notifications from those who have not quoted you Anyway, I just got a pair of HD650's a couple of days ago, and they are literally the best headphones I have ever heard on my computer. They are amazing!!! I got them for $300, and I would have happily paid Sennheiser's MSRP for this sound quality. That being said, I've owned the momentums, and they are quite good at noise isolation, so if that's important then they would be really good. The thing about them for me was that I didn't like the sound sig too much, so I returned them. They weren't quite warm enough for what I like listening to. The trick that the HD650's pull off very well is that they sound really, really good with just about everything. Not entirely perfect, but pretty close, and there are few headphones that can do that.

[AsGoodAsAHacker]

Dude I bought senn 598's, started up battlefield and I was blown away. The bass was excellent, fantastic sound separations, great fun sounds, footsteps, bugs wind water everything was like hearing it for the first time. But I also came from the dark side of "gaming headsets"

[ym1453]

If you don't mind the headphones being bulky I think for 350$ the mrspeakers mad dog are just the best you can get in the close area.

They are amazingly comfortable and isolate just as well.

Sound is very open for semi closed headphone.

If we throw portability in I didn't try these but I think it's safe to say that if you look for one one your price range the oppo pm3 will be a great option.

For open headphones consider the hd600 the 650 were never a straight up upgrade in my mind but rather a sidegrade they are ( from my experience) darker and slightly less open now you might like that or you won't but essentially what it will mean is you give treble for more warmth in the mid and low end but only you can tell what you like.

[doits]

I agree with the mad dog recommendation, but I prefer the mayflower mod headphones for the money(tek syndicate youtube does good review of versions) and you have leftover money to get a cheap fiio amp if u want it really loud.

[ym1453]

I would suggest the mad dog for the upgrade options if in the future he will want a higher class headphone he can just add 300$ for the alpha dog instead of now spending 600$+

[almoskosz]

For gaming, you should definetaly go for open back but in your case, you cannot. Sad, because they do mean a big difference. I can't really suggest closed ones, as I'm not into them, as well as 90% of the Audiophiles aren't.

Sorry for the answer, i know it doesn't help you in any way, but it thought you should know...

[ym1453]

For gaming, you should definetaly go for open back but in your case, you cannot. Sad, because they do mean a big difference. I can't really suggest closed ones, as I'm not into them, as well as 90% of the Audiophiles aren't.

Sorry for the answer, i know it doesn't help you in any way, but it thought you should know...

I'd say that's not true if we are talking strictly gaming than you are right 90% of the time with a couple of close exceptions that just sound like open back headphones one of which is the mrspeakers alpha dog which are considered among the most open headphones period.

For music there are even more exapmles of close headphones that easily surpass open in some areas.

For example bass is usually better in close headphones( though now planners give them a run for their money) and many music genres don't require huge soundstage.

[xtroria]

many music genres don't require huge soundstage.

Songs that are worth calling "music" do

[ym1453]

Are you implying that one direction songs are not music

[KaminKevCrew]

Songs that are worth calling "music" do

But what about the Bass guitar (except it's actually just one string, because Jack White be crazy) in songs like Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes? That's easily worthy of being considered music, yet the bass is one of the most important aspects of that song...

[Two Ton Ted]

I've only owned one pair of headphones in that price range but the AKG k712's offer a good bass response for open back.

[Oktyabr]

So I have the option to sell my ATH M50x's for a good price, and I have HyperX clouds that I can use for the mean time. The problem with my M50x's is that the earcups have gotten really worn out, so I bought replacements, and I hate the replacements. So instead of dropping another 30 bucks on new earcups, I can sell my headphones for around 100-120$ and buy a new pair. These can either be new ATH-M50x's or some other pair. The price shouldn't exceed $350 please. Right now I have my eyes on the Beyerdynamic DT-990's, Sennheiser Momentums, AKG k701's, or the Sennheiser HD650's. I would honestly want closed back headphones since I will use them in public areas, but don't be afraid to drop some open backs if you think its really worth it. Also, I am willing to buy a DAC (I don't already have one) if its necessary.

You realize that most of those that you mention are open backed?!?!  Which is it going to be?  Closed back for using out in public or open backed for that extra air?

No, you don't need a dac.  No one *NEEDS* a dac.

ATH-M50X are excellent.  You are going to have trouble finding something that you like better than them, since you are already used to the sound they can produce.  If you are going to seriously consider open backed then most of those you listed should give you something to listen to and enjoy.  I think I'd personally stay away from the K701 because of the bumps on the headband.  I'd do the chinese made K702 (with the flat head band) instead.  Both will give you a very AKG house sound that usually includes very analytical mids and highs and not as much bass as most bass heads would like, but the bass they have is very tight and accurate.  If you want more bass from an open backed AKG either go for a deal on the K712 or a pair of K7XX.   They sound pretty much identical so which ever one you can get cheaper should do the trick.  Maybe K612, but you give up being able to replace the cord.

[ThatAngryGnome]

You realize that most of those that you mention are open backed?!?!  Which is it going to be?  Closed back for using out in public or open backed for that extra air?

No, you don't need a dac.  No one *NEEDS* a dac.

ATH-M50X are excellent.  You are going to have trouble finding something that you like better than them, since you are already used to the sound they can produce.  If you are going to seriously consider open backed then most of those you listed should give you something to listen to and enjoy.  I think I'd personally stay away from the K701 because of the bumps on the headband.  I'd do the chinese made K702 (with the flat head band) instead.  Both will give you a very AKG house sound that usually includes very analytical mids and highs and not as much bass as most bass heads would like, but the bass they have is very tight and accurate.  If you want more bass from an open backed AKG either go for a deal on the K712 or a pair of K7XX.   They sound pretty much identical so which ever one you can get cheaper should do the trick.  Maybe K612, but you give up being able to replace the cord.

 

Yup, right now I'm in this stage where I'm torn on whether I should go open back or closed back. I understand the pros and cons of each, But I'm scared that buying open backs will be a waste of money since I feel like I will use some closed back headphones I already own instead most of the time because of leaking sound. To give you some perspective, I'm a student who spends time in classrooms and libraries a lot and rooms with another person. But on the other hand, I've heard that open backs really blow closed backs out of the water.  

  

Now as for the suggestion of the 701's or the K7XX's, I have my eyes on them and one of the reason's why I'm not 100% sold on them is that they're open backs. For now, I feel that the DT 770's are a great upgrade from the ATH50x's. If you could give me some great closed back suggestions, that'd be great! 

 

I know this is a somewhat of a cardinal sin since the ATH M50's are already a little bass heavy, but I've always felt that the M50's were lacking there for my taste. Its not that there wasn't enough bass, but it wasn't tight (or at least not for me). That can give you my taste in sound signature. Sure not the typical audiophile signature but its what I honestly enjoy the best. 

[Oktyabr]

Yup, right now I'm in this stage where I'm torn on whether I should go open back or closed back. I understand the pros and cons of each, But I'm scared that buying open backs will be a waste of money since I feel like I will use some closed back headphones I already own instead most of the time because of leaking sound. To give you some perspective, I'm a student who spends time in classrooms and libraries a lot and rooms with another person. But on the other hand, I've heard that open backs really blow closed backs out of the water.  

  

Now as for the suggestion of the 701's or the K7XX's, I have my eyes on them and one of the reason's why I'm not 100% sold on them is that they're open backs. For now, I feel that the DT 770's are a great upgrade from the ATH50x's. If you could give me some great closed back suggestions, that'd be great! 

 

I know this is a somewhat of a cardinal sin since the ATH M50's are already a little bass heavy, but I've always felt that the M50's were lacking there for my taste. Its not that there wasn't enough bass, but it wasn't tight (or at least not for me). That can give you my taste in sound signature. Sure not the typical audiophile signature but its what I honestly enjoy the best. 

I'd maybe try the DT 770s then.  Several years ago I tried at least a dozen different cans that I could source locally and the M50 (pre-M50X) are the ones I took home with me.  I've never thought them bass "heavy"...  but yeah, I love open backed headphones and yeah, AKG is my favorite.  But I'd never take them anywhere I needed to worry about bothering others.

[ym1453]

Well as I said above open headphones don't always blow closed out of the water it's about finding the ones that manage to offer that positional audio that you need for games.

Again in your price I really think the mrspeakers mad dogs are kind of the perfect place they isolate sound amazingly don't leak and from my experience are almost open in the soundstage( they aren't quite there but they are close to that).

They will also offer a sort of similar tuning to the m50 though a lot better in many areas.

Only disadvantage is they are bulky so if you don't mind that I will get those.

[ThatAngryGnome]

Well as I said above open headphones don't always blow closed out of the water it's about finding the ones that manage to offer that positional audio that you need for games.

Again in your price I really think the mrspeakers mad dogs are kind of the perfect place they isolate sound amazingly don't leak and from my experience are almost open in the soundstage( they aren't quite there but they are close to that).

They will also offer a sort of similar tuning to the m50 though a lot better in many areas.

Only disadvantage is they are bulky so if you don't mind that I will get those.

I've never heard of those Mad Dogs, but I've seen nothing but great reviews on those. I'm very interested in them, so thanks for the suggestion!

 

Now for the open vs closed back argument, I really don't need gaming headphones at the moment (I already own the HyperX Clouds which are great for closed back gaming marketed headphones), so if it was up for just gaming then I would have already bought some open back headphones like AD700x's. I want these for the best music listening experince possible.

[ym1453]

Well in some areas open back headphones do offer great sound for music and are probobly stil the best option but it all come to prefrence and to the specific pair.

What genres of music do you like? What kind of sound signature do you prefer? Are you fine with buying used?

[Oktyabr]

If you are looking at the Mad Dogs you might as well consider some of the other T50RP mods too, whether you do them yourself or buy them from a company like Mad Dog or Mayflower.

[KaminKevCrew]

Mad Dog

*Mr.Speakers

[Oktyabr]

*Mr.Speakers

Fostex

[slavano]

sennheiser HD25. World's beast DJ headphones for a long time!

[KaminKevCrew]

Fostex

Well, we were talking about the brands that mod the Fostex 'phones, were we not?

[xtroria]

I tried the fidelio x2 today and I'm really impressed with how they sound. I'd recommend them whole heartedly