Advice on new headphones and mic combo

[Etem]

Hey everyone,

 

I was looking at improving the audio quality of my setup, right now I am using a pair of Kingston Hyper-X Cloud's with my ASUS Maximus Ranger's built in audio. Before that, I tried a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50's, but found the sound quality to be really mediocre and didn't live up at all to the massive M50 hype.

 

I would like some open back headphones that are £150 or under, possibly a teeny tiny bit more if they are really worth it. I'm also looking at the Modmic 4.0 as a replacement to my Cloud's built in mic.

 

Before that I used the Zalman clip on mic which I found to be absolutely awful to use - clunky, sounded rubbish, and broke relatively quickly. Desktop mics, unless really good quality for the money, are not preferred as they would pick up my brown switches too much.

 

The main pair of headphones I've had my eye on are the Sennheiser HD 558's, as well as the Audio Technica ATH-AD700X's (currently low on stock and quite overpriced on Amazon).

The main uses for these headphones would be gaming, talking to people online, and listening to music (if it helps, genres I listen to are are mostly Progressive Rock and 80's Rock/Pop, stuff like Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, etc.).

 

Would I need any kind of AMP/DAC to go with it? I'm happy to buy one in addition but I'm not going to spend more than the headphone's price on one - main ones I was looking at were the FiiO E10K (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LP3AMC2) and Syba USB AMP/DAC (amazon.co.uk/dp/B009WN7QT4).

 

So, can anyone advice me of any other recommendations on a £150 and under headphones, recommentations on a mic, and if I would need an AMP/DAC and which one. Also let me know if I would just be wasting my money on the whole thing and the Clouds would sound about the same.

 

Thanks in advance

[Compgeek]

amp/Dac does make quite a difference and the FiiO E10K is a good option. I've heard the modmic 4.0 is good too. For the headphones you might want to check out beyerdynamics DT series. You will defeneutly need an amp/dac for higher impenance models. 32 ohms is ok without. Amp makes a difference even on hyper x clouds. (I am using FiiO E10K with clouds and they sound way better.)

[henkbouman]

philips fidelio x2 + modmic = damn son

[Etem]

amp/Dac does make quite a difference and the FiiO E10K is a good option. I've heard the modmic 4.0 is good too. For the headphones you might want to check out beyerdynamics DT series.

Thanks for that, I was also looking at the Syba AMP/DAC combo, would you recommend it over the E10K? And I'll take a look at the Beyerdynamic headphones, do you have a specific recommentation for one, such as the 770, 880, or 990?

[Deli]

Depends on the headphone. Some headphones make little(relatively) difference with or without AMP/DAC, like HD598 and Philips SHP9500.

[Etem]

philips fidelio x2 + modmic = damn son

Ehh, I'd love to if they weren't nearly £100 over my budget

[Etem]

Depends on the headphone. Some headphones make little(relatively) difference with or without AMP/DAC, like HD598 and Philips SHP9500.

Fair enough, what would you say would be the impedance level that I should start to look at an AMP/DAC combo?

[Deli]

Fair enough, what would you say would be the impedance level that I should start to look at an AMP/DAC combo?

Some headphones even with low impedance will benefit from AMP/DAC, like Philips Fidelio X2. You really have to look at that particular headphone to decide whether it is good to invest an AMP/DAC. 

[Frederik Buchwald Busk]

What about the audio technica Ath-ag1 ? Is that any good?

[Etem]

What about the audio technica Ath-ag1 ? Is that any good?

Way too expensive for the money, they seem like they're just ATH-AD700X's with a mic on them - not worth the £100 premium imo.

[xtroria]

amp/Dac does make quite a difference and the FiiO E10K is a good option. I've heard the modmic 4.0 is good too. For the headphones you might want to check out beyerdynamics DT series. You will defeneutly need an amp/dac for higher impenance models. 32 ohms is ok without. Amp makes a difference even on hyper x clouds. (I am using FiiO E10K with clouds and they sound way better.)

Some headphones even with low impedance will benefit from AMP/DAC, like Philips Fidelio X2. You really have to look at that particular headphone to decide whether it is good to invest an AMP/DAC. 

 

 

No, just straight out no. Dont start spouting non-sense here

[Agent181]

Behyerdynamic with a Vmoda boompro mic

[Compgeek]

No, just straight out no. Dont start spouting non-sense here

You think you won't need an amp/dac for 250 or 600 ohm headphones??? For 32 ohms his higher end motherboard amp will do. I agree that it isn't something super special but you have to look at what you get for the price. What would you suggest than?

[Etem]

Behyerdynamic with a Vmoda boompro mic

Do you know how the VModa sounds in comparison to the modmic? I was looking at it due to it allowing me to only need one cable for headphone + mic. Also in terms of Beyerdynamic headphones, which one would you recommend?

[Agent181]

Do you know how the VModa sounds in comparison to the modmic? I was looking at it due to it allowing me to only need one cable for headphone + mic. Also in terms of Beyerdynamic headphones, which one would you recommend?

Yes I own the v moda boompro mic and its awesome

 

here are some vids that show you the difference 

 

beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus

 

 

beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus White

 

NCIX has a video on them if you want to see more for those

 

Boompro video 

 

Modmic video 

[xtroria]

You think you won't need an amp/dac for 250 or 600 ohm headphones??? For 32 ohms his higher end motherboard amp will do. I agree that it isn't something super special but you have to look at what you get for the price. What would you suggest than?

 

I wont need one if the sensitivity is over 100+ db/mW for 200-300 ohm. Amplifier, it amplifies the tone, not make it sound better. You can try driving HD600 with iphone 5s and I bet you can't differentiate $2000 chord hugo with iphone 5s

[Fluffinator]

Thanks for that, I was also looking at the Syba AMP/DAC combo, would you recommend it over the E10K? And I'll take a look at the Beyerdynamic headphones, do you have a specific recommentation for one, such as the 770, 880, or 990?

I recommend the DT 990's, I have them and would recommend them if you like bass and treble, mids are a bit recessed however.

[Deli]

I wont need one if the sensitivity is over 100+ db/mW for 200-300 ohm. Amplifier, it amplifies the tone, not make it sound better. You can try driving HD600 with iphone 5s and I bet you can't differentiate $2000 chord hugo with iphone 5s

I happen to have both HD600 and Fidelio X2. The difference of clarity and bass is very noticeable plugging directly to the back of the mobo or to external AMP/DAC. You can have your opinion. But please don't call other people comment "non-sense" . 

[Compgeek]

I wont need one if the sensitivity is over 100+ db/mW for 200-300 ohm. Amplifier, it amplifies the tone, not make it sound better. You can try driving HD600 with iphone 5s and I bet you can't differentiate $2000 chord hugo with iphone 5s

DAC is digital to analog converter and it takes digital audio from your PC (pure signal data) and converts it to electrical waves which speaker uses to create sound. With that happening on a dedicated part and not your motherboard it eliminates any (most) audio distorsion and electrical noise. More powerful amp is also good so you don't have to run it full volume when you want to listen to loud music so you won't get audio distortion or lose audio clarity and sharpness by loading the amp that much.

[Fluffinator]

amp/Dac does make quite a difference and the FiiO E10K is a good option. I've heard the modmic 4.0 is good too. For the headphones you might want to check out beyerdynamics DT series. You will defeneutly need an amp/dac for higher impenance models. 32 ohms is ok without. Amp makes a difference even on hyper x clouds. (I am using FiiO E10K with clouds and they sound way better.)

That's not right, Ohms don't determine how hard they are to drive, I have the 250 Ohm DT 990 Pro and a amp isn't required. Also your under the placebo effect with those clouds.

[Compgeek]

That's not right, Ohms don't determine how hard they are to drive, I have the 250 Ohm DT 990 Pro and a amp isn't required. Also your under the placebo effect with those clouds.

I run those on an almost 10 years old computer m8. The sound card is junk and it made a difference. Like i said it's mainly because of the dac and if you have an external dac you need an amp or a combo unit. Some people hear the difference and others don't. I agree that the amp isn't required but it's good to have. You can check tek syndicate. They have a lot of audio stuff on the channel and some quite nice explanations.

[Fluffinator]

I run those on an almost 10 years old computer m8. The sound card is junk and it made a difference. Like i said it's mainly because of the dac and if you have an external dac you need an amp or a combo unit. Some people hear the difference and others don't. I agree that the amp isn't required but it's good to have. You can check tek syndicate. They have a lot of audio stuff on the channel and some quite nice explanations.

Tek Syndicate's channel isn't very good for explaining audio stuff, I don't watch his videos after that audio myth video which was awful. Also 10 year old computer > cell phone. Your motherboard must of had distortions or something on your end which made sense for you to go with something external, however most of the time you would barely hear a difference buying a new DAC. That part where your clouds sound way better with a DAC/AMP is utter nonsense though, those arn't hard to drive at all.

[xtroria]

I happen to have both HD600 and Fidelio X2. The difference of clarity and bass is very noticeable plugging directly to the back of the mobo or to external AMP/DAC. You can have your opinion. But please don't call other people comment "non-sense" . 

If your motherboard is anything decent, with THD under 0.1% and ruler flat frequency response while driving the headphone with 90-100 db SPL that means it drives the headphone properly and you dont need additional amp to "make the bass richer" 

 

"please dont call other people's comment non-sense" or w/e they experienced is the single biggest thing that subjectivists use to drive the world of snake oil audio. It's science, hard facts and numbers not some voodoo magic and shit 

 

DAC is digital to analog converter and it takes digital audio from your PC (pure signal data) and converts it to electrical waves which speaker uses to create sound. With that happening on a dedicated part and not your motherboard it eliminates any (most) audio distorsion and electrical noise. More powerful amp is also good so you don't have to run it full volume when you want to listen to loud music so you won't get audio distortion or lose audio clarity and sharpness by loading the amp that much.

 

Whenever clipping, distortion or simple EMI noise is audible, then yes it's worth getting a dac or amp. Which is why i have dedicated amp and dac