What headphones should I buy?

[SSL]

On 5/11/2017 at 7:55 AM, Dackzy said:

sure get T1's are prepare for ear bleeding treble.

You must give us something. What DAC and amp do you have? What kind of sound signature are you looking for?

 

I like how he ignored every one of your questions.

 

This thread was boring at first, but things are picking up.

[Guest Storm10]

3 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

I like how he ignored every one of your questions.

 

This thread was boring at first, but things are picking up.

 

What is a sound signature and I should have mentioned when I started this thread but I'm new to audio.

[Dackzy]

1 hour ago, Storm10 said:

Is this a good dac/amp? http://amzn.to/2qf8XYQ

if you want on the go sure

1 hour ago, Storm10 said:

What is a sound signature and I should have mentioned when I started this thread but I'm new to audio.

if you are new to audio, why this big jump into it?

A sound signature, it well the signature of the sound, so of there is a bass and treble boost then they have a V shaped signature and the list goes on. You can just say if there is a range you want a boost in and then we can see if we know of headphones with that. Though I do recommend trying out different headphones to find the signature you like.

[Monte_Carlo]

Honestly man?  Go to the head-fi forums.  They've got some great introduction material on what is this and that.  A quick breakdown though... Sound signature is the what it sounds like.  Each headphone maker has their own idea on what their headphones "should sound like."  You get various pronouns here which I don't have the will to get into, but some words you'll hear is "warm, cool, dark, veiled, sharp, muffled, dry, and crap."   Take what you will here.  Head-fi can help you on what is what.  It's fairly subjective.  One man's dark, is another man's crap.

 

 

Personally I'd recommend avoiding any gaming centric headsets or headphones.  Just go for a good pair of headphones from Sennheiser or Beyerdynamic.  They tend to have fairly easy on the ear sound signatures.  Both offer fairly good sound placement for games, and decent enough range for movies.  Get a stand alone mic for the chat aspect.

 

The Beyerdynamic DT990s are built like tanks, cheap, and pretty much require an amplifier to drive.  I have the 250(300?)ohm PRO models which do require a headphone amplifier.  Great bass, great treble, and they can get loud.  Since they are open backed, they will leak sound more than not.  You can take a look at the DT770 series which are closed back.  Can't comment on sound stage, but the DT990s sound damn good to me.  They've been considered monitor grade I believe.  DT770 are professional as well theoretically. 

 

The Sennheiser HD598s are probably the go to for entry level audiophiles these days.  Can't say much about the HD599 as I haven't had a chance to listen to them.  They don't require an Amp/DAC, so not a bad place to start. You can always add those pieces on.  Easy on the ears, extremely comfortable, and they come in beige and black.  Their build quality should be fine now, but their durability isn't exactly top notch.  The sound I could probably describe as "warm."  Whatever that means, I recommend them very much.

 

If you want to spring for the full setup, Schiit offers some great hardware for a decent price.  The Modi/Magni combo is serving me well.  Pair that with the Sennheisers and you should be set for the near/far future.  They are actually fairly cheap as well.

 

All together you are probably looking at no more than 400 dollars for everything.  Just make sure to avoid Beats, Grado, and Bose.  Beats are just not that great imo, Grado has a very particular sound signature, and their comfort leaves everything to be desired.  Bose has never come off as gamer centric to me, but your mileage will vary here. 

[Guest Storm10]

Budget: $0-$1000 @themctipers

Use: Gaming and listening to music often @mpsparrow

AMP/DAC Combo: @Ryan_Vickers, @Dackzy

Sound Signature V: 

Circumaural

2 Channel

No microphone

Not wireless

Active noise canceling is optional 

High impedance, treble

[spwath]

I would recommend putting on the brakes.  you don't seem to know much about audio. That is not the time to spend 1k USD.

 learn, and try cheaper stuff first.

[Guest Storm10]

10 hours ago, spwath said:

I would recommend putting on the brakes.  you don't seem to know much about audio. That is not the time to spend 1k USD.

 learn, and try cheaper stuff first.

 

What should I learn about audio?

[Dackzy]

20 minutes ago, Storm10 said:

What should I learn about audio?

well, you should see if you can't find some audio stores and just try headphones, maybe take notes to each of how you think they sound and such, that is basically the only way you find out what kind of signature that is just right for you.

 

SSL has some great links on his profile (somewhere) that explains a lot of things are call snake oil out....

 

This is a decent article about the different classes of amps, it is a good read if you want to learn something about that.

http://www.audioholics.com/audio-amplifier/amplifier-classes

This video debunks quite a few myths 

 

[SSL]

33 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

SSL has some great links on his profile (somewhere) that explains a lot of things are call snake oil out....

 

It's not the first link in my signature or anything.

[Dackzy]

34 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

It's not the first link in my signature or anything.

 

oh didn't even see that  

[spwath]

1 hour ago, Storm10 said:

What should I learn about audio?

a lot. And get other cheaper headphones first, see what you like.

[kokakolia]

On 5/13/2017 at 0:20 AM, Storm10 said:

Budget: $0-$1000 @themctipers

Use: Gaming and listening to music often @mpsparrow

AMP/DAC Combo: @Ryan_Vickers, @Dackzy

Sound Signature V: 

Circumaural

2 Channel

No microphone

Not wireless

Active noise canceling is optional 

High impedance, treble

With headphones, the less you know the richer you are. If you just want to play games and listen to music, then you'll be happy with a Status Audio CB-1 for $80. 

 

I mean, you really don't have to spend hundreds of dollars when an $80 headphone does the job rather well. 

 

This forum is like: 

 

"I just need a car to go to work"

 

"Buy a Mercedes" 

 

When something like a Ford Focus with 100k would get the job done with flying colors. 

 

 

[IAR117]

Don't want to sound rude, but starting off your audio game with a 1k set of hadphones is not the best idea. I'd recommend a set of HD 589SEs which are about 200 bucks. They will get you into audio properly without breaking the bank and you won't want to kill yourself if they go wrong or get damaged.

[Fokkus]

both, maybe more gaming than music since i have really nice speakers.

[SSL]

9 hours ago, kokakolia said:

This forum is like:

 

"I just need a car to go to work"

 

"Buy a Mercedes" 

 

When something like a Ford Focus with 100k would get the job done with flying colors.

 

Did you even read the thread? Everyone is advising the OP to start small rather than blow $1k when they have no experience with audio.

 

Frugality is great, but not everyone wants to be limited to the low performance ceiling of sub-$100 headphones. As I've said before, you can start making such statements when you've actually heard anything remotely high-end. Without real experience you simply do not know what you're talking about. My guess is you've never driven a nice car before, either.

 

Maybe you're just jealous that you can't afford these things and so don't want anyone else to enjoy them?

[xtroria]

20 hours ago, SSL said:

 

Did you even read the thread? Everyone is advising the OP to start small rather than blow $1k when they have no experience with audio.

 

Frugality is great, but not everyone wants to be limited to the low performance ceiling of sub-$100 headphones. As I've said before, you can start making such statements when you've actually heard anything remotely high-end. Without real experience you simply do not know what you're talking about. My guess is you've never driven a nice car before, either.

 

Maybe you're just jealous that you can't afford these things and so don't want anyone else to enjoy them?

Forget about driving it. You can't compare just sitting inside a good expensive car that focuses on comfort compared to cheaper cars

[aithos]

On 5/9/2017 at 11:13 PM, Storm10 said:

@Jade , @mpsparrow, @themctipers $1000 and up.

Get yourself a Grace Designs M9XX from Massdrop for an amp/dac, a pair of Sennheiser HD650s for gaming and general use, and a pair of Ebony Fostex TH-X00's from Massdrop for music/media.  That's the "best" all-around 3 piece audio setup for around $1500, and if you want to go higher then you really need to go to a proper audio store and consult with someone who can help introduce you to "real" high end audio and let you try things. 

 

Buying HD800's for "gaming" would be stupid, as they are not even remotely intended for that purpose.  You'd be better off getting a $200 pair of AKG K7XX and the amp/dac I mention above for under $1000 and calling it a day.  Also, if you attach a modmic to the hard-wood earcups of the Fostex someone is going to break down your door and beat you up for crimes against good-looking audio... get a desk mic if you decide to game with those.

 

edit: some additional info...

 

Grace Design (M9XX) - is one of the leading audio companies who makes high end equipment mostly for production/studio work and did a collaboration with Massdrop to release a consumer version of what is basically the guts of a $2000 amp/dac for around $550-600.  Bang for the buck it's an amazing unit that can comfortably run any headphones you could possibly want to buy, including expensive flagship models.

 

Sennheiser HD650 - One of the most well-known headsets that has been a mainstay of their lineup for ages.  They are widely considered one of the best headphones under $1000 and are frequently bought as a first "serious" pair of headphones by people interested in getting into audio because at $300~ they are a good balance of affordable and performance.  They sound much better with good amplification.  They do well for games, music, movies and are extremely comfortable.  In addition you can get replacement cables, earcups or anything else so they are extremely durable.

 

Fostex TH-X00 - A big name in audio that many people haven't heard of because they don't realize that this is the company behind the drivers in some high-end Denon headphones.  These are some beautiful hard-wood (mahogany, purpleheart and ebony) headphones that are a closed-back design with a lot of deep/full sound.  Some of the single best sounding headphones I've ever heard, BUT not suited for an only pair because of the weight/fatigue/volume.  They are best used over short periods when listening to music.

 

If you were going to start with the basics I'd buy the top two and leave the Fostex for later.  You'll come in under $1000 and have a GREAT base to start with in audio.

[aithos]

On 5/14/2017 at 8:37 AM, kokakolia said:

With headphones, the less you know the richer you are. If you just want to play games and listen to music, then you'll be happy with a Status Audio CB-1 for $80. 

 

I mean, you really don't have to spend hundreds of dollars when an $80 headphone does the job rather well. 

 

This forum is like: 

 

"I just need a car to go to work"

 

"Buy a Mercedes" 

 

When something like a Ford Focus with 100k would get the job done with flying colors. 

 

 

No offense, but this is awful advice.  Why on earth would you tell someone with money to buy a Ford Focus when they could easily afford a Mercedes?  Sure, the former will get you to work just fine, but the overall quality is lower, the comfort is lower, the road noise is higher, the driving experience is worse, the perception is worse, etc. 

 

So why on earth would you recommend a piece of trash $80 headset when they could easily afford a proper amp/dac and a good all-around pair of headphones like the HD650s?  There is no good reason, telling someone "you don't know any better" is a piss-poor reason for making a recommendation.  If you can sit down and objectively explain why a Status Audio CB-1 is AS GOOD as a pair of HD650s with a good amp/dac then that's fine, but since that's absurd then the recommendation is worthless. 

 

People seriously need to learn not to recommend based on THEIR budget or feelings and consider the situation objectively.  If I come and ask for advice about a topic and say: I have X budget, then I don't want you to tell me "you don't need something that expensive" because I didn't ask for your opinion on what I "need" I asked you for advice given MY constraints. 

 

edit:  I'm not trying to be mean here, this is just a pet peeve of mine.  It's fine if you have your opinions, but when someone comes asking for advice you need to do your best to consider their situation and not YOURS.  Just because you don't care doesn't mean they don't and just because you think it's a waste of money doesn't mean they will.

[SSL]

3 hours ago, aithos said:

Grace Design (M9XX) - is one of the leading audio companies who makes high end equipment mostly for production/studio work and did a collaboration with Massdrop to release a consumer version of what is basically the guts of a $2000 amp/dac for around $550-600.  Bang for the buck it's an amazing unit that can comfortably run any headphones you could possibly want to buy, including expensive flagship models.

 

Sure. My preference would be either to save $400 and get a Fulla 2, or go with either a Valhalla 2 plus Modi 2 or Modi MB for $450-600, or a Jotunheim plus DAC module or Modi MB for $500-650. The latter two combos will compliment and bring out more of the capabilities of the HD 650 for about the same price as the Grace.

[aithos]

6 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Sure. My preference would be either to save $400 and get a Fulla 2, or go with either a Valhalla 2 plus Modi 2 or Modi MB for $450-600, or a Jotunheim plus DAC module or Modi MB for $500-650. The latter two combos will compliment and bring out more of the capabilities of the HD 650 for about the same price as the Grace.

I can see why you would look at those options and I have nothing against Schiit (and I frequently recommend them as well), but two things really sold me on the Grace Design unit:

 

1) Desk space / Aesthetics - I love that the M9XX is a single unit with a small footprint and a nice clean black aesthetic.  I have very little space in my tiny apartment and I have a massive full tower PC and multiple monitor gaming setup, so the unit is perfect for where I'm putting it and having a stack was not my preference.

 

2) I've spoken with/dealt with Grace's customer service people a couple times and they are AWESOME people.  I missed the first drop by literally seconds (was entering payment info when it sold out) and they gave me a "wink wink nudge nudge" confirmation through email that another round would be coming.  Then when I had a minor issue with a loose connection they overnight air shipped me a replacement before I could even RMA my unit.  They were amazing people and that means a lot to me.

 

It also sounds fantastic, so that helps!  There are a lot of good options in that $400-600 range though, I also have a Chord Mojo that I use at work with my custom in-ears that sounds great.  It's a deep hole that's for sure...

[SSL]

3 hours ago, aithos said:

I can see why you would look at those options and I have nothing against Schiit (and I frequently recommend them as well), but two things really sold me on the Grace Design unit:

 

1) Desk space / Aesthetics - I love that the M9XX is a single unit with a small footprint and a nice clean black aesthetic.  I have very little space in my tiny apartment and I have a massive full tower PC and multiple monitor gaming setup, so the unit is perfect for where I'm putting it and having a stack was not my preference.

 

2) I've spoken with/dealt with Grace's customer service people a couple times and they are AWESOME people.  I missed the first drop by literally seconds (was entering payment info when it sold out) and they gave me a "wink wink nudge nudge" confirmation through email that another round would be coming.  Then when I had a minor issue with a loose connection they overnight air shipped me a replacement before I could even RMA my unit.  They were amazing people and that means a lot to me.

 

It also sounds fantastic, so that helps!  There are a lot of good options in that $400-600 range though, I also have a Chord Mojo that I use at work with my custom in-ears that sounds great.  It's a deep hole that's for sure...

 

Those are fine reasons. My recommendation of Schiit is driven specifically by the unusually good pairing of those units with the HD 650 in particular. No doubt that there are a lot of amp/DACs out there that sound fantastic and can drive nearly "every headphone". When you start getting into hundreds or thousands of dollars, it pays to start thinking about building a system as a whole, not just out of parts which on their own are merely exceptional.

[aithos]

6 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Those are fine reasons. My recommendation of Schiit is driven specifically by the unusually good pairing of those units with the HD 650 in particular. No doubt that there are a lot of amp/DACs out there that sound fantastic and can drive nearly "every headphone". When you start getting into hundreds or thousands of dollars, it pays to start thinking about building a system as a whole, not just out of parts which on their own are merely exceptional.

I understand, and I'm sure it sounds great.  You hit on the difference between you and I here... I would rather the amp/dac that sounds great with nearly anything because I'd rather one that gets out of the way and let's me buy different headphones without worrying about the pairing.  I'd rather not mess with specific pairings because I haven't settled on my "forever" headphones yet, but when I do I'll have no problem moving my audio "problem" over to finding the perfect amp... lol.

 

I knew when I bought the HD650s that they were a stepping stone, but I get where you're coming from too... because for a lot of people the HD650 may be as far as they care to go and they want them to sound as great as possible!

 

[SSL]

15 minutes ago, aithos said:

I knew when I bought the HD650s that they were a stepping stone, but I get where you're coming from too... because for a lot of people the HD650 may be as far as they care to go and they want them to sound as great as possible!

 

I've "gone farther" than the HD 650, if by farther you mean shelling out thousands of dollars on "better" headphones. At the end of the day, it was fruitless. There just isn't a lot in the realm of full-sized headphones that is legitimately better than the HD 650, at least in terms of technicalities.