Headphone recommendations? Dac/amp?

[Below27]

Hey guys, 

 

So I recently had a post asking for help picking out a wireless gaming headset. From this I ended up buying the razer thresher ultimate, however I find the headset performance a bit mediocre. 

 

I will mainly be using the headset for gaming, primarily fps, like csgo, and pubg. I also do play other moba games, rwt and a few other rpgs here and there. 

 

I also do listen to alot of music, pop and rock. So the headphones would be used for this, and while I do watch some movies, this is not a priority as I also have my system hooked up to  sound bar which I will generally use for movies. But it would be nice if I could get decent sound quality for when i watch videos? 

 

From what I've mentioned, and what I've read/researched it seems that the mids/highs are more important than the bass for me? But please do correct me if I'm wrong. One of the main reasons I do not like the razer I have is that some of the music sounds a bit off, i also have alot of difficulty hearing footsteps and some other major/important noises in games, and it has some sort of weird hissing/buzzing noise. I have tried connecting it to different outputs, usb/optical, as well as trying it on different ports and on different machines, but pretty much all had the same issues. 

 

From the forums, I am very keen to try the sennheiser 600/650 however it looks like these only come in wired variants? Further more it seems like an amp/dac might be strongly recommended? In which case I'm completely lost. 

 

I'm open to suggestions from you guys, my total budget for the whole set up is around $200-350, maybe even $400? Are there any decent wireless suggestions? The mic would be nice but is not a necessity as I already have a built in mic with my Logitech c920 Webcam. If you guys think I should not go the wireless route (although this is definitely my main preference), which/what kind of headphones would you recommend? And would you recommend for me to get it alone, or with a dac/amp? If a dac/amp is recommended, which ones would you recommend for the headphones you recommend? 

 

Sorry for the bombardment of questions but I'm really lost when it comes to this. I currently have the razer thresher ultimate, a pair of Sony mdr1000x, and have since sold off my Logitech G533 (the mic quality was very subpar) 

[ColoradoJones12]

I personally would not go with wireless, and seeing as I have only have had bad experiences with wireless I can't find a way to recommend them. I can however recommend the Sennheiser Game Zeros, they are wired but you won't need an amp or dac, I just run them straight from my motherboard.

[Below27]

9 hours ago, ColoradoJones12 said:

I personally would not go with wireless, and seeing as I have only have had bad experiences with wireless I can't find a way to recommend them. I can however recommend the Sennheiser Game Zeros, they are wired but you won't need an amp or dac, I just run them straight from my motherboard.

Alright thanks! I'll have a look into them online! 

 

Edit:after looking at them online, from the comments/reviews it seems that while an amp is not necessary, it is still highly recommended to enjoy these headphones. Is this the case? Also there are alot of mixed reviews about this online so I'm not sure if i should go ahead. This purchase will be my last so I really don't want to get something I might not like. 

[xtroria]

Your option if you want wireless is to get RS160 or RS175

[ColoradoJones12]

2 hours ago, Below27 said:

Alright thanks! I'll have a look into them online! 

 

Edit:after looking at them online, from the comments/reviews it seems that while an amp is not necessary, it is still highly recommended to enjoy these headphones. Is this the case? Also there are alot of mixed reviews about this online so I'm not sure if i should go ahead. This purchase will be my last so I really don't want to get something I might not like. 

I use them without an amp or dac and i think they're fine. Even my phone can power them. 

[Below27]

59 minutes ago, xtroria said:

Your option if you want wireless is to get RS160 or RS175

Looking at these options, I realised that there are quite a few models in the rs series. 

 

It seems very tempting as it almost looks like a wireless version of the HD series. The base station/charger is a huge plus. 

 

However I am having a bit of difficulty deciding between the different rs models. 

 

I have figured out that 160, 165, and 175 are closed back, while 175 and 185 are open back. Which of these do you recommend? It seems that these headphones are meant for home theatre systems /TV set ups. Will I run into any issues using this with my PC? 

[Below27]

17 minutes ago, ColoradoJones12 said:

I use them without an amp or dac and i think they're fine. Even my phone can power them. 

Alright, I'm currently looking into the sennheiser rs series, and maybe other wireless options, however if nothing comes up I'll seriously consider this wired option!

[Tz000]

11 hours ago, Below27 said:

Hey guys, 

 

So I recently had a post asking for help picking out a wireless gaming headset. From this I ended up buying the razer thresher ultimate, however I find the headset performance a bit mediocre. 

 

I will mainly be using the headset for gaming, primarily fps, like csgo, and pubg. I also do play other moba games, rwt and a few other rpgs here and there. 

 

I also do listen to alot of music, pop and rock. So the headphones would be used for this, and while I do watch some movies, this is not a priority as I also have my system hooked up to  sound bar which I will generally use for movies. But it would be nice if I could get decent sound quality for when i watch videos? 

 

From what I've mentioned, and what I've read/researched it seems that the mids/highs are more important than the bass for me? But please do correct me if I'm wrong. One of the main reasons I do not like the razer I have is that some of the music sounds a bit off, i also have alot of difficulty hearing footsteps and some other major/important noises in games, and it has some sort of weird hissing/buzzing noise. I have tried connecting it to different outputs, usb/optical, as well as trying it on different ports and on different machines, but pretty much all had the same issues. 

 

From the forums, I am very keen to try the sennheiser 600/650 however it looks like these only come in wired variants? Further more it seems like an amp/dac might be strongly recommended? In which case I'm completely lost. 

 

I'm open to suggestions from you guys, my total budget for the whole set up is around $200-350, maybe even $400? Are there any decent wireless suggestions? The mic would be nice but is not a necessity as I already have a built in mic with my Logitech c920 Webcam. If you guys think I should not go the wireless route (although this is definitely my main preference), which/what kind of headphones would you recommend? And would you recommend for me to get it alone, or with a dac/amp? If a dac/amp is recommended, which ones would you recommend for the headphones you recommend? 

 

Sorry for the bombardment of questions but I'm really lost when it comes to this. I currently have the razer thresher ultimate, a pair of Sony mdr1000x, and have since sold off my Logitech G533 (the mic quality was very subpar) 

If you were unhappy with the quality of the razers don't get wireless it will not sound nearly as good as something wired... With your budget there is a lot of options for a good setup that will blow your mind.

 

Now there are two types of headphones if you didn't know, Open back & Closed Back.

 

Open back allows you to hear everything around you even when wearing the headphones which in turn bleed sound out of them as well.. this can be annoying if your surroundings are loud or you don't want someone hearing what you listen to BUT on the flip side these style of headphones allow you to hear foot steps really well and give you the best positional audio experience for CSGO/PUBG style games.  I have been called a hacker many times on CSGO when using my Sennheiser HD558 open back headphones I can pre fire corners because I know exactly when enemies are coming which gives you a huge advantage.

 

Closed back is great for sound isolation nobody can hear what your listening to and you wont be annoyed when someone turns a TV on in the same room or someone's making noise near you..  This style of headphone will still give you a great experience for CSGO/PUBG, listening to music etc.. my closed back brainwaves HM5/NVX XPT 100's sound great and I cant hear a damn thing around me.. I usually use these 70% of the time because I live in an apartment and my girlfriend usually watches TV or listens to music this was the whole reason I got them after buying my HD 558's because of the sound bleed but if I could I would wear the HD558's all the time if this makes sense.

 

Now for DAC's/AMPS. 

 

Some headphones have a higher impedance then other headphones which is essentially the electrical resistance of the headphone lower the impedance the easier it is to power, higher the impedance the harder it is to power which in turn would require an amplifier. 

 

a DAC is a Digital to Analog Converter.  This takes your digital audio signal from your computer (1's and 0's) and turn this into an analog signal that your headphones can reproduce into sound.  Dac's are important as they take the audio processing off your motherboard, game console, tv, dvd player, smart tv etc and do it outside of said device so there is minimal electrical interference from other components.  This can often relate to fuzzy sounding audio if you have bad on board audio chipsets but a DAC takes care of that.

 

No matter what headphones tho they usually will sound better coming through a DAC/AMP combo. I cant quite give you a comparison but it is a much cleaner sounding experience you can really hear everything and going from your MOBO audio to the DAC/AMP you WILL hear a difference.. BUT you also need to make sure the quality of the music your listening to is high, most stuff on youtube is all compressed and sounds like garbage, to really notice the difference you should listen to music straight from a CD, downloaded from iTunes or even better try "TIDAL" music streaming they stream music at the highest possible quality essentially at what they would listen to in the studio when making the album.  I have heard Neil Young breath into his harmonica around his neck when doing a guitar solo if that paints a picture for you.

 

My recommendations:

 

Seeing as you have a budget of 200-400.00$ I would suggest you bite the bullet and forget about wireless and purchase a good set of closed back headphones and an entry level DAC/AMP.  ALL of the headphones I will suggest here DO NOT need an amp/dac but will benefit from one.  I suggest these types because then you can use them with your cellphone or other devices easily.

 

$160-170.00  ---  Sennheiser HD 598 Closed back or Open back ---  (your choice based on your setup location) - These are a better version of the HD558's I have but also have a closed back they will work with any device with or without an amp. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512095607&sr=1-3&keywords=sennheiser+hd+598

 

$100.00 ---- Brainwaves HM5 --- This is a great Neutral sounding headphone not to boomy with bass and no ear piercing high notes these are great headphones for the money and probably the most comfortable pair I have ever worn there is also lots of replacement parts and ear pads for sale online if they ever wear out.. You cannot get much better for this price. 

https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-HM5-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B006MA9XXM/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512095852&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=brainwavz+hm5&psc=1

 

$75.00 ---- NVX XPT 100's ---- These are the exact same driver(speaker in the headphone) as the HM5's but the build quality is a little lacking BUT you do you get two lengths of cords, two sets of ear pads angled/flat, and a nice foam carrying case. 

https://www.amazon.com/NVX-Over-Ear-Headphones-ComfortMax-XPT100/dp/B0093PVTPS/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512096071&sr=1-2&keywords=nvx+xpt+100

 

For open back headphones I would suggest the HD599, 598, 558 or if you want to spend a little more go on mass drop and pick up a pair of the HD6XX or K7XX.  I have no experience with the mass drop headphones but I have heard great things this is IF you want an open back style.

 

DACS/AMPS --- Seeing as your new to all this I would not spend a fortune here just get something that has the inputs/outputs you need for a decent price almost anything will sound much better than your onboard I bet you that much.

 

$65.00 --- FX-Audio DAC X6 --- I personally have this one its great for anything I use it for my PC gaming, music, ps4, tv, cable box its very portable but does need to be powered by the wall so that's the only limiting factor.

 

$83.00 ---- SMSL M3 ---- I really like this one as its got USB power meaning you could essentially power it from a laptop say on a plane and get an excellent audio experience. Other than that its got nearly the same inputs/outputs as the dac x6 without breaking the bank.

 

Either one of those will get you into the high quality audio world without leaving you broke and if you really like what you hear you can upgrade to something more expensive down the road you can spend thousands on high end audio equipment if you want but if your used to Razer headphones any of the stuff I suggested will blow your mind.

 

Hope this long winded post helps you and gives you some information you did not have before... Feel free to PM me or tag me in your next post if you have any further questions.

 

Cheers!

 

 

[Below27]

36 minutes ago, Tz000 said:

If you were unhappy with the quality of the razers don't get wireless it will not sound nearly as good as something wired... With your budget there is a lot of options for a good setup that will blow your mind.

 

Now there are two types of headphones if you didn't know, Open back & Closed Back.

 

Open back allows you to hear everything around you even when wearing the headphones which in turn bleed sound out of them as well.. this can be annoying if your surroundings are loud or you don't want someone hearing what you listen to BUT on the flip side these style of headphones allow you to hear foot steps really well and give you the best positional audio experience for CSGO/PUBG style games.  I have been called a hacker many times on CSGO when using my Sennheiser HD558 open back headphones I can pre fire corners because I know exactly when enemies are coming which gives you a huge advantage.

 

Closed back is great for sound isolation nobody can hear what your listening to and you wont be annoyed when someone turns a TV on in the same room or someone's making noise near you..  This style of headphone will still give you a great experience for CSGO/PUBG, listening to music etc.. my closed back brainwaves HM5/NVX XPT 100's sound great and I cant hear a damn thing around me.. I usually use these 70% of the time because I live in an apartment and my girlfriend usually watches TV or listens to music this was the whole reason I got them after buying my HD 558's because of the sound bleed but if I could I would wear the HD558's all the time if this makes sense.

 

Now for DAC's/AMPS. 

 

Some headphones have a higher impedance then other headphones which is essentially the electrical resistance of the headphone lower the impedance the easier it is to power, higher the impedance the harder it is to power which in turn would require an amplifier. 

 

a DAC is a Digital to Analog Converter.  This takes your digital audio signal from your computer (1's and 0's) and turn this into an analog signal that your headphones can reproduce into sound.  Dac's are important as they take the audio processing off your motherboard, game console, tv, dvd player, smart tv etc and do it outside of said device so there is minimal electrical interference from other components.  This can often relate to fuzzy sounding audio if you have bad on board audio chipsets but a DAC takes care of that.

 

No matter what headphones tho they usually will sound better coming through a DAC/AMP combo. I cant quite give you a comparison but it is a much cleaner sounding experience you can really hear everything and going from your MOBO audio to the DAC/AMP you WILL hear a difference.. BUT you also need to make sure the quality of the music your listening to is high, most stuff on youtube is all compressed and sounds like garbage, to really notice the difference you should listen to music straight from a CD, downloaded from iTunes or even better try "TIDAL" music streaming they stream music at the highest possible quality essentially at what they would listen to in the studio when making the album.  I have heard Neil Young breath into his harmonica around his neck when doing a guitar solo if that paints a picture for you.

 

My recommendations:

 

Seeing as you have a budget of 200-400.00$ I would suggest you bite the bullet and forget about wireless and purchase a good set of closed back headphones and an entry level DAC/AMP.  ALL of the headphones I will suggest here DO NOT need an amp/dac but will benefit from one.  I suggest these types because then you can use them with your cellphone or other devices easily.

 

$160-170.00  ---  Sennheiser HD 598 Closed back or Open back ---  (your choice based on your setup location) - These are a better version of the HD558's I have but also have a closed back they will work with any device with or without an amp. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512095607&sr=1-3&keywords=sennheiser+hd+598

 

$100.00 ---- Brainwaves HM5 --- This is a great Neutral sounding headphone not to boomy with bass and no ear piercing high notes these are great headphones for the money and probably the most comfortable pair I have ever worn there is also lots of replacement parts and ear pads for sale online if they ever wear out.. You cannot get much better for this price. 

https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-HM5-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B006MA9XXM/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512095852&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=brainwavz+hm5&psc=1

 

$75.00 ---- NVX XPT 100's ---- These are the exact same driver(speaker in the headphone) as the HM5's but the build quality is a little lacking BUT you do you get two lengths of cords, two sets of ear pads angled/flat, and a nice foam carrying case. 

https://www.amazon.com/NVX-Over-Ear-Headphones-ComfortMax-XPT100/dp/B0093PVTPS/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512096071&sr=1-2&keywords=nvx+xpt+100

 

For open back headphones I would suggest the HD599, 598, 558 or if you want to spend a little more go on mass drop and pick up a pair of the HD6XX or K7XX.  I have no experience with the mass drop headphones but I have heard great things this is IF you want an open back style.

 

DACS/AMPS --- Seeing as your new to all this I would not spend a fortune here just get something that has the inputs/outputs you need for a decent price almost anything will sound much better than your onboard I bet you that much.

 

$65.00 --- FX-Audio DAC X6 --- I personally have this one its great for anything I use it for my PC gaming, music, ps4, tv, cable box its very portable but does need to be powered by the wall so that's the only limiting factor.

 

$83.00 ---- SMSL M3 ---- I really like this one as its got USB power meaning you could essentially power it from a laptop say on a plane and get an excellent audio experience. Other than that its got nearly the same inputs/outputs as the dac x6 without breaking the bank.

 

Either one of those will get you into the high quality audio world without leaving you broke and if you really like what you hear you can upgrade to something more expensive down the road you can spend thousands on high end audio equipment if you want but if your used to Razer headphones any of the stuff I suggested will blow your mind.

 

Hope this long winded post helps you and gives you some information you did not have before... Feel free to PM me or tag me in your next post if you have any further questions.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Hey, 

 

Thank you so much for this very long and informative reply. I feel like it has definitely helped alot as I understand the components much better. 

 

What do you think about the rs series that was mentioned previously in the thread. I think the Rf system uses some uncompressed analog? I'm not quite sure how it all works. Would this base station+wireless set be comparable to an amp/dac wired combo? 

 

I will mainly be using this set up for my room so will be going for an open backed headphone as I have the Sony ones for noisier environments. In my room I just have the ac/ceiling fan as well as my desktop outputting noise, will this be an issue for open back? Also will the open back cause noise bleeding out to be picked up by the mic on my webcam? 

 

If I do opt for the wired option, going with closed back I'd definitely look into the hd6xx or k7xx, or even the one earlier mentioned by ColoradoJones12. However if I do decide to the the dac, like one of the ones you mentioned, would I need to get a separate amp? And if so, which would you recommend? Since the amp/dac is more expensive budget limitations may limit me to the hd5xx. If that's the case, would you say hd5xx with amp+dac, or hd5xx without amp+dac. 

 

Thanks for all your help! 

[Tz000]

1 minute ago, Below27 said:

Hey, 

 

Thank you so much for this very long and informative reply. I feel like it has definitely helped alot as I understand the components much better. 

 

What do you think about the rs series that was mentioned previously in the thread. I think the Rf system uses some uncompressed analog? I'm not quite sure how it all works. Would this base station+wireless set be comparable to an amp/dac wired combo? 

 

I will mainly be using this set up for my room so will be going for an open backed headphone as I have the Sony ones for noisier environments. In my room I just have the ac/ceiling fan as well as my desktop outputting noise, will this be an issue for open back? Also will the open back cause noise bleeding out to be picked up by the mic on my webcam? 

 

If I do opt for the wired option, going with closed back I'd definitely look into the hd6xx or k7xx, or even the one earlier mentioned by ColoradoJones12. However if I do decide to the the dac, like one of the ones you mentioned. Would I need to get a separate amp? And if so, which would you recommend? Thanks! 

 

I have not looked into the RS series at all I will and let you know by PM my thoughts later im sure it would be pretty good but I do not agree that it would be the same as a dedicated DAC/AMP..

 

For use of open back headphones in your room you will be fine.  You should NOT be able to hear any noise from your pc or fan when something is being played through the headphones..  open backs bleed audio but it shouldn't be loud enough to be picked up by a mic thats on your desktop...unless the mic sensitivity is stupidly high... I would also go with an open back set if I had a dedicated room but my PC setup is in the living room of my apartment so lucky you!

 

The HD6XX and K7XX are both open back style headphones just so I'm clear... sorry if I miss informed you or I was confusing. 

 

The DAC's/AMP's I suggested earlier are combo units they are a DAC + HEADPHONE AMP all in one so you do not need a separate amp for these!

 

Cheers

[Below27]

46 minutes ago, Tz000 said:

 

I have not looked into the RS series at all I will and let you know by PM my thoughts later im sure it would be pretty good but I do not agree that it would be the same as a dedicated DAC/AMP..

 

For use of open back headphones in your room you will be fine.  You should NOT be able to hear any noise from your pc or fan when something is being played through the headphones..  open backs bleed audio but it shouldn't be loud enough to be picked up by a mic thats on your desktop...unless the mic sensitivity is stupidly high... I would also go with an open back set if I had a dedicated room but my PC setup is in the living room of my apartment so lucky you!

 

The HD6XX and K7XX are both open back style headphones just so I'm clear... sorry if I miss informed you or I was confusing. 

 

The DAC's/AMP's I suggested earlier are combo units they are a DAC + HEADPHONE AMP all in one so you do not need a separate amp for these!

 

Cheers

Alright, nope no confusion at all as I am looking to get open backed. I'll see the cost of the hd6xx or k7xx, I might just get the hd6xx instead. As if I do go wired I'll look into getting the amp/dac combo. However I am still hoping the rs series is good enough so I'll wait for your message tonight, thanks once again! 

[Tz000]

43 minutes ago, Below27 said:

Alright, nope no confusion at all as I am looking to get open backed. I'll see the cost of the hd6xx or k7xx, I might just get the hd6xx instead. As if I do go wired I'll look into getting the amp/dac combo. However I am still hoping the rs series is good enough so I'll wait for your message tonight, thanks once again! 

 

With the 6XX you would 100% need a headphone amp as those have a high impedance ( I think ) haha...

 

Just took a look at the RS series online they look quite nice.. & Now that I see them I remember listening to a pair in best buy before I got my HD 558's I think they were the lower end models the RS165's but I do remember them being very light and really comfortable. Sound quality was also great on par with HD 558's.. I'm sure they would be a huge step up from what you used to and it seems to me that if you use a Optical cable, the charging dock/headphones will act as a type of DAC but I could be wrong here.  

 

Which model of RS's are looking at? I was checking out the 175's they have an incredible 100m range you could be outside cutting the grass with these babies on that would be awesome.

 

Its too bad the charging doc doesn't have a USB in but if your computer is fairly new it should have an optical audio out on the back of the MOBO.

 

Cheers

[NinjaQuick]

Ok, lots has been said.

 

Here's my recommendation:

 

AKG 7XX if pure gaming prowess is need. They are hands down the best cans at the price point or under for gaming. No ifs ands or buts. They are fully open, and even seem more open than other fully open designs, though. They will be driven off onboard, but sing once you get them behind even a cheap dedicated amp, be it off a soundcard (such as Xonar DX) or an external amp.

 

Cans I've tested: HD600, HD650, DT (770,880,990), M50x, Fidelio X1, G930, Hyperx Cloud, AD700, K7XX. A few more, but at lower points and most of which are bested by what I've listed.

 

For the purpose of gaming, especially FPS games with good positional audio, the K7XX(701/702/Massdrop 7XX/712) are king of the hill.I am getting the Hifiman 400 soon, will see how they do.

 

Only get an amp if once you get a pair of headphones you find your current output is too weak to go loud enough for your needs. Do not pre-emptively spend money on an AMP. And unless you need a better DAC, survive with what you have, most phone and PC DACs used today exceed what you will ever need realistically unless you choose to go down the very expensive rabbit hole of absolute perfection.

[Below27]

42 minutes ago, Tz000 said:

 

With the 6XX you would 100% need a headphone amp as those have a high impedance ( I think ) haha...

 

Just took a look at the RS series online they look quite nice.. & Now that I see them I remember listening to a pair in best buy before I got my HD 558's I think they were the lower end models the RS165's but I do remember them being very light and really comfortable. Sound quality was also great on par with HD 558's.. I'm sure they would be a huge step up from what you used to and it seems to me that if you use a Optical cable, the charging dock/headphones will act as a type of DAC but I could be wrong here.  

 

Which model of RS's are looking at? I was checking out the 175's they have an incredible 100m range you could be outside cutting the grass with these babies on that would be awesome.

 

Its too bad the charging doc doesn't have a USB in but if your computer is fairly new it should have an optical audio out on the back of the MOBO.

 

Cheers

Yes my desktop does have an optical out! So it should be fine, I think. 

 

I am looking at the open backed models, so only RS185 or RS195. However there seems to be some build issues so I might be looking at the RS175? But overall I'm still not too sure yet with what I'm going to get

[Below27]

1 hour ago, NinjaQuick said:

Ok, lots has been said.

 

Here's my recommendation:

 

AKG 7XX if pure gaming prowess is need. They are hands down the best cans at the price point or under for gaming. No ifs ands or buts. They are fully open, and even seem more open than other fully open designs, though. They will be driven off onboard, but sing once you get them behind even a cheap dedicated amp, be it off a soundcard (such as Xonar DX) or an external amp.

 

Cans I've tested: HD600, HD650, DT (770,880,990), M50x, Fidelio X1, G930, Hyperx Cloud, AD700, K7XX. A few more, but at lower points and most of which are bested by what I've listed.

 

For the purpose of gaming, especially FPS games with good positional audio, the K7XX(701/702/Massdrop 7XX/712) are king of the hill.I am getting the Hifiman 400 soon, will see how they do.

 

Only get an amp if once you get a pair of headphones you find your current output is too weak to go loud enough for your needs. Do not pre-emptively spend money on an AMP. And unless you need a better DAC, survive with what you have, most phone and PC DACs used today exceed what you will ever need realistically unless you choose to go down the very expensive rabbit hole of absolute perfection.

Thank you for your reply! 

 

This does sound very useful/in line with what I intend to do, especially in regards to the amp/dac. I am still looking for wireless options if possible, I think the rs series looks like my last hope. 

 

If I do go wired though I think your post together with tz000 has more or less helped me make up my mind. It seems like I should definitely go for the sennheiser or Akg. However could you help clarify what you mean by mass drop hd6xx or mass drop k7xx, does this just refer to sennheiser HD 600/650 and Akg k701/712? Or is it something different altogether? I always assumed the xx is just to replace the numbers, but it seems like I Might have mistaken. Could you please help clarify and clear this confusion? Thanks! 

[Below27]

2 hours ago, NinjaQuick said:

Ok, lots has been said.

 

Here's my recommendation:

 

AKG 7XX if pure gaming prowess is need. They are hands down the best cans at the price point or under for gaming. No ifs ands or buts. They are fully open, and even seem more open than other fully open designs, though. They will be driven off onboard, but sing once you get them behind even a cheap dedicated amp, be it off a soundcard (such as Xonar DX) or an external amp.

 

Cans I've tested: HD600, HD650, DT (770,880,990), M50x, Fidelio X1, G930, Hyperx Cloud, AD700, K7XX. A few more, but at lower points and most of which are bested by what I've listed.

 

For the purpose of gaming, especially FPS games with good positional audio, the K7XX(701/702/Massdrop 7XX/712) are king of the hill.I am getting the Hifiman 400 soon, will see how they do.

 

Only get an amp if once you get a pair of headphones you find your current output is too weak to go loud enough for your needs. Do not pre-emptively spend money on an AMP. And unless you need a better DAC, survive with what you have, most phone and PC DACs used today exceed what you will ever need realistically unless you choose to go down the very expensive rabbit hole of absolute perfection.

Actually, I just figured out the difference. Thanks so much though! There is a mass drop for the k7xx at the moment, ending in 9 hours, so hopefully I can make a decision regarding these vs hd6xx, or going with the original hd600/650 or k702. 

 

I will still hold out a couple hours though to see if you guys think the rs 185 is worth it. 

[Tz000]

4 hours ago, Below27 said:

Thank you for your reply! 

 

This does sound very useful/in line with what I intend to do, especially in regards to the amp/dac. I am still looking for wireless options if possible, I think the rs series looks like my last hope. 

 

If I do go wired though I think your post together with tz000 has more or less helped me make up my mind. It seems like I should definitely go for the sennheiser or Akg. However could you help clarify what you mean by mass drop hd6xx or mass drop k7xx, does this just refer to sennheiser HD 600/650 and Akg k701/712? Or is it something different altogether? I always assumed the xx is just to replace the numbers, but it seems like I Might have mistaken. Could you please help clarify and clear this confusion? Thanks! 

Massdrop just names products like that but I know the HD6XX are remakes of the HD650.  I have not looked into the K7XX but i'm sure either of these would be unreal I have been intrigued to try the K7XX.

 

I would not say the RS185 is worth it @ 400.00$ CAD right now.  Im sure they are unreal sounding headphones but at that price personally I would go with the K7XX for half the price @ $200.00... then like Ninja said try them for a few weeks and see if you want to try them amplified or feel you need a DAC due to distortion or curiosity haha as you will have $200.00 in your pocket still..  with that left over $200.00 you could get such a nice DAC/AMP combo that would give an audio experience that is much more enjoyable than those wireless RS's. BUT dont get me wrong the K7XX will still sound amazing without a DAC+AMP..

[Tz000]

2 hours ago, Below27 said:

Actually, I just figured out the difference. Thanks so much though! There is a mass drop for the k7xx at the moment, ending in 9 hours, so hopefully I can make a decision regarding these vs hd6xx, or going with the original hd600/650 or k702. 

 

I will still hold out a couple hours though to see if you guys think the rs 185 is worth it. 

Did you make a decision yet?

 

Just looked @ the K7XX and with a 62Ohm impedance these will work with any device really well, the HD6XX would probably require a decent amp to get them rockin @ 300Ohm's.. Damn I really wanna buy a pair of the K7's now too...............

 

 

[Below27]

18 minutes ago, Tz000 said:

Did you make a decision yet?

 

Just looked @ the K7XX and with a 62Ohm impedance these will work with any device really well, the HD6XX would probably require a decent amp to get them rockin @ 300Ohm's.. Damn I really wanna buy a pair of the K7's now too...............

 

 

HI, 

 

I have not yet made a decision, these headphones are all pretty cheap on amazon at the moment, with the exception of the RS185. 

 

At the moment I'm deciding between the RS185, at $300 on amazon , the hd650 $375 on amazon as well (or the hd600, not sure why but these actually have higher ratings on amazon, and are $286). I would get the mass drop Hd6xx but the delivery date is end of march, most likely april and locally I can only get one at around $310, which make me feel like it's not so worth it. And lastly I'm considering the mass drop k7xx which I can get from mass drop, or source a k702 locally. 

 

Which of these 6 options do you think i should go for? By the way I did go to try on the headphones at a shop, and I managed to try a HD600 and a k702. They're both extremely comfortable, but I do find the k702 more comfortable than the sennheiser. 

 

Rs185

Hd600

Hd650

Hd6xx

K702

K7xx

[Tz000]

5 minutes ago, Below27 said:

HI, 

 

I have not yet made a decision, these headphones are all pretty cheap on amazon at the moment, with the exception of the RS185. 

 

At the moment I'm deciding between the RS185, at $300 on amazon , the hd650 $375 on amazon as well (or the hd600, not sure why but these actually have higher ratings on amazon, and are $286). I would get the mass drop Hd6xx but the delivery date is end of march, most likely april and locally I can only get one at around $310, which make me feel like it's not so worth it. And lastly I'm considering the mass drop k7xx which I can get from mass drop, or source a k702 locally. 

 

Which of these 6 options do you think i should go for? By the way I did go to try on the headphones at a shop, and I managed to try a HD600 and a k702. They're both extremely comfortable, but I do find the k702 more comfortable than the sennheiser. 

 

Rs185

Hd600

Hd650

Hd6xx

K702

K7xx

Yeah waiting for the HD6XX shipping would suck, but you would'nt be waiting too long for the K7XX.  I think for the versatility of the K7XX's being 62Ohm and you yourself even liking the feel I personally think you should go K7XX.

 

Edit: I think its a good stepping stone into the "very expensive rabbit hole of absolute perfection." as ninja would put it.

[Below27]

26 minutes ago, Tz000 said:

Yeah waiting for the HD6XX shipping would suck, but you would'nt be waiting too long for the K7XX.  I think for the versatility of the K7XX's being 62Ohm and you yourself even liking the feel I personally think you should go K7XX.

 

Edit: I think its a good stepping stone into the "very expensive rabbit hole of absolute perfection." as ninja would put it.

Alright, but if I go for the k7xx, what amp/dac would you recommend? I would not be buying it now, but just doing some research before hand so I can figure out budgeting. 

[Tz000]

As a dac+amp to start off with I would suggest one of the two I posted up earlier as again it wont break the bank but provide a better listening experience.

 

Checkout: AMP DAC LIST

 

This guy does headphone reviews on youtube (Z-Reviews)  and has made lists for speakers,headphones,dacs+amps and more and I have gone with some of his choices before and have been pleased.

 

 

  

[Below27]

22 minutes ago, Tz000 said:

As a dac+amp to start off with I would suggest one of the two I posted up earlier as again it wont break the bank but provide a better listening experience.

 

Checkout: AMP DAC LIST

 

This guy does headphone reviews on youtube (Z-Reviews)  and has made lists for speakers,headphones,dacs+amps and more and I have gone with some of his choices before and have been pleased.

 

 

  

Thanks, that's ton of information. I'll comb through it to see what I decide on. I'll do a bit more research on the sound signature for the k7xx before finalising the decision first though. Still trying to decide between these and the hd6xx, because although the k7xx was more comfortable, I'm quite certain I'd prefer the hd6xx sound signature. I might just bite another bullet and buy one of the ones selling for $310.