Jump to content

Best Headphones?


Pcjds2

Recommended Posts

using the sennheiser 280hd pro headset for 7 years now and it never has let me down, 

if the sound system is correct the bass is really good and the sound is clear too, although others would say the bass is low but i dont like my ears drummed off by basic bass, its just ugly, so its perfect for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Replies 40
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Is it just for music or will you be using it for gaming too?   Do you have an amp to drive higher ohm headphones?   What kind of sound signature do you want (neutral, dark, bright)?  Do you want something portable, including your amp to drive them?   Open (you can heard the world and they might hear your music) or Closed (opposite of course)?

 

There really is no 1 headphone that rules them all, that is why many audiophiles own a few different brands.

 

You got a good purchase range.  Even if you could afford more, it probably wouldn't be best until you know exactly what you want.

 

 

Another option if the OP wants a bit more accentuation in the bass would be the DT990 600ohms headphone, but I do not like the smaller sound stage compared to something like the audio technica ad900x.  

 

 

If you are finding the sound stage small on the DT990s your amp is not driving them properly because the DT990s are known for their excellent sound stage.   They're an excellent all around headphone for that very reason - makes them great for music and gaming.  That is the problem with the 600ohm version, you really need to invest in a good amp to get the most from them.  The 250ohm version is actually pretty easy to drive, even a portable amp will drive them.

 

And the AD900 is actually a step down from the AD700 in terms of sound stage (music) and positional ques (gaming).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Is it just for music or will you be using it for gaming too?   Do you have an amp to drive higher ohm headphones?   What kind of sound signature do you want (neutral, dark, bright)?  Do you want something portable, including your amp to drive them?   Open (you can heard the world and they might hear your music) or Closed (opposite of course)?

 

There really is no 1 headphone that rules them all, that is why many audiophiles own a few different brands.

 

You got a good purchase range.  Even if you could afford more, it probably wouldn't be best until you know exactly what you want.

 

 

Another option if the OP wants a bit more accentuation in the bass would be the DT990 600ohms headphone, but I do not like the smaller sound stage compared to something like the audio technica ad900x.  

 

 

If you are finding the sound stage small on the DT990s your amp is not driving them properly because the DT990s are known for their excellent sound stage.   They're an excellent all around headphone for that very reason - makes them great for music and gaming.  That is the problem with the 600ohm version, you really need to invest in a good amp to get the most from them.  The 250ohm version is actually pretty easy to drive, even a portable amp will drive them.

 

And the AD900 is actually a step down from the AD700 in terms of sound stage (music) and positional ques (gaming).

 

 

No the amp is plenty powerful and can even driver something like the HE-500 or HE-6. 

 

The DT 990s have an ok sound stage but it isn't as wide as say the Q701s. 

 

Lastly, I did not say the AD900s I said the AD900x. There is a fairly large difference IMO. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I currently own both the DT990s and Q701

 

I am running a rather high end DAC (matrix mini-i) and decent AMP for them (O2 amp)

 

Both are very nice headphones, but i MUCH prefer the DT990s

 

 

Lighter, nicer to use for long periods

Better midrange 

MUCH better bass

Smoother overall sound

I find the q701s can be somewhat harsh in the high end at times, and is very lacking in low midrange -> bass

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I currently own both the DT990s and Q701

 

I am running a rather high end DAC (matrix mini-i) and decent AMP for them (O2 amp)

 

Both are very nice headphones, but i MUCH prefer the DT990s

 

 

Lighter, nicer to use for long periods

Better midrange 

MUCH better bass

Smoother overall sound

 

I find the q701s can be somewhat harsh in the high end at times, and is very lacking in low midrange -> bass

 

Tubes man tubes. The Q701s are a lot better than the DTs when you have them on a tube amp and a tube dac. The highs are much softer and the bass is a lot fuller. The DTs sort of sound the same which is not a bad thing, but I do like the 'tube sound' which the Q701s seem to deliver more of. All what I just said is said with a fairly large IMO attached to it of course. 

 

Of course I do not recommend them to those who are only looking to buy low end audio gear because then they do indeed suffer from tinny sound. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, as you can tell, I'm pretty new to this so thank you for your help. I'll look at each of the suggested headphones and see the price, and see some reviews on them. Thanks again for the help!

 

 

And to answer the "Vengeance Shall Be mine" dude, I don't like the open headphones, and I can't tell you the type of sounds I like because I'm a newbie, so please don't judge. I can tell you that I listen to hip-hop often, but I still like clear vocals. I hope this helps people who want to suggest things!

 

 

 

 

Also I want them to be portable and I don't have an amp to drive higher ohm headphones.

 

 

 

Also I want them to be portable and I don't have an amp to drive higher ohm headphones.

 

 

And using the full names for the headphones would also help:)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've merged your posts. In the future if you think of more stuff to add please click edit and add it to your existing post instead of posting 4 times in a row, thanks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Been working and really busy WAR :)

 

The AF78s are a little different to the 56s and 45s and they seem to polarize people to a degree and at $200 there is a heap of really good completion.

 

And while I really really love my own AF56m canal phones I wouldn't recommend canal phones for use with a PC as its much nicer to have IMHO over ear headphones.

 

In a PC environment you are often subjected to periods of silence and in those periods I can tell you know it isn't so fantastic or normal feeling to have canal phones but with say open back headphones you can forget them.

 

Even with closed back headphones you can leave on or easy hand them round your neck. I'd have a ok at the beyer phones, the DT.

 

Both the low ohm model DT (from memory it has several different models of different impeadences and the Q701 can be driven by portable gear.

 

Depends on main use and as always OP get yourself somewhere to try stuff out

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No the amp is plenty powerful and can even driver something like the HE-500 or HE-6. 

 

The DT 990s have an ok sound stage but it isn't as wide as say the Q701s. 

 

Lastly, I did not say the AD900s I said the AD900x. There is a fairly large difference IMO. 

 

 

I will have to trust you on the differences between the AD900 and AD900x because I haven't tried them both nor have I seen enough people comparing the differences between the two.  Why you threw them into the conversation to begin with baffles me since the whole A900 line and the whole AD900 line is notorious for weak bass which is the OP requested.   Also the soundstage on the AD900 line is indeed larger but many find it to be not as fleshed out as other headphones in that price range.  So larger doesn't always equal better.  But you do bring up a good point - IMO - sound is subjective and headphones will sound different to everyone.   That is why I have to trust you on the differences between the AD900 and AD900x because even though I have seen comparisons, I have not seen enough to form any speculation on them especially since the ones I saw were about half and half.

 

I personally want to get some AKG Q701s and even the HE-400/500 but again, not appropriate for this thread since they are all $300 and more and need an amp.  All are great headphones and good suggestions for people buying in that price range ...and plan on getting a dedicated amp.  If I had the money I would own all 3 because all 3 are on my watch list.  But discussion on these headphones should be in a different thread because the OP isn't in this price/enthusiast realm.  Granted the OP did say $400-500 but these headphones typically require an amp to get full use of them so total budget should be more.

 

Far as your other post goes, the DTs really sing with tube amps too and don't forget even just changing the tubes can mean the world of differnce.  One headphone will prefer one set of tubes and another headphone will love a different set of tubes.

 

 

Thanks guys, as you can tell, I'm pretty new to this so thank you for your help. I'll look at each of the suggested headphones and see the price, and see some reviews on them. Thanks again for the help!

 

And to answer the "Vengeance Shall Be mine" dude, I don't like the open headphones, and I can't tell you the type of sounds I like because I'm a newbie, so please don't judge. I can tell you that I listen to hip-hop often, but I still like clear vocals. I hope this helps people who want to suggest things!

 

Also I want them to be portable and I don't have an amp to drive higher ohm headphones.

 

So you want the following, yes?

  • Bass
  • No amp requirement
  • Closed
  • $400 - $500
  • Good vocals

I see you having two options:

  1. Go a lot cheaper and get a pair of headphones that work well (may not blow you away) and don't need an amp, or
  2. Get a nicer quality headphone and a cheap portable amp like a Fiio E11 or E17

For the first option your best is probably the Audio-Technica ATH-M50.  I say best because it is a really good bang for your buck headphone.  It won't need to be driven by amp, has the bass, is a closed headphone, great for portability and most definitely meets your budget.  A lot of people buy these headphones before they buy the more expensive headphones to see if they want to get into the headphone/audio quality hobby.

 

For the second option you have a lot of options though I will in your price range your are going to have to decide which you want more - great bass or mind blowing vocals and mids.   To be honest I'm more of an open headphone kind of guy so I don't research closed pairs and it seems like most audiophiles make the $$$ leap to the Denon AH-D2000.

 

For Rap/Hip Hop I would see if I could score a deal on the Ultrasones Pro 900.  That would be my top pick in the closed headphone in that price category.  I hear nothing but praise in the bass category though.  Supposedly I missed the lightning deal on Amazon a couple days ago where they were selling for $200 - I most definitely would have purchased them at that price. :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

No the amp is plenty powerful and can even driver something like the HE-500 or HE-6. 

 

The DT 990s have an ok sound stage but it isn't as wide as say the Q701s. 

 

Lastly, I did not say the AD900s I said the AD900x. There is a fairly large difference IMO. 

 

 

I will have to trust you on the differences between the AD900 and AD900x because I haven't tried them both nor have I seen enough people comparing the differences between the two.  Why you threw them into the conversation to begin with baffles me since the whole A900 line and the whole AD900 line is notorious for weak bass which is the OP requested.   Also the soundstage on the AD900 line is indeed larger but many find it to be not as fleshed out as other headphones in that price range.  So larger doesn't always equal better.  But you do bring up a good point - IMO - sound is subjective and headphones will sound different to everyone.   That is why I have to trust you on the differences between the AD900 and AD900x because even though I have seen comparisons, I have not seen enough to form any speculation on them especially since the ones I saw were about half and half.

 

I personally want to get some AKG Q701s and even the HE-400/500 but again, not appropriate for this thread since they are all $300 and more and need an amp.  All are great headphones and good suggestions for people buying in that price range ...and plan on getting a dedicated amp.  If I had the money I would own all 3 because all 3 are on my watch list.  But discussion on these headphones should be in a different thread because the OP isn't in this price/enthusiast realm.  Granted the OP did say $400-500 but these headphones typically require an amp to get full use of them so total budget should be more.

 

Far as your other post goes, the DTs really sing with tube amps too and don't forget even just changing the tubes can mean the world of differnce.  One headphone will prefer one set of tubes and another headphone will love a different set of tubes.

 

 

Thanks guys, as you can tell, I'm pretty new to this so thank you for your help. I'll look at each of the suggested headphones and see the price, and see some reviews on them. Thanks again for the help!

 

And to answer the "Vengeance Shall Be mine" dude, I don't like the open headphones, and I can't tell you the type of sounds I like because I'm a newbie, so please don't judge. I can tell you that I listen to hip-hop often, but I still like clear vocals. I hope this helps people who want to suggest things!

 

Also I want them to be portable and I don't have an amp to drive higher ohm headphones.

 

So you want the following, yes?

  • Bass
  • No amp requirement
  • Closed
  • $400 - $500
  • Good vocals

I see you having two options:

  1. Go a lot cheaper and get a pair of headphones that work well (may not blow you away) and don't need an amp, or
  2. Get a nicer quality headphone and a cheap portable amp like a Fiio E11 or E17

For the first option your best is probably the Audio-Technica ATH-M50.  I say best because it is a really good bang for your buck headphone.  It won't need to be driven by amp, has the bass, is a closed headphone, great for portability and most definitely meets your budget.  A lot of people buy these headphones before they buy the more expensive headphones to see if they want to get into the headphone/audio quality hobby.

 

For the second option you have a lot of options though I will in your price range your are going to have to decide which you want more - great bass or mind blowing vocals and mids.   To be honest I'm more of an open headphone kind of guy so I don't research closed pairs and it seems like most audiophiles make the $$$ leap to the Denon AH-D2000.

 

For Rap/Hip Hop I would see if I could score a deal on the Ultrasones Pro 900.  That would be my top pick in the closed headphone in that price category.  I hear nothing but praise in the bass category though.  Supposedly I missed the lightning deal on Amazon a couple days ago where they were selling for $200 - I most definitely would have purchased them at that price. :(

 

 

 

Mmmmmm I will have to break this up into parts

 

The audio technica ad700s have no bass. I think we both understand this. The Ad900s are a big improvement and the AD900x's are even better. Now this is sort of a tricky thing for anyone to really argue. When I say bass I am talking about the bass guitar, drum, etc. Let me put it this way. If you were listening to the beetles 'come together', then I would rather be listening to the AD900xs any day of the week compared to the DT880s. If you were listening to dub step, I would say the exact opposite. I prefer warmer and more natural sounding bass than a tight and more rigid bass which is why I say that the AD900xs are great headphones  :)

 

The AKG q701s are only 230-250, and the HE-400 can be found used for 300. I even made a point in my first post that he should buy used headphones. If his budget is 500, then that leaves him 200 for the shiit magni (desktop amp) and modi (desktop dac).......sooooooo IDK what you are getting at? 

 

DTs and tubes......? Mehhhhhhhhh I have played with several sets. I just do not feel like the DTs have ever been as transparent as AKGs. I know that some people would call me stupid for saying that, but I just do not like them as much as other headphones. I have tried to love them, but I always went back to my Q701s.  :dunno:

 

 

Now that I know the OP wants to be mobile, then I second the shure headphones. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you were listening to the beetles 'come together', then I would rather be listening to the AD900xs any day of the week compared to the DT880s. If you were listening to dub step, I would say the exact opposite.

 

 I would agree completely with this statement.  Like I said from the get go, there is no "best" headphone.  You have to buy the headphone that suits your needs best.  Its a lot better to take the advice from someone who listens to the same music as you.  If I cared about the Beetles or Classical music you would probably find someone agreeing with everything you said.

 

Since I am more into Rock, Hip-hop and EDM I prefer the Beyers.

 

 

The AKG q701s are only 230-250, and the HE-400 can be found used for 300. I even made a point in my first post that he should buy used headphones. If his budget is 500, then that leaves him 200 for the shiit magni (desktop amp) and modi (desktop dac).......sooooooo IDK what you are getting at? 

 

No offense but if I was going to have any of those headphones I would want a higher quality amp.  That's like buying a porsche and then worrying about fuel costs and throwing Regular in it.  The headphones you are arguing for really shine with a higher quality amp.  So if you're gonna throw a couple hundred on an amp you might as well throw a bit more and make it a true investment.  I wouldn't recommend the Magni, at least not to the OP.

 

If the OP wants a different point of view on the Magni, here is an unofficial review from a forum member on Head-Fi - Review: Schiit Magni.  If you don't want to read it all, though it is a good review since he compares how different headphones sound on the amp, it basically says its super cheap so its great for anyone on a budget but the sound quality isn't quite there.  Oh and btw, I found this review AFTER I typed the above paragraph.

 

Besides the OP said he wants a portable solution so tell me how the magni and modi option is portable?

 

DTs and tubes......? Mehhhhhhhhh I have played with several sets. I just do not feel like the DTs have ever been as transparent as AKGs. I know that some people would call me stupid for saying that, but I just do not like them as much as other headphones. I have tried to love them, but I always went back to my Q701s.  :dunno:

 

 

Mehhhhhhhhhhh Again you speak for yourself.   I do agree the DTs are not that transparent, which is why I would agree with you that I would pick the AD900/x over the DTs for musical genres where transparency is extremely important.   Transparency is not important in Rap/Hip-Hop though.  So to me, it seems as if you just like arguing to argue because you clearly are not taking the OP's wants into consideration on your replies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...