• Headphone Buying Megathread/Guide V4 - Come here for all your audio needs! (New Threads are not need
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[QUOTE=evil-tedoz;49880515]Hey guys, I'm looking for a headphone + mic. How come headphones are 2x more expensive here? Even with the USD-CAD conversion it doesn't make sense... Budget: 200$ eBay: No Country: Canada Isolation: Closed Purpose: Mostly gaming Music Tastes: Doesn't matter Previous Experiences: Siberia V2[/QUOTE] For closed headphone + mic, [url=http://www.amazon.ca/Kingston-Technology-Headset-KHX-H3CL-WR/dp/B00JJNQG98]HyperX cloud[/url] is a good set, $95 CAD [QUOTE=wat_am_i_doin;49881068]Thought I'd tap into FP's collective headphone experiences. Budget: (up to) $150USD eBay: Sure, why not? Country: US Isolation: Anything that isn't VERY open. Purpose: Mainly gaming, music as a strong second. Music tastes: classical, blues, prog, folk Previous experiences: Sony MDR-V6, Brainwavz HM5, NVX XPT1000[/QUOTE] Sounds like you're trapped in Mid-fi madness, have you considered a dac/amp rather than another ~$150 pair of headphones? It might improve what you already have rather than shooting for another signature. But if you really want to roll another can, [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011UB9CQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00]Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro 250Ohm[/url] for $141, $118 used on amazon. I've never tried a Beyerdynamic product before, but be prepared for treble.
[QUOTE=KangarooSteak;49882458]For closed headphone + mic, [URL="http://www.amazon.ca/Kingston-Technology-Headset-KHX-H3CL-WR/dp/B00JJNQG98"]HyperX cloud[/URL] is a good set, $95 CAD Sounds like you're trapped in Mid-fi madness, have you considered investing in a dac/amp rather than another ~$150 pair of headphones? It might improve what you already have rather than shooting for another signature.[/QUOTE] Thanks! I'll check them out :) edit: Is there any advantage to pick the Cloud II instead? They're only ~$20 diff.
The HyperX Cloud 2 has usb out, ANC (active noise cancelling), and 7.1 virtualization software, fluff that really isn't worth spending the premium from a musical standpoint.
HyperX Cloud 2 doesn't have ANC
Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but here goes anyway. My brother recently picked up some new headphones for me, and the adapter piece on the left came with it. [T]http://i.imgur.com/yY1p3vn.jpg[/T] Generally I'm wondering where the hell I can even use it for? At any rate it looks like a splitter, but its confusing it uses 2 male jacks. [editline]7th March 2016[/editline] The interesting with this is that it fits perfectly in the front I/O of my computer: [T]http://i.imgur.com/xOODFbM.jpg[/T]
It looks like an airplane adaptor.
[QUOTE=KangarooSteak;49885189]It looks like an airplane adaptor.[/QUOTE] Yup, i got one of those on the flight to greece
[QUOTE=KangarooSteak;49882458]For closed headphone + mic, [url=http://www.amazon.ca/Kingston-Technology-Headset-KHX-H3CL-WR/dp/B00JJNQG98]HyperX cloud[/url] is a good set, $95 CAD Sounds like you're trapped in Mid-fi madness, have you considered a dac/amp rather than another ~$150 pair of headphones? It might improve what you already have rather than shooting for another signature. But if you really want to roll another can, [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011UB9CQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00]Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro 250Ohm[/url] for $141, $118 used on amazon. I've never tried a Beyerdynamic product before, but be prepared for treble.[/QUOTE] I'm actually just looking for a replacement 'cuz the XPT1000's (like the HM5's I had before them, same OEM model and all) are acting like they're gonna crap out right around the time they go out of warranty. Chalked it up to luck the first time, but will definitely look into the Beyerdynamics/basically anything else when these finally give up the ghost. (For reference, the metal frame on the XPT/HM5 platform is kind of flimsy, and broke in a rather spectacular and non-reparable fashion on my HM5's.)
[QUOTE=wat_am_i_doin;49888041]I'm actually just looking for a replacement 'cuz the XPT1000's (like the HM5's I had before them, same OEM model and all) are acting like they're gonna crap out right around the time they go out of warranty. Chalked it up to luck the first time, but will definitely look into the Beyerdynamics/basically anything else when these finally give up the ghost. (For reference, the metal frame on the XPT/HM5 platform is kind of flimsy, and broke in a rather spectacular and non-reparable fashion on my HM5's.)[/QUOTE] If you wanted something unique and have the amp for it, Hifiman Direct is selling refurb'ed He400's for $149 each. 7 day warranty/return. [url]http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/he400-refurbished.html[/url]
[QUOTE=riku2211;49863048]So, got my 558's earlier this week and I was immediately in love with them. I now understand what having a wider soundstage means. I also got a pretty decent sound card to go with them - heavenly. Today I finally got my mic, modded it to fit, and removed that foam on the inside and now have the best headset I've ever owned. Thanks for the help with this guys![/QUOTE] How are these compared to the HyperX cloud headset in terms of quality? I quite like my hyperx's, brilliant sound for the price but I do want to buy headphones with better sound quality and wondered if the 558s would suffice for £110? Or what about if I could get the 598SE for similar price?
It'd be a nice compliment headphone, the Hd5x8 being open and the HyperX Cloud being closed. And as far as I can tell, the difference between the Hd598se and the Hd558 needs a foam mod to get the Hd598 signature. If you're buying used, be careful of fraud Hd598's as there are a few of those floating around. You can tell the difference based on the number of screws on the headband slider. A genuine one has 4 screws and a counterfeit has 3. Genuine cans also have a proprietary twist lock mechanism for their input jack, while fake ones have a standard 3.5mm input.
Is there anything as cheap or cheaper and just as good as panasonic htf600s? I have gone through 2 pairs because of shoddy design, they are just too easy to break after half a years use. Both pairs the plastic has broken after being used a lot, and I have had to ducktape them, now my current pair has a wire problem and I have to jiggle the wires to get full sound, but it's insanely finicky. [editline]12th March 2016[/editline] im currently looking at Monoprice 108323's and they are $30 with this amazon prime account that I am on right now, so it's half off. Worth it?
[QUOTE=BenJammin';49917439]Is there anything as cheap or cheaper and just as good as panasonic htf600s? I have gone through 2 pairs because of shoddy design, they are just too easy to break after half a years use. Both pairs the plastic has broken after being used a lot, and I have had to ducktape them, now my current pair has a wire problem and I have to jiggle the wires to get full sound, but it's insanely finicky. [editline]12th March 2016[/editline] im currently looking at Monoprice 108323's and they are $30 with this amazon prime account that I am on right now, so it's half off. Worth it?[/QUOTE] There's the Sennheiser 2xx and 4xx series, can't imagine them being terrible and most of them are closed. [url]http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-439-Headphones-Black/dp/B005N8W1TM[/url]
The Hd202's are a good pick, we have a few pairs at the station so they get a quite the beating. But they're built well and have been holding up just fine. Comfort is good, the sound is a bit boxy. (intimate, monitor sound) and the cord is long. But other than that, they're really nice.
I've had USB headphones for the past...4 years or so I always loved them but always got frustrated at their driver issues and sound issues. My last pair was a G35, really loved them. Only issue was distorting in the bass, It died because the cord kept getting hung up in my chair and falling to the floor. I went out 9 days ago and got the g930's because it shared the same platform from the g35. They sound is the same, its okay but still distort-y and muddy in the lower end and random ass poping sound from weird ass audio glitches. Ontop of that you can hear when it "activates" the headphones to play audio because their will be white noise in the background. My question to you ya'll FP is should I abandon the plagued with issues wireless headphones and USB driver issues? What other options do I have? I could do a standalone desk mic but I really prefer a mic on headset design. Plus friendly with the track IR Pro clip would be nice.
[QUOTE=DPKiller;49918893]I've had USB headphones for the past...4 years or so I always loved them but always got frustrated at their driver issues and sound issues. My last pair was a G35, really loved them. Only issue was distorting in the bass, It died because the cord kept getting hung up in my chair and falling to the floor. I went out 9 days ago and got the g930's because it shared the same platform from the g35. They sound is the same, its okay but still distort-y and muddy in the lower end and random ass poping sound from weird ass audio glitches. Ontop of that you can hear when it "activates" the headphones to play audio because their will be white noise in the background. My question to you ya'll FP is should I abandon the plagued with issues wireless headphones and USB driver issues? What other options do I have? I could do a standalone desk mic but I really prefer a mic on headset design. Plus friendly with the track IR Pro clip would be nice.[/QUOTE] My word of advice is do not invest in usb cans because they typically have poor usb card implementation in them. Hence the static and junk sound. Based off your purchase of the g930, I'll assume your budget is ranged between $60-100. My defacto headset pick is the [url=http://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-H3CL/dp/B00JJNQG98]HyperX Cloud 1[/url], which is based off of the Takstar Pro80 (solid platform) If you do not require isolation, check out the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW]Shp9500[/url] + [url=http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1457806885&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=vmoda+boom+proi]V-moda Boom pro[/url]. Or if you're feeling a little adventurous and don't mind buying used, the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457806924&sr=8-1&keywords=hd558]Sennheiser Hd558[/url] ($76) can be modded to accept the [url=http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1457806885&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=vmoda+boom+proi]V-moda Boom pro[/url] to make an excellent open-back headset. The mod details can be found on [url=https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1250718&page=86]here on this page.[/url] I don't have much experience with IR track clips though.
Budget:$50 eBay: If it's worth it Country: US Isolation: absolutely Purpose: casual music, video editing, casual gaming Music Tastes: Jazz, New Wave, etc. Previous Experiences: I've been using Apple EarPods for four years and before that I only used shitty Skullcandy earphones, save me from this hell Comments: I don't want anything too fancy, I have a self-built computer with no dedicated soundcard or amp (and I don't really want to buy one) and I just need a pair of actual over-ear headphones for once. Should I just go with the [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Headphones-RP-HTF600-S-Lightweight-Comfortable/dp/B004MMEI8W"]HTF-600-S?[/URL] It would be nice if the headphones were available at Best Buy because I have a $10 coupon I'm no audiophile, but I am going to connect a record player to my computer soon
Snip misread
[QUOTE=KangarooSteak;49921879]Snip misread[/QUOTE] The pair you linked was pretty good, but they're not available for shipping or at any local stores, but they're $50 with free shipping on Amazon. Is there any reason you snipped? Should I not look at those headphones?
Budget: $120 Ebay: No Country: US Isolation: As nice as the benefits are, if someone's calling me within the house I'd like to hear them Purpose: Gaming, Skype, possibly casual listening Music Tastes: N/A Previous Experiences: Had this one headset+mic usb thing from Bestbuy, lost in the endless void that is my closet Comments: Would prefer to have the mic bundled with headset, if possible
[QUOTE=BigJoeyLemons;49921947]The pair you linked was pretty good, but they're not available for shipping or at any local stores, but they're $50 with free shipping on Amazon. Is there any reason you snipped? Should I not look at those headphones?[/QUOTE] Sorry, I thought the bestbuy deal was the Mdrv6/7506 for $60; which is a steal; but instead I accidentally linked the Sony mdrv55. Because my experience with the mdrv55 is limited, I snipped. Also, the HTF600-S are known to have some durability issues. If you could, I'd definitely recommend saving up for a used [url=http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ]Sony MdrV6[/url] or the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SRH440-Professional-Studio-Headphones/dp/B002DP1FTU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457843756&sr=8-1&keywords=shure+srh+440]Shure SRH440[/url], the SRH440 has relatively thin head padding though. But if your budget is a hard $50, I've heard some good things about the [url=http://www.amazon.com/TASCAM-TH02-B-Closed-Back-Stylish-Headphone/dp/B00B1N06PO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457843313&sr=8-1&keywords=tascam+th02]Tascam Th-02 B[/url] (Long cord, braiding recommended) + [url=http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Replacement-Memory-Foam-Earpads/dp/B00MFDT894/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457843680&sr=8-1&keywords=hm5+pads]Brainwavz pleather pads[/url]. And yes, the pads cost more than the headphones, you'll know why if you decide on this combo. [editline]12th March 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Magikoopa24;49922024]Budget: $120 Ebay: No Country: US Isolation: As nice as the benefits are, if someone's calling me within the house I'd like to hear them Purpose: Gaming, Skype, possibly casual listening Music Tastes: N/A Previous Experiences: Had this one headset+mic usb thing from Bestbuy, lost in the endless void that is my closet Comments: Would prefer to have the mic bundled with headset, if possible[/QUOTE] [url=http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW]Shp9500[/url] + [url=http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1457844105&sr=1-1&keywords=boom+pro]Boom Pro[/url], The Shp9500's are open cans, so they provide very little isolation, but they're great with positioning and soundstage.
Budget: £150 Ebay: If it saves money Country: UK Isolation: Not bothered, in-door use Purpose: Some gaming, films and music Music Tastes: Indie, dance, house Previous Experiences: Modded fostex, currently using hyperx headphones Comments: Nothing too extreme on the bass, but enough that it would be good for movie watching. I guess a balanced headphone that's versatile. Considered the 598s but would want a bit more bass.
I just got the Xiaomi Piston 3 IEMs. They are so well built and sound pretty damn good. The most comfortable IEMs I have worn. $16 is so cheap for these things.
[QUOTE=Toats MaGoats;49934485]I just got the Xiaomi Piston 3 IEMs. They are so well built and sound pretty damn good. The most comfortable IEMs I have worn. $16 is so cheap for these things.[/QUOTE] What retailer did you buy them from? I was thinking of getting one as a gift. [QUOTE=Mr. Agree;49933939]Budget: £150 Ebay: If it saves money Country: UK Isolation: Not bothered, in-door use Purpose: Some gaming, films and music Music Tastes: Indie, dance, house Previous Experiences: Modded fostex, currently using hyperx headphones Comments: Nothing too extreme on the bass, but enough that it would be good for movie watching. I guess a balanced headphone that's versatile. Considered the 598s but would want a bit more bass.[/QUOTE] Moving up in the headphone world? You can check the Philips fidelio X2's used for £159. Versatile in a sense that they're easy to drive have standard 3.5mm connect, so you can attach a mic or bluetooth. Sound signature is V-shaped with visceral bass and a shimmery top end. Huge sound stage so it's great for gaming and positional audio. I had them for about a week, heavy in the hand, but weight is balanced on the head so no hotspots. What Fostex cans do you have btw?
[QUOTE=KangarooSteak;49934489]What retailer did you buy them from? I was thinking of getting one as a gift. Moving up in the headphone world? You can check the Philips fidelio X2's used for £159. Versatile in a sense that they're easy to drive have standard 3.5mm connect, so you can attach a mic or bluetooth. Sound signature is V-shaped with visceral bass and a shimmery top end. Huge sound stage so it's great for gaming and positional audio. I had them for about a week, heavy in the hand, but weight is well balanced on the head so no hotspots. What Fostex cans do you have btw?[/QUOTE] Holy crap it's a sign, I've just been extensively researching the X2's in comparison with the SPH9500s :v: People were saying the bass was a little lacking on the 9500s (like the 598s) so I'll go with the X2's. Hopefully I can get them cheaper somewhere. Going to give my current hyperx headphones to my sister for free (with the unused velour style padding), she's been dying for some new headphones and is currently using the apple earphones my iphone came with. I have t50rp fostex headphones, but they've gathered so much dust and are dirty so they'd need a clean. They were bought off a FP user on here called "David Tennant" who modded them.
SHP9500's are on sale for $59.99, I wouldn't really suggest them at $90-100 but at $60 absolutely. [url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philips-SHP9500-Over-Ear-Headphones-Black/381133854860[/url]
My only problem with buying the X2's is the open back design. I live with family and my bedroom is a boxed room inbetween my parent's and sister's room. I tend to watch films at night. Is this likely to wake them up? Are they likely to hear the sound of my headphones through the wall?
I highly doubt it, but if you're curious, take off your headphones while it's playing music at your normal listening volume and put them on your table. Let your ears adjust to the ambient room volume and then walk around and outside your room. If you can hear them through a wall, you might have an issue with open backs. Story time, I had a friend who received complaints from his roommate about his Hd600's playing too loud through a wall. The amp I let him demo puts out 1.7w at 300 Ohms and screams at 10 o'clock. When he tried my Hd650's, he turned the amp to 1 o'clock and I was able to feel bass notes from about 3 feet away. Deafeningly loud even at a distance. Moral of the story, please protect your hearing.
[QUOTE=KangarooSteak;49934998]I highly doubt it, but if you're curious, take off your headphones while it's playing music at your normal listening volume and put them on your table. Let your ears adjust to the ambient room volume and then walk around and outside your room. If you can hear them through a wall, you might have an issue with open backs. Story time, I had a friend who received complaints from his roommate about his Hd600's playing too loud through a wall. The amp I let him demo puts out 1.7w at 300 Ohms and screams at 10 o'clock. When he tried my Hd650's, he turned the amp to 1 o'clock and I was able to feel bass notes from about 3 feet away. Deafeningly loud even at a distance. Moral of the story, please protect your hearing.[/QUOTE] That's useful, I'll go for them but apparently buying new ones off Amazon is a bad idea as the newer batch has glued on ear cups? And sound isn't as good? I'll try and get these second hand.
Yeah, apparently the manufacturing process was transferred to Gibson and some materials were changed (different ear padding, better headband stitching, glued earpads) There was a comparison on r/headphones between an old and new set, but the thread appears to have been removed. I personally owned the newer set created by Gibson with the glued on ear pads and they sounded just fine. Comfort was also exceptional, much better than a lot of stuff I've tried in the past. I returned them to fund my Hd650 though. If you're curious, here's Philip's follow-up statement: [url]http://www.supportforum.philips.com/en/showthread.php?22285-Philips-X2-Statement[/url]
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