Headphone Buying Megathread/Guide V4 - Come here for all your audio needs! (New Threads are not need - Hardware & Software

[QUOTE=SataniX;43145445]The Harman Kardon Sound stick speakers are quite good, but I've never heard about those.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-CL-Precision-Headphones/dp/B00A3RVNXI[/url] I actually went out and bought them because a local electronics store had them on sale for one day. I must say they sound very good albeit different from the m50s. It feels like they have a more neutral sound with a little more emphasis on the mids which is something I feel the m50s are lacking, at least for me. They are also extremely comfortable - you barely feel them sitting on your head compared to the m50s.

Okay so my razer fanboy steam friend recommends that I should get the razer tiamat to replace my aging and shitty 5.1 simulated headphones, but as the internet always knows better I thought I'd post here Budget: £200 Country: England Isolation: Circumaural probably, not fussed as long as it's comfy and blocks out sound well Purpose: Gaming primary, Music/Movies secondary Music Taste: Bassy stuff Previous Experience: Gamecom 780 Comments: I like the idea of physical 7.1 with the tiamat, but is it all it's cracked up to be? Could another pair of 7.1 headphones do the same job just as well? I've never particularly cared about the mic quality either but if I settle for mic-less headphones i might need some recommendations for desktop/clip on mics. Thanks!

[QUOTE=The Rizzler;43160480]Okay so my razer fanboy steam friend recommends that I should get the razer tiamat to replace my aging and shitty 5.1 simulated headphones, but as the internet always knows better I thought I'd post here Budget: £200 Country: England Isolation: Circumaural probably, not fussed as long as it's comfy and blocks out sound well Purpose: Gaming primary, Music/Movies secondary Music Taste: Bassy stuff Previous Experience: Gamecom 780 Comments: I like the idea of physical 7.1 with the tiamat, but is it all it's cracked up to be? Could another pair of 7.1 headphones do the same job just as well? I've never particularly cared about the mic quality either but if I settle for mic-less headphones i might need some recommendations for desktop/clip on mics. Thanks![/QUOTE] Razer headset. Please no. DT770 + Modmic would be my suggestion.

[QUOTE=SataniX;43161183]Razer headset. Please no. DT770 + Modmic would be my suggestion.[/QUOTE] 2.1 and no positional audio though?

[QUOTE=The Rizzler;43161457]2.1 and no positional audio though?[/QUOTE] Positional audio is mostly bad. You'll get the same quality from standard headphones and simulated surround.

[QUOTE=SataniX;43161820]Positional audio is mostly bad. You'll get the same quality from standard headphones and simulated surround.[/QUOTE] [del]So i looked at reviews for the DT770 for a while and they seem to be some kind of miracle device that allow you to reach audio based omniscience, but i'm still hesitant as gaming is the primary use for my next pair of phones and I'm no audio producer or musician when you say same quality do you mean the effectiveness of the positional audio will be just as good as simulated surround and even separate physical drivers?[/del] went to /g/ and came back alive. Probably going with [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-High-Headphones-E-A-R-Technology/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top]these[/url]. Since they're mic-less for the better, I need to look at mics now - should I just go with a Modmic... 2.0? Apparently the 3.0 is still in it's early stages so no warranty

Here's a video I did of the ModMic 3.0 with micboost enabled on my sound card but the gain not increased [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2hjjfW-dQ4[/media] Thought it might be relevant for this thread since this is probably the best mic option to go with stand alone headphones for voice chat n stuff. Decided to do a video for the 3.0 since I found it very hard to solid tests and stuff for it compared to the more widely available 2.3 (which does not have noise cancelling features built into it, a concern of mine as I game in a room with someone else).

[QUOTE=slayer3032;43142275][b]Budget:[/b] $60-125ish [b]eBay:[/b] New only [b]Country:[/b] US [b]Isolation:[/b] Circumaural, Open [b]Purpose:[/b] Gaming, Music, ect. Moving away from gaming headsets. [b]Music Tastes:[/b] Drum and Bass, Rap, Rock, Hip Hop, Country, Pop or really whatever. [b]Previous Experiences:[/b] Turtle Beach X1, Gamecom 777, Corsair 1500, Logitech G35 ear buds. [b]Comments:[/b] I can't do anything noise canceling/isolating, it makes me incredibly claustrophobic, nauseous and nervous. I had Logitech G35's for a day and had to return them after an hour of desperate use wanting to like them but ending in headaches and nauseousness. I really like my Corsair Vengance 1500's but they suck for music. I also really liked my Turtle Beach X1's but I put them through 4+ years of abuse and gave them away. I'm looking for some nice headphones which will play music good and will be comfortable on my head which can be rather difficult since I wear a size 8 hat and my head is pretty big. I'm posting this more because I don't feel like reading through the whole thread like an idiot and because I figured the OP is outdated somewhat.[/QUOTE] So I'm guessing the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-504631-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FEEY9A]HD-558's[/url] are about what I'm looking for? I was really hoping to fit both the headphones and mic cost into my budget. Are there any good alternatives to this for open style headphones?

So I found the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-518-Headphones-Black/dp/B0042A68R8]HD-518's[/url] also. Does anyone have any good input on the differences between these two or if I'm missing another headset that is far better? Are the 558's worth the extra $50? I cannot do isolation so anything that's closed is 100% out. Does anyone have any good recommendations for a desktop mic either? I'm not really interested in a clipon mic as the extra cord would bother me quite a bit.

Thinking of getting a Fiio E7 for my modded fostex headphones, how much would it improve? My sound card is Xonar DX. Wondering if it's worth it.

[QUOTE=Mr. Agree;43175297]Thinking of getting a Fiio E7 for my modded fostex headphones, how much would it improve? My sound card is Xonar DX. Wondering if it's worth it.[/QUOTE] My Fostex definitely improved with some amplification, but I got an 02 with an E10 for a DAC. That's all the experience I have, I can't say for sure whether it will benefit with an E7.

[QUOTE=reevezy67;43178425]My Fostex definitely improved with some amplification, but I got an 02 with an E10 for a DAC. That's all the experience I have, I can't say for sure whether it will benefit with an E7.[/QUOTE] E7 is £8 more than E10 on Amazon, I was going to go for one or the other. I just don't have a huge knowledge on amps!

[QUOTE=The Rizzler;43164530][del]So i looked at reviews for the DT770 for a while and they seem to be some kind of miracle device that allow you to reach audio based omniscience, but i'm still hesitant as gaming is the primary use for my next pair of phones and I'm no audio producer or musician when you say same quality do you mean the effectiveness of the positional audio will be just as good as simulated surround and even separate physical drivers?[/del] went to /g/ and came back alive. Probably going with [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-High-Headphones-E-A-R-Technology/dp/B004FEEY9A/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top]these[/url]. Since they're mic-less for the better, I need to look at mics now - should I just go with a Modmic... 2.0? Apparently the 3.0 is still in it's early stages so no warranty[/QUOTE] Are you sure about the 558s? They're good headphones, but they're very low on bass and you said you enjoyed bass.

Trying to find a headset or pair of headphones and mic to get for under $200 on amazon, anyone have some good recommendations? I'm not an audiophile or anything, but I like when my stuff sounds nice and clear. I honestly know nothing when it comes to audio, so any help is appreciated. Mainly will be used for gaming, sometimes music.

[QUOTE=SataniX;43181130]Are you sure about the 558s? They're good headphones, but they're very low on bass and you said you enjoyed bass.[/QUOTE] I'm leaning towards gaming really, apparently the DT770's are great for music but bad for games (lack of mids?) and the HD558's are the opposite - I think i'm going to have to compromise unless you know any decent headphones that have good bass as well as oriented towards gaming? EDIT: I read [url=http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-9-2-2013-sony-ma900-added]this[/url] guide which reviewed the DT770's: [I]Fun: 8.5/10 (Excellent. This is easily one of those most immersive headphones I have used. The bass is incredibly full, but not obnoxious.) Competitive: 6/10 (Decent. Positional accuracy is among very best, but the bloated bass makes it hard to pick up details, so it hurts it quite a bit.) Comfort: 7.5/10 (Very Good. The clamp is a bit strong, and the pads aren't as soft as the amazing DT880/990 pads.)[/I] also says these require amping. The bass sounds great but the fact it blurs details doesn't sound great to me There's also a review for the 598, which is basically the 558: [I]Fun: 6.5/10 (Pretty Decent) Competitive: 9.5/10 (Amazing) Comfort: 7/10 (Good)[/I] In the end it seems as though I can only find headphones that are truly good for music or gaming, not both. Is there any way I could boost the bass on the 558s and call it a day? :v: EDIT2: According to a bunch of posters on Head-Fi, the 558's bass improves after a while (I think this is called burn-in?) I'm not super fussed about mega bass especially if it overpowers the music

Budget: £50 eBay: Don't mind Country: UK Isolation: What? Purpose: To play computer games with mates because they hate the echo from my current mic/speakers combo, read the bit about not buying ones with mics on so i dont really mind buying one separate, but basically it needs to be comfy (main thing) and have faairly good sound quality. Music Tastes: Not needed, can just unplug the headphones and listen to it from my speakers Previous Experiences: iphone headphones Comments: So i have literally no idea where to start but comfort is key really, all my cheap headsets in the past have been really uncomfortable

[QUOTE=The Rizzler;43181544]I'm leaning towards gaming really, apparently the DT770's are great for music but bad for games (lack of mids?) and the HD558's are the opposite - I think i'm going to have to compromise unless you know any decent headphones that have good bass as well as oriented towards gaming? EDIT: I read [url=http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-9-2-2013-sony-ma900-added]this[/url] guide which reviewed the DT770's: [I]Fun: 8.5/10 (Excellent. This is easily one of those most immersive headphones I have used. The bass is incredibly full, but not obnoxious.) Competitive: 6/10 (Decent. Positional accuracy is among very best, but the bloated bass makes it hard to pick up details, so it hurts it quite a bit.) Comfort: 7.5/10 (Very Good. The clamp is a bit strong, and the pads aren't as soft as the amazing DT880/990 pads.)[/I] also says these require amping. The bass sounds great but the fact it blurs details doesn't sound great to me There's also a review for the 598, which is basically the 558: [I]Fun: 6.5/10 (Pretty Decent) Competitive: 9.5/10 (Amazing) Comfort: 7/10 (Good)[/I] In the end it seems as though I can only find headphones that are truly good for music or gaming, not both. Is there any way I could boost the bass on the 558s and call it a day? :v: EDIT2: According to a bunch of posters on Head-Fi, the 558's bass improves after a while (I think this is called burn-in?) I'm not super fussed about mega bass especially if it overpowers the music[/QUOTE] I hear quite bass heavy music (Jamiroquai, mostly funk), but the bass definitely doesn't hide other details in the music - this isn't beats or something. I've had no trouble gaming with these headphones, but I don't quite do something like competitive gaming, so if you do that sort of thing I can't speak for them. Comfort is [I]very good[/I], though - maybe the DT880/990 pads are better, but even with hours of use there's no real fatigue.

yeah, to be honest i play games about as much as i listen to music, so i think i'm kidding myself if i lean too hard towards thinking i need to be competitive, really I play games to have fun but want to do well of course. How's the positional accuracy? I am a basshead so I think i'm leaning more towards the DT770's now. EDIT: Apparently with a sound card I can EQ the bass down to avoid masking in games, could I get some sound card recommendations? Also again I've seen people saying the Beyers need amping to sound their best, is this audiophile talk or should I take this into consideration? I'm eyeing this one EDIT2: How did I miss the DT990? They beat the 770 in everything, including comfort. Apparently they have dodgy build quality though? My current headphones have a pretty flayed wire from me fiddling and messing with it absent mindedly, but they were only £30 EDIT3: Really torn between the 770 and 990... open sounds more attractive than closed to me, but according to some the 990 has the most repressed mids comparatively (and according to a few others it's fine) and some kind of apparent inner wire design flaw, which worries me. The 770 doesn't seem to have as good a sound stage or comfort

Well my shitty Razer Charcarias headset just carked it only a month out of warranty, so I'm now in the market for a new headphone/mic. Budget: Around $120 AUD. Could go over if benefits are convincing. eBay: Sure I guess. Country: Australia Isolation: I have my own office but I also live next to a road so it can get a bit noisy around. Purpose: Gaming and music. Need a mic to use alongside it. I can also install an audiocard if need be. Music Tastes: Electronica. I like having bass though. Previous Experiences: A series of shitty cheap headsets with mic booms. Comments: The two websites available to me to order from: [URL]http://www.umart.com.au/pro/[/URL] and [URL]http://www.pccasegear.com/[/URL] . You'll notice neither of them stock Panasonic headphones.

Right I've pretty much decided I'm getting the 990's. I've searched around for an answer to these next questions but haven't found any definitive/unbiased answers. With the 250ohm version, would it be best getting an amp/sound card? I know I should try them before I decide if I need an amp, but it would be nice to know if an amp would truly make a difference or if only an audiophile could tell what changed. As for a sound card, would something like a Xonar or X-Fi Titanium actually improve situational accuracy within a game? I'd like to get either a sound card or an amp, but not both.

[QUOTE=The Rizzler;43191365]Right I've pretty much decided I'm getting the 990. I've searched around for an answer to these next questions but haven't found any definitive/unbiased answers. With the 250ohm version, would it be best getting an amp/sound card? I know I should try them before I decide if I need an amp, but it would be nice to know if an amp would truly make a difference or if only an audiophile could tell what changed. As for a sound card, would something like a Xonar or X-Fi Titanium actually improve situational accuracy within a game?[/QUOTE] With the 250Ohm version, you're gonna need an amp. The 80Ohm DT 770 Pro can be run without one, so maybe you should take that into consideration.

[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;43191377]With the 250Ohm version, you're gonna need an amp. The 80Ohm DT 770 Pro can be run without one, so maybe you should take that into consideration.[/QUOTE] Ah, I've changed my mind so much between the two I'm going to have to put my foot down at some point! I favour open ear so that's the deciding point really. On amps, it's been said that all Beyers need amping to reach their maximum potential anyway. [url=http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/11570-review-dt990-pro-fiio-e10/]Seems like the Fiio E10 will work well with it.[/url] This amp is pretty great value so I might as well get a sound card anyway, onboard audio would be a shame I think! I've heard Creative do shit drivers, so i'm leaning towards Asus' Xonar range. Would it be worth getting perhaps a Xonar DX?

[QUOTE=The Rizzler;43191885]Ah, I've changed my mind so much between the two I'm going to have to put my foot down at some point! I favour open ear so that's the deciding point really. On amps, it's been said that all Beyers need amping to reach their maximum potential anyway. [url=http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/11570-review-dt990-pro-fiio-e10/]Seems like the Fiio E10 will work well with it.[/url] This amp is pretty great value so I might as well get a sound card anyway, onboard audio would be a shame I think! I've heard Creative do shit drivers, so i'm leaning towards Asus' Xonar range. Would it be worth getting perhaps a Xonar DX?[/QUOTE] I don't have much experience with sound cards, so I really can't much about what you should get. But the Fiio E10 has an in-built DAC anyway (it connects via USB to your computer), so I don't really see the point in getting a sound card in the first place.

[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;43191945]I don't have much experience with sound cards, so I really can't much about what you should get. But the Fiio E10 has an in-built DAC anyway (it connects via USB to your computer), so I don't really see the point in getting a sound card in the first place.[/QUOTE] Good point, as the E10 connects via USB it might not even be compatible with a soundcard anyway. I wonder if I could skip the Amp and get a decent sound card with an integrated amp in order to take advantage of the virtual surround features? I wonder how the sound would change... [Quote=some guy on Head Fi]A sound card is a DAC and AMP. It's an internal caseless DAC/AMP for PC's specifically.[/QUOTE] Hmmm. I guess it would be like buying the same technology twice over then

Budget: <100$ eBay: No Country: US Isolation: Circumaural Purpose: Gaming and Music Music Tastes: Bass music (DnB, Trap, Dubstep etc) Previous Experiences: HTF-600s (I like the sound quality but they are really uncomfortable IMO and when gaming the sounds are always on the wrong earphone, no matter how I set it up) Comments: I'd like it to block out noise but that's not a requirement.

Going back to me having an Xonar DX, should I buy a Fiio E7 or E10? I can get an E7 refurbished for £40. My headphones are modded fostex. Also, getting sound from my PS4.. the volume coming out my monitor through headphones isn't exactly great, neither is it when I plug speakers into the monitor, then headphones through those speakers.. it only goes up so high and it's really not loud, quality is rubbish too. I would have a use for one here.

Any suggestions on a mic? I'm gonna be going with HD 518's, I'd like to eliminate any extra cords coming off myself if possible but will allow it if absolutely necessary.

Anyone have opinions on Turtle Beach X32 or X42? Thinking about getting one of them. Do they sound good? Can they handle a couple drops?

So i'm ordering the Fiio E10 to go with my DT990 as according to the LinusTechTips forums, a decent Amp is better than any sound card on the market. Hopefully Razer Surround will be good enough for games, I'd love to use CMSS-3D or Dolby Headphone but don't want to sacrifice music quality (Though virtual surround is becoming more and more redundant due to how well games do audio nowadays apparently). Unless someone springs out of nowhere to convince me otherwise (unlikely) these are getting ordered early tomorrow, thanks for the help! [QUOTE=slayer3032;43196404]Any suggestions on a mic? I'm gonna be going with HD 518's, I'd like to eliminate any extra cords coming off myself if possible but will allow it if absolutely necessary.[/QUOTE] Definitely monitor the [url=http://www.modmic.com/blogs/news]Modmic blog[/url]/subscribe to their newsletter at the bottom to know when stock comes back in and order the 2.3/3.0 OR alternatively, wait for the 4.0 like I am, and get a temporary mic like [url=http://dx.com/p/mini-clip-on-microphone-3-5mm-jack-180cm-cable-42965]this one[/url] for the time being. According to a reviewer on Head-Fi they're the only mic he owns and worships religiously for how much value for money they are

Might get the E17.. or would the E09K be good? I have £60 in Amazon vouchers, need a good amp that also includes optical connections as I want to use with PS4 as well as PC.