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

Beyer DT990 Orenium 600Ohm arrived today... So comfy~ Really good for classical, jazz, type music I find, and utterly unforgiving to bad recordings.

-snip, got corsair vengeance 1500-

[b]Budget:[/b] £120 [b]eBay:[/b] Sure. [b]Country:[/b] UK [b]Isolation:[/b] Closed (cover ears completely) [b]Purpose:[/b] Listening to music, Maybe gaming. [b]Music Tastes:[/b] Heavy Metal / German Industrial Metal (including Live) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGXTT7s01pw]Sample 1[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjO1bMHbDpY]Sample 2[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_LVaHHNcP4]Sample 3[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZdQ3w3_nuE]Sample 4[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUJKt5-ZKOw]Sample 5[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lynZuYmWq-E]Sample 6[/url] [b]Previous Experiences:[/b] [url=http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/gaming/pc-gaming-accessories/pc-gaming-accessories/gaming-headsets/razer-blackshark-expert-2-0-gaming-headset-black-green-20948700-pdt.html?gclid=CJvOstuK4MMCFRHHtAodOGEAJg&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~~~Exact&mctag=gg_goog_7904&s_kwcid=AL!3391!3!53179493779!!!g!97000452739!&ef_id=VFKt7QAAAKSRoy3W:20150213233354:s]RAZER Blackshark (loved them, great bass)[/url] [b]Comments:[/b] I would like either a high quality fabric cable or An adapter at the headphones so the cable will not break and can be replaced easily if it does. I can live without however It would mean that when it breaks, I would simply cut the cable and add my own connector at the headphones. [editline]14th February 2015[/editline] Actually, make that £150 (Fix the 'Edit' button someone...)

Sennheiser 518's are $65 on Newegg with promo code EMCANKP68

[QUOTE=nuttyboffin;47135906][b]Budget:[/b] £120 [b]eBay:[/b] Sure. [b]Country:[/b] UK [b]Isolation:[/b] Closed (cover ears completely) [b]Purpose:[/b] Listening to music, Maybe gaming. [b]Music Tastes:[/b] Heavy Metal / German Industrial Metal (including Live) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGXTT7s01pw]Sample 1[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjO1bMHbDpY]Sample 2[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_LVaHHNcP4]Sample 3[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZdQ3w3_nuE]Sample 4[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUJKt5-ZKOw]Sample 5[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lynZuYmWq-E]Sample 6[/url] [b]Previous Experiences:[/b] [url=http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/gaming/pc-gaming-accessories/pc-gaming-accessories/gaming-headsets/razer-blackshark-expert-2-0-gaming-headset-black-green-20948700-pdt.html?gclid=CJvOstuK4MMCFRHHtAodOGEAJg&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~~~Exact&mctag=gg_goog_7904&s_kwcid=AL!3391!3!53179493779!!!g!97000452739!&ef_id=VFKt7QAAAKSRoy3W:20150213233354:s]RAZER Blackshark (loved them, great bass)[/url] [b]Comments:[/b] I would like either a high quality fabric cable or An adapter at the headphones so the cable will not break and can be replaced easily if it does. I can live without however It would mean that when it breaks, I would simply cut the cable and add my own connector at the headphones. [editline]14th February 2015[/editline] Actually, make that £150 (Fix the 'Edit' button someone...)[/QUOTE] Either Beyerdynamic DT-770 pro (80 Ohm) or Sennheiser HD 25-1 II, they both got their own pluses and minuses. Hd 25-1 is far more portable and it also got a pretty good cable that is replacable. DT-770 is not portable nor is the cable replacable (unless you do some modding to it, it requires a bit of work tho) but it is much more comfortable and got a much better soundstage, which is pretty important imo. I think it comes down to if you want it portable or not, but either will be a good choice for a closed pair of headphones anyways.

I've had a look at them (all three from both of you) and I'm not too sure I see some features I like... I'd be tempted for the HD 25-1 but they don't look like they cover the ears completely, does anyone else have any suggestions?

I need some extremely portable headphones under 40 bucks. I really like earphones but my canals are just insanely small and everything just pops out. Anyone?

[QUOTE=GURREN LAGANN;47144235]I need some extremely portable headphones under 40 bucks. I really like earphones but my canals are just insanely small and everything just pops out. Anyone?[/QUOTE] Philips CitiScape Downtown or Koss PortaPro

Some braindead shitter broke my expensive headphones in the bus today (thought it'd be a good idea to yank it away from my ear to ask me a question, broke the whole right part, dislocated it from the rest and broke it further when trying to put it back together). Going to get earbuds instead, the kind you stuck in your ear, at least people won't fucking destroy my belongings if it's earphones. Any advice on ~100 euros sturdy earphones ?

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are on sale for $129 again [url]http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_-nl5ub1CFZE4Q[/url]

[QUOTE=Ganerumo;47163792]Some braindead shitter broke my expensive headphones in the bus today (thought it'd be a good idea to yank it away from my ear to ask me a question, broke the whole right part, dislocated it from the rest and broke it further when trying to put it back together). Going to get earbuds instead, the kind you stuck in your ear, at least people won't fucking destroy my belongings if it's earphones. Any advice on ~100 euros sturdy earphones ?[/QUOTE] who the fuck does that? I don't even

I broke my Panasonic RP-HTF600-S. I snagged the cable and yanked them to the ground- oh snap! So, with $50 to spend including shipping and tax, I've narrowed it down to either Superlux HD681 Evo or Gemini DJ HSR-1000. I understand the Evo is more a 'fun' sounding headphone and the Gemini more a flat monitor with a decent low end. What I'm trying to avoid is buying something that sounds the same, more or less, as the Panasonic. I don't really care about the soundstage or closed vs open differences so much as I would be disappointed to find out I bought something with the same sound signature as what I already have. I do plan to fix the Panasonic at some point. The Gemini is the same as a Takstar Pro80 btw. So anyone have any input on which of the two is the biggest step away from the Panasonic?

One of my cousins offered me the Logitech G430 since he never uses it, is it actually that good? My current is Logitech G330.

[QUOTE=Ganerumo;47163792]Some braindead shitter broke my expensive headphones in the bus today (thought it'd be a good idea to yank it away from my ear to ask me a question, broke the whole right part, dislocated it from the rest and broke it further when trying to put it back together). Going to get earbuds instead, the kind you stuck in your ear, at least people won't fucking destroy my belongings if it's earphones. Any advice on ~100 euros sturdy earphones ?[/QUOTE] holy shit what an asshole. What headphones did he break? also i need more details on what kind of headphone do you want. closed back or open back? what are your music tastes?

[QUOTE=Havolis;47176155]holy shit what an asshole. What headphones did he break? also i need more details on what kind of headphone do you want. closed back or open back? what are your music tastes?[/QUOTE] They did say earphones.

[QUOTE=Spectre1406;47176035]One of my cousins offered me the Logitech G430 since he never uses it, is it actually that good? My current is Logitech G330.[/QUOTE] You'd be upgrading from shit to maybe slightly less shit.

Thoughts on the Beyerdynamic DX 160IE ? Seems to be a solid pair of earphones. [editline]21st February 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=Havolis;47176155]holy shit what an asshole. What headphones did he break? also i need more details on what kind of headphone do you want. closed back or open back? what are your music tastes?[/QUOTE] He broke my Meze 66 Classics, which cost 120 euros. Was pretty fucking pissed especially since the little shit didn't even bother apologizing. I listen to a pretty broad range of music so I'd rather not pick something overly specialized, but if I had to choose I'd say something with strong bass.

Well, after watching some videos on Youtube, I went ahead and ordered the Gemini DJ HSR-1000. I'll post my impressions after I get them, probably next weekend. I'm excited, since these will be the best headphones I've had in a long, long time...in years.

I'm looking for some good earphones or headphones for when I'm on the go. I'm looking at [url=http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/headset-earphones/hf2.html]the Etymotic Research hf2 earphones[/url] because I like having the ability to talk to people on the phone with them. Anyone think this is a good idea? I'm terrified of shorting these things out or losing the tips. I'm also interested in headphones with detachable cables, seeing as I'd only need to replace the cable instead of the headphones themselves. [b]EDIT: Flat-frequency, please![/b] No bass-boosted stuff.

[B]Budget[/B]: < $50 (basically, I'm just trying to find something that's a really good bang for the buck) [B]Country[/B]: U.S. [B]eBay[/B]: no [B]Isolation[/B]: For listening in my dorm. [B]Purpose[/B]: Music, occasional gaming (general purpose) [B]Music Tastes[/B]: Everything from drum and bass to classical [B]Previous Experiences[/B]: Logitech G35, but it broke in half not even into a year of use. I now realize how shitty headsets can be. [B]Comments[/B]: I'm really just looking for a general purpose headset. I like bass. Unfortunately, I am using an $8 pair of headphones from some Chinese company without a brand name. I've been using this same pair of headphones for 3 years. The OP is a bit old, so I'm not sure if the [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RP-HTF600-S-Stereo-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B004MMEI8W/"]Panasonic RP-HTF600-S Stereo Over-ear Headphones[/URL] are still the general reccomendation from the OP. I've even been looking at [URL="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LPTAYI/ref=psdc_172541_t2_B004MMEI8W"]Sennheiser HD 202 II[/URL] just because I like seeing cheap things, but I'm not entirely sure what your current opinion for general purpose headphones are at the moment. As for amplifiers, I have PC speakers that plug into the main power that has a 3.5 mm jack for headphone output. If I get headphones that require the use of an amp, will my speakers work as an amplifier?

If you're willing to up your price range to $75, you can get the headphones I've used for the last three years: [url=http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB]Sennheiser 280-HD Pros[/url] It's clear, accurate, sounds good, and more importantly - is very fair with it's flatness. I like flat-frequency stuff, because it gives me the ability to equalize things on my terms. (I never equalize stuff, though, because I'm not a big basshead or anything.) It also shuts out the sound around you pretty well, which is nice. I mention that because others like having "air" introduced into the headphones. I'd really consider another recommendation from someone else, though, because these are the only things I've ever used outside of really bad Sony "monitoring headphones", which were absolute drop-dead garbage whose sound fizzled out within a few months. Still, I love these Sennheisers, and have loved them since I first used them.

I was pretty happy with the Panasonics, but they are cheaply made. I took good care of them but only one accident was all it took to break them. The headband is thin, flimsy plastic, so I'm having trouble crazy gluing them. This is one reason I went with the Gemini, the build quality looks to be at least a grade higher than the Panasonics. I've always been into 'cheap, but sounds good' but I'm getting tired of the headphones not lasting long.

[QUOTE=wauterboi;47195784]I'm looking for some good earphones or headphones for when I'm on the go. I'm looking at [url=http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/headset-earphones/hf2.html]the Etymotic Research hf2 earphones[/url] because I like having the ability to talk to people on the phone with them. Anyone think this is a good idea? I'm terrified of shorting these things out or losing the tips. I'm also interested in headphones with detachable cables, seeing as I'd only need to replace the cable instead of the headphones themselves. [b]EDIT: Flat-frequency, please![/b] No bass-boosted stuff.[/QUOTE] I own a pair of HF2s, they're neutral as can be and isolate like nothing else. I fucking love them. Every pair of cheaper IEMs I've tried sound horrible in comparison. On the downside, I've never really had to use the mic so I don't know if it's any good, and you've really got to take care of them. I owned a pair of HF3s for around a year (same exact thing but with different set of buttons) and they gradually stopped working after about a year of no problems. Probably because I fell asleep with them in a few times and I had a tendency to pull them out of my ears by the cable. Bad idea. I never got them in for warranty replacement on time, so I had to shell out for the HF2s.

[QUOTE=C0linSSX;47197641]I own a pair of HF2s, they're neutral as can be and isolate like nothing else. I fucking love them. Every pair of cheaper IEMs I've tried sound horrible in comparison. On the downside, I've never really had to use the mic so I don't know if it's any good, and you've really got to take care of them. I owned a pair of HF3s for around a year (same exact thing but with different set of buttons) and they gradually stopped working after about a year of no problems. Probably because I fell asleep with them in a few times and I had a tendency to pull them out of my ears by the cable. Bad idea. I never got them in for warranty replacement on time, so I had to shell out for the HF2s.[/QUOTE] That's what I'm afraid of. I would want to leave them hanging out of my shirt and I'm afraid of them getting caught on things.

[QUOTE=wauterboi;47197676]That's what I'm afraid of. I would want to leave them hanging out of my shirt.[/QUOTE] Dunno if that'd be a problem, just take decent care of them and they should be alright. If all else fails you have the 2 year warranty to fall back on. Might be a good idea to look for similar IEMs if you're really concerned.

As far as cheap headphones go, does anyone see any glaring issues between these two? [URL]http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD203-Closed-Back-DJ-Headphones/dp/B003LRN53I[/URL] [URL]http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-202-Professional-Headphones-Black/dp/B003LPTAYI[/URL] [QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;47197537]I was pretty happy with the Panasonics, but they are cheaply made. I took good care of them but only one accident was all it took to break them. The headband is thin, flimsy plastic, so I'm having trouble crazy gluing them. This is one reason I went with the Gemini, the build quality looks to be at least a grade higher than the Panasonics. I've always been into 'cheap, but sounds good' but I'm getting tired of the headphones not lasting long.[/QUOTE] Thanks for that. Really thin flimsy plastic is what I prefer to avoid.

[QUOTE=Snickerdoodle;47204297]As far as cheap headphones go, does anyone see any glaring issues between these two? [URL]http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD203-Closed-Back-DJ-Headphones/dp/B003LRN53I[/URL] [URL]http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-202-Professional-Headphones-Black/dp/B003LPTAYI[/URL] Thanks for that. Really thin flimsy plastic is what I prefer to avoid.[/QUOTE] In that price range I recommend the JVC HARX700's

The reason I never considered those Sennheisers is I always got the impression that Sennheiser's thing is open phones. All the most recommended, and popular, Senns are open. The exception being the HD25 types, but those are specialized not general purpose headphones. So a low cost, closed Senn never appealed to me.

[QUOTE=Levelog;47205036]In that price range I recommend the JVC HARX700's[/QUOTE] You know what, that looks good. Bought. Thank you! That metal support looks divine.

[QUOTE=Snickerdoodle;47205285]You know what, that looks good. Bought. Thank you! That metal support looks divine.[/QUOTE] They're a tad heavy, but they're the most solid headphones I've ever used.