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On December 12 2011 07:40 Tamehr wrote:
Hello guys, I am in need of some audiophile recomandations.
I currently have a pair of Audiotechnica AD-700s and a pair of ATH-m50s.
The thing is, I listen to alot of music, but I also use my headphones alot during the day (5 hours+ )
So the ATH-m50 are perfect for the kind of music that I listen which is trance, dubstep, hardstyle, rap and classical.
But, after like more than an hour they start hurting so I have to use my AD-700, which are absolutely great for gaming and are very comfortable, but the sound quality and bass really lacks compared to the ATH-m50s.
Because of that, I am envisaging to sell both of them and buy a pair which has a nice bassy sound quality, like the ATH-m50 and are very comfortable for long periodes of music, gaming, etc.
My budget would be like 200-250 but I plan to buy them used.
I also plan to get an amp with a DAC thingy that I don't know much about but is suposed to increase the sound quality.
Any suggestions? Tips? What does a DAC do ? Should I get a DAC with an amp or just the dac/amp itself?
Thank you.
That's a hard one. I can imagine what the AD700s feel like comfort wise, and I can't think of anything with the sound signature you want and that comfort level. As you can probably imagine, clamping force and ear cup seal are two ways that headphones can increase their perceived bass levels at the expense of comfort.
I know the Beyer DT line is known for being comfy (velour pads are amazing), but after about 1.5 hours my ears get hot and bothered with them on and I need to take a break from them (unless it's hella cold in the room, then I could probably wear them forever). As a preliminary recommendation I could throw out the DT770-Premium 250ohm (not the 770-Pros, those have increased clamping force, I have them and had to bend the headband a little because they were crushing my brain).
As for the DAC question, in simple terms it converts your digital signal from your computer into an analog signal used to drive your headphones. Typically DACs (at the lower end of the price spectrum) come integrated with an amp, and that's definitely what you want to get.
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On December 12 2011 08:22 seiferoth10 wrote:Show nested quote +On December 12 2011 07:40 Tamehr wrote:
Hello guys, I am in need of some audiophile recomandations.
I currently have a pair of Audiotechnica AD-700s and a pair of ATH-m50s.
The thing is, I listen to alot of music, but I also use my headphones alot during the day (5 hours+ )
So the ATH-m50 are perfect for the kind of music that I listen which is trance, dubstep, hardstyle, rap and classical.
But, after like more than an hour they start hurting so I have to use my AD-700, which are absolutely great for gaming and are very comfortable, but the sound quality and bass really lacks compared to the ATH-m50s.
Because of that, I am envisaging to sell both of them and buy a pair which has a nice bassy sound quality, like the ATH-m50 and are very comfortable for long periodes of music, gaming, etc.
My budget would be like 200-250 but I plan to buy them used.
I also plan to get an amp with a DAC thingy that I don't know much about but is suposed to increase the sound quality.
Any suggestions? Tips? What does a DAC do ? Should I get a DAC with an amp or just the dac/amp itself?
Thank you.
That's a hard one. I can imagine what the AD700s feel like comfort wise, and I can't think of anything with the sound signature you want and that comfort level. As you can probably imagine, clamping force and ear cup seal are two ways that headphones can increase their perceived bass levels at the expense of comfort. I know the Beyer DT line is known for being comfy (velour pads are amazing), but after about 1.5 hours my ears get hot and bothered with them on and I need to take a break from them (unless it's hella cold in the room, then I could probably wear them forever). As a preliminary recommendation I could throw out the DT770-Premium 250ohm (not the 770-Pros, those have increased clamping force, I have them and had to bend the headband a little because they were crushing my brain). As for the DAC question, in simple terms it converts your digital signal from your computer into an analog signal used to drive your headphones. Typically DACs (at the lower end of the price spectrum) come integrated with an amp, and that's definitely what you want to get.
Thanks for the reply!
How about the DT990s ? 250ohm or 600ohm ?
Or the AKG K701 (if I buy an amp with it)
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On December 12 2011 09:09 Tamehr wrote:Show nested quote +On December 12 2011 08:22 seiferoth10 wrote:On December 12 2011 07:40 Tamehr wrote:
Hello guys, I am in need of some audiophile recomandations.
I currently have a pair of Audiotechnica AD-700s and a pair of ATH-m50s.
The thing is, I listen to alot of music, but I also use my headphones alot during the day (5 hours+ )
So the ATH-m50 are perfect for the kind of music that I listen which is trance, dubstep, hardstyle, rap and classical.
But, after like more than an hour they start hurting so I have to use my AD-700, which are absolutely great for gaming and are very comfortable, but the sound quality and bass really lacks compared to the ATH-m50s.
Because of that, I am envisaging to sell both of them and buy a pair which has a nice bassy sound quality, like the ATH-m50 and are very comfortable for long periodes of music, gaming, etc.
My budget would be like 200-250 but I plan to buy them used.
I also plan to get an amp with a DAC thingy that I don't know much about but is suposed to increase the sound quality.
Any suggestions? Tips? What does a DAC do ? Should I get a DAC with an amp or just the dac/amp itself?
Thank you.
That's a hard one. I can imagine what the AD700s feel like comfort wise, and I can't think of anything with the sound signature you want and that comfort level. As you can probably imagine, clamping force and ear cup seal are two ways that headphones can increase their perceived bass levels at the expense of comfort. I know the Beyer DT line is known for being comfy (velour pads are amazing), but after about 1.5 hours my ears get hot and bothered with them on and I need to take a break from them (unless it's hella cold in the room, then I could probably wear them forever). As a preliminary recommendation I could throw out the DT770-Premium 250ohm (not the 770-Pros, those have increased clamping force, I have them and had to bend the headband a little because they were crushing my brain). As for the DAC question, in simple terms it converts your digital signal from your computer into an analog signal used to drive your headphones. Typically DACs (at the lower end of the price spectrum) come integrated with an amp, and that's definitely what you want to get. Thanks for the reply! How about the DT990s ? 250ohm or 600ohm ? Or the AKG K701 (if I buy an amp with it)
The 990s are open (physically, though they sound like closed cans with small differences) versus the 770s closed. As for differences:
Treble: I've heard these can be harsher on the 770s, tending on sibilance if what you're listening to is particularly aggressive (which I can agree with), it's smoother on the 990s
Mids: Recessed on both, but less so on 990s
Bass: Good on both, but the 770s have the slam, versus the 990s just boom (if that makes any sense)
The 990s overall are more accurate in terms of reproduction, but 770s are more "fun" (which basically means their sound signature is V-shaped: good bass/treble, recessed mids).
I'd stay away from 600 ohm models, they're monsters to drive.
I can't comment on the AKGs.
Edit: Oh, and this all assumes you're getting an amp. My 770s sounded empty in the pants without an amp (though I may be more of a basshead than you).
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On December 12 2011 09:43 seiferoth10 wrote:Show nested quote +On December 12 2011 09:09 Tamehr wrote:On December 12 2011 08:22 seiferoth10 wrote:On December 12 2011 07:40 Tamehr wrote:
Hello guys, I am in need of some audiophile recomandations.
I currently have a pair of Audiotechnica AD-700s and a pair of ATH-m50s.
The thing is, I listen to alot of music, but I also use my headphones alot during the day (5 hours+ )
So the ATH-m50 are perfect for the kind of music that I listen which is trance, dubstep, hardstyle, rap and classical.
But, after like more than an hour they start hurting so I have to use my AD-700, which are absolutely great for gaming and are very comfortable, but the sound quality and bass really lacks compared to the ATH-m50s.
Because of that, I am envisaging to sell both of them and buy a pair which has a nice bassy sound quality, like the ATH-m50 and are very comfortable for long periodes of music, gaming, etc.
My budget would be like 200-250 but I plan to buy them used.
I also plan to get an amp with a DAC thingy that I don't know much about but is suposed to increase the sound quality.
Any suggestions? Tips? What does a DAC do ? Should I get a DAC with an amp or just the dac/amp itself?
Thank you.
That's a hard one. I can imagine what the AD700s feel like comfort wise, and I can't think of anything with the sound signature you want and that comfort level. As you can probably imagine, clamping force and ear cup seal are two ways that headphones can increase their perceived bass levels at the expense of comfort. I know the Beyer DT line is known for being comfy (velour pads are amazing), but after about 1.5 hours my ears get hot and bothered with them on and I need to take a break from them (unless it's hella cold in the room, then I could probably wear them forever). As a preliminary recommendation I could throw out the DT770-Premium 250ohm (not the 770-Pros, those have increased clamping force, I have them and had to bend the headband a little because they were crushing my brain). As for the DAC question, in simple terms it converts your digital signal from your computer into an analog signal used to drive your headphones. Typically DACs (at the lower end of the price spectrum) come integrated with an amp, and that's definitely what you want to get. Thanks for the reply! How about the DT990s ? 250ohm or 600ohm ? Or the AKG K701 (if I buy an amp with it) The 990s are open (physically, though they sound like closed cans with small differences) versus the 770s closed. As for differences: Treble: I've heard these can be harsher on the 770s, tending on sibilance if what you're listening to is particularly aggressive (which I can agree with), it's smoother on the 990s Mids: Recessed on both, but less so on 990s Bass: Good on both, but the 770s have the slam, versus the 990s just boom (if that makes any sense) The 990s overall are more accurate in terms of reproduction, but 770s are more "fun" (which basically means their sound signature is V-shaped: good bass/treble, recessed mids). I'd stay away from 600 ohm models, they're monsters to drive. I can't comment on the AKGs. Edit: Oh, and this all assumes you're getting an amp. My 770s sounded empty in the pants without an amp (though I may be more of a basshead than you).
Good, thank you again.
I just have a couple more questiosn. What about the 880s 250ohms ?
And you have the 770s right ? what kind of music do you listen to ?
Also, if i'm looking for an amp or DAC, with like 100$ of budget what would you suggest me?
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AKG K701 is definitely not what you're looking for if you want heavier slamming bass. Also lots of people don't like the bumps on the headband. K601 has slightly more bass and no headband bumps, but it's still pretty balanced except still having a little bass (well sub-bass) rolloff. It's not what you want for slamming bass either.
Audio data from a computer is in digital format. You need something to do digital-to-analog conversion and amplify and buffer the signal to be able to drive headphones. Onboard audio and anything with a headphone jack does all of that. Since this is a rather analog process, no device can do all of that perfectly. Some specialized and more expensive devices, including dedicated sound cards, can do a better job of it (including amplifying by more, which is necessary if the headphones are fairly quiet), hence potentially better sound quality. In general, the differences between headphones is much larger than the differences between DACs, amplifiers, etc. that are designed for higher fidelity.
DT990 250 ohms with say FiiO E10 sounds like a plan to me. Or just DT990 32 ohms. I'm not sure if you'll get something closer to what you're looking for. edit: or DT770 maybe. DT880 has more balanced (less) bass than the 770 and 990.
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Yup, if you're looking for more "fun" stay away from the 880s. They're the most analytical of the series.
Edit: I have the 770-Pro 80ohm (I bent the headband a little to prevent it from crushing my brain, so I'll estimate it around the 770-Premiums (the only difference between the Pro and Premium line that I can tell is the clamping force)). I listen to electronica (some vocal trance, some dubstep), Kpop, and opera (I get hard for Andrea Bocelli, don't know why (the 770s aren't that great for voice reproduction)). I also have the E10 that Myrmidon is talking about, and they make a good budget oriented match with the DT line (the non 600 ohm versions).
And here's a thread if you want to peruse for yourself the differences between the impedance versions and whatnot:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more
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Buying those HD650's has been a nightmare... (and pretty awesome, can't wait to get them)
1- My source has a small glitch so I'd like a new one but I'm already well beyond my budget.
2- I don't know which amp to pick to get the most out of the headphones
3- Head-fi people seem to think I need to spend another $500 =P
Really wish my Bravura would stop sucking 
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Thanks for the reply you guys.
Should I pickup some dt990 for 175$?
Also how are the 770/990 compared to audio technicas m50s ?
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I dunno, head-fi is full of all sorts of falsehoods, incorrect notions, severe group think, shills, flavor-of-the-month trends, commercial interests (check out all the sponsors), mods and admins that back those commercial interests over transparency and the truth, etc. so you can't take anything too seriously there, even though there's still a lot of good info buried underneath.
They've even got an entire subforum dedicated to placebo effects! (see if you can spot which one lol, shouldn't be hard  )
edit:
On December 12 2011 10:30 Tamehr wrote:
Should I pickup some dt990 for 175$?
Also how are the 770/990 compared to audio technicas m50s ?
Just be warned...if it's $175 that sounds like it's probably the Pro (harder clamping) version, though you can always stretch out the headband. Pro versions usually are cheaper than the Premiums for some reason. Just be sure you know what you're getting.
edit2: actually $166 shipped for DT990 Pro 250 ohms, a pretty decent price actually
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/92807-REG/Beyerdynamic_AMS_DT_990_PRO_250_DT_990_PRO_Studio.html
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I got a pair of SRH440s from cyber week and I feel its a bit heavy, but enjoyable
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On December 12 2011 10:30 Tamehr wrote:
Thanks for the reply you guys.
Should I pickup some dt990 for 175$?
Also how are the 770/990 compared to audio technicas m50s ?
To be honest, I don't think the sound signature differences are dealbreakers. The biggest difference to me is if you care for isolation or not. That and I think the grills on the 990 Pros are sexy, versus the grills on the 770 Pros are tacky.
I've actually never seen those type of grills. I think they're an older style. I'm sure the sound signature is the same, but it's jut that the grills on the modern 990s are hot (to me) compared to those. Of course we're nitpicking at this point.
Edit: Nevermind, those are grills exclusive for the Pro line. I was talking about the 990 Premium grills.
+ Show Spoiler +
Edit 2: Now that I think about it, I think I'm shallow enough to pay ~$50 more for nicer looking grills... lol.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/455261-REG/Beyerdynamic_481807_DT_990_Open_Back_Headphones.html
Edit 3: I guess I should amend my previous statement. The 770s bass CAN be overpowering if that's not your sort of thing, so be careful on that front.
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I have a logitech G35 Love it has the best sound of any speakers I have ever had. very comfortable and able to wear them long periods of time.
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On December 12 2011 10:10 Djzapz wrote:Buying those HD650's has been a nightmare... (and pretty awesome, can't wait to get them) 1- My source has a small glitch so I'd like a new one but I'm already well beyond my budget. 2- I don't know which amp to pick to get the most out of the headphones 3- Head-fi people seem to think I need to spend another $500 =P Really wish my Bravura would stop sucking
If you use PC then just get Asus Xonar soundcard http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_Essence_STX/
Its way enough for HD600-650, always take everything from head-fi with a grain of salt as there are a lot of people who doesnt have any experience in lesser expensive equipment. Its a great forum though but you need to know how to read it
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Just got myself a pair of Shure SRH840... sounds good but what can I do to make it better?
I listen to a bit of trance (Armin stuff) and a bit of rock (Think Coldplayish) and some vocals and classics. So yeah not really into any genre so to speak just casual listening.
Currently running via the PC (Onboard sound card), I have a creative XFI gamer but I plan to upgrade to Asus Xonar or something.
All music via Itune.
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On December 12 2011 21:02 haduken wrote:
Just got myself a pair of Shure SRH840... sounds good but what can I do to make it better?
I listen to a bit of trance (Armin stuff) and a bit of rock (Think Coldplayish) and some vocals and classics. So yeah not really into any genre so to speak just casual listening.
Currently running via the PC (Onboard sound card), I have a creative XFI gamer but I plan to upgrade to Asus Xonar or something.
All music via Itune.
Not too much you can do that will make any significant difference
If you want something better/different, get a new pair of headphones
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On December 12 2011 21:02 haduken wrote:
Just got myself a pair of Shure SRH840... sounds good but what can I do to make it better?
I listen to a bit of trance (Armin stuff) and a bit of rock (Think Coldplayish) and some vocals and classics. So yeah not really into any genre so to speak just casual listening.
Currently running via the PC (Onboard sound card), I have a creative XFI gamer but I plan to upgrade to Asus Xonar or something.
All music via Itune.
You can start by using a bitperfect music player (provided your music is encoded in a sufficiently high bitrate). Foobar, Mediamonkey, and Winamp are the big ones that support WASAPI, iTunes is renowned for NOT supporting bitperfect playback. Apparently they're trying to fix that in the latest version of iTunes, but it's only for Windows 7 32-bit for now.
Past that you'll need to start throwing money at it.
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Well that's discouraging. So upgrading the sound card won't help?
The only reason that I'm using Itune is because it's so accessible when I need to look for a tune :/
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On December 12 2011 21:24 haduken wrote:
Well that's discouraging. So upgrading the sound card won't help?
The only reason that I'm using Itune is because it's so accessible when I need to look for a tune :/
Short answer is: not that much will help.
Long answer is: you can try and get a better source (dac/amp or sound card) and see if that is to your liking (there's differing opinions on this, some say it does help, some say it doesn't), and if that doesn't jive you should go look for other cans.
Edit: Lol... read through this whole thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/433356/srh840-impression and you should have an answer.
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Do anyone own a pair of Beats by Dr Dre? It seems litterally every big named DJ uses them in their music video at least so was wondering if anyone has experienced them ? 
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On December 12 2011 21:33 seiferoth10 wrote:Show nested quote +On December 12 2011 21:24 haduken wrote:
Well that's discouraging. So upgrading the sound card won't help?
The only reason that I'm using Itune is because it's so accessible when I need to look for a tune :/ Short answer is: not that much will help. Long answer is: you can try and get a better source (dac/amp or sound card) and see if that is to your liking (there's differing opinions on this, some say it does help, some say it doesn't), and if that doesn't jive you should go look for other cans. Edit: Lol... read through this whole thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/433356/srh840-impression and you should have an answer.
Reading that thread at the moment but so many different opinions :/
I will stay clear for upgrading at the moment. I'm really not that into the whole audio scene, just a casual listener, maybe I will pick up something when they are on special after Christmas.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/455261.jpg)
