The Ultimate Headphone/Audio Thread. Seriously - Page 16

ranshaked

United States870 Posts

November 19 2012 22:53 GMT

#301

Budget: under 120 dollars.
Open or closest doesn't matter.
I will be using it for call of duty on the pc and listening to music or movies. If it can plug into my iPhone that would be great but it isn't necessary.

I need it mostly for directional sound.

I've seen great things about the AD700s. Any recommendations? I'm in Florida USA

FlaminGinjaNinja

United Kingdom879 Posts

November 20 2012 21:28 GMT

#302

The Register had a pretty good review on Ten... Gaming Headsets priced between £40 and £250, all available on Amazon.co.uk (and I assume on all other Amazon sites as well)

Rudermensch

United States50 Posts

November 20 2012 21:41 GMT

#303

Budget: $150 max
Closed, Circumaural
Use: Music listening, no amp, no need for portability. Some gaming (mostly D3 and SC2).

I'm transitioning from Grado SR80i supra-aural open-back headphones into something that will work for slightly more casual listening when I also need a little isolation. I've been really interested in the Audio-Technica M50 as it seems like they have really excellent sound for their price point. Has anyone here tried it out or does anyone have other suggestions?

CPTBadAss

United States594 Posts

November 20 2012 21:55 GMT

#304

I just went through this process myself. I never bought high end headphones before so I did a bit of research. And I bought them because I listen to a shit-ton of music, while I'm playing StarCraft 2 and usually when I'm doing anything else.

I used this link as sort of a primer on headphones. Much like the mechanical keyboard thread where the OP drops lots of general knowledge, I found this to be the same thing.

Then I saw this list and started hunting down some of the headphones to listen to. I've heard the following:

Audio Technica ATH-M50
My roommate had these and I got to listen to them. I really liked how they sounded and the pads are ultra comfortable. I don't exactly remember the sound quality since this was a few months back so forgive me. The pads were either real leather or a really good fake. The headphones are closed back. However, they're SO BIG. I really had an issue with the size and weight. I kinda felt like I was working at the airport tarmac and had those ear protectors on. Or the big ass ear muffs they had at WCS or any other event. The price was a bit steep for me when I was looking again recently.
Bose QuietComfort 15
These headphones are closed back and have noise cancelling so it seems like you're in a vacuum. The sound is really warm and rich. The bass is really nice as well. The cups are comfortable but a little tight around the ears and they seem to pick up a lot of the oils in your skin. My issue with these is that for the price I'm paying, the construction seemed a bit flimsy and it was just not in my budget. Also, if you have these on, you're not listening to anything else. So if you're looking for something in the office or at home that's fine, but anywhere in public and you won't hear ANY outside noise.

You can listen to these at Best Buy or Micro Center. Or if you're lucky and have a Bose store at the mall, they'll have these as well.
Sennheiser HD 280s
This was my second choice for headphones. Really clear, good amount of bass without being overkill; it was a clear and crisp sound. They are also closed back so the outside sound is muffled but the music sounds great. The cups are huge and very comfortable on your head. They are a bit big though, so a bit of extra weight might be an issue. And again, you can't really hear any outside noise. The price point on these was in my budget range of about $100.

You can listen to these at Best Buy as well.
Grado SR-80i
I bought these after listening to 2 songs. They're amazing. They're nice and light. And despite what I've read online about the cups being too hard, I think they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. The sound? They're open back so it's almost like you're on stage with the artists when they play. The bass is just right and the music sounds very natural and breathes. So in other words, you can hear what's going on around you as well as the music. I was blown away by the sound to be honest. However, the HD 280s were a very close 2nd. These headphones were right in my budget zone.

I got these at a specialty store in Ohio. They had a pair that I could demo. If you want to try a pair, you can use this link to try and find a place near you that sells Grados. You can see if they demo as well.

Now I heard that Guitar Centers carry a lot of good headphones that are listed in the Lifehacker list but that they don't allow you try them on. I'm sure you can go and find out yourself but I got lucky and found all the pairs I wanted.

I hope this helps a lot of people who were saying they're a bit noob-y to headphones. I'm only on my first pair of high quality headphones myself. Please feel free to add your comments to what I've written.

Alryk

United States2718 Posts

November 22 2012 09:42 GMT

#305

Hey guys. What would be a good headset betwen 20-60$ (loose but would rather not go over unless for a good reason)? Uses would be skype and starcraft, hours+ at both, and I wouldn't mind if they were good for music either.

Priority would be comfort over long hours, and then sound quality (obviously it needs to have some decent quality though).

I've had a logitech G330 for like 3 years now and it's getting old. I don't mind the super-aural, but over the ear seems like a better choice (the one that fits on top so nothing presses against your ear) because it would be more comfortable over the long run. However, I am not really sure what to grab, since there are so many choices nowadays.

Also, does anybody know a good, cheap pair of earbuds for listening to music? (An integrated mic would be a huge plus)

I was thinking about this Tritton headset, because it has such good reviews, but I don't know how it is value wise, although it seems to be pretty good. I assume the "for xbox 360" doesn't actually matter - it'll work fine with a PC?

Also thinking about the CM Storm Ceres-400. I know it said "don't get a gaming brand," but I love my CM storm keyboard (and I think it has insanely good value) and I like the look of these more, if anybody knows anything about them, or wants to add input on CM headsets?

wei2coolman

United States60033 Posts

November 27 2012 01:32 GMT

#306

Are there any 2.0 speakers similar to Audioengine for computers? I want to avoid having to get a audio receiver for bookshelf style speakers. or a place to get audioengine A2 or A5 for cheap?

XenOmega

Canada2822 Posts

November 27 2012 02:27 GMT

#307

Budget below 500$, but id like to not spend everything, unless necessary ^^

I'm the type of guy who moves alot around, so it needs to be durable (Especially the cord, my headphone always seem to break there)

Two uses :
1- Computer, gaming
2- With my ipod, to listen to musics (mainly piano, i do have the occasional rock/pop/jpop on my ipod)

I'm not an audiophile, but I do enjoy music ^^

Superlux + Sennheiser show up quite alot in the recommended guides. What are your thoughts?

Ben...

Canada3485 Posts

November 27 2012 05:52 GMT

#308

On November 17 2012 08:26 Mackem wrote:

Show nested quote +

Just wanted to know if they'd be decent enough (Obviously they're not going to be audiophile level)

The headphones or the potential sources? For the headphones, I would say they actually are entry level audiophile headphones (They are well regarded on Head-fi, though these headphones can be divisive at times when it comes to opinions due to the bass-heavy nature they have). I think they are incredibly good headphones and sound amazing. I own a limited edition 32 Ohm set of Dt770 Pros and I absolutely adore them (mine are designed to be used without amps. You might still be able to find this version. They were a limited run). For the 80 Ohm you might be okay unamped but they may sound kinda muffled.

Also, in terms of sound quality, I would put them far above either my Senn HD555 or my Senn HD280 Pro. The DT770 may be a bass-heavy headphone but they are still accurate sounding. The bass in them isn't overpowering either unless you EQ your music that way. I listen to tons of bass-heavy music and these headphones are about as good as you can get for that. They're great for all music but they truly shine with bass-heavy electronic music.

Edit: Also, they're built to withstand anything. The entire frame is metal.

Womwomwom

5930 Posts

November 27 2012 07:29 GMT

#309

On November 27 2012 10:32 wei2coolman wrote:
Are there any 2.0 speakers similar to Audioengine for computers? I want to avoid having to get a audio receiver for bookshelf style speakers. or a place to get audioengine A2 or A5 for cheap?

Other options:
- Swans
- Near-field monitors
- Proper microsystems (i.e. Denon). They come with an external amplifier but they're very small so you can easily tuck it away somewhere.

If you're looking for extremely cheap but good power speakers, stop looking. The A2s are pretty much the cheapest you're going to get.

Wild Weasel

United States52 Posts

November 27 2012 16:58 GMT

#310

I'm also wondering about new speakers for my computer, with the holidays coming up. I'm currently using a several year old 2.1 set from altec lansing that I'm "borrowing" from my brother, and before that, a REALLY cheap set of 2.1 ($20) from logitech. I've done some research, and at the $100-$150 price range, it seems that people seem to like either the klipsch promedia 2.1, or harmon kardon soundsticks. Is there anything else around this price range worth considering? Or are there far better set-ups at a slightly higher price range?

wei2coolman

United States60033 Posts

November 27 2012 20:25 GMT

#311

On November 28 2012 01:58 Wild Weasel wrote:
I'm also wondering about new speakers for my computer, with the holidays coming up. I'm currently using a several year old 2.1 set from altec lansing that I'm "borrowing" from my brother, and before that, a REALLY cheap set of 2.1 ($20) from logitech. I've done some research, and at the $100-$150 price range, it seems that people seem to like either the klipsch promedia 2.1, or harmon kardon soundsticks. Is there anything else around this price range worth considering? Or are there far better set-ups at a slightly higher price range?

Could always look at passive speakers + amp/receiver, if you have the desktop space for it.

Wild Weasel

United States52 Posts

November 27 2012 22:42 GMT

#312

Like with what you said above, I'd rather not deal with that, and are there even good options of passive speakers and a receiver at the $100-150 price range?(Could maybe go up to $200) Although, if it fits the price and is easy to set up, I'm open to suggestions. Also, if it helps, the speakers would be for either movies or TV shows, or whenever I game or listen to music without my headphones

wei2coolman

United States60033 Posts

November 27 2012 22:52 GMT

#313

I know some of the lower end bookshelf speaker pairs are fairly affordable (like ~70 bucks)~, but I personally can't vouch for their quality, though I have read that some of them can be pretty good for the buck, like Daytons, Polk, or Sony ones.

The biggest issue is finding amp/receiver that goes well with them.

Wild Weasel

United States52 Posts

November 28 2012 00:20 GMT

#314

I'm still a little wary of bookshelf speakers, since I don't have a ton of room on my desk for really large speakers and a receiver, which is why I was looking primarily at computer speakers. Most of those bookshelf speakers don't come with a sub either. But do some of those 2.0 sets have enough bass to compete with some of the cheaper 2.1 sets that do have one? Because I was leaning towards the Klipsch speakers, but would something like the Audioengine A2s be a lot better for not that big a price jump?

wei2coolman

United States60033 Posts

November 28 2012 04:57 GMT

#315

On November 28 2012 09:20 Wild Weasel wrote:
I'm still a little wary of bookshelf speakers, since I don't have a ton of room on my desk for really large speakers and a receiver, which is why I was looking primarily at computer speakers. Most of those bookshelf speakers don't come with a sub either. But do some of those 2.0 sets have enough bass to compete with some of the cheaper 2.1 sets that do have one? Because I was leaning towards the Klipsch speakers, but would something like the Audioengine A2s be a lot better for not that big a price jump?

I would say the A2's probably have more depth over all in terms of sound, so the sound "travels further" if you know what i mean. But, from what I heard the Klipsch are very nice in terms of sound quality, so I dunno how the overall sound quality compares. The main reason I'm switching out my logitech x540 for bookshelf speakers is that I want more depth, and bookshelf speakers are a great way to do so.

Womwomwom

5930 Posts

November 28 2012 05:55 GMT

#316

The Klipsch ProMedias (I'm assuming you're talking about them) have never really impressed me because it has the same problem as all 2.1 computer systems: the satellites are so small that every ounce of bass is coming from the subwoofer. This is good if you want to shatter windows but not much else. They're comparatively awful for music because the bass is nothing but loud and boomy.

Bookshelf speakers typically need proper placement so take that into account. We're talking about stuff like making sure they're not too close to walls if they have rear firing bass ports and making sure the tweeters are at ear level. If you're auditioning speakers at a proper audio store and wonder why they sound so good at the showroom and awful at home, look at the room and how the speakers are positioned.

lolstarz

Canada65 Posts

November 30 2012 14:11 GMT

#317

I'm looking for a cheap DAC to hold me over until I have the money to drop on a more expensive one. Based on this review: http://nwavguy.blogspot.ca/2011/10/uca202-dac-take-2.html I've been considering this one. Does anyone here have any experience using it?

I trust his reviews pretty well since he does a very thorough range of tests and I built my amp (O2) based on schematics that he engineered, and I love it. But I was hoping for other insight/opinions. Any help much appreciated!

Wild Weasel

United States52 Posts

November 30 2012 14:43 GMT

#318

So Wom, if I were to get bookshelf speakers, would it be a problem if I put them on my desk, on either side of my monitor? Or should I find something to put them on to raise them up a few inches? And which ones would you recommend? Because I can see several different 2.0 sets in my price range. There are Alesis M1 Active 520, M-Audio AV40, Audioengine A2, and others.

divito

Canada1213 Posts

November 30 2012 14:50 GMT

#319

On November 28 2012 14:55 Womwomwom wrote:
The Klipsch ProMedias (I'm assuming you're talking about them) have never really impressed me because it has the same problem as all 2.1 computer systems: the satellites are so small that every ounce of bass is coming from the subwoofer. This is good if you want to shatter windows but not much else. They're comparatively awful for music because the bass is nothing but loud and boomy.

One, it depends on the music source, and two, if you're playing the bass at a bad level for the song, of course it'll be loud and boomy (although I'm not sure what you want bass to be...). If you turn the bass all the way down on the sub, the satellites don't do a bad job, but again, it's dependant on the song.

I got the ProMedia 2.1s last year and they've been phenomenal. A few of my friends are audiophiles and they have their crazy expensive setups and I hear what movies and music can truly sound like, but I've never been that hardcore about it (or as rich as them). Out of hearing their setups, and trying a lot of different 2.1 options out there, the ProMedias are pretty much the best value that I've seen/heard.

I always used to be a headphone/headset only person; always simply playing FPS games and such, I shunned speakers. But, my playing time went down with FPS', and now I find myself always using my speakers for music, movies to the point I don't bother watching Netflix or movies from my Xbox on my TV, simply because the sound is so nice through the Klipsch speakers.

ShaPeLesS

Bulgaria87 Posts

November 30 2012 15:06 GMT

#320

Hey TL!

Looking to buy a new pair of headphones. Budget is ~100$ but would prefer to spend 50-60$. Looking for over the ear headphones. They must be closed - I don't want to be leaking sound.

Another thing that is important to me is the headband - I would prefer something similar to the Steelseries Siberia v2 because I don't like to worry about breaking the headband.

Any recommendations? I've checked different models but since I don't know how well they sound (and more $ =/= better sound) I decided to come to you guys for advice.

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