>/g/ wiki:
https://wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Headphones
>$200 and under headphones:
http://pastebin.com/8u0qgQt1
>Headphone Price Guide:
http://pastebin.com/JTV1tk70
>Requesting purchase advice:
http://pastebin.com/QGAhMCKE
>Universal IEM /g/uide:
http://pastebin.com/Xnc59rUa
>Videos:
http://pastebin.com/TcTS8Tsn
Best price/value ratio headphones.
>>45564838
For me it would be MDR MA900
why?
1. Personally, it's the biggest headphone and yet the lightest & comfortable headphone I've ever owned ... just 195 grams!
2. HUGE 70mm drivers that delivers convincing speaker-like sound (speaker-like sound in a headphone is rare)
3. what makes the above (#2) sound more speaker-like is its ridiculously large sound-field (for a headphone) that can also maintain a "center-image" of the sound (vocals for example... front and center).
4. "sound separation" is very, very good. Bass sounds "fast" and does not leak to midrange frequencies
5. It does not need a audiophile-grade desktop amps & dacs to sound as-advertized; but if you want to squeeze like the remaining 1 to 3 cents out of MA900 headphone then feel free to use it with desktop amps & dacs.
Currently this headphone is not available outside of Japan... but you can import them brand new for just ~$200 (street price, on e bay)
---
and amazon is selling one right now below 200 bux + free shipping
Reminder HD800 is GOAT. - A flagship that doesn't suck.
>>45565092
Are they open or closed?
>>45565257
The fact that the grill is dotted should be a dead give away that ma900 is open-back.
Also (pic related) it's wide open enough to allow your ears to breathe and not leave sweat around the pads.
How would these sound with an ipod Classic 5.5gen + Fiio e7? Or should I get audio technica ath m50's
>>45565239
HD800 is CAT, clearly.
Anyone able to recommend a $200ish headphone that's closed and will make electronic music sound great?
bought a pair of hd598s on black Friday and i wanted to know how important a amp/dac was for them i don't really listen to a lot of music and when i do its on something like last.fm or pandora which i don't think is the highest quality audio i mainly bought them for playing counter strike since i can actually position footsteps with them and they are pretty comfy
>>45565591
Nice sentence, faggot.
They don't need an amp but a low impedance source is highly recommended.
>>45565591
What a fucking waste. You're going to buy them just for that? Do you even listen to lossless music?
Okay, how good are the ATH M50s? Right now i am using the Superlux 668b and they are the best headphones i have ever had i got them off of ebay for 40 dollars they took a month to get here but i have been using them for almost two years.
How big of an upgrade in quality am i going to see going from these to the m50s? Also how is the soundstage for the M50s i play a lot of counter strike and its important.
>>45565651
stop shitposting i am not him but i know that lossless music is not audibly different from lossy ive seen some test results and done the abx tests myself i have hifimeng he-500 and odac+o2 combo right now and i cant tell the difference
>>45564812
Could use more lewd.
>>45565653
Those Superluxes are better, seriously. The ATH-M50s have a very different kind of sound signature and they sound a lot less detailed than the Superluxes. Superluxes are flat and have a slightly elevated treble whereas the M50s have the opposite kind of tilt(lots of bass, not much treble) and their frequency response is wobbly at best. M50s have a very small "soundstage" and being closed I wouldn't use them for gaming. Upgrade to the DT880s with an amp if you want an audible difference, with better comfort and build quality to the Superluxes.
Senn HD202 vs Koss PortaPro
>>45564838
my nigga
>>45565736
So the 668bs are bretty good? Spend a long ass time sorting through shitposting before i finally pulled the trigger on them.
>>45565828
They are really good, for the price there is no competition. Same applies to the HD681s which are very similar. Main issue I have with them is the comfort but that's something I could live with if I paid 30 yuroshekels for headphones that sound that good.
>>45565828
Also would i benefit at all from an amp for the 668bs?
>>45565860
No, not really. A good source is always good to have if it has low output impedance but they don't really need amplification... unless they are too quiet for your taste or you need to crank up the volume to max on your current setup to enjoy them. So, are they?
Liking anime is a mental illness
>>45565886
I don't know i never really have windows sound above 50% because it just gets uncomfortable after like 2 or 3 songs listening them really loud above that. That and doesn't windows just shittily amp sound after 50%? But yeah they do sound pretty good at higher volumes its just a bit harsh on my ears.
I don't know if this is just windows amplification or just me.
How is premium spotify for sound quality? Is it shit even on extreme? I mean 320kbps is bretty good right?
My ATH A500x's just arrived from amazon at just under a hunna dollerydoors shipped.
The wing things are fucking weird but i'm getting used to them. It kinda feels like they are too far apart, so the cans sit to low on my head and rest on the tops of my ears. Gonna maybe ad a bit more foam on them.
Needed closed cans for gayming, these seem to just be what I need, much less claustrophobic then my M50's.
I'm practicing my soldering on old cat 5 ethernet cables, gonna do a removable cable mod on these so I can use the VMODA Boom mic eventually for autistic teamspeak stuff.
Was gonna get an Antlion 4 but I heard they suck now.
What's a good in-ear headphone with good quality that actually can stay in your ear while running so you don't have to fuck with it every 20 seconds?
>>45565921
Windows doesn't amplify sound at all, it either keeps it at the default or lowers the volume. The "bit perfect"(if I can call Windows mixer that) way to play your audio on Windows(without wasapi and similar) is to have the volume at 100% at all times in the mixer. That is the default volume, -0dB. Go below that and you are essentially reducing the bit depth of your audio files. Most of the times this is not noticeable. What Windows controls is ALL digital. Your motherboard's stereo jack has a fixed gain in the analog stage and it sounds like it is enough for those Superluxes.
If you want to though, you can always get something like an ODAC and then Objective2. You choose the ODAC as your audio device in the Windows and set the digital volume to 100%. After the ODAC's DA-conversion you have a fully analog stage and you can adjust the volume by the potentiometer(aka the volume knob) on the Objective2. It's pretty much just playing it safe at this point, knowing you are getting as clear and transparent signal as possible.
>>45565941
It is fantastic.
What would the most expensive setup sound like?
>>45566097
Most expensive? So Orpheus? Really fucking good.
Unboxing time!
>>45566259
HD650
>>45566303
m-maybe
>>45566303
Looks more like HD800 because of the box size.
Because it is a HD800?? Noice anon
>>45564812
thinking bout picking up a pair of beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 250 ohm
>>45566418
That's cool. What's your current setup like?
>>45566412
possibly
>>45566430
was going to make a magni/modi schiit stack.
I'm pretty new to all this; will that be strong enough to drive them?
>>45566027
Honestly I have never come across earbuds that fall out of my ears during runs.
If you want forced loop-over-ear headphones, the MEElectronics Sport-Fi M6 is a great start. I find the sound too bassy to my liking, but it's also only $16.
What's your budget?
Shure 215 has the same cable looping.
>>45566453
The Schiit Magni/Modi stack is a very capable setup for a lot of headphones until you decide to upgrade into diminishing returns levels of equipment.
Cheapest place to buy the HD 800 in EU? I've decided to get them for myself for christmas.
>>45566303
We have a winner!!!
>>45566461
Honestly I'd be willing to drop $100 on a set that sounded good and didn't fall out.
>>45566501
Aww i got excited to see a HD800 unboxing...welcome to the Sennperior club mane.
![1418257042001[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/d5Q423C.jpg "1418257042001[1].jpg")
>>45564812
This is kind of...disappointing. Am I supposed to be using an amp? Is that why they're so quiet on full blast when compared to my $50 shures?
>>45566501
Adorama box gave it away, they had it on sale for $320 last week
>>45566538
Using what source?
Your phone?
>>45566535
Thanks /g/uys. More pics incoming.
>>45566538
What OHM did you buy?
>>45566526
Have you ever actually used IEMs as opposed to earbuds that simply rest in your ear?
Anyways, here's a starting point:
http://theheadphonelist.com/holiday-buyers-guide-best-earphones-under-50/
The $79 HiFiMan RE-400 are also excellllent. Just be sure you get a good seal and no earbuds should be fall out, from what I've experienced.
>>45566538
What Ohm version did you get? 32 should be fine, but I've never tried that before.
80ohm requires me to crank my laptop volume pretty high, and my iPod touch all the way.
>>45566559
>>45566538
why did you go for the pros over the premiums? last I checked they were going for the same price on amazon.
>>45566501
ns, my first good pair of headphones. what are you plugging them into?
>>45566629
It's preference between the Pro and Premium models:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more
>>45566633
I'll be using them with an O2+ODAC. It'll get here tomorrow so stay tuned for an unboxing of that.
Audeze LCD-2 + Geek Pulse for $999...tempted to bite. What's the lowest the LCD2s have gone for?
>>45566680
What colour would you pick for the HD800?
>>45566721
Lowest I've seen is around $700 for a used LCD2.
>>45566748
>>45566767
That material looks much better. Sexy cables.
>>45566577
Yeah you generally need 32ohm or less if you want loud without an amp.
>>45566797
>>45566814
The adapter.
>>45566834
The 1/4" jack.
That's all for today friends. Tomorrow I'll be unboxing an O2+ODAC.
ok audio dudes. answer me this.... reading some info on the installgentoo headphone wiki and i came across this statement.
>To simplify correct gain structure for playback, keep the volume bar at 100% or as close to it on your computer, then the same on your DAC and only adjust the volume at the end of the chain (AKA your amp).
well i took an entertainment audio production class a while ago and i was taught to heep the intensity of the signal (volume) as low as possible throughout the chain of flow until the very end when you increase. causing best clarity. what gives?
opinions on ATH-9000X?
>http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-A900X-Closed-Back-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B006V386UG
>>45567212
The point of 100% volume in windows is so you get bitperfect audio. As for DACs you generally just want a fixed line level output going to your amp. You'd then use the volume pot on the amp to do any volume adjustments.
You could bypass the amps volume pot and use the one on your DAC if you really want to though (by setting the amps volume pot to max).
>>45566029
When using a sound card like the Xonar STX the volumen control in the menu palnel is the same as the windows, i never go above 40% in this setup, too loud.
im not getting bit perfect?
>>45567356
i understand that the signal can be augmented up or down any place on its path from file to headphones. u just thought generally you wanted it to at as least intensity possible up until right at the very end where it hits the amp.
and when you mention bitperfect audio by setting windows to 100% what does that mean?
Are there any good pairs for ~50? I'd prefer the ones with the metal casing.
>>45565239
HD 800 comfy race
which gain level in Xonar driver should I choose for my HD650 cans?
As you know, there are 3 options:
Normal Gain (0dB for <64 ohms)
High Gain (+12dB for 64~300 ohms)
Extra High Gain (+18dB for 300~600 ohms)
Sennheiser's HD650 nominal impedance is 300 ohm. So the question is High or Extra High?
>>45567722
whats the benefit of having extra high? im a newbie
Okay, /g/ - shoot me straight.
Am I downloading FLAC for no reason, or should I just start getting the smaller 320 files?
>>45567800
You're downloading FLAC for no reason.
Impossible to tell the difference between the two so long as the 320 is encoded/compressed correctly
>>45567851
Okay, follow up question - is there any benefit to me buying a vinyl player or is that just hipster shit? Is there a difference in sound that one may appreciate?
>>45567873
Hipster garbage, actually introduces more noise because of the analog read system
Some people like it, though
>>45567918
personally I like vinyl becuase it feels like more of a worthwhile purchase. I like packaging and I feel like records make for a good conversation. This being said I do more listening on my computer, and I feel like this is a more practical and detailed listening option.
>>45567800
>>45567851
This is good news, because FLAC takes up way too much fucking space.
>>45568004
This being said in an age where space costs literally a penny or two per GB.
>>45568076
Yeah, but I don't want to have to keep buying shit regardless, lol.
>>45567769
Is the maximum output of the gain, some say is the best setting to ride the hd650.
the setting its very aggresive and the volume gets down to 10-15% for normal listen
Canadian here, been wanting to buy an HD650 for a week now and the price on amazon.ca is currently $475, should I wait till boxing day or is that as good as it gets? I also have an o2+odac on the way.
>>45568480
They've been as low as $399, but I don't know if $479 means in Canadadadadaland dollars.
>>45568522
Dang, I really wish I lived closer to the border.
>>45568555
>>45568480
>tfw we Canadians get fucked so hard in the ass for anything electronic related
>every is like 20-30% more for PC components
>amazon is almost always 30-200% the price
Why, i can understand currency conversion but even then its still retarded.
KOSS Prodj100?
>>45568480
Just find a pair on head-fi classifieds or something. Sure as hell won't be almost $500.
>>45568655
I agree, further expanding on that where do all of you guys get your deals? I'm signing up for buysonic right now but would like a couple other websites to keep an eye on.
Anyone ever order from Massdrop? How long did it take for your order to arrive?
>>45568655
Import fees, customs, etc.
>>45565693
>Claims to not be him
>Is clearly him
>Doesn't capitalize I
>Run-on sentences up the ass
Top fucking kek, mate
>>45568688
Ordered some keyboard shit. Took a over a month.
>>45568710
>import fees
>customs
This shouldn't even be a thing considering how close and just the nature of US-Canada relations. It's fucking retarded.
Where the fuck is muh free trade? Why do we give everything to the US and get nothing but ass fucking back.
>>45568847
I don't know. It is what it is, though.
I'm probably going to be buying the Philips Fidelio X1. I really like the design, and projected sound signature from reviews.
I don't necessarily need an amp, as they're only 32 Ohms. But, I'd like to get a DAC. And use it without an adapter, so something with a 1/4" jack. I was thinking about, seeing as it's not super high end, and I only listen to MP3 256/320, just going with a simple DAC/Amp combo like the Schiit Magni/Modi. Does /g/ accept of this?
>>45568896
I'd get the X2's instead. They're basically improved in every sense from the X1 and they're not that much more, x1s are 250 and x2's are 300 on Amazon.
Magni/Modi is plenty fine and a good setup for those. They're at least equal to the o2/odac.
>>45568950
I looked at the X2's. They only thing the X2's has over the X1's really is removable pads, which I should be able to keep clean.
The X1's have slightly higher bass, which suites my sound preference. And I like the lighter/silver design on the X1's a bit more.
But thanks for the input about the amp/DAC!
