/hpg/ - Headphone General
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-- PLEASE USE THIS FORM TO GET PURCHASE ADVICE --
>Requesting purchase advice:
http://pastebin.com/hjHkKDyM (embed)
Asking "Hey guys, what's your opinion on x?" is frowned upon.
Wireless is frowned upon.
Headset requests are frowned upon.
Isolation ≠ Noise cancellation
If you dislike a headphone suggestion, try giving a better suggestion to whomever asked instead of going "hurr, brand x sucks"
>/g/ wiki headphone FAQ:
https://wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Headphones
Link to old thread: >>54168688
o i forgot to remove the embed
silly me!
carry on
are my ears just fucked?
Just bought HD800s and finally decided to try out the 128 kbps vs 320 kbps meme to see if there's really a difference and I found myself not really telling any difference 90% of the time unless I really really nitpick at the audio
I even used music I listen to all the time just because if there's anything I know the audio quality of, it's the music I listen to the most.
>>54196588
No. I'd say this is the experience of most. I have a hard time distinguishing spotify free's 128kbps audio from 320kbps mp3.
>>54196607
ah okay. So then what the fuck is up with people saying 128 and 320 kbps is like night and day in terms of audio quality?
>>54196644
Maybe they have better hearing than us. My hearing is probably slightly fucked due to how loud i sometimes have my music. There's also the placebo effect to consider. I can notice differences between 128kbps and FLAC, and very slight differences (On some tracks) between FLAC and 320kbps.
>>54196588
Also depends on mastering quality. Most music today will be mastered like shit and have low dynamic range making compression even more unnoticeable
>>54196588
128kbps depends on a lot of factors to be able to tell its quality compared to say a FLAC
modern compression has gotten good enough that the differences are so small you can't really notice unless you try, and in a way it's admirable that compression methods have gotten this good.
128 still falls flat on the highs, so listen to something that focuses more on the brighter side of the frequency response to more easily tell the difference between 128 and 320.
Also, like another anon mentioned, every single song is mastered differently before release. Mastering may or may not make it difficult to tell artifacts in a 128 encode.
For example, if you tried to tell the difference between a 128kbps song from Linkin Park to a 320kbps of the same song, there will be virtually no difference because Linkin Park masters their songs very very fucking terribly.
tl;dr: maybe your songs are just shit no matter what compression they are at, try looking for a song that hasn't been mastered like shit.
>>54196724
also, 128 and 320 is both lossless, so artifacts are present in both. The thing with 128 is that the potential of noticeable artifacts are greater (whereas with 320 the presence of audible artifacts are close to zero), which is why 128kbps ignored by people who wants to actually listen to their music.
>>54196740
>also, 128 and 320 is both lossless
??
>>54196761
meant for MP3, I know some people are under the delusion that 320 suddenly becomes lossless so I just said it out of habit.
>>54196770
they're both lossy, all mp3 is lossy, it's a lossy codec.
>>54196776
fuck me. that's what I meant.
worst typo of 2016
What one should do is maybe download an album with a known high dynamic range and also a varied sound scape, for example Steve Earle - Copperhead Road, and try encoding a 128kbps MP3 off it and compare, preferably with an ABX plugin.
>Location
USA
>Budget
No more than $200
>Source
Desktop PC
>Usage
music, general video watching, gaming and talking to friends on skype (needs microphone)
>Will you be using these Headphones in Public?
Only at home
>Preferred Type of Headphone
Full-sized
>Open or closed
Open
>Past headphones
razer carcharias, earforce x12 and they are starting to break
>Preferred Music
Too many genres. Goes from old stuff like staying alive to eminem to comedy.
>What would you like to improve on from your set-up
Nothing really I just feel like its time to get new headphones.
Thx
>>54196796
I usually look for music in a descending order.
- Japanese album rip
- German album rip
- US album rip
Album owners have a tendency to practice stringent ripping for the highest fidelity with the Japanese audiophiles being usually the most anal.
After that it is usually CD rips which are all pretty much similar in quality as it is limited by the master. There will be some variance as different people have different standards.
>>54196797
SHP9500 + V-Moda BoomPro
>>54196832
even if you weren't concerned about quality, japs always get bonus tracks so you'd want that first anyway.
>>54196796
I also want to add that the HD800 isn't the harshest headphone I've ever heard with regards to revealing technical errors in the recording, something that hypes the mids would be a lot more revealing, while the 800's are largely smooth up to 5~6khz.
>>54196859
>while the 800's are largely smooth up to 5~6khz.
they take a nosedive at 2khz and recover straight into the resonant peak
>>54196884
Where did you see that?
![Sennheiser_HD800mod_graph_CompareLeft[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/cOduVNi.jpg "Sennheiser_HD800mod_graph_CompareLeft[1].jpg")
>>54196901
![8d5b9355757bbe378b93464f183fff4b[1].png](https://i.imgur.com/UevUXIK.png "8d5b9355757bbe378b93464f183fff4b[1].png")
>>54196901
>>54196927
also keep in mind tyll's compensation makes upper midrange dips seem less prominent.
![sennheiser_hd_800_frequency_response[1].png](https://i.imgur.com/nEJU31s.png "sennheiser_hd_800_frequency_response[1].png")
>>54196901
and
![wtf[1].png](https://i.imgur.com/oCU0qEW.png "wtf[1].png")
>>54196901
to be fair this one is a flat plate coupler
also meant 1khz here >>54196884
>Budget
<$300
>Location
USA
>Source
Desktop PC
>Preferred type of headphone
Over the ear? I guess full sized
>Open or closed
Closed
>Comfort level
Very
>Preferred tonal balance
Punchy bass with balanced highs and mids
>Preferred music
Skizzy Mars. Bassy rap, trap, some folk and bluegrass like Lukas Graham
>Past headphones
Astro A50 Bluetooth
Sorry if I sound like a faggot, first time in thread and no nothing about audio
>>54196927
>>54196935
>>54196952
>>54196969
Huh, well, the point still stands, a dip at around 1~2k would actually make the mids seem less prominent, and by extension mastering errors.
>>54196970
MSR7 or HP50
>>54196588
Compare to flac. Listen for tiny details, cymbals, and lower end bass response. I'm hoping you have those hd800 hooked up to a good dac/amp
>>54196970
MSR7 definitely. I own them and they seem to fit your requirements exactly.
I'm dying to snag some hd800S but I cant justify spending that much. Can anyone compare them to the hd650?
>>54197420
no audible difference between 320 and flac
>>54197449
HD650 sounded a bit like it had a blanket over it, but the tonal balance was nice.
>>54197449
>I'm dying to snag some hd800S but I cant justify spending that much.
Contradicted yourself in the same sentence.
800S is """""kind of""""" like what the 650 is to the 600; warmer, tamer treble. It's already diminishing returns at that point but 800S has better headstage, imaging, detail retrieval etc. They are different sound signatures in the end so if it's worth spending that kind of cash for something different is completely up to you.
Is K451 bad?
>Budget
100
>Location
US
>Source
phone/pc (mostly phone)
>Preferred type of headphone
>Open or closed
closed probably, i'll be using them at school i just want to replace my apple earbuds
>Comfort level
comfy my nigga
>Preferred tonal balance
>Preferred music
all forms of rock, jazz/ hiphop and sometimes classical
>Past headphones
nothing good
really i don't feel like i could tell you the difference between a 100 dollar pair of headphones and a 500 dollar pair. i just want something that doesn't look embarrassing and won't disturb the people next to me. ever since i started uni i just listen to music 24/7 so i need to get off these apple earbuds
>>54197848
budget isn't strictly 100 but I am a poor college student and really feel the need to bring myself to the enlightened side, as i've never owned a nice headset or speakers. the closest i had was turtle beach px21s and they weren't that good for music in my opinion and i would never wear them in public
>>54197848
>>54197913
I'll chime in with the typical MDR-7506 or ATH-M40X recommendation for that price range, closed cans and style of music you prefer.
>>54197848
>>54197913
help im falling asleep someone who knows more than me suggest a headphone before i give in and order audio technica ATH-M50's
>>54197848
>>54197913
XPT100, M40x.
It's usually advised against using full sized outside. Try getting an E10 or Piston 3 to use outside.
>>54198000
hey look at that,
is ATH-M50 worth 50 more dollars than the ATH-M40x?
>>54198032
M40x measures better and is cheaper, so M50x is actually worse.
>>54198060
What he said. Same with the MDR-7509, it's not worth the price over the 7506.
>>54198008
Just get the M50X's, i own them and they're great.
>>54198144
fuck off
>>54198555
Have you heard them? If no, your opinion is invalid.
>>54198595
yes and since they're not the only headphones i've ever heard, like you, i know they aren't good and you are inexperienced so you're in no position to be making recommendations because you're just shilling shit you own.
>>54198605
I also own the MSR7
>>54198612
thanks for confirming you know nothing about good headphones and what they sound like.
>>54198622
Sure mate, i know nothin'.
>>54198638
yes now run off to your little entry level circlejerk
>>54196588
It was most likely128bit upstreamed to 320. Get flac and convert it to 128 and 320, then perform test.
I'm using a xonar stx with the onboard headphone amp (bought it off for 50 dollars from a friend) to drive a Q701 and I'm curious to hear what the HD600/650 sounds like. I find that the xonar is capable enough to drive the Q701 although I'm thinking about upgrading my setup.
should I:
1) sell off the xonar, get a new dac/amp
2) keep the xonar as a dac, purchase a higher quality amp.
3) upgrade the op-amp on the xonar
3) maintain the current setup, get better headphones.
from tax returns i'm able to spend upwards to 1000 dollars for a new setup
what would /hpg/ do in my situation?
Best $150< headphones in Australia? I'm looking for good rich crisp sound. I don't want to hear what's going on outside.
>Location
Australia
>Budget
$150<
>Source
Desktop PC
>Usage
Music, movies, videos, games
>Will you be using these Headphones in Public?
Only at home
>Preferred Type of Headphone
Full-sized
>Open or closed
Not sure
>Past headphones
Skullcandy, Sennheiser HD 205
>Preferred Music
Almost anything from Eminem to Arch Enemy, Disturbed and even dubstep/electronic or jimi hendrix, ACDC as well as hip hop/pop an R&B
>What would you like to improve on from your set-up
I need new headphones. Current ones have been repaired too many times. Wire seem to fatigue and short out every few months forcing me to cut and resolder/rejoin it all over the place.
>>54198762
3. i know a few people with hd650s run from xonar stxs and they're fine.
>>54198762
Audition.
If you like it buy them, sell the Xonar, get O2+ODAC or Schiit Stack.
>>54198805
>get O2+ODAC or Schiit Stack.
>actually thinking these are an improvement over the xonar
>>54198773
Maybe AD700x for open and M40x for closed.
M40x will have more bass and a detachable cable so your choice.
>>54198773
I just got a pair of Status Audio CB-1s and they are great, it was around $130 nz, not sure how much that is in AUD
>>54198805
never tried the schiit stack but the ODAC sounds really similar to stock STX.
i heard that the massdrop ODAC cuts off the headphone out when plugging in RCA (is this true?) and this is not suitable for me as I am using powered speakers alongside my headphones and need the rca plugged in most of the times.
>>54198762
The STX is perfectly fine, get better cans.
>>54198838
Right, in some ways they're a bit of a downgrade since you lose hardware DSP features like Dolby Headphone, but on the other hand they're not at the mercy of buggy drivers and can be used with a variety of devices.
Auditioned HE-X today.
Sounds like a 400i with less piercing highs or a premium 400S. Pads are super comfy and actually shaped like an ear and weight was well distributed.
It was okay/10
>>54196644
Cognitive bias and expectation bias in a non-double blinded listening test is a massive factor here. You did hear a difference but it was slight as expected from a modern encoder. Depending on the codec, encoder and the audio sample you used 128 kbps could be indistinguishable from lossless. Many people have experience with poor encoders and encodes, mostly old mp3 encoders long before LAME and music that was bad from the source or transcoded multiple times. Familiarity with compression artifacts of a codec and the ability to listen for them is the single most important factor in codec listening test which is nothing but nitpicking. The gear you have matters very little and people claim all kinds of ridiculous shit about the HD 800.
>>54198720
>It was most likely128bit upstreamed to 320
Why would you think that?
>>54197420
>I'm hoping you have those hd800 hooked up to a good dac/amp
You think this has an effect on something?
>>54196688
Honestly I find it the easiest to spot audio compression on certain loudness mastered tracks.
>>54197526
>800S has better headstage, imaging, detail retrieval etc.
Nice SBAF memes.
>>54197503
EQ down the midbass hump and the warmth goes away.
>>54198762
Option 4, get better headphones. Your STX is more than fine for HD 600/HD 650. They are an easier load than the Q701.
>>54199096
>EQ down the midbass hump and the warmth goes away.
Sorry?
>>54199111
Referring to the HD 650 sounding "a bit like a blanket over it". Generally that kind of veil/warmth comes from emphasized 100-200 Hz region where HD 650 has a hump. If you level it down with an equalizer the veiled sound goes away.
>>54199132
Well I don't have much of an opportunity to EQ when I'm auditioning headphones, nor would I buy the HD650 when I own these.
Besides they weren't comfortable at all.
>>54199151
>Besides they weren't comfortable at all.
Big head/ears?
>>54199161
Ears yes, considering the fact that I'm not a girl like the cups on them assume I am, head not so much, though the clamp is bordering on too tight unlike every other headphone I had there to try.
>>54199096
>>I'm hoping you have those hd800 hooked up to a good dac/amp
>You think this has an effect on something?
Not him, but it does if you're trying to run the HD800's off a mobile device, otherwise a "good enough" dac/amp is literally anything of o2+odac or shit stack grade. spending over $300 on a source is meme territory even when it comes to low-sensitivity planars.
>>54199179
>Not him, but it does if you're trying to run the HD800's off a mobile device
Works fine on many modern smartphones aside from low maximum SPL. I can see reasons to spend over *arbitrary price point* to your gear as the audio quality is not the only thing to factor in.
>>54199031
>400i with piercing highs
never had that kind of problem with mine, was the highs that jarring?
Where do you guys store your headphones ?
in a crysis situation what would you do with them ?
i don't really wanna sell mine but i can't take them with me outside the house.
if i get the odac+o2 do i need a pre amp whatever that is?
>>54199266
>was the highs that jarring?
In reference to 400i or HE-X?
400i highs can get just a little annoying with some recordings, much like a DT880, and HE-X highs were polite, for lack of a better term, compared to the 400i's.
K702 is on sale from £399 to £134, should I get it?
>>54199443
Do you need them?
>>54197848
i'm searching something on the cheap side that i can wear outside and won't disturb anyone just like this guy
>Budget
60€ but it's flexible
>Location
Italy
>Source
Phone/pc, mainly phone
>Preferred type of headphone
On-ear, so fullsize i guess
>Open or closed
Closed
>Comfort level
As comfy as they get
>Preferred tonal balance
???
>Preferred music
Mainly rock, sometimes classical
>Past headphones
samsung's earbuds
>>54199298
No.
>>54199460
I have the Sony MDR-10RC. I was thinking of O2/ODAC and K702, £330 altogether. Anything better at the price?
My headphones. They sound pretty good with the right EQ.
>>54199197
Going by integrated solutions, there's a noticeable difference between the output of my computer and iPhone 6. Even though Ken Rockwell has measured the iPhone 6 to have a DAC section that measures as well as the ones on $$$$ stand-alone units, the amp is still lacking to get the 800's to where they should be.
Cranking the volume up to 100% from the phone does technically get them "loud" SPL-wise, however the audio becomes thin-sounding with bass dropping off in particular, and it's not a subtle difference but "dude where's my bass?" You don't need a DAC for the iPhone, but it could definitely stand for a lower-impedance/higher voltage output.
>>54196588
>are my ears just fucked?
It's quite possible
To me it's like the difference between listening on youtube and actually having a good source file.
You should be able to notice a lot of sibilance in the treble, lower dynamic range, and a general lack of detail. That said if these are your first good headphones then it will take a while to adjust to them. Especially if you listen loud on headphones, because it will give you tinnitus a lot quicker than speakers, and your hearing may just be fucked.
>>54199503
I think that unless your source is really crappy, there's no need for an amp/DAC. I'd rather invest those money just in a better headphone, although I have no idea how prices are in the UK and what you can buy for the same price.
>>54198762
Having a 10ohm headphone output is a bit of a mins because you need to stick to headphones above 80ohm impedance or the 1/8th rule will come into play. Even then you only have to worry about headphones that are sensitive to output impedance.
The DAC on that card is i think a PCM1792a from texus instruments, which is the same one used on the fiio x5 DAP from memory. Both will produce clean and clear sound, so if there's something you're not hearing it's limited to other factors. Seeing as you have Q701's I'm guessing you should actually upgrade your music library. You're not getting the most out of it if all your files are 128kb mp3's.
Invest in some CD's or lossless media libraries.
I can get a pair of 558s for the equivalent of US $60.
Should I go for it?
>>54199702
>To me it's like the difference between listening on youtube and actually having a good source file.
And yet Youtube uses codec which generally exceeds or approaches complete audible transparency. The limiting factor here is the original file uploaded there, not Youtube and its compression.
>>54199879
Excellent price for those.
>>54199886
>>54199702
And to add, Youtube alters the audio stream by lowering the volume which will surely make many people think it sounds worse/bad than another source of the same song.
>>54198773
if you have to stay below budget then
https://www.storedj.com.au/products/SEN-HD280-PRO
https://www.storedj.com.au/products/AUD-ATHM40X
If you can afford them make the stretch for these:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-SONY-MDR-CD900ST-STUDIO-MONITOR-HEADPHONES-From-Japan-/191522593304?hash=item2c97a2da18:g:ZAkAAOSwstxU7y5n
Whenever I use IEMs, they only fall out of my left ear while they sit rock solid in my right ear. Is there anything you can do to fix this, other than trying different tip sizes, or do I just have defective ears?
>>54199928
>only at home
HD518 or 558
>>54199297
>in a crysis situation what would you do with them ?
Stop playing crysis is what I would do.
I store them on my desk, right at my listening position. If they come in a bag put them in that? If not find one? It's not hard mate.
>>54199938
Use foamies like Comply or Shure half-olives.
>>54199886
>>54199900
You're assuming people upload flac/cd quality. They don't. Most uploads on youtube are 96/128, which was the point. If youtube music actually sounds good to your ears they might be just as fucked as the guy we're replying to.
>>54199938
>trying different tip sizes
Have you done this? Or are you asking /g/ if it's okay to replace the tips on your IEM's when you know different tips exist for that sole purpose?
>>54199938
Nobody's perfectly symmetrical, your ear canals are fine.
>>54200027
I haven't tried those that came in the box for longer than about 10 seconds but it feels a bit pointless to buy new tips right after you bought new headphones. They came with foam tips though so I'll have to give them a shot.
>rate my stuff
>also ask my anything about my setup
>advice?
Looking to replace my headphones, but being in the United States of overpriced technology I'm not sure where to look.
>Budget
Prefer 150 CAD at most but not a hard limit
>Location
Canada
>Source
PC
>Preferred type of headphone
Full-sized
>Open or closed
Open
Rest doesn't matter.
Kind of hard to find good headphones online since prices are almost always quoted in USD and if the pair is even available here, it's usually 2x the price.
>>54200446
SHP9500
>>54196688
>Also depends on mastering quality. Most music today will be mastered like shit and have low dynamic range making compression even more unnoticeable
The quantizer fails most with high frequency transient signals. Dynamic range and compression tend not be breaking points. It appears more that you have a misconception of what lossy compresssion does.
>>54199802
The 1/8 rule is a crock of shit. Look at the impedance and phase function of both load and output to make any sort of determination. In reality, most headphones are far more generous than that.
>>54199595
>but it could definitely stand for a lower-impedance/higher voltage output.
You should go back and look at those measurements a second time. That's not at all what they indicate.
>>54200420
Why so many headphones?
>>54200545
There something like that but closed? Pretty much what I'm looking for.
>>54200588
NVX XPT100
>>54200640
Can you plug a V-Moda BoomPro into those? They seem to have the jack for it but I'd just like to make sure.
>>54200652
Actually it's answered in the Q&A on the amazon page, thanks anyways. The guy who answers it won't work says the Antlion Modmic would work so I'll check those out I guess.
>>54199443
wat?
702's cost £130 from amazon all the time...
>>54200577
>K702AE is my daily driver
>K550 is my only closed back one (when gf is around I don't want to annoy her)
>X2 is good oben back but has more bass than the akg's ( a little less clear tho)
>the K400 and K501 are just some pairs I like to own. made in austria and I got them relatively cheap and in mint condition.
990 Pro's and K550 (imo bang for the buck)
im looking for another pair, more neutral. what about HD600?
my equipment - Galaxy SIV + iBasso D14 DAC
Poorfag here looking to buy poorfag headphones.
Samson SR850 or Superlux 668b?
Is the extra couple of bucks for the SR850 worth it?
>>54200947
>>
Superlux HD681
>>54200976
Fug I meant to post that
So SR850 or HD681?
>>54201010
obviously 681. better soundstage and bass than samsons.
>>54200907
dt880 600ohm
q701 etc.
hd600 are good, but the treble is a little too rolled off to call them truly neutral
>>54196588
128kbps is where it becomes quite easy for me to detect the loss of quality. I've done ABX tests between FLAC and Vorbis q5.0 (which I use on my phone) I believe and could tell the difference when listening closely, as well. But 128kbps mp3, I can tell pretty quick.
>>54196588
Have you had a hearing test? Establishing the top range of your hearing will give you some idea why you can't hear the difference.
>>54201274
modern day audio compression methods are good enough that if done properly, one would find it very difficult to distinguish it from lossless ESPECIALLY if the source song from which the mp3 is encoded from is mastered badly.
so either you're lying through your teeth, you downloaded a 128 file through the internet (increases odds of re-encodes or poorly done encodes), or the mp3 you used was one you made yourself which either means you encoded it poorly or you used an outdated compression method.
>>54201500
No need to get all heated m8. I'm pretty sure it was downloaded from the internet yeah, and it was black metal to boot so you're onto something there. I do remember having a 128kbps MP3 discography of Apollo 440 for years and being surprised at the quality, but I didn't have the equipment I do now (Fidelio X2) and haven't done any thorough testing. Regardless, it's largely irrelevant, because I don't even use MP3 these days, just lossless codecs and Vorbis, which I could reliably detect at q5.0 when I did a test last year, but the loss in quality compared to lossless was very small and not something I'd detect in casual listening, only when actively looking for it.
Best IEM for $100? Looking for a warm sound sig, was going to go for the SE215 but some people told me it wasn't the best sounding for the price
Where are all the classic earbuds? I don't want any of the new in-ear bullshit, none of them comfortably fit my ears and the IE2 really doesn't count
>>54201265
i think you meant the hd650
>>54196371
>audio-technica
FUKIN DROPPED
>>54201500
>some people can tell the difference
>I can
>NO YOU CANT YOU DID IT WRONG
No need to get angry at him for having better hearing than you. You probably did something stupid to destroy it like working in construction without hearing protection.
>>54201899
Measurements aren't everything you autistic fuck.
>>54200420
Why do you have a double amp? The E10K is also an amp.
>>54201931
what a great argument, cou sure convinced me of the hd600 having rolled off treble
>>54201956
Used the E10K as a dac/amp for a long time.
After I bought the better performing K5 (that has no built in dac) I didn't bother to get another dedicated dac so I just use the E10Ks line out as a dac. It's an exellent dac after all.
>>54201354
Hearing tests have nothing to do with audio codec listening. If the anon can hear up to 16kHz, it will never be a limiting factor in any music listening because of auditory masking and you can do this test online anywhere with a sine sweep. Audible compression artifacts are mostly present in the treble far lower than our upper hearing limits.
There isn't necessarily any perceivable difference between "128kbps and 320kbps" and if there is, detecting it is mostly listener's skill.
>>54201931
They are perfectly applicable there. HD 600 is hardly rolled off in the treble.
>>54201878
In the bin. EarPods are quite good, Yuin PK1 probably the best on the market. They perform poorly hence many prefer in ears for better listening experience. I'm sure there are in ears which fit your ears. There are a lot of tips and different fits.
What are some headphones that sound decent and don't hurt your ears after 10 minutes of wearing them?
$50 max
>>54202549
porta pro
bought my DT 880 250Ohm in 2009, still using it as of today. ( with a tube amp of course)
>>54202549
the cheapest grado phone ?
>Budget
~ 100$
>Location
russia
>Source
mostly phone
>Preferred type of headphone
i guess iem (i don't want to bother people with my shitty music)
>Comfort level
don't care
>Preferred music
i guess i'll just list some stuff that i've got in my phone right now:
the sound defects - volume 2, the locust - new erections, the alchemist - israely salad, gost - behemoth, faust - faust 4,
battles - la di da di, beastie boy's - paul's boutique, can - tago mago, crystal castles - crystal castles 2, death grips - no love deep web, art blakey - drums around the corner
>Past headphones
for past two years i've been using sennheiser cx 180
>>54202735
xiaomi piston 3
>Budget
>Location
GA, USA
>Source
Focusrite 18i20 (pr)
>Preferred type of headphone
Overear
>Open or closed
Both.
Tracking = closed
Mixing = open
>Comfort level
Good enough for 2-3hrs continuous use
>Preferred tonal balance
Flat as possible
>Preferred music
No preference. I work with mostly spoken word/ broadcasting, but the music I do work with is varied (metal, folk, edm, orchestral)
>Past headphones
Sony MDR 7506
Sennheiser 598
7506s are toptier tracking cans, but overhyped bass and closed back ruins mixing potential
598s are great for the price, but have the opposite problem. Bass comes in a bit short
>>54202978
Have you tried the cd900st?
or
Beyerdynamic dt250/dt880
I've been eyeing the Sennheiser HD 800's.
I want to replace my current amp/dac, what would your suggestion be?
>>54203164
Wait for them to drop in price when everyone adopts the hd800S.
What is your current amp/dac combo? If it's good there's no gain in changing it.
>>54203207
See, I just wanna escape from the mid-fi purgatory. I just run my amp out of my soundcard. The background hum is slowly making me want to commit suicide.
>>54203253
Which amp and sound card though?
If you're using a tube amp then all I can say is stop.
>>54203296
Not using a tube amp, FiiO E09K.
I don't know the exact specifications of my sound card though, but using IEM's at my pc is practically impossible because of the hum.
I'm able to get a Audio-Gd NFB 5.32 for cheap, should i just go for that?
>>54203377
Dual wm8741 chips? If you could guarantee that's what they actually used then go for it.
I would just get a schiit stack or o2+odac.
>>54202978
I went from the V6 to the DT880 and felt right at home, now i only use the V6 for live mixing and casual listening when traveling by bus.
What's a good microphone to use a with a headphone? gotten over 3 now, and all of them just fail, really think it's my voice being shit.
>>54197503
>>54200420
Are we doing this now?
>>54203253
>I just wanna escape from the mid-fi purgatory
don't get HD 800 then
>>54203639
What should I get then?
>>54203725
I think he might be implying speakers, or electrostatics.
>>54203740
But not everyone's living conditions are really suitable for speakers, and one might not like the sound of electrostats
>>54196371
i will never know why i bought the memephones. they dont sound any better than my old pair that cost me $60
>>54203725
he400i
lcd-2
ether
edition x
>>54203747
Which is why you should ignore holier-than-thou pedants who just want you to get the same equipment they have as a post purchase justification of their decisions.
It's like people who shill certain reviewers without actually hearing the headphones themselves, and recommend them to everyone in every price bracket. Just ignore them and make up your own mind.
>Budget
<$400 canadian $
>Location
Canada
>Source
Desktop PC,would like to try an amp/dac if needed (which one?)
>Preferred type of headphone
Over ear
>Open or closed
Open
>Comfort level
Very, I have a big head
>Preferred tonal balance
Not sure
>Preferred music
a bit of everything: hip hop, aphex twin type stuff, electronic music. Mostly hip hop and house type music.
>Past headphones
Owned a pair of HD555's for more than 5 years and now I'm using HD558's. Both without amp/dac.
I want to try out "higher end" headphones. Was looking at the DT880s, not sure if they are good? Also would they benefit from an amp/dac?
Also, how significant is the increase from HD558's to say, HD600 level headphones?
>>54203747
>If you dislike a headphone suggestion, try giving a better suggestion to whomever asked instead of going "hurr, brand x sucks"
He clearly was not trying to be constructive, therefore you should probably just ignore him.
Want to buy ATH-AD2000X but european price 900 euros is unacceptable.
>tfw no flagship open phones
>>54203807
>Was looking at the DT880s, not sure if they are good?
Very good. Bass definition is really good, extension also, but they don't have the bass bump or "boost" a lot of cheaper electronic and rap leaning headphones do so they might sound a bit thin at first.
>increase from HD558's to say, HD600 level headphones
I only ever heard hd518's but I can assure you that the difference between $200 headphones and $350-400 headphones is pretty decent in terms of quality. You're nearing the max bang-for-buck ratio in terms of audio quality.
What is your current source? Onboard audio? Which motherboard/audio codec?
Tempted to get an O2 amp/dac or schiit stack for my Fidelio X2s, but several people have claimed it doesn't make much of a difference. At best some reported improvement in the bass.
I use an asus H97M-E motherboard with a Realtek ALC887, DAC is probably good enough can't hear any notable distortion or drop in sound quality and the sound is plenty loud enough for me at 10~20% volume.
Does the MSR7 require an amp? seems like it can run just fine of a phone or motherboard. Rather get myself a set of decent set easy to drive closed cans for that price instead of throwing money on a minor improvement.
Perfect if I can get them for under 200 USD on massdrop.
>>54203827
>yurop price
Check amazon.de for beyerdynamics
>t1 2g
>850 euros
>1600 AU
>which is 1200 euros
>difference of 350 euros
Fuck you. You have it easy.
>>54203827
It's pretty bad.
>>54203914
onboard, my motherboard is asus p8z77-v-pro. I was thinking if I upgrade to DT880s then I would need a better source. They all seem expensive though. Not willing to spend 200+ just for that. Is the Fiio - e10k olympus good? I can get it for 110~ canadian
>>54203956
are you talking about price or the phones? Zeos told me it is gud.
>>54198060
You're paying for the breakaway cable on the m50xs, and for a pleasant sound curve, not a completely neutral one.
>>54203926
Buy a better pair of headphones then? There wouldn't be any point in amping onboard. You'll wish you had saved for a really good pair of headphones when you buy the msr7 and the quality isn't noticably better than the x2's.
Then you can invest in dac/amp when you have headphones that require it.
>>54203968
Yeah it would drive those fine.
If you don't notice audible distortion, background noise, clipping or hum on your onboard then there's no need, but you could always buy something that will work with pc and other devices.
>>54203985
MSR7 would be more for outdoor use without looking a like a douche leaking sound.
Then again you make a good point about saving up for better headphones.
>Location
Turkey
>Budget
upper limit $50 ish
>Source
Phone and PC
>Usage
Music
>Will you be using these headphones in public
Yes
>Preffered type of headphone
In-ear
>Past Headphones
Sennheiser CX 3.00
Sennheiser CX 300
>Preffered Music
Electronic, metal, hip hop, singer/songwriter, psychedelic
>What would you like to improve from your set-up
Sound quality mostly, maybe isolation too. Main reason is that i lost my headphones
>>54203969
Phones but both actually.
>Zeos
>>54204075
TTPOD T1, Zeos said they're the best under $100
>>54204058
I would audition them first. I find in closed headphones monitoring intended ones are the way to go because anything with heavily tweaked FR can sound very fatiguing, at least to my ears.
>>54203969
>>54204121
Ironic shitposting is still shitposting.
>>>/out/
is it worth getting an amplifier for grados sr80e?
I researched a bit, and the answer is apparently no, but I'd like to know what happens if I asked here. cheers
>>54204134
Can't find any stores near Brisbane with an extensive range to audition, best stores I've found around these parts are minidisc and addicted to audio. Both in different states.
>>54199975
it's actually really hard right now.
>>54204147
The answer will be:
Z says to buy one
DONT BUY TUBE AMPS LITERALLY PAYING FOR DISTORTION KEK
Schiit Stack or O2+ODAC
Then somewhere down the line someone will explain that if your headphones are capably driven by your current device, which you didn't list, then there's no point in buying an amp. Go to a hifi store near you and ask to audition a headphone amp for your headphones. Bring a CD you know very well and see if the amp makes any difference to how it sounds. Use a solid state amp for cleanest results, then try them with a tube amp, who knows you might even like how that sounds.
Just bought a pair of HD598's special editions, how'd I do?
>>54204183
Only decent store within 100km of where I live has a few sennheiser cans and some audio technicas.
Shame my local jbhifi doesn't even let you listen to any of their headphones. Local music shops go out of business after a few months routinely, so there's never anywhere to go to look for this kind of shit.
It's the only time I ever wished I lived in melbourne or sydney.
>>54204460
>special edition
Did they just make them black like the rest of the 5 series?
Tell us how much you paid and we can tell you how well you did.
>>54204259
Harder than picking up a rubbish bag and putting them in it?
It's probably what any v-moda owner should do anyway.
>>54204486
$118 open box + $12 shipping
Se's just come in black and come with 2 cables
I'm using the Sennheiser HD 600 on a FiiO E10.
Would a more expensive amp/dac offer objective and perceptible better fidelity? I don't think so.
dt880s vs dt990s for someone who mostly listens to hip hop/house music? I can get the dt880 premium 250ohm for 280$ and the dt990 premium 250ohm for the same price. (theyre the same price on amazon . ca)
Also, will they run fine on onboard audio? Ill probably upgarde to an amp/dac but later on.
>>54204617
DT880 > DT990, the DT880 is closer to neutral than the DT990 and usually more expensive than the DT990 anyway, so if they are the same price either the DT990 is costing away too much or the DT880 is rather cheap, both options point to DT880 as a better choice.
>>54204600
The o2 amp sounds a tiny bit better
>inb4 tears
It's true.
>>54204671
makes sense, although I heard dt990s had more bass which was good for the kind of music I listen to. Coming from HD558's I was looking for something less neutral. Anyways, I will probably get the dt880s since they seem like such a good deal
>>54204711
Can't you return it if you don't like it? Although i believe you probably will, they do sound very different from the HD558. Also, should you decide to sell them later, the DT880 will have a better aftermarket price than the DT990.
>>54204689
ABX
>>54204600
>>54204689
this >>54204841, the cool thing about amps is that you can do blind a blind test with no problem since you won't feel it touching your body or anything.
>>54204871
Without a comparator box how are you doing it exactly? You'd need to switch back and forth between them instantly and with volume matching.
How are the AKG K240s regarded? I've had them for a few years now but I'm thinking about getting an upgrade as soon as I get some spare dosh. Do I need an amp if I'm going to move into the next tier?
>>54204567
$118 US?
You did well, as long as you have warranty. Though open box only implies your warranty period will be reduced by a few months if at all.
>>54204711
You can EQ the bass on the dt880 and it will still sound better than the dt990.
>>54204941
You only need an amp if your headphones are not driven capably by your current source equipment. Best way to find that out is to buy new cans and use them to listen to music.
Read the pastebin in the OP and make a request, so we can give better recommendations.
>>54205049
I'm not looking for recommendations at the moment since it's going to take a while until I can afford new cans, I'm just wondering what the consensus is on the AKG K240s.
>>54204923
Just leave both at the same volume using a decibel meter and have a friend switch the same headphone from one to another, three seconds between each test shouldn't affect you memory of the last amp.
>>54205069
What does it matter what we think when sound is subjective? They're probably good for the price considering the reviews, but you can do better if you spend more because they're entry level.
>>54205177
It doesn't really matter since I've already had them for years, it's just interesting to hear what people who knows their shit thinks about them
>>54205177
>sound is subjective
loving this reddit meme
>>54205348
>oh no theres somebody who doesnt agree with me
>25
>can no longer distinguish between $50 and $250 headphones
welp, audiophilia is a young man's game
>>54205370
>oh no im going to reduce well understood physics and psychoacoustics to opinions because that way i cant be wrong
>>54205374
Funny you say that considering that audiophiles with the most expensive shit are really old men
>>54198000
>>54198011
>>54198060
I looked into the ATH-M40x's and really liked what I saw, but then I watched a review on them and I realized how massive they were. Any suggestions for a sleeker pair of headphones that are just like the m40's? I'd like to be able to take them on a bike ride or something
>>54205348
>>54205439
>liking things is an objective science
Are you by any chance autistic? That's one thing they have trouble with - differentiating objective and subjective.
>>54205800
so I'm 90% sure I'm going to upgrade from my hd558's to DT880 premium 250ohms, and buying a fiio e10k later on. Good choice? Also, might be a stupid question but I have a big head and the hd558s are on the largest setting to fit on my head. Do you guys think ill have a problem with the dt880s?
>>54205938
also, I can get the 250 ohm and 600 ohm version for the same price on ncix.ca (280$) should I just get the 600 ohm version then? or is it not necessarily better?
>>54202549
you still here ?
Porta pro or HD 668B
>>54205800
"enjoying sound" and "sound" are too different things.
saying "enjoying sound is subjective" is correct.
saying "sound is subjective" is incorrect
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Enjoyment&redirect=no
>>54205989
>>54205938
Get the 600ohm version. Smoother FR.
I have a big head and do not have trouble wearing dt880's. That said it is not abnormally large, just normal for a 6'1 man.
Fiio e10k should power them fine, but you may want something with a bit more juice if you plan on ever getting some planar magnetics.
>>54206163
Definitely autism.
>That's not what you said.
Did you really have trouble understanding that first post? You really can't tell that that it was inferring that his enjoyment of his headphones is external to the opinions of others on those same headphones? How do you get through life if you can't understand simple conversations?
>>54206165
Yeah im 6'4 and I've had trouble with size with a lot of cheaper headsets. Also thanks a lot for answering. I'm going to order the DT880's tonight, hopefully I don't get buyer's remorse. This is my first time getting "high end" headphones I hope they are worth it. Going to try and sell my HD558s as well.
>>54206265
Keep them until you get the dt880. Best way to check your new purchase is to compare them to the old ones.
Though try to bear in mind that you will need time to get used to the sound signature of the new headphones, so give them a week or two before deciding whether you like them or not. Test them with good recordings from cd's you know well before diving into the youtube searches and spotify playlists.
What are some headphones which are complete shit but look really nice, so I can brag to my friends?
>>54206450
Stax sr-007a
>>54206450
Beats or Audio Technica M50x's.
>>54206224
i dont see how you go from "sound is subjective" to "his enjoyment of his headphones is external to the opinions of others". those statements are entirely different.
>>54206489
out
>>54206598
If you still don't get it after me explaining the inference then I don't know what to tell you. Just stop shitposting.
>>54206727
>no i promise guise im not baiting by asking people to tell me which headphones sound like complete shit just so i can start a brand war
>>54202727
Grado sr60i are $80.
So with all the mentioning of telling the difference between 128 and 320 shit, How long are you guys listening to these tests? I find that endurance is the main factor in being able to understand the difference. Honestly I don't even think 320 is doable for me without headaches after hours of listening. Maybe i'm misinterpreting all the discussion though. You guys don't actually listen to MP3s do you?
>>54206781
you asked 3 questions
you didnt explain anything
>>54206514
beats look like shit. don't even.
>Budget
€49
>Location
Europoor
>Source
PC
>Usage
Gaems
>Preferred type of headphone
just want the best for the price
>Open or closed
don't care
>Preferred music
none
>Past headphones
pic related, used for 11 years, but my Rabbit destroyed the cord.
>>54207045
>You guys don't actually listen to MP3s do you?
0/10 trel gud jobe
>>54207093
porta pros
>>54207117
memes then?
>>54207045
yeah it's just a joke in reality we're all listening to 24 bit loseless cds with our 32 bit dacs only
lol mp3 listeners what a bunch of fucking plebs
>>54207168
Holy shit, I should just shut the fuck up and lurk more.
lets talk about windows 10
>just switched from osx but im really concerned about privacy
>inb4 linux its not an option because i have to use adobe programs
>>54207257
I think you took a wrong turn somewhere
moving in a few days, forgot i had these speakers laying around
/hpg/ kinda related, what's a good receiver for these speakers? or should i go different route
>athena micra 6 m225
http://www.canadahifi.com/athena-micra-6-speakers/
need a set up that let's me hook up nice headphones to it but keep the option for the speakers
>>54204460
Was looking around at reviews, and holy shit, this guy's production quality is fucking ridiculous.
https://youtu.be/2zyo4kVeN2Y
I mean the review was aight, but dat comfiness...
>>54200420
what are your favourite headphones?
what improvement did you notice when moving to the K5?
I use the E10K on its own with K702, im pretty damn happy.
>>54207600
have you ever used K612s?
>Replaced the crusty and disgusting earpads on my ath-m50's
Man this made a much bigger difference than I thought it would.
>>54207045
It's the kind of thing that is instantly apparent with a terrible recording or conversion. With a better conversion it becomes apparent on a track you know well and can detect missing details. With 320-CD it's less apparent and you need to do direct comparisons listening to the same track to tell the difference.
Mostly though it's not something that you will concentrate on, and only really notice if you try to. It might not even happen to you, but from time to time you will then notice a trait that makes it obvious you're listening to low bitrate files. It really depends on the person as to how often this happens and how much it affects your listening though, so most people tend to dismiss it because they're the kind of thing that is easily ignored, especially if you're not listening very carefully and just enjoying the music. But if you listen with your eyes closed for long sessions you'll want a good source.
>>54207468
What's your budget? What kind of inputs and outputs do you need?
Anything yamaha will do the trick nicely, but it helps to give a bit more information.
>>54208277
under 300, just need to hook up pc, maybe a ps3/music player to it (so hdmi/digital coax/stereo input)
looking at the sony and yamahas listed here
http://avproductreviews.com/best-av-receivers-under-300
they seem good right?
outputs just the 8ohm 5.1 for the speakers, and hdmi for video
dont need all the bells and whistles of more high end models, just want it to sound good
>>54196371
my Philips citiscape uptown died after 3 years of loyal service.
i loved them.
what should i get for around $100 ?
>>54208320
Not being able to hear them you'll have to assume they're all using proprietary DAC chips that will all sound similar. Whichever one has optical for your ps3 and hdmi for your pc audio, and video connectors for both, and costs less than the others.
Sorry I know that's not much help, but it's not my specialty. That's not to say you've got nothing to go on however. You'll just have to run off the assumption that you're buying features, not greatly varying sound quality at this price point.
What are some good headphones with noice cancelation for 50-100(maybe 150) in the netherlands.
>>54208415
Read the pastebin.
>what do you want to improve?
>source?
etc.
>>54208472
>you're buying features, not greatly varying sound quality at this price point.
true, and at this point the speakers's quality matters more, but those are damn good speakers
as long as it's clean sound and has enough inputs it'll work for me
>>54208473
yamaha readthepastebins
>>54208507
>as long as it's clean sound and has enough inputs it'll work for me
That's the way. Good luck with your hunt anon.
>>54205651
Anyone got anything on this? Sorry just dont know a lot about the current lineup of headphones
/hpg/ It's been a point of contention in these threads that the hd700 are not worth what is asked of them. But after recent price drops they're more in line with the pricing of the 650's. So the question is - after the price drop are they now worth the cost?
Since /hpg/ nowadays claims to hear a difference between 320 mp3s and flac files - do you think there are audible differences between decent dacs?
>>54208557
Unfortunately the best headphones are usually fuck ugly because it's a secondary concern if it comes up at all.
You might want to look at the sennheiser momentum on ears.
hey guys, just bought a akg k712 pro for cheap.
what can i expect?
currently own a pair of fidelio x2
>>54208815
Why not go listen to some at a hifi shop instead of posting bait?
>>54208840
Probably less bass but more detail in all areas with a slight midrange emphasis.
Currently with ATH-TAD400, great hi-fi sound for that price.
>>54208875
thanks
>>54208888
interesting
Ever heard the r70x? I've been asking for some time but can't find someone who's even heard them.
NONE OF YOU BITCHES HAVE GOT ANYTHING ON MY HEADPHONES.
SENNHEISER HD 202 MASTERRACE REPORTING.
find a better pair of headphones than these
Protip: You can't.
>>54209000
HD201>HD202
inb4 headroom graph
