• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Which Headphones?

Not going to die anytime soon. I am getting annoyed at people not reading this first.

REALLY annoyed at worst buys "gaming" headsets. Jumpin jackrabbits that stuff is BAD.
 
Nightwing749 said:
the thread isn't dead yet, lol
Click to expand...

Hello folks. I registered on this forum quite awhile ago but never completed the email verification! When I accessed my old email account I came upon a Hard Forum email.
I'm just doing my initial browse, but I searched cans first as I am a member over on HeadFi (under the same handle).
I'm not much of a gamer, but can't imagine a better set of cans for it than the Senn 650s I use for music. Lots of bass, incredible detail when amped, and just plain addicting!
Even out of a small inline DAC chip to an older Perreaux SXH1 amp these things sound incredible. I didn't think they'd perform this well with a computer but a headfi buddy and I had a a little mini-meet this last weekend ( he has more gear than I could possibly list) and even he was impressed. He uses a Jolida tube 100a, Denon 2910, and a Nad as some of his many sources and has a Darkvoice 337 tube amp (among an enviable number of others :mad:) that I imagine would be a scream for gaming. He also has or has owned nearly every headphone going. Darth Beyers, AKG 701s, K340s, Beyerdynamic 990s, JVC DX1000 etc. http://www.audiocubes.com/product/JVC_HP-DX1000_Stereo_Headphones.html (I'm sure you get the picture) With all this, his favorite cans are the 650s too.
I was surprised not to see these Senns even mentioned in this thread, except for the fact that they need an amp, unless I missed some posts). If you have the cash, go for them, you will not be disappointed, guaranteed! (Even a decent portable amp will do in the interim if you can't afford a desktop to go with them right away.)
A set of budget cans that impressed me were the Koss porta pros. For the cash they are hard to beat except maybe for the Senn PX100s. I personally prefer the Portas, but I think in this case it could be a matter of taste. The bass is great in them both without over powering the highs. If I hadn't been spoiled by better cans over the years I might be happy with them!
 
650s suck for positional audio yup. Compared to 701s there is no contest. Does not mean I don't love the 650s for music though.

Yes they certainly can be fun for games. Just not for fps games that rely heavily on positional audio. If you are playing Civ or WoW sure the 650s are great.

Just to clarify, tested the 650s and 600s for three months. No to fps gaming, yes to music.
 
i have the senn hd565 which use the same speakers as the 600s but at 150 ohms. i have no trouble with positional cues-these babies as amazing
also just got the audio technica ath-pro700- the positional cues on these make me feel omniscient! these cans make me want to sell my equations. sadly my kills havent gone up that much lol
 
ourfpshero said:
i have the senn hd565 which use the same speakers as the 600s but at 150 ohms. i have no trouble with positional cues-these babies as amazing
also just got the audio technica ath-pro700- the positional cues on these make me feel omniscient! these cans make me want to sell my equations. sadly my kills havent gone up that much lol
Click to expand...

Not the same mate. Not at all. The 600 and 650s especially take MUCH more to get the veil off. Big time amps, balanced with a strong source. Even then, the spatial cues are just not as distinct as the 701 or 601. Just not as separated. The 600 and 650 have depth to their sound stage but not nearly as much vertical and horizontal aka 3D sound stage as the 601/701. Trust me. I have really spent time with the senns and akg offerings.
 
I love this thread. I'm glad it was re-stuck. Its awesome to have all this collective knowledge in one thread. Thumbs up to ya spaceman!
Buy.com had my Denon ad-h1001's for like $77 after that $25 off thing they had. I wish I had more headphones to compare them with. The design and aesthetics are incredibly simple and they're so comfortable I can barely tell when I'm wearing them. The weight is misleading though, they're so light that you don't feel like you got your $$'s worth. Sound is great though, nice and clear without being too bright. Bass is light and tight. Coupled with a decent sound card, I'm getting more kills just by being able to identify and position enemy footsteps and gunfire.
I'd like to try to compare them to an Audio Technica 700 (they were my first choice, I couldn't pass up the deal I found though) I have to save up some funds again to get my hands on those.
 
The Denon headphones are good for $75. Some folks find them uncomfortable and flimsy compared to the AT 700s which excell in both areas. The sound is fine for the $75 though. Good deal that.

I am just going from what I have read on head-fi however so I will not say more than that.
 
I'm considering some closed cans around $200 to complement my Prelude, Little Dot MKV amp, and Sennheiser HD600s. This is mostly just to improve my performance and enjoyment of FPS games (and maybe for watching movies too); it mainly comes down positional audio which I find lacking in my HD600s (which I am satisfied with otherwise). Music isn't a priority since I've got my HD600s for that.

Question: how does the Beyer 770 perform when amped compared to the AT A900s? These two cans seem to be my best choices for closed cans in my budget range but I don't know which one would be better when you take an amp into consideration.


Edit: What about the Ultrasone 750 or 780s? How are they in regard to positional audio and detailed sound?

Note that while strong bass will certainly contribute to the fun factor for movies and games, I'd rather have excellent position audio and details than huge overwhelming bass (if I had to choose one; obviously I'd like to strive for a good balance).
 
The D2000 could be good.

You do *not* want the Ultrasones. They're uncomfortable as hell. The 780's pleather make you sweat like hell. The 750's feel cheap. Both have obnoxious clamp, and that pad on the headband hurts like hell. I do believe one guy went to the doctor and the doctor said his skull was pushed in slightly due to the pad or something.

The 780's have obnoxiously overemphasized treble that hurt my ears and were super sibilant. The mids and lows were great, though. The 750's treble wasn't painful like the 780's; they were just so metallic I hated them. Midrange was recessed, bass wasn't as much as my D2000, and soundstage was just weird. Detail on the 750 was such that I really couldn't enjoy many songs.

On the other hand, the D2000's are probably the best workhorse 'phones I know of. Great detail and deep bass, and I haven't noticed any problems in positional either. Super comfortable. Keep in mind though I've mostly been playing TF2 lately, and that game's not really the kind to emphasize positional.
 
Another is the M-Audio headphones. I have not heard them but knowing that company, it might be a worthwhile headphone.

Honestly? Try a Koss SB40 first and go from there. That way, when/if you try higher end headphones, you will still have old trusty cheapy to use between cans.
 
So would it be worth it to pay the $30 to go from Siberias to the SB40's? I won't have to spend anything on the mic, I can still use the iceMat mic which works pretty well.
 
The sb40s sound cleaner and better overall. The siberia has a bit better comfort but is not as sturdy.

So yes. It is an upgrade but also kind of a sidegrade. Try them. You can always sell one or the other to a buddy for 4 $20

lol 420
 
How many times has the title of this thread been change? lol....

Still going strong though. I'm doing a surprisingly little amount of gaming lately, but I think it's thanks to this thread I've renewed my interest in music and am enjoying my Koss KSC75's! But since I've registered on Head-fi that damn bug is itching me.... lucky me I don't have money to spend :eek:
 
so i abused my ebay 10 off shipping coupons and got a few things. one of them is a koss ur40 which im surprised has not been mentioned. they use the same drivers as the much loved ksc/75 but in a semi-full sized headphone.
i also have the sb40 which gets better with usage. the ur40 is much easier to drive as has more detailed highs and mids but a little less bass. feel a little flimsy but has the koss warranty. if u want great detail and an over the ear design this is the best at this price point.

and about the icemats-ive had em- shrill highs and harsh bass-they suck compared to the sb40. but keep in mind the sb40 needs a decent sound card or at least a cmoy/portable amp
 
Did not know about the ur40. I will look into them.

I did not want to diss the icemats lol. I am trying to be less, my way or the highway. They are not my choice for a couple of reasons though.
 
spaceman said:
Did not know about the ur40. I will look into them.

I did not want to diss the icemats lol. I am trying to be less, my way or the highway. They are not my choice for a couple of reasons though.
Click to expand...

Lol, did someone talk to you about that? :p
 
spaceman said:
not really. just self-realization. I do not want to be anything other than helpful.

I found my self beating the crap out of dead horses etc. Stopped it.
Click to expand...

Just Bose and Razer products... but that's pretty common for an audiophile ;) :rolleyes: :p
 
and creative. must not forget those ass wholes. but yeah. I do get hung up on stupid companies producing cheap junk when they can do so much better. quality over quantity.
 
I'm strongly verging towards the Sennheiser PC 350

has anyone experienced them? they seem amazing but I just want to make sure.
I want a headset, not headphones. I don't really care about most feature or cable length since I have the G51 control pod.
my most important aspect (as with anyone) is comfortable, noise canceling and quality/immersion.
 
search for reviews-i've read some bad things on the pc350 such as hard to drive and muddy sound. it has an inline volume control and those generally mess with the sound. i can tell you that the sennheiser pc151 sounds like absolute crap compared to comparable sennheiser range headphones like the 400 series (which arent all that great to begin with)
 
Drakul said:
I'm strongly verging towards the Sennheiser PC 350

has anyone experienced them? they seem amazing but I just want to make sure.
I want a headset, not headphones. I don't really care about most feature or cable length since I have the G51 control pod.
my most important aspect (as with anyone) is comfortable, noise canceling and quality/immersion.
Click to expand...

No WAY do you want those. The Koss SB40 WAXES those for the $$ lol. That is the lowest on my list. I hope that you do not buy the 350. Try the sb40 and the zalman mic first. The 350 is about $75 overpriced imo.
 
spaceman said:
No WAY do you want those. The Koss SB40 WAXES those lol. That is the lowest on my list. I hope that you do not buy the 350. Try the sb40 and the zalman mic first.
Click to expand...

hmm these KOSS look cool and cheap! :)
I actually have some KOSS earbuds for my discman and i really like them so I'm going to look into these.
 
The Zalman Mic is becoming harder to find these days. I had to order it from Amazon. It should be in this week, I can't wait, now i don't have to resort to using a headset.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
I am so annoyed with ipod earphone - i have had three and they never last more than 3 months :eek: ggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
 
indeed they do.
I replaced my iphone set with an ultimateBuds and while they're not the best headphones, for $30 you can hardly beat this.
 
Anyone tried the Astro A40's? I find myself stuck because I need a headset/headphones-MIC that will work with a PC and the XBOX 360. I currently have tried the X1 and X3 from turtle beach and they are crap. I have the Turtle beach HPA2, Senheisser PC 155 and Tritton AX360's and they all have their weaknesses. Im actually unloading the HPA2's and the Sennheisers for now and the Trittons when I find a decent replacement.

I was thinking HD580's or HD650's but that still leaves me with no cans for the Xbox that would be compatible with the damn 2.5mm controller MIC jack. So I find myself stuck with the Trittons or considering the Astro A40's hey both take optical connection for the Xbox.

Thanks Carter
 
I'm pretty happy with my Etymotic ER6i's. At first i thought the bass was lacking bass alot, but i guess i just had to adjust to them because i don't notice it at all anymore. And the mids and highs are alot clearer than anything else i have heard before.

i second the iphone earphones sucking...those things are horrible. The new Zune ones are pretty good however...
 
To use real headphones with the 360 you need to use the digital output into an external dac and amp or receiver. No sense in trying to use whatever 360 compatible headphones there are b/c they all suck.
 
I have tried a bunch of Headphones and have been mostly unsatisfied. I am no audiophile however I am looking for the best positional sounding headphones you can get for reasonable coin.

I use them for Gaming not much for music and my poision is first person shooters. I would consider good headphones with an AMP or DAC but dont have a clue where to start on that. I do all of my gaming on a 22in monitor so I have no space for a reciever.

To this point I have been stickiong to headsets but I do have the Zalman Mic and I can get the HD580's used for $130 which would be great for a PC but still leaves me in the dark for the Xbox. I have the Logitech Z-5500 speakers that will accept Optical and have a headphone jack but I feel I lose alot of Sound quality going through that.

Any Small form factor headphone amps that you could reccomend that would accept optical input would be appreciated.

Carter
 
honestly? I would get a receiver. They give you plenty of inputs, could be used to really power the 5500s or some larger speakers (hint hint, wink wink), have a MUCH better headphone amp. The 580s could thus be used for pc and the 360.
 
are any of those headphones or others not listed for that matter capable of pivoting at the ear piece so that the head band can be twisted behind the head and still be able to hang on by the ears from the bands natural pressure?
 
Yeah sorry. If it was $150 sure but nope. For $150 you could do better. I could get a decent receiver and the Koss SB40 for that. For $250? No way they would match up to what I could put together.

Still, somebody will try it and report back.

My advice? Leave it alone until there is more feedback. I cannot imagine that it is worth the same $$ as a receiver and a pair of real headphones or speakers.
 
For their size, those A40's look tempting. ebaying a receiver plus decent bookshelf speakers and headphones can be had for the same price but taking up a lot more room.
 
Ruiner said:
For their size, those A40's look tempting. ebaying a receiver plus decent bookshelf speakers and headphones can be had for the same price but taking up a lot more room.
Click to expand...

That is true too. However, there are also some neat space saving powered monitors out there which have a built in dac. Please do try the A40 and let us know what you think. I have not and would hazard a guess that they are pretty good. I am just wary of such gaming products from experience.

Really neat $100 monitors with a built in dac. They make just about anything sound good.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHMS20
 
I'm looking for a headset with the best quality mic (that's a priority), good sound for Skype & movies and big earpieces that remain confortable after 18 hours sessions.

External desktop mic or a clip-on mic hanging from the headphone cable (i.e. Zalman) is not an option.

Bluetooth devices and its usual crappy windows drivers are not an option either.

Any advice?
 
Taxidermista said:
I'm looking for a headset with the best quality mic (that's a priority), good sound for Skype & movies and big earpieces that remain confortable after 18 hours sessions.

External desktop mic or a clip-on mic hanging from the headphone cable (i.e. Zalman) is not an option.

Bluetooth devices and its usual crappy windows drivers are not an option either.

Any advice?
Click to expand...

Sorry, the only cans which will do what you want that I have used are the AT AD700. The most comfortable I wore for looooong periods. I have tried to use headsets and the clip on mic w/ real headphones is just waaaaay better.

http://www.audiocubes.com/category/.../Audio-Technica_ATH-AD700_Air_Headphones.html

The only headset that I might try would be these or the A40 for $250.

http://www.jr.com/beyer-dynamic/pe/BEY_DT234PRO/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top