Which Headphones?

Woah, that is some very hideous EQ if I do say so myself. And hello Ourfpshero.

Hi2u!
and i agree the settings seem out there but it works with the ath-ad500 because of the very strong midrange those cans have
 
yea they dont work that well for me. if i used it, it be all jacked up. the V alone works for music. but the rest of your settings for games it doesnt come out well.
 
Hi2u!
and i agree the settings seem out there but it works with the ath-ad500 because of the very strong midrange those cans have

Are the dB numbers on the EQ meaningless? Because if they're not, I don't care how strong of a midrange they have, a 15 dB difference is insane.
 
Smile EQ! :eek:
Sweet Jesus. If you ever tire of sound effects, and want to listen to some music, try turning that EQ off. Im sorry if I come off like a jackass, but damn.
 
ok now that everybody thinks i'm insane..
those settings are only for the cans in question, and i primarily game on my pc. other headphones i use a shallow v or smile, cheap 'gaming' cans use an 's' shape
 
updated for wireless headphones. would appreciate feedback if anyone scores some sennheisers. I hear good things about them and was considering some for my workbench.
 
I happen to run across some ATH-AD300 on beach audio,I didnt even know they existed. But I dont know much about them.
 
Hey guys, had a question about the Koss SB45 headset. Are they true circumaural headphones (completely cup around the ears)? Or are do they just have concave cups that still touch the ears?

Also, I just saw the SB49s at Amazon for the same price. Thoughts on those?
 
They completely circle even my ears on my big ass head.

DO NOT GET THE 49!!

It has inline controls that mess up the sound. Get the 40 (black) or 45(silver)

All my competition friends love me for getting them these headphones. They do footsteps and directional sound GREAT with an X-Fi.
 
Thanks for warning about the 49s :eek:. Is there any difference between the 40 and the 45, other than the color?
 
So I've had my ath-a700's for a few weeks now, and I honestly have to say, I'm not really that impressed.

My studio sonys felt, and sounded better :p. I mean don't get me wrong, they're comfortable (little weird at first but comfy) I just... I dunno... I do not whatsoever think they're worth the price tag.
 
So I've had my ath-a700's for a few weeks now, and I honestly have to say, I'm not really that impressed.

My studio sonys felt, and sounded better :p. I mean don't get me wrong, they're comfortable (little weird at first but comfy) I just... I dunno... I do not whatsoever think they're worth the price tag.

Sell them and try the RP-21. Completely different.

Honestly it is what you like. I just list the most popular headphones by acclaim. I do not really love any headphone except the Koss for the $$ and Stax for the $$$$$.

The cool thing is that you can get most of the $$ back for these headphones.
 
Sell them and try the RP-21. Completely different.

Honestly it is what you like. I just list the most popular headphones by acclaim. I do not really love any headphone except the Koss for the $$ and Stax for the $$$$$.

The cool thing is that you can get most of the $$ back for these headphones.

lol-have bought and sold many headphones. i cant believe u dont like the a700's tho!
 
No difference.
Gah, I just realized that my exact same question was already asked by someone else a couple of pages ago. Thanks for answering again anyways. I went with the 45s. (didn't really care for the two arching plastic rods on the top of the 40s)
 
Gah, I just realized that my exact same question was already asked by someone else a couple of pages ago. Thanks for answering again anyways. I went with the 45s. (didn't really care for the two arching plastic rods on the top of the 40s)

It is ok. Remember that they do sound better after some break in time.
 
It's not really that I don't like them, I mean they're better than my logitech set from wal-mart :p, it's just, I've heard better. I dunno, I just kinda feel like the price was a tad bit way too much.
 
Ultrasone Proline 750 was the end line for me. Went through Dt 770 PRO, A900 and some others before I found these monsters... Awesome for just about everything extremely versatile.

Have the most impressive bass I have ever heard in a headphone almost unbelievable and it´s no slouch in the treble either. It´s soundstaging is phenomenal which makes them especially awesome for movies and gaming. It´s also really nice in music that every instrument has it´s own place. Some recordings like Dire Straits brother in arms you are totally knocked to the floor the first time you here the singer in and drums infront of you and the guitars behind you :).

They are more expensive then the capable DT 770 and A900 I used before but a total other league... Downside is you do need to burn in these platinum drivers for 200h no kidding... Fantastic journey how the sound changes with burn in never noticed that effect much with the DT 770 and A900 but I counted it and it took almost 200h before the sound settled.

Difference between out of the box is that they where ridiculously bass heavy to begin with with the high notes sounding wrong. Enya wasn´t that enjoyable it sounded flat. With burn in the bass got even deeper but the treble got stronger so they got much better balanced and the bass got much clearer as well. One thing to note is that these are studio headphones designed not to hide distortion or other errors they are quite revealing. They have lower models that is made more for entertainment and is cheaper but don´t have the same sound quality of course.

But the superb soundstage, bass that goes lower, is stronger but faster then the Dt 770 and cleaner highs then the A900 they are almost perfect I can´t see anything in it´s price range beating it for gaming and movies. For music it´s more personal preference and what you are listening too but they are the best of what I have tried here as well. amplifications does of course help them but they don´t require a monster amp to sound good but it does of course help quite a bit.

The open variants is the 2500 but then I preferr speakers for games that requires a wider soundstage and these headphones are so powerful they leak quite a lot of sound if you play at night and don´t want to disturb someone. In this department the 750 is much better then the A900 in isolation and on par with the DT 700.
 
Yes the Ultrasones use S-Logic which is a different way of introducing sound to the ear canal. After much burn in they will work out of a portable source. However, when I first got my 2500s they would not play out of my laptop headphone jack. Just out of an amp. Great, great sound for around $200-400 depending on them being used or new or have upgraded cabling.
 
I wouldn´t be afraid to by these used... The headband may seem flimsy and swiveling earpads and all but it´s actually very durable... I have been a bit clumsy with mine dropped them to the floor several times fall on the cable and everything but they are still in condition as new. Maybe not the most elegant headphones but surely have their own look.

As for the S-logic it should be noticed that you do get used to the effect and it just feels natural when you are used to them. But you do miss the effect when you run on other headphones so it helps on a subconcious level lol.
But the wow factor when watching movies and a door knock or phone ringing appear in a total different place is something to experience.

More convincing then the 5.1 headphones I have tried. Was a while since I checked their homepage but they had some model with 4 drivers coming out. Cheaper may worth checking out if you don´t want to pay that much for a set of headphones :)
 
Huge endorsement for the Audio Technical A900s. I used to say the best upgrade I ever got for my computer was a larger monitor...can't rightly do that anymore.
 
Can you guys please post which headphone amp and soundcard you are using when you make a recommendation for headphones? :)

I have an Auzen Prelude card right now, and I want an amp and headphones (unless you guys feel I dont need an amp). Also, I want to use the soundcard DACs and OPAMPs....not the headphone amp DACs and OPAMPs (if it has any).
 
Can you guys please post which headphone amp and soundcard you are using when you make a recommendation for headphones?

Whatever DAC happens to be in my Onkyo 604 receiver. Also tried my A900s on a 1st gen Zune. They aren't terribly picky.
 
have to throw this in:
i ust got some Everglide 'gaming' headphones. got them cheap-15.00
these are not average 'gaming' cans. good range and major bass capable, the bass is like real cans- not icemats, plantronics, etc-. the bass was up there with my hd545 and ath-ad500(tho not as sweet sounding)
squeezes your head a little
 
The A900s are great. If you want to save some $$ just get them and run them out of your Prelude. No need to amp the Audiotechnicas.
 
I run my Proline 750 out of my X-fi Elite PRO and Heed Canamp.

As for amplification depends a bit on the source the Prelude is quite good I would guess around the level of the elite pro even perhaps so you don´t desperately need an amp for either the 750, DT 770 or the A900... A900 is the least picky but it does have the least interesting sound unamped as well out of those three.

750 is the one that benefits the most though and you do get stronger bass response with the DT 770.

As for amps everyone has op amps but mostly don´t have DAC. The specifications will say if it has though. Have not checked what OPAMP the heed canamp has but it does have a real nice signature for the 750 at least. Haven´t run the A900 on these and the DT 770 very little more on my old pimeta amp.
 
I have a post in computer audio that is not getting much response. what are people's settings in the x-fi software for your surround sound headsets? CMSS 3d, bass redirection? What are the distances set up for in the THX configuration? Counter-strike source and others sound horrible. Front and rear que's are horrible in all games. bass is extremely weak in gaming mode, but excellent in entertainment mode.
 
I'm wondering if I picked up some KOSS SB45's, if I would need a sound card to get the most out of it. I had an Audigy 2 ZS installed on my computer up until recently, decided I didn't really need it and went back to onboard audio (rig in sig), but then upgraded to Vista 64bit Home Premium. If I got these headphones, should I install my Audigy card again? Or is it not even worth it and should I buy an X-Fi card to get the most out of my sound?

Basically, I would like to enjoy games like COD4 with good volume and bass but don't want the neighbors to hear. I'm wondering also though how these types of headphones work with 3D sound, since I've been reading on the forums here that 5.1 headphones are almost all pretty crappy. I want to be able to hear where gunshots are coming from. I actually have 5.1 Altec Lansing speakers right now, but not set up behind me or anything, no room and corded. So for music it's not bad but for games I want the full 3D effect. What do you guys think?

Edit: Guess I was thinking also, since I'd probably only use headphones for gaming, would 5.1 headphones actually work well for me? Or would the SB45's be better?
 
I'm wondering if I picked up some KOSS SB45's, if I would need a sound card to get the most out of it. I had an Audigy 2 ZS installed on my computer up until recently, decided I didn't really need it and went back to onboard audio (rig in sig), but then upgraded to Vista 64bit Home Premium. If I got these headphones, should I install my Audigy card again? Or is it not even worth it and should I buy an X-Fi card to get the most out of my sound?
Your audigy 2zs should be just fine, and easier to configure...

The line about all 5.1 headphones are almost all pretty crappy is completely untrue. My Medusa headsets were great and I only bought my Turtle Beach HPA2's because my daughters broke the others. 5.1 Headsets rock; as long as you know how to configure them with an X-fi or have an Audigy 2 ZS. I had a 2 ZS until it died... bought an X-fi Platinum and am having some issues... Hope this helps.
 
Your audigy 2zs should be just fine, and easier to configure...



The line about all 5.1 headphones are almost all pretty crappy is completely untrue. My Medusa headsets were great and I only bought my Turtle Beach HPA2's because my daughters broke the others. 5.1 Headsets rock; as long as you know how to configure them with an X-fi or have an Audigy 2 ZS. I had a 2 ZS until it died... bought an X-fi Platinum and am having some issues... Hope this helps.

they tend to have lower sound qualty then normal headphones because of the trade off, I used to use 5.1 headphones all the time my self. But I decide the trade off wasnt worth it any more and i got sick of not having bass in the rear or not in the front and what not.

So i sold the Razers HP1 I had and went to the ones I have now. I dont really need to enable CMS3D mode with my headphones. Because I can hear all around them with them because of the sound stage and the drivers and what not.

It be something diffent if I was using my cheaper E-D FX headphones I have laying around.

some of the 5.1 headphones are good, then some of them are trash like the 5.1 headphones LTB tend to make.Then some of the ones that deisgn odd doesnt sound right. Like the Razers because of there poor rear bass and the placement. it didnt sound like they was behind me. The HPA1's sound like they was but they didnt have bass in the front channel and there power hook up annoyed me.
 
I don't think people were saying 5.1 headphones in themselves were bad, but from what I've seen in my research of them, they're not always the greatest quality. That, and they're not great for music. Fortunately though, I would only use the headphones for games so maybe it might not be so bad.
 
Only use 5.1 headphones for games. Go ahead and believe they are better. I have tried Medusas, TB, Razer, Icemat et all. They stink. The sound quality sucks overall. The only thing they do ok is positional audio. The Koss SB 40 series does a better job of even that though b/c it has such a clearly optimized sound signature for gaming. Footsteps are ridiculously clear and shots are easy to spot and even judge distance. I suggest everyone try the Koss and lmk your impressions. Try them in a smaller server in cod4 like 20 ppl or less and you will understand what my teamates have come to swear by. The Koss are hacks!

I am not a snob. My gear is all bang for the buck. I use what works period.
 
Lol ok thanks for your input spaceman. I think I'll pick up the Sb40's. I'm still wondering though if the audigy card will be enough, or if I should save for an x-fi for the cmss3d.
 
Lol ok thanks for your input spaceman. I think I'll pick up the Sb40's. I'm still wondering though if the audigy card will be enough, or if I should save for an x-fi for the cmss3d.


the audigy does cmss3d- same as x-fi just doesnt do eax5. try it 1st b4 u buy an x-fi
 
I purchased the SB45 based on the recommendations here from buy.com for around $28 shipped. I paired it with my xbox360 and audigy2 (I have it hooked to the line-in). I've been playing cod4 with them and have been doing okay. I just recently tried it with cmss3d(2) and have been able to get even better scores. cmss and the sb45 really opened up the play field and hearing footsteps was never easier. I love it.

I only have one personal problem with them though. I have a big head (I can't wear any fitted baseball caps) and it gets uncomfortable after about and hour or 2. I'd also of preferred that the cans didn't fold up the way they do.
 
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