The Headphones Thread - Page 24

Hi, Your PM alerted me to this post. I havent checked in here in a while...which is a shame really

Anyway - regarding your needs: (Priority from 0-5 with 0 = least important and 5 = most important)

Comfort - 5
Bass - 2
Price - 4
Physical Dimensions - 3
Sensitivity - 5


I give the sensitivity a 5 because (not a rule...several exceptions exist) higher impedance headphones tend to *mask* the clicks, pops, whirrs, buzz of the internal sound modules.

Ideally I would simply recommend you go with a cheap line-out or PCMCIA sound card but these can get pricey.

If you are stuck with the on-board sound card then FORGET about using "IEMs" or In Ear Monitors. You will have a severe case of tinnitus within a few weeks and the noise will drive you berserk.

Unfortunately your requirements for "Circumaural and Comfortable" conflict with "physical dimensions".

Do you mind a large-ish headphone that will make you look cool?


Recommendation #1 - Sony MDR-SA1000

This headphone has plenty of bass that will add the oomph to your gaming and movie experience. Not to mention MP3s. I use one with my laptop and the 75 Ohms nominal impedance really helps stave off the noise issues. Sure...the noise is still there but not as bad as it was with an IEM which is a lot more sensitive.

The headphones are full-size but they fit into my laptop backpack. VERY comfortable (this is the MAIN reason why I recommend them).

Price : you can find them for $70 - $100 USD (used and new). I got mine for $70.00 used (but the seller sent them to me brand new...I just decided to keep them and he had already decided to upgrade).

Let me know if you would like an audition (to try them out).

Recommendation #2 - Sennheiser HD-580

Beautiful sound...absolutely no complaints in the scope of utilization that you have in mind. Very comfortable. More durable than the Sony and smaller side profile makes it easier to put away in a bag. This headphone is a HUGE leap from anything you are used to (same for the SONY) so I think you will end up treating them with plenty of care Sensitivity is low enough that they will mask almost all the noise from the internal soundcard. Great for movies also.

Dont pay more than $120.00 - $140.00 for a new pair and $100.00 for a sparingly used pair. Check www.headfi.com if you can find any that are for sale. If you dont have any feedback then you can always find someone to act as the go-between you and the seller.



Recommendation #3: Sennheiser PX-100

Easy to carry around, Looks are neat and they dont "stand out" Yes they are supra-aural and therefore I dont know how they will affect bespectacled users. I did think they were comfy and very light on the ears.

I'll thrown in the KOSS portapro2 as a recommendation. Lifetime warranty means you can trash them without worry Koss will always replace...no questions asked.


Let me know how far you are willing to stretch your budget and what compromises you are willing to make and we can arrive at a final choice. If any of these recommendations tickle your fancy - go fot it! They will all serve you well.

gs

Hi gsferrari! Thx for coming back!

Anyways, yeah, I think you've assessed my needs pretty well. One of my big questions, though, is whether you've ever heard the AKG K-66's, cause I'd like to know how that compares to the other equipment in terms of sound quality and characteristics.

I should also point out that my budget is around $50CDN max (+ say about $10 CDN for shipping), or less, if the quality drop is only marginal. The $66CDN for the Sennheiser PX100's + $10 CDN shipping is actually outside my budget, now that I think about it. So I probably won't consider them unless I can find them for cheaper, or if they are seriously amazingly good and better than my other cheaper options.

Also, I guess I wouldn't mind a large-ish set of headphones; even if they look even worse than other large headphones (I think the K-66's are big AND they look stupid )

About Recommendation #1 - Sony Styles Canada is selling those for $300CDN, and even your projected price of $100 USD is way more than my target $50 CDN budget, lol.

Rcommendation #2 - Same thing for these Sennheisers, I guess. Way over my price target

Recommendation #3 - I might consider these if they would sound amazing to me for music and gaming and voice. Or in other words, if they offer comparable clarity and fidelity to the K-66's. I'm guessing they're open headphones, too. If they're pretty light on the ears, it should be manageable for me even though they're supra-aural, because I probably won't be wearing them for hours straight without taking them off at least a bit. I'd like to take a look at the Koss PortaPro2's if they were cheap enough, but I can't find ANYBODY who sells them online in Canada.

In terms of sensitivity, do you think I wouldn't mind a set of 32 ohm headphones for my price range? I don't think I'm THAT much of an audiophile. Hmm, my laptop should be arriving soon (it's already in Calgary! yay!), so maybe I'll try my onboard sound with some Optimus Nova 57 headphones that I have (loose connection and yucky supra-aural high-pressure non-comfort) and see if I can notice hissing. They are 32 ohm impedance as well, with 105dB sensitivity. http://support.radioshack.com/suppor...oc39/39826.htm

If you think increased impedance is really necessary, then what do you think about the Sony MDRXD100 Studio Monitor Series Headphones w/ 70ohm impedance? Advantages include low $29.99CDN price, too, and I think these ones come with some switch for bass modification if you're either listening to "movies" or "music". I'm not sure if they're circumaural. Anyways, they look pretty cool. Also, how do you think Sony's MDRV150 Studio Monitor Series Headphones would compare to the PX100/SR60/K-66's in terms of sound quality? They're only 24ohms, but it's also only $29.99CDN, like the MDRXD100.

Anyways, I think I'd like to get the K-66's, unless you think that a cheaper set of headphones that I can get a hold of would offer similar sound performance. Or if you knew of any similarly priced headphones that offered better sound quality (I don't think I'd notice any higher quality for voice and non-bass sound, though, because what I heard over them sounded life-like to me).

What do you guys think about the looks of the K-66's? Actually, I don't think they look TOO bad. Anyways, I found another online Canadian seller of some headphones. http://www.acclaim-music.com/live/cu...f1281043f5f244 There are three headphones on that link to page 2 that are around the $30-20 CDN mark before the $20CDN shipping cost. These are:
Stanton DJPRO60 DJ Headphones
Stanton DJPRO 50S DJ Headphones
and way at the bottom, the Numark HF125 Headphones

Any ideas on how they'd sound? Anyways, in summary, "should I stick with the K-66's for that price range, and would they meet my user requirements?" Thx in advance

I havent heard the AKG unfortunately. I cannot find reviews on HeadFi either (solid reviews).

When you can get a used headphone within your budget from USA - go fot it. A better quality used headpone will serve you better than a lower end NEW headphone. Also - used headphones are past the burn-in period (all new headphones sound a bit weird out of the box).

See if you can find used headphones that meet your needs on HeadFi. Start looking for the Grado SR-60 because I think that is ideal for you and anybody else USA sellers will be happy to ship to Canada. If there is anything you want me to buy in USA and ship to you let me know and I can help you out (purchasing from a store etc.). I found that USA prices for Grado are considerably less than canadian prices.


gs

Ok, my i9300 arrived yesterday. I tried some cheapo Kenwood earphones with 'em, and the audible hiss was like its own musical attraction I tried my 32ohm "Nova 57" semi-broken headphones, and the hiss was definately softer in volume, but not really noticeable when music was playing. Even though the audio quality wasn't perfect, I was enjoying hearing some decent quality music over headphones. Like you've said, gsferrari, you get way better value for your money in terms of sound quality with headphones vs. speakers.

So, I'm thinking, maybe I'll just go for a low-priced set of higher-impedance headphones, like that 60ohm Sony MDR-XD100 that I can get for at least $29.99CDN online from Sony Styles Canada. Or maybe I'll just get a similarly inexpensive set of more portable headphones or a USB headset with a lower impedance to go with my onboard sound.

Hmm. Anyways, I think I'll bring my laptop in to A&B Sound and plug in those opened headphones on display that aren't connected to anything to see how I like their feel AND their sound (in conjunction with my onboard sound).

see if you can find the 120 ohm version of the HD-515 or used HD-580s on Headfi. I think there are a few on sale...search. Worth the money.

Hey, I just saw some Sennheiser 32ohm earphones in a store. MX500's and 400's, I think. For $40 CDN. A good deal? Anyone heard them or heard about them, before? I've got to do some research online about them, later. Maybe HeadFi has some reviews about that.

Update: NCIX.com has 'em (MX 400) in stock for $21 CDN! Woot! I think I might actually go for these! They also have the MX 550's that I saw in The Source by Circuit City earlier today, but those are 16 ohm ones. Hmm, one person who reviewed the 550's on NCIX said that the sound quality is better than on the 400's.

[Added later:] Here are some reviews from Head-Fi of the MX400/500 and MX550:
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...0&page=1&pp=20

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=797
Basically, the reviews are good for all of them. One person said the MX500's sound a bit better than the 400's (although they're supposed to sound very similar), but we can't really get the MX500's here (I can get it from eCost through CanadaPost Borderfree, but it's insanely expensive just to get it to Canada). The results are very mixed for MX550's vs MX500's.

Here are the specs for the MX 400's:
(from http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...%20Electronics

Features
Excellent sound, full bass
With convenient windup-case

Specifications
Transducer Principle Dynamic, open
Frequency Response 18-20,000 Hz
Nominal Impedance 32 ohms
Weight Wo Cable approx. 0.21 oz
Characteristic Spl 119 dB at 1 kHz, o.5 Vrms
Ear Coupling Intra-aural
Distortion <1%

Connectors
Connector 3.5 mm mini-stereo with 1/4” adapter

----

Btw, while I'm typing this up, I've got some old Kenwood earphones that came with a portable CD player in my ears, hooked up to my i9300. Let's just say that I'm enjoying the ambient, but still somewhat soft, white noise in my ears. Kind of soothing, actually. Goes along well with the fan I have behind me that's on.

Ok, I still haven't gotten the MX400's yet, but I'm wondering about foamies for earbuds (the foam covers). Basically, I was in this really cool on-campus dollar store, and I found 6 foamies for a buck (Canadian). But they're like no named ones. I know that ppl on head-fi keep talking about Radio Shack foamies that they use instead of the stock Sennheiser foamies, for example, so I was wondering whether I should expect that these no name cheap foamies might actually work well or not.

Questions

Hi all.

got simple question.

I use inspiron 9300, and i wonder if Audigy 2 NX and Labtec Arena 685 are good choice?
Or should i use Audigy 2 ZS ...same price as the NX card?
I read topics here, and i cannot clearly say whitch USB or PCMCIA is better option for my laptop...

I can buy Audigy for 80$ and those speakers from Labtec for 60$.

What about quality and price? is this ok combination? Thx for reply in advance

The Sony MP3 player NW-HD5 should only be coupled with the best available headphones. The Er6 Isolator, people. ER6 ISOLATOR. Remember it.

Hey ilear. From what this thread is about, I'm more inclined to believe that you'd get a better value AND sound quality/experience with headphones, rather than speakers. Plus, they're way more portable and convenient than speakers for a laptop.

The Etymotics ER6i is a bass-starved headphone. You will have more fun with a Shure E2c. Read reviews on HeadFi about IEMs (newer ones) because I havent been following that scene closely. I think a few new players are in the market now - Westone, Ultimate Ears, Sensaphonics etc.

Update on my Sennheiser MX400's: I like 'em, but my i9300 puts out a whole bunch of noise through the headphone jack, and these 32ohm earbuds are just as sensitive as my older earbuds. Maybe I have to look at the sensitivity spec, and not the impedance spec? These ones have like 116dB/something sensitivity.

Thx for advice jacmert :]
Indeed, headphones included in SB Audigy ZS pack are impresive good...aspecially that i didnt expected them to be in package But those speakers are nice too - i use them only in my room for dvd films. I'm not a music expert, but sound of those cheep one's is for me perfect for such a low price (i bought it for 55$).
And SB ZS was great chooisce too - now Tresor and Minimal sound much better :>

Cheers

hi, i'm interested in buying some headphones for music, gaming, and watching movies. I read this whole thread and did some research on other sites as well. Right now I'm looking at the Senn HD-280. I like bass but I don't need anything extreme. Probably 25 pages back gsferrari said that the hd-280s have realistic sound and that seems like it would be what id like to get. I also have a SB Audigy 2 zs notebook on my laptop. Would anyone recommend these headphones to me? I found them for 68 dollars new on comp u plus and a silver pair of the same for 75. Also, that's about the price I'd want to pay for headphones.

This is going to be a big upgrade for me because im currently using some old kenwood headphones that came from my portable cd player i got in 1998 lol. These look like they would be the "original headphones." I couldn't even find a picture of any headphones on the internet that had these headphones or ones that looked as old as mine. =P Thanks in advance for the help.

If you are looking for closed headphones for a low price then you have the right can. If you want to be spending a little bit more, the Beyerdynamic DT770 are a very good pair of headphones with great bass. If you don't mind having open headphones, you might want to take a look at the SR60's, great headphones for a great price!

Good luck,
Marc

I did research for a long time about which headphones to get. I looked high and low, senns, grados, etys, sures, pretty much everything and I finished my search and grabbed me some Future Sonic EM3's for $70 they are $99 at futuresonic.com they have soooo many good reviews saying best in ear phones for under 100 and they kill the ety er6i's I listened to the er6is and they had bad bass and I LOVE bass. The EM3's bass blows my head away, it is sooo powerful better than any headphone I have ever heard and they are awesome for everything I have used them for. The bass will shake your head....they sound absolutely amazing with my Ipod and comp. I wont be buying another pair of headphones for a great while. They are also built like a tank. They are brown to match the skin....this is primarly because these are meant for producers and music artists to use on stage. I highly suggest you grab some of these...I know my audio and these are everything I could ask for. Any music with bass will sound amazing, its not muddy either. The mids and highs are awesome. Check them out!

I have the er6i's. Those who say that these have no bass obviously do not own a pair, or have not inserted them correctly. The instructions clearly tell you that you have to lubricate the rubber tips with water before inserting them into your ears. I notice that when inserted dry, the bass is lacking...but when I follow this step, the bass is MUCH better. Not like the Sony thumpers with their nothing but bass sound, but adequate. I like bass thumping as much as the next guy, but not to a point where everything else seems to get drowned out. The highs and mid range on this in incredible. The EM3's do get nice reviews and seem to be a good deal at $70-$100, but do they have to be so damn ugly? What marketing/engineering genius decided to make them brown?

I have Sennheiser HD280 but due to problems with the plastic on the ends of the headband cracking, I would not get them again. Also for general listening their response is a little too flat, insufficient bass for most people, although this "accurate" response and the isolation from external noise is good for pro monitoring and DJing.

I have taped up the headband ends of my newly repaired HD280's with many tight layers of black electrical tape to prevent cracking and this seems to be working.

A lot of people on various forums have recommended Sony 7506 as being excellent sounding, sturdy, and a reasonable price similar to the Senn HD280.

Any other recommendations ?? Preperably a little bit cheaper as well?

I know they dont look the greatest but they perform amazing..no doubt the er6i's are great earbuds I just love bass and the EM3's give me what I need lol. I dont mind the color at all, they are ugly...less likely to be stolen haha.