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10bux posted:Great thanks! I just remember when I was looking at purchasing these, a lot of the comments were talking about soundcards and amps. A lot of people spoke as if you had to at least have one or the other. Otherwise, you weren't getting the "full experience" out of your headphones. I'm sure most of the people were over-reacting and don't believe that onboard is good enough; but, is there a case for portable amps/cards if you do a lot of traveling and would be listening to music from your phone, tablet, or ipod? I'm just curious, after what you said, there's no way I'm shelling out the money. Stuff like the m50 are not going to see a change with an amp. The dt770 does a bit and I think some grados do, but it's mostly a concern on more expensive , less portable models. Monitor is an application, as in a sound engineer monitors the recording/performance. I think most people who say that mean pro quality sound
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Aug 31, 2015 02:30
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10bux posted:Great thanks! I just remember when I was looking at purchasing these, a lot of the comments were talking about soundcards and amps. A lot of people spoke as if you had to at least have one or the other. Otherwise, you weren't getting the "full experience" out of your headphones. I'm sure most of the people were over-reacting and don't believe that onboard is good enough; but, is there a case for portable amps/cards if you do a lot of traveling and would be listening to music from your phone, tablet, or ipod? I'm just curious, after what you said, there's no way I'm shelling out the money. Personally, while many onboard DACs are pretty decent now, in my opinion an external DAC *can* improve your sound as far as signal to noise ratio goes, and lower noise floor. Some may have slightly different signatures, too. But for the most part, when people say you aren't getting the "full experience", it's probably due to higher than 32-38ohm headphone impedance without an amplifier. Especially with orthodynamic or electrostatic headphones, they require a decent amount of power. Rule of thumb is, if it sounds good to you, then great!  Typically "monitor" headphones are intended to be used during music production and as such should provide a very neutral, flat frequency response so as not to color the sound they hear while monitoring their production live. Many headphones have varying response curves, such as a sharp peak around 7-10khz, making them bright or like a low frequency bump for bass reproduction. See if your headphones are on: http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph
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Aug 31, 2015 03:24
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I feel like this is a bit of a long shot, but is there such a thing as IEM headphones that don't have noise canceling? A mic & volume controls are also mandatory as well.
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Aug 31, 2015 04:47
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HappyHelmet posted:I feel like this is a bit of a long shot, but is there such a thing as IEM headphones that don't have noise canceling? A mic & volume controls are also mandatory as well. All IEMs will block some noise, it's just the nature of the design sealing off the ear canal. So to answer your question, no, there aren't any IEMs with truly no noise blocking. That said, different models block noise to a different degree. The Xiaomi Piston 3 might suit your needs.
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Aug 31, 2015 05:47
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Tactical Lesbian posted:Personally, while many onboard DACs are pretty decent now, in my opinion an external DAC *can* improve your sound as far as signal to noise ratio goes, and lower noise floor. Some may have slightly different signatures, too. But for the most part, when people say you aren't getting the "full experience", it's probably due to higher than 32-38ohm headphone impedance without an amplifier. Especially with orthodynamic or electrostatic headphones, they require a decent amount of power. Rule of thumb is, if it sounds good to you, then great!
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Aug 31, 2015 10:08
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So I got a pair of HD598 headphones on the way, now I'm thinking about driving them on my PC. I'm going to wait until I hear them without any additional hardware, but if I want a DAC / Amp, am I going to be better served by something external like the Fiio E11K or a sound card, like the sound blaster Z?
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Aug 31, 2015 10:24
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It doesn't matter.
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Aug 31, 2015 11:37
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At work I run an Asus Xonar U7 with Steelseries Siberia V2s, which comes to a sub-$100 "setup" if it even deserves that name, and the Asus is tons and tons and tons better than the onboard audio on the recent Dell Precision and Latitude laptops I use. I mostly listen to MP3s at 128kb and up.
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Sep 1, 2015 09:43
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So I'm looking to get into semi audiophile headphones and was wondering if you guys might be able to help me narrow it down to a specific pair. What I'm looking for is: $250 - $350 range Rich details but not at the sake of bass. Open back design Good build quality (preferably not made in China) Bonus would be reasonable to great comfort, detachable cable and minimal design. I've been looking at the HD 598s, HD650s, the DT990s, and some of the HifiMans, the Sennheiser Momentums, the Philips X2s. Now because I'm a picky twat, here what I do not like about each of the headphones that I've considered so far HD598/600/650: Don't really like the looks of the 5xx-6xx Sennheisers. The color scheme on the 598s is just very tacky in my opinion and both look like any other $50-150 Sennheisers. The faux marble look on the 600s is rear end ugly. Get that it's not supposed to be a fashion piece of but can't help wanting something nice looking when spending more. DT990: From what I've heard the 990s (and all Beyerdynamics) are very treble rich. Do not have a removable cable. Heard mixed reviews on quality control. HifiMans: Are a bit out of my price range. Made in China. Momentums: I really just like because of the design. They're made in China. And are closed back. X2s: Are made in China as well. Apprehensive about the quality of Philips high end headphones. I'm not opposed to buying used or refurbed to save some bucks or to get a better deal on a higher quality set. Is there something that meets these specs? travisray2004 fucked around with this message at 23:46 on Sep 2, 2015 |
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Sep 2, 2015 23:32
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travisray2004 posted:Get that it's not supposed to be a fashion piece of but can't help wanting something nice looking when spending more. Listen to a pair of HD650s and then decided if you care about looks. Also you can't see them when they're on your head.
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Sep 3, 2015 03:05
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I agree that the faux marble on the senns looks awful, but it's slightly less bad irl. Hifiman has the he400s coming which will be in your price range and has great advance reviews. If you want to buy now, unless you have a sound preference for the hd600, the Philips x2 is the way to go. I don't think there's any reason to worry about build quality. Check out innerfidelity and tyll's wall of fame for more details.
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Sep 3, 2015 04:01
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Just got a lead on a cheap set of used DT770 32ohms, they are said to be almost not used at all, but are from 2009. Are they worth going for, or will they have deteriorated too bad by themselves by now?
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Sep 3, 2015 13:44
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absolem posted:I agree that the faux marble on the senns looks awful, but it's slightly less bad irl. Hifiman has the he400s coming which will be in your price range and has great advance reviews. If you want to buy now, unless you have a sound preference for the hd600, the Philips x2 is the way to go. I don't think there's any reason to worry about build quality. Check out innerfidelity and tyll's wall of fame for more details. Ugh. Don't know how I just noticed that the X2s are supraaural. Was heavily leaning towards them until I found that out. I was also very interested in the custom DT990s that were on Massdrop a while back but I currently do not have any amplification and those things are 600 ohm. Shame. Guess I will be reading up on the he400s. Thanks!
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Sep 3, 2015 17:27
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travisray2004 posted:Ugh. Don't know how I just noticed that the X2s are supraaural. Was heavily leaning towards them until I found that out. I was also very interested in the custom DT990s that were on Massdrop a while back but I currently do not have any amplification and those things are 600 ohm. Shame. The x2 is circumaural, not supra aural. You will probably want amplification with any of these options.
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Sep 3, 2015 17:43
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absolem posted:The x2 is circumaural, not supra aural. You will probably want amplification with any of these options. That was my assumption but I'm still getting into all of the terminology so I thought it might have meant a specific type of on ears. Guess Amazon was wrong, hah. From what I've read on Amazon and headfi, the he400s benefits from amplification but doesn't necessarily need it. Will probably invest in an amp eventually.
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Sep 3, 2015 17:52
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Audio-Technica CKR9s for 139 on Amazon. Half off their full retail price. Grabbed a pair as soon as I saw the price. From everything I researched these were a great value at 200 dollars. Will post my thoughts after a few weeks with them.
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Sep 4, 2015 02:40
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travisray2004 posted:That was my assumption but I'm still getting into all of the terminology so I thought it might have meant a specific type of on ears. Guess Amazon was wrong, hah. The Hifiman cans are sensitive by orthodynamic standards but you definitely will want amplification. Of your list, I'd go for the HE-400/500 or HD-600/650. I have Beyerdynamic DT990s and DT770s, neither of them have much in the way of bass, even the closed 770s.
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Sep 4, 2015 03:40
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Tactical Lesbian posted:The Hifiman cans are sensitive by orthodynamic standards but you definitely will want amplification. Of your list, I'd go for the HE-400/500 or HD-600/650. I have Beyerdynamic DT990s and DT770s, neither of them have much in the way of bass, even the closed 770s. I think the he500 and hd600/650 are out of his budget. Why recommend the he400 and not the he400s?
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Sep 4, 2015 04:02
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absolem posted:Why recommend the he400 and not the he400s? Do hwut now?
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Sep 4, 2015 04:21
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Tactical Lesbian posted:Do hwut now? The he400s is a new product, the reviews I've seen say it's much better than the he400 for $50 more
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Sep 4, 2015 04:26
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absolem posted:The he400s is a new product, the reviews I've seen say it's much better than the he400 for $50 more Oh neat, glad I didn't buy the HE400 a few months ago then! Thanks~
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Sep 4, 2015 05:17
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Tactical Lesbian posted:I have Beyerdynamic DT990s and DT770s, neither of them have much in the way of bass, even the closed 770s. DT770's are known for being bass-heavy. I don't find it overwhelming, I use DT770s for my computer, but they definitely are not lacking in bass at all... Are you comparing to Beats or something? I don't mean that pejoratively at all, the only headphones I've used that could make the 770s seem bass-weak were the Beats Wireless Studio 2.0.
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Sep 4, 2015 18:38
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ddogflex posted:DT770's are known for being bass-heavy. I don't find it overwhelming, I use DT770s for my computer, but they definitely are not lacking in bass at all... Are you comparing to Beats or something? I don't mean that pejoratively at all, the only headphones I've used that could make the 770s seem bass-weak were the Beats Wireless Studio 2.0. The DT770s can give some really good bass reproduction but dat sibilance with the sharp treble peak kind of overpowers the bass IMO. When I listen to something like Indigo Children by Puscifer, the opening vibrates my cheeks. Not sure what I was thinking when I said that, though.
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Sep 5, 2015 04:47
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Does this seem like a legit Piston 3 seller?
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Sep 5, 2015 06:08
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So far the CKR9's have been very impressive. A nice spread out sound stage. The bass is tight and punchy instead of muddy or overwhelming.
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Sep 5, 2015 17:29
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Does it have to be the Youth edition? Because this seller is legit and it's cheaper to get the full version: http://www.amazon.ca/Original-Xiaom...keywords=piston
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Sep 5, 2015 18:45
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I'm split between the Bowers & Wilkins P7, and the Bang and Olufsen H6. Primary use would be a split between music that's bass heavy, movies, and gaming. The H6 sounds like it wins out on comfort and better overall soundstage, but I hear it's weak on bass. Anyone recommend one over the other, or if there's another set that's worth greater attention at under $500 CAD?
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Sep 5, 2015 20:06
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M. Propagandalf posted:I'm split between the Bowers & Wilkins P7, and the Bang and Olufsen H6. V-Moda Crossfade M-100 or Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80. The two headphones you chose are really overpriced for the sound quality.
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Sep 5, 2015 21:19
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I agree with the above. I have the m100 and love it, but I think the best closed headphone under $500 is the oppo pm3 ($400). Check out the wirecutter's headphone Roundup and innerfidelity for more options.
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Sep 5, 2015 22:40
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grack posted:Does it have to be the Youth edition? Because this seller is legit and it's cheaper to get the full version: http://www.amazon.ca/Original-Xiaom...keywords=piston Whoops, didn't even notice. Never shop while drowsy.
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Sep 5, 2015 22:51
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absolem posted:I agree with the above. I have the m100 and love it, but I think the best closed headphone under $500 is the oppo pm3 ($400). Check out the wirecutter's headphone Roundup and innerfidelity for more options. The Oppo PM-3 is well north of $500 in Canada with tax and shipping.
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Sep 5, 2015 23:31
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grack posted:The Oppo PM-3 is well north of $500 in Canada with tax and shipping. Ouch, never mind then
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Sep 6, 2015 05:32
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So if you've never had a set of over ear headphones/monitors before, the AKG K99's are a great place to start. And they're $35 on massdrop right now. I just bought a pair. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-k99-audiophile-headphones Don't think, just do. it's only $35 and the deal ends in 2 days. Also, if you're a complete audiophile, they have the beyerdynamic dt990's for $220. They're the 600ohm model though, so you're gonna need a nice amp.
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Sep 9, 2015 20:41
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My old JVC HA-S700's broke this evening, and so I need to replace them. I'd like an over-ear pair for general computer use that occasionally lasts for hours on the weekends. Budget's sub-$100, preferably sub-$80. So far the top contender seems to be the Creative Aurvana Live headphones, though the Philips O'Neill SHO9560, and Phillips Superlux HD668B also seem decent. Does anyone have any advice on any of those three? Or am I making a horrible mistake and should be getting _____ instead? (a headset with mic would be gravy but is very low priority) (I also looked at those $35 AKG K99's but, uh, the site confuses me. I want to be able to give them my money and get my items without logging into facebook)
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Sep 10, 2015 03:37
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Arcturas posted:My old JVC HA-S700's broke this evening, and so I need to replace them. I'd like an over-ear pair for general computer use that occasionally lasts for hours on the weekends. Budget's sub-$100, preferably sub-$80. Sennheiser Momentum http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Mo...heiser+momentum Edit: I do not know if the controls work with anything other than iPhones
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Sep 10, 2015 12:57
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Arcturas posted:My old JVC HA-S700's broke this evening, and so I need to replace them. I'd like an over-ear pair for general computer use that occasionally lasts for hours on the weekends. Budget's sub-$100, preferably sub-$80. How important is isolation? Sennheiser HD558 and Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X can be found for about $100 quite often, and are probably my favorite open headphones at that price. If you want closed then I don't really have much in the way of recommendations as I really don't use them (go for IEMs if I need isolation), but the Sony MDR-V6/7506 is a common suggestion, and the AKG K240 is a semi-open option. GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Sennheiser Momentum He wanted over-ear, and those are the on-ear Momentums, not the more expensive over-ear version. I had them for a while, but found them to be rather uncomfortable (though I think that for almost all supra-aural headphones). GokieKS fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Sep 10, 2015 |
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Sep 10, 2015 17:49
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The upcoming DT-1770 was exactly what I was looking for as an upgrade to my 770s, but the naming is a little bit misleading. It seems to be a Tesla successor, and is priced accordingly, not a DT-770 successor.
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Sep 10, 2015 19:04
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GokieKS posted:How important is isolation? Sennheiser HD558 and Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X can be found for about $100 quite often, and are probably my favorite open headphones at that price. If you want closed then I don't really have much in the way of recommendations as I really don't use them (go for IEMs if I need isolation), but the Sony MDR-V6/7506 is a common suggestion, and the AKG K240 is a semi-open option. Whoops I misread that, sorry. I thought he said On-ear. You had the over-ear ones?
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Sep 10, 2015 22:19
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Whoops I misread that, sorry. I thought he said On-ear. No, the on-ear. I needed something with only some isolation (so I can hear people at work), and I figured supra-aural would fit the bill better, but about a week of use made me reconsider and returned it.
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Sep 11, 2015 00:27
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I'm looking to upgrade my aging and well used headphones. Budget - $70-120 Canadian to replace my similarly priced PX-100 that I use for walking around and $200-400 Canadian for my at-home headphones. Source - iPhone for the cheaper one and an old Denon AVR that's connected to my onboard audio from my desktop via optical cable for the more expensive pair. Isolation Requirements - Maybe and no. Preferred Type of Headphone - On/over ear and over ear. Preferred Tonal Balance - Balanced and balanced/good bass. Past Headphones - Sennheiser PX-100 & HD555, I enjoyed them. Other than cheap headphones that came with walkmans & discmans in the past; the HD555 were my first major headphone purchase and I'm still using them, the PX-100 were bought around a year later to use while walking, running and at the gym but they're pretty beat up and the cord is starting to get damaged which I believe has lead to the sound cutting out occasionally. Preferred Music - Hip hop, classic rock and some techno for my walking/gym music and the at-home pair will be used mostly for TV & movies from my computer.
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Sep 11, 2015 15:06
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