Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

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ufarn: May 30, 2009

Monday_ posted:

It uses USB.

Alright, thanks a bunch. The only real holdout for me at the moment is that I can't find someone selling these in Europe. Is there some go-to place for these? thomann.de didn't seem to have them.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 15:39

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# ? May 22, 2024 14:00

GnarlyCharlie4u: Sep 23, 2007; I have an unhealthy obsession with motorcycles.

Proof

SRQ posted:

Looking for a good 150-200 dollar set of gaming headphones- not a headset, already have a good mic. Well, unless that's the only choice. Would love surround sound but I don't know if that's just a gimmick or not with headphones.
Big, comfy, over ear would be great. No wacky USB surround dongles is my only thing to avoid.

E: will format this properly when I have a proper keyboard in front of me, it also appears some good recommendations are on this page.

Sennheiser 598SE. They're open backed so, not good for porn unless you live alone.
They're loving amazing for counter-strike though. Dare I say, leagues better than my closed backed ATH M70x.

All headphones are technically surround sound. You only have 2 ears.
Multi-channel trickery be damned!

# ? Jan 7, 2016 15:51

KozmoNaut: Apr 23, 2008; Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle

ufarn posted:

Alright, thanks a bunch. The only real holdout for me at the moment is that I can't find someone selling these in Europe. Is there some go-to place for these? thomann.de didn't seem to have them.

Yeah, they don't really have any presence in Europe, and it's not worth it to import them due to taxes.

For something similar, you can get an Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2Di, which is based on NwAvGuy's O2+ODAC that he designed to prove that you don't need audiophile nonsense to build a good headphone amplifier.

Or if you want to buy from Thomann, you could get one of these:

http://www.thomann.de/dk/m_audio_super_dac.htm
http://www.thomann.de/dk/focusrite_scarlett_solo.htm
http://www.thomann.de/dk/fostex_hpa3.htm

They're professional products and while the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is intended mostly for recording, it also works well as a USB sound card.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 17:23

ufarn: May 30, 2009

KozmoNaut posted:

Yeah, they don't really have any presence in Europe, and it's not worth it to import them due to taxes.

For something similar, you can get an Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2Di, which is based on NwAvGuy's O2+ODAC that he designed to prove that you don't need audiophile nonsense to build a good headphone amplifier.

Or if you want to buy from Thomann, you could get one of these:

http://www.thomann.de/dk/m_audio_super_dac.htm
http://www.thomann.de/dk/focusrite_scarlett_solo.htm
http://www.thomann.de/dk/fostex_hpa3.htm

They're professional products and while the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is intended mostly for recording, it also works well as a USB sound card.

The Epiphany seems like the best one - don't want a bunch of diode lights in the front nor two many knobs and handles to figure out. Probably gonna pick it up this week.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 18:31

Tactical Lesbian: Mar 31, 2012

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

Paging KozmoNaut and Tactical Lesbian (and other helmet-wearers):

I need a new set of IEMs that are super low profile and really noise-isolating for under my motorcycle helmet. My helmet is pretty snug and my ears stick out a little I guess, because all the ones I've used so far end up causing a good bit of fatigue after an hour or two. Do you think the Etymotic ETY-Kids would fit the bill? Since sound quality isn't priority, I've tried Skull Candy Budz, some cheap Phillips, and some iFrogs (which are surprisingly good all around) from Walmart. They all are both wide enough and high-profile enough that my helmet jams them into my ears and they get painful. And sometimes they conduct wind noise directly into my brain which is terrible.

I've also considered buying one of those mold-your-own earplug kits and modifying one of my older pairs into them, but if there's a good solution I'd prefer to put funds toward that instead.

Budget is about $40.

Check out the Audio Technica ATH-IM50s? Alternatively: MEE audio M6 PRO

I sound like a broken record, but if you can stretch your budget and just get these drat Shure SE215s you will not be disappointed; they fit FLUSH and sound ~fabulous~ for a cool hundo. They also have better isolation than the Audio Technicas or the MEEs, which is cool & good for wind noise. The Etys would almost certainly touch the helmet, and in the most annoying way.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 21:26

MrBond: Feb 19, 2004; FYI, Cheese NIPS are not the same as Cheez ITS

I have the senn 558 for my regular listening. I'm not missing much vs. the 598 right?

# ? Jan 7, 2016 21:50

Tactical Lesbian: Mar 31, 2012

MrBond posted:

I have the senn 558 for my regular listening. I'm not missing much vs. the 598 right?

If you're looking for someone to lift that last psychological barrier between you and scratching that headphone upgrade itch, you've come to the wrong place my friend. :homebrew:

e: that said, iirc the 558 and 598s use the same drivers and there is a simple mod out there for the 558 that make them sound like the 598s

Tactical Lesbian fucked around with this message at 22:06 on Jan 7, 2016

# ? Jan 7, 2016 21:54

Red_Fred: Oct 21, 2010; Fallen Rib

Looks like my Meelectronic A151p are on their way out, got almost two years out of them just mainly gym use. So I need another pair for mainly gym use.

Budget - Would prefer to spend less than $60 USD.
Source - Nexus 5X
Isolation Requirements -As high as possible.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM with headset if possible
Preferred Tonal Balance - Neutral to V
Past Headphones - Meelectronic A151p, Xiaomi Pistons (still using these for everyday use), Etymotic HF5
Preferred Music - Rock, punk, metal etc.

What are the cheaper Etymotics like? (Like the MC3.) Also I feel like Meelectronics are good but don't have the best build quality so that's a factor.

# ? Jan 7, 2016 22:30

MrBond: Feb 19, 2004; FYI, Cheese NIPS are not the same as Cheez ITS

Tactical Lesbian posted:

If you're looking for someone to lift that last psychological barrier between you and scratching that headphone upgrade itch, you've come to the wrong place my friend.

e: that said, iirc the 558 and 598s use the same drivers and there is a simple mod out there for the 558 that make them sound like the 598s

Oh I'm well aware how each headphone being a special snowflake + FOMO combine for "well maybe one more"

Cool. I don't feel quite like modding it yet but good to know it's easy enough should I want to try something new

# ? Jan 8, 2016 05:42

Woolie Wool: Jun 2, 2006

GnarlyCharlie4u posted:

Sennheiser 598SE. They're open backed so, not good for porn unless you live alone.
They're loving amazing for counter-strike though. Dare I say, leagues better than my closed backed ATH M70x.

All headphones are technically surround sound. You only have 2 ears.
Multi-channel trickery be damned!

Definitely this. "Gaming headphones" are going to be dumb overpriced poo poo, a decent pair of hi-fi headphones will be much better and deals don't get much better than the prices 598s go for on Amazon. They don't need an amp either.

As for surround, software surround can improve your experience with some games but you absolutely do not want it on for anything else--it will ruin music. I use Razer's surround because it came free with a mouse I bought. Works great with Doom.

The custom ear pads I bought for my HD 650s didn't fit (and were generally flimsy and lovely) so I had to buy OEM pads for Sennheiser's obscene price. Now I just need a new headband ( :shepspends:

) and they'll be good as new except for some dents in the grilles. God drat this hobby gets expensive when you go beyond "just buy a pair of 558s/598s and plug them into your computer". The total cost of my repairs to the 650s will come out to enough to buy a pair of 598s and then some. Now that I have new tubes and my amp is at full capacity, though, they sound way better than any 598s could hope to be, holy poo poo.

MrBond posted:

I have the senn 558 for my regular listening. I'm not missing much vs. the 598 right?

I've never heard the 558s, but I've heard 555s, 595s (the 5*5 models are discontinued), and 598s. 595s are quite a bit better than 555s, and 598s slightly better than 595s, but I'm not sure how the 558s stack up. You'll probably notice a difference, but if I were you I would not buy them until they have a good sale on them. And though the 500 series don't need an amp, it would probably be a noticeable improvement and you'll be spending $50-100 instead of $150-200.

Woolie Wool fucked around with this message at 06:50 on Jan 8, 2016

# ? Jan 8, 2016 06:32

NoDamage: Dec 2, 2000

So I bought a pair of HD650s and a Gilmore Lite about 10 years ago, they've been through various computers but at this point I'm primarily using a Macbook Air.

1. Should I get a DAC? How significant of a difference would that be compared to the MBA's headphone out?
2. Since it's been so long, has anything way better come out headphone or amp-wise that I should consider upgrading to?

# ? Jan 8, 2016 07:26

Tactical Lesbian: Mar 31, 2012

NoDamage posted:

So I bought a pair of HD650s and a Gilmore Lite about 10 years ago, they've been through various computers but at this point I'm primarily using a Macbook Air.

1. Should I get a DAC? How significant of a difference would that be compared to the MBA's headphone out?
2. Since it's been so long, has anything way better come out headphone or amp-wise that I should consider upgrading to?

1. Most modern electronics have good enough DACs for the most part, but I'd consider a DAC. Maybe since you've had the 650s for 10 years, you could try a tube DAC and roll tubes to play with the sound. Might be fun! I use an Aune T1 Mk2 as a DAC.
2. If your amp is performing well, I don't think there's a huge need to upgrade.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 08:38

Sanctum: Feb 14, 2005; Property was their religion
A church for one

I need a replacement for my senn HD 595 and I'm leaning towards getting the sony MDR-V6 because it's $40 cheaper than the HD 598 and the cord looks much thicker. Does anyone know how the sony MDR-V6 would compare to the HD 598? Same ballpark at least?

I bought the HD 429 to replace my 595s earlier but they were terrible, just terrible. Quality of a $20 headphone.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 08:55

Josh Lyman: May 24, 2009

Sanctum posted:

I need a replacement for my senn HD 595 and I'm leaning towards getting the sony MDR-V6 because it's $40 cheaper than the HD 598 and the cord looks much thicker. Does anyone know how the sony MDR-V6 would compare to the HD 598? Same ballpark at least?

I bought the HD 429 to replace my 595s earlier but they were terrible, just terrible. Quality of a $20 headphone.

The V6 is a closed monitor and the 598 is open. They sound nothing alike.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 09:32

Sanctum: Feb 14, 2005; Property was their religion
A church for one

As far as real headphones I've only ever had those 595s and one other sennheiser model that was way more expensive, I can't remember the model.

I'm no good for words here. Some headphones like to play things at different pitches -- I don't care about that part so much. What I mean is my 595s are audibly better at producing crisp notes than other headphones I own. It doesn't matter if I'm playing pokemon, there is a definite difference in inherent sound quality.

I have an Arcturus song I go to for bass repsonse, Alva Noto / Bad Sector for pitch, and Forseti for 'does it sound really good.' Plugging headphones into my DS is the real test though, those cheesy pokemon tunes tell all.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 13:40

ufarn: May 30, 2009

Any final input before I pull the trigger on the Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2Di for my Sennheiser HD 600s?

# ? Jan 8, 2016 15:00

Woolie Wool: Jun 2, 2006

Sanctum posted:

As far as real headphones I've only ever had those 595s and one other sennheiser model that was way more expensive, I can't remember the model.

I'm no good for words here. Some headphones like to play things at different pitches -- I don't care about that part so much. What I mean is my 595s are audibly better at producing crisp notes than other headphones I own. It doesn't matter if I'm playing pokemon, there is a definite difference in inherent sound quality.

I have an Arcturus song I go to for bass repsonse, Alva Noto / Bad Sector for pitch, and Forseti for 'does it sound really good.' Plugging headphones into my DS is the real test though, those cheesy pokemon tunes tell all.

What you mean is frequency response. The Sennheiser HD595s have a very strong treble response while your other Sennheisers (HD 600s or 650s more likely) are more balanced. Also unless you're using an amplifier, HD 600s or 650s will suffer, they have high impedance and don't like weak sources.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 20:24

HenryJLittlefinger: Jan 31, 2010; stomp clap

Tactical Lesbian posted:

Check out the Audio Technica ATH-IM50s? Alternatively: MEE audio M6 PRO

I sound like a broken record, but if you can stretch your budget and just get these drat Shure SE215s you will not be disappointed; they fit FLUSH and sound ~fabulous~ for a cool hundo. They also have better isolation than the Audio Technicas or the MEEs, which is cool & good for wind noise. The Etys would almost certainly touch the helmet, and in the most annoying way.

$100 is hard to swallow.

But they're for real super flush? No issues under a helmet even with the cords behind the ears? I'm pretty sensitive to that sort of thing, I generally even have to take out my earrings.

# ? Jan 11, 2016 02:49

Illusive Fuck Man: Jul 5, 2004; RIP John McCain feel better xoxo ð ð; Taco Defender

I need new headphones for commuting / general usage. The only thing I care about is that they're light, they don't leak a lot of sound, and I can kinda hear what's around me. I don't like earbuds. I really like the koss portapros, but I go through 2-3 pairs a year because they always loving break (sound goes out in one ear every time). I guess they're cheap enough that I can keep replacing them, but it would be nice to find something more durable with the same characteristics. I bought a pair of SR60e, but I think I'm going to return them because they're way too bulky for my purposes and they leak a lot more sound than the portapros.

My budget is loving whatever. I'm already spending $60-90/year on headphones. If a pair will last me more than a year i'd spend more than that.

Illusive Fuck Man fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Jan 11, 2016

# ? Jan 11, 2016 05:07

grack: Jan 10, 2012; COACH TOTORO SAY REFEREE CAN BANISH WHISTLE TO LAND OF WIND AND GHOSTS!

Uhhh have you tried contacting Koss? The Portapros have a lifetime warranty and Koss' customer service is fantastic.

# ? Jan 11, 2016 06:58

Tactical Lesbian: Mar 31, 2012

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

$100 is hard to swallow.

But they're for real super flush? No issues under a helmet even with the cords behind the ears? I'm pretty sensitive to that sort of thing, I generally even have to take out my earrings.

For real, super flush. I can wear them under my helmet, with glasses and earrings at the same time and I'd honestly say it's more comfortable to be wearing them now than to go without them. hth

At this point I consider them a piece of my moto gear. Goodbye, Sena in-helmet speakers, you were terrible all along.

# ? Jan 11, 2016 07:20

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

grack posted:

Uhhh have you tried contacting Koss? The Portapros have a lifetime warranty and Koss' customer service is fantastic.

Yeah, just go to their website and there's an address to send them to. You'll have a new pair in no time at all.

# ? Jan 11, 2016 14:49

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Massdrop has the ATH-M50x Velour Earpads up for 19.99 + 1.99 shipping.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/ath-m50x-velour-earpads

I don't really care for the stock pads so I'm ready to try these out. The reviews are pretty favorable as well.

# ? Jan 11, 2016 17:03

Constellation I: Apr 3, 2005; I'm a sucker, a little fucker.

Those are pretty well-priced but I prefer the Brainwavz HM5 velour pads for the M50's. Though you do lose quite a bit of isolation but I stopped using the M50's outside a long time ago so it doesn't matter to me really.

Now if only someone made velour earpad for the V-Moda M100's then I'll be happy. I haven't tried the XL pads for those, but they don't seem much larger and Beyerdynamic has spoiled me with velour and get a little uncomfortable with pleather.

# ? Jan 12, 2016 04:34

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Yeah I've never been a big fan of the pleather which is why I'm am looking forward to these. Hopefully they will breath some new life into my M50s.

# ? Jan 12, 2016 05:12

NoDamage: Dec 2, 2000

Tactical Lesbian posted:

1. Most modern electronics have good enough DACs for the most part, but I'd consider a DAC. Maybe since you've had the 650s for 10 years, you could try a tube DAC and roll tubes to play with the sound. Might be fun! I use an Aune T1 Mk2 as a DAC.
2. If your amp is performing well, I don't think there's a huge need to upgrade.

So I picked up a Modi 2 with the intention of sending it back if there wasn't a noticeable improvement, and suffice to say, I am actually impressed by the difference (compared to the headphone out on a 2013 Macbook Air). When listening to music the separation between individual instruments is much more obvious, and the bass is more significant as well. I went in without any expectations and ended up pleasantly surprised.

# ? Jan 12, 2016 08:30

ufarn: May 30, 2009

KozmoNaut posted:

Yeah, they don't really have any presence in Europe, and it's not worth it to import them due to taxes.

For something similar, you can get an Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2Di, which is based on NwAvGuy's O2+ODAC that he designed to prove that you don't need audiophile nonsense to build a good headphone amplifier.

Or if you want to buy from Thomann, you could get one of these:

http://www.thomann.de/dk/m_audio_super_dac.htm
http://www.thomann.de/dk/focusrite_scarlett_solo.htm
http://www.thomann.de/dk/fostex_hpa3.htm

They're professional products and while the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is intended mostly for recording, it also works well as a USB sound card.

Uh, so it turns out that Epiphany have shut down, just as I was about to pull the trigger. What's a good alternative? Preferably somethin without front-facing diodes.

# ? Jan 12, 2016 22:09

KozmoNaut: Apr 23, 2008; Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle

ufarn posted:

Uh, so it turns out that Epiphany have shut down, just as I was about to pull the trigger. What's a good alternative? Preferably somethin without front-facing diodes.

Uh, something with front-facing diodes and some black tape? :v:

I kinda like the design of the M-Audio Super DAC, and the diodes don't look particularly bright on it.

# ? Jan 12, 2016 22:26

baram.: Oct 23, 2007; smooth.

I have a set of ATH-M50x I want to get a cheap dac/amp for for my pc.. these have low impedance so I think the amp part isn't as important. My issue is that my PC connection is through the motherboard and not a dedicated sound card so I get all sorts of noise over the line. Any recommendation for that?

# ? Jan 13, 2016 01:42

RoanHorse: Dec 12, 2013

I need a headset for my job where I caption people by repeating what they are saying several words behind them in a monotone voice for the program Dragon (stt?) to process. I am having issues hearing what I am captioning while I am captioning, not because I am too loud but because the tone of my voice tends to drone out the crappy quality audio I must caption.
Whatever I end up getting must be approved by my manager for use in the workplace, meaning products that have highly variable lifespans or build quality are completely off the table. The headset cannot be USB, it must be connect to the microphone and headphone in lines on the front of a computer. Line-in microphone formats are not allowed.
If possible I'd like a comfortable set as I will be wearing them, without breaks, for five hours or more at a time without breaks.
The quality of the audio output must be 16 bit at 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).

Budget - Up to $170.
Source - Windows 7 computers and a java application that provides audio. Analogue only, 3.5mm. Cannot be USB or have any other cables coming off. Must have the microphone cable separate from the cable for the headset's feed. Line-in microphone formats are not allowed.
Isolation Requirements - I need isolation, absolutely. I have had serious issues with headsets affecting the microphone because the driver was attached the casing in such a way that it resonated through the mic. Digital noise cancelling or any other type of filtering done by the headset is probably not a good thing and may disqualify the headset from my workplace. I am also interested in closed models as I have pretty bad issues with overstimulation and the less noise I hear from the outside of the headset the better.
Preferred Type of Headphone - Supra-aural and Circumaural are the only options here.
Preferred Tonal Balance - Vocal focused.
Past Headphones - This garbage as well as a Corsair 'commander' headset that fit fine but had ear pads that got dirty very quickly and were impossible to clean. Came with a broken microphone and was USB based so it's not useful for my applications.

Please, I really need to get a set that fulfills these requirements as soon as possible or I will literally lose my job next week!

RoanHorse fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Jan 13, 2016

# ? Jan 13, 2016 02:44

Constellation I: Apr 3, 2005; I'm a sucker, a little fucker.

baram. posted:

I have a set of ATH-M50x I want to get a cheap dac/amp for for my pc.. these have low impedance so I think the amp part isn't as important. My issue is that my PC connection is through the motherboard and not a dedicated sound card so I get all sorts of noise over the line. Any recommendation for that?

Fiio E10k is my recommendation. Fiio Q1 if you want something that can be portable/has a battery.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 04:27

Red_Fred: Oct 21, 2010; Fallen Rib

Red_Fred posted:

Looks like my Meelectronic A151p are on their way out, got almost two years out of them just mainly gym use. So I need another pair for mainly gym use.

Budget - Would prefer to spend less than $60 USD.
Source - Nexus 5X
Isolation Requirements -As high as possible.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM with headset if possible
Preferred Tonal Balance - Neutral to V
Past Headphones - Meelectronic A151p, Xiaomi Pistons (still using these for everyday use), Etymotic HF5
Preferred Music - Rock, punk, metal etc.

What are the cheaper Etymotics like? (Like the MC3.) Also I feel like Meelectronics are good but don't have the best build quality so that's a factor.

Anyone got any options on this?

# ? Jan 13, 2016 05:39

grack: Jan 10, 2012; COACH TOTORO SAY REFEREE CAN BANISH WHISTLE TO LAND OF WIND AND GHOSTS!

Red_Fred posted:

Anyone got any options on this?

Any reason you wouldn't get another set of A151s? Two years of regular gym use is pretty good for just about any set of headphones.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 07:16

KozmoNaut: Apr 23, 2008; Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle

RoanHorse posted:

I need a headset for my job where I caption people by repeating what they are saying several words behind them in a monotone voice for the program Dragon (stt?) to process. I am having issues hearing what I am captioning while I am captioning, not because I am too loud but because the tone of my voice tends to drone out the crappy quality audio I must caption.
Whatever I end up getting must be approved by my manager for use in the workplace, meaning products that have highly variable lifespans or build quality are completely off the table. The headset cannot be USB, it must be connect to the microphone and headphone in lines on the front of a computer. Line-in microphone formats are not allowed.
If possible I'd like a comfortable set as I will be wearing them, without breaks, for five hours or more at a time without breaks.
The quality of the audio output must be 16 bit at 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).

Budget - Up to $170.
Source - Windows 7 computers and a java application that provides audio. Analogue only, 3.5mm. Cannot be USB or have any other cables coming off. Must have the microphone cable separate from the cable for the headset's feed. Line-in microphone formats are not allowed.
Isolation Requirements - I need isolation, absolutely. I have had serious issues with headsets affecting the microphone because the driver was attached the casing in such a way that it resonated through the mic. Digital noise cancelling or any other type of filtering done by the headset is probably not a good thing and may disqualify the headset from my workplace. I am also interested in closed models as I have pretty bad issues with overstimulation and the less noise I hear from the outside of the headset the better.
Preferred Type of Headphone - Supra-aural and Circumaural are the only options here.
Preferred Tonal Balance - Vocal focused.
Past Headphones - This garbage as well as a Corsair 'commander' headset that fit fine but had ear pads that got dirty very quickly and were impossible to clean. Came with a broken microphone and was USB based so it's not useful for my applications.

Please, I really need to get a set that fulfills these requirements as soon as possible or I will literally lose my job next week!

$170 is kinda low budget for a job where you really should be using some kind of professional headset, and your job really should have a list of recommended models they could order for you.

And what exactly do you mean when you say "line-in microphone formats are not allowed"?

I've been extremely satisfied with my Beyerdynamic MMX2/DT234. It's the same headset, the name varies depending on if you get it from the consumer or pro model line. Both have separate headphone and mic jacks, but the MMX2 comes with an optional USB interface too. Both of them will last pretty much forever, and replacement ear pads are cheap and widely available due to the longevity of the design.

I wear my set for hours every day, mostly for phone calls, and I find them very comfortable, with good clear sound quality. I don't listen to recordings of my own voice that often, but I've never received any complaints that I was difficult to understand or anything. But there's not much you can do to reduce the drone of your own voice inside your head.

The isolation is not perfect, but it does muffle outside sounds to some degree.

They're also rather inexpensive from Amazon.

KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 08:36 on Jan 13, 2016

# ? Jan 13, 2016 08:26

RoanHorse: Dec 12, 2013

KozmoNaut posted:

$170 is kinda low budget for a job where you really should be using some kind of professional headset, and your job really should have a list of recommended models they could order for you.

And what exactly do you mean when you say "line-in microphone formats are not allowed"?
[...]
The isolation is not perfect, but it does muffle outside sounds to some degree.

They're also rather inexpensive from Amazon.

I don't know why but they don't have any list to look through for whatever reason. I'm not 100% sure that my employer genuinely cares, considering they were forced to hand over 41 million dollars because they stole a competitor's patented technology, and provide cheap as all hell headsets that often caption the audio coming from the driver the mic is attached to despite being very quiet.
I was not sure of the exact terminology but basically the mic can not use line-in instead of mic-in as the preferred output.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 16:41

KozmoNaut: Apr 23, 2008; Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle

Sounds like you need a new job rather than a new headset, honestly.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 16:54

evobatman: Jul 30, 2006; it means nothing, but says everything!; Pillbug

baram. posted:

I have a set of ATH-M50x I want to get a cheap dac/amp for for my pc.. these have low impedance so I think the amp part isn't as important. My issue is that my PC connection is through the motherboard and not a dedicated sound card so I get all sorts of noise over the line. Any recommendation for that?

I love my Asus Xonar U7 and will happily recommend it.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 18:02

Red_Fred: Oct 21, 2010; Fallen Rib

grack posted:

Any reason you wouldn't get another set of A151s? Two years of regular gym use is pretty good for just about any set of headphones.

Not really no. Just thought there might be something better out there now. Although I do feel for the price and better isolation Etymotic might be the way to go.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 19:32

Taima: Dec 31, 2006; tfw you're peeing next to someone in the lineup and they don't know

Constellation I posted:

Fiio E10k is my recommendation. Fiio Q1 if you want something that can be portable/has a battery.

Sounds like he just needs a D3:

http://www.amazon.com/D03K-Digital-Analog-Audio-Converter/dp/B009346RSS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452716048&sr=8-2&keywords=Fiio+dac

# ? Jan 13, 2016 21:21

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# ? May 22, 2024 14:00

KozmoNaut: Apr 23, 2008; Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle

Don't plugs headphones directly into a D3, it's just a DAC, not a headphone amp. The output impedance is too high and the power output is too low to effectively drive headphones.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 21:25

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

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