|
Hi thread! Looking for some advice on getting a new set of headphones after reading through. I've had a Logitech G930 headset for about five years now and it's intermittently shutting off on me. It's long since out of warranty. I'm not too thrilled by what I've read about the Logitech G933 or 633 having issues with Windows 10. So, I figured I would upgrade and get some big-boy headphones along with something like a V-Moda or Antlion mic for gaming. Budget - Looking to spend around $150-$180 maximum. Source - Mainly my PC, potentially my phone to listen to music on my phone. Isolation Requirements - While it would be nice for these headphones to isolate the music, it really isn't a deal-breaker if they don't. I can just use some earbuds when I go to the gym. Preferred Type of Headphone - Definitely not IEM, they tend to bother my ears when they're left in for a really long time. Beyond that I've heard open headphones are better for gaming. Preferred Tonal Balance - I gather I want headphones with a large soundstage for gaming, so that's probably what I'd like to focus on. Past Headphones - My first "real" ones were the Logitech G930s. They work just fine from an audio standpoint, but I'm frustrated with it dying all the time and generally not holding a charge. I'm leery of wireless headphones after this. Preferred Music - It'll mostly be used for gaming, first person shooters for the most part. But I listen to a lot of synthwave/retrowave music as well as rock and some pop. Thanks in advance, guys!
|
#
?
Jan 13, 2016 21:42
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 23:30 |
|
|
evobatman posted:I love my Asus Xonar U7 and will happily recommend it. Gonna try this since the E10k recommended up thread is on a week backorder everywhere. u7 is also at a historic low price on Amazon 
|
|
#
?
Jan 13, 2016 22:20
|
|
|
I have no idea how fast headphone technology progresses, and I can't think of a prettier set of headphones than the Sennheiser HD 598, but I know that it's going on like five years old at this point, so would it be a terrible idea to pick it up? It'd already be a luxury item since I have a perfectly functional pair of 280s, but they're goofy looking and give a very studio-y sound. Would the 598s actually be an upgrade over the 280s, or would I basically be buying aesthetics? Alternatively, are there any other interesting looking headphones comparable in sound quality?
|
|
#
?
Jan 13, 2016 22:24
|
|
|
Good headphones are good headphones, just like a set of good speakers are still good speakers decades later. Manufacturers like to play up their "recent innovations", but progress has been very incremental for a long time. The parameters of the human ear haven't changed, so if something sounded really good 30 years ago, it probably still sounds really good today, barring wear and tear. For example, the Beyerdynamic DT 880s were originally introduced in 1980, and they're still regarded as some of the best headphones you can get. Five years is nothing. KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 22:37 on Jan 13, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 13, 2016 22:28
|
|
|
Red_Fred posted: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. The MC5s are pretty good headphones, then. Well built and isolation is very good as long as you're comfortable with sticking IEMs that far in to your ears.
|
|
#
?
Jan 13, 2016 22:49
|
|
|
Heavy Lobster posted:I have no idea how fast headphone technology progresses, and I can't think of a prettier set of headphones than the Sennheiser HD 598, but I know that it's going on like five years old at this point, so would it be a terrible idea to pick it up? It'd already be a luxury item since I have a perfectly functional pair of 280s, but they're goofy looking and give a very studio-y sound. The 598s are just really great headphones. They aren't the most accurate or anything, but they're probably the single most "fun" headphone I've ever used (in my subjective opinion) and they sound great without a wonderful source - my iphone 6+ drives them perfectly as-is. For that reason they are my go-to headphones for portable use, by a wide margin, even though they are open. However when I am at the house and want to do some serious listening, I bust out the DT880s. And like other people said, good headphones are good forever. So treat yourself; you'll still be using the 598s in a decade.
|
|
#
?
Jan 13, 2016 23:47
|
|
|
KozmoNaut posted:Good headphones are good headphones, just like a set of good speakers are still good speakers decades later. Manufacturers like to play up their "recent innovations", but progress has been very incremental for a long time. The parameters of the human ear haven't changed, so if something sounded really good 30 years ago, it probably still sounds really good today, barring wear and tear. Taima posted:The 598s are just really great headphones. They aren't the most accurate or anything, but they're probably the single most "fun" headphone I've ever used (in my subjective opinion) and they sound great without a wonderful source - my iphone 6+ drives them perfectly as-is. Awesome! Now I just need to figure out if I want to look out for a used pair or pay out for a new one. Good to hear they're actually worth the investment regardless, though.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 00:30
|
|
|
grack posted:The MC5s are pretty good headphones, then. Well built and isolation is very good as long as you're comfortable with sticking IEMs that far in to your ears. Do you, or anyone else, have any experience with current HiFiMan headphones? The RE-400 tick all of these boxes also but I have a bad experience with RE-0s that I had to return 3 times because they kept breaking.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 03:08
|
|
|
I'm one week into 400i ownership and they're pretty good. A little lacking on bass but the mods and highs are very clear.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 04:09
|
|
|
Any idea if the 400i works on an Android phone? Looks like the 1 button 400a is marketed for Android. Any call on the build quality? This is what I'm most concerned about with HiFiMan.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 04:36
|
|
|
I bought the HiFiMan RE-400as about a month ago. The build quality has reportedly improved and it looks like it. But take that with a grain of salt, you're looking at an owner of arguably the most fragile headphones in existence (Klipsch S4) and it still looks and performs like a champ for me. Btw, the K7xx is back up at Massdrop. Should I go take a stab at it if I want to make the jump to the world of open cans and huge soundstage or am I fine going with just the HD-598?
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 06:42
|
|
|
So here's an interesting request. I'm looking for earbuds or anything that can produce sound wirelessly or wired that is comfortable to have in your ears while sleeping. I have a pair of Shure SE215 and Jaybird X-2 which aren't comfy enough when going to sleep that it doesn't bother me I'm thinking it's being a problem because I like lying down on either ear and that is what causes the almost painful discomfort. Anyone sleep with IEMs in? Do you use tiny tips to make it more comfy when you're lying down with one ear on the pillow? Any products that might be worth checking out for it?
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 14:37
|
|
|
Someone recommended i get Shure SE215's about half a year ago. Just checking in to say these IEMs have survived between 30 minutes and 2 hours use almost every day on the bike in rain and frost, as well occasionally being mashed in my butt pockets for long periods. They still look new. Oh and the noise isolation has let me keep the volume low, even when passing the freeway. So yeah, thanks thread!
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 15:45
|
|
|
ilifinicus posted:So here's an interesting request. I'm looking for earbuds or anything that can produce sound wirelessly or wired that is comfortable to have in your ears while sleeping. I have a pair of Shure SE215 and Jaybird X-2 which aren't comfy enough when going to sleep that it doesn't bother me http://www.amazon.com/AcousticSheep-SleepPhones-Classic-Headphones-Medium/dp/B0046H8ZHS These are awesome. I've used them in bed for the last year or so. I use to fall asleep with earbuds/IEMs in and my ears would ache in the morning half the time. Never now! Yay! Sound quality isn't amazing, but I don't think that's what anyone would be getting these for. edit: I wear earplugs under these and just turn the volume up. It drowns out ANYTHING. Which is good/bad I guess.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 18:20
|
|
|
Disharmony posted:you're looking at an owner of arguably the most fragile headphones in existence (Klipsch S4) As someone who owns a pair of the S4i, I can say that it's nowhere near as fragile as the Jays q-Jays, which I owned two pairs of prior. Of course, the sound quality is nowhere near those either, but after having both pairs' wire fray at the point where it attaches to the driver, I gave up and just bought something cheap (since it's mostly used for podcasts anyway). And then I went completely in the other direction and got custom IEMs...
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2016 21:39
|
|
|
ddogflex posted:http://www.amazon.com/AcousticSheep-SleepPhones-Classic-Headphones-Medium/dp/B0046H8ZHS
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2016 00:14
|
|
|
Looking for two recommendations for Bluetooth headphones. First off, my girlfriend is looking for a set of Bluetooth iems for sleeping. The plan is to use them with an iPad on a stand by the bed. Her main concerns are comfort for side sleeping, audio quality isn't a huge deal since she'll be listening to shows on YouTube but build quality to hold up through sleep is important. I've decided to try a pair of bluetooth full, preferably closed headphones. My priorities are sound quality first and build quality. I don't mind having to pay a little extra if I can get excellent sound quality. I was also curious on if latency is an issue with Bluetooth. I'll probably be doing some production with an iPad Pro and any latency could be a problem.
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2016 00:06
|
|
|
I don't know how it is with iOS specifically but on modern Android Bluetooth audio output forces videos to be delayed in most applications and as a result everything syncs up so long as the Bluetooth headset has fair internals. Some point and click games delay animations to sync with Bluetooth audio when they detect it's being used. Again, I don't personally know but I image Apple has their own workarounds considering the stuff about them moving over to wireless iems in a future iPhone release.
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2016 00:15
|
|
|
Anyone here have an Antlion Modmic and mind sharing how they like it?
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 02:16
|
|
|
baram. posted:Anyone here have an Antlion Modmic and mind sharing how they like it? My friend has one on his Sennheisers and he absolutely loves it. I've used it and I listen to him every day on Mumble and I'd say it's my favorite mic system second to my condenser mic (AT2020USB). The sound quality is great and it's really convenient to use.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 07:20
|
|
|
NoDamage posted: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. Good choice~ maybe snag a Magni 2 to go with it. I had some noise issues with my first-gen Magni but from the sounds of it, I just got unlucky. Fruits of the sea posted:Someone recommended i get Shure SE215's about half a year ago. Just checking in to say these IEMs have survived between 30 minutes and 2 hours use almost every day on the bike in rain and frost, as well occasionally being mashed in my butt pockets for long periods. They still look new.  you're welcome, probablyKilometers Davis posted:Looking for two recommendations for Bluetooth headphones. If you'll check one post above yours, there was a really neat post which aren't IEMs but I think should warrant her consideration: http://www.amazon.com/AcousticSheep-SleepPhones-Classic-Headphones-Medium/dp/B0046H8ZHS
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 07:28
|
|
|
baram. posted:Anyone here have an Antlion Modmic and mind sharing how they like it? A satisfied Modmic user here; Mounted on my AKG Q701s and used daily. Sound quality is good, boom can be positioned just eight, and I can wear the whole setup comfortably for ages at a time. Pair with your favorite headphones and, if necessary, a headphone & mic to four-conductor adapter and you're good to go.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 07:33
|
|
|
baram. posted:Anyone here have an Antlion Modmic and mind sharing how they like it?
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 09:38
|
|
|
I bought a pair of beyerdynamic t5ps in under a month the cable had issues and I talked to their customer support.... They wanted me to pay for shipping to them to have it fixed after spending 1500$ on their product. Returned it to amazon for free... Got vmoda m100 crossfades for 350$,with the vmoda boom mic.... Three years later.... The headset still works... After moving... Still works... Thrown around abused to hell and back... No problems. I take them on planes, I take them to the gym, I take them to get coffee, I use them at my computer.... Mid range is somewhat lacking but can be helped with a good eq setting, bass is insane, love it. Highs can be slightly tinny, but again eq helps. I've actually saved money buying them because of how long they have lasted. I am a known headphone abuser... These just take it and keep on trucking.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 11:39
|
|
|
I want the best wireless gaming headset money can buy. Am I in the right place? I currently have the Logitech G930 which has been fine, but it's getting on and surely there is some better stuff on the market now. The amount I use it, combined with other use such as VOIP means price is no object. I seem to have settled on two choices in a few reviews and poking around I've done.  The Astro A50 looks great, it's only the heavy ear cups that apparently get quite warm (I can get hot with big heavy cups). Everything else is supposed to be pretty good.  However it's the Steelseries Siberia 800 that looks really incredible. Two batteries that you can swap out and one is always charging in the dock, a retractable mic so I can use it as a normal set of headphones, what looks like quality rather than the 'gamer' design which is loving awful, apparently amazing wireless (dual band) which makes it better to move around without dropouts. Apparently the mic sucks though and picks up a lot of background noise, also the mute on the headset makes an audible mechanical 'clack' that is picked up through the mic (really? that's just shoddy. My Logitech doesn't even do that). Any suggestions/discussions would be most appreciated.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 14:42
|
|
|
Thanks for the input on the Modmic, sounds like it'll be a good purchase.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 14:53
|
|
|
Tony Montana posted:Any suggestions/discussions would be most appreciated. Both the A40 (wired) and the A50 (wireless) sounded pretty bad when I tried them. Super bloated bass, recessed mids, highs were pretty good though. (gotta hear footsteps). Definitely not worth the asking price. Never tried the Steelseries personally. Most people would recommend for you to not get a headset and get good headphones + a separate mic instead. However, I totally get where you're coming from. Console gaming is best with Dolby Headphone (especially for multiplayer FPS). To achieve that with great audio you'd need: - A Dolby Headphone device like an Astro Mixamp or Turtle Beach DSS - If playing on PC then a Dolby Headphone capable soundcard - Good headphones with great soundstage like the AD-700/AD-900, Phillips Fidelio X2, etc. - A good mic solution like the Antlion ModMic or V-Moda BoomPro The price gets up there when you add all that up and it's not even a wireless solution. The gaming headsets out there all have this in one package so they have that going for them.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 16:25
|
|
|
Yeah, this is exactly right. My lounge room amp, speakers, sub and optical input will always make any pair of headphones sound tinny and weak.. but what we are talking about is a specific package for a specific purpose. Same with wired, I like the Sennheiser products and they make some great gaming headsets but none are wireless. Packing in the wireless tech, the batteries, the mic and the cans all without being to heavy or cumbersome is a big ask and even top of the line kit like the SteelSeries will never sound as good as even just a wired gaming headset. Let alone just a pair of full size wired headphones and then a separate mic (why I guess you'll see full-time Youtube streamer with a mic on an arm separate from their headset). But the wireless headset means I can get up in the middle of a gaming session and continue my conversation with my friends as I go into the kitchen and make a coffee. I can get up and hang out the washing or do some chore while still talking and listening, or even just listen to music while I'm doing it (which I'd probably just use my iPhone and Sennheiser IEMs for but if I've already got the headset on, easy). Good wireless is something else too, the G930 will be fine in the same room but go walkies or turn on the microwave and you'll drop out. This is a good video and has the A50s in a previous vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI-6uYPrWbQ This guy did piss me off initally, he's just such a hyper nerd but I settled into it and his review was good and complete. So it's just the mic that's stopping me from just getting the SteelSeries tomorrow (like $450 here in Australia.. yikes!). It does sound hollow, but really for doing voice-overs on videos it would just be better to have a separate mic all together. For gaming and recording my side of a voice chat it will probably be just fine. As for the 7.1, some people swear it's all bullshit and marketing. It's not, it's using some doppler effect by slightly adjusting tone and it seems some people can hear it and others can't (or won't). I certainly can with the G930s and can hear someone behind, below or above me in games. I'm a PC gamer all the way, so the SteelSeries has console functionality I don't care about but that's ok. Something I thought was cool was the audio out jack on the headphones, labeled 'Share'. Being able to hang another pair of headphones off these and someone come along for the ride hearing all the voice chat would be really cool every now and then. I'm basically sold. I'll make my own wind screen for the mic out of foam, I'll have it out most of the time anyway and that'll improve the voice quality and cut out a lot of noise. I did the same for the G930s, taking foam from a video card box an carving a neat tear shaped cover to slide the mic into (after the original one came off or something).
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 16:46
|
|
|
It's not necessarily that the 7.1 stuff doesn't do anything, but that the only way to get it to sound good is for the game you're playing to have surround sound support and for your audio software stack to pass it through correctly to the headphones OR to pass separate channels to a professional hardware mixer (a good one just got announced at CES). Faking it from two channels is bound to be mediocre at best.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2016 19:53
|
|
|
Ffycchi posted:vmoda m100 These are the OG gameboy, the Nokia phone, the loving mithril of headphones. If you do end up breaking them, you can ship the pieces back to vmoda for a
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 00:23
|
|
|
Dolby Headphone (virtual surround) works pretty well in console games because developers almost always assume that the consoles are plugged into a receiver and into a 5.1/7.1 setup. That means almost all console games output surround sound. Dolby Headphone just takes all those separate channels, then processes it and puts it through an algorithm so you now have virtual surround sound. PC is an entirely different beast since to even output 5.1/7.1 relies on either your Windows settings, the game, or some other place you might not have thought of. Or the game was only designed to output stereo sound. "3D" sound is also a mess on PC due to Creative trying to monopolize everything from way back, differing audio software and standards. Dolby Headphone still works well but you just have to make sure that it is actually getting multiple channels and not just trying to process stereo sound which only results in a reverb mess. You definitely lose some fidelity when using Dolby Headphone as it is processing the sound heavily. Some people can find it reverb-y and tinny but it's excellent for positional cues and more "immersive" compared to stereo. Of course some PC games also have a headphone mode in their sound settings. Some of them do actual virtualization of 5.1/7.1 channels and pretty much does what Dolby Headphone does. However, some also are just basically a sound effect where they make the soundstage sound a little smaller and just add in some reverb effects. Anyway, most of this has already been covered in the links in the OP.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 00:43
|
|
|
Except now many games, most of the good ones anyway, are using licensed engines that cover most of this stuff. So it's not nearly a 'every game is different' situation, when you'll find so many FPS style games (and plenty of others) use the Unity engine which does 2D and 3D sound natively. Every modern game I've played does 5.1 or 7.1 unless you're playing Kerbal Space Program or some other equally tiny project made by a small team who are staying up late just to get the game playable. There are other major engines that have surround sound rolled in also. As for other games that don't support it, well, you're not ever going to play KSP or iRacing or so many other things on a console anyway so kicking back to stereo for those is preferable to me than never seeing it in the first place.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 01:19
|
|
|
Tony Montana posted:I want the best wireless gaming headset money can buy. Am I in the right place? Those look pretty nice, I was gonna ask the same thing. I was looking at a pair of Kingston HyperX Cloud II's for the same purpose... I personally don't like wireless headphones because I hate having to worry about battery life, and those headphones designed to be used wirelessly seem to always have a lovely form factor for charging them while you're wearing them, who knows why. I do want that DTS capability, since I currently have a pair of old as gently caress Razer Barracuda HP-1 headphones and anyone that argues that surround doesn't work with headphones has never actually used a good setup, because it totally works for me.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 05:27
|
|
|
Bought the SteelSeries today. Also another mike to put on my desk for voice overs. They're awesome, light and the sound quality is so much better than the G930s. The mic is good, again an upgrade and people on Mumble said I sounded better. I think I hear a slight hiss when they're quiet, which is a little annoying but I'm not sure yet.. it's that quiet. Otherwise it's a home run, everything seems perfect. I'll use them for a week and then decide if I recommend them.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 13:03
|
|
|
Hi thread - Looking for a good pair of headphones to help me study (miserable medical student), so isolation is my top priority. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD439s that I am satisfied with in every way except that the isolation sucks. Budget - ~$50-$75. Not looking to spend a ton but can be convinced to go up a little bit if thats what I need for good isolation. Source - iPhone or laptop. Isolation Requirements - Highest priority. I want to be sitting next to someone and not have them be bothered by how loud I crank my music when i am really trying to focus. Preferred Type of Headphone - Over ear, could do earbuds I guess. Preferred Tonal Balance - I dunno, balanced I guess? Past Headphones - Have a pair of Sennheiser HD439s, love everything except the isolation. Don't need higher sound quality than this. Preferred Music - Pretty much everything (I really mean it). For studying lots of electronic or classical music though. Also I will use it to listen to a lot of lectures too, if that makes a difference. Kommienzuspadt fucked around with this message at 16:34 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 16:30
|
|
|
Fuzz posted:Those look pretty nice, I was gonna ask the same thing. If the mic on these HyperX is anything like they were on the Qpad QH-90s (if I'm not mistaken they are pretty much the same, only re-branded) you won't be too happy. Other than that, build quality and sound are good for the money you're spending.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 17:25
|
|
|
Kommienzuspadt posted:Isolation Requirements - Highest priority. I want to be sitting next to someone and not have them be bothered by how loud I crank my music when i am really trying to focus. The only way this is going to happen is with in ear monitors. Even closed headphones bleed some sound out, especially if you crank it. I've been extremely satisfied with my Soundmagic E10s, and they're ridiculously cheap for the sound quality you get.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 17:48
|
|
|
Passburger posted:If the mic on these HyperX is anything like they were on the Qpad QH-90s (if I'm not mistaken they are pretty much the same, only re-branded) you won't be too happy. Other than that, build quality and sound are good for the money you're spending. drat. I'd rather not sound like I'm gargling marbles while underwater. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:05
|
|
|
Does anybody have any opinions about the Sony XBAX1? I was about to pull the trigger on some Shure 215s, but thewirecutter recommended the Sonys over the Shures. The reviews on Amazon don't seem too promising; is there something that I'm missing? I'm coming from a pair of Klipsch X10 that met an unfortunate end on my last international flight, and would rather have a set of dedicated in ear monitors without any mic or remote. I have no problem dropping the $100 for the Shures, but I'm on the fence about spending the extra $50 on the Sonys. And it seems that people don't think the extra $100 for the Shure S315s are worth it either. kimcicle fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Jan 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:19
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 23:30 |
|
|
Did you mean XBA-A1? Supposedly good headphones. If you're looking for a really good set of in-ears without a microphone how about the HifiMan RE-400? There's a model without a mic, it's $20 cheaper than the Shures and has really, really good sound quality. Isolation isn't quite as good as the SE215 but it's pretty good.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2016 22:33
|
|