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Passburger posted:It's mostly (if not always) virtual and can be achieved with software anyways if you really want it. No, it's always faked with software. Headphones have two speakers attached to your ears. You can't get surround sound out of that.
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Apr 8, 2022 17:01
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Kwolok posted:In terms of gaming headsets, 7.1 surround sound is a dumb gimmick right? We only have two ears and the headphones sit right on top of them so I don't really get the whole surround sound nonsense. The actual dumb gimmick is the multiple mini-drivers in each earcup to simulate a surround sound speaker setup that some headphones do. It's way better to do all the surround sound processing in software and have that be played through one nice, big and capable driver instead of multiple small lovely ones. For PC gaming, the main problem is just the lack of standardization and standards for surround sound. There's too many lovely implementations of it out there. The best tends to be when the game natively supports binaural/spatial audio directly like with CS:GO when they first introduced HRTF or Overwatch with their Dolby Atmos for Headphones option (that didn't require the Windows spatial audio plugin). VR games are getting better at this too. What you'd mostly see with gaming headsets though is that they have a surround sound processing option that tells windows to output a 5.1/7.1 signal but it's a crapshoot on whether their spatial audio processing is any good or just makes the whole thing worse. They're mostly trash most of the time since the feature was just added to check a box for marketing and no actual tuning was done. Windows has been slightly better with this with their spatial audio plugins, but it's another crapshoot if the games actually send the proper signals/audio channels for it to work well sometimes. Although it appears that Windows now is smart enough to display "spatial audio in use" in the volume bar if it detects that the app/game is actually sending additional audio signals to be processed and skips the processing if it's only stereo being sent. It used to be that even stereo signals were having spatial audio processing done which does nothing but make it sound worse by adding unnecessary reverb and effects. 100% of the time you're better off skipping the gaming headsets and just checking if the game you want supports spatial audio natively, or works well with the Windows spatial audio plugins and just use that processing and actual good headphones. DT 770 Pros have always been my favourite messing with that stuff.
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Apr 8, 2022 17:04
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:No, it's always faked with software. Headphones have two speakers attached to your ears. You can't get surround sound out of that. edit: That's what I get for leaving a reply open for a while, previous post is better.
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Apr 8, 2022 17:42
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wolrah posted:There are in fact a number of headsets sold with multiple actual speakers per ear, but it's generally regarded as a gimmick because the sacrifices in quality and capability from using smaller speakers and having to mount them all in a small space vastly overwhelm any improvement in directionality compared to virtual surround techniques. Ha, okay fine technically you can put more speakers in a headphone but they're still little cups strapped to your head. There's physically no way to simulate surround sound by filling a headphone ear cup with little speakers, all you get is a mess of phase garbage.
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Apr 8, 2022 18:05
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:No, it's always faked with software. Headphones have two speakers attached to your ears. You can't get surround sound out of that. I wouldn’t really call it “faked” given that you only have two ears and literally your entire sense of location and direction wrt sound is the result of your brain processing those binaural signals
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Apr 8, 2022 18:09
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Ok Comboomer posted:I wouldn’t really call it “faked” given that you only have two ears and literally your entire sense of location and direction wrt sound is the result of your brain processing those binaural signals Sure, but those location cues are entirely based on phase interactions from room reflections. If you record and preserve those reflections you can play them back, which is why binaural recordings have such a spooky realistic soundstage. Otherwise, you have to rely on placing actual speakers in an actual room, which physically cannot happen with headphone cups that are strapped to your head and move with your ears. Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 18:29 on Apr 8, 2022 |
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Apr 8, 2022 18:26
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:Sure, but those location cues are entirely based on phase interactions from room reflections. If you record and preserve those reflections you can play them back, which is why binaural recordings have such a spooky realistic soundstage. Otherwise, you have to rely on placing actual speakers in an actual room, which physically cannot happen with headphone cups that are strapped to your head and move with your ears. I mean you can synthesize it pretty convincingly at this point. A lot of the early commercial work on ray tracing was for 3D sound in games and whatnot before graphics/GPU companies started focusing on its applications in lighting the one place it kind of falls apart is, like you said, when you really move your head around with your headphones on and the sound environment doesn’t stay static relative to your movement. But in something like VR with motion tracking it absolutely works. trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 19:02 on Apr 8, 2022 |
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Apr 8, 2022 18:58
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Ok Comboomer posted:I mean you can synthesize it pretty convincingly at this point. Okay, but that's still faking it. You still can't physically implement positional audio in headphones.
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Apr 8, 2022 19:37
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:Ha, okay fine technically you can put more speakers in a headphone but they're still little cups strapped to your head. There's physically no way to simulate surround sound by filling a headphone ear cup with little speakers, all you get is a mess of phase garbage. Now you see why I put the word "mostly" in there? I was trying to avoid an "achtchually-moment", mission failed lol.
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Apr 8, 2022 20:06
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Passburger posted:Now you see why I put the word "mostly" in there? I was trying to avoid an "achtchually-moment", mission failed lol. Wow, I walked right into that huh. Never underestimate pedantry on the internet I guess 
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Apr 8, 2022 20:14
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:Wow, I walked right into that huh. Never underestimate pedantry on the internet I guess Well I was referring to the people that quoted you right after that, but I'll take it!
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Apr 8, 2022 20:21
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The bigger question is if the effect is convincing enough, does anyone actually care whether it's "real" or not.
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Apr 8, 2022 20:21
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DancingShade posted:It uses a 3m cable (so as far from wireless as you can get) but the Drop PC38X "gaming" headset is very good. Sounds great even out of the cheapest Dell or Lenovo workstation and works very well for your zoom meetings too, especially with that boom mike that mutes when you flip it. Comfort-wise you have breathable pads, reasonable clamp and no uncomfortable spots after an hour plus long meeting. if i bought these would they work decently with a focusrite box going 1/8" -> 1/4" adapters or should i get some kind of.... 1/8" -> xlr dongle. ... ???? never thought about this before lol. so hosed up
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Apr 9, 2022 00:51
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Smythe posted:if i bought these would they work decently with a focusrite box going 1/8" -> 1/4" adapters or should i get some kind of.... 1/8" -> xlr dongle. ... ???? never thought about this before lol. so hosed up I would assume so. Put it this way, they sound good plugged into a pricey desktop amp, an MSI laptop I bought a couple years ago and also the lenovo SFF business PC I use at work. Don't bother using XLR on anything unless you particularly want to. I like XLR too but a plug is a plug. Think quarter inch has the most longevity if that's a factor.
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Apr 9, 2022 07:19
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I ended up with the Soundcore Liberty Pro 3 and couldn't be happier. But also I was thinking - what if I'm on a flight that has a built-in TV screen and I can't connect to Bluetooth? After years of lugging around these big over the ear things, I'm really trying to travel as light as possible. Still carrying those around while also bringing the ear buds isn't helping my situation. I was looking for a cheap set of plug-in headphones as a backup, and I saw these on Amazon - Samsung Advanced ANC Wired Headset for S8+ Galaxy, S7 Edge, S7, Note 5, S6 Edge+, S6, S5 - Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071P59DPC/ There is no way in hell anyone is beating these at the $19 price point. - very good build quality and feel - various ear tips and optional ear wings in different sizes - surprisingly good packaging - a carrying pouch - ANC and Talk-in (transparent mode) - rechargeable lithium battery Don't expect to be blown away by the sound or the ANC capabilities compared to much pricier options. Do expect to be blown away compared to other $19 options (if they exist.) However, the ANC is more than adequate to cut down on the engine drone of an airline. It's at or above the capabilities of the over the ear set I paid $80 for. I didn't see official numbers, but some reviewers indicate they are getting 12+ hours with ANC on. I have no problem throwing this in my bag, especially for $19.
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Apr 9, 2022 16:18
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gently caress chi-fi. Well, at least gently caress the Arias/Moondrop/Shenzhenaudio. I managed to get comfortable with the IEMs but they've manifested several driver issues on both sides occasionally. I've switched the filters that come with the IEMs. I've sucked air out of the driver (which, for some reason work, most of the time). However, pretty much every day I'm faced with a driver that's mysteriously more silent the other. I've tried both ears, both side of the cable to make sure it's not my hearing/cable, as again, the right driver is audibly more quiet than the left. The quality control/design has to be garbage. And Shenzhenaudio hasn't replied to my support request e-mail, but frankly, I don't consider these IEMs worth the postage to mailing to China only to be dealt with another POS breaking within a month so I'm not going to bother no more. In the future I'm only using local retailers so I can actually utilize EU's 2-year warranty protections. edit: changing another set of filters to the right side fixed current sound inbalance, but that might as well be somehow related to air balance moving something within the unit when you're replacing them so something inside the unit gets "dislodged" or whatever. I try to also clean the IEMs regularly so the filters shouldn't accrue wax or something. There wasn't anything visible in the filters at any rate and I'm having trouble believing and I seriously doubt invisible to the eye particles would cause such a large shift in sound so rapidly. So I still think the IEM has something seriously wrong with them with regards to design/reliability standpoint. Dessel fucked around with this message at 20:58 on Apr 9, 2022 |
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Apr 9, 2022 20:39
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Hello friends, I am looking for a replacement of my basic punk gaming headset I use for PC, given my current one might actually be eight years old and showing it's age. Not really looking for crisp professional sound or anything, so a sub-fifty buck thing will do. To that end; Budget - Cheap. Under sixty USD preferably, as a general ball park. Source - PC Isolation Requirements - Preferably not Preferred Type of Headphone - Headset, on-ear. (I believe the one I have is an on-ear, anyway, I disliked a over-ear) Preferred Tonal Balance - This doesn't really mean anything to me, so shrug. Past Headphones - My mainstay for eight years has been a Planronics 355, but that's long since discontinued so I am a little shy on just grabbing another one of Amazon, scams and all. I was gifted a Razer Kraken which I hated as I found it to be uncomfortably smothering to my ear, as well as disliking the cancelling isolation. Preferred Music - This and that. Any recommendations for a servicable with-microphone thing? Appreciate it, friends. I realize this is kind of a higher brow sound appreciation station, but.
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Apr 9, 2022 23:10
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Dessel posted:gently caress chi-fi. Here is how you win. You gotta buy a bunch of front dampers from aliexpress. Now any DD set will be fixable. Not only that, in general chinese / weeb / chipop tuning has treble accentuated above western tunings. Don't start yapping about racist iems mmk folks, it's just an actual thing. It's easy to fix a ton of iems by just applying a damper to either the front bore and/or the front vent.
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Apr 9, 2022 23:46
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I was able to borrow my friend's KZ-T10 headphones and took them for a spin. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-t10.25561/ (someone else's review) I think my opinions about these headsets mirror this guy's. I directly compared them to my Arctis 7 I got for gaming, which I honestly love, except I probably should have got the "Artcis Pro" instead for the blutooth functionality, since being locked to that wireless dongle kind of stinks, in terms of using those headphones with a non-PC device (which I can connect to my iPad, it's just kind of hacky if you don't have a USB hub for the iPad). Anyways, the soundstage I guess is about similar, if not slightly worse than the Arctis 7, and both are worse than my old DT990s (which I expected). I was initially thinking about getting the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, but I'm unsure if it's going to fit my ears properly, since my two major negatives with the build of the headphones, audio aside, is the "leather" isn't very breathable making it quite sweaty to wear for a while, and the cups brush up against my ear piercing which doesn't help it being uncomfortable. I was previously suggested the Anker Q30s but those are around the same pricepoint as the KZ-T10's, and seemingly from reviews have the same complaints, and I was hoping for around the same sound quality as the DT990s but wireless and with ANC features. Does something like that exist but doesn't break the bank? As an aside, my friend suggested a DAC, but I have no idea which to get. I don't see any major audio difference with Bluetooth 4.0 on my PC, or directly plugged into my new desktop. It'd have to be something portable if so, since I'd want to use them wirelessly both at home and maybe at work or elsewhere. I don't really care if it has a microphone in it or not. GreenBuckanneer fucked around with this message at 01:15 on Apr 10, 2022 |
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Apr 10, 2022 01:12
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What's a good pair of wireless headphones that have the earbud, earclip, and neck band form factor? For whatever reason, I only ever find throwaway headphones that have those features. Higher-end earbuds almost always lack clips and neck straps, which are pretty important to me. I'm not above using cheapo headphones, but after my latest pair went bust on me, I feel like I can do with an upgrade.
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Apr 11, 2022 16:29
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Powerbeats (non-pro version). Only ones I know with the neckstrap and ear clip.
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Apr 11, 2022 16:56
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Sweet, thanks.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:17
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Budget - Probably willing to spend about 130 ish Source - Must be Bluetooth wireless headphones rechargeable by USB for my computer laptop Samsung Galaxy S21 Long Battery charge like 12+ minimum Isolation Requirements - I do need some kind of isolation as I am going to be wearing them on the bus/places with significant noise Preferred Type of Headphone - Full sized closed headphones some form of adjustability, able to get kinda of wet without breaking sometimes it rains or I might be doing housework around water and I don't want to worry about that Past Headphones - I've used variations of these Bluetooth Headphones Over-Ear, Zihnic Foldable Wireless and Wired Stereo Headset Micro SD/TF, FM for Cell Phone,PC,Soft Earmuffs &Light Weight for Prolonged Wearing but they're cheap and keep breaking they're decent backups but I'm tired of buying new ones every few months. I like the start, stop buttons volume control on the ears and being to be able to use it to take calls Preferred Listening - Podcasts,game audio,music basically
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Apr 12, 2022 05:10
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SirKibbles posted:Budget - Probably willing to spend about 130 ish It’s going to be very hard to get headphones that hold a charge for 12 hours minimum. What you will be able to find a decent number of are headphones (and particularly earbuds that feature battery cases) with quick-recharge capability that will let you add 1-4 hours onto an ~8hr runtime with like 5-20 minutes of charging.
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Apr 12, 2022 11:44
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For over-ears it's pretty standard to have 15-20h battery really, Anker's Soundcore stuff all claims 30h minimum which does work out in my experience. My usual recommendation of the Soundcore Q30s stands here, especially if you find them on sale.
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Apr 12, 2022 12:44
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njsykora posted:For over-ears it's pretty standard to have 15-20h battery really, Anker's Soundcore stuff all claims 30h minimum which does work out in my experience. My usual recommendation of the Soundcore Q30s stands here, especially if you find them on sale. oh word, I didn’t know that. I thought for sure it would be pretty hard to get something over-ear with a long life like that for less than like maybe $175-200
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Apr 12, 2022 12:49
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I just bought a Qudelix 5K and Hifiman HE400se's and now I'm tempted to sell my Grado SR-60es, HD6xx's, and Denon D2000s. Am I crazy? I've been amazed by the SE400se's performance, especially for only $100. Sundara's sure look nice....
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Apr 12, 2022 16:58
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Gay Retard posted:Am I crazy? I've been amazed by the SE400se's performance, especially for only $100. Sundara's sure look nice.... Not crazy, they're great, and generally speaking your first good planar will blow your mind. That said, I would keep the sennheisers, as they do stuff very differently and it's nice to contrast imo.
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Apr 12, 2022 17:22
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My second gen airpods finally bit the dust today (need to replace the case and apple wants like $70) so I was looking at the pros as a step up but saw murmurs that there would be a new model this year. Is that the case, and if so do we think it will be anything amazing? Currently debating whether to just replace in kind since I really liked my gen 2s, or wait it out with the mediocre backups I've got until back half of this year. Of course if there's anything that's a knockout in the same space (I think $129-249?) I'm willing to switch. I work out a lot so something that stays in if I'm moving around / get sweaty is important.
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Apr 12, 2022 18:29
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If you’re thinking about the pros, get them. You might find them on deeper sale than usual and they’re still extremely good. The new ones were rumoured to be in the March event and didn’t show up so if they are coming it’s not going to be until the end of the year at the earliest.
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Apr 12, 2022 20:56
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That's where I was starting to lean - there's always going to be a new thing and over a half year away is long enough where I won't get heartburn even if it was revolutionary(doubt it!). Target has them off 25% so that seems like a good place to start. Thanks!
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Apr 12, 2022 21:14
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So a while back i got some new headphones with a mic because I didn't think I needed one. Well, now I do (because of course) and unfortunately just some cheap desktop mic isn't gonna do it. I live in a small space with no desk and use a laptop so I was wondering if there's like a decent cheap Bluetooth mic I could pin to my shirt or something like that?
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Apr 13, 2022 01:40
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Not bluetooth that I know of, at least not for cheap. Might be worth seeing if you have any Earpods rotting in a drawer somewhere. Meanwhile Crinacle got the new Moondrop Chu and he seems impressed. https://twitter.com/crinacle/status/1513929637587345413
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Apr 13, 2022 04:47
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njsykora posted:Not bluetooth that I know of, at least not for cheap. Might be worth seeing if you have any Earpods rotting in a drawer somewhere. $21 sure why not lol No idea when I’ll get them though
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Apr 13, 2022 04:53
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MarcusSA posted:$21 sure why not lol I'll bite on a pair of these too.
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Apr 13, 2022 05:01
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If I hadn't already bought the Tripowin HBB Olina's I'd place an order for those Chu in a shot. But I did and I love the Olinas so I guess not. Hope the people who do buy them are getting something as good as they seem to measure.
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Apr 13, 2022 09:27
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What headphones would you guys recommend for PC, media use (music like Spotify, maybe Netflix and YouTube) and games? I've got a Superlux 668B plugged in right now, but I also own an Audio Technica M50x though it's in a different house atm and getting to it under pandemic conditions is a bit of a pain (also have a Sony WH-1000XM3 but that isn't a viable option for games). I have been listening to music more on the headphones lately when I'm at the comp, which is the main reason I'm considering upgrading. I'm relatively noob-ish when it comes to sound - for instance, I got the M50x when everyone was raving about them and I got them almost a decade ago, but it's now stuck in a different house that's slightly tricky to get to due to the pandemic. I love them but sometime over the past few years everyone calls them overrated now? Not sure if this is a hindsight thing or simply that better/higher value propositions have come out since and the M50x-es have beenn left in the dust. For budget, let's say within 250 USD hopefully? Cheaper is better of course, but if it's really worth the price I'm willing to stretch it. There's nothing wrong with my 668B, I just am looking for maybe "more" from my sound right now? Like when I had easy access to the M50x, I enjoyed how heavier the bass was in comparison to anything I had previously, but also I like how much more detail I could make out, especially when listening to songs I thought I was familiar with. Also the...left/right separation (is that the term?) was much stronger too. Again, I don't have much experience in the audio world so apologies if these terms are wrong/confusing. To be honest if I felt confident going to a music store and just trying headphones with some songs I have on me, that'd be best. Alas, there's too many cases popping up for me to risk it atm. Looking online at Crinacle's Headphone Rankings (I do not really understand the rankings, I am just going by what's got the value rating with the stars) and cross checking them with local stores, I have easy-ish access to the DT 770 Pro, DT 990 Pro, and the Shure SRH840. They are all within like RM100 of my currency, so in my head, I should just get the DT 990 Pro because that is officially the most expensive according to how it's priced in the US and thus the most "value." But I'm not sure if that will produce a sound I will like and if I can just buy one and leave it at that. I don't own any Amp/DAC, if that makes a difference. Everything just plugs into my PC's front headphone jack atm. Open to getting one if that will make a big difference. Appreciate any recommendations, thank you!
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Apr 13, 2022 13:32
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Yeah I have a Moondrop problem so I'd already bought them, though that was mostly because I needed some new tips and was going to buy the spring tips anyway. Might as well pay £4 more and get a new beater IEM in the process.
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Apr 13, 2022 13:33
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Artelier posted:What headphones would you guys recommend for PC, media use (music like Spotify, maybe Netflix and YouTube) and games? I've got a Superlux 668B plugged in right now, but I also own an Audio Technica M50x though it's in a different house atm and getting to it under pandemic conditions is a bit of a pain (also have a Sony WH-1000XM3 but that isn't a viable option for games). DT770's sound like what you're after. They're not TOTL but they're very good for the money with a pretty wide soundstage, decent tuning and excellent build quality.
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Apr 13, 2022 13:56
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frytechnician posted:DT770's sound like what you're after. They're not TOTL but they're very good for the money with a pretty wide soundstage, decent tuning and excellent build quality. Thanks! Would that still be the recommendation if the 770 Pro and the 990 Pro are the same price? Because they are in my region (differing on sale prices)
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Apr 13, 2022 14:43
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