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EbolaIvory posted:Headsets under 200 that are wireless and as nice? It's the right thread insofar as we're going to tell you not to buy one because they are all poo poo. This is sort of unorthodox but here's what I'd do. Get these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826138190 Philips SHP9500. They sound amazing and cost $58 dollars. Importantly, they have a normal 3.5mm jack, so you can use whatever cable you want. Now get this: https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetoo...+with+mic&psc=1 Plug that fucker right in. It sounds surprisingly good. Now you have amazing bluetooth headphones. It has a built in mic, so now it's a wireless headset too. This, I promise, will sound better than any gaming headset ever made.
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Aug 15, 2016 20:11
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-Anders posted:So Re: Headphone amp/DAC chat. What would I get out of using one of those with my phone and recently purchased pair of Superlux HD668Bs? Not much unless your phone's headphone output is noticeably noisy or distorted, or if you have to max it out to get decent volume from your headphones. Those superlux are pretty easy to drive so I wouldn't bother unless you just like to be fancy and carry extra poo poo around.
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Aug 15, 2016 20:15
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EbolaIvory posted:So I'm seeing lots of headphone jacks and no USB. I'm confused. Don't use the cable that comes with the headphones. Take the Mpow thing and plug it right into the jack at the bottom of the headphones. Now you have bluetooth headphones. No wires involved. If your computer doesn't have bluetooth, get a bluetooth dongle. If you need to move to another computer, pair it to another computer. This is another thing that does what I'm describing: https://thebtunes.com/ except it costs $80 which is absurd. Are you saying you need a non-bluetooth, but still USB wireless headset?
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Aug 15, 2016 21:34
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EbolaIvory posted:Basically yeah. Either the dongle I use has to be set to send voice and sound or has to be for the unit itself. Between telecom software, meeting software, and a bunch of other poo poo, it has to be a single USB connection for "both". Ah, I get ya. Wow, that's a very specific use case. If wireless weren't a requirement, I would say just get one of these things: https://www.amazon.com/external-Ada...=usb+sound+card and a vmoda Boompro or equivalent. But other than that, yeah I guess it's headset land. I don't think I've even seen ones with dedicated dongles, but I guess they must exist. Sorry!
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Aug 15, 2016 21:48
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enojy posted:They sound great to me, and the only indication I have that I'm underpowering them is the endless cave that is audiophile/headphone forums via google. Well, that, and the fact that I have to have the E10K on high gain at 50-60% volume to get them pretty drat loud and kicking. I'm alright with that, though, because there's no clipping, noise, or other unpleasantness. They're still loud down at like 30% volume, but they don't start punching until I get to 50%. Anything above 50-60% is painfully/damagingly loud. Oh! Forget it, you're powering them just fine. That's better than my Monoprice dac/amp does, which sounds fantastic. Don't fall into the audiophile hole. If it's loud enough and sounds good, it's loud enough and sounds good. Yeah, you just pull the pads off. It takes a little elbow grease. The old ones just wrapped around the cups, the Mk3 has a little flange slot that the pads fit into, just tug out one bit and you can slide the whole thing off. Getting new pads on takes a bit of stretching, just be careful and go slow. The 1540 pads are like night and day for me, I think you're going to like them. It's like a soft, gentle hug for your head.
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Aug 16, 2016 19:53
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enojy posted:Thanks! I actually just went for the 840 pads; I didn't want to do anything drastic to the material/distance from ear to driver, and couldn't afford the 1540s because I am now broke. The 840 pads are a huge step up, too. The 1540s look like they'll cause distance problems, but they're so squishy they actually compress down to about the same as the 840s. I actually think the 840s sound a tiny bit better, so enjoy!
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Aug 16, 2016 21:04
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Paul MaudDib posted:Absolutely not. That's not just an SMSL thing, it's true of all T-amps. They're still pretty great little amps but you're right, you should always buy around 3 to 4 times the power you need and don't expect great things to happen if you crank it. This doesn't apply to their headphone amps, totally different design.
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Aug 17, 2016 04:15
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They pretty much all have mics built in, but they're either located on the cable or on the earbud itself. None of them will sound "good" to the person you're calling, but most will probably sound "acceptable". I would try something like the LG Tone Pro neckband-style thing, as at least those have the mic sort of in front of you. Find one with aptx and/or Bluetooth 4.0, there are a million copies of that design which probably all sound pretty much the same.
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Aug 17, 2016 19:17
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If you're looking for truly cordless earbuds, don't. The only ones from a major company that actually work are the Samsung Icon X, and they are not worth the $200 they charge for them. Wait two years.
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Aug 17, 2016 23:06
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Green Gloves posted:I bought an open box pair of shp9500 for $45 today. Adding them to Philips collection of an x2 and the m2bt. Yep, should be fine. I'd be interested in your opinion of the shp vs the fidelio models, I've been thinking about finding an X2.
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Aug 20, 2016 02:37
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Just to reiterate, if you're looking for headphones, you should not buy a gaming headset. If you're looking for a gaming headset and you don't absolutely need it to be wireless, you STILL shouldn't buy a gaming headset. I'm glad you found something that works for your situation, but it's still likely a bad choice for most people. I say this not because I'm an audiophile (i'm very much not) but because gaming headsets are just bad value. The Philips SHP-9500 is not an expensive, or even really an "audiophile" headphone, but I would challenge absolutely anyone to find a gaming headset that sounds better, regardless of price. Pair it with a Vmoda Boompro, and you have a single-cable solution that costs less than a hundred bucks, is extremely comfortable and sounds fantastic. If you need closed cans, do the same thing except with Shure SRH440 instead of the Philips. Or better yet the Audio Technica M40x if you want to do a little minor surgery on them. Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 22:58 on Aug 21, 2016 |
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Aug 21, 2016 22:48
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frozenpeas posted:My question is, coming from Westone IEMs, will I be disappointed by the sound quality of a pair of bluetooth headphones? I'm planning on using them more for use around the house and watching movies with my wife when my son is asleep but if I'm better off sticking with wires and going for a headphone splitter then I'd be open to that. Honestly, in my experience, you will probably be disappointed unless you splurge out. The only ones I've heard that I'd call great sounding are the Sennheiser Momentum wireless, which start at $250 or so for the somewhat uncomfortable on-ear version. I think really great bluetooth cans are still a year away from being affordable, sadly. There is hope though. This little 16 dollar Mpow thing sounds crazy good: https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetoo...=mpow+bluetooth Velcro that poo poo to a decent pair of headphones, problem solved. The fact that this thing exists, is so small and costs so little makes me wonder why it's so hard for someone to make a decent set of wireless cans, but there it is.
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Aug 21, 2016 23:07
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The Lord Bude posted:Hello Headphone Goons! I don't know what's available in Australia, but I think the Audio Technica M40x is the best choice here. Most people tend to recommend the M50, but I find them a bit too V-shaped. The 40s have better mids at the expense of a less "fun" sound, and they're cheaper. Don't bother with wireless if you can help it, you'll get a lot more bang for your buck if you don't need it. You should also have enough cash left over to get a Behringer UCA 202 or 222 in case your DAC dies. The headphone amp in it is a bit wank, but thankfully the M40x are very easy to power, so it should be fine. If you can't find the Audio Technica, I'd find a pair of Sony MDR V6 or 7506. If you're anywhere near a city with any kind of media production going on, you can probably find a good used pair since they're ubiquitous in that industry.
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Aug 21, 2016 23:23
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Plugging a Boompro into a headphone with a 3.5mm port is an all-in-one solution. One cable, one headphone, one microphone, all one unit. Get any headphone with a non-recessed 3.5mm port like the Brainwavz HM9, or the SHP I mentioned, plug in the boompro, and you have something that is functionally indistinguishable from a special purpose "gaming headset", except that it sounds better and is cheaper. If you need wireless, sure, get that razer thing or whatever. If you don't need wireless, do not buy a gaming headset. As an aside, don't ever buy a pair of headphones, gaming or otherwise, based on the idea that it'll give you "7.1 surround sound". It won't, it's physically impossible, it's a software trick at best, and it tells you the manufacturer is willing to use an outright lie to sell you their poo poo. edit: vvv  vvv
Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 00:18 on Aug 22, 2016 |
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Aug 21, 2016 23:56
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It honestly confuses me that they're so universally bad and overpriced. You would think that someone would come out with a good sounding gaming headset at a decent price and just wipe the floor with the market, but nobody has. Even Sennheiser, who you think would know better, sells a "GAME ONE" set is literally a pair of 558s with a huge fuckoff plastic mic stuck on it for an extra FIFTY dollars. Madness.
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Aug 22, 2016 00:28
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MarcusSA posted:Are you talking about these? Yeah, they've rebranded them a few times but I think those are basically the same cans. Don't get me wrong, 558's are great headphones, and that's a good setup you have there. I just question the value of adding $50 to the price tag for a $5 plastic microphone. Hell, you could buy a new pair of 558s, add this thing and have the same setup for $30 less. And you could plug it right into your phone or console controller.
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Aug 22, 2016 01:20
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The Lord Bude posted:in the last page of this thread I was recommended the Audio-Technica M40X. I've discovered that PCCasegear not only sells an extensive range of headphones from this brand, but also sells them without the typical markup I've come to expect in Australia - they are similar in price to what I'd get on amazon once I account for exchange rate differences. There are a bunch of different headphones at a very similar price point so I was hoping people could explain the differences between these headphones: Never heard the closed back versions of those, but the open ones are fantastic. They're likely to be more comfortable, but I can't speak to the sound quality over the m40x. Best thing to do is find a store where you can try them out, or an online retailer with a generous return policy. It sucks that Amazon is so poo poo in Australia, they'll take anything back.
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Aug 22, 2016 20:46
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Aeilerto posted:(link in Norwegian, but this is easily the biggest electronics store chain in Norway, think Best Buy for Skyrim) I used to sell consumer electronics like you, then I took an arrow to the oh god i'm so sorry forget this happened
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Aug 22, 2016 21:42
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Kalenden posted:I'm looking for good wireless headphones. To watch movies and play games mostly. I like wireless headphones, but I won't own a pair of great ones. Great headphones can be a timeless investment, but it seems like every year there's a new Bluetooth revision that completes another piece of the puzzle. Until two or three years go by without a technological revolution in range, battery life or compression, I don't think it makes sense to spend more than $100 on wireless headphones. So for now I own these MEE Audio dealies. They're fine. I got them used for $30, you can find them for $60 new. They don't sound bad, they come with a nice case, the battery lasts around 3 days for me, and you can plug them in if it runs out. I won't be mad when they get obsoleted or run over by a car. There are plenty of wireless cans that sound better, are more comfortable, and have more features. I just don't think any of them make sense. Except maybe the Bose QC35 if you absolutely need wireless + noise cancelling, since they're the only ones that really do that effectively. But you're going to spend $350 for the privilege, and you're going to want to replace them in two years.
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Aug 23, 2016 18:47
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frozenpeas posted:Sorry for the wine/audio tasting descriptions, just tying to get the differences across. It's cool, man! I'd rather read someone honestly trying to express what they're hearing than stringing together audiophile buzzwords. When I listen critically, I try to break down my impressions into lows, mids and highs, and then how those broad terms bleed into each other. So, for example, how low is the bass extension? If I listen to a movie with a 5.1 mix, can I identify what would be going through the subwoofer? Does the bass energy bleed into the lower mids and garble or distract from vocals or guitars? For the mids, are the vocals as clear and present as they should be in the mix? How do male vocals sound vs female? Can I tell how the toms in the drum kit are tuned? For the highs, is there anything annoying or harsh? Do cymbals hurt when they crash, or do they sound weak? Too many audio reviews use words like warm, refined, articulate, mellow, laid back, clear, open, transparent, airy. These words mean less than nothing. They make me angry. Just describe how music sounds. Jesus christ. anyway, i'm saying your writing is fine.
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Aug 24, 2016 03:02
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My favorite thing for this is the Griffin Powermate. It is great and beautiful and wonderful and I love it. For OS X and Windows it has a driver that allows you to change what it does per application, it's hugely customizable. It's supported by a kernel module in most linux distros, so plug it in and look at syslog, it might show up. Or not, who knows, it's linux. edit: don't get the bluetooth version it's os x only, and silly. Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 16:33 on Aug 24, 2016 |
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Aug 24, 2016 16:06
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$50 is a bit of a tough price point for great circumaural closed cans. The Creative Aurvana Live (or CAL!) is probably your best bet for a new headphone. My two issues with them are build quality in general and a dual-entry, non removable, somewhat flimsy cable. If you're using them at your desk, it shouldn't be much of an issue. I have a pair of Logitech UE6000's, which are discontinued, but if you're lucky you can find them used or refurbed around $50. They have remarkable soundstage for a closed can, reasonably good build, and a standard 3.5mm removable cable. They also have active noise canceling, which is decent but not quite on the level with the ubiquitous Bose cans. The downside is that there's a significant bass boost when it's turned on. Thankfully, they work fine without the ANC, and sound very very good. Non-removable pads, sadly, so keep that in mind when buying a used pair. If you can stretch your budget to around $100, I still recommend the Audio Technica M40x for a buy-it-for-life, do everything, closed set of headphones. If you want another pair of IEMS, honestly I still recommend the KZ ATE. They may cost a dollar less than those Skullcandy things, but I'll guarantee they're at least 14 times more fun to listen to. edit: yknow what, I totally forgot about the Monoprice 8323. Get those, and the KZ ATE. You'll be extremely happy with both, and you'll have 16 dollars left, which you can save. Which you should do, because great cheap headphones are gateway drugs, and a month from now you'll be blowing hobos in alleyways for spare change to save up for a pair of Audeze. Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 22:46 on Aug 29, 2016 |
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Aug 29, 2016 22:34
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that Verge article is hilarious. The Zero Audio stuff is great for the price, but it was flavor of the month around the audio boards over two years ago. Just wait till the Verge finds out about the VE Monk!! They're gonna lose their loving minds!!!
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Aug 29, 2016 23:30
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straya mate posted:Looking for IEMs or headphones with a very "wet" sound, that is, with reverb. Non-essential preferences include a V-shaped or balanced sound signature, and drivable without an amp. Does this exist? No. Also, what?
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Sep 6, 2016 07:05
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Kalenden posted:Basically, I'm looking for much the same. My vote would be either Sennheiser Momentum or Logitech UE9000 (if you can find one). I would rather have either of those than the M50x, wireless or not. The Bose are really only if you need active noise cancellation, they don't sound great for the price. edit: I really, really like the Jabra Move if you're looking for relatively cheap on-ears, but if you can afford it go with the above.
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Sep 6, 2016 07:14
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Anemone posted:I'm trying to find some headphones with good quality, detachable cord (for the vive), and that make me look like I live in the future (I'll be streaming wearing these): well the obvious answer is the jecklin float  finding them might be a challenge though. for real though just get the philips fidelio x2. nobody has ever regretted getting a pair and they look pretty boss.
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Sep 6, 2016 07:36
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Lowness 72 posted:What about the new Sennheisers with ANC? I heard they're supposed to be great but a bit expensive. The ones they just announced at IFA? They're not out yet, so who knows. If you mean the PXC 550, yeah I hear they're fantastic but at $400, I'm not in the market. If I were spending $400 on headphones right now it would be Oppo PM-3's.
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Sep 6, 2016 21:37
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grack posted:No, because IEMs are typically heavily damped. what does this mean
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Sep 7, 2016 06:06
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:If you're looking for truly cordless earbuds, don't. The only ones from a major company that actually work are the Samsung Icon X, and they are not worth the $200 they charge for them. Wait two years. quoting my own drat self. don't buy the bragi things or any other earbuds with no wires. don't. they just straight up don't work. I would expect the ones that apple just came out with today to work, so if you're getting a new iPhone and you have an extra $160, go hog wild. But also, they might not. Who knows.
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Sep 7, 2016 20:59
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Nope, looks like a special snowflake standard.
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Sep 8, 2016 00:04
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Phosphia posted:Budget - $600. The nighthawk is... interesting. If you're in the market for a high-end dynamic headphone with an outlandish design, it's an option. They certainly don't sound bad, and they're comfortable. They're a reasonable price for what they are, but I would have a hard time buying them due to Audioquest being one of the most visible purveyors of dishonest audiophile horseshit on the planet. The iPhone requirement is a bit of a hurdle. At that price, it's actually hard to find a really great headphone that can be driven by portable sources. I think most makers of $600 headphones assume you won't be walking around town with them. The Oppo PM-3 is a notable exception. If I had that budget and no other headphones, I would some Sennheiser HD600's, a Micca Origen to drive them with, and some Audio Technica M40x's to walk around with.
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Sep 9, 2016 00:07
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blue squares posted:I have had ATH-M50x for a year and loved it the whole time. Yesterday I got HD-600s and an amp for home listening and now my 50x's sound so much worse good news, the 40x's are infinitely better. or get some msr7's if you want to be fancy.
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Sep 9, 2016 00:07
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Kaboom Dragoon posted:My trusty Koss Porta-Pros bit the dust, and since I'm starting a new job which will require 3 hours travel a day, I think it's time to invest in a new pair. You can send Koss your broken PortaPros and they'll send you a new pair, fyi. Shipping from the UK might not be worth it though. I may sound like a broken record, but M40x. If you can't find them or don't like them for some reason, try the Brainwavz HM5, or Sony MDR-V6 / 7506.
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Sep 9, 2016 00:19
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blue squares posted:I got the PSB M4U 1 I was going to nab a pair on eBay but pulled out at the last minute because I thought the design was too boxy. Then I got to hear some in person and I've been kicking myself since, they're really good. What do you think of them vs the M50?
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Sep 9, 2016 16:55
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There are exactly three Audioquest things that are not ripoffs. The Dragonfly, the Beetle and the Nighthawks. I will never own them because literally everything else they sell is snake oil bullshit of the highest order, and I refuse to support that kind of behavior. Seriously, if you have any basic understanding of digital signal flow, read this horseshit sales page right here and tell me you don't want to loving shoot someone. The nighthawks are absolutely comfy as poo poo, and they sound great if you like bass. They're not neutral in any sense of the word, and way too rolled off in the high end for my taste, but I can't fault them for much else. They don't need an amp, you can plug them into anything. If you like them, you should probably buy them. I just think you would get more value and enjoyment out of the things I listed. The HD600's are also comfy as poo poo. They're extremely enjoyable to listen to while also being very accurate, neutral and unhyped. Having a good dac/amp opens you up to a whole bunch more interesting headphones if you want to explore, and having a second pair that's durable and inexpensive enough to walk around town with just makes good sense.
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Sep 10, 2016 02:33
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prom candy posted:That's a pretty big price jump, and arguably a lot to spend for walking around cans. They're that much better than the m40x? I don't think they're at all worth the money. I much prefer the build quality of the M40x. The M70 is rather more plastic-y, has a much, much worse headband adjustment and doesn't fold up like the M40x does. It has nicer stock pads, but that's a $20 fix and certainly doesn't warrant the price increase. I also find it not as neutral as the M40x, and while it's got much better treble extension it's too bright in general.
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Sep 11, 2016 23:47
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:JESUS $300? ehhhhhhh no. I only paid about $100 for mine, and they were totally worth that. Where did you get M70x's for $100?
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Sep 13, 2016 00:13
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Even if you fix your ground loop, the mic will still sound like a modmic, i.e. not very good. honestly even if you have to hack and solder cables to make it work just use a boompro for goodness sake.
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Sep 14, 2016 22:56
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On a whim, I dug out the Sennheiser HD25's that have been sitting in my video production bag. They've been sitting there for about a year, with a badly bent 3.5mm plug that, while technically still worked, annoyed me to the point of using other headphones. Well, I finally soldered a new plug on there and shortened the cable to a more reasonable 1.5m or so. This also gave me the opportunity to swap the channels, so the cable is left-sided now, which solves the other annoyance I had with them. Oh, and I threw on some new headband pads and aftermarket earpads for the Urbanites to replace all the janky old crap. Okay, yes, they're on-ear. And weird looking. And cheap feeling. And way, way, too expensive. But find a used pair as cheaply as possible, and you have an incredibly durable, lightweight headphone that isolates and kicks out fast bass as well as any fancy IEM i've ever tried. They're fun sounding, but not so much that they're inaccurate for monitoring. They're just absurdly good. If you need walking around cans that sound great and isolate better than most ANC cans, find a pair. But used, and under $100. If you can score a broken pair, even better because the parts are easy to find, relatively cheap and meant to be user-replaceable.
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Sep 15, 2016 22:10
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Okay I went and got me some of those ridiculous $5 VE monk plus earbuds. The hype is ridiculous, but what the heck they're 5 bucks. Turns out, they're a joke, how good they are. It's a silly joke. They have Serious Business imaging and soundstage. If you double up the little foam things they give you, they have fast, decently extended bass. They're on the warm side of neutral, but not crazy. They don't just sound great for 5 dollars, they sound great period. The only earbuds I have left from the Great Earbud Purge of the late 90s are Apple Earpods. It's no comparison. The earpods are scooped to gently caress. The bass is flabby and bleeds into the lower mids. There's a vague suggestion of vocals that give way to sibilant, peaky treble with a big fat 5k spike that overwhelms any sizzle or harmonics that might be present in the higher registers. Compared to my old standard favorite portables, the Sennheiser HD25's, they actually kind of hold up. Obviously there's no isolation, they're not as "aggressive in a good way", the bass isn't quite as deep or fast or accurate. There's no getting away from the fact that they're $5 plastic earbuds either, the comfort and build quality will never be close to the unkillable, industrial brutality of the HD25s, let alone a decent set of over-ear cans. They're no good for walking around outside, it's like trying to listen to HD598s in a crowded bar. You'll have to turn them up to dangerous levels for anything good to happen, so just don't. But in a quiet room, the soundstage is the widest I have ever heard in a portable format, and they have inarguably better mids. I'm listening to Goblin's Profondo Rosso and there are synth lines coming from another god drat room somehow.
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Sep 27, 2016 19:25
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