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Budget - Under $200. Source - On board audio on macbook pro. Would possibly consider a dac/amp combo if it becomes a problem. Isolation Requirements - Looking to block out constant air handler noise, possibly low office noise. Preferred Type of Headphone - Over ear. Past Headphones - I've had 3x HD-280 Pro over the past few years. I really like these. Two of them died when the headband snapped, and my third is now dedicated to the office. I'm looking for a set to use at home. The air conditioner in my apartment makes it difficult to hear any TV/Movies/Music, so this is my primary motivation for buying. My HD280 does a fine job for this, but I don't want to carry them to work and back home every day. The hd280 series has been very dependable for me and I like them a lot. When I first purchased a pair they were a really sweet spot for price to performance. Now that I'm looking again, I am wondering if these have been defrocked from this price/performance throne. I'm currently considering the Grado SR60i, Audio-Technica ATH-M50, and the trusty HD280 Pro. What others should I consider?
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Aug 12, 2013 00:43
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horse_ebookmarklet posted:Budget - Under $200. ATH-M50s are the best possible headphones you can get in that price range. You won't be disappointed. numbs fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Aug 12, 2013 |
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Aug 12, 2013 01:28
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numbs posted:ATH-M50s are the best possible headphones you can get in that price range. You won't be disappointed. I dunno. I feel like they're being overhyped. On other forums (not SA) - I've been seeing knee-jerk GET THE M50s. If you're willing to go up to $200, you have waaay more options.
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Aug 12, 2013 01:34
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Midorka posted:Not necessarily and as much as I absolutely love the Ad700, I don't feel they suit your needs. What makes you feel this way?
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Aug 12, 2013 05:08
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I prefer the Creative Aurvana Live, Kam HP1, Brainwavz HM5, or Sennheiser HD25-II over the M50. Using the Schiit Magni/Modi with my Fischer Tandem and it sounds great. Then again these are 36 ohms, but 105dB sensitivity, about the same as my Ad2000 so that's probably not too helpful. I'll see if I can find a 16 ohm IEM, though I suspect it'll be fine with this.
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Aug 12, 2013 05:23
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What about the Shure SRH550DJ? They look like they have good build quality, and are made to be portable.
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Aug 12, 2013 06:00
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Thanks for checking things with your Magni, Midorka. I decided to just order one anyway. It seems like it's basically audibly the same as the O2 (which costs around $90 more to get a 1/4" jack and RCA inputs that are standard on the Magni), and according to one guy it's also essentially the same sound as the higher-priced Asgard 2. I actually e-mailed Schiit earlier and Jason said it should pair well with my headphones anyway, so at the least there should be no reason for them to not work together.
some dillweed fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Aug 12, 2013 |
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Aug 12, 2013 09:10
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Since I got my AKG K702's, I have begun to think that my Audio Technica M50's suck. What can I do about that?
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Aug 12, 2013 09:46
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Give them away to a homeless person who only has the old design apple earbuds.
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Aug 12, 2013 15:18
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horse_ebookmarklet posted:I'm currently considering the Grado SR60i, Audio-Technica ATH-M50, and the trusty HD280 Pro. What others should I consider? If you live next to a Guitar Center, make a trip and ask someone if you can try on their M50's.
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Aug 12, 2013 19:29
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So it seems like the Magni/Asgard are well-liked. How is the Valhalla? Given that it's been out for a while, is it probably going to be updated soon? I'm interested in getting a tube amp in the future (yeah, I know) and this one's on my radar.
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Aug 12, 2013 20:32
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Budget - Under $200. Source - On board audio on a Dell Latitude E6230 (work PC), on board Asus P8Z68-V LX (home pc), Galaxy Nexus (on the go) Isolation Requirements - People on the phone in the cube next to me, subway commuters. Preferred Type of Headphone - IEMs Past Headphones - Monoprice 8320, poor quality wires keep tangling and fraying. Shure E2Cs, didn't like the way they sat in my ears. Sennheiser 555s, sat on my ears funny and caused pain after a few hours of wear, regardless I'm looking for something lower profile. Music - Heavy hip hop, good amounts of rock/ metal / electronica I'll be using these headphones for work, home, commuting and the gym. I'm looking some something low profile enough to just stuff in my pocket. I'd really like a headphone that has wires that are somewhat tangle proof and do not get damaged / keep their proper shape when bent (much unlike the Monoprice 8320). Additionally, a cord on the shorter side would be nice. Anything I should consider aside from what's in the OP? Thanks!
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Aug 13, 2013 05:08
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Budget - ~$250 Source - iPhone/iPad Isolation Requirements - Nothing too crazy, general ambient sound. Walking through campus/gym Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM Preferred Tonal Balance - Balanced, good bass Past Headphones - Klipsh S4. Looking for something with a more genuine, full sound and comfort Preferred Music - Electronica / Rock I'm also looking for something with iPhone Forward/Pause/Back controls and a microphone, however if this severely limits my options I'm willing to sacrifice the convenience of it. Thanks for the help!
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Aug 13, 2013 06:24
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Midorka posted:I prefer the Creative Aurvana Live, Kam HP1, Brainwavz HM5, or Sennheiser HD25-II over the M50. Have you had a chance to try the Magni/Modi with any 600ohm gear? I bought the O2+ODAC with the reasoning that it was basically the best priced gear to drive my 600Ohm DT880s, but the Schiit stuff is far better looking. edit: 600ohm, not 300 kuffs fucked around with this message at 17:37 on Aug 14, 2013 |
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Aug 13, 2013 06:28
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Ordered the Grado SR80i with a Good Cans carry bag. I hope they're pretty great for listening to :metal:
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Aug 13, 2013 07:53
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Protons posted:Ordered the Grado SR80i with a Good Cans carry bag. I hope they're pretty great for listening to :metal: You won't be disappointed. They're known for sounding great with Rock.
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Aug 13, 2013 11:56
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I have a pair of HD558's driven by the internal amp in my Asus Xonar DGX and I have no complaints regarding the sound. However, I'm going to replace my keyboard that has multimedia controls with a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard, sans multimedia controls. Since the keyboard also serves as my volume control I'm looking for a volume knob. Would I be best served by a headphone amp, and would there be any concerns daisy-chaining it with the amp in my sound card? I assume I can disable the xonar amp.
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Aug 14, 2013 05:34
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Anti-Hero posted:I have a pair of HD558's driven by the internal amp in my Asus Xonar DGX and I have no complaints regarding the sound. However, I'm going to replace my keyboard that has multimedia controls with a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard, sans multimedia controls. Since the keyboard also serves as my volume control I'm looking for a volume knob. Would I be best served by a headphone amp, and would there be any concerns daisy-chaining it with the amp in my sound card? I assume I can disable the xonar amp. If you're going to get an external amp you'd likely use the line-out port, not the headphone port. As for a volume knob, there's gotta be a usb control jig thingy you can get that would cost way less than a desktop amp.
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Aug 14, 2013 05:45
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Anti-Hero posted:I have a pair of HD558's driven by the internal amp in my Asus Xonar DGX and I have no complaints regarding the sound. However, I'm going to replace my keyboard that has multimedia controls with a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard, sans multimedia controls. Since the keyboard also serves as my volume control I'm looking for a volume knob. Would I be best served by a headphone amp, and would there be any concerns daisy-chaining it with the amp in my sound card? I assume I can disable the xonar amp. Use an autohotkey script or the like to turn some key combo into volume up/volume down.
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Aug 14, 2013 14:00
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Electric Bugaloo posted:How is the Valhalla? No idea about an update. It hasn't been out more than a few years.
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Aug 14, 2013 16:41
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Dogen posted:Use an autohotkey script or the like to turn some key combo into volume up/volume down. The problem with AHK is it will generally trigger Punkbuster in Battlefield 3. I'm just going to push ahead with buying the mechanical keyboard and deal with the volume control issue once I've had an opportunity to experience life without it.
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Aug 14, 2013 19:45
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The V-moda BoomPro is way better than she mic I had before, it also comes with the y splitter so its easy to plug in on my computer.
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Aug 14, 2013 21:29
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numbs posted:ATH-M50s are the best possible headphones you can get in that price range. You won't be disappointed. It really depends. I own Grado SR80i and ATH-M50s. They both serve entirely different purposes. The Grado is open, and sounds a lot better to me. So long as you're in a quiet-ish area like your home, they would work great. The M50s are closed. I can't hear anything outside, and no one can hear what I'm listening to. The sound quality is really good as well, but not quite as good as the Grados with the exception of bass. They are perfect for work environments and subways/planes/busses/etc. This really also depends on the person and their ears, but, I find the Grados to be way more comfortable. Those pads feel like really cozy ear muffs. The M50s make my ears sweat, and hurt after an hour. I can wear the Grados with no comfort issues all day long. I bought the velvet pad replacements for the M50, and initially thought they were nice, but they really weren't. It does alter the sound, and didn't help my comfort issues either. If I had $200 in my pocket today, I would go grab a pair of Sony MDR-1R. They dropped from $300 to $200 again. I auditioned a pair at a Sony store in Vegas and they blew me away, but they were $100 more than my budget allowed at the time. I ended up getting the M50s that were price matched at Guitar Center with an additional 10% off, so I got them for $80 before tax - It was a good deal. However, I'd go with the MDR-1R over the M50s any day of the week. You can use Amazon to return stuff you're not sure about, and maybe someone who actually owns Sony MDR-1R can chime in about them. Philthy fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Aug 15, 2013 |
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Aug 15, 2013 15:49
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Hello Looking for a set of IEMs to replace/upgrade my Sennheiser CX475s. Price: under $120 I've been searching and looking at reviews now for a couple days and it is making me more confused than it should. I like heavy bass, deep subwoofer type music, but also without sacrificing high end and juicy mids. I listen to dubstep, reggae, heavy metal, and some jazz if it matters. A lot of IEMs seem to skimp on bass response. This is a red flag for me. I do use a hacked Samsung Galaxy phone with Voodoo Sound (enables the built in headphone amp for the Wolfson DAC) and it has incredible sound quality with plenty of power. So I think I have the amp covered if I need one. So far I have been looking at Yamaha, Sony, and Sennheiser IEM's around $100 but after cross checking reviews I am no closer to picking a pair than before. It seems like 13mm+ drivers would be good for deep bass but most reviews say those type drivers sacrifice mids and highs... no good. Can you guys recommend some models for me to check out?
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Aug 15, 2013 21:49
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The Velodyne V-Pulse and Monster Turbines would probably suit your needs. Also, don't get caught up in driver size as it relates to output. The JVC FX1X, for example, puts out a poo poo-ton of bass and it has an 8.5MM driver. It's far, far more important to get a proper seal.
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Aug 15, 2013 21:56
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grack posted:The Velodyne V-Pulse and Monster Turbines would probably suit your needs. Thanks. Monster and me do not get along so I will check out the Velodyne V-Pulse. [edit] I read some reviews, seems most people say it is bass heavy and has recessed mids. I would really like something more balanced with a good sound stage and yet can dip really low when bass is called for. Still overall reviews are very good. redeyes fucked around with this message at 22:20 on Aug 15, 2013 |
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Aug 15, 2013 22:16
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You can increase the midrange with software equalization very easily.
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Aug 15, 2013 23:28
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The higher the impedence on a pair of headphones, the more likely you will need to use an amplifier, correct?
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Aug 16, 2013 06:41
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Protons posted:The higher the impedence on a pair of headphones, the more likely you will need to use an amplifier, correct? Not necessarily. Sensitivity is important too. Amps can output less power as a headphones impedance goes up, but if they have high sensitivity (shown as ###dB/mW) then they will need less power to reach X dB level. It's a bit confusing, but in general you should probably consider an amp with a headphone at 300ohms or higher and any inefficient headphone, something with less than 95dB/mW. That's just the simple of it though.
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Aug 16, 2013 06:55
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I need some help with bluetooth headphones. I bought these Kinivo BTH 240 to use for jogging and stuff. They work great in my apartment, surrounded by wifi, other apartments, other wifi, etc. They work from a decent distance too. But when I get outside and head towards the waterfront (Hoboken, right across from NYC), they start cutting out very frequently. Here's a map of a recent route: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4opFJmPtyx6NjRlWXBWLUdlNVE/edit?usp=sharing In the heart of town they work fine, but on the water they cut out so much. I figure there would be more signal noise surrounded by buildings than on the open river, but maybe it's something else? Thank you.
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Aug 16, 2013 15:34
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Quick question, I have a pair of Denon AH-D2000's that I bought a couple years ago and rarely used until recently. Now that I'm enjoying them much more often on my PC, I'm looking to add a sound card that will allow me to hear their full potential while gaming and listening to music. I have been doing a bit of research and it looks like the Creative Sound Blaster ZxR would be what I'm looking for. Basically what I'm wondering is, will the built in amp be sufficient for powering these headphones? I'm new to audio gear and getting a bit confused on how much power the D2000's need to sound right. ZxR Sound Card Texas Instrument 6120A2 (120dB DAC, 80mW into 600 ohm) AH-D2000 Impedance @ 1kHz: 25 Ohms Sensitivity: 106dB/mW
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Aug 18, 2013 14:51
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Your onboard sound is probably fine for those, don't buy a card. That's pretty low impedance, you start worrying about amps at like, I dunno, 150? Anyway if you really just want to buy a sound card with a headphone amp get a Xonar DGX.
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Aug 18, 2013 16:11
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Dogen posted:Anyway if you really just want to buy a sound card with a headphone amp get a Xonar DGX. I have one of these and it sounds great with my Senn HD558's.
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Aug 18, 2013 22:36
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I have some beat rear end 555s and an STX which is totally overkill. I've been spending money fixing up a turntable I got for my birthday but that project is pretty much wrapped so I'd like to get some nicer cans soon to match the STX.
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Aug 18, 2013 23:32
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Hey goons, I'm selling my ODAC in the SA Mart.
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Aug 19, 2013 19:35
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Why are you selling the ODAC? I just bought one, but it hasn't arrived yet. I need some cables for my Sennheiser HD 580s. They have the original cable for $25 on Amazon, but won't ship to Canada. Anyone know where I can get a reasonable headphone cable for a decent price? I keep finding $150+ hand made magic moon cables when I search.
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Aug 19, 2013 19:44
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Budget aprox 100$ Source iPod classic iPad and moto x (eventually) phone Isolation requirements none need to hear ringing phone and some background noise at work. Type of headphones earbuds preferred but wouldn't say no to cans. Previous mono price and the sennheiser cx 300 Music podcasts electronica pop and rock I'd love a really good cable that isn't gonna break on me I have a nasty habit of getting it snagged on door handles and similar.
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Aug 19, 2013 19:45
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TomR posted:Why are you selling the ODAC? I just bought one, but it hasn't arrived yet. I bought a Schiit Modi and Magni stack because I prefer the aesthetics of it to the O2 and ODAC. Sound wise they both sound the same to my ears.
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Aug 19, 2013 20:12
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Hi chaps ... I could really do with some help, I'm really stuck with what sort of IEMss I should be buying. In the past, I've generally followed Joker's multi-IEM review at Head-Fi, but this time it's really tripped me up. Last time I bought a pair of IEMs, I checked Joker's reviews for the price range I could afford, picked the ones that had good value ratings and then read their reviews closely and picked the one that sounded the best, and in that instance I ended up buying a pair of VSonic GR06 IEMs. I actually really liked them, the mids were a little bit heavy for my liking, but the bass was just right and the higher end was fantastic. Unfortunately, they broke after only 8 months, so I decided to replace them with something different in the hope that they would last longer ... So I did the usual thing and ended up going for a pair of Brainwavz M2s, picked them up today and I found them to sound absolutely terrible. I don't really like mid heavy headphones, and with these, the midtones are so far forward and heavy that it just sounds like I'm listening to everything through an old timey radio, I absolutely can't stand it. I ended up tinkering with all the EQ settings on my iPod and I just couldn't make them sound nice. I'm really quite lost now, having had a pair of headphones that seem to have a good review and are picked out as great value turn up, and me having found them to sound so utterly dreadful ... at this point I'm at a loss at to what to go for next. I was thinking about just picking through ClieOS's list and finding the best rated pair I can afford that are in one of the categories that are furthest away from mid emphasis headphones (like Balanced or Analytical maybe? I don't really know). Any help would be greatly appreciated ... I'm really stuck!
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Aug 19, 2013 20:32
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What kind of music do you listen to and what's your price range?
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Aug 19, 2013 21:04
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