Headphones Era lOTl Even Through The Distortion We Remain Lossless

Daitokuji · Nov 25, 2018

I have an almost 10 year old Sennheiser HD 595 that I want to upgrade, and I'm looking at going to the HD 600 or 650. From what I've read the difference seems to be that the 650 has more bass and 600 is more neutral. Anyone have any opinions on either of these?

Would I need an amp for one of these? The 595s sound fine directly plugging into my laptop or an MP3 player or whatever.

Atraveller · Nov 26, 2018

Daitokuji said:
I have an almost 10 year old Sennheiser HD 595 that I want to upgrade, and I'm looking at going to the HD 600 or 650. From what I've read the difference seems to be that the 650 has more bass and 600 is more neutral. Anyone have any opinions on either of these?

Would I need an amp for one of these? The 595s sound fine directly plugging into my laptop or an MP3 player or whatever.

These are 300ohms cans, you absolutely need an amp.

Daitokuji · Nov 26, 2018

Oh wow, the impedence of the 595 is 50 ohms and then the 600 and 650 are 300 ohms. Is that considered a big jump?

i like big butts · Nov 26, 2018

Its overblown. The main problem with the HD600 being paired with low voltage headphone amps like those from your mobile phone or laptop is that it just doesn't get very loud before it starts clipping. Your mileage may vary as some people like to listen loud while others don't.

Good amps are dirt cheap if you ever want one. JDS Atom is only $99.

metsallica · Nov 26, 2018

HiResDes said:
They are widely not praised for their sound quality much on any audiophile community or forum

Do you think the Sonys are worth a shot or will I feel the same way?

HiResDes · Nov 26, 2018

metsallica said:
Do you think the Sonys are worth a shot or will I feel the same way?

Buy regular closed headphones if sound quality is that much of a priority, the very nature of how ANC works isn't very conducive to great sound quality

metsallica · Nov 26, 2018

HiResDes said:
Buy regular closed headphones if sound quality is that much of a priority, the very nature of how ANC works isn't very conducive to great sound quality

I've tried over ear, on ear, pretty much everything (can't tolerate canal phones). I'm on the subway hours a day, I need something to combat that. I'm looking for solid-to-good audio quality with ANC. I know I have to compromise in that space but there has to be something better than that Bose sound profile.

Deleted member 18944 · Nov 26, 2018

metsallica said:
I've tried over ear, on ear, pretty much everything (can't tolerate canal phones). I'm on the subway hours a day, I need something to combat that. I'm looking for solid-to-good audio quality with ANC. I know I have to compromise in that space but there has to be something better than that Bose sound profile.

Bose QC35 II?

HiResDes · Nov 26, 2018

Hobbes said:
Bose QC35 II?

LMFAO

The Sony 1000XM3 are your best bet but they're costly, and there's no better option to really try after that within the ANC realm.

metsallica · Nov 26, 2018

(Check the previous page, Hobbes)
:)

Costly is fine, I'm gonna give 'em a shot. I wish Sennheiser was better with the ANC, honestly. I'm somewhat curious about the B&W PXs but I've only really seen mixed things.

HiResDes · Nov 26, 2018

Well the p7 are great headphones so maybe those are worth a shot too. Seems like the Sony are much wamer, when I heard them I thought they sounded about as good as the Beats Solo 2 (not a diss) and it seems like the Bowers are more neutral sounding and less bass emphasized.

Allshallperish · Nov 26, 2018

I could use some advice. I accidently broke the left hinge of my audio technica ATH-MSR7GMs a few days back (gutted). Luckily I'm still within my warranty so amazon are issuing me with a £150 refund.

I thought about ordering another pair, as I do really like the headphones, but I'm quite disappointed on how easy the hinge broke, so I'm also considering buying a new pair altogether.

If anyone could recommend a nice pair of closed back, over the ear cans, in the region of £150-£200 I'd really appreciate it.
Something with crisp sound, but also durable.

I listen to a broad range of music, but mainly hip hop.

Deleted member 18944 · Nov 26, 2018

HiResDes said:
LMFAO

The Sony 1000XM3 are your best bet but they're costly, and there's no better option to really try after that within the ANC realm.

I like mine pretty good.

HiResDes · Nov 26, 2018

No I was laughing because he tried those already and didn't like them.

Aiii · Nov 26, 2018

The WH-1000XM3s are great. Miles beyond the flat Bose's.

unAimed · Nov 26, 2018

I use HD598sr headphones with a Soundblaster z for gaming at the moment (in virtual surround mode via the sbx pro studio).
The sound is a bit to "metallic" (for the lack of a better word) for me. I'm thinking of getting a dt990 or dt1990.
Is this a good idea in terms of sound quality upgrade? Will I be able to tell a difference? (Use case is strictly gaming)

HiResDes · Nov 26, 2018

Allshallperish said:
I could use some advice. I accidently broke the left hinge of my audio technica ATH-MSR7GMs a few days back (gutted). Luckily I'm still within my warranty so amazon are issuing me with a £150 refund.

I thought about ordering another pair, as I do really like the headphones, but I'm quite disappointed on how easy the hinge broke, so I'm also considering buying a new pair altogether.

If anyone could recommend a nice pair of closed back, over the ear cans, in the region of £150-£200 I'd really appreciate it.
Something with crisp sound, but also durable.

I listen to a broad range of music, but mainly hip hop.

I'd suggest looking into the NAD Viso HP50, Sony MDR-1A, or Meze Classic

metsallica · Nov 26, 2018

HiResDes said:
Well the p7 are great headphones so maybe those are worth a shot too. Seems like the Sony are much wamer, when I heard them I thought they sounded about as good as the Beats Solo 2 (not a diss) and it seems like the Bowers are more neutral sounding and less bass emphasized.

Thanks Des. I like a little bass!

Hobbes said:
I like mine pretty good.

HiResDes said:
No I was laughing because he tried those already and didn't like them.

Aiii said:
The WH-1000XM3s are great. Miles beyond the flat Bose's.

Sold. Wonder if I can find any deals today.

andylsun · Nov 27, 2018

Finally!!

https://stax-international.com/products/ces-a1/

The long rumored (was shown on Facebook last year) new ear tips and closed back cover for the baby stax!

Day one!

Allshallperish · Nov 27, 2018

HiResDes said:
I'd suggest looking into the NAD Viso HP50, Sony MDR-1A, or Meze Classic

Thanks for the recommendation. Managed to try out the meze classics during my lunch break, they're really comfortable and surprisingly light. The shop I went didn't have the other two pairs, but I'm hoping to test them before the end of the week.

Ultimadrago · Nov 28, 2018

I'm looking for an upgrade to the Fidelio X2's I've had since late 2015 and not looking to spend much more than $200. Any suggestions that are similar?

This would mean an open-back used largely for gaming with a V-Moda mouthpiece.

Blizniak · Nov 28, 2018

Ultimadrago said:
I'm looking for an upgrade to the Fidelio X2's I've had since late 2015 and not looking to spend much more than $200. Any suggestions that are similar?

This would mean an open-back used largely for gaming with a V-Moda mouthpiece.

Finding anything that would still let you use the mic will be problematic. Finding a definite upgrade with that budget won't be easy either so my suggestion would be to just stick with X2.

Ultimadrago · Nov 28, 2018

Blizniak said:
Finding anything that would still let you use the mic will be problematic. Finding a definite upgrade with that budget won't be easy either so my suggestion would be to just stick with X2.

Aw man. The pads are starting to pull back in one of the sides (and they aren't replaceable). Any throwaway suggestion for a slight upgrade in general then? Even if I don't gun for it, I'd like to at least have an idea of the budget I would need. Or at least look out for a future sale price.

HiResDes · Nov 28, 2018

So you want another open headphone that is also compatible with the v-moda mic? That's going to be tough

Ultimadrago · Nov 28, 2018

HiResDes said:
So you want another open headphone that is also compatible with the v-moda mic? That's going to be tough

Damn, I didn't think it was so uncommon (in a cheaper price range anyhow). lol. Well, this sets my expectations back to reality then. I appreciate the responses. I guess I'll stick with them and get another X2 if it wears down much further.

Blizniak · Nov 29, 2018

Ultimadrago said:
Damn, I didn't think it was so uncommon (in a cheaper price range anyhow). lol. Well, this sets my expectations back to reality then. I appreciate the responses. I guess I'll stick with them and get another X2 if it wears down much further.

Yeah, headphones generally don't use a single 3.5mm jack. It's either mini-xlr, dual mono jacks or something more proprietary.
Ideally I'd say look for K712 but they're more expensive in the States it seems + you'd need an external mic. K612 is a cheaper option but no detachable cable and could be harder to drive just off integrated sound chip. Other options would be Sennheiser HD579/598/599, good imaging but not nearly as much bass as X2 so you might miss it at first. Sennheiser also makes gaming headsets based on some of those, no idea how they're priced though.

HiResDes · Nov 29, 2018

I'm confused because I thought the pads were replaceable on the X2, as that was one of the big changes from the X1 which I have.

I believe the Philips SPH9500 would work.

Ultimadrago · Nov 29, 2018

Blizniak said:
Yeah, headphones generally don't use a single 3.5mm jack. It's either mini-xlr, dual mono jacks or something more proprietary.
Ideally I'd say look for K712 but they're more expensive in the States it seems + you'd need an external mic. K612 is a cheaper option but no detachable cable and could be harder to drive just off integrated sound chip. Other options would be Sennheiser HD579/598/599, good imaging but not nearly as much bass as X2 so you might miss it at first. Sennheiser also makes gaming headsets based on some of those, no idea how they're priced though.

Thanks for the help! I'll check out a few of the options though I'm feeling it might be best to stick with the X2's now (for the time being).

HiResDes said:
I'm confused because I thought the pads were replaceable on the X2, as that was one of the big changes from the X1 which I have.

I believe the Philips SPH9500 would work.

I also had X1s before, so I think you're right and I just got them mixed up. Perhaps I'll look into pads replacement then. I hope it's easy to find Original Manufacturer Pads.

Chopin the Third · Nov 29, 2018

Wassup! I'm looking for recommendations on the best closed, over-ear headphones (portable or otherwise) available for $100 or less. Also, given that price range, would I even need an amp? If it would still be good to have an amp for cans that inexpensive, I'd love some amp recommendations as well. Thanks!

HiResDes · Nov 29, 2018

Ultimadrago said:
Thanks for the help! I'll check out a few of the options though I'm feeling it might be best to stick with the X2's now (for the time being).

I also had X1s before, so I think you're right and I just got them mixed up. Perhaps I'll look into pads replacement then. I hope it's easy to find Original Manufacturer Pads.

HM5 replacement pads fit but you have to stretch them a bit

HiResDes · Nov 29, 2018

Chopin the Third said:
Wassup! I'm looking for recommendations on the best closed, over-ear headphones (portable or otherwise) available for $100 or less. Also, given that price range, would I even need an amp? If it would still be good to have an amp for cans that inexpensive, I'd love some amp recommendations as well. Thanks!

Takstar Pro 82 should sound pretty good without the need of an amp.

Blizniak · Nov 29, 2018

Chopin the Third said:
Wassup! I'm looking for recommendations on the best closed, over-ear headphones (portable or otherwise) available for $100 or less. Also, given that price range, would I even need an amp? If it would still be good to have an amp for cans that inexpensive, I'd love some amp recommendations as well. Thanks!

Creative Aurvana Live, no amp necessary.

HiResDes · Nov 29, 2018

Forgot about those, yeah those are great too. I'd say they sound better than the Takstar if you like some warmth, but they don't isolate as well.

Chopin the Third · Nov 29, 2018

HiResDes said:
Takstar Pro 82 should sound pretty good without the need of an amp.

Blizniak said:
Creative Aurvana Live, no amp necessary.

HiResDes said:
Forgot about those, yeah those are great too. I'd say they sound better than the Takstar if you like some warmth, but they don't isolate as well.

Thank you both!

Edit: Are the Creative Aurvana Live 2 better than the original?

Arctic Chris · Nov 29, 2018

Blizniak said:
Yeah, headphones generally don't use a single 3.5mm jack. It's either mini-xlr, dual mono jacks or something more proprietary.
Ideally I'd say look for K712 but they're more expensive in the States it seems + you'd need an external mic. K612 is a cheaper option but no detachable cable and could be harder to drive just off integrated sound chip.

What about the Massdrop AKG 7xx? And you can always go for an Antlion ModMic v4 or v5. The two together are around $250 to $275. As the Antlion does not permanently attach (except for a small magnet), this mic can be used on any headphones you may buy in the future.

Barls · Nov 29, 2018

Question about foobar2000. Anyone able to get the Windows 10 white to completely go away? I have it about 90% there with a Monokai theme, but i have a few really annoying white bars that I just can't get to go away.

HiResDes · Nov 29, 2018

Chopin the Third said:
Thank you both!

Edit: Are the Creative Aurvana Live 2 better than the original?

No, well maybe in isolation and comfort, but not in sound

wonzo · Nov 30, 2018

if you're gonna grab the cal's then consider the e-mu purplehearts available on massdrop rn

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-e-mu-purpleheart

VeePs · Dec 1, 2018

HiResDes said:
LMFAO

The Sony 1000XM3 are your best bet but they're costly, and there's no better option to really try after that within the ANC realm.

Do the Sony's offer multi pair? I want some noise canceling headphones and have my old Bose QC35s away. Comfort and multi pair support are pretty important, any recommendations on that?

HiResDes · Dec 1, 2018

wonzo said:
if you're gonna grab the cal's then consider the e-mu purplehearts available on massdrop rn

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-e-mu-purpleheart

True, better comfort and probably better isolation

HiResDes · Dec 1, 2018

VeePs said:
Do the Sony's offer multi pair? I want some noise canceling headphones and have my old Bose QC35s away. Comfort and multi pair support are pretty important, any recommendations on that?

I don't know I just listened to them a couple times at Best buy

Bakercat · Dec 1, 2018

Can anyone give me the build quality of the Sony wireless headphones that are really good? I'm content with the cheaper wireless over ear headphones, but they break on me in less than a year because I use them all day long and wear them on my neck.

Aiii · Dec 1, 2018

Bakercat said:
Can anyone give me the build quality of the Sony wireless headphones that are really good? I'm content with the cheaper wireless over ear headphones, but they break on me in less than a year because I use them all day long and wear them on my neck.

I was run over by a car, had the XM3's launch from my head, and skid over the pavement and they are working fine, despite a few scratches here and there. I would say I am pleased with the build quality.

The mark 1 1000Xs are just fine after two years of daily use as well. fwiw.

Bakercat · Dec 1, 2018

Aiii said:
I was run over by a car, had the XM3's launch from my head, and skid over the pavement and they are working fine, despite a few scratches here and there. I would say I am pleased with the build quality.

The mark 1 1000Xs are just fine after two years of daily use as well. fwiw.

Thanks, that was the only thing I was worried about. I figured the ones I get break more is because they're like $40 or something. I can't afford them atm, but hoping I can convince a birthday present for a pair lol.

The Watcher · Dec 1, 2018

Hey, y'all, I created a thread but was told to come here about questions with earphones/buds. Basically, I was told to look for in-ear earphones, but which ones? I'm willing to pay upwards to $200 for a good to great pair of wireless buds, so which would you folks suggest?

Blizniak · Dec 1, 2018

The Watcher said:
Hey, y'all, I created a thread but was told to come here about questions with earphones/buds. Basically, I was told to look for in-ear earphones, but which ones? I'm willing to pay upwards to $200 for a good to great pair of wireless buds, so which would you folks suggest?

As far as I know when it comes to sound quality you're better off getting decent IEMs and a wireless cable for them instead of just buying wireless IEMs. I'd recommend Vsonic GR07 but unfortunately I don't know the first thing about wireless cables. Hopefully others can offer more insight.

Deleted member 22476 · Dec 1, 2018

AirPods may not be the best sound (it's perfectly fine, to be frank) but for stability and convience they're hard to beat. It really depends on what your use cases are with in-ears.

If you want to block out as much sound as possible you'd be looking at ones with passive or active noise cancelling tech and a good seal, if you're using them mostly in an office where hearing people around you is important then it's back to something like the AirPods.

unAimed · Dec 1, 2018

unAimed said:
I use HD598sr headphones with a Soundblaster z for gaming at the moment (in virtual surround mode via the sbx pro studio).
The sound is a bit to "metallic" (for the lack of a better word) for me. I'm thinking of getting a dt990 or dt1990.
Is this a good idea in terms of sound quality upgrade? Will I be able to tell a difference? (Use case is strictly gaming)

So i pulled the trigger on the 1990s. Great sound, really clear an bass not to heavy. Sadly they are way to uncomfortable. The pressure on my head is to strong and I don't like the way they touch my ears. Makes longer sessions (30m+) not viable.
And that's why I'm sending them back.

Looking at HD660, HD700 or AKG712 now...

HiResDes · Dec 1, 2018

Avoid the HD700

Wat · Dec 1, 2018

unAimed said:
So i pulled the trigger on the 1990s. Great sound, really clear an bass not to heavy. Sadly they are way to uncomfortable. The pressure on my head is to strong and I don't like the way they touch my ears. Makes longer sessions (30m+) not viable.
And that's why I'm sending them back.

Looking at HD660, HD700 or AKG712 now...

1) Beyer's Pro models have harder clamp force than the non-Pros. The 1990 is only available as a Pro model, but you could go for Amiron Home, DT880 Edition or DT990 Edition. The last two are also noticeably lighter than the 1990s. To me the DT880s are still the gold standard of comfort, and sound clarity is very close to 1990s, bass goes deep but isn't quite as meaty.
2) You can lessen the clamp by stretching the metal headband overnight on a large box or other object.

Headphones Era lOTl Even Through The Distortion We Remain Lossless

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