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Headphones Era lOTl Even Through The Distortion We Remain Lossless

Classy Tomato

Classy Tomato

Member
Jun 2, 2019
2,514
Hi, I have some questions about Koss Porta Pro. I'm currently eyeing the headphone since I'm on a budget mode and I'm curious with the sound quality since a lot of people praise it. My last "good" earphone is Sennheiser MX170, so I think I'm ready to be blown away lol

1. Is the headphone durable? I know that it has a lifetime guarantee, but I heard that the cable is pretty thin and I'm a bit worried if the inside is snapped easily if I accidentally yank it.
2. How bad is the leak? I'm planning to bring it to work and I don't really want to disturb my coworkers with the music that I listen to lol
3. Is the headphone good for gaming? This isn't a deal-breaker, but I'm just curious about its sound quality in gaming.

Thanks!
 
Atraveller

Atraveller

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,308
Classy Tomato said:
2. How bad is the leak? I'm planning to bring it to work and I don't really want to disturb my coworkers with the music that I listen to lol
3. Is the headphone good for gaming? This isn't a deal-breaker, but I'm just curious about its sound quality in gaming.
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It's not leaky. Outside sound do go in so don't expect isolation. Porta Pro's sound signature is pretty agreeable to mainstream taste and it's not too overt in anything. I don't about gaming because I couldn't do on-ear for long sessions, this pair is the most comfortable on-ear I've ever tried and I still couldn't wear it longer than an hour. YMMV of course.
 

Deleted member 25094

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
1,681
Bought a set of Powerbeat Pro's and didn't quite like the hook. Sent them back and ordered WF-1000XM3's and I forgot how irritating it is to have earphones in my ear canal, it just feels super uncomfortable for me.

So they'll be getting sold on and I'll just stick to my AirPods and WH-1000XM3's for the office I guess.
 
Classy Tomato

Classy Tomato

Member
Jun 2, 2019
2,514
Atraveller said:
It's not leaky. Outside sound do go in so don't expect isolation. Porta Pro's sound signature is pretty agreeable to mainstream taste and it's not too overt in anything. I don't about gaming because I couldn't do on-ear for long sessions, this pair is the most comfortable on-ear I've ever tried and I still couldn't wear it longer than an hour. YMMV of course.
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Thanks! I think I'm gonna change the pads with the YAXI one if I decide to buy Koss Porta Pro. Hopefully, it'd make the headphones more bearable.

Oh yeah, I also see some people recommend the JVC HA-RX700. Is the headphone's sound quality better or comparable to Koss Porta Pro? It looks more comfortable for a long-session since it's an over-ear headphone.
 
nogoodnamesleft

nogoodnamesleft

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,640
My IER-Z1Rs are finally burnt in around the 100 hour mark and its just beautiful. Paired with WM1A. Listening to Everything But The Girl greatest hits. Such beautifuls.
 
ara

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,998
Been listening to music a lot again with my Sennheiser HD598s tonight and fuck me, I just love how these sound. Absolutely perfect. I'm sure them being open is a huge part of it, but still I gotta ask - any HD598 fans here who have found closed headphones that come even close to the magnificently beautiful, warm sound of these cans? My PC can get quite loud at times so closed headphones are a must. I'd be using them for music listening and gaming for the most part. I'm mostly happy with my Audeze Mobius, but they can sound a bit boring when compared to the HD598.
 

Vector

Member
Feb 28, 2018
6,631
Hey guys, any Hi-Fi recommendations under $200? For general listening and some light production work.
 
earthsucks

earthsucks

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,385
au
retiring my wired B&W P3s and looking for a BT replacement under $220ish AUD for my commute to work. tossing up between the the ATH-SR30BT and ATH-S200BT – any other suggestions? which would you pick out of the two?
 
Servbot24

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,039
Any thoughts on what would be considered a noticeable step up from HiFiMan 400i? I've had these for 5 years and love them, but they're starting to fall apart. I have a Modi 2 + Magni 2.
 
thuway

thuway

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,168
BOYS MY HD800s are in! I am running them off a Fiio X3 DAC/AMP MP3 player- and it pushes them just fine. And coming from some Philips Fidelio X2- I must say - HOLY SHIT WHAT A DIFFERENT Experience.

The HD800s are like a giant microscope into the song. I know people complain about it being too bright or there being a 6k treble spike, but goddamn, the detail, the detail, the detail. It's unlike anything I've ever heard. You can seperate each instrument and put it into a 3dimensional space. It's crazy.


I am a huge soundstage snob, so I always gravitated towards the Fidelio X2, but the HD800 do soundstage just as well but with a ton more accuracy.


The only downsides of the HD800 is the lightness of Bass. It seems like it has more detail but it lacks that WHOMP.

Anyone else have these cans?
 
Rimon-Hanit

Rimon-Hanit

Member
Oct 27, 2017
329
Looking for a recommendation for a nice pair of wireless earbuds, something discreet, with long battery life that uses usb C and works well with IPhones will appreciate any input
 
Sunbro83

Sunbro83

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,260
Sunbro83 said:
I'll ask this in a different way to see if anyone can help. Not as precious on replacing the 1more's now and happy to up my budget a little to around £100-150. Is there a go to best IEM in that budget range?

Use them for a variety of stuff - music (no specific genres) & podcasts through my phone, a bunch of gaming & video on my iPad. I'd be running them through a portable Bluetooth amp (FiiO BTR3).

I'm not an audiophile at all and the post above is like a foreign language to me. But I can tell that my HD 598 Cs sound better than my 1more's and now that they're broke, I can tell my old Sennheiser CX 300's (which I used to be happy with) sound much worse than the 1more's did. I don't like wearing cans in public so the 598's just get used for home and long journeys. I probably wear buds for about 15 hours a week so would like to spend a little more and get something decent but as I've outlined, I'm clueless about what to buy. Browsed a few best of 2019 lists on places like WhatHiFi but it's just left me more confused
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Had no luck with responses on this. I know IEM's aren't really a focus here though. Now I know how people feel when they come into the TV thread and ask for advice on non-OLED TV's haha

I tried r/HeadphoneAdvice but everyone came in with suggestions that were way over my budget. Considering going a little higher and going with someone's suggestion of the FiiO FH5's. Anyone got any experience with these? Are they worth the extra money (£229)?
 
Atraveller

Atraveller

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,308
thuway said:
BOYS MY HD800s are in! I am running them off a Fiio X3 DAC/AMP MP3 player- and it pushes them just fine. And coming from some Philips Fidelio X2- I must say - HOLY SHIT WHAT A DIFFERENT Experience.

The HD800s are like a giant microscope into the song. I know people complain about it being too bright or there being a 6k treble spike, but goddamn, the detail, the detail, the detail. It's unlike anything I've ever heard. You can seperate each instrument and put it into a 3dimensional space. It's crazy.


I am a huge soundstage snob, so I always gravitated towards the Fidelio X2, but the HD800 do soundstage just as well but with a ton more accuracy.


The only downsides of the HD800 is the lightness of Bass. It seems like it has more detail but it lacks that WHOMP.

Anyone else have these cans?
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Wait, are you using HD800 or H800S?
 
Darkmaigle

Darkmaigle

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,420
Hey folks,

I primarily will be using headphones to play rhythm games, as my ipods are my daily drivers.

Need a pair of earbuds that will be connecting to my ipad via that dongle thing for Cytus 2
Also a comfy pair of over ear headphones that I can use at home on my pc for rhythm games and at the arcade.

Currently using a Razer Kraken for Home
Using standard apple headphones for my ipad.

Can anyone make some recommendations have a total budget of about 400 (flexible) annual bonus was pretty bomb this year but wanna put most of it towards a vacation for the family and kids college stuff.
 
sleepnaught

sleepnaught

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,538
Can I get a recommendation on earbuds for $150 or under? These would be primarily used with my Nintendo Switch, but also listening to music on my phone. Please, no suggestions for over ear headphones, I have plenty of those. Need something more mobile. I really just wanting something that sounds great for movie and game soundtracks.
 

Deleted member 2328

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,354
sleepnaught said:
Can I get a recommendation on earbuds for $150 or under? These would be primarily used with my Nintendo Switch, but also listening to music on my phone. Please, no suggestions for over ear headphones, I have plenty of those. Need something more mobile. I really just wanting something that sounds great for movie and game soundtracks.
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Unless you're a bass head I recommend the Tin T2. Or if you want to go even cheaper the Xiaomi QTEJ02JY Pro HD In-ear Hybrid. No need to splurge over $100 if you're just going to use them with your phone.
 
ara

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,998
Should be getting my Schiit Magni tomorrow. Decided to get the Beyerdynamics DT770 Pros (80ohm) as my closed-back gaming/general PC use headphones, super excited. Will probably get the cans later this week or next week.
 
ara

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,998
ara said:
Should be getting my Schiit Magni tomorrow. Decided to get the Beyerdynamics DT770 Pros (80ohm) as my closed-back gaming/general PC use headphones, super excited. Will probably get the cans later this week or next week.
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Decided to go out and get the DTs yesterday too, so now I have the Magni and the cans.

Magni seems to be doing it's job just fine, no scratching or hissing or static noises to be heard at all and I think it looks great. I also love the clicky on/off and hi/lo switches in the back. I did have to do a fair amount of EQ tweaking to get that beautifully warm sound I've gotten used to with my Sennheiser/Yamaha amp (with bass boost and some "enhancer" setting on) combo. The cans themselves seem very, VERY good for the price. Super comfortable, they sound fantastic and seem like they isolate noise much more than the Audeze Mobius do. I can definitely see myself using headphones a lot more again on PC.

Speaking of just using headphones, though, it seems I now gotta unplug my speakers if I want the sound to go to the Magni. I have the Magni plugged to the line out on the back of the PC and the speakers plugged to the audio/headphones/line/whatever out in the front (which I believe is one of those tiny single pin cords you attach to the motherboard) and it seems that Windows 10 recognizes them as just one audio out (listed as Realtek High Definition Audio Out or something) and for some reason prioritizes the speakers. So if both are connected, sound comes out of the speakers. If I unplug the speakers, it immediately switches to the Magni.

It's not a huge deal since plugging/unplugging the speakers is easy and fast, but still, anything I can do about this?
 
Sleeping Lesson

Sleeping Lesson

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,378
I recently got some Master & Dynamic MW07s, my first wireless IEMs.

GZvBKlK.jpg


I've been really impressed with them! It's really amazing the bass these things can produce. Thom Yorke's Anima sounds great. I've mostly just been listening to MP3s from my Pixel 3 (via aptX). They certainly don't compare to my Fostex X00s but I wouldn't expect them to. They also pair simultaneously and seamlessly to multiple devices, which works great. Fit is great for me with the stock wings and tips, although it comes with larger and smaller of both. Some people have complained about the sub-3 hour battery life but I haven't had an issue. I have a business trip coming up that will be a good test. The charging case is really slick, too.
 
Ra

Ra

Rap Genius
Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
12,196
Dark Space
Servbot24 said:
Any thoughts on what would be considered a noticeable step up from HiFiMan 400i? I've had these for 5 years and love them, but they're starting to fall apart. I have a Modi 2 + Magni 2.
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The Ananda definitely qualifies, if you want to stay with HiFiMan. The build quality is also light years beyond the 400i.

I love the hell out of my Sundara.
 
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Servbot24

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,039
K.Jack said:
The Ananda definitely qualifies, if you want to stay with HiFiMan. The build quality is also light years beyond the 400i.

I love the hell out of my Sundara.
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Cool, Sundara seems like the obvious choice but I wasn't sure if the benefit would be worth the price. Ananda is teetering on the edge of what I would spend, that's definitely an end game price tag for me. But I would consider it, especially if it goes on sale.
 
Ra

Ra

Rap Genius
Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
12,196
Dark Space
Servbot24 said:
Cool, Sundara seems like the obvious choice but I wasn't sure if the benefit would be worth the price. Ananda is teetering on the edge of what I would spend, that's definitely an end game price tag for me. But I would consider it, especially if it goes on sale.
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The Sundara is a great evolution of the 400i, but I'm not sure it will completely blow your mind as a 400i owner. As always, subjective impressions I've been given from owners of both range from "omg huge improvement shits all on 400i" to "good but not huge" to "it's actually worse".

thuway said:
Tried out some eq on the hd800. Man these things are GOAT tier
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Damn I have hearing the HD800 on a great setup on my bucket list.
 
sleepnaught

sleepnaught

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,538
sechsterangriff said:
Unless you're a bass head I recommend the Tin T2. Or if you want to go even cheaper the Xiaomi QTEJ02JY Pro HD In-ear Hybrid. No need to splurge over $100 if you're just going to use them with your phone.
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Wanted to say thanks for this suggestion, my T2s came in Wednesday and I couldn't be happier with them. Noticeable upgrade from my pack in AKGs I got with my S10+. The bass level is perfect for everything not hip hop and edm. I also got the Zs10 Pro for those. Not quite as nice as the T2 for most things, but for genres that need a little more bass, they sound terrific. And they look fantastic too.

Question about the T2s, do the foam inserts affect the sound differently from the rubber ones? The foam ones have sadly already started to tear.
 

Deleted member 2328

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,354
sleepnaught said:
Wanted to say thanks for this suggestion, my T2s came in Wednesday and I couldn't be happier with them. Noticeable upgrade from my pack in AKGs I got with my S10+. The bass level is perfect for everything not hip hop and edm. I also got the Zs10 Pro for those. Not quite as nice as the T2 for most things, but for genres that need a little more bass, they sound terrific. And they look fantastic too.

Question about the T2s, do the foam inserts affect the sound differently from the rubber ones? The foam ones have sadly already started to tear.
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Glad you like them. At their price they're very nice all-rounders.
Because they go directly into your ear canal, different tips (no matter what type) will always affect the sound somewhat. The biggest difference between foam and rubber ones is that usually foam provides better isolation. In the end it's a mater of trying different ones and see what you prefer. You can find cheap replacement ones in sites like aliexpress (size is T400 Large).
 
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LordRuyn

LordRuyn

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,909
Mono price just announced a bunch of stuff
  • Monolith Liquid Gold Balanced Headphone Amplifier and DAC by Alex Cavalli ($999.99)
    • A smaller version of the Cavalli Audio's Liquid Gold Amp, The Liquid Gold X is a fully balanced, differential front-end, solid state amplifier. The Liquid Gold also introduces Monoprice's new MCU based products with computerized control of all features – including turn on sequencing and DC offset detection.
  • Monolith Liquid Platinum DAC by Alex Cavalli ($499.99)
    • The Liquid Platinum Balanced DAC will bring out the best in any hi-res track or CD recording. Utilizing an AKM4499 chipset and featuring single ended and balanced analog XLR inputs, along with USB, optical, and coaxial digital inputs, this product is the perfect component to pair with a headphone amplifier for an end game head-fi experience.
  • Monolith Liquid Spark DAC by Alex Cavalli ($99.99)
    • The Monolith Liquid Spark DAC utilizes an AKM4493 chipset and brings massive performance for a very low cost, and will substantially improve sound from any computer, smartphone, or tablet. Pair this with the Liquid Spark amplifier, and you have the makings of an exceptional head-fi experience.
  • Monolith Balanced Headphone Amplifier featuring THX AAA Technology ($399.99)
    • THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) in 887 configuration promises high fidelity audio with infinitesimally low levels of noise and distortion. Capable of powering even the most demanding headphone to deliver an audio experience like no other.
  • Monolith M1570 Balanced Planar Headphone ($599.99)
    • Features a 106mm planar driver, a wide padded headband, 4 pin balanced connectors and an open back design that delivers uncompromising audio performance, exceptional transient response, and a holistic soundstage.
  • Monolith M1070 Planar Headphone ($399.99)
    • Features a 106mm planar driver, wide padded headband, 2.5mm connectors and an open back design that produces a stunning aural landscape and resolves minute sonic detail. Spectacular imaging, low distortion, and perfectly balanced sound.
  • Monolith M570 Planar Headphone ($299.99)
    • Features a 97*76mm planar magnetic driver enclosed in gorgeous wood, open back housing, and plush, padded headband and earcups for comfortable listening. With an extended soundstage, lush, rich sound, and excellent build quality, the Monolith M570 brings a massive price to performance ratio to the headphone market.
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Looks like the THX 889 will be the competitor to the Drop 789. They look almost identical and the 889 measures marginally better.

M1070 looks like a massive build quality improvement to the M1060, but at a decent price bump too.
Oh, and Cavalli is still designing stuff apparently.
 
Huntersknoll

Huntersknoll

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,660
I just put Dekoni Elite Sheepskin headpads on my TR-X00 Purplehearts and oooh baby! They are comfortable.

If anyone is looking for a fun headphone under $500 I highly recommend. I've tried all other headphones and keep coming back to these babies.
 
No Depth

No Depth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
18,241
Just ordered the Massdrop x Senn HD58XX.

My first open-back headset, so I'm intrigued to try them out given the primary(and likely only) use will be PC gaming. Largely immersive single player games(Control, FFXIV, Gears 5, Outer Worlds, AC Odyssey, etc...). Curious about the open-back soundstage life. For years I've been told to forego gimmick headsets and go with a proper pair of enthusiast drivers even for gaming, so I'm starting that journey.

I am replacing a pair of the Steelseries Wireless Siberia 800. A set I got suckered into a few years ago due to the wireless appeal and its 7.1 surround marketing. Ultimately it's actually a fine set in many ways, especially the wireless tech and the swappable batteries, but the audio quality never felt right. Always came across feeling too low volume, in most cases annoyed when I wanted to turn up the volume more only to be greeted with that awful max volume beep. It feels like the volume dial was useless actually as I don't think I've ever set it below max in anything. Always bothered me. Just never felt like it delivered a comfortable listening presence. Just a bit tinny, though despite the audio clarity was quite crisp and hardly problematic for what it offered. Also the Dolby surround virtualization was actually pretty good, or at least did a great job pushing the soundstage out from the 2.0 stage with it off.

Anyway, I'm looking at the Senn GSX1000 to drive the HD58XX, but still researching and want to test on my mobo first before I drop more money. Excited though!
 
Cream Stout

Cream Stout

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,613
No Depth said:
Just ordered the Massdrop x Senn HD58XX.

My first open-back headset, so I'm intrigued to try them out given the primary(and likely only) use will be PC gaming. Largely immersive single player games(Control, FFXIV, Gears 5, Outer Worlds, AC Odyssey, etc...). Curious about the open-back soundstage life. For years I've been told to forego gimmick headsets and go with a proper pair of enthusiast drivers even for gaming, so I'm starting that journey.

I am replacing a pair of the Steelseries Wireless Siberia 800. A set I got suckered into a few years ago due to the wireless appeal and its 7.1 surround marketing. Ultimately it's actually a fine set in many ways, especially the wireless tech and the swappable batteries, but the audio quality never felt right. Always came across feeling too low volume, in most cases annoyed when I wanted to turn up the volume more only to be greeted with that awful max volume beep. It feels like the volume dial was useless actually as I don't think I've ever set it below max in anything. Always bothered me. Just never felt like it delivered a comfortable listening presence. Just a bit tinny, though despite the audio clarity was quite crisp and hardly problematic for what it offered. Also the Dolby surround virtualization was actually pretty good, or at least did a great job pushing the soundstage out from the 2.0 stage with it off.

Anyway, I'm looking at the Senn GSX1000 to drive the HD58XX, but still researching and want to test on my mobo first before I drop more money. Excited though!
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I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the soundstage and clarity when you test drive them~

I ended up getting the ZMF Ori pads for my Fidelio X2s and I'm enjoying the change to the bass without really seeming to sacrifice much in soundstage. Plus they're just extremely comfortable compared to the stock pads
 
Atraveller

Atraveller

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,308
The best thing about having two pair of headphones is that you can switch it up. But I don't think I can go back to DT 1990 Pro after HD800S because the comfort of HD800S is just too good (zero clamp force is a blessing and a curse). Maybe it's time to sell it for something else?
 

Wat

Member
Dec 10, 2017
221
Atraveller said:
The best thing about having two pair of headphones is that you can switch it up. But I don't think I can go back to DT 1990 Pro after HD800S because the comfort of HD800S is just too good (zero clamp force is a blessing and a curse). Maybe it's time to sell it for something else?
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I'm on 1990s and the clamp is a serious problem. Tried stretching out the phones but didn't notice a difference. I've thought about HD800s specifically to fix the comfort, but it's a lot to invest considering I'm content with everything on the 1990s apart from comfort. Not sure if there are more reasonably priced comfort / low clamp options roughly on par with the 1990s.
 
Atraveller

Atraveller

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,308
Wat said:
I'm on 1990s and the clamp is a serious problem. Tried stretching out the phones but didn't notice a difference. I've thought about HD800s specifically to fix the comfort, but it's a lot to invest considering I'm content with everything on the 1990s apart from comfort. Not sure if there are more reasonably priced comfort / low clamp options roughly on par with the 1990s.
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It isn't just the clamp. You can't not ignore the weight after a couple of hours. It's a bit hard to find a similar replacement because 1990 is kind of the champion of $500 price bracket. HD660S should be the closest.
 
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