Headphone recommendations

Koss Porta Pro.

When new, for optimal experience try using some white noise software (often free) for 24-36hrs or so before using them (or any new headset really).

While their cable is of a decent length they're designed for portable music devices and can benefit from a mild extension wire. The extension shouldn't really impact your listening experience unless you're susceptible to placebo or a hopeless audiophile

In conjunction with the Porta Pro's a simple USB DAC can really take these (or any set of headphones) to some pleasant places.

 

Received my Logi G930 today (after to try Corsair VOID Wireless and Thrust Y-250C) and very happy playing with Oculus Rift.

 

About a year ago in my search for a new set of on-ear headphones I was shocked by the poor quality of renown brands. I was aiming at the 50 - 150 € Range and all Sennheisers, AKGs, Ultrasones, Bang & Olufsens and pretty much anything I tried in several electronic stores sucked big time...the Beats rubbish the most, of course.

I found Beyerdynamic's DTX501p and was finally happy - they have a very balanced sound with good impulse response and low distortion even at high levels. However, they're cheaply built and many report broken plastics after some weeks of use. Even on mine there's a chipped piece of plastic, already. They come with a small but fairly stiff pouch for protection, though.

https://www.amazon.de/Beyerdynamic-...81697859&sr=8-1&keywords=beyerdynamic+DTX501p

I'm so happy with the sound of these that my next ones will be Beyerdynamic T51p. They should have better quality ;-)

 

If you are going to pay low prices then expect low quality

I have the Sennheiser HD 650's. More like £250 but certainly good enough for anything I want to listen too whether it's music or gaming. It also depends on what's providing the source as well. As @Vel says, bedding them in with a white noise generator or just being patient and allowing them to settle in will improve the quality over time. It also depends on how good your ears are too and what type of sound/frequency response makes you feel good.

Best advice is to try a few out and see what you like within the price range you are happy to pay

 

Sorry but I disagree with that on several levels. 50 € is a lot of money if you keep in mind that dynamic speakers are basically stone age technology - the physics behind this has long been explored and is well-known to anyone who cares. The statement that you need to pay lots of money for a good sounding (not speaking about fancy materials and functions here) set of headphones is a well-maintained idea by the HiFi scene.

And so is the "burning in" theory, IMO. I haven't yet seen a single scientific report on why you would want to have a dynamic speaker system of any sort "burnt in" with white noise or whatever signal. The human ear is prone to adapt to sound and I strongly believe that's what happens when you listen to a certain sound system for some time.

But yeah...not gonna blame anyone. The consumer HiFi business basically lives off old and long redundant ideas and even "snake oil" products like crystals with "molecular information" that the suppliers promise are there but can't prove in any sort of way ;-)

 

I'm using Sennheiser GAME One around ear set, the most complete wired for gaming (no USB). Noise Cancelling Mic easy to deactivate/activate, and really really comfortable, where you can watch almost 2 movies without thinking about headphones.
My set is open, but you can fing GAME Zero which is closed headphones.
DON'T PAY OVER 150/160€, 250€ retail price is just suggested.

 

Really? I had those delivered, tried them for almost a week and returned them.

Please see here: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/KossPortaPro.pdf

Check out the graph "Frequency Response". Note the level relations across the range - 100 Hz is the peak point of that curve, giving the headphone an unpleasantly boomy sound, not the nice 60 Hz, small bandwith peak that's commonly popular. Now look at the area between 6 and 7 kHz. The level drops by ~22 dB compared to the 100 Hz region. In this frequency range there is the sharp "s", "t" louds etc. that makes you recognize consonants and gives voices a sense of proximity and distinguishes instruments vs one another. This being 22 dB softer ~means a perceived quarter of the loudness from the 100 Hz range. Let's not even start discussing the high frequency roll-off...

I wish I had found that frequency response diagram before I ordered them...I was only using customer reviews for my decision. Don't know how these headphones reached such a legendary status with that sound.

 

@LeDude83 Just my humble opinion, the world is full of differing ones. My post is purely concerned with my experiences.

Each to their own.

 

The sound quality doesn't come even near my Beyerdynamic DT990Pro + amp combo, but it's good enough for movies and gaming where directional sounds are not crucial. In AC the engine/tire/wind sounds don't need even close the same level audio than music does.

 

I've had SuperLux HD 668B for several years with E-MU's headphone amp. Only thing I don't like about these 668B's is the comfort. They start to press ears too much during longer sessions. This is very personal because I know others who doesn't have same issue. For me it's important to get ears fully inside the cup. Can't understand how someone use headphones like Koss Porta pro when they pressure ears all the time. If op needs headphones just for gaming I think you should put 100% for the comfort.

For sound quality these 29 euros 668B's are same level with 200 euros Beyerdynamics or AKG's. To get clear improvement I would need to get like Beyerdynamic T1's and those are +800 euros.

 

I tried to do a thread on looking at some different headphones last year @ GTP.
Liked the idea of good quality set (mid price) but one set that worked with:
PC / PS4 / Android / Apple devices

Here if its any help
* Headphones can be very personal taste really.

 

I use Allen and Heath XD-53, although I never use them for AC.

http://djbooth.net/dj-equipment/review/allen-heath-xone-xd53-headphones

 

There are a million options - good luck

I use Phillips Fidelio X2 with a Vmoda BoomPro mic when necessary.

And a Micca Origen USB DAC/amp:

 

There is a lot of voodoo in hifi, cables are the most controversial subject. But as far as headphones go, there is tons of R&D put into flagship models and they sound accordingly.
But yeah, do not expect to plug to HD650 into onboard card and have glorious sound, if anything it will sound dull and veiled with lack of proper dynamics and details. Plug it into dedicated HP amp, esp if it's balanced, and it's completely different beast.

I had $50 phones and $1.5K Sennheiser HD800, and no, they do not sound the same, not even close.

Something expensive like that can be overkill for gaming but if you are also audiophile and looking for the best, be prepared to open your wallet.
Just go to this place, I've spend many wonderful years on this journey
http://www.head-fi.org/

 

Dont want to hijack this thread but, what would enhance significantly sound quality for lets say ATH-M50X headphones quality range plugged in a Soundblaster Zx card?

Headphone Amp? (guess that depends on the can impedance?)
DAC? (Honestly dont know much about those, useful for gaming or more of a music thing?)

 

Well. They're not honestly the penultimate set of headphones, for the most demanding of sensitive listener who expects startlingly stunning frequency response across a wide range. Yet in contrast with their relative market neighbors they are rather (imho) pleasant and very enjoyable. Particularly when they've been white noise'd for a good 24-36 hrs first, before actual use.

One other thing which might be pointed out and said of the koss are their after sales support. Being able to own the same set of headphones and have them over the years repeatedly replaced under a life-happens/no ask standard warranty when, like any headset they eventually give up the ghost, a neighbors' pet chews the wires, or they drop down off the desk one too many times leading to only hearing audio from one side, or the cable is ripped out from the headphones at the computer because you forgot you were wearing them...Well, it's a really pleasant feature all be it unrelated to the actual listening experience. For a headset of their particular fidelity/market tier, intended for use with a sim/computer set up at a desk or in a rig? After owning the same set of pleasant headphones for a decade or two, it's nice.

 

I think I'm just going to order these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I3LUY6...UTF8&colid=1O07FT3BMHD1G&coliid=IQT87VNFTGV1G

Cheap, but Sony usually makes decent stuff, if not the best. And I'm no audiophile. Years of motorcycles, rock shows, and firearms have taken care of that. Didn't start using earplugs for all 3 until it was a little late. Was young+ignorant.

 

Hey Mate, if you plan to go THAT cheap let me recommend you the Philips CityScape series. Check it out on Amazon. I had the smallest set of those, GF has some girly model headset and they both sound fairly decent. All Sony on-ears I recently tried are badly lacking high frequencies...so exactly the ones you badly need with your career ;-)

 

I got those as a beater cans for my kid. They are surprisingly well build and good sounding for the price. He already lost one pair at school I just got another one.
You probably would want some extension cord though, the stock one is pretty short, they are more portable phones, supra aural design (earpads riding on ears)

 

As you can see from my sig I just run an optical out from the onboard sound (don't have a soundcard) into a DAC which feeds all the speakers. I don't use an amp as the signal is powerful enough to run the speakers and/or my headphones. I tend to run at lower levels of volume as I don't want to distort the sound or upset the neighbours . A quick look around the web seems to show that the ATH-50X doesn't really need any amplification. As I said earlier, the main thing is to make sure that the phones are getting a good source, that's much more likely to enhance the sound quality.

I decided to go down the DAC route to try something a little different from the usual sound card fair. According to my ears the setup does sound better than before but, as the pro tells us, that's just my ears burning in