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Topic: Advice for headphones? (Read 5377 times) previous topic - next topic
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Advice for headphones?

I am interested in purchasing a set of headphones. I need some advice in this area. I'm not sure if I want to go wired or wireless with something like Bluetooth. I want to use these at home mostly with a computer. My preference would be  with what sounds better. Looking for something up to around $200.

What are the difference between wireless and wired for sound quality? What are the better headphones available? I like neutral phones with detail, but also want something that is easy to listen over a long time.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #1 –
Quote from: JFS on
I am interested in purchasing a set of headphones. I need some advice in this area. I'm not sure if I want to go wired or wireless with something like Bluetooth. I want to use these at home mostly with a computer. My preference would be  with what sounds better. Looking for something up to around $200.

What are the difference between wireless and wired for sound quality? What are the better headphones available? I like neutral phones with detail, but also want something that is easy to listen over a long time.


Brainwavz HM5, JVC HA-RX900, etc would be good bet. Avoid wireless.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #2 –
When it comes to headphones, wireless usually means cutting corners on cost (usually at audio quality's expense) so as it's been said before, avoid it as the plague!

As for advice on what to buy, it depends mostly on what your listening habits are: if they're also for plugging it into a DAP for "on the go" listening (or even indoors), I can't recommend the likes of Sennheiser PX-100 os Koss Porta Pro enough, for good value for money, for instance.

But a simple search throughout this community is guaranteed to yield many other similar HQ recommendations.
Listen to the music, not the media it's on.
União e reconstrução

Advice for headphones?

Reply #3 –
Honestly, and after trying many headphones, I  prefer to not  talk of "best" headphone, but what suit best to my taste.
"Neutral" is quite relative to what people have in mind. Some people like to have light bass to hear better other frequencies, while other would be annoyed if there's not a pronounced bass.
I  think most of headphone would give an interesting experience if you spend time with them .
Relatively "cheap" headphone I  liked: koss ksc-75 , sony xb500.
I  bashed initially the senn hd25 II  1, until I  realized they could be great if I  avoid bass heavy genres. And they are quite solid.
Get the senn hd598 if you just want something "popular" .
If you could test headphone before you buy one,  it would be the best way to reach satisfaction.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #4 –
Quote
Honestly, and after trying many headphones, I prefer to not talk of "best" headphone, but what suit best to my taste.


I agree...  My standard advice for speakers/headphones is:    Go to a store and LISTEN.  You'll learn a LOT more listening to headphones than listening to advice.  Every headphone/speaker sounds different.  The specs tend to be useless, and headphones are especially difficult to test/measure because of the way they interact with your ears.  Preferences and opinions vary.

And if you are going to wear the headphones for extended periods of time, comfort (on your head/ears) is another important consideration.

That said, there are highly regarded (regular wired) headphones in your price range from Sennheiser, Grado, AKG, Audio-Technica, and others.  It wouldn't hurt to start by listening to some of the often-recommended models.

Realistically, once you get into the $200 range there are some really good headphoes and you might find a $200 headphone that you prefer over any other headphone at any price.

If you search the forum, you'll find lots of headphone recommendations, but I'm not sure about wireless.

I think Sennheiser makes some high quality wireless headphones, but don't how much "extra" you have to pay for the wireless feature.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #5 –
I've said it before, but I like my Sennheiser RS160 (and RS170). The 160 even though cheaper, seems more versatile, with what the battery operated and smaller transmitter. Kleer is a good format, but apparently is dead. With Bluetooth, I'd worry about delay more than sound quality.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #6 –
Quote from: extrabigmehdi on
Honestly, and after trying many headphones, I  prefer to not  talk of "best" headphone, but what suit best to my taste.


Just put a good equalizer inline with your headphones and every time you get tired of what you hear, move a knob!

Sooner or later you will learn how to move the knobs productively.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #7 –
So many people have commented adversely on Bluetooth I feel obliged to say that I have recently taken a look at what's available at the less expensive end of the market and been very pleasantly surprised how much better it has got. Once connected you really cannot complain.

I'd still recommend getting a pair of classic wired headphones. With the addition of one of those ubiquitous little Chinese BT receivers you find on eBay for ~$15 you can get the best of both worlds. They really are surprisingly good. The transmitters work well to so you can have a set for ~$30. Sansa clip on one end, other end taped to the headset. No trailing wires in the garden.

Sennheisser do a nice little USB AptX capable transmitter dongle for ~$50 which is a step up from most on board.

My favorite find though is the HD capable receivers with NFC. Simply tap and connect. Great when mates come round because it offers instant, hassle access for their phones to the whole audio system.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #8 –
KOSS KSC-75 -- they are a little weird with the ear-clips they come with.  So buy a pair of Parts-Express brand cheapie headphones from Amazon.  Pop the drivers off the ear clips and they pop right onto the Parts-Express head band.

The KSC-75 is $9.99 at Amazon and the Parts-Express headphone is $7.29.

FANTASTIC budget sound.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Just put a good equalizer inline with your headphones and every time you get tired of what you hear, move a knob!


I already played a lot with dsp, but I disagree (to some extent) with what you are saying.
I mean, no amount of equalizing would make a headphone completely sound like an other.
It's not just frequency response that matters... That's said I got tired of collecting headphones, and of head-fi too.


@handyrandyrc
Quote
FANTASTIC budget sound.

Yeah, I would recommend anyone that have an urgent need to spend 100$ in a headphone,  to try first the cheap koss ksc-75.  But such recommendation is usually ignored, and I understand it.

Otherwise I  was relatively happy with my cheap sony XB500 I  got as my last headphone.  Lot of fun with techno music, and very comfy to put on head (I can even put them on bed).

Advice for headphones?

Reply #10 –
I had the ksc-75 and I can recommend them unless you plan to listen to music in a loud area, for example in a train, which you don't according to your post, but I'd like to mention it anyway. You will end up a) not hearing the music or b) annoying the other passengers with noise leaking. My impressions was that they leak nearly as much music outside as you hear wearing them. The sound quality is rather good for the price, if only they didn't leak so much sound...

Advice for headphones?

Reply #11 –
I'd just take a listen at a few brands, I like open backed designs like Grado although I also like Beyer Dynamic and Sennheiser. I think the most important thing is comfort as long listening sessions in sweaty phones that hurt the ear isn't fun.

Try them on, I borrowed 4-5 pairs from my Hi-fi shop for a week-end and ended up with Grado SR125's comfort and sound were OK
 

Advice for headphones?

Reply #12 –
Quote from: look_Sharp on
and ended up with Grado SR125's comfort and sound were OK

Really? I tried a different one from Grado (but with the same basic construction) and could not bear it for more than a few minutes :S I agree that the wearing comfort is the most important part, I wear my Senn HD595 for 6 to 10 hours a day, usually without taking it off for hours. I haven't found a more comfortable headphone yet.

Anyway, I've tried about 10 (maybe more, don't really remember) different headphones before choosing one. If you have the chance to compare headphones like that, you should definitely do that.
Music: sounds arranged such that they construct feelings.

Advice for headphones?

Reply #13 –
Quote from: ktf on
Quote from: look_Sharp on
and ended up with Grado SR125's comfort and sound were OK

Really? I tried a different one from Grado (but with the same basic construction) and could not bear it for more than a few minutes :S


We must have different shaped ears? What suits you might not suit me and vice versa, that's why I advised to try a few different phones for longer periods comfort is much underrated WRT headphones.

I like open backed, I have Beyer Dynamic DT551 as well and although comfortable for short sessions I get hot ears, same with some Sennheiser models, of course as I stated in my first post:
YMMV

So try before you buy, don't but what others tell you to.