Headphone Advice Thread
 

Headphone Advice
So, after seeing countless posts of lost souls purchasing Beats/Skullcandy/Souls/whatever, I've decided to make this thread for those of you who wish to purchase new headphones in the near future, or if you still have Apple stock buds or the Skullcandy Ink'd IEMs with money to blow. Without further ado....

What You'll Need to Tell Me

1. Budget:
2. Music Preference:
3. Form Factor (Type):
4. Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs):
5. Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc):
6. What's above everything else? - Sound quality / Looks or Design / Build quality / Portability

Budget: How much you are willing to spend on a set.

Music Preference: stfu

Form Factor: IEM - In-ear monitor (Skullcandy earphones) / Full-size (Beats Studio) / On-ear (Beats Solo)

Open-backed or close-backed: Open-backed headphones have a ventilation system that leaks sound from your headphones for less distortion that is caused by reverberating sound in close-backed headphones. Open-backed headphones generally sound better, but leak sound and do not provide much noise cancellation. Close-backed headphones do not leak sound (some exceptions), generally have sub-par sound to open-backed headphones (again, some exceptions) but offer excellent noise cancellation (...exceptions) when music is playing through them.

Source: What will be powering your headphones. I'm going to guess that 9/10 of these will be iPods or iPhones, considering this is a Graalians forum, but some of you may have nice sound cards out there...

One last thing...
Do not post about how great you are convinced that your Beats, Skullcandy, Turtle Beaches, or your dad's Bose headphones are unless you're genuinely curious why they're bad values. I don't want nor need to take time to explain why they aren't as good as you think you are.

I WANT THAT FOR SUMMER!

And remember folks, the sound quality is only as good as the weakest link! You can have the most expensive reciever + sound system/headphones, but if the music is coming from your low-end soundcard/motherboard chipset then the quality will still suck.

ahaha, gained so much respect for you now.

Bit off topic but my dad has a home theatre system and the two side speakers are Bose, mostly for the mid and high range sound. I still poke fun at them. Nowadays they're stacked on top of the two front tower speakers (:love: Cerwin Vega in terms of bang for buck) for some extra sound.

Budget: 50-70$
Preference: Bass boost
Form Factor (Type): on ear
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): closed back
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): iPod and Laptop
What's above everything else? - Sound quality / Looks or Design / Build quality / Portability:
Portability and sound quality

I'm going to point you towards the Koss PortaPros. They look sorta retro-ish, but the sound quality is rivaled by none in its price point. Good bass extension with good punch as well, although it might encroach on the mids. It's extremely lightweight and has a nice folding mechanism for portable users. Its actually only about $40, but its by far the best on-ear for bass lovers in the sub-$100 price point. If you want something of a more treble-focused sound and don't mind open back, you can't go wrong with the Grado SR-80i.

Thanks alot. Im thinking of getting them, now i just need 30 more dollars P:

Budget: $10-15
Preference: N/A
Form Factor (Type): on/in ear (kinda like the earphones that come standard with iPods)
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): closed back
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): Laptop
What's above everything else? - Build quality / Portability

I'll have to recommend either the Sennheiser MX270 ($15) or JVC Gumys ($10). Those are just for earbud-style (iPod stocks). For IEMs (like earbuds, but go in deeper) in that range, there are much better options. If you want to consider IEMs, I'll point you towards the Monoprice 8320 ($9) or the Meelectronics M9 ($15). Pick which one best suits you, I suppose.

MX270 - Bassier sound (apple/earbud style)
Gumy - Like Skullcandy minus the bloated bass (apple/earbud)
Monoprice 8320 - Great and balanced for the price (IEM)
M9 - Balanced sound (IEM)

Budget: the cheaper the better but $80 at the most
Music Preference: Dubstep and Electro
Form Factor (Type): on-ear
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): Open
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): iTouch
What's above everything else? - Sound quality

Again, I'll have to recommend the Koss PortaPros as the budget king for on-ears. They have plenty of bass while still retaining a refined treble and midrange, eve if slightly recessed. The Grado SR-80i is also amazing for its price point, though it may not suit your bass-craving needs. If you decide to go outside the on-ear world, there are loads of other options at your price point.

In-ears
[$65] VSonic GR06: In-ear bang-for-your-buck king right here. Thick sound which is great for bass-heavy music like house, hip-hop, dubstep, EDM, etc. These will run you around $60-$70, but they punch well above that price point.

[$80] Audio Technica ATH-CKM500: My favorite sub-$100 IEM. Has fantastic bass extension, while representing Audio Technica's house sound perfectly - emphasized bass and treble while keeping the mids at a lower volume. This IEM has sparkly treble (might be too bright for some), complmented by good bass punch, but the bass is slightly bloated. Above average soundstage. Great for rock and dubstep, but the overpowering bass might be too much for hip-hop (that's why we have EQs, right?)

On-ear (Listed Above)
($40-50) Koss PortaPro: See above - in a nutshell, overpowering bass with thick treble and midrange. Good for dubstep, not so much for non-vocal.

($80) Grado SR-80i: The best (in my opinion) on-ear at this price point if you don't mind sacrificing some bass punch. Iconic aggressive treble and mids, making it perfect for rock and other vocal music. Keep these away from electronic, they might not have enough bass punch. The bass quality is definitely there.

Over-ear
($80) Audio Technica ATH-WS55: Bass, bass, bass, bass, bass. These represent emphasized bass (great quality and punch) and laid-back trebs and mids. Not much else to say here, but these should fit each and every basshead's needs.

Sony XB Series: Any of the headphones in this series should also fit your bass needs. The models in your price point are subpar to other options there, however.

(for a friend)

Budget: $800 (and a $200-$400 secondary option would be nice)
Music Preference: Hip-Hop/Dance/Indie
Form Factor (Type): Over Ear
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): Closed
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): MP3, Laptop with Waxx 3.0 Audio
What's above everything else?: Sound quality, good midrange.

b-bump

Wow, rather large budget I see. Okay, for your price ranges I've got 2 options with different qualities for both of your price ranges so you can pick the one you feel is better suited for your friend.

$800 Budget

Option 1: Audez'e LCD-2 ($825)
Alright, for a mid-forward signature and a great thick sound that's perfect for hip-hop, nothing beats this headphone at the sub-$1,000 price range. It has a warm, detailed, and punchy sound that's also a favorite amongst mixers and sound engineers. The mids are the real sweet spot on these headphones, sporting some of the best in any set in the world, minus Stax and the upgraded LCD-3. They've got very rich and lifelike tonal balance which stays true to the real world. Everything is fantastic throughout the whole sound spectrum, though. It's a very well regarded set by the Head-Fi community, and is actually ranked as the community's overall favorite headphone. In my opinion, its big, retro wooden look is a huge plus for me, though I don't think he would want to be wearing it out on the street (although, other audiophile will definitely notice them from a mile away). Another thing about this option is that it doesn't fit the closed-back preference - it's a semi-opened back set and isn't too suitable for outdoor use. It won't isolate a lot, and leaks a little sound. If its bearable, this is the #1 option for this price range (It might run you a little over $800). If not, I'll have to point you towards the Audio Technica ATH-W1000X.

Pros: Very balanced sound across the spectrum, thick/warm and punchy sound, sexy wooden look, can be driven by an iPhone (as claimed by Audez'e), reference class headphones, true to life sound, godly mids
Cons: Price, open-backed

Option 2: Audio Technica ATH-W1000X ($675) - Now this here is one of my personal favorites. Audio Technica is really known (and this set in particular) for their bright, clear treble, punchy bass, and a V-shaped sound signature. Now because the bass and treble are emphasized over the mids does not make the mids bad. The mids still remain natural and lifelike, and with some EQ to reduce the bass, the mids really shine on these headphones. These are great for bass-heavy music and vocal music; dubstep, drum n bass, hip-hop, rap, etc. but I wouldn't recommend them for rock as the bass is too prominent and the sound isn't as aggressive as one might like for rock. These should run you around $600-$700 MSRP.

Pros: Punchy with good bass extension, laid-back sound, clarity in trebles, amazing wooden look
Cons: Shy mids, might need amplification

$200-400 Budget

Option 1: Audio Technica ATH-A900X ($230) - Another candidate by Audio Technica here, this is also much representative of Audio Technica's house sound that I mentioned in the above paragraph - though, the sound is more balanced out and less colored throughout the whole spectrum, which is all personal preference. The A-series by Audio Technica is also renowned for its above average soundstage which makes it very suitable for recordings at live concerts, classical, video games and movies alike. This is a really promising set that's on the lower end of your price range, but high end on the sound side.

Pros: Powerful and deep bass, clarity in trebles, very comfortable, very good soundstage, closed-back
Cons: Recessed (but lifelike) mids

Option 2: AKG K701 ($275) - These are another legendary set produced by AKG, which is one of the best - and not just at its price point - headphones in regards of midrange, and especially soundstage. The overall sound signature does not provide much punch to its bass, but has a great mid-forward sound complemented by nice treble. Now, these have a couple downsides based on your personal preferences, and it includes extreme need for amping, as as mentioned, weaker bass. It's also open-back, but if he's going to be using these mostly for home, and can get these to work with a decent $150 amp whicthese would be spectacular.

Pros: Amazing soundstage, fantastic mids and trebles, iconic look (featured in quite a few animes)
Cons: Shy but deep bass, requires powerful amp, open-backed

Hope this helped you man, best of luck pairing your friend up with the perfect set.

Budget: $50
Music Preference: Hip Hop/Rap, Techno
Form Factor: In ear
Source: iPod
What above all else: Sound Quality, Looks

MEElectronics A151 Balanced Armature
The Meelec A151 is a great sub-$50 IEM that is well regarded by audiophiles especially for their bass punch and quality at such a low price. The A151 has a slight V-shaped frequency response in which trebles and bass are both emphasized over the midrange. I think this set should well fit your needs, as it has plenty of bass for hip-hop and techno, while still retaining decent treble clarity. The midrange isn't too special, though it isn't bad either. They also look very nice in my opinion, with an expensive-looking braided cable and a nice aluminum driver housing. These should run you about $55; and I think its a perfect match.

Regards.

how to pick out headphones/earbuds properly: go to walmart, get lost until you find the electronics section, stare it the rack of audio devices for 30 seconds until you've found the cheapest pair, buy them.

I just buy the little dinky inner ear headphones from walgreens and Im fine xD I'm not a musician or anything. But I know a friend who has a lot of really expensive headphones and recording gear who is a musician. I should ask him what he uses.

I am willing to bet that it's a pair of Audez'e LCD-2 or some model of the Sennheiser HD line. Let me know!

budget: 50-500
music preference: I actually want the headphones for computer games
form factor: over ear (like computer ones)
source: computer
Great sound quality needed

I bought a pair of Skull Candy for £10. They broke with in a week. I reccomend JVC in ears, they've lasted almost a year, pretty good sound quality.

For $275~, you can get yourself an AKG K701 - read up on it in my previous post I wrote for Pazx. In short, it has legendary soundstage (can pinpoin where ANY sound comes from), and has the most realistic midrange sound, perfect for movies and music alike. The problem is, you'll need an amp as well. I'd recommend the AudioQuest Dragonfly at $250 - it could perfectly drive the K701 and it's the size of a thumb drive! It's crazy good for the price too.

Regards.

Yeah, Skullcandy has the WORST build quality out of any recognized headphone brand I've ever seen. JVC actually has some really nice in-ears that are less than $20. I think you have the JVC Marshmallows (very popular and found @ Best Buy/Target/Wal-mart), which I have as well, and I would go as far as to say that they could compete with my $90 Audio Technica ATH-CKM500.

They say audiophilia is all about chasing the last 20% of the full 100% possible price-quality ratio. Say if a $25 product is 70% of the possible 100%, a $75 product would probably be a 75% of the 100%. It gets worse as you go higher up the scale; at one point, you're probably paying $50 per extra 2% on the theoretical scale. My $300 Beyerdynamic T50P isn't all that much better than my $150 Audio Technica ATH-M50. It's better, but not by a whole lot.

I'm a music producer so I generally don't use headphones... But at night I'm not trying to disturb the peace. I'm looking for something ideally with subwoofers, good treble and mid range and a little bit of EQ leveled down on the high frequency so the mids come in clearer. I was going to bother looking but I've been too busy. Preferably over-ear. Closed backed preferred slightly over open. We're talking $200 to $400 dollars.

All right. Punchy subwoofer-status bass, good mids and a toned down treble basically screams Sennheiser. Around this price point, I'll have to recommend you the Sennheiser HD598. It's a beautiful looking set of headphones that represent Sennheiser's famous house sound, or 'veil', quite well. I'm not a fan of the sound myself, being a treblehead, but Sennheiser's headphone typically sport a thick, aggressive sound with powerful bass, forward mids and laid-back and darker treble. The HD598 is no exception, being one of Sennheiser's flagship headphones in their audiophile line. Although it's an open-backed headphone, I think it suits your sonic preferences perfectly. It's also on the lower end of your price range, so you should be able to use the remaining funds for some sexy sneakers or an amp for your headphones.

Note: if you don't like the beige look of the 598, the HD595 is a very similar sounding headphone (also designed similarly), but in a more modest gray.

Regards.

Would you happen to know as much about microphones as you do headphones, Talon? :P

As a matter of fact, I do. :P What do you need?

Thanks... If you ever need sneaker help... Hmu.

Haha, will do. Actually, out of curiosity, what goes into determining the quality of a sneaker? When I first went into the world of audio, I was baffled by all of the components a good headphone should have - bass, midrange, highs, soundstage, impedance, proper acoustic environments, balanced frequency response, and so on. So what components should a quality sneaker have?

I play acoustic guitar and I sing, I'd prefer to record without using a pickup as that creates a much cleaner tone in my opinion (and I like the scratching of the strings sometimes), but I need a good microphone for that. I'd like to use the one mic for both vocals and guitar unless you can find me a good, cheap combo that would sound better (both layering tracks and playing and singing at once) and I guess we'll say about $200 for the price range. Also, may be working with cajons soon enough, so they'd have to sound nice enough through the mic.

I wouldn't personally recommend using a single microphone for multiple sound layers, as it is hard to find balanced and uncolored response mics for two completely different sound signatures. Instead of finding a $200 mic for both vocals and guitar, I would suggest to buy two separate microphones to get the job done. For vocal recording, I would have to suggest the Shure
SM-58. It's one of the best sub-$100 microphones in terms of vocal recording; its response has a typical bump in the upper midrange and also has a slightly boosted bass response which I think sounds great on vocals that accompany acoustic music (though, it all depends on your voice).

Now, for your acoustic guitar, I would recommend AKG's Perception 120. Condenser microphones are great for reproducing the sound of an acoustic guitar in general, and the 120 does just that. As you said, you like the scratching of the guitar strings which made me immediately think of this mic. The 120 is a very nice microphone for picking up overtones and the small things like string scratching and the like. The frequency response stays rather neutral throughout the whole spectrum and provides a very clean, clear tonality for reproduction. I can't see you being disappointed.

If you do prefer to instead use a single microphone for both, I'm not too sure on recommending one for that, as I don't have much experience with a solo microphone for multiple sound layers. Your best bet would probably be heading over to a microphone forum and doing a couple searches until you find your answer.

Regards.

Cheers Talon, I'll check those two (which I've previously come across and seem pretty well renowned) out when I get the chance.

I just use my apple headphones that came with my iPod <3 That's the way to go. I don't need no fancy headphones :P Fab guide though, I'll certainly do some googles.

Oh man if you hear good earphones and go back to apples it just sucks... I've had it a couple of times and buying really good ones is just worth it... I find myself smiling when I hear good quality music x.x

It's hilarious to see the look on my friends' faces when they hear my home audio setup after they've been listening to crApple buds for so long. I usually get the "It sounds like IMAX!" or "It feels like there's a guy playing the piano in front of me!" But, there are some people which I guess still can't justify spending these amounts of money on headphones after listening to my setup. Can't blame them; it's hard to appreciate multi-hundred dollar audio gear for the first time. It's like orange juice. You're not going to appreciate drinking fresh homemade orange juice for the first time after drinking out of the carton for so long. No idea how I just came up with that.

Though, I do envy people that think the crApple buds are good enough for their music listening. Saves them the trouble of having upgraditis and the amounts of money that an audiophile would spend on gear.

So Talon, what headphones or set up do you use? I think we all want to know :)

I would considering doing a shoe thread like this but I don't feel like it'd be popular.

Basically... You'd have to consider:

Use (Basketball, Style, Casual etc.)

Cut (Low, Mid, High, Sandal etc.)

Color (Red, Anthracite, Gradient etc.)

Price Range (Generally I cover anywhere from 70 dollars and up!)

Durability (A year of peak performance, a "lifetime", rips easily, etc. Or you can say how much durability matters to you.)

Materials Used (Flywire, Carbon Fiber, Nubuck, Leather, Suede, Lunarlon, Zoom Cushioning etc.)

Rarity (Commonly worn, hardly worn, limited to few stores, exclusive drop- ie Jordan IV Military Blues, etc.)

Shoe Size

Fit (Tight, Snug, Loose, Perfect)

Width (There's generally a scale of slim, normal, wide.)

And any other factors.

The current setup I'm using at the moment would be this...

ASUS Xonar Essence STX -> AudioQuest Dragonfly -> Objective 2 Amplifier -> Beyerdynamic T50P.

BLAM.

Anyway, I'm bumping this, because I once more fell into the trance of audiophilia. Anyone? Even just to satisfy me?

I'm looking for a decent gaming headset.
Budget: $20-$30
Music Preference: pc games
Form Factor (Type): full size
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): closed back
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): Laptop
What's above everything else?: Sound

I know this thread is for headphones, but I skimmed through and it seems you know a lot about microphones as well :3

I need help identifying my headphones. On the bit that goes on top of your head it says "SENNHEISER MADE IN IRELAND", and on the left earpad it says "HD 25-1 70Ω". And I normally use it for listening to my games or FL Studio, and rarely my iPad.
Btw, my setup for listening to music via headphones is : Input (Laptop,iPad, and rarely my Phillips stereo), my Roland EF303 synthesizer, and an output of my headphones.

YO TALON

1) budget soundcard + budget reciever + budget 2.1 speakers (we'll say shelf ones + a sub)
2) you got $500 dollars max

GO, bonus points if you can get it below $350.

Mind = blown.

Thanks for the advice. :)

Superlux HD 681
+ External Mic

This may stretch a bit out of your budget, but it overwhelms headphones below $30 by a LANDSLIDE. Other than the fact that it's the only (good) full-sized headphone at the price range, it's one of the most regarded budget headphones in the audiophile community - it's like the Monoprice 8320 of full-sized cans. From what I've heard, it has a very consumer-oriented sound signature that won't disappoint for gaming. Seeing as it has a semi-open design, it will leak sound - which is good for a private environment, as it helps with the acoustic soundstage. You will need an external clip-on mic, but those should only run you about $5.

Good luck.

The HD 25-I is an amazing set of headphones. I envy you.

Hah, my skullcandys broke for the second time. Gonna need this. fyi, i want earbuds because i want to carry them around, not those big headphones.
Budget: ~$100
Music Preference: Metalcore/Post Hardcore, Pop-punk
Form Factor (Type): In ear.
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): n/a
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): iPod.
What's above everything else? Sound quality, looks come at a close second.

Budget: 10-60$
Music Preference: Rock/Electronic.
Form Factor (Type): In-ear preferably. It doesn't matter too much.
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): Um...n/a?
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): iPhone
What's above everything else? - Sound quality.


A second one, this time for sound production headphones.
Budget: There is no budget.
Music Preference: Anything, but mostly Electronic and piano based music.
Form Factor (Type): Headset.
Open-backed or close-backed (not for IEMs): I don't know what this means. Stupid me.
Source (MP3 player/desktop/etc): Desktop/Laptop.
What's above everything else? - Sound quality.

Thanks!

:D Funnily enough, they were given to me from my uncle, who is a DJ (Psytrance DJ btw).
And my Music Preference is progressive psychadelic trance, anyhow.

I've always wanted a set. I'm going to try and trade my T50P for one.

Monster Miles Davis Tribute

You're probably thinking: Monster? Those guys who made Beats! But Talon, I thought Beats were garbage for the price! They are. But, their credence for making in-ear headphones is still recognized by a good portion of the audiophile community that isn't turned off by the brand name. These headphones were geared towards a large audience with a nice medium between a consumer oreinted signature (V-shaped freq. response for bass and pseudo-clarity) while still keeping audiophiles happy with an instrumental music-friendly liquid midrange. As with most Monster products, the bass was engineered firsthand and is the "focal point" of the headphone's frequency response (I just thought of that term and I'm going to start using it now). It's what really shines on these in-ears, but that isn't to say the midrange isn't amazing. Although the frequency response is V-shaped and the mids are the "background plane" of the headphone, they still sound true-to-life in jazz and orchestral music alike. The treble is nothing extraordinary, but if it were, you'd probably be paying a $200 premium. Rest assured, I'm sure it will satisfy anyone who's starting to get into Hi-Fi. Oh, and I forgot to mention - these headphones are beautiful. Go out and show those Beats Tours kids real headphones that don't look like $25 Safeway headphones.


Note: Retailers have this for around $400, their MSRP, but you can find them refurbed off Monster's official site for around $110. If it isn't available anymore, it shouldn't be a problem finding them from certified eBay resellers for that price, give or take $20
____________

Also, I'll finish everyone else's requests during my lunch break.

Wow, they look awesome. They seem rather hard to find on eBay, or at least in eBay Australia and Monster only has the trumpet version on their site. I'll keep looking though. Thanks anywho.
Would rep you but I need to spread more :(

If anyone is interested I resently bought a pair of JBuds J3 Micro Atomic's and they are insanley good! If you are searching for some cheap good quality earbuds check these out! I was amazed at the sound quality when I first tested them out. They also come in this cool case you can stash them in if you don't want them to get messed up. Click Here to check them out.

Hey Talon,

I'm looking for a decent pair of full-size headphones for home use for movies, music, etc. My budget is probably in the $100 price range but it's pretty flexible if the quality is worth it. I would mainly be using the set with my iDevices, but I would be using my computer as well.

Thanks!