The Headphone Thread

You might not like the clamping but the senn hd25-1 II is one of the best in the $150 range for metal. You can probably pick them up used in the $100-120 area.

I personally have been using a modded Denon d2000 as my main pair but they're discontinued and hard to pick up for under $250 these days use. Also have the Hifiman HE-400 which retail for $400 but they're open and on the heavy side and I can't use open headphones right now as we're living in a studio. The big factor with them is they're orthodynamics instead of dynamics which improves response of the drivers. I'm looking forward to when I have a private room I can set everything up in.
Before getting the itch to check out the next tier in audio, my hd25 were my constant headphone.

I have two amps that aren't fully necessary to drive any of these (the he-400 is the only one that really gets benefit) but the onboard audio on my motherboard is so bad that I'd need to pay for a sound card anyway. Using the optical out bypasses that so my combo DAC/amp can do all the work.
 
General Zod said:
Given Amazon's liberal exchange policies, I might have to give this a whirl. Is the Fiio E07K what you would recommend?
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That was where I got mine - on Amazon. From my own experience, the Fiio E07K is actually quite a nice unit for the money. For only about $80, the thing really does sound quite good. You could certainly spend way more money on amp/DAC. I've seen units go into the thousands, but at the same time there are also headphones that can go for several thousands. However with the typical headphones that us mere mortals will have, something like the Fiio E07K is plenty good enough. I certainly would recommend giving the E07K a try, and like I said, for only about $80 or so on Amazon, it is not likely to break the band and Amazon will take it back if you don't think it is worth it.
 
The very cheap Monoprice 8320 (or 9927, which are said to be the same) earbuds are getting rave reviews at Head-Fi. I bought 2 sets on Dec. 12 and received them yesterday. Only played with them a bit but they have a weird form and seem hard to fit to get a good seal on the ear. So far, I'm feeling they like bass but I need to use them more. But everyone say that changing the supplied tips for better ones completely change the experience.
Right now, I prefer the SkullCandy cheapo ones I can buy at Marshalls and TJ Maxx for $5-$7, which have a very nice sound and lots of bass.
But can all these audiophiles who love the Monoprice be wrong? I don't think so...

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_...=11302&cs_id=1084901&p_id=8820&seq=1&format=2

http://www.head-fi.org/t/580769/the-monoprice-new-mp9927-pg-208-mp8320-mep-933-the-7-11-club
 
Jibrille said:
You might not like the clamping but the senn hd25-1 II is one of the best in the $150 range for metal. You can probably pick them up used in the $100-120 area.
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Agreed... their sound was really good. However, I've discovered what I want is an over-ear headphone, and one that's comfortable enough for extended listening.

SkiBumMSP said:
That was where I got mine - on Amazon. From my own experience, the Fiio E07K is actually quite a nice unit for the money. For only about $80, the thing really does sound quite good. You could certainly spend way more money on amp/DAC. I've seen units go into the thousands, but at the same time there are also headphones that can go for several thousands. However with the typical headphones that us mere mortals will have, something like the Fiio E07K is plenty good enough. I certainly would recommend giving the E07K a try, and like I said, for only about $80 or so on Amazon, it is not likely to break the band and Amazon will take it back if you don't think it is worth it.
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I have a Galaxy S4. From the little I've read, there are issues with the S4 and E07K. I believe I need the E17 (which is closer to $180). And from what I understand, neither the Momentums or the V-Moda M100s (which is what I'm leaning towards) benefit enough from a DAC/AMP to warrant spending another $180 on my setup.

labrekk said:
The very cheap Monoprice 8320 (or 9927, which are said to be the same) earbuds are getting rave reviews at Head-Fi.
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Interesting. I also just got a pair of Jaybird Bluebud Xs for my birthday. Since these will be for gym use only, I LOVE not having a wire connecting me to my S4.
 
General Zod said:
And from what I understand, neither the Momentums or the V-Moda M100s (which is what I'm leaning towards) benefit enough from a DAC/AMP to warrant spending another $180 on my setup.
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Now that you've clarified that you're looking for an over-the-ear design, I would say you can't go far wrong with the M100s. I've had opportunity to listen to them several times, and I was very impressed. Loads of headroom but not accompanied by an artificially wide sound stage. Tonal balance just ever so slightly on the bass tilted side of neutral, but not unpleasantly so.

I mostly (80%) use in-ears as over-the-ears give me the most terrifying case of helmet hair you have ever seen. Nonetheless, when I long for over-the-ear immersion (and I'm not going to be seen in public) I turn to the M-Audio Studiophile Q40. You may want to give them a look/listen before you make your decision. After months of reading reviews and auditioning at audio salons and box stores, I had narrowed my list to five, one of which WAS the M100s. But I ended up with the Q40s. Great sounding phones.
 
MeTuLHeD said:
Now that you've clarified that you're looking for an over-the-ear design, I would say you can't go far wrong with the M100s. I've had opportunity to listen to them several times, and I was very impressed. Loads of headroom but not accompanied by an artificially wide sound stage. Tonal balance just ever so slightly on the bass tilted side of neutral, but not unpleasantly so.
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I just ordered the X-Large pads for the M100s, as the standard pads are a bit snug on my ears. From everything I've read on Head-Fi, the XL pads improve the comfort level, the seal and the sound stage, without altering the sound signature.

MeTuLHeD said:
I mostly (80%) use in-ears as over-the-ears give me the most terrifying case of helmet hair you have ever seen.
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Speaking as someone with a shaved head, this is not a concern. :loco:

MeTuLHeD said:
Nonetheless, when I long for over-the-ear immersion (and I'm not going to be seen in public) I turn to the M-Audio Studiophile Q40. You may want to give them a look/listen before you make your decision. After months of reading reviews and auditioning at audio salons and box stores, I had narrowed my list to five, one of which WAS the M100s. But I ended up with the Q40s. Great sounding phones.
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Interesting. I will definitely add those to the list:

Skullcandy Aviators
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
M-Audio Studiophile Q40
 
General Zod said:
Anyone here serious about their headphones? I've been doing a ton of research on this thread, on both headphones and headphones ideal for Metal. Curious what other folks are using.
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Grado SR-80. They look awful and sound like shit...... at least you think they sound like shit until you get used to them, then pretty much every other non-Grado headphone sounds like shit. Just look up the reviews on them.

Bryant
 
I would love to hear them. I've read nothing but good things about them. The problem has become, I've found it difficult to really try something out, without buying it and returning it (which I've now done five times). Because it's such a pain in the ass process, I haven't tried everything I would like to.
 
So after purchasing and returning six pairs of headphones, and trying out two more in the store, I finally made a decision. Here's the breakdown for anyone who might be interested. The order of this list represents the order in which I checked them out (which influenced my final results):

Sennheiser HD25 - good headphones in terms of sound. Unfortunately, they made my head feel like it was in a vice (and they're ugly as sin). I also didn't care for the long, heavy chord.

V-Moda LP - no matter how much I toyed with my EQ settings, I just couldn't get a sound out of these that I liked.

JayBirds BlueBuds X - the only in-ear monitors I checked out. While I really liked the design, the look, and the idea of being wireless in the gym, they just didn't work for me. Had I loved these, I likely would have ended up with two pairs of headphones. However, I found them uncomfortable when they were properly seated in my ear AND regardless of the tips, wings or positioning I used, I couldn't get them to stay properly seated in my ears and retain the kind of seal required for such a small driver to deliver a proper bass response.

V-Moda M100 (Winner) - everything about these headphones is impressive. The moment you take them out of the box you just know you're holding a product that's well made. Of course, the fact that the manufacturer states you can twist the headband into a pretzel, that they're quality tested by dropping them from a height of six feet onto concrete 70 times, and that the chord is kevlar reinforced, you know they're going to last. They're the only pair of headphones you'll often hear referred to as "military grade". In addition, they come with a two year warranty. At the end of those two years, the manufacturer will give you half off a second pair if they break (even if they're "run over by a tank"). Visually, I found them them to be the best looking headphones of any on the market. As for comfort, they're extremely comfortable right out of the box. They seem to fall somewhere between an over-ear and on-ear design. However, for an additional $20 you can buy the new XL ear pad that adds more padding and turns them into a full blown over ear headphone. But most importantly, they were simply the best sounding (for my tastes) headphones of the bunch. The bass is full and precise, without being overwhelming. The highs are crisp and clear, without being glaring. It's not surprising this model has won award after award. In this price range, I found them to be without equal in terms of sound, design, and build quality.

Sennheiser Momentums - a very comfortable design, a very visually pleasing design, and a very nice sound. However, I felt these lacked the bass of the V-Moda and the highs tended to be too bright. The chord also felt a bit too flimsy and is hardwired into the headphones.

Bowers & Wilkins P3 - although they're comfortable to wear and aesthetically pleasing, both the bass and the highs are subdued. I'm sure some see this as a more natural sound signature, but it's the exact opposite of how I want to hear music. Plus, there's so little pressure on the ears that they fell off my head several times at the gym.

Bowers & Wilkins P7 - a very nice pair of headphones. They sound fantastic and are very comfortable. However, for me, they don't sound quite as good as the V-Modas, they feel a more delicate, and they cost $100 more.

PSB M4U 1 - a really nice pair of headphone, but they fell short of the V-Moda in terms of sound quality, design and build quality.
 
Just keep in mind, these are open-back headphones. They have a very different sound stage than closed headphones. They leak a lot of sound. In essence, you would never want to use these in public. As a rule, they tend to be more expensive then closed headphones. Also worth noting, they're not being sold by Amazon, which means you'll have to check with the vendor to see what their return policy is. Good luck.
 
While I've enjoyed reading this thread, I can't really get to the point where I'll spend $300 for a pair of headphones. Given the opportunity cost, I'd rather spend that money on other things (like more music) and deal with lesser headphones. Particularly since I kill the cables on most of my headphones after a couple of years.
 
I hear you. Actually - one of my favorite all-time pairs of headphones is actually the iPhone 5 earbuds that come with it. I HATE earbuds - they usually hurt my ears. But the new Apple ones are super comfy, have a mic and volume control, and sound really, really good for freebie earbuds. They're my go to headphones when I can't take my skullcandies with my.
 
AeonicSlumber said:
I've actually heard about the those V-Modas, but never seen them. Kind of intrigued to check them out.
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They carry them at most Brookstones. They usually have them out on display, so you can listen to them and even plug your own device in.

TheLongshot said:
While I've enjoyed reading this thread, I can't really get to the point where I'll spend $300 for a pair of headphones. Given the opportunity cost, I'd rather spend that money on other things (like more music) and deal with lesser headphones.
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It's like anything else; we all have those toys we're willing to pay a bit more for and others where we just don't see the value. I think with headphones, once you begin to dip your toes into the higher end market, you keep wanting something better. And again, it's all relative when I say "high end". One of the posters on one one of the other UM forums I read is looking to sell his $1,200 headphones so he can buy a new pair of $1,600 headphones. And the market in that price range is much larger than most people would ever expect.

TheLongshot said:
Particularly since I kill the cables on most of my headphones after a couple of years.
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Cables aren't the issue they once were. The V-Modas (as many do) come with two different, detachable cables; one with mic and iDevice controls and one that's just a straight cable. In addition, the cable can be plugged into either side, and replacements can be purchased for $12. Finally, as I noted earlier, the V-Moda has a kevlar reinforced cable. It feels completely indestructible, without feeling heavy or bulky like some cables.
 
General Zod said:
Cables aren't the issue they once were. The V-Modas (as many do) come with two different, detachable cables; one with mic and iDevice controls and one that's just a straight cable. In addition, the cable can be plugged into either side, and replacements can be purchased for $12. Finally, as I noted earlier, the V-Moda has a kevlar reinforced cable. It feels completely indestructible, without feeling heavy or bulky like some cables.
Click to expand...

I do know that, owning a couple of cheap Sennheisers. That being said, most of my headphone listening is done by earbuds, since most of it is done while running.

Funny, but in all of this, I had gotten an e-mail that these were on sale:

http://www.*********/audio/zaggaudio-zr-le-wood-headphones/6982

They may be good or crap, but at $60, they are worth a try at least.

Edit: Why the hell does the board censor Zagg's address?
 
I'm a bit late to the discussion, but I've had a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 2s for about 6 years now.. Best headphones I've ever used.

The only drawback is that your ears can get a little warm, since the cups completely cover them. Also, you can't really wear any earrings but studs while using them. Other than that, they're perfect - sound quality, durability, and the noise cancelling is amazing.
 
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