headphones

[viper6497]

I use headphones alot for gaming and listening to music. Can someone plz tell me the best pair of headphones you could get for around $500 price range?

 

[Kaido]

I'd say Sennheisers or Grados. I own Sennhesier HD570s and I love em. They're about $150 new or about $80 in-box on ebay, and I think one store was having a sale on them for $80 online. My Senns are extremely comfortable and I can wear them for hours on end and not get a headache. They're very light and very soft. They don't need an amp to drive them, either.

If you're looking for a crazy sick setup, run over to HeadAmp and buy a Gilmore amp, then get a pair of Sennheiser HD650 headphones. Then get a good sound card, like an M-Audio Audiophile with RCA outputs or a Creative Labs Audigy2 ZS (I think you'd want something like a DAC to get the best quality output of the Audigy's optical port).

Keep in mind tho, if you're going to be listening to stuff like MP3s and games only on your computer, you may not want to blow that much money. Higher-end equipment will bring out flaws in recordings and compression issues in MP3s and stuff like that. I'd say buy the Sennheiser HD570 headphones, then if you want, get a small amp such as a HeadRoom Total Airhead or Total Bithead.

I'm currently running Sennheiser HD570s off my CL Audigy2 ZS and I'm quite happy with it.

If you want some other recommendations, hop on EFnet on IRC and join #headphones.

 

[SickBeast]

Wow...$500. I would say spend $100 on a pair of Grados and call it a day. My buddy has a pair of 80-somethings and they sound spectacular. I'm guessing the difference between those and the $500 top of the line ones is small, but I'm no expert. If it sounds that much better, wow, it would bring me to tears just listening to them.

 

[CSMR]

The new Senn HD650s are said to be very good. What's the rest of your setup?

 

[viper6497]

I didnt know there is amps for headphones.
Thanks

 

[viper6497]

Originally posted by: CSMR
The new Senn HD650s are said to be very good. What's the rest of your setup?

This mobo has a soundmax 6 channel audio codec.

 

[zerodeefex]

HD650s are up there at the top, but if you don't have an amp, go for a custom made PPA and some HD580s or 600s if you can afford all that. go to www.head-fi.org and ask around, they will give you a lot more info than you will find here.

 

[CSMR]

Originally posted by: viper6497
I didnt know there is amps for headphones.
Thanks

You could get the HD580s, a decent amp, and a good sound card, for about $400, maybe even sound card and external dac for $500. I suspect it will sound rather better than you're used to!

My recommendation: if you're using onboard sound now, go for a chaintech av710 card or m-audio transit sound card, HD580s (c $150) or grado or AKG headphones. That will give you good sound, and for the last step I'd buy one of the amps that are sold by members on Head-fi.

 

[killedradiostar]

i enjoy my hd590s very much.

 

[whattaguy]

Beyerdynamic DT770's are regarded very highly in the recording community for critical-detailed listening.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DT770pro/

Sony MD7506's are about half the price, but good.
I own a pair of AKG240's (Open back design - $90), but they need a headphone amp to drive them.
I also own some Audio Technica ATH240DF's ($70) that aren't as good, but closed back.

Best thing is to listen to them yourself and walk out of the store with the ones that you like.

 

[DarkAmeba]

Get Sennheiser. I love my HD-590's to death