Need Headphones

[Confusednewbie1552]

Alright, I need some headphones to frag on battlefield 2 while everyone is asleep
They need to be closed (as in they don't leak any sound).
Circum-aural would be nice, but so long as it's comfortable supra-aural's fine.
It needs to be $100 or under, although I possibly will go as high as $150 even though I'm extremely reluctant to do so.
I will mostly be playing games.
Microphones are not mandatory, but are welcomed.
Any links to reviews of particular suggestions would be fine.
Any links to good deals would be fine as well.

Here's a quick recap:
1: Closed
2: Either circum-aural or supra-aural
3: $150 is the highest I'll pay. Under $100 is what I'm shooting for though.
4: Will be used for playing games at night.
5: Microphones are fine.
6: Links would be appreciated.

Here's some good headphones I've found so far:

1: Beyer DT 250-80 (I'd buy theese if they weren't so expensive, if someone can find me a good deal that'd be great!)
2: PC 150/160 (Although they aren't closed they are noise cancelling which is fine)
3: If 5.1 is a must then the Zalman one.

Any suggestions are welcomed!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Excelsior]

Well you can knock off the Zalmans.

The PC150s are just fine, especially since you would like the mic. Id say just get them if you play a lot of games.

However, for ones without mics I would suggest:

Sennheisde HD-280s
Sony MDR-7506 (basically the same as the v6)
And for just a bit more I suggest the Audio-Technica ATH-500s.

I have the 500s, and I love them. Very comfortable, definitely closed (barely leak any sound at all), and of course excellent sound quality. However, any of those 3 would suit you just fine.

 

[Confusednewbie1552]

Alright i'll check those out, thanks! Any reason why 5.1 is not worth it? Also are the Zalmans closed? Circum-aural or supra-aural?
More suggestions are welcomed! And links to good deals, especially for the Beyer one are welcome also

 

[svi]

Short answer: 5.1 headphones are gimmicks, and there is no real reason to buy them.

I'll second Excelsior's recommendations and add one: the Sennheiser HD201 (not to be confused with the HD202 or HD212, which are very different headphones). Way under your budget, but excellent for the price, and more than sufficient for gaming. I actually prefer them to the MDR-7506 for music listening.

 

[Safeway]

The Zalman 5.1 headphones are awful. A friend of mine bought them and I can't stand em.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Well you can knock off the Zalmans.

The PC150s are just fine, especially since you would like the mic. Id say just get them if you play a lot of games.

However, for ones without mics I would suggest:

Sennheisde HD-280s
Sony MDR-7506 (basically the same as the v6)
And for just a bit more I suggest the Audio-Technica ATH-500s.

I have the 500s, and I love them. Very comfortable, definitely closed (barely leak any sound at all), and of course excellent sound quality. However, any of those 3 would suit you just fine.

On the Sonys - they're generally not well liked at head-fi. The only respected Sonys there are some model of earbud or other, the cd3000s ($400) and the R series ($1k, $4k respectively). The company has a habit of overpricing low quality products, relying on the image they built for themselves with their professional products to sell the consumer grade crap at inflated prices.

I can vouch for the 280s firsthand, very nice phones... but then I have a standalone mic if needed and use phones mainly only for music, so our needs are different. I'd side with the pc150s.

 

[svi]

On the Sonys - they're generally not well liked at head-fi. The only respected Sonys there are some model of earbud or other, the cd3000s ($400) and the R series ($1k, $4k respectively). The company has a habit of overpricing low quality products, relying on the image they built for themselves with their professional products to sell the consumer grade crap at inflated prices.

There are more exceptions than that... the MDR-XD200 and MDR-XD400 have pretty good reps (though the XD200 has been overshadowed by the HD201), and the MDR-SA series is getting a lot of love now too. The MDR-7506 that Excelsior mentioned has a decent rep there too, do a search for MDR-V6 (not MDR-V600!). General opinion is that it's a good budget sealed headphone if you don't mind the upper midrange peak.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: svi

On the Sonys - they're generally not well liked at head-fi. The only respected Sonys there are some model of earbud or other, the cd3000s ($400) and the R series ($1k, $4k respectively). The company has a habit of overpricing low quality products, relying on the image they built for themselves with their professional products to sell the consumer grade crap at inflated prices.

There are more exceptions than that... the MDR-XD200 and MDR-XD400 have pretty good reps (though the XD200 has been overshadowed by the HD201), and the MDR-SA series is getting a lot of love now too. The MDR-7506 that Excelsior mentioned has a decent rep there too, do a search for MDR-V6 (not MDR-V600!). General opinion is that it's a good budget sealed headphone if you don't mind the upper midrange peak.

My mistake, I saw "v6" and read "v600".

 

[QuantumPion]

I've owned the sony v-6's for several years now. They are uncomfortable to wear for more then 4 hours or so at a time. That is the only downside, however. They have clear highs, solid mids, excellent bass (even for headphones), were relatively cheap at $70, good coiled cord, leaks no sound at all even at high volumes, blocks outside noise, man these are awesome. I'm using them at work right now, listening to loud rock music.

The 7506's are basically the same as the V-6's. Don't confuse either with the v600's though, which suck really bad.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Well you can knock off the Zalmans.

The PC150s are just fine, especially since you would like the mic. Id say just get them if you play a lot of games.

However, for ones without mics I would suggest:

Sennheisde HD-280s
Sony MDR-7506 (basically the same as the v6)
And for just a bit more I suggest the Audio-Technica ATH-500s.

I have the 500s, and I love them. Very comfortable, definitely closed (barely leak any sound at all), and of course excellent sound quality. However, any of those 3 would suit you just fine.

On the Sonys - they're generally not well liked at head-fi. The only respected Sonys there are some model of earbud or other, the cd3000s ($400) and the R series ($1k, $4k respectively). The company has a habit of overpricing low quality products, relying on the image they built for themselves with their professional products to sell the consumer grade crap at inflated prices.

I can vouch for the 280s firsthand, very nice phones... but then I have a standalone mic if needed and use phones mainly only for music, so our needs are different. I'd side with the pc150s.

Really? I got the opposite impression from the head-fi folk. The 7506 or V6 is considered a quite decent/capable closedd headphone under $100. You must be mistaken.

Edit: Looks like others have already corrected you . You should really trust my judgement more, I have probably read head-fi just as much as you.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Well you can knock off the Zalmans.

The PC150s are just fine, especially since you would like the mic. Id say just get them if you play a lot of games.

However, for ones without mics I would suggest:

Sennheisde HD-280s
Sony MDR-7506 (basically the same as the v6)
And for just a bit more I suggest the Audio-Technica ATH-500s.

I have the 500s, and I love them. Very comfortable, definitely closed (barely leak any sound at all), and of course excellent sound quality. However, any of those 3 would suit you just fine.

On the Sonys - they're generally not well liked at head-fi. The only respected Sonys there are some model of earbud or other, the cd3000s ($400) and the R series ($1k, $4k respectively). The company has a habit of overpricing low quality products, relying on the image they built for themselves with their professional products to sell the consumer grade crap at inflated prices.

I can vouch for the 280s firsthand, very nice phones... but then I have a standalone mic if needed and use phones mainly only for music, so our needs are different. I'd side with the pc150s.

Really? I got the opposite impression from the head-fi folk. The 7506 or V6 is considered a quite decent/capable closedd headphone under $100. You must be mistaken.

Edit: Looks like others have already corrected you . You should really trust my judgement more, I have probably read head-fi just as much as you.

I already conceded that I (misread, my fault) thought you were talking about the v600s. Further, while they're not hated like the v600s, the v6s aren't overly liked there either. Indeed, the whole Sony line doesn't enjoy nearly the popularity among audiophiles & enthusiasts that phones by other manufacturers do. If I could spend a little time with them I'd tell you exactly how the hd280s from Sennheiser, (or really any competing product, provided I owned it - I may soon buy some sr60s btw) are better, but I'll never again pay a cent for a Sony product or service, so you'll have to trust in the fact that a mind-blowingly greedy corporation such as Sony would never put out a competitive product, as it's cheaper and more profitable to put out sh!t, overprice it and advertise.

 

[svi]

If I could spend a little time with them I'd tell you exactly how the hd280s from Sennheiser, (or really any competing product, provided I owned it - I may soon buy some sr60s btw) are better, but I'll never again pay a cent for a Sony product or service, so you'll have to trust in the fact that a mind-blowingly greedy corporation such as Sony would never put out a competitive product, as it's cheaper and more profitable to put out sh!t, overprice it and advertise.

First things first: I'm not a Sony fanboy.

Now that that's out of the way, I've owned the HD280 and MDR-V6 in the past, and neither one is "better". The HD280 is clear and accurate, but bright and thin. The MDR-V6 is warm and bassy, but unfortunately also glaringly bright. I'd take the HD280 for classical and jazz and the MDR-V6 for rock and rap.

The fact of the matter is that even corporations like Sony make good products sometimes. The MDR-XD line is surprisingly decent, the MDR-SA line is getting rave reviews, and the MDR-V6 is a real contender in the sub-$100 closed headphone area. Judging by manufacturer is ALWAYS a bad idea.

 

[Newfie]

I have a plantronicsa Gamecom | 1 headset. I dont really wear them for a long duration (I prefer speakers over any headset), but i like them =). Cheap. Im not too sure they will block off noice, but usually a headset does not leak too much noticble noise. Check it out =)

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Well you can knock off the Zalmans.

The PC150s are just fine, especially since you would like the mic. Id say just get them if you play a lot of games.

However, for ones without mics I would suggest:

Sennheisde HD-280s
Sony MDR-7506 (basically the same as the v6)
And for just a bit more I suggest the Audio-Technica ATH-500s.

I have the 500s, and I love them. Very comfortable, definitely closed (barely leak any sound at all), and of course excellent sound quality. However, any of those 3 would suit you just fine.

On the Sonys - they're generally not well liked at head-fi. The only respected Sonys there are some model of earbud or other, the cd3000s ($400) and the R series ($1k, $4k respectively). The company has a habit of overpricing low quality products, relying on the image they built for themselves with their professional products to sell the consumer grade crap at inflated prices.

I can vouch for the 280s firsthand, very nice phones... but then I have a standalone mic if needed and use phones mainly only for music, so our needs are different. I'd side with the pc150s.

Really? I got the opposite impression from the head-fi folk. The 7506 or V6 is considered a quite decent/capable closedd headphone under $100. You must be mistaken.

Edit: Looks like others have already corrected you . You should really trust my judgement more, I have probably read head-fi just as much as you.

I already conceded that I (misread, my fault) thought you were talking about the v600s. Further, while they're not hated like the v600s, the v6s aren't overly liked there either. Indeed, the whole Sony line doesn't enjoy nearly the popularity among audiophiles & enthusiasts that phones by other manufacturers do. If I could spend a little time with them I'd tell you exactly how the hd280s from Sennheiser, (or really any competing product, provided I owned it - I may soon buy some sr60s btw) are better, but I'll never again pay a cent for a Sony product or service, so you'll have to trust in the fact that a mind-blowingly greedy corporation such as Sony would never put out a competitive product, as it's cheaper and more profitable to put out sh!t, overprice it and advertise.

Did you notice my edit? I wouldn't be surprised, since you often choose to not read my entire posts.

Of course not, and that is because the Sony line as a whole (but then there are the CD3000s and the qualias), isn't good when compared to other manufacturers.

And I direct you to Svi who has actually owned both, and therefore can truly judge the difference between the two.

"Now that that's out of the way, I've owned the HD280 and MDR-V6 in the past, and neither one is "better". The HD280 is clear and accurate, but bright and thin. The MDR-V6 is warm and bassy, but unfortunately also glaringly bright. I'd take the HD280 for classical and jazz and the MDR-V6 for rock and rap. "

So....there you have it.

 

[Confusednewbie1552]

Looks like I can knock the Zalman's.
Speaking of the V6 and the MDR-7506, what's the difference? Which one's better?
HD 280s or the V6? Remember this is mainly (but not limited too) for games.
For the PC 150s and 160 owners: Are they good for games? What's the difference between the two and which one should I get if I was going to pick one of theese?
I've posted at Head-Fi and people there seem to like the HD 280s. =)
Lastly: I thought I'd point this out; I don't specifically need a microphone, so don't let that influence your suggestion. I was just saying if there are really great headsets out there let me know.
Thanks for the help so far

 

[sniperruff]

at that price, V6. the V6 is cheaper and should be the same as the 7506.

 

[TJones2]

Yamaha HP-1s. Good luck finding them...they've been out of production for twenty years.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Did you notice my edit? I wouldn't be surprised, since you often choose to not read my entire posts.

Of course not, and that is because the Sony line as a whole (but then there are the CD3000s and the qualias), isn't good when compared to other manufacturers.

And I direct you to Svi who has actually owned both, and therefore can truly judge the difference between the two.

"Now that that's out of the way, I've owned the HD280 and MDR-V6 in the past, and neither one is "better". The HD280 is clear and accurate, but bright and thin. The MDR-V6 is warm and bassy, but unfortunately also glaringly bright. I'd take the HD280 for classical and jazz and the MDR-V6 for rock and rap. "

So....there you have it.

So? Some people like Bose... No offense to Svi, but taste & perception can vary quite a bit, and so quoting any single person's feelings as a "so there!" is pretty weak Even in the case of a phone like the cd3000s, puchasing from a company whose ethics you don't approve of is reinforcing their business strategy, and as such, anyone with a shred of a values/morals system should avoid them like the plague.

Originally posted by: Confusednewbie1552
I've posted at Head-Fi and people there seem to like the HD 280s. =)

:thumbsup:

While trademark Sony (lack of) quality overshadows all, the 280s have their faults as well; they're one of the tightest headphones you can find, and while you do eventually get used to it, it takes a while. Their headband has a habit of cracking, though I treat my phones well and haven't experienced this. Rock & metal sound a bit laid back through them, but they're exceptional for other genres of music, including rap & electronica, imo (though I prefer tight, low bass over boom & volume, and am not what you'd call a basshead). Someone into rock & metal might be better off with a pair of Grados (these are no comfort champions either), and someone into lots of bass might want to check out Beyers. Keep in mind Grados are open phones though.

ps. last thing about the 280s: they take a long time to burn in, some feel it's as long as 500 hours. Mine sounded better & better as time bore on, through some fairly heavy usage. I think a lot of the flak they catch, especially for having weak bass, is due to many people forming a judgement on a pair which isn't fully burned in.

 

[Confusednewbie1552]

Do I really need to burn in?!? 500 hours is almsot 21 days, (3 weeks!) non-stop 24/7 music going through my headphones! Now that's crazy =) I am thinking bass is good for games correct?

 

[QuantumPion]

Originally posted by: Confusednewbie1552
Speaking of the V6 and the MDR-7506, what's the difference? Which one's better?

The 7506 has a gold mini-plug connector instead of regular tin, and has a fancier label on it.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Confusednewbie1552
Do I really need to burn in?!? 500 hours is almsot 21 days, (3 weeks!) non-stop 24/7 music going through my headphones! Now that's crazy =) I am thinking bass is good for games correct?

You don't have to, I didn't. I just listened & enjoyed, and noted that the sound became more refined & the bass fuller as time went on. They sounded pretty good out of the box btw.

 

[hammondnav]

As a long-time producer/player and former GuitarCenter Pro Audio employee and an audiophile in general, I couldn't resist replying to this post. I hope this helps you deicde which one is suitable for you. All the headphones below I have used personally and I made sure these are the models easily available on the market. What you'll read is based on my personal experience dealing with numerous headphone sets, countless pro customers and an spending an insane amount of time spent listenig to mixes.

Sennheiser HD-280 - Retails for $100:
These are great-sounding headphones and are very rugged and long-lasting. They are also foldable which is a nice feature to have on your headphones. These are less bassy than the Sonys and generally have a crisper sound. I'm talking about Sennheiser sound vs. Sony sound overall. Also I don't recall hearing about a broken HD-280.

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro - Retails for $200:
Now I know these are a bit pricier than what you're willing to spend on a pair headphones, but if you have a friend at your local music store you can get one for WAY cheaper. I have a pair that I got for under $100 with my GC employee discount back in the day. (YES under One Hundred) These phones do a great job isolating the sound from outside and are very comfortable. The sound is very crisp and balanced, and a lot clearer than the HD-280 or any Sony that I've personally listened to. The reason these are more expensive is because of the proprietary technology Beyerdynamic has developed. The drivers in these headphones are not aimed at your ear canals. They are positioned in a way that emulate speakers in a well-treated room, so you get better spatial representation. The drawback however is that you don't wanna use them with high volume as it is very easy to damage the drivers if not carefully used. The other drawback is of course the price.

Sony MDR-7506 - Retails for $100:
Every single Sony headphone I have listened through has had a muddy bass respose compared to comparable Sennheisers and Beyers. Every single one of them. I like my bass balanced and crisp so I don't like how the Sony's sound, but that's just me. I have owned one pair of professional Sony headphones (don't remember the exact model) that I paid about $100 back in 1995, but one of the drivers just died on me after a year and a half or so. For the retail price, I think the Sennheiser HD-280 sounds far better and I have never heard about the driver dying in any 280.

AKG K240 - Retails for $100
These are old school studio favorites. Every producer I know has one for monitoring because of its transparency and great overall sound. The K240's are semi-open (or semi-closed for that matter) so there is a small amount of sound that leaks, but nothing more than a closed door can filter out. They come in different models, but there is one that I recommend and that is the K240S. This one has an extended high frequency response (up to 25KHz) and a very good bass response. Very natural-sounding. The K240S comes with a detatchable mini-XLR cord, which is also a wonderful feature.
Then there is the $200 K240DF, which is no competition for Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro in this price range.

Audio-Technica ATH-M series - Retail from $50 up
These are nicely-made headphones that are designed to suit most budgets and demands. The ATH-M20 ($50) is a cheap closed set that has a decent quality. Nowhere close to the HD-280, the AKGs or the DT770 Pro, but far better than most PC speakers anyway. The ATH-M40fs ($80) I think is the most reasonably-priced one in the family. It has a better high and low frequency response than the ATH-M20 and is a bit more comfortable for long hours of use. The overall sound of the M40fs is similar to the HD-280 with a slightly less detail.

Audio-Technica ATH-A500 series - Retails for $150
These have one of the the most extended responses in this price range (5Hz to 30KHz) making them mixing board staples, but are not necessarily the most comfortable headphones out there. They also have a pretty low impedance (~64 Ohms), which may be good or bad depending on the rest of your gear. There shouldn't be a problem using these with PCs though.

Ultrasone HFI.550 - Retails for $150/$190
Probably the most underrated headphones in this price range. These guys are very comfortable with great sound and spatial feel. Like the HD-280, the HFI.550 is foldable. It comes with a carrying case which is a nice bonus. The drivers in higher-end Ultrasone headphones (including this one) are not aimed at your ear canals (kinda like the DT770 Pro), so they're more comfortable for longer hours of use with a lot more ear fatigue. The difference between the $150 version and the $190 version is the cord and the amount of EMF emission. The more expensive one gives you better EMF emission reduction.

These are the ones I could remember off the top of my head that are readily available for purchase. I hope this gives you a better idea about your choices or at least a solid starting point. I'd be happy to help further if any assistance is needed.
Regards,
Nav

 

[sniperruff]

i forgot about the AKG K240. never tried those but i suppose they are also excellent.

 

[frx218]

pc160s are nice a step up from 150s pretty darn good sound quality aswell..

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: hammondnav
As a long-time producer/player and former GuitarCenter Pro Audio employee and an audiophile in general, I couldn't resist replying to this post. I hope this helps you deicde which one is suitable for you. All the headphones below I have used personally and I made sure these are the models easily available on the market. What you'll read is based on my personal experience dealing with numerous headphone sets, countless pro customers and an spending an insane amount of time spent listenig to mixes.


Audio-Technica ATH-A500 series - Retails for $150
These have one of the the most extended responses in this price range (5Hz to 30KHz) making them mixing board staples, but are not necessarily the most comfortable headphones out there. They also have a pretty low impedance (~64 Ohms), which may be good or bad depending on the rest of your gear. There shouldn't be a problem using these with PCs though.

[
These are the ones I could remember off the top of my head that are readily available for purchase. I hope this gives you a better idea about your choices or at least a solid starting point. I'd be happy to help further if any assistance is needed.
Regards,
Nav

WHOOAaaa. You can get the ATH-500s from Audiocubes for $115 shipped man. A fair bit less than $150.

Edit: And not the most comfortable? Are you insane?