Which headphones: HD495 or SR60?

[BChico]

I heard Sennheiser are the best i want to spend under 150, what should i get. For mp3 and games...

 

[sohcrates]

similar thread 1

and similar thread 2

should be enough info for ya

 

[BChico]

Thanks, think the 495s would be enough?

 

[sohcrates]

sorry man, i'm a sony guy. not a "senny" guy. hehe. maybe someone else has an opinion on those?

 

[BChico]

Is it true that i will need an amp if i am running these out of a sound card, plat 5.1...

 

[TripperJoe]

Yes you could buy an amp...you could also spend $4000 dollars or more setting up the "perfect" headphone experience. However, for casual listening, you do not need an amp. I am assuming that you don't want top-of-the-line, but you also don't want to have to cram those tiny pieces of plastic inside your ear anymore. Well, here's my take. Headphones are like speakers. Hell, they are speakers. Everyone has different ears and different tastes. The best way to figure out what suits you is to try out a bunch of models and brands at a big store and then buy the one you like off the net for cheaper. Personally, I own the SONY MDR-V6. They don't make them any more (replaced by the MDR-V600 which incidentally sound worse to me), but I found them online because I liked them so much. A point that seems a little ironic to me, but is nonetheless important, is that the more money you spend on headphones, the better they sound, right? Well, if you are listening to mp3s and games, the more clarity in the headphones, the clearer it becomes that mp3s are compressed audio. You will start to hear distortions and crackles that you previously could not, especially because the speakers are so close to your ear. Thus, in conclusion, you can do no better for yourself than to spend some time trying out different headphones. Yes, Sennheiser may be the best for some, but Sony are the best for others, and others couldn't even tell the difference between the two.

Hint: if you can't tell the difference, buy the cheaper one

Ok, enough rambling. Go try some headphones. Don't buy b/c someone else likes them.

 

[flood]

you can get a pair of 580's under $150

and you do not need an amp... it gets plenty loud out of the sound card

 

[TripperJoe]

amps don't necessarily exist for merely making things louder. the purpose would be to get rid of distortion that occurs when the SBlive puts out that "plenty loud" sound.

 

[Insane3D]

I have used the SB Live 5.1, the Philips AE, and the Herc GTXP. Of the three, the Herc is the only one that puts out a acceptable signal to my HD495's. I have been very happy with them. They work great for those late night gaming sessions and they are extremely accurate, IMO.

 

[BChico]

Do they sound good on the sblive 5.1?

 

[Insane3D]

They sound great, just the volume is low even at maximum levels. If you got a headphone amp, it would sound fine.

 

[Raspewtin]

i owned both of those and preferred the 495's b/c they sounded better for me and were much more comfortable. some prefer the Grados. Both are awesome

 

[mithrandir2001]

I've owned the HD-580 and HD-600 and have listened to my friend's SR-60. While it's true that the 580/600 are expensive headphones, they really blow the SR-60 out of the water. I'm probably partial to Sennheiser's sonic character but the Grados did nothing for me. They sounded too veiled and devoid of sufficient detail and high-end extension. I didn't like them at all, comparatively. OTOH, the SR-60s can play loud on just a little bit of juice and they have a more forward character than the laid-back Sennheisers. And I know the HD-495 isn't in the same league as the 580/600 so they will have flaws as well. I think, generally, young people who play loud music will like the SR-60s and will graduate in time to the more sophisticated Sennheisers.

 

[Raspewtin]

<< I've owned the HD-580 and HD-600 and have listened to my friend's SR-60. While it's true that the 580/600 are expensive headphones, they really blow the SR-60 out of the water >>



ya the 580/600s are simply incredible. They are what i use now also.