Eh, I don't really feel like I'm missing out on bass at all on my 2.0s, unless I want the sort of floor shaking thumping bass that ruins the mids and highs. :P Good speakers should have adequate amounts of bass from what I've experienced.
Also been using the brainwavz M3 for awhile now. If anybody want a $100 IEM that sounds great get these. There are a few areas that aren't as refined as my HD25, but they have a pretty awesome sound for the price.
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Custom SpecialI know I am, I'm sure I am,I'm Sounders 'til I die!Registered Userregular
I'm starting to think I may look for a new powered sub so I can just go straight into the receiver, just to reduce the amount of equipment I need to find room for (which is already limited with such a large receiver).
Suggestions are welcome. I saw one for $100 on Newegg with free shipping, which looked like it would do me fine.
Soooo alright. I'm looking for a new set of cans at about $200. I own the first-gen model of these Siberias and while they're pretty comfy I want something more for music. I also have this sound card, it was pretty sweet back when EAX was still a thing. I've been reading reviews of Grados and I think that's what I'm set on, though if there's much better choices than the SR225I's I'll switch.
I'm a bit lost on what exactly I should get first though. Do I need an amp? Should I upgrade my soundcard? And if so would that excuse the need for an amp? Portability isn't really a concern, these phones will probably just stay at my computer.
From what I've read, you don't need an amp unless your headphones are low sensitivity/high impedance enough to require one. If you go here you can see if particular cans need or are really helped by an amp.
I think the order of operations is 1) get the headphones you want 2) get stuff that supports them if needed. I'll bet you won't get much of an improvement in sound quality with a new sound card. A different card probably wouldn't have much difference in the output level, so it wouldn't affect your need (or lack thereof) for an amp.
I think that the internet has been for years on the path to creating what is essentially an electronic Necronomicon: A collection of blasphemous unrealities so perverse that to even glimpse at its contents, if but for a moment, is to irrevocably forfeit a portion of your sanity.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
You'll never go back to crap produced by gaming companies. Whether they're better than similarly-priced Grados is debatable. I think they are, by FAR, but I despise Grado's fit and comfort. Also, while the Senn's are open so they leak some audio, Grados don't so much leak as pour sound. I just love the sound of the 558s. Very balanced, clean and bright, but still warm. The open design allows for a wiiiiiiide soundstage, so it can almost make you feel like you're sitting in the midst of a nice speaker array. You'd really have to jump up to some badass $400 jobs like the Sennheiser HD650s to get anything substantially better than the 558s. The only headphones I can think of that would be on par at a similar price are the AKG 702/701. Those really do sound GLORIOUS, but they're almost $100 more (around $250 street), and they almost require an amp due to a relatively high impedance.
It's hard to get a sound that open and clean on such cheap headphones, but AKG pulls it off really well at a price that should keep people from ever buying garbage with Dr. Dre's name on it.
If you've got the budget for a decent amp, it'll help you get so much more out of your soundcard and headphones. Regardless of whether your 'phones NEED an amp to drive them (99% don't), most any headphones, especially good ones like those Senns and Grados will sound SO much fuller and richer. Even better, one with a built-in DAC will sound infinitely better than almost any sound card. This one is a great entry level one that you'll get a LOT of mileage out of: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_773UDAC2B/NuForce-uDAC-2-Black.html?search=headphone+amp
If your budget is slim, you'll get much more out of good 'phones than an amp, but the amp is a very nice-to-have.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Glad you asked!
Yes and no.
Let me explain...
Like many companies, Sennheiser saves manufacturing and R&D costs by consolidating parts. In practical terms, they sometimes create a badass awesomesauce headphone driver for their top of the line model, and then save money by using the SAME driver for their low end model, and just applying some sort of artificial gimp.
Camera companies often do this with firmware. Sennheiser did it with these two headphones by using two pieces of foam tape.
The only non-cosmetic difference between the two is that the 558s have a 2-inch piece of black foam tape against the backside of the driver as a way of deadening the sound, and semi-closing the open backing of the headphones.
Now, even to a critical ear, there's not a huge difference between the two, but you can easily eek it out of the 558s by simply opening up each ear cup and removing the tape. It's a five minute job. The pads pop right off, and 3 screws hold down each driver. If you're so inclined, search YouTube for "HD558 mod" and you'll find plenty of walkthroughs.
For the record, I did this mod on mine. I think it sounds noticeably brighter on the mids, less dampened on the bass, and more open, but even without this hack, they're just great damn headphones.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
edited August 2011
Oh, and just to clarify, the 595s you linked are the old high end 5xx model.
It used to be 555 and 595. Low end and high end, respectively.
Then Sennheiser introduced the 558 and 598.
Even the current 558 is a huge improvement on the old 595. The hack I talked about makes the 558s sound like the 598s.
Do not bother with either of the last gen 5x5 models. Neither hold a candle to the current 5x8 'phones.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
If you ever find them cheaper than the 558s, it's worth considering. The only problem is that they're fucking ugly. And they have a leather (rather than velour) headband pad. I don't know who decided that a flap of leather pressed to your head was comfier than a plush velour pillow, but they're wrong.
In general, you're just better off with the 558s + the mod.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
I ordered the 595s right after I read your first post. Requesting a cancellation right now. Whoops!
Edit: Totally understand what you're saying though, it's like different class video cards, I should've read more carefully. =P
Edit#2: Order successfully cancelled, getting the 558s now. I agree on the fuglyness of the 598s, I'm sure someone likes them though, not me.
I ordered the 595s right after I read your first post. Requesting a cancellation right now. Whoops!
Edit: Totally understand what you're saying though, it's like different class video cards, I should've read more carefully. =P
Edit#2: Order successfully cancelled, getting the 558s now. I agree on the fuglyness of the 598s, I'm sure someone likes them though, not me.
Awesome! Glad that worked out for you, and I hope you love the new headphones. Share your impressions once you get time to try them out.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
Though just to be clear if you're a basshead you probably won't like them.
I'm on my phone, couldn't see the price. Was wondering what it was down to, though.
They're still fugly, and easily matched by the handsomer, more comfortable 558s.
Really. Ivory?
Really?
I love the look.
So classy.
Too bad they go for $309 here in aus.
See, I knew SOMEONE would be into the ivory and mahogany look. Just not me. But hey, I don't begrudge anyone their headphone style. As long as that style isn't Beats.
And yeah, none of the open Senns are bass monsters in the way that most consumers have been conditioned to expect (MOAR BASS = BALLA STATUS).
They DO all have velvety smooth, clear, controlled bass. Not head shaking, but very, very tight. Everything from Daft Punk to The Who sounds fantastic on 'em. If you enjoy "musical" bass, they'll suit you. If you just want something to rattle your teeth, some closed-back Audio Technicas are a pretty good bet, generally.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Isn't the general consensus is that the 598 is much preferred over the 558 though?
In what way? They use the same driver in an essentially identical housing. The only difference is the foam tape to muddle the 558s a bit. Even as-is they're so very similar it's almost pointless to argue. Removing the tape gives the 558s the exact same sound as the 598s.
And, while comfort is a personal thing, I just can't see how anyone would find the 598s more comfy than the 558s.
That's why I generally recommend the 558s.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
Isn't the general consensus is that the 598 is much preferred over the 558 though?
In what way? They use the same driver in an essentially identical housing. The only difference is the foam tape to muddle the 558s a bit. Even as-is they're so very similar it's almost pointless to argue. Removing the tape gives the 558s the exact same sound as the 598s.
And, while comfort is a personal thing, I just can't see how anyone would find the 598s more comfy than the 558s.
Eh, audio technica aren't really a basshead company.
Unless you're just talking about the pro700s. Also that weird behind head style phone.
The pro5ms were the ones I had in mind, actually. Verrrrry bassy, for my taste. Never heard the pro700s.
Also, the Denon 1100 (I THINK that's the model number... Maybe it has a letter in it somewhere) are really nice, deeeeep bass heavy 'phones. And some of those Sony MDRs are awfully bass-heavy, but still quite good all around.
I obviously have less experience (and fewer recommendations) with super bassy phones because I personally just prefer balanced and bright headphones.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
I have a pair of HD-650 but no headphone amp or receiver.
What can I use to power these bad boys without going overboard?
Will a receiver pump enough juice to the headphone jack and sound good or do I actually need a headphone amp to justify buying my set of cans?
Those are wonderful, wonderful headphones. The sort you could hand down to your kids one day. You'll probably want a dedicated headphone amp. Most receivers should drive those well enough (they're high impedance, but not astronomically so), but if you're spending $400+ on some badass headphones, you'll want to drop at least $150 or so on a dedicated headphone amp to really fill them out. A dedicated headphone amp, even on the low end, will give you better sound than all but the highest end, crazy-ass expensive receiver. If you don't need the receiver as part of your stereo setup (i.e. you just listen to music via your computer), just go straight to a headphone amp. Like one of these...
I think Nuforce is one of the best bang-for-your-buck companies as far as dedicated headphone amps go. There's not a set of cans out there that they don't pair well with.
It's beautiful, and it can drive any pair of headphones you throw at it. That said, if you're asking if you need a headphone amp, you're not the market for this monster. Yet.
But seriously, think about the Nuforces, especially if you feel like your headphones aren't giving you everything they should. They'll help fill out the sound. You'll pick up more of the nuances, and it'll just sound warmer and fuller.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
Though you might want to consider upgrading your DAC too. You can either get an external one like the DACmagic or buy a soundcard like the ASUS Xonar essense stx. In fact just getting the STX should be a big improvement for less price.
What's the most cost effective 5.1 or 7.1 surround headphones for PC gaming? Do I need a sound card for that? I got my dream gaming PC in July and am slowly pimping out my experience.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
What's the most cost effective 5.1 or 7.1 surround headphones for PC gaming? Do I need a sound card for that? I got my dream gaming PC in July and am slowly pimping out my experience.
I love this question. So much. Because the answer is simple, and I like saving people from spending thousands of dollars on shit headphones.
1. Do NOT buy any 5.1 or 7.1 headphones. Especially if they actually have lots of drivers per ear. They're all shit. I don't care if we're talking about the Triton AXPros or the Razer Barracudas, or their new hot shit Tiamats. Do not buy a pair of headphones with more than one driver per ear unless you like wasting your money. Headphones and speakers are not the same thing and shouldn't be treated as such for the purpose of a marketing checklist of buzzwords.
2. Don't bother with off-the-shelf virtual surround sound unless your budget is very tight. Virtual surround sound is much, much better than "real" surround sound in headphones. Real surround sound leaves annoying gaps between speakers and audible switchovers when the positional audio moves. All that stuff gets lost in the haze of a surround speaker setup, but when those drivers are all a half inch from your ear, you'll hear every flaw like it's right in your head. You also get shitty positioning because all the drivers are so close to your ears. Real surround sound is made for speakers. Not headphones. Virtual surround sound using a tech like Dolby Digital+Dolby Headphone or Razer's Maelstrom system does such an incredible job at faking surround sound that you get much better positional cues than the "real thing."
What's my recommended setup? Three parts actually:
1. A sound card or onboard sound that can output optical. If your computer/sound card doesn't have optical out, buy an external USB sound blaster x-fi that gives you an optical out.
2. A surround sound processor/mixer device. This will receive the optical out signal in Dolby Digital 5.1/7.1 and use Dolby Headphone magic to mix it for any pair of standard stereo headphones.
Your best option here is the Astro Mixamp. It's $120 bucks, but it does a fantastic job, looks great, and has a rock solid build. I use mine for all my computer audio, and love it so much i bought a second wireless one for my living room home theatre. http://www.astrogaming.com/mixamp/mixamp-usb
A lower budget, lower build quality option would be the Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS. It accomplishes the same thing for half the price, but in a decidedly less sexy package, and without the Mixamp's game audio/voice chat mixer. I own one of these as well and the sound quality is on par with the Astro. It's just not as solid and "desk-worthy" for something I'd be leaving plugged in and visible all the time. Still, a perfectly solid budget option. It uses the very same Dolby Headphone tech as the Mixamp. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003O0KICS/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/183-0329162-4835121
3. A good pair of wide-soundstage headphones. My personal pick is something in the Sennheiser HD 5xx family. The HD558, 555, 595, and 598 are all absolutely phenomenal for this. They sound glorious with a good Dolby Headphone signal passed through them. The positional audio is far, far better than any off the shelf surround headphone solution. There's also the Sennheiser PC360, which is essentially the HD558 with a mic attached. I use them in my setup and I'm confident I'll never buy another set of gaming headphones again. I can easily close my eyes and find object/characters in games instantly by sound alone. The positional audio is so fantastic, and I can't imagine a better setup for gaming.
That said, if you already own any good set of music headphones, especially open-backed ones, they'll probably work beautifully with this setup. Don't bother with Astro's headphones or any other gaming specific 'phones (except maybe those Sennheisers).
Now, if you have none of those three required components, an off the shelf virtual surround solution like the SteelSeries 7h USB 7.1 or Razer Megalodon will give you a decent surround experience at a more budget friendly price, but if you ever go with the Mixamp + great headphones, you'll laugh at all that gaming-grade shit they peddle off on you.
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Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
First impressions are really good! The sound is very clear and detailed, it also sounds very wide, like the speakers are further from my ears than they actually are. Really cool. I haven't tried to mod them yet, I think I'll do that in a couple days.
I feel like the bass is detailed but lacks a little bit of punch. Would getting an amp help with that?
They're easily the most comfortable headphones I've worn, I could see wearing these for hours.
EDIT: HOLY SHIT, I forgot that I left my compressor on last night when I was watching Star Trek, I just clipped everything I listened to today.
EDIT#2: Sex is on my ears now. All is good in the world.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
First impressions are really good! The sound is very clear and detailed, it also sounds very wide, like the speakers are further from my ears than they actually are. Really cool. I haven't tried to mod them yet, I think I'll do that in a couple days.
I feel like the bass is detailed but lacks a little bit of punch. Would getting an amp help with that?
They're easily the most comfortable headphones I've worn, I could see wearing these for hours.
Glad they're making a good first impression. I think with an amp they get a little more oomph and warmth out of the bass, but you could probably get what you're looking for with a little EQ tweaking on your source. Open-backed phones like these are typically never as bass-heavy as closed-back headphones, so keep that in mind, but they can still sound 100% wonderful once you have your source tweaked just right. That wide soundstage you're hearing is really their signature thing. Makes everything from music to surround sound gaming and movies such a joy to listen to.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
Sandisk just release an update of the pretty awesome clip+, the clip zip. Though other than the looks (love the orange one) it doesn't seem like that much of an update.
I might get the orange one for jogging though.
On the note of MP3 players, got my J3 back from warranty. My nearly a month of torture is finally over.
Quick question regarding surround sound in a HTIB setup if anyone knows. The way I have it right now, my middling HTIB is connected to my TV through the ARC HDMI port. My computer and 360 are both then connected to my TV via HDMI. My HTIB source can provide sound through all 5 speakers with both, but according to my computer, the HDMI port is only providing a max of 2 channels. Am I listening to true surround sound, or is the HTIB source just pushing 2 channel audio through multiple speakers? Is there even a difference for most things?
Am I going to need to get some digital optical cable for both my 360 and computer, as the HTIB source has an input for it, or is this the way it's supposed to sound? Someday I'll be able to afford a proper receiver and speaker setup that'll last me 50 years, but for now this all came bundled for an insane price with my TV so I just want to make sure it's sounding right.
Doesn't the recording have to be recorded in 5.1 to have 5.1?
I dunno, a good test would be watching a movie with 5.1 surround and disabling various speakers to see if it makes a difference. If it can be done.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
edited September 2011
So I have decided that my HD448s don't seem to be getting enough juice out of my Motherboards onboard sound. Whilst the computer I am gong to be spending all my money on next year will more than likely have a Xonar Essense STX in it, I still would like to try and see if there is something cheap I can get to make them sound better, as I will likely also be using my 'phones with my new phone as the MP3 source (when I eventually get one).
Does anybody have any knowledge of the Fiio E5? It seems like it could be pretty much exactly what I need.
EDIT: Oh god, just clicking around a couple of headphone sites I can see this is going to be a rabbit-hole I am going to have trouble avoiding falling down... I mean, why not upgrade to a pair of DT-770s and maybe a Matrix Cube?
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Fiio makes damn good cheap stuff. I own the e5 and e7. Both have great audio quality (stunning, for the price, really), decent build quality, and they offer very good support, should anything go wrong.
I've paired both with my phone, and they both do a great job of getting much more out of it as a source.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
edited September 2011
Looks like I'll be getting an E5 then. Thanks heaps!
EDIT: $19.65 with free shipping from Dino Direct. But damn is their website a hot mess. Terrible layout, spelling errors everywhere...
Everything starts at the source, and what you'll be doing is basically amplifying the signal of the onboard soundcard. At least if you get the E7 you'll be bypassing the onboard DAC and instead use the DAC of the E7, but the E5 is amp only, with a bass boost button if you really need bass boost I guess.
Plus the HD448 does not need amplification.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Everything starts at the source, and what you'll be doing is basically amplifying the signal of the onboard soundcard. At least if you get the E7 you'll be bypassing the onboard DAC and instead use the DAC of the E7, but the E5 is amp only, with a bass boost button if you really need bass boost I guess.
Plus the HD448 does not need amplification.
I agree to a point. The e7 is a much better way to go, but for closer to $15, if you need a little volume boost, or filling out of a set of cans, and you're already listening to compressed MP3s, it's hard to fault the e5. If one has the cash, then by all means, go with a DAC like the e7.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Yeah I can't get the E7 for under $110 plus shipping.
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Also been using the brainwavz M3 for awhile now. If anybody want a $100 IEM that sounds great get these. There are a few areas that aren't as refined as my HD25, but they have a pretty awesome sound for the price.
Suggestions are welcome. I saw one for $100 on Newegg with free shipping, which looked like it would do me fine.
I'm a bit lost on what exactly I should get first though. Do I need an amp? Should I upgrade my soundcard? And if so would that excuse the need for an amp? Portability isn't really a concern, these phones will probably just stay at my computer.
I think the order of operations is 1) get the headphones you want 2) get stuff that supports them if needed. I'll bet you won't get much of an improvement in sound quality with a new sound card. A different card probably wouldn't have much difference in the output level, so it wouldn't affect your need (or lack thereof) for an amp.
If you ever need to talk to someone, feel free to message me. Yes, that includes you.
You'll never go back to crap produced by gaming companies. Whether they're better than similarly-priced Grados is debatable. I think they are, by FAR, but I despise Grado's fit and comfort. Also, while the Senn's are open so they leak some audio, Grados don't so much leak as pour sound. I just love the sound of the 558s. Very balanced, clean and bright, but still warm. The open design allows for a wiiiiiiide soundstage, so it can almost make you feel like you're sitting in the midst of a nice speaker array. You'd really have to jump up to some badass $400 jobs like the Sennheiser HD650s to get anything substantially better than the 558s. The only headphones I can think of that would be on par at a similar price are the AKG 702/701. Those really do sound GLORIOUS, but they're almost $100 more (around $250 street), and they almost require an amp due to a relatively high impedance.
For reference, at under $100 I also love the crap out of the AKG 240s: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-Acoustics-K-240-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
It's hard to get a sound that open and clean on such cheap headphones, but AKG pulls it off really well at a price that should keep people from ever buying garbage with Dr. Dre's name on it.
If you've got the budget for a decent amp, it'll help you get so much more out of your soundcard and headphones. Regardless of whether your 'phones NEED an amp to drive them (99% don't), most any headphones, especially good ones like those Senns and Grados will sound SO much fuller and richer. Even better, one with a built-in DAC will sound infinitely better than almost any sound card. This one is a great entry level one that you'll get a LOT of mileage out of: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_773UDAC2B/NuForce-uDAC-2-Black.html?search=headphone+amp
If your budget is slim, you'll get much more out of good 'phones than an amp, but the amp is a very nice-to-have.
It looks like I'll get those 558s on your recommendation, then an amp later (aka, when I'm not broke again.)
Would these 595s be a better deal than the 558?
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD595-Performance-Premiere-Headphones/dp/B0001FTVE0/ref=pd_sim_e_6
Yes and no.
Let me explain...
Like many companies, Sennheiser saves manufacturing and R&D costs by consolidating parts. In practical terms, they sometimes create a badass awesomesauce headphone driver for their top of the line model, and then save money by using the SAME driver for their low end model, and just applying some sort of artificial gimp.
Camera companies often do this with firmware. Sennheiser did it with these two headphones by using two pieces of foam tape.
The only non-cosmetic difference between the two is that the 558s have a 2-inch piece of black foam tape against the backside of the driver as a way of deadening the sound, and semi-closing the open backing of the headphones.
Now, even to a critical ear, there's not a huge difference between the two, but you can easily eek it out of the 558s by simply opening up each ear cup and removing the tape. It's a five minute job. The pads pop right off, and 3 screws hold down each driver. If you're so inclined, search YouTube for "HD558 mod" and you'll find plenty of walkthroughs.
For the record, I did this mod on mine. I think it sounds noticeably brighter on the mids, less dampened on the bass, and more open, but even without this hack, they're just great damn headphones.
It used to be 555 and 595. Low end and high end, respectively.
Then Sennheiser introduced the 558 and 598.
Even the current 558 is a huge improvement on the old 595. The hack I talked about makes the 558s sound like the 598s.
Do not bother with either of the last gen 5x5 models. Neither hold a candle to the current 5x8 'phones.
If you ever find them cheaper than the 558s, it's worth considering. The only problem is that they're fucking ugly. And they have a leather (rather than velour) headband pad. I don't know who decided that a flap of leather pressed to your head was comfier than a plush velour pillow, but they're wrong.
In general, you're just better off with the 558s + the mod.
I ordered the 595s right after I read your first post. Requesting a cancellation right now. Whoops!
Edit: Totally understand what you're saying though, it's like different class video cards, I should've read more carefully. =P
Edit#2: Order successfully cancelled, getting the 558s now. I agree on the fuglyness of the 598s, I'm sure someone likes them though, not me.
I'm on my phone, couldn't see the price. Was wondering what it was down to, though.
They're still fugly, and easily matched by the handsomer, more comfortable 558s.
Really. Ivory?
Really?
I love the look.
So classy.
Too bad they go for $309 here in aus.
Awesome! Glad that worked out for you, and I hope you love the new headphones. Share your impressions once you get time to try them out.
See, I knew SOMEONE would be into the ivory and mahogany look. Just not me. But hey, I don't begrudge anyone their headphone style. As long as that style isn't Beats.
And yeah, none of the open Senns are bass monsters in the way that most consumers have been conditioned to expect (MOAR BASS = BALLA STATUS).
They DO all have velvety smooth, clear, controlled bass. Not head shaking, but very, very tight. Everything from Daft Punk to The Who sounds fantastic on 'em. If you enjoy "musical" bass, they'll suit you. If you just want something to rattle your teeth, some closed-back Audio Technicas are a pretty good bet, generally.
In what way? They use the same driver in an essentially identical housing. The only difference is the foam tape to muddle the 558s a bit. Even as-is they're so very similar it's almost pointless to argue. Removing the tape gives the 558s the exact same sound as the 598s.
And, while comfort is a personal thing, I just can't see how anyone would find the 598s more comfy than the 558s.
That's why I generally recommend the 558s.
Unless you're just talking about the pro700s. Also that weird behind head style phone.
Huh, checking the headfonia article:
http://www.headfonia.com/sennheisers-new-hd558-and-hd598/3/
It seems like there's a difference but it's not really substantial. I dunno why I always thought that the drivers were different unlike the 555/595.
The pro5ms were the ones I had in mind, actually. Verrrrry bassy, for my taste. Never heard the pro700s.
Also, the Denon 1100 (I THINK that's the model number... Maybe it has a letter in it somewhere) are really nice, deeeeep bass heavy 'phones. And some of those Sony MDRs are awfully bass-heavy, but still quite good all around.
I obviously have less experience (and fewer recommendations) with super bassy phones because I personally just prefer balanced and bright headphones.
What can I use to power these bad boys without going overboard?
Will a receiver pump enough juice to the headphone jack and sound good or do I actually need a headphone amp to justify buying my set of cans?
Those are wonderful, wonderful headphones. The sort you could hand down to your kids one day. You'll probably want a dedicated headphone amp. Most receivers should drive those well enough (they're high impedance, but not astronomically so), but if you're spending $400+ on some badass headphones, you'll want to drop at least $150 or so on a dedicated headphone amp to really fill them out. A dedicated headphone amp, even on the low end, will give you better sound than all but the highest end, crazy-ass expensive receiver. If you don't need the receiver as part of your stereo setup (i.e. you just listen to music via your computer), just go straight to a headphone amp. Like one of these...
On the low end, I love the crap out of this little guy: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_773UDAC2B/NuForce-uDAC-2-Black.html?search=headphone+amp
On the higher end, this guy sounds phenomenal: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_773ICNHDPS/NuForce-Icon-HDP-Silver.html?search=headphone+amp
I think Nuforce is one of the best bang-for-your-buck companies as far as dedicated headphone amps go. There's not a set of cans out there that they don't pair well with.
Oh, and on the "I've got money to burn" end, this thing is amazing: http://www.headphone.com/headphone-amps/grace-design-m902.php
It's beautiful, and it can drive any pair of headphones you throw at it. That said, if you're asking if you need a headphone amp, you're not the market for this monster. Yet.
But seriously, think about the Nuforces, especially if you feel like your headphones aren't giving you everything they should. They'll help fill out the sound. You'll pick up more of the nuances, and it'll just sound warmer and fuller.
I've had them for almost two years now and only been using the headphone jack on my motherboard or old crappy Logitech 2.0 speakers to drive them.
Facepalm, I know.
I'm gonna do some homework and pull the trigger on a good headphone amp.
Should drive the HD650 pretty easily.
Though you might want to consider upgrading your DAC too. You can either get an external one like the DACmagic or buy a soundcard like the ASUS Xonar essense stx. In fact just getting the STX should be a big improvement for less price.
I love this question. So much. Because the answer is simple, and I like saving people from spending thousands of dollars on shit headphones.
1. Do NOT buy any 5.1 or 7.1 headphones. Especially if they actually have lots of drivers per ear. They're all shit. I don't care if we're talking about the Triton AXPros or the Razer Barracudas, or their new hot shit Tiamats. Do not buy a pair of headphones with more than one driver per ear unless you like wasting your money. Headphones and speakers are not the same thing and shouldn't be treated as such for the purpose of a marketing checklist of buzzwords.
2. Don't bother with off-the-shelf virtual surround sound unless your budget is very tight. Virtual surround sound is much, much better than "real" surround sound in headphones. Real surround sound leaves annoying gaps between speakers and audible switchovers when the positional audio moves. All that stuff gets lost in the haze of a surround speaker setup, but when those drivers are all a half inch from your ear, you'll hear every flaw like it's right in your head. You also get shitty positioning because all the drivers are so close to your ears. Real surround sound is made for speakers. Not headphones. Virtual surround sound using a tech like Dolby Digital+Dolby Headphone or Razer's Maelstrom system does such an incredible job at faking surround sound that you get much better positional cues than the "real thing."
What's my recommended setup? Three parts actually:
1. A sound card or onboard sound that can output optical. If your computer/sound card doesn't have optical out, buy an external USB sound blaster x-fi that gives you an optical out.
2. A surround sound processor/mixer device. This will receive the optical out signal in Dolby Digital 5.1/7.1 and use Dolby Headphone magic to mix it for any pair of standard stereo headphones.
Your best option here is the Astro Mixamp. It's $120 bucks, but it does a fantastic job, looks great, and has a rock solid build. I use mine for all my computer audio, and love it so much i bought a second wireless one for my living room home theatre. http://www.astrogaming.com/mixamp/mixamp-usb
A lower budget, lower build quality option would be the Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS. It accomplishes the same thing for half the price, but in a decidedly less sexy package, and without the Mixamp's game audio/voice chat mixer. I own one of these as well and the sound quality is on par with the Astro. It's just not as solid and "desk-worthy" for something I'd be leaving plugged in and visible all the time. Still, a perfectly solid budget option. It uses the very same Dolby Headphone tech as the Mixamp. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003O0KICS/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/183-0329162-4835121
3. A good pair of wide-soundstage headphones. My personal pick is something in the Sennheiser HD 5xx family. The HD558, 555, 595, and 598 are all absolutely phenomenal for this. They sound glorious with a good Dolby Headphone signal passed through them. The positional audio is far, far better than any off the shelf surround headphone solution. There's also the Sennheiser PC360, which is essentially the HD558 with a mic attached. I use them in my setup and I'm confident I'll never buy another set of gaming headphones again. I can easily close my eyes and find object/characters in games instantly by sound alone. The positional audio is so fantastic, and I can't imagine a better setup for gaming.
That said, if you already own any good set of music headphones, especially open-backed ones, they'll probably work beautifully with this setup. Don't bother with Astro's headphones or any other gaming specific 'phones (except maybe those Sennheisers).
Now, if you have none of those three required components, an off the shelf virtual surround solution like the SteelSeries 7h USB 7.1 or Razer Megalodon will give you a decent surround experience at a more budget friendly price, but if you ever go with the Mixamp + great headphones, you'll laugh at all that gaming-grade shit they peddle off on you.
First impressions are really good! The sound is very clear and detailed, it also sounds very wide, like the speakers are further from my ears than they actually are. Really cool. I haven't tried to mod them yet, I think I'll do that in a couple days.
I feel like the bass is detailed but lacks a little bit of punch. Would getting an amp help with that?
They're easily the most comfortable headphones I've worn, I could see wearing these for hours.
EDIT: HOLY SHIT, I forgot that I left my compressor on last night when I was watching Star Trek, I just clipped everything I listened to today.
EDIT#2: Sex is on my ears now. All is good in the world.
Glad they're making a good first impression. I think with an amp they get a little more oomph and warmth out of the bass, but you could probably get what you're looking for with a little EQ tweaking on your source. Open-backed phones like these are typically never as bass-heavy as closed-back headphones, so keep that in mind, but they can still sound 100% wonderful once you have your source tweaked just right. That wide soundstage you're hearing is really their signature thing. Makes everything from music to surround sound gaming and movies such a joy to listen to.
Sandisk just release an update of the pretty awesome clip+, the clip zip. Though other than the looks (love the orange one) it doesn't seem like that much of an update.
I might get the orange one for jogging though.
On the note of MP3 players, got my J3 back from warranty. My nearly a month of torture is finally over.
Am I going to need to get some digital optical cable for both my 360 and computer, as the HTIB source has an input for it, or is this the way it's supposed to sound? Someday I'll be able to afford a proper receiver and speaker setup that'll last me 50 years, but for now this all came bundled for an insane price with my TV so I just want to make sure it's sounding right.
I dunno, a good test would be watching a movie with 5.1 surround and disabling various speakers to see if it makes a difference. If it can be done.
Does anybody have any knowledge of the Fiio E5? It seems like it could be pretty much exactly what I need.
EDIT: Oh god, just clicking around a couple of headphone sites I can see this is going to be a rabbit-hole I am going to have trouble avoiding falling down... I mean, why not upgrade to a pair of DT-770s and maybe a Matrix Cube?
I've paired both with my phone, and they both do a great job of getting much more out of it as a source.
EDIT: $19.65 with free shipping from Dino Direct. But damn is their website a hot mess. Terrible layout, spelling errors everywhere...
Everything starts at the source, and what you'll be doing is basically amplifying the signal of the onboard soundcard. At least if you get the E7 you'll be bypassing the onboard DAC and instead use the DAC of the E7, but the E5 is amp only, with a bass boost button if you really need bass boost I guess.
Plus the HD448 does not need amplification.
I agree to a point. The e7 is a much better way to go, but for closer to $15, if you need a little volume boost, or filling out of a set of cans, and you're already listening to compressed MP3s, it's hard to fault the e5. If one has the cash, then by all means, go with a DAC like the e7.
Though for that price you could have tried out the asus xonar DG. Has a pretty good dac/amp for the price from the reviews I've read.
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Channel-Sound-Card-XONAR_DG/dp/B0045JHJSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1315019627&sr=1-1