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Audiophilia: Headphones, Amps, DAPs, and Empty Wallets

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Posts

  • DrovekDrovek Registered User regular
    Hi thread,

    I'm looking for recommendations on headphones for music instrument practice. I'd guess that would be a wired set and maybe closed? I'm not really sure what would be the best here, to be honest.

    Preferably something that could be gotten on Europe, and maybe around $200-250 if at all possible?

    steam_sig.png( < . . .
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    Drovek wrote: »
    Hi thread,

    I'm looking for recommendations on headphones for music instrument practice. I'd guess that would be a wired set and maybe closed? I'm not really sure what would be the best here, to be honest.

    Preferably something that could be gotten on Europe, and maybe around $200-250 if at all possible?
    One of the "standards" is the Sony MDR-7506. As long as you don't pinch your hand in one of the hinges (a rite of passage for all studio musicians), it's great. They usually run about $100. I've heard good things about the Sennheiser Pro Audio HD 300 and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 is often at the top of people's lists.

    You will probably want wired and closed-back. What instrument are you playing, and what context will be headphones be used? Plugged directly to an amp? Audio interface? Mixer? Also, would you prefer IEMs over over-ear headphones, instead?

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • DrovekDrovek Registered User regular
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    Drovek wrote: »
    Hi thread,

    I'm looking for recommendations on headphones for music instrument practice. I'd guess that would be a wired set and maybe closed? I'm not really sure what would be the best here, to be honest.

    Preferably something that could be gotten on Europe, and maybe around $200-250 if at all possible?
    One of the "standards" is the Sony MDR-7506. As long as you don't pinch your hand in one of the hinges (a rite of passage for all studio musicians), it's great. They usually run about $100. I've heard good things about the Sennheiser Pro Audio HD 300 and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 is often at the top of people's lists.

    You will probably want wired and closed-back. What instrument are you playing, and what context will be headphones be used? Plugged directly to an amp? Audio interface? Mixer? Also, would you prefer IEMs over over-ear headphones, instead?

    Thanks for the reply!

    It's going to be an electronic drum kit just to start learning at home. (Eyeing the Yamaha DTX402K but still looking around.)

    My thinking with over-ear is comfort: in-ear hurts after a while (mostly the ones I've gotten the chance to use.) Though I've never worn any type of headset while playing drums, so I have no idea if that's even a good idea :lol:

    The connection would be, at least for now, directly through the headphone output of the unit without any amp.

    steam_sig.png( < . . .
  • InfidelInfidel Heretic Registered User regular
    edited August 2021
    Drummer here.

    Any over the ear headphones that you find comfortable will work fine, the fidelity is not important here. Just the ability to play without pain or discomfort for however long you intend to jam!

    That unfortunately makes it hard to recommend, as comfort of particular models can vary based on personal factors. You can still get an idea of general comfort from reviews if you look for it, but still ymmv.

    Closed vs open, I prefer open on solo practice (mixing in music and the drums) if I don't need utmost silence, as it doesn't make you feel cut off while practicing. Having the space just feels more natural, and this is why when you play on stage live with IEMs, the engineer should mix in some room mics into your monitor. It helps avoid feeling awkward while playing, personally the isolation is otherwise decently distracting ime.

    Consider IEMs as a good pair can be comfortable for a three-hour live show, and still costs less than higher-end fidelity cans. $100-150 had lots of good options when I was shopping for mine? Benefit is that you get used to using IEMs while playing, it's not just a big rock star thing to have now. My amateur show had individually mixed IEMs for everyone on stage, which I could control on my phone over wifi. Pretty sweet for performances, I would say!

    edit: oh and meant to mention, if you also just are wanting to invest in good cans for listening and not just practicing, nothing special for drumming. Just go with the recommendations and try to make sure you're going to be comfortable over extended periods with them on. You, uh, got a big head or any problems with other head gear in the past?

    Infidel on
    OrokosPA.png
  • DrovekDrovek Registered User regular
    Hadn't thought about it from an "isolation" perspective. :surprised:

    And yes, this would double as a listening device also. Maybe I could also take some open-back recommendations. :smile:

    Maybe in-ears could be an interesting option a bit later in the future, my main issue with them in the past has been comfort. Either it hurting or it being the wrong fit and falling easily. Haven't had much issue with on-ear sets in the past, so it's a bit of going for a safer bet.

    Thanks for the info!

    steam_sig.png( < . . .
  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    Sometimes with IEM's you'll have to try a few different kinds of tips. Both shape and material to see what works best for you. For me, foam tips that compress and expand to fit my ear are the most comfortable and give me the best seal. I have yet to find any silicone tips that are comfortable for long periods or seal well enough.

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • Trajan45Trajan45 Registered User regular
    Yeah it's really a personal thing. I'm the opposite, foam tends to cause pressure in my ear that is uncomfortable. The right size silicone/rubber tips work well for me.

    Origin ID\ Steam ID: Warder45
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    My Dayton Ultimax 18 subwoofer just stopped working for a second time. It has a 1200W Dayton plate amplifier that takes both digital and analog input with a DSP LCD display.

    No idea what happened, I didn't change anything. Just won't give me any sound. Checked the receiver, checked all the settings, the other seven speakers all work fine.

    I dissembled it and ran a volt tester through the board and everything is getting power and the connections all looked good.

    Going to grab a buddies subwoofer tonight and double check I can get at least one subwoofer firing and then I'll probably replace the plate with a 1000W amp...or I might just build two smaller 12 inch subs and use one on each side of my TV.

    I think this plate had just bad mojo all together because it similarly died like six months ago and I got a replacement under warranty, but now Dayton doesn't even make a 1200 W model.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    As an update, tried a buddies subwoofer and worked fine. So it's not the receiver or the cables.

    It's never the cables.

    So now I've got a $600 paperweight of a plate amplifier and an unpowered 18 inch Ultimax speaker.

    I guess my options are to replace the plate with something more reliable or get an external amplifier?

    What a pain in the ass.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    I feel your pain, man. I had to replace my $600 foot rest myself a month or two ago

    PSN: idontworkhere582 | CFN: idontworkhere | Steam: lordbutters | Amazon Wishlist
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    Butters wrote: »
    I feel your pain, man. I had to replace my $600 foot rest myself a month or two ago

    Did you build yours, or buy?

    I took a voltmeter through the board and there's power going everywhere, but I can't get any sound to come out. Tried both analog and SPDIF inputs.

    I can't imagine it's a power surge or something that fried it because it's through the surge protector, but who knows.

    I had really hoped to get more than six years out of this thing.

    Well I guess I'll replace the plate amplifier and fuck around with the busted one later on.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    I almost wish I hadn't gotten nice headphones now :lol:

    My earbuds on my phone are almost unlistenable by comparison.

    Maybe I should get a btr5 at some point...

  • DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    I almost wish I hadn't gotten nice headphones now :lol:

    My earbuds on my phone are almost unlistenable by comparison.

    Maybe I should get a btr5 at some point...

    This is definitely an issue hahaha, I know your pain.

    Also a lot of 90's - early 00's music is hard to listen to due to the garbage mixing quality.

  • Mr.WangtangMr.Wangtang Registered User regular
    Drovek wrote: »
    Hi thread,

    I'm looking for recommendations on headphones for music instrument practice. I'd guess that would be a wired set and maybe closed? I'm not really sure what would be the best here, to be honest.

    Preferably something that could be gotten on Europe, and maybe around $200-250 if at all possible?

    +1 for the 7506's. Industry standard for good reason. Stock pads can feel a tad warm but more breathable replacements are cheap and easy to switch out. I don't think even a drummer could break them ;).

  • AtheraalAtheraal Registered User regular
    +1 from me too. Checking this thread made me decide to grab a pair of 7506s that a local place happened to have on sale yesterday, and I'm thoroughly satisfied with how they sound.

  • DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    Down the rabbit hole I go

    For my phone I have the Qudelix 5k and have been very happy with it...but then I never ended up listening to music while on my computer.

    Ended up grabbing a Topping E30 and the Drop THX 789 + Linear Amp.

    I do hope that Apple releases a new Music app native for windows.

    I grabbed a Tidal sub for now to play stuff hifi and enabled WASAPI Exclusive Mode (Something new every day).

    Oh it sounds good, I think my HD6xx are the limiting factor now, I will probably grab HD8xx in the coming months.

  • Trajan45Trajan45 Registered User regular
    It's funny that Apple is considered the UX leaders but their Music app is so bad. It's a shame since they've bought up music Tidal doesn't have, but for shared music I always use Tidal for the app both on my phone and windows.

    Origin ID\ Steam ID: Warder45
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    I have a pair of Sony WH-XB900N headphones that I like very well, and I was all excited that I finally had some nice noise-cancelling headphones with a built-in mic I and got them all set to connect to all my shit properly... then I decided to try connecting to the PS4.

    Turns out there's a bunch of very specific requirements to get headphones to play nice with a PS4. I can just plug in an audio jack to get the sound, which is great, but I can't use a mic with them in.

    So I guess the questions I have are:
    - Is there a special secret audiophile method of connecting these headphones to a PS4 that I just don't know about?
    - Is there a way to simultaneously connect some headphones to the audio jack of a PS4 controller and also connect a separate mic?
    - Any recommendations for a cheap PS4 headset in case all this is too expensive/annoying?

    I'm not like absolutely dedicated to getting these to work because I'm not regularly playing PS4 games online that require a lot of chatter, I just don't have the shitty built-in ones anywhere I can find and I'd be excited to find out my nice ones can do this as well.

    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    According to a random reddit post, the ps4 controller uses a TRRS 3.5mm port instead of a more normal TRS 3.5mm port so you should be able to use a 3.5mm splitter

    Alternatively, since the headset is Bluetooth you might be able to put it into pairing more then open the PS4 menu and Settings>Devices>Bluetooth devices and try connecting it that way.

    I used the PS4 gold headset for most of my PS4 playing days, it used to regularly go for ~$60 new but it looks like prices are higher now that its discontinued. I did see some used ones on ebay for under $30 tho.

  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    Ah, unfortunately I think these are in fact using TRRS, they don't have a separate headphone jack at least. And they work great when plugged in, the PS4 just doesn't detect the mic.

    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • NaphtaliNaphtali Hazy + Flow SeaRegistered User regular
    I have a pair of Sony WH-XB900N headphones that I like very well, and I was all excited that I finally had some nice noise-cancelling headphones with a built-in mic I and got them all set to connect to all my shit properly... then I decided to try connecting to the PS4.

    Turns out there's a bunch of very specific requirements to get headphones to play nice with a PS4. I can just plug in an audio jack to get the sound, which is great, but I can't use a mic with them in.

    So I guess the questions I have are:
    - Is there a special secret audiophile method of connecting these headphones to a PS4 that I just don't know about?
    - Is there a way to simultaneously connect some headphones to the audio jack of a PS4 controller and also connect a separate mic?
    - Any recommendations for a cheap PS4 headset in case all this is too expensive/annoying?

    I'm not like absolutely dedicated to getting these to work because I'm not regularly playing PS4 games online that require a lot of chatter, I just don't have the shitty built-in ones anywhere I can find and I'd be excited to find out my nice ones can do this as well.

    you could probably use a usb sound card or something to get a separate mic going if you really wanted to (like a modmic).

    Steam | Nintendo ID: Naphtali | Wish List
  • StragintStragint Do Not Gift Always DeclinesRegistered User regular
    I bought the astro A50 wireless headset and whenever I use it my friends in voice chat can hear my fan above me and I have no idea how to fix this.

    Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

    PSN: Reaper_Stragint, Steam: DoublePitstoChesty
    What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? ~ Mario Novak

    I never fear death or dyin', I only fear never trying.
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    edited October 2021

    Stragint wrote: »
    I bought the astro A50 wireless headset and whenever I use it my friends in voice chat can hear my fan above me and I have no idea how to fix this.

    Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

    Get a mic sock to go over the mic. I bet it'll cut down the fan noise.

    webguy20 on
    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
  • DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    If you have an nvidia card isn’t there some form of noise cancellation you can enable for connected mic’s?

  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    Yeah, if its on PC you definitely have mic sensitivity settings and such.

    If its on a consol I am less confident in those options

  • BouwsTBouwsT Wanna come to a super soft birthday party? Registered User regular
    Dixon wrote: »
    If you have an nvidia card isn’t there some form of noise cancellation you can enable for connected mic’s?

    It's called Nvidia Broadcast, and it's meant to work with RTX cards with the raytracing cores for the AI work, but I'm pretty sure the GTX 1660 (or newer cards) can work as well.

    Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    It works really well but there are some downsides. It puts a constant load on the card even when not active and will affect game performance by a few percent. Normally at idle my card clocks down to 292mhz but Nvidia Broadcast running it'll be in the 1200-1500mhz range (full load is 2100'sh).

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • CampyCampy Registered User regular
    Stragint wrote: »
    I bought the astro A50 wireless headset and whenever I use it my friends in voice chat can hear my fan above me and I have no idea how to fix this.

    Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

    If you're using discord there's a setting for turning on something called Crispr. Amazing for cutting out everything but your voice. Caveat being that a while back for a certain (shitty) mic of mine, it totally stopped me from being heard.

    Seems to rock now though!

  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    Campy wrote: »
    Stragint wrote: »
    I bought the astro A50 wireless headset and whenever I use it my friends in voice chat can hear my fan above me and I have no idea how to fix this.

    Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

    If you're using discord there's a setting for turning on something called Crispr. Amazing for cutting out everything but your voice. Caveat being that a while back for a certain (shitty) mic of mine, it totally stopped me from being heard.

    Seems to rock now though!
    It’s Krisp AI. Crispr is the gene editing tool.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • DrovekDrovek Registered User regular
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    Campy wrote: »
    Stragint wrote: »
    I bought the astro A50 wireless headset and whenever I use it my friends in voice chat can hear my fan above me and I have no idea how to fix this.

    Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

    If you're using discord there's a setting for turning on something called Crispr. Amazing for cutting out everything but your voice. Caveat being that a while back for a certain (shitty) mic of mine, it totally stopped me from being heard.

    Seems to rock now though!
    It’s Krisp AI. Crispr is the gene editing tool.

    Or something Silicon Valley would tout as the future of Toast-as-a-Service

    steam_sig.png( < . . .
  • dporowskidporowski Registered User regular
    edited October 2021
    Oh, y'all may appreciate this. On current iOS devices, if you look inside the accessibility settings, there's an option under headphone accommodations to tune your sound output to an audiogram of your hearing. There's a number of apps that'll run the hearing test for you, or if you've got one from other means either way you just need to import it into the Health app, and then it just does the rest.

    This seems to be independent of other EQ settings, which is nice, and even though my hearing's not totally fucked*, the difference was unexpected, all else remaining the same on my setup.

    *years of uh, maybe standing under the speakers at clubs, so you can imagine...

    dporowski on
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited November 2021
    Okay, I'm at my wits end and am running out of places to look.

    The earbuds for my smart phone died in one ear and I tried to replace them. I found the "exact" model on Amazon, but it wound up being a third party seller peddling counterfeits and they turned out so bad I had to return them. Found out they no longer make that type if headphone, so I'm forced to look for an alternative since the market seems lousy with counterfeits.. I thought I had found one, but upon using my new buds, I realize the lack of "marshmellow" on the buds that go into your ear makes them incredibly hard to hear on the bus, the primary place I listen. Everything I found had something wrong with it. I need

    -Wired
    -3.5mm connector
    -Volume/play contols compatible with a samsung galaxy s9
    -"marshmellow" style earbuds
    -authentic
    -doesn't sound like shit

    Any suggestions?

    EDIT: These were the original earbuds in question
    https://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mobile-accessories/phones/samsung-earphones-tuned-by-akg--gray-eo-ig955bsegus/

    Undead Scottsman on
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    Okay, I'm at my wits end and am running out of places to look.

    The earbuds for my smart phone died in one ear and I tried to replace them. I found the "exact" model on Amazon, but it wound up being a third party seller peddling counterfeits and they turned out so bad I had to return them. Found out they no longer make that type if headphone, so I'm forced to look for an alternative since the market seems lousy with counterfeits.. I thought I had found one, but upon using my new buds, I realize the lack of "marshmellow" on the buds that go into your ear makes them incredibly hard to hear on the bus, the primary place I listen. Everything I found had something wrong with it. I need

    -Wired
    -3.5mm connector
    -Volume/play contols compatible with a samsung galaxy s9
    -"marshmellow" style earbuds
    -authentic
    -doesn't sound like shit

    Any suggestions?

    EDIT: These were the original earbuds in question
    https://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mobile-accessories/phones/samsung-earphones-tuned-by-akg--gray-eo-ig955bsegus/
    I don't know if I can find earbuds specifically for a Samsung phone, but as far as earbud tips, usually they are designed to be replaced for comfort and convenience. Just look up "earbud replacement tips", and you should be able to just remove the old ones and place new ones on there. I don't know what "marshmellow" means, but I usually go for memory foam earbud tips for the best sound isolation.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Marshmallow means like the ones I showed in the link and not like the ones I bought as a replacement and wound up never fitting snugly or blocking out enough noise to be easy to listen to on the bus.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Y4S5608?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    Marshmallow means like the ones I showed in the link and not like the ones I bought as a replacement and wound up never fitting snugly or blocking out enough noise to be easy to listen to on the bus.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Y4S5608?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
    Wow. That design is a giant "fuck you" to people who want their earbuds to actually fit their ear. It's like an unholy marriage of Apple Earpods and another earbud, and the opposite of a daywalker... all of the weaknesses, none of the strengths.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Hahnsoo1 wrote: »
    Marshmallow means like the ones I showed in the link and not like the ones I bought as a replacement and wound up never fitting snugly or blocking out enough noise to be easy to listen to on the bus.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Y4S5608?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
    Wow. That design is a giant "fuck you" to people who want their earbuds to actually fit their ear. It's like an unholy marriage of Apple Earpods and another earbud, and the opposite of a daywalker... all of the weaknesses, none of the strengths.

    They're still the best replacements I've found so far, unfortunately.

  • ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    edited November 2021
    I think you are going to have a tough time getting assistance as the market has very much moved away from what you're asking for. Most of the world went bluetooth a long time ago and true wireless not long after that.

    Volume and play control in particular wasn't terribly well standardized with corded sets (at least not in my experience) whereas all bluetooth controls seem to work the same way regardless of brand or style. I'm not saying you can't get what you want, but it's going to be tough getting recommendations from the rest of us that haven't bothered with wired earbuds in like 6 years.

    Butters on
    PSN: idontworkhere582 | CFN: idontworkhere | Steam: lordbutters | Amazon Wishlist
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    edited November 2021
    Butters wrote: »
    I think you are going to have a tough time getting assistance as the market has very much moved away from what you're asking for. Most of the world went bluetooth a long time ago and true wireless not long after that.

    Volume and play control in particular wasn't terribly well standardized with corded sets (at least not in my experience) whereas all bluetooth controls seem to work the same way regardless of brand or style. I'm not saying you can't get what you want, but it's going to be tough getting recommendations from the rest of us that haven't bothered with wired earbuds in like 6 years.
    I mean, I use wired IEMs (and many musicians do, because Bluetooth just sucks for latency and for sound quality), but few of those have volume controls of any kind.

    EDIT: My go-to cheap wired earbud is the Panasonic Ergofit. Build quality sucks, but the sound is pretty good. I don't think it has in-line volume control.

    Hahnsoo1 on
    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User regular
    One alternative is to get earbuds that you like without a volume control and buy an analog in-line volume control. Like, one of those old-school dials (which basically act as an attenuator). You can usually get them as a 3.5mm TRS on both ends, and the location is a bit inconvenient, but it works.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • ButtersButters A glass of some milks Registered User regular
    edited November 2021
    I'm not saying wired is dead, far from it. Half of all post in this thread are discussion on wired cans and amps but not earbuds for mobile.

    Butters on
    PSN: idontworkhere582 | CFN: idontworkhere | Steam: lordbutters | Amazon Wishlist
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