*TPU's Gaming Headphone/Headset Thread*

[BumbleBee]

I tried them at my local HiFi store and thought they were okay. some conflicting reports on the drivers. at less than half the MSRP I would give them a try

 

[Kursah]

I so wish we had a good hi-fi store here in Missoula. I haven't checked the local guitar shop in a while...maybe they've renovated a bit. We do have a lot more businesses coming inbound.

I do feel a pull towards the D600's. I like Denon products...my favorite headphones ever...my amazing AVR-1613 that has proven well worth it's price and then some. I just want a bassy (low and impactful) and clear mids and hi's without being harsh and painful (can EQ down if needed) and comfy/durable pair of heapdhones for $200 is that asking too much? Well ya it seems so be lol. I have time to research it out and get the right pair..but I will say as it stands for a new or refurb'd set the D600's are top of my list atm.

 

[BumbleBee]

i'm sure there are HiFi stores in Montana. might have to do some driving. I know TTVJ (Todd The Vinyl Junkie) is in Montana.

I don't think you will get a good mid range with the type of headphone you're looking for. the headphone I really want you to try is the HiFiMAN HE-400. it doesn't have the Denon AH-D600 bass impact but it's a better headphone.

 

[BumbleBee]

orthodynamic goodness

 

[Kursah]

But aren't most Ortho's open backed? I gotta have closed cans...kids and g/f in small apt.

I would love the HE-400 fwir!

Wow to that video btw! If I had and could justify spending that $$.

 

[BumbleBee]

But aren't most Ortho's open backed? I gotta have closed cans...kids and g/f in small apt.

I would love the HE-400 fwir!

Wow to that video btw! If I had and could justify spending that $$.

not all

Audeze just launched the XC.

http://www.audeze.com/products/headphones/lcd-xc

Fostex makes a semi-open headphone and Mr. Speakers makes a closed back headphone.

okay so I own a pair of Audeze LCD-3 ($2000) because I also live in an apartment but more important is the value proposition. you want to setup speakers in a rectangular room with suspended floors, thick carpet, bass traps, absorption panels, etc. or you will get standing waves, reflections and comb filtering. headphones don't have this problem.

owning the HiFiMAN HE-400 is like owning $3000 speakers.

 

[Kursah]

Well then maybe I should start saving and researching those...maybe by spring. You said the bass doesn't have impact....but how is it?

I bet those LCD-3's are amazing!

Edit... sorry I forgot they were open backed... no go. Gotta be closed back.... bummer!

 

[BumbleBee]

I think it was Michael Mercer or Headroom that said it would cost $10,000-$15,000 to build a HiFi room that sounded as good as the Audeze LCD-2.

orthodynamic/planar magnetic drivers often have the best bass.

it's flat all the way down to 10hz.

the bass is so quick, so detailed and heavy when the song calls for it.

Denon's bass has a lot of impact but it's really slow and not nearly as detailed. complex passages make it sound congested.

if you don't think the HiFiMAN HE-400 is worth the money just return it. Amazon has a great return policy.

 

[BumbleBee]

Denon AH-D5000 sound great with R&B or Hip Hop.. something with a slow but steady beat but once you introduce kick drums and bass guitar it can't keep up. Audeze LCD-3 don't miss a beat. orthodynamic headphones have really fast transients.

 

[remixedcat]

I'd love to try some of those for my Trance music!!!

 

[Frederik S]

Well picked up some cheap cans today
KRK KNS-6400
Seem fairly underrated but managed to snag a pair for $50 when they usually go for $100 so Ill give them a shot.

There is even a review right here

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

There is even a review right here

Of course its one of the reasons I settled on them in the first place. Was gonna send you an email about them but figured screw it for the price I couldn't go wrong.

 

[Kursah]

Damn you bumblebee! I want a pair of orthos...I'm gonna have to settle for some modded Fostex 50's...

I inquired to a mayflower about their bassiest pair: "If you love bass, we have our V3 headphones that will make your head shake."
https://www.mayflowerelectronics.com/store/p12/Fostex_T50RP_-_Version_3.html

I wish we had a TPU review of them! But here's one review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/69410-the-fostex-t50rp-modified-by-mayflower/

I don't like that they glue on the ear pads...I've read alpha pads are where it's at.

If I can snag a bassy ortho that has more speed (which it will) and at least on-par clarity as my D2000 and my FiiO E9 or AVR-1613 will drive them I'll be happy! I just wish they were true closed-back...bleeding sound is a problem...so I inquired about that as the other guys named Mad Dog that charge $300+ claim their modded ones are "Meet the Fully Closed Headphone that leads the industry for Sound, Comfort, Isolation and Value".
https://www.mrspeakers.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=71

$300's outta my range at least for now...

Edit: Well the mayflower's use an SRH-840 pad glued on...I wonder if I can have them not do that or leave the stock pads on...but then the Alpha pads are $60...making the Mad Dogs and Mayflower's the same price...and Mad Dogs considered one of the best $300 closed headphones ever...being a semi-open phone from stock. More reviews on them. Hmmm.......

 

[Frederik S]

Bassy ortho just get a set of HE-500/400s and experiment with the pads. The Fostex T50RPs are crappy compared to every modern pair of orthos out there. I have had two pairs one completely stock and one heavily modified with felt, extra housing dampening, port mods, cable mods, pad mods and so on and they are just not worth it. If it was easy to get the T50RPs sounding great, Fostex would have done it already. There is not a night and day difference between a modded and unmodded version of those headphones, they still have an odd sounding midrange and funky bass issues. They are good for the price and with the mods they are interesting, but no where near as good as high end models from the other ortho manufacturers or Senn/AKG/beyer/audio-technica etc..

 

[BumbleBee]

forgot to mention Fostex was showing a new orthodynamic headphone recently.

this prototype uses a T50rp driver.

also Oppo (The Bluray player company) is getting into the orthodynamic market.

I wouldn't bother with the Fostex T50rp mods. a second hand or b-stock HiFiMAN HE-400 is not alot of money. the driver is still very important.

 

[Kursah]

Bassy ortho just get a set of HE-500/400s and experiment with the pads. The Fostex T50RPs are crappy compared to every modern pair of orthos out there. I have had two pairs one completely stock and one heavily modified with felt, extra housing dampening, port mods, cable mods, pad mods and so on and they are just not worth it. If it was easy to get the T50RPs sounding great, Fostex would have done it already. There is not a night and day difference between a modded and unmodded version of those headphones, they still have an odd sounding midrange and funky bass issues. They are good for the price and with the mods they are interesting, but no where near as good as high end models from the other ortho manufacturers or Senn/AKG/beyer/audio-technica etc..

I wouldn't bother with the Fostex T50rp mods. a second hand or b-stock HiFiMAN HE-400 is not alot of money. the driver is still very important.

Well here's the deal...I'm on a limited budget. Which either pair of modded T50RP's goes beyond. Then I also need something closed or minimal sound leakage...both aspects the HE's don't fit my bill atm. I wish they did because I've read many great things about the 400's and 500's. I really wish I could afford both my wallet and her tolerance of my music/gaming for a pair. Maybe I'll just stick with my closed JVC HA-DX3's. They do sound pretty good overall..very smooth and more accurate than my HARX700's...and the bass is deep...just not exactly what I want.

An open backed phone will not work with my living situation unfortunately...and most orthos are way outta my price-range. Maybe I'll just bag it for now. Maybe I could pick up a refurb'd D600 and be happy. I'm questioning all of it now! lol!

 

[BumbleBee]

the new AKG K545 are supposed to be okay. closed headphones are a lot harder to engineer than open backs so you have less options.

no matter what a pair of speakers are going to be louder than the HiFiMAN HE-400. I don't understand the problem. why don't you just save up. took me a while to get the Audeze LCD-3.

 

[Kursah]

It's because I don't generally run my speakers....there are times when I need some decent isolation for me and them. For my particular living situation that's what I need. I'd go open if I could. My whole setup is in the middle of the house...most of my tunes aren't kid friendly...I could list a million reasons. I don't expect anyone to understand, it's just my needs I'm trying to suit.

I'll check out the K545's...ya it does seem I'm limited. I really do wanna try the HE-400's...but I ain't got $400 to swing. Heck $200-250's gonna be a stretch. It's all good...these HADX3's are doing a pretty good job atm!

 

[Frederik S]

The T50RPs provide minimum isolation as well, plus they are horribly overpriced for what they deliver as modded headphones. I would save up and look at head-fi classifieds for a used set of HE-400s. If you are lucky you could score a set of used HE-400s for around $300. Which is a bagain since it fits what you are looking for so well.

Saving up is worth the trouble since your budget is just barely enough for some seriously great headphones.

 

[Kursah]

Well I can get a new pair of HE-400's for $319 from a distributor that asked I not openly advertise the price (PM me for info! ). The only thing I don't know if it'll work out or not is the sound leak...I realize the D2000 leak quite a bit too... but the HE-400's may leak a ton in comparison. That has me nervous that they won't work out for me.

When I put the headphones on it's generally for isolation and so I can listen to my music without disturbing the rest of the family or so I can zone into my studies... my old lady is kinda sensitive too...so more often than not I gotta run my headphones and so my speakers are running when she's not home! I do want to try the HE400's tho... dammit why can't there be an affordable closed-back he-400?

 

[remixedcat]

My DT770 Pro 80s isolate profusely well that I can't hear my phone ring on my desk 2 feet away! I have a very loud ringtone (Face 2 Face - Future Trance United)

 

[BumbleBee]

Well I can get a new pair of HE-400's for $319 from a distributor that asked I not openly advertise the price (PM me for info! ). The only thing I don't know if it'll work out or not is the sound leak...I realize the D2000 leak quite a bit too... but the HE-400's may leak a ton in comparison. That has me nervous that they won't work out for me.

When I put the headphones on it's generally for isolation and so I can listen to my music without disturbing the rest of the family or so I can zone into my studies... my old lady is kinda sensitive too...so more often than not I gotta run my headphones and so my speakers are running when she's not home! I do want to try the HE400's tho... dammit why can't there be an affordable closed-back he-400?

the HiFiMAN HE-400 will leak more. check out the return policy.

*grabs shoulders* dammit Jim just buy them.

 

[Kursah]

the HiFiMAN HE-400 will leak more. check out the return policy.

*grabs shoulders* dammit Jim just buy them.

Well I'm getting the process of purchasing...I should have just enough left on my credit card to cover it. $319 shipped. Might overdraft by a few bucks but...I'll get paid in a few days and it's a credit card thru my bank so they've been very good at working with me every holiday season I do this to my CC!

I'm excited to try an open-backed phone (first I've had since my Turtle Beach HPA2 gaming headset...), my first ortho, and it's a model that is highly regarded. I'm nervous about the sound leakage issues...but ya know what maybe it won't be so bad. And my listening levels may not leak as far either...I don't always listen loud. This pair comes with pleather and velour pads too.

FrederikS, you mentioned trying different pads... would it be worth saving up another $60 for Alpha Pads from mad dog for the HE 400's? What do you recommend?

Edit: Order placed!

 

[BumbleBee]

Well I'm getting the process of purchasing...I should have just enough left on my credit card to cover it. $319 shipped. Might overdraft by a few bucks but...I'll get paid in a few days and it's a credit card thru my bank so they've been very good at working with me every holiday season I do this to my CC!

I'm excited to try an open-backed phone (first I've had since my Turtle Beach HPA2 gaming headset...), my first ortho, and it's a model that is highly regarded. I'm nervous about the sound leakage issues...but ya know what maybe it won't be so bad. And my listening levels may not leak as far either...I don't always listen loud. This pair comes with pleather and velour pads too.

FrederikS, you mentioned trying different pads... would it be worth saving up another $60 for Alpha Pads from mad dog for the HE 400's? What do you recommend?

Edit: Order placed!

i'm not big on modifying expensive headphones but I have seen it

you should know the HiFiMAN HE-400 are going to hug your head. Denon AH-D2000 have almost no clamping force and feel like wet pillows barely touching your head in comparison. if they don't loosen up after 48 hours try stretching the headphones over the box they came in. planar magnetic headphones are also normally on the heavy side (1 lbs). you might want to keep your eyes open for any Audio Technica M50 sales.

 

[Kursah]

Ya my jvcs clamp a ton more than my d2000s as well. I prefer a more snug fit. I'm hopeful I can make these hps work out for me. I don't plan to mod beyond a/b-ing the pleather and velour pads that come with it. But I like to read about them regardless... I have my harx700s for modding.