Headphone FAQ

So I have had my PC161 for a few weeks now and overall I am very satisfied with them. The sound quality is just as good as my Astro A30s (which I may add costed me more than double what I paid for the 161's). The only drawback I have experienced is that they are not as comfortable as the A30s. The padding is much more stiff compared to the plush, velvet-like padding that the A30s have. I definitely wouldn't call them uncomfortable by any stretch, but it is something that I noticed. The mic quality is vastly superior to the A30s through my sound comparison I did through Skype.

I would also like to add that the OP has the 161s directed to Amazon which has them listed for $130. I came across this site which has them for $90 and shipped them to be very quickly (2 days after my order was placed).

Just got Razer Tiamat one week ago. After some soft tweaking, games and movies sounds amazing. After some hard tweaking, music sounds absolutely amazing.

if this fails, going sennheiser

Just got Razer Tiamat

mixedplanet

Did you even read the sticky?

I expected the facepalm. I read it after purchasing it.

To be honest, I love the performance of the headset. I dearly avoid the horrid stereo mode of this headset. I always have it at 7.1 and tweaked through sound card to play music beautifully.

I expected the facepalm. I read it after purchasing it.

To be honest, I love the performance of the headset. I dearly avoid the horrid stereo mode of this headset. I always have it at 7.1 and tweaked through sound card to play music beautifully.

mixedplanet

I'm probably going to get a few facepalms for this post too, but I'm expecting delivery of a set of Tritton Warheads today. I am in sort of a unique situation. I needed a headset to use with my triple screen Forza racing rig. I have a Fanatec steering wheel and the headset port on those is junk to say the least. Any wired headset sounds garbled and noisy when plugged in to it. I have been using my 5 year old Tritton AX360s with a wireless headset velcroed to the side:

While it was functional, obviously this isn't the best solution. I've been wanting to switch to a wireless set of headphones for a while, and with the integration licensed wireless headset the Warheads were exactly what I was looking for. My brother in law has been using a set for a month or two now and loves them (he also has a Fanatec racing wheel).

EDIT: Oh and for the record I do have a few other headphones laying around the house that I use for various purposes. I have a set of Bose QC1s that I use when playing games on my PC and when I play Rocksmith or am noodling around with my Guitar and don't want to wake the house up with the amp. I also have a set of Sennheiser HD 429s that I carry around with me for day to day use (more convenient than the Bose since no batteries are needed).

Any idea what the best closed, over ear headphones are for around $500?

Any idea what the best closed, over ear headphones are for around $500?

Darkslayer16

Any idea what the best closed, over ear headphones are for around $500?

Darkslayer16

I originally consulted this thread awhile ago and I found it very very very helpful intro. I now am a little well versed in headphones now after reading up on head-fi for the past ten months. (Beats are bad, turtles are bad, etc ha ha) I am deaf in one ear (deformed too/mircotia so over the ear is what works best for me)and one really decent solution I found was the Koss DJ Pro's 100 and 200. They have a mono switch. The difference between the 100's and 200's are just wires and extras. I found the 100's under $50(really satisfied). I also I have had people on Head-fi offer great advice in the head-fi forums and solutions. But don't be the guy who does not read forums first, because no one likes answering the same questions over and over. Some people also offered to build me customs cans or offered to sell me cans with drivers that only work on one side etc. A lot of good people. Now my new question is about the mic, my cord dangles on the left not down the middle, anyone notice a problem with the Zalman mic with it being off to the side?

Thanks again guys!

Does anyone own the Klipsch Mode m40's ? I havent seen them mentioned in this thread. Im looking for a nice set of headphones for gaming and music. Im torn between the Sennheiser HD 598 and the Klipsch.

Now my new question is about the mic, my cord dangles on the left not down the middle, anyone notice a problem with the Zalman mic with it being off to the side?leopks

Hey, no problems there, I use the Zalman mic and it has no problems picking up what I'm saying. I put the mic boost in Windows to +10 decibels though so I don't have to raise my voice at all.

Does anyone own the Klipsch Mode m40's ? I havent seen them mentioned in this thread. Im looking for a nice set of headphones for gaming and music. Im torn between the Sennheiser HD 598 and the Klipsch.

Jetsfan122

Ok, I am doing something wrong, I am totally new to headsets too so maybe I am missing something simple. I am getting no sound from my setup! I am using my Koss DJ-Pro 100s (they work great in everything else), Zalman ZM-Mic1 and a Dual 3.5mm to 2.5mm (PC35-Xbox360). I am using the exact same components mentioned in this thread and I am not getting any sound at all in the makeshift headset. I even got the Syba SD-CM-UAUD USB Stereo Audio Adapter and tested it out on the PS3. The x-box adapter is a little loose too, anyone else deal with a loose xbox adapter? What am I doing wrong?

I have been looking into buying the Creative SB Tactic 3D Wrath Wireless Headset and can get it for 75£. The vast majority of the reviews seem super positive and are quite encouraging. Only one review which still gave this wireless headset three stars stated that the microphone makes you sound deeper than you are and that the range doesn't compare to his previous wireless headset he had, referring to it being wireless meaning "your bedroom" and not "your house." Something about battery life being weaker by an hour as well compared to his Logitech ClearChat headset which he previously had. Anyway, I am not looking for a headset more expensive than this one. What do you guys think?

I have been looking into buying the Creative SB Tactic 3D Wrath Wireless Headset and can get it for 75£. The vast majority of the reviews seem super positive and are quite encouraging. Only one review which still gave this wireless headset three stars stated that the microphone makes you sound deeper than you are and that the range doesn't compare to his previous wireless headset he had, referring to it being wireless meaning "your bedroom" and not "your house." Something about battery life being weaker by an hour as well compared to his Logitech ClearChat headset which he previously had. Anyway, I am not looking for a headset more expensive than this one. What do you guys think?

Hexagon_777

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

I have been looking into buying the Creative SB Tactic 3D Wrath Wireless Headset and can get it for 75£. The vast majority of the reviews seem super positive and are quite encouraging. Only one review which still gave this wireless headset three stars stated that the microphone makes you sound deeper than you are and that the range doesn't compare to his previous wireless headset he had, referring to it being wireless meaning "your bedroom" and not "your house." Something about battery life being weaker by an hour as well compared to his Logitech ClearChat headset which he previously had. Anyway, I am not looking for a headset more expensive than this one. What do you guys think?

Wolfetan

I am looking for a wireless headset that I can use with both my 360 and my PC without having to constantly plug and unplug connections. What is the best to use?

So far the Turtle Beach XP300/400 seems like the best bet, but there has to be another company that makes a similar functioning heaset.

My Steel Series V2's appear to have died in one ear so I'm looking for some comfortable (one of the main draws of those headphones is that they're so damn comfortable) over ear headphones for ~£50-£80 (somewhere either side of $100). Anyone got any recommendations besides those in the OP? bobbetybob

Got my Hifiman HE-400 today. Holy sh!t they are good. And so much easier on my ears than the Beyer DT990's. I was expecting comfort problems after reading lots of reviews etc but now after ~3 hours use I still fell no pressure or anything. The wide headband distributes the weight well. The bass quantity also surprised me - I thought I was going to give up a lot of bass when going from the 990's, but I was wrong. It's slightly slightly less in quantity than the DT990, but it's definitely of higher quality and has a nice impact despite being an open headphone.

I paid 400 euros for them since they're more expensive here than in the US for some reason, but totally worth it. If you got 400 bucks to spend on headphones and want amazing sound that works with all types of music definitely give these a try. They are easy to drive too I might add. And no sibilance (the reason I wanted away from the DT990), if you hear sibilance on these it's the recordings fault.

Got my Hifiman HE-400 today. Holy sh!t they are good. And so much easier on my ears than the Beyer DT990's. I was expecting comfort problems after reading lots of reviews etc but now after ~3 hours use I still fell no pressure or anything. The wide headband distributes the weight well. The bass quantity also surprised me - I thought I was going to give up a lot of bass when going from the 990's, but I was wrong. It's slightly slightly less in quantity than the DT990, but it's definitely of higher quality and has a nice impact despite being an open headphone.

I paid 400 euros for them since they're more expensive here than in the US for some reason, but totally worth it. If you got 400 bucks to spend on headphones and want amazing sound that works with all types of music definitely give these a try. They are easy to drive too I might add. And no sibilance (the reason I wanted away from the DT990), if you hear sibilance on these it's the recordings fault.

spittis

Got my Hifiman HE-400 today. Holy sh!t they are good. And so much easier on my ears than the Beyer DT990's. I was expecting comfort problems after reading lots of reviews etc but now after ~3 hours use I still fell no pressure or anything. The wide headband distributes the weight well. The bass quantity also surprised me - I thought I was going to give up a lot of bass when going from the 990's, but I was wrong. It's slightly slightly less in quantity than the DT990, but it's definitely of higher quality and has a nice impact despite being an open headphone.

I paid 400 euros for them since they're more expensive here than in the US for some reason, but totally worth it. If you got 400 bucks to spend on headphones and want amazing sound that works with all types of music definitely give these a try. They are easy to drive too I might add. And no sibilance (the reason I wanted away from the DT990), if you hear sibilance on these it's the recordings fault.

spittis

How do they compare with HD 650s?kraken2109

I can't comment on that as I've not heard the HD 650, but here's a massive thread on it if you haven't seen it already. People seem to generally like the HE-400 slightly more except those who prefer a flat sound, which isn't me, I just want the music to sound damned good but I'm not chasing that neutrality and truthfullness some enthusiasts are. Biggest reason I got the HE-400 though is because it's supposed to be one of the darkest sounding high quality headphones which is important for me since I'm sensitive to sibilance. And dark sounding really doesn't mean that the highs would be muffled or something, they're not, but they're very easy on the ears, even on high volumes nothing gets piercing. The HE-400 should be much easier to drive than the HD650's too which I've heard is quite picky about amps.

@Boz

Heh that's a shame, but yea, I'm the exact opposite - no glasses and a small head, perhaps that's why I don't have any of these comfort issues many people report about. Do tell what the M100's are like if you try them, read alot about them and they certainly are visually appealing.

I'm looking for a pair of earbuds (or headsets if there are any) with an in-line mic. Obviously for my phone, also Wii-U since it's the only way to get a microphone working with it. PNY Midtown 200's are around 20 bucks, but haven't found any notable reviews about them. Anyone know if they're any good, or have any other suggestions?

Sennheiser has released a multi-platform gaming headset, could this be what people have been looking for? A gaming headset with good sound quality?

Anyone know more?

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1623/pg1/sennheiser-u320-multi-platform-gaming-headset-review-introduction.html

Just received my Vsonic GR06 and it's an eargasm :D

Considering it'll be even better once they'll be burn in

I'm looking for a pair of earbuds (or headsets if there are any) with an in-line mic. Obviously for my phone, also Wii-U since it's the only way to get a microphone working with it. PNY Midtown 200's are around 20 bucks, but haven't found any notable reviews about them. Anyone know if they're any good, or have any other suggestions?

ChubbyGuy40

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

I'm looking for a pair of earbuds (or headsets if there are any) with an in-line mic. Obviously for my phone, also Wii-U since it's the only way to get a microphone working with it. PNY Midtown 200's are around 20 bucks, but haven't found any notable reviews about them. Anyone know if they're any good, or have any other suggestions?

Bozanimal

Luckily they have S4a for master race Android users. :D I'll definitely be getting these next month.

Monoprice 8320 earbuds. Wow, just wow. Extremely good for $6~. Wasn't impressed with my phone but hooked them up to my PC with an Auzentech X-Fi Forte. Still need to be broken in but music already sounds good.

Didn't come with any extra tips or anything, so anyone know a cheap set to get? They're extremely light and can barely tell I have them in. It was odd at first because of how they fit in your ear, but I definitely understand why it's like this now. If you want a more traditional fit, then the 9396 are for you. Might grab a pair of those to compare.

After spending more time with the 8320, I definitely know why some people have discomfort with them. Sometimes it doesn't affect me at all, but because of the way it's supposed to sit in your ear, it can make it really annoying to use them and hurt after a few hours of use. Switched back to my Sennheisers for now, but I'm gonna grab the 9396 sometime soon.

[QUOTE="spittis"]

Got my Hifiman HE-400 today. Holy sh!t they are good. And so much easier on my ears than the Beyer DT990's. I was expecting comfort problems after reading lots of reviews etc but now after ~3 hours use I still fell no pressure or anything. The wide headband distributes the weight well. The bass quantity also surprised me - I thought I was going to give up a lot of bass when going from the 990's, but I was wrong. It's slightly slightly less in quantity than the DT990, but it's definitely of higher quality and has a nice impact despite being an open headphone.

I paid 400 euros for them since they're more expensive here than in the US for some reason, but totally worth it. If you got 400 bucks to spend on headphones and want amazing sound that works with all types of music definitely give these a try. They are easy to drive too I might add. And no sibilance (the reason I wanted away from the DT990), if you hear sibilance on these it's the recordings fault.

Bozanimal

I need a good wireless headset so I can chat when I play PC games on my TV in the living room. (My PC is located in the adjacent guest room, and is hooked to the TV via a long HDMI cable.)

I will pay a premium, but must have good range. Also, I would prefer the audio go through 3.5mm jacks instead of optical, which seems to have issues with my soundcard (Recon3d internal). My AT&T wifi router, which is located next to my TV, seems to cause interference with various bluetooth devices I've tried.

I looked at the Astro A50s, but was put off by the optical only solution.

Any suggestions? PM me!

Got a comfortable position for the 8320s from head-fi. Now I wear them with whatever I use. They've replaced my Sennheisers unless I need to use a mic, since the cord isn't thick enough for the Zalman mic to clip onto.

Now I need to get some Comply foam tips or something, cause the default tips suck at blocking external noise/getting a proper seal.

I need a good wireless headset so I can chat when I play PC games on my TV in the living room. (My PC is located in the adjacent guest room, and is hooked to the TV via a long HDMI cable.)

I will pay a premium, but must have good range. Also, I would prefer the audio go through 3.5mm jacks instead of optical, which seems to have issues with my soundcard (Recon3d internal). My AT&T wifi router, which is located next to my TV, seems to cause interference with various bluetooth devices I've tried.

I looked at the Astro A50s, but was put off by the optical only solution.

Any suggestions? PM me!

donalbane

So i bought Klipsch Image X7i In-Ear Headphones for listening music gaming cuz i was really tired of my heavy Shure SRH440's. How do they fare? Worth keeping or should i return them.silversix_

[QUOTE="silversix_"]So i bought Klipsch Image X7i In-Ear Headphones for listening music gaming cuz i was really tired of my heavy Shure SRH440's. How do they fare? Worth keeping or should i return them.kraken2109

they were on sale for 100$ and i wanted something light so i just grabbed them. Was thinking of returning them and get the HD558.

silversix_

Pretty sure the 558s are identical in sound to the 555s, and I'm enjoying my Monoprice earbuds a hell of a lot more than my 555s. Even with stock tips, they're that damn good for music. Gaming is good too, but I think the 555s has better spatial (positional? forget the correct term) sound so depending on the game I might switch them out.