BG Audiophiles... lil help?

[Demosthenes]

While we are on the subject if you ever want to take any of these fancy headphones out. Build yourself a CMoy Amp.

http://headwize.com/projects/showfile.p ... y2_prj.htm

http://tangentsoft.net/audio/cmoy-tutorial/

[Doombear]

Nice, more suggestions!

Price range right now seems to be 100-200, but that is not nailed down just yet. Honestly, I had not really considered wandering into the high end can market, it just sort of happened by accident. As stated, i play late at night and the headphones keep from disturbing the family. The rare times that I am on Live Chat AND using headphones is just annoying as hell. At that point my options are:

• Route the voice chat through the speakers (in settings on Live) which usually just ends up meaning the chat gets lost in the game sounds.
• Wear my MS headphone/mic under my headphones which isn't very comfortable or enjoyable soundwise
• Ditch the headphones, and turn the sound on the set down pretty low and just have Voice through the headset/mic.

So essentially i was looking for a better pair of headphones that came with a mic on them, and if possible a way to adjust the two sound 'layers' independantly. That was when i found a few posts touting the Turtle Beach/Tritton/Astrogamer A40 sets. The A40 set was really the only one that looked appealing since it comes with a mixer that allows you to adjust the game and voice sound independantly.

In reading about that i came across the JVC Adapter tossing pseudo 5.1 into the mix, read about actual 5.1 cans (and how they suck) and then accidentally fell into places like Head-Fi, Audiocubes, Headphonic (AU) and more... and from there it has been a dark dark spiral down (especially with Head-Fi... dear lord hide my wallet)

Anyway, i have been doing nothing BUT reading posts for the last 3-4 days, and I have yet to really come to a concrete decision (and have plenty of time... found out today that my filing online, even though i had direct deposit, means my Stim will still be mailed out... wheee) but some are looking better than others.

I have read so many positive posts about the Audio Technica AD700s, which are open but I almost think i want that. I just don't know if the leak is SO obvious that to people around it it is like the TV set volume is as loud as if there were no headphones in the equation at all.

The AD700s seem to have a very significant sound stage, very good sound in all ranges, with really only bass lacking. They are an open can afterall, and i have also heard that the Senn 555s have very little base but i am wondering if that is from a basshead perspective. The Senn 555s that i listened to had just enough for me, and i wouldn't call myself a basshead by anymeans. This review here was one that really started me reading about the AD700s, and i have read many positive things since.

It really just seems like a very underappreciated set of phones, and I am still leaning towards trying them out. It doesn't really need an amp as well, from what i am reading, and for the price you are getting quite a bit. Now... if only it wasn't purple.

DIY Amps are something that has caught my interest more than a few times and i have always wanted to try my hand at creating one... just need to find time and get my shopping list together for one. Thank you for those links.

[Alexel]

Oh another thing about the Ultrasone HFI-780s I recommended. The guys on head-fi seem to think they're on par with the Sennheiser HD650, Beyerdynamic DT-990s and such. This makes them an incredible deal for $200. Basically, JUST GET THEM.

As for the ATs, I was looking at a pair of ATH-A900s before. I think in the end a lot of people said the build quality on them were pretty mediocre and that they just didn't measure up to the other $200 in the same tier. I don't know if the problems still exist for the 700s or not, but I just remember that experiencing putting me off ATs for good lol.

[sekaran]

I picked up my HD-555s a while back from Newegg for $80 or something. Couldn't go wrong at that price.

Check out HD-580s if you can. Hard to find, but regarded as one of the better Senns.

[Norelco]

Just got a pair of AKG 414 P foldable mini headphones for $60.

http://www.akg.com/personal/cproducts/p ... ge,EN.html

Very bassy sounding. Impressed so far.

[Doombear]

Nice! I meant to listen to a pair of those the other day actually. I need to do that. I am still on the fence here, but planning on being able to try out a pair of AD700s this weekend hopefully. That really still is the pair I have been leaning towards, but it is all up in the air still.

I think i also decided on the Astro Gaming Mixamp. Has a more recent chipset than the JVC adapter that i linked in my first post. It has had plenty of great reviews so I think i am going to try it out. It was built to do what i am wanting it for... so can't be too big of a mistake.

[sunb1ind]

At this point, you'd be a damn fool if you pass up on some HD555's for $80. But, that brings up a good point about 'bassy' headphones. To the untrained ear, anything with big bass will turn heads and usually be favoured.

Having alot of Bass in speakers is basically a tell way to identify cheap quality(not saying those AKG's are obviously). To anyone else who's just a casual listener, these speakers are prefered, because the higher-priced studio monitors will not provide that kind of large, overpowering bass and it will seem lower quality to them.

This is from my experience listening to speakers at a circuit city and listening to speakers in recording studios. I think this topic has been over-analyzed for what its worth lol

HD555's - you will make the panties drop :D

[Doombear]

Well if Newegg still had them for 80 I would indeed have a hard time not going with them. They are 99.99 still though =) The AD700s are 103, and that isn't a big enough gap to really pull me away from them just yet.

I have read a fair share of comparisons between those two specific sets of cans, and really the larger percent of them tend to take the AD700s over the Senn555s, though both are used widely for gaming. They both have a comparable lack of bass (it is still there of course, but far from enough to satisfy a basshead) though the bass that is there is clear, and true (just not heavy by any means).

They both tend to be a bit bright on the high end of things, though the 555s more so than the AD700s. The AD700s... are HUGE... and their build and design tend to really not work on people with smaller heads. The adjustment can take some getting used to but i would say i have a perfect head for the AD700s (tried the 555s on and they feel amazing also).

We will see, going to be another week or so before I am going to place an order so i have a bit of time to look around for killer deals. Whatever i go with, i will make sure to let you know how i like them. And of course, any other suggestions are more than welcome.

[Saphirea]

Hay get outta here! =P

Check some of these out Saphirea

Sealed/Noise Canceling Headphones
and
More...

Quite a few there to take a peek at, with a nice price range as well.

Thanks for the info
http://www.headphone.com/products/headp ... -black.php

Are what I got and man! 9 hours on a plane and nothing but good classical music and no airplane / crying kids.
Thanks for such a good recommendation.

[Doombear]

Happy you found some that worked for you Saph! I myself decided on these and they should be here tomorrow. I will let you know how i find them to be then. I still haven't decided if i am going to burn then in or not... to be honest i don't know enough about burn in to really decide.