Looking for some headphone advice

Hey all, looking into buying some headphones for movies/music, and have a couple of questions if anyone would mind entertaining them, as I'm a total amateur when it comes to this stuff...

1. Basically, any suggestions? I have a fairly large budget (£200/$330 possibly more if you can convince me) and would like something that sounds like it reflects that audio quality wise. I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile, but at the same time, I've never really owned audio equipment that would allow me to be... I'd just like to experience the difference a decent pair of headphones can make.

2. Would I need a hifi system to actually take advantage of them? I have no idea how audio processing works... Would plugging the player into the TV, then outputting the TV audio via headphones produce the same effect as plugging the player into a hifi, then having the hifi output to the headphones? (I feel like this is a stupid question, but that's what the internet is for I guess!)

Thanks in advance!

@mwng: My personal recommendation would be something like Sennheiser 595's. I've been using my pair for years, more or less all day every day, and they are still going strong. I think the 598's are the current version of it. The comfort is probably the most important thing to me though, I have to admit. To be able to wear them for hours on end and not have them pinch my ears or feel uncomfortable.

Edit: Should add, these are totally open headphones. No sound isolation or anything, so while I think the sound on them is pretty good (certainly better than whatever I had before), you should expect to be able to hear other people in the house or the like while wearing them. I kind of like that myself, because closed phones are the ones that tend to pinch me and get sweaty and uncomfortable more easily.

1. I have a pair of PSB M4U1s that I really, really like, substantially more than my Grado SR325i headphones which are a bit more expensive. I suppose that would be my recommendation. I got that suggestion from the Wirecutter. They seem to know what they are on about.

2. A headphone amplifier would help some, but they aren't strictly necessary. If you've never listened to headphones with a headphone amp, you probably wouldn't know what you were missing. You can always hold off on that and get one later. Whether plugging something into a TV would help probably depends on the sound hardware of the TV. My guess is that the TV isn't really made with high-quality audio in mind. You might just introduce more interference into the signal that way. You could always try it and see how it sounds though.

What are you using the headphones for? And, do you have any requirements besides audio fidelity and price? For example, I like my headphones to have replaceable parts, because I tend to be a bit rough with them. You might also want noise cancelling (though that's not the best for sound quality), or closed headphones, because you're frequently using your headphones around other people and don't want to bother them.

Also, what kind of stuff are you listening to? Different headphones provide different sound ranges, and that might be relevant to your choice. For example, people who listen to rock tend to enjoy Grado, but you might want something different if you were only listening to hip-hop.

You shouldn't need a hi-fi system to enjoy them, most likely. You might want an amp, depending on what you're using (for example, if you were using an iPhone).

If you avoid Beats and Skullcandy, you'll probably be fine.

I'm a fan of my Audio Technica A700's. They don't need to be driven with an amplifier to sound great. They are closed headphones (with the noise-blocking advantages that come with it), super comfortable, and huge.

But asking for opinions of headphones is always tricky because everyone has an opinion. Pick any pair of headphones and there will be an equal split of people who insist they are the best and worst in the world.

I was gonna be sarcastic because it seemed funny, but I decided to not make that joke.

I have a pair of Sony MDR-V600. They're super old now (like 10 or more years old). I really want to replace them (I have issues getting them to work correctly now-a-days), but apparently headphones are SUPER fucking expensive now. I bought them for like, $30- look at what the cheapest one retails at now.

I love them, though. They're the best, most comfortable, headphones I've ever used. I may have to bite the bullet.

Sennheiser makes excellent head phones. Stay away from over priced companies like beats. The most important thing is to pay attention to the frequency range listed for a set of headphones.

@dusker: Sorry, I was a little vague in the OP! I wouldn't be using them in an environment with a lot of noise, so I don't think I'll need something with noise cancelling, and I doubt I'll be traveling with them, so they don't need to be particularly durable. Reason for picking up a set was mainly to prevent aggravating neighbors with speakers while maintaining a decent level of audio while watching films etc.

I'd mainly be using them to watch movies, I try to watch a bit of everything, so I probably can't be too specific about what ranges I'll be listening to most. But explosions are always fun I suppose. Possibly even playing games.

Currently I have everything plugged into a pretty standard Sony TV via HDMI, the TV has an audio out for a 3.5 jack. Also has an optical out which feeds some speakers, but as mentioned, they're a little loud to use at night.

Thanks for the suggestions so far everyone!

Well, in that case, I'll second the Sennheiser 595/598 recommendation. I like Grados a lot, but many people find them uncomfortable (especially if you wear glasses like me).

P

Might not take our word for it though:

http://www.tested.com/tech/accessories/455838-best-150-over-ear-headphones/

P

I like Grado headphones a lot (300 series and up), but if you are looking for a bit more thump, then the Sennheiser 595 should be nice. Investing in a headphone amp (or a great amp in general) really enriches the audio fidelity, but only consider such an investment if that is something you wish to experience.

Might I recommend what The Wirecutter has to say on this matter:

http://thewirecutter.com/leaderboard/headphones/

@captain_felafel said:

I was going to post the same thing. Even if you don't buy their recommendation, it's a great way to learn about the category and better understand your own preferences.

Can't really go wrong with Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, AKG, or Audio-Technica. Most of the recommendations so far have been quite good. I have a set of Senn HD 555s and they are great (they are a step down from the HD 595 or the newer HD 598, which I imagine are also quite good. All of them would be great for general use). The Senn HD 5XX headphones are quite comfortable, nearly as comfy as the Premium Beyerdynamics (and much comfier than either Pro model Senns like the HD280 or any of the Pro designation Beyerdynamics). I also have Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pros that are quite nice for electronic music, but my absolute favourites are my Beyerdynamic DT-880 Premium 600 Ohms (you need a beefy amp to use these, or any of the other 600 Ohm Beyers, though. Unamped they are not super usable and a weak amp doesn't really benefit them too much. It needs to be a chunky amp like something from Schiit or other similar companies. Cheaper small amps don't cut it. I currently use a Fiio E12 Mont Blanc, one of the most powerful under $200 portable amps, with mine and have a Schiit Vali on the way in the mail as a more permanent desktop solution). I would recommend any of the above headphones except for I would say to go for lower impedance versions if you get Beyers, since they won't need an amp to be used in that case (Also, get them on sale. They go on sale fairly often and you can save $100+ if you wait).

Also, one thing to watch out for. If you don't want to buy an amp, make absolutely sure the headphones you are getting don't need one. Some headphones are fine unamped while others will sound incredibly weak if they are not amped. A fair number of AKG and Beyerdynamic models, along with the higher end Sennheiser models (HD 600 and on), need an amp. So keep that in mind.

@bacongames said:

Precisely why I recommend them time and time again. Even if you don't end up taking their buying advice, you'll at least come away wiser about the product you're researching.

At the ~400 USD price point, you are basically exactly in the sweet spot for high quality gear before getting into audiophile / "Golden Ear" / crazy people territory (which is not to say that there aren't some amazing headphones that can be well worth the investment for certain people / use cases up to the ~1000 USD price point. Beyond that is crazy people territory though for non-professional uses)

I think the decision comes down to a few questions:

1) do you want the headphones to be firmly linked to your AV setup / home listening in one specific spot, or do you want the flexibility to plug into your phone as well?
Clearly there's a trade-off here. Each headphone has a certain level of impedance. Put simply, this measures how much tension / voltage you need to drive them in order to make them sound loud and good.

Low impedance headphones are built to be driven by small, low-voltage devices (such as smartphones), high impedance headphones will generally require some sort of amplifier to work properly.

The notion of getting an amplifier really shouldn't scare you away though! Amplifiers are a magical exception in the world of technology in that they are an investment that stays useful for a long time. Amplifier technology proper really hasn't changed much in the last decade(s), despite what many companies claim.

2) do you have a preference for circumaural headphones (=the earpads surround your ear), supra-aural headphones (=the earpads are on your ear) or in-ear headphones?
There's a lot of bullshit science thrown around this question (generally regarding the question whether in-ear or circumaural is superior), but honestly, I've found that people just tend to have a clear preference for one or the other. It is utterly pointless to get great headphones you find uncomfortable to wear.

That being said in-ears have the best product selection if you're looking for a low impedance device, and there's always an advantage in serving sound to an extremely confined, standardized space.

3) You wrote that you don't need noise cancellation. In that case, if you were to choose a supraaural or circumaural headphone, you should pick one with an open back, except for one specific case:

4) Are you a bass head? There's no shame in admitting it, but some people are just wired to enjoy bass-heavy sound wayyyy more than the average listener. If so, you want a closed back, no in-ears and a headphone that is specifically tuned to delivering good bass, because nothing else will scratch that itch. (just don't get Beats, which are actually extremely bass-heavy - there's much better compromises out there)

Now, assuming you want a pure home entertainment setup, wouldn't mind adding an inexpensive (~150-200 USD) amplifier into the mix and you're not into overly-heavy bass, the AKG K701 (also sold as Q701, the only difference is the color and an interchangeable cable) is absolutely amazing and is incredibly comfortable even when wearing it for a long time. They are also exactly in your price range.

One step up from these would be Shure SRH1840 or the second-highest tier Sennheiser supraaurals (HD650/700) but that's already deep into diminishing returns territory IMO.

Tthe ideal setup once an amp is involved really depends on your use cases and the devices you have. If there's just one console involved, you can jury rig a set-up fairly easily (for instance with a PS3, you can just configure it to output sound separately from HDMI and then feed it into the Amp).

If you've got lots of devices, there's lots of options, but the easiest ones generally are:

1) (if your TV supports it) Hook everything up to the TV, configure your TV to pass through the audio, hook the headphone amp to your TVs output. Your TV basically acts as the hub.
Some TVs do this perfectly, some TVs do this but you lose Dolby Encoding (=no fake surround effect, which might be annoying for some gamers), some TVs don't do it at all.
Also some TVs only pass the signal through digitally (e.g. they only have Optical / SPDIF out). In those cases, you'll need something called a DAC in addition to or integrated in your amplifier to both convert the signal from digital to analog and to amplify it. Its not a big deal at all price-wise, you just need to buy the right thing.

2) use an AV Receiver to plug in everything. Some AV receivers actually have a solid built-in headphone amp, even though it makes audiophiles cry.
When asked, I tend to recommend Yamaha models because they work really well and have a sensible, idiot-proof GUI without the need to be configured via a fucking serial port / separate monitor like some terrible "enthusiast" models do.
The AV Receiver variant is also nice because it also lays the groundwork for a home theater setup down the line. This is also the point at which you might notice that Hi-Fi is a horrible rabbit-hole, because every solution just challenges you to add on to it for ever decreasing marginal returns.

Regarding the actual amp, Fiio are popular because they offer really reasonably priced Headphone amps and DACs for lots of use cases, but they won't get you any props on Hi-Fi forums for sure, because clearly a headphone amp has to look like something out of Nikola Tesla's lab.
Just make sure that Amp you choose is powerful enough to drive the headphones you pick.
If you don't want to get into the subject matter, you will find that a Google search of the headphone model + the amp name will universally give you a solid-ish answer.

@wittgkatzi: That's an incredibly comprehensive write up! Cannot thank you enough for taking the time to help me out! I'll probably be using the 1st option and using the TV as a hub initially, since it has all the inputs I need, as well as an audio out for a 3.5 jack. If anything gets garbled for whatever reason, I'll try your other suggestion of a receiver.

Forgot to add, circumaural headphones were my preference, and I probably wouldn't be using them for smaller audio devices. So what you've suggested seems in line with what I was looking for!

And again, thanks everyone! I feel almost like I know what I'm doing now, well, enough not to make a totally rash purchase anyway.

I did try Googling this all first, honest! But I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for exactly, you've all made this a lot easier.

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 650s and a pair of Ultrasone Pro 900s that I absolutely love. I use them for different things. The HD 650s are my more all around headphones. The Pro 900s are considered the bass kings, so I use them with electronic music and action-y movies or games. I got them both for way under MSRP over at the head-fi for sale/trade forum. Definitely check that place for whatever you choose to buy. The people really care about thier audio equipment so the product is sure to be in good condition and you can find some amazing deals.

I have the Sennheiser 598s that @vamino mentioned, and they are very good, but as he said, they are open. They also look very nice. I do use them with an amp/DAC, with my macbook, but that doesn't actually make much of a difference. I just do because I have it, and also its easier not to plug them directly into the computer with my setup, which is probably not the usual reason people use a separate DAC.

Audio Technica, Grado, Sennheiser... any of those in your price range will get you a decent pair of headphones. Open-ear will have better, more spacious sound, but won't block out ambient noise and tend to project whatever you're playing through them some. Closed-ear will block out ambient noise and not project any of their own sound, but won't be as comfortable and tend towards being slightly muffled as opposed to the open, airiness of open-ear.

Also, a decent headphone amp will go a long ways towards making the most out of your headphones.

I have some AKG K550s and they're fantastic. Not really the most informative comment in this thread but they're great headphones.

I just picked up a pair of V-Moda Crossfade M100's about two weeks ago and love them. I'd say the review on Amazon by narfybob is pretty spot on except I'd still give them 5 stars instead of 4.

You really don't need to spend that much on a good set of headphones. You could get some Audio Technica M-50's and have one of the most highly regarded set of consumer cans around and only for 100 bucks and some change. There are probably better sets than that if you really look at it under a microscope, but if you're just a casual user you seriously cannot go wrong with that set.

Edit: I would say look at the wire cutter post people linked above. If that sony set is as good as they say it is, it's like 90 bucks. I would definitely consider that.

@rongalaxy: Love my Audio Technica ATM-50s as well. That's what Vinny uses. In Vinny we trust.

I use Beyerdynamics DT-770s. I am a bass head. But, I also wanted something that was balanced. DT-770s do a really good job of making lows, mids, and highs very even. Also, the bass on these headphones is absolutely nuts. DT-770s are closed and you can't hear much ambient noise while they are on.

I also used AKGs 240s..... http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406855538&sr=8-1&keywords=akg+headphones&dpPl=1

Those bleed a lot of sound cause they are Semi-Open. But AKG 240s are also really excellent if you don't mind the audio bleeding.

Honestly this thread pretty much has it covered, but I'll throw in my two cents and recommend a pair of Shure headphones. I've listened to a lot of different headphones and honestly, these are my personal favorites. The SRH 940 or SRH 1440 are in your price range, but if you've never had a decent pair of headphones then the $100 (and that's on the high end in my experience) SRH 440 are more than good enough for casual listening and decent if you want to try to get into studio stuff as well.

Website link!: http://www.shure.com/americas/products/earphones-headphones/headphones

Again though, with the advice from this thread you can't really go wrong.

Another vote for the vmoda m100's, got them for 90 bucks from a brookestone store that was having a closing sale. The one thing that sets the vmoda's apart in my opinion is they've got some sort of mil spec construction, I forget the specifics. These cans are built like a tank, they're sweat, splash, dust resistant etc. I use mine for traveling and certain workouts in the gym if I'm not doing anything real high intensity. Friend had a pair of beats, they broke within 1 month. It really depends what you intend to use them for.

@wittgkatzi: Your post makes me wish this site had Reddit style upvoting.

I don't know much about audio stuff, but I absolutely love my Senheiser 650's.

If its just for movies/games, I don't feel you need to spend that much. I'd go with something open like Grado SR80i (which seems to have been replaced by SR80e?).

I own headphones from the $70-$500 range, and for games, I still stick with my $100 SR80i's. But feel free to bump up the model if you're willing to spend. One thing I do strongly suggest though, is to get open-ear cans. They're better for games/movies for various reasons, but most importantly the 2+ hours of explosions and gun shots won't be so exhausting on your ears.

I'd go for either the Sennheiser HD 558 or the Audio Technica M50x. Both are over-ear headphones with removable cords (in case one breaks or you want to store the headphones without the cord) and they fit your budget and allow you some extra to get a decent headphone amp which is kind of required with headphones over 30 ohms. Not only will the headphone amp give you more volume, but it will help drive the headphones a bit more and give you better audio quality. Some amps have the ability to convert digital to analog audio too, so that will be nice when hooking it up to a PC or something similar.

It's kind of dumb to spend $100+ on good headphones and not get an amp with them. That kind of defeats the whole purpose.

So yeah, I would get either of those and a headphone amp. That's the best bang for your buck.

Fiio E07k Headphone Amp

Sennheiser HD558 Headphones

Audio Technica M50x

I prefer in-ear stuff, and I have found that Sennheiser is the brand to look into.

Even the lower-range $80-$100 range sound fantastic.

BASICALLY get anything Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, Grado, or Klipsch.

If you're using them for home, GET OPEN BACK headphones!

Open back are so much nicer and closed back in terms of value.

I own Grado sr80i's. They're only $100 but better than any $100 headphones I've used. They're a bit sharp and very clear on the highs, but that's how I like my listening.

Everyone enjoys music/audio differently.