No issue at all with mine.
Honestly I would suggest getting the fa-10 pro. I see @turdferguson says it pairs well with most headphones and the pro is even cleaner for only a 100 dollars more. If you paid tax on the FA-10 it’s already the same price.
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Nice. There are just so many great options. Also now eyeing the gs-x mini. The ultimate goal I have is an amp that can drive a good amount of the headphones (specifically the Elegia, LCD-XC, Meze 99, and HE6Sev2) I currently own, as well as future buys.
I am a big fan of metal, hardcore/punk, prog, and soundtracks. I also tend to favor a mostly transparent/linear presentation with ample space.
The crossfeed is what attracts me to the Phonitor, but the reviews of the GSX seem great as well.
So while it is sort of about power, I just want a solid amp with great sound.
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I think you must remove the HE6 from this equation. Edit: “unless you are willing to dish out a foolish amount of cash, think you can away with far less by just taking it out” That is a very different breed of headphones. Focus more on the rest. The only amp that may cover all the bases is A90, but I see a lot of people have a negative notion going Chinese.
However off topic, I took my shot with the TA-10R. Got it for a great deal brand new and hands down it’s currently my favorite headphone amp. I loved the JNOG and it’s the same dac, but I don’t what’s going on with the TA, maybe it’s the just the tube.
Hi, guys!
I need some help finding new headphones, but I’m really not well knowledgeable in this field. I’ve done a few hours of searching, but as soon as I stumbled into the audiophile realm I got quickly overwhelmed, so I need some help.
Ideally, I would prefer to spend around €150 ( $180 ) or less, but €200 ( $250 ) is the limit only if it’s worth it. I listen to a lot of music and watch tons of movies, so I would like headphones which are more turned to this aspect if possible. Noise cancellation is a must!
What’s most important to me is soundproofing. I live in a noisy neighborhood, so I would prefer not to hear anything outside when I put them on.
I just want some good, quality headphones that are comfortable to wear, and sound really good. I’m no audiophile, so I don’t care for the best sound quality, just what sounds really good with music and videos.
Additional info that might help:
- I’m looking for over-ear, closed headphones, preferably wired, but I wouldn’t mind wireless.
- I will use them only indoors on my PC, and for regular use (music, YouTube, movies, etc.)
- I don’t play video games as much as I used to, so “gaming” brands can be ignored (unless they’re good and within the budget of course)
- A mic. would be welcome, but if it doesn’t fit into the price range, then it’s not necessary
- Something that has durable materials, because I plan to take good care of them, and don’t plan on replacing them for a couple of years
From what I’ve seen, everyone seems to recommend Sony WH-1000XM3 , but they’re out of my budget where I live ( €230 +).
I live outside the US, so the prices may be different here. Still, if you were in my shoes and had a budget like this, which one would you buy?
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I’ve looked at the Phonitor X and couldn’t pull the trigger on that price tag. Everyone here seems to think highly of it, and it looks like its specs say it can put 3.7 watts into 120 ohms, which ought to be plenty for almost all of your headphones. I settled on a Schiit Lyr3 as plenty good enough for the headphones I have (except for the electrostats, for which I have a modified older STAX tube amp).
I’ve had amps that can do crossfeed, and honestly, it’s not a feature I would consider a deciding factor. It can be good or bad depending on the recording. Not sure I’d like it with hardcore punk - I like the precise placement of a minimalist band - even if they’re in a garage. Soundtracks? Possibly - I have pressed the 3D button on the iFi xDSD listening to a soundtrack.
What @HeadphoneNoob said about there not being an endgame - Yes there are some pairings of amp and headphone that are just better than others. But I’ve talked about “The 95% Solutions” (The link is a topic on this forum) which although an older thread, is well worth considering. The principle is that you can save a lot of money by learning to be happy with only 95% of what you want. That extra 5% is what makes your wallet and mind cry out in agony.
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You pose a good question. Soundproofing and noise cancellation are sort of complimentary technologies. If a closed back headphone seals well, you don’t necessarily need the active noise cancellation. If the noise cancellation is good enough, you may not need to be closed back.
Have you been able to listen to anything in the stores? Noise Cancellation often puts a sort of white noise sound in the background. Some people don’t care for that. Closed back headphones - particularly cheaper ones - sometimes have echoes or artifacts that make rooms sound funny - the wrong size. I did a review of some expensive (for me) closed backs and I hated them except for electronica. They were only good for listening to Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells.
Finally, would you consider buying something used?
Sorry to answer questions with questions, but it’s better if we know more so we can give better advice.
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Hmmmm, I think it’s a mix. Most of our headphones require wires, an amplifier-> more money. A dac → more money.
I think you’re seeking more of a stand alone headphone that’s more blue tooth ish.
But I would say… you’re in Europe.
Headphones I would say the he400 2021, it’s like 140 usd.
You would probably love the SHP9600.
There’s some AKG that everyone is loving. Cheap but decent. Someone can probably point that out.
Koss Ultra KPH30i, 40 dollars.
Koss + Drop Porta Pro X. 40/50 usd
Don’t think you can order off drop in Europe though.
Edit: Just my thoughts and those are all wired headphones which may or may not need additional accessories.
If you want Bluetooth and decent I personally suggest Beyerdynamic Lagoon/Traveler ANC. But they do not get mind blowing loud, if you’re about volume.
*And I completely neglected to consider environmental noise for wired headphones lol
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Thank you for the suggestions, to be honest, I’m okay with the onboard audio, so spending additional money for an amplifier / DAC / soundcard is not necessary for me.
But I would say… you’re in Europe
Correct, and prices here are unfortunately not the same as in US, and the choices aren’t that great either.
Out of all the headphones you’ve listed, only the Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC were the ones available for sale, and even then they’re similarly priced as the Sony WH-1000XM3. The rest is either not available or needs to be imported which the costs of that alone would make the headphones not worth it.
I’d love to hear what those AKG’s were that everyone mentions, since there are some AKG’s available here.
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Thank you for the reply, to answer your questions:
Soundproofing and noise cancellation are sort of complimentary technologies. If a closed back headphone seals well, you don’t necessarily need the active noise cancellation. If the noise cancellation is good enough, you may not need to be closed back.
Apologies for the confusion, when I said both noise cancelling, and soundproofing, I just meant that I wanted good headphones that block out any noise from the outside. To be honest, the concept of Active Noise Cancelling is totally new to me, how much difference does it make compared to the closed-back headphones, and are there any drawbacks?
Have you been able to listen to anything in the stores?
Unfortunately, no. I’m ordering headphones online, so the only way I’ll be able to test them would be after I get them, which is why I want to make the correct choice before deciding what to buy.
Finally, would you consider buying something used?
Sure, no problem. The only problem here would be not knowing how the previous owner took care of them, but if I knew they were maintained well, then I wouldn’t mind buying it used. But still, I’m looking to buy headphones that are going to last me for a couple of years so I don’t mind forking over a bit more cash for new headphones.
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Well, Active Noise Cancelling has the advantage that you can turn it on and off. Some headphones have both closed back and ANC - think Bose Quiet Comfort.
Since you’re across the pond from most of us, let me call in some people familiar with your markets, prices, and where to find reliable used headphones. You can rely on anything these folks may have to say or others they may recommend. @SenyorC, @monochromios, @prfallon69, @Panzer_Applehusky Please read this thread and help. I may have missed some others, apologies for any oversights.
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Forgive me if this has been asked before, but have you looked into IEM’s by any chance?
For your budget, if you’re looking for something that blocks noise and sounds good, I’d look into IEM’s.
Only real frustration would be finding the right fit. But once you do, it’s absolutely worth it.
If it’s possible for you to order from amazon or any other business with a good return policy, that would be ideal since you can try different models out and pick the one that fits and sounds best to you.
My only gripe with IEMs is that most of them seal in a part of the ear where your voice becomes loud and boomy to your own ears, making them less than ideal for things like conference calls. That said, I think the benefits would outweight the downsides.
If you wouldn’t mind my 2 cents…
From my experience (several flagship ANC headphones from Bose and Sony, including the ones you listed), ANC is great for low, droning noises but most of the annoying, noticeable noises you’d want to block are higher frequencies than what most, if not all ANC headphones out there will block.
If you’re wanting to cancel the low hum of an air conditioner, they’re great, and the effect is surreal the first few times you use them. But the coolness falls off after a bit and eventually you start picking apart the different flaws of the sound, build, comfort, and struggling to justify why you paid a premium for such a feature. If you fly a lot, I’d say ANC is worth looking into, but otherwise, I’d go with either a really well sealing closed back (of which I can only think of the AKG K361, and that doesn’t really seal terribly well imo) or the plethora of IEM’s out there.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions.
Oh and I almost forgot. Welcome to the headphones.com community!
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Hi and thank @pennstac for reaching out on this post.
I give @poyah517 my hints starting form one point: I’m not into wireless noise cancelling headphones, nothing against them, just not my cup of tea.
For what you’re looking for I believe AKG K371 will do an excellent job.
They are neutral, harman target based headphones that in Europe can be found for very good prices.
They’re well built, tuning and sound signature is great for the price (around a 100 euros).
If you treat them well they will last for long time and I’m sure they won’t disappoint you.
I hope this helps you.
Enjoy
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I can’t really add anything that hasn’t been said already.
If Active Noise Cancelling is a must, then the WH-1000XM3 I would say are about the best value for under 200€.
If you don’t need ANC (see post by @Panzer_Applehusky for reasons) then either a closed back headphone like the K371 or K361 ( depending on taste but I would probably go for K371 for movies etc. due to having a bit more bass) would be good value for its price. They are also fairly easy to drive seeing that you want to avoid amp/DAC.
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Thanks for all the help everyone, all of the replies were useful, and just what I needed! I’ll report back on which ones I’ve decided to buy after I do a bit more reading and price hunting. I’ll also look more into a good sealing closed back headphones instead of ANC ones like Panzer said.
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I’m a fan of the Sennheiser HD1. While the ANC is not quite as strong as the Sony or Bose, I found the sound overall more enjoyable with a more premium build quality (metal and real leather pads). Personally I find the ANC on the Sony and Bose is TOO strong and the pressure hurt my ears when I demo’ed them - even on the lower settings. I think I’m fairly sensitive to this though as it doesn’t seem to bother most people. The HD1 have been great for flights and general Bluetooth use. If you want the strongest ANC, go with Sony or Bose. If you want the best sound and build with decent to good ANC, check out the HD1. It can usually be found on sale these days in the US, not sure about Europe though…
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DMS had posted it, think it’s the AKG 371 there’s also the 361. Think they are both under 100 usd.
Some people praising the Phiaton 900 or something like that. I haven’t listened to it.
I mentioned the Beyerdynamic because I have tried it and to my ears they are far better than Sony if you care about sound quality. The ANC isn’t as amazing as Sony but is still functional.
But as I previously had mentioned the Beyerdynamic sounds best with ANC off. It’s your call what you are seeking.
However I wouldn’t personally sacrifice sound quality for ANC and that’s just my perspective.
I have a pair of closed back headphones and they are out of your price range, but honestly can’t hear much when they are worn. If I do I just crank the volume a couple of clicks and it’s gone.
Oh yea Panzer already covered those, I mentioned them in my first post went back to the review to find which models @poyah517
Hello all. I’m a newbie to the headphone gig but have owned and been through a few audio systems. I’m looking for my first big purchase for headphones. I want some pretty good ones that I can build on with the different equipment I’ve been reading about DACS, AMPS, and such. My price point would be between $200-$400. Seems like a large gap but I want a pair thats somewhat future proofed as far as the cans are concerned. I listen to mostly classic rock, and some jazz and classical. I like a wide variety of genres. I would like them to feel warm and evoloping with good separation. Also these will be for strictly home use, so I’m thinking open back. I’ve been reading a lot and it seems the Sennheiser 650 or 6xx is a go to at my price point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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Hi Mick and welcome.
Sennheiser HD6XX would be a very good starting point because of their price to quality ratio.
Another one to consider given the genres of music you listen to would be Hifiman Sundara. They are planar magnetic headphones and sell for 350. For tuning and overall performance they sound a little better that 6XX but being planars they have a little less punch than dynamic driver headphones.
Each way is a good start so choose according your preferences and taste.
Enjoy.
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No one ever got fired for buying the Sennheiser HD6XX!
Seriously, one of the finest sounding headphones you can buy, at any price. And one that scales up in performance the more you invest in powerful solid state or tube-based amplification. It is the very definition of “future proof.”
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