Audiophiles...headphone advice

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
I'm looking to get a new set of headphones. I currently use a set of Beats Solo HD on-ear headphones. I like them (I'm by far not an audio guy) except for one thing, the damn cord. So I'm looking to get a set of either on-ear or over-ear headphones that are bluetooth. Again, I'm far from an audiophile but I can respect good sounding headphones. So, in the $200-$300 range, do you have any suggestions? The ones I've been considering are the following:

Wireless Beats - $279

Sennheiser MM 400-X - $269

AKG K830 BT - $219

AKG K840 KL - $279

Last pair is wired, but I'm still considering them as I've read excellent reviews on them:
audio-technica ATH-M50 - $169


Any others I should consider? Any of these I should throw out? Anything to say about the ones (or companies behind them) I have listed?

Thanks
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
As I'm sure you know, quality headphones make all the difference in the world. With hi-fidelity headphones, you can listen to music at a lot lower volume with less ear fatigue, and you'll notice parts of the songs that you've never heard before. It is assumed you're not listening to mp3's, as the compression kills most dynamics.

A while back I was searching for the right headphones for my listening enjoyment and for my recording studio. My buddies suggested some beyerdynamic DT770 Pros.
http://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-DT770-PRO-250-ohm/dp/B0006NL5SM

Unlike the beats, these headphones are meant to mimic exactly the way the music was recorded. The beats try to "enhance" the recorded sound by emphasizing certain frequencies (particularly the bass). If you think the big beats sound good, these are even more crystal clear. I was not impressed at all with these headphones for the first 2 months. I was told that they need to "break-in" and that they sound better with time. I stuck with 'em, and now they're my absolute favorite headphones I've listened to. They keep sounding better with age. After 2 years and countless hours of listening through them (I average 6 hours a day), I am beyond impressed. Now that I own them, I notice them in all the studios I go to, and in lots of live/studio videos of my favorite recording artists. If you want headphones that recreate the exact sound the sound engineer mixed them for, you can't go wrong with these.

If you want something that rattles your head with bass, check out the darth beyers (modded beyerdynamics):
http://www.headphile.com/page8.html

When I first got my beyers I thought about sending them in to this guy, but I decided to let them break in. Now that they're broken in I couldn't be more pleased with them. You're welcome to try mine out sometime if you care enough to swing by and borrow them.


Then there's always the beyerdynamic T1: :D
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-T1-Audiofile-Stereo-Headphone/dp/B0031RD3YY


I have to really restrain myself to not dump buckets of money down the drain with audio equipment. I'd rather have a $5000 stereo with a $500 TV than the other way around. I know I'm weird, but quality audio is definitely my weakness. I have to force myself not to read up on the internet or I'll be dissatisfied with my current speaker/amp selection.



Regarding those on your list, I don't have experience with the headphones themselves, but I do have experience with Audio Technica microphones. Bang for the buck, I have been blown away by the sound quality for the price I paid. I have definitely heard and used better microphones, but they cost 3x the price of my audio technicas.
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
Since 2000 there's little difference between a store-bought CD, a song bought form iTunes and a pirated MP3 download. It used to be that a 'master' was put onto DAT (Digital Audio Tape) and then made into CD's, cassetts or records. Now, there is no 'master' only the compressed version of the performance. There was a time in the 90's when a company sold $52 CDs that were direct from master copies of popular albums of the time and the past. I remember the master version of "nevermind" was amazing. Now-a-days, music is only produced with very low crest factor (the difference in a recordings average energy and it's peak energy expressed in dB) for one simple reason: compressed music sounds great on crappy systems (cheap headphones, multi-media speakers, anything BOSE). If I have a cheap system and I want to listen to dynamic recordings, the quiet stuff to too quiet and if I turn it up, the loud stuff is too loud. But, on my "one trick pony" multi-media speakers, the "wall of sound" recordings of today are just right.

In sumation, none of those choices you've listed are "audiophile" but all will do a great job of playback of sh*tty recordings. If you go with "Beats" just know that there are people out there who will be laughing at you. Sennheiser at least has some audiophile heritage while Beats is more "Yo MTV Raps". I currently own a pair of Shure ea rbuds that I got on an industry accomodation deal (when I used to be a pretty big deal) that retailed at the time for $800. They are very good and they fit so well, they block out background noise which was great when I lived on a plane most of the time.
 
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Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
In sumation, none of those choices you've listed are "audiophile" but all will do a great job of playback of sh*tty recordings. If you go with "Beats" just know that there are people out there who will be laughing at you. Sennheiser at least has some audiophile heritage while Beats is more "Yo MTV Raps". I currently own a pair of Shure ea rbuds that I got on an industry accomodation deal (when I used to be a pretty big deal) that retailed at the time for $800. They are very good and they fit so well, they block out background noise which was great when I lived on a plane most of the time.

I completely understand that about Beats, that's why I upfront said I'm far from an audio guy ;) also why I'm looking at alternatives. If I can spend $300 on a pair of Beats, or the same on a pair of brand x and get a nicer set of headphones, it only makes sense. Also the reason I asked for advice :) All of my music is from iTunes (256kbps AAC, etc) so with that in mind, will any of the ones I listed (or any other wireless units) stand-out above the rest?
 

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
I guess i am in the minority here, but I really like my beats. I have a pair of the solos and a pair of studios. They sound great when you consider I have never worked in the audio industry and therefore was never a "big deal". My head is still normal sized due to the fact my audioawesomenss has not enlarged my head. I am sure if I used a pair of 800 dollar headphones my head would take on grinchlike qualities similar to jorock and swell several sizes making it virtually impossible for me to listen to a pair of mainstream headphones without noticing the world laughing at me.:p
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
What will Beats owners do with dynamic range when it returns? When JL Audio launched the ground-breaking (no pun intended) W7 subwoofer after a decade of research into shifts in flux density in a dynamic situation (never before taken on). The result was a very accurate subwoofer that had very low distortion thanks to Dynamic Motor Analysis. Part of our dealer training pre-launch was identifying customers who will listen and not like them; #1 on the list: people who like the sound of distortion. Since most drivers produce about 40% distortion some listeners have learned that is what music is, take it away, and some people will say "something is missing". The same thing has happend to generations of iPod-only listeners that would rather stay in the matrix and enjoy hi-end Beats because their music demands nothing else.
 

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
^ hahahahahahahaha
My headphones dont have a W7 subwoofer. Whatever shall i do? I cant hear you joseph, the sound of my distortion pumping headphones cancels you out.
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
^ hahahahahahahaha
My headphones dont have a W7 subwoofer. Whatever shall i do? I cant hear you joseph, the sound of my distortion pumping headphones cancels you out.

You headphones would need to be 180 deg out of phase with me to cancel me out.... I am betting your Beats are more like 270 deg out of phase.
 

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
You headphones would need to be 180 deg out of phase with me to cancel me out.... I am betting your Beats are more like 270 deg out of phase.

You are fun:)
I had my beats specially tuned to 181 degrees out of phase with your specific voice. That way I only hear the 1 degree of stuff you say that isnt gangster nonsense. Audio advice and veggie tales being in that 1 degree.

Caleb, I was at first trying to be helpful by saying i like my beats. There are definately better headphones out there in the world. Mine were given to me and I like them. I am not a audiophile, oh well.
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
Reminds me of more than one PM conversations here on RME:

[video=youtube;bYQJ8zaiafc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYQJ8zaiafc[/video]
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Funny you would bump this today, I just bought a set today. Amazon had the Sennheiser MM450 on-sale today. Normally $450, they had them for $229. So I hope that they impress me since the Beats are up to my standards :rofl: If they suck then Amazon has a great return policy :D
 
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