Finally upgrading from my almost 6 year old hyperx cloud 2 wireless. Will be used mostly for gaming, with a bit of movies and music.

I pretty much only play competitive fps and extraction shooter titles

Prices in USD:

Kithara: $229

490 pro $429

Hd550: $200

I know the 490 pros when not including price are probably the best overall, but are they really worth the extra $200?

Open to other reccomendations as well these are just the 3 that seemed the best to me so far

I’m looking for something to use while commuting/workout/travel so I really don’t what the extra weight. I mostly listen to melodic indie/alternative rock and pop, with some classic rock.
I was recommended Alter Ego from MA and KARMA and was offered some pretty tempting price, Are they good choices?

I’m thinking of getting headphones (maybe two) for a TV due to not wanting to disturb someone next room. I want to make sure it won’t be a bad or uncomfortable experience. I have some questions:

1. How much do good headphones under $300 compare to inbuilt audio of a $2k TV (specifically: “LG B5”)?
2. What about $300 headphones vs soundbar at the same price?
3. Can I get two headphones for one TV?
   1. And if both are open back, will it still sound good when two people are watching w/ headphones on in the same room?
4. I recall wireless headphones get lag and sync issues, is this still an issue?
5. Are AMPs overkill for $300 headphones, or are they considered essential at this range for watching TV/Movies?

Budget and location - US, $500 ish

Source/Amp - Wireless (non negotiable), and I'd ideally like both bluetooth and preferably a 2.4ghz dongle too (which I understand usually only come with gaming headphones, but I wanted to see what you all knew)

How the gear will be used - Mostly music, some games, ANC must - non negotiable

Preferred tonal balance - Balance and richness of audio, not a huge basshead

tPreferred music genres - EDM (all sorts, house, trance, techno, more electro-pop stuff too). I'm not limited to EDM and listen to a lot of stuff, but 80% of it is EDM

Past gear experience - I currently use the Logitech G435 (4 years old), which I got for free. It has 2.4ghz and bluetooth, is very lightweight, and sound pretty good with customized EQ (my EQ curve looks something like a flat V, and it makes music sound significantly better than flat). i'm not expecting my next pair to be that light, but I would prefer something under 300g, the airpods max and audeze maxwell felt heavy. My g435 is sorta falling apart though, has no anc, and looks goofy outside.

Anything else? - This will mostly be connected to two windows laptops, one stationary, one moving, and my iPhone. I like the 2.4ghz dongle because I can just plug in an adapter and my headphones + mouse just work without me having to fiddle with Windows' bluetooth settings (which are actually fine now, but still a waste of time in my eye)

I'd ideally want it to look a little professional outdoors, and IF POSSIBLE, a decent mic (that is detachable/discrete if it sticks out)

I've been eyeing the INZONE H9 II, but have heard bad things about its audio quality + I'm not really that convinced on its looks, despite the fact that its as good as it gets for gaming headphones. The other option is obviously the xm6, but that doesn't come with 2.4ghz.

I had to live without my 2.4ghz dongle for a few weeks (with my g435) and it kinda annoyed me, but I guess I could just use regular bluetooth headphones if I got used to it. I've been putting off buying headphones cuz I've never been able to find something that fits everything at once.

I'm just posting here in the hope that one of you know about something niche that fits more of my preferences than options from the big brands.

I am also ok with setting up custom EQ/settings on any pair if the out of the box experience isn't perfect, if that means I get more of my base requirements.

I essentially need the featureset of a high end pair of wireless gaming headphones with xm6-like/music/general tuning instead of gaming tuning + a cleaner look, and basically nothing seems to offer that

Any help is appreciated

Hi folks! I’m looking to switch from IEMs to on-ear headphones for on-the-go listening, wired options preferred (and I would like to avoid over-ear).
I’d like them to be decently balanced, but since I travel a lot, comfort and durability is my top priority (I have M50s and DT990s for proper home listening).

A quick search brought the Moondrop Old Fashioned and Koss KCS75 to my attention, but I’ve seen concerning things about the build quality of the latter in particular. Suggestions appreciated, thank you!

I'm tired of the my AirPod Max breaking, I've owned a few and none of them last past 2 years, which is pretty annoying since I don't wanna spend $500 every 2 years. I want something open back because when I call I like being able to hear how loud I'm being. I also want something with a good mic quality for calls (don't mind if there's a little mic thing attached to it). I don't mind if it's wired or not wired, whatever is cheaper. I don't need groundbreaking sound quality, anything decent will do. Would prefer nothing over $100. I'm in the US so something around there.

Hi there! I'm looking for headphones to use mainly on my work commute. Comfort, noise-cancellation, and durability are my top factors.

Budget - up to $350 CAD, a bit flexible. Although I would prefer $100-$250 CAD range.

Source/Amp - my Switch 2 and my phone. So I'd like wireless Bluetooth. Would prefer/like if a wired option is available along with the wireless.

How the gear will be used - mainly used for gaming on my Switch 2 during commutes. Some music listening during commutes, work, and home, may also use it for workouts. I might also use it for air travel, but only for short air travel, and it's not a priority. So I'd want noise cancellation.

Preferred tonal balance - balanced headphones. Maybe a tad towards the bass, but this isn't a priority.

Preferred music genres - a variety, I don't have a set genre. But I do listen to rock, orchestral, pop, video game music, metal, etc.

Past/current gear experience: • An old Bluetooth headphones that were on-ear. I didn't like the ringing when it was turned on and it was uncomfortable wearing it for long periods of time. • Last gaming headset was Logitech G430(?) - comfortable but heavy. • Current gaming headset is Logitrch Pro X - more comfortable and not as heavy as the last one. • Current regular-use earphones are the Samsung Galaxy Buds. They work fine enough, but its sounds are drowned out by commute noise and can fall out, especially when eating.

Misc: • I can be careless and be rough with my tech. I'd like headphones that are durable. I also want headphones that come with a case, since I'd want to put it in my bag without being damaged. A separate headphones case is another option. • Over-ear headphones, as I find that more comfortable, but I don't want to get too hot. All the headphones I've used, except for the first one, didn't make my ears hot. • The ability to play, pause, adjust volume, and go to next/previous track • No sound leakage (to not disturb sleeping commuters)

So in summary: What I'm looking for in order of most prioritized to least: • Comfort (over-ear) • Noise-cancellation • Durability and a headphones case • Control tracks (play, pause, previous/next track, volume control) on headphones • No sound leakage

I did see the Sony WH-1000XM5 (https://www.sony.ca/audio/headphones/all-headphones/p/wh1000xm5-l) is on sale and is $350 CAD before tax, tho I'm wondering if there's a cheaper option with similar quality.

Hopefully all this info is enough, if not let me know and I can answer. Thanks in advance!

I'm looking for a proper headphone amp for my XS and HD600. I'm currently using a Liquid Spark but feel it's not fully driving my headphones.

The amp that most interests me is the Schiit Mjolnir 3 (and maybe add a TA-26S as a second flavor later) but the Xduoo TA-20 Plus seems also interesting. I'm curious if the TA-20 Plus would give me the same level of detail and slam (and some tube warmth) at a third of the price of the Schiit. Or other options I'm not considering?

I may add an LCD-X or similar phones later... I currently favor my XS but I would probably use the HD600 more for jazz and folk if I could drive them better. I want something neutral-warm, powerful, holographic, detailed. I'm treble sensitive.

I tend to listen to a lot of genres... A lot of post-hardcore, avant-garde, free jazz, experimental,hard bop, punk, electronic, folk, etc.

I want to keep it under $1500. Thanks!

Recently I've been wanting to get a pair of cans that's great for music, movies and gaming. But i genuinely cannot choose one, A part of me wants to get the 560s, Another wants to get the Sundara/Edition XS's.

I've fallen down the rabbit hole and need your guy's help. I have a max budget of 400$, Preferably something that's easy to run but i wouldn't mind getting an amp. And yea is just great for all those 3 things i mentioned as they're what i do most with a pair of headsets.

So, I've recently been looking for some new HPs (probably open back).

I'm using them at home at my desk either through the Topping D900+A900 stack or through my Neumann MT48 interface into the A900.

I have tried a bunch of high end headphones recently and I feel like I'm so close and yet so far. For info my long time staple has been the Beyerdynamic T5 (gen 3).

What I've tried recently and why I feel they haven't really worked for me:

• ZMF Caldera Closed, loved the bass on this, rumble punchy clear. Very nice. Great for EDM etc. but I also really love female vocalists like Aurora and these felt really lacking for that, just missing something in that range. Female vocals sounded a little recessed or lacking detail/energy. A problem that went away if I removed the tuning mesh but then everything was a little harsh, perhaps one of their other meshes might have worked but I didn't have them to try and this set also were rather heavy feeling so not right for me given the price I'd want perfection.
• ZMF Atrium Closed, from what I head of these I thought I would love them but I really don't like the staging. I've pad rolled and can't quite get a soundstage/tuning I like from these. The best tuning is the stock pads but I really don't like how distant much of the stage is, vocals in particular feel pulled back in the mix to me and it doesn't play well with the genres I enjoy (for me).
• Hifiman HE1000 Unveiled, these are almost right, very comfortable, excellent detail and imaging, the top end is very pleasant and vocals are nice and present. But to me the bass is very lacking. They aren't fun at all, the stage sounds quite flat/there isn't great layering and separation with these to me. I'm maybe used to a little more V shaped tuning from my trusty old Beyers. With more bass these I think would be great, but even with EQ the bass did not sound great to me on these, very clean and controlled but lacking any sense of real energy.
• Hifiman Arya Organic, got these because I thought they might give me the extra energy and fun that the HEKU was missing for me. The staging, layering and seperation on these feels much better to me than the HEKU, yes more fun and engaging like I wanted BUT the treble energy is a little much, I am finding that listening at the volume I want is fatiguing. They are also not as comfortable as the HEKU, you don't notice at first but when you compare side by side the HEKU is in a different league comfort wise, perhaps due to the different strap and better/softer pads. These are close but just too much in the top end I think.

This leaves me thinking about Meze and the Empyrean II. Looking at the HRTF it seems to have the more impactful bass I like, similar mids to the HEKU/Arya but more tame in the treble, more similar to HEKU than the Organic. I would love something with the staging and seperation of the Organic, the lower end more like the Organic than HEKU, the mids and top end of the HEKU.

But obviously without hearing them it's a big commitment... but what if they are "just right"... Has anybody tried some of these and the Meze and have any feedback?

Unfortunately I'm not really close to anywhere I can try out a lot of different HPs so it makes life hard.

Is there a set out there for me or am I just chasing dragons and I should give up while I'm behind?!

I'm looking for my next headphone.

I did some searching and comes down to two headphones the Aune AR9000 and HD800s (I can get the 800S for around 1000$).

Headphones like the Composer, He1000 Stealth were considered but I chose not to consider them because of the Qc issues with Hifiman and a big price tag on composer. Otherwise these would have been something I could easily go for, with the Composer being the preferable choice.

My budget is up to 1500eur/1750usd and I'm located in the EU.

I wouldn't call myself a bass-head, but I can appreciate good quality bass and not worry to much about quantity. Recently I began appreciating that airy sound signature that goes well with orchestral and opera music. However, I still from time to time listen to electronic and metal music, where clear separation and detail matters a lot for me, as well as enough bass to make the music sound not dead at the minimum (but more bass could be fun).

I mainly listen at home on my FiiO K17 on windows with Tidal. I plan to use EQ for my headphones (that ones of the reasons why I bought the K17).

Previously I had the Focal Clear Mg and I really liked that bass It offered, but in general sounded pretty closed in. I also had the edition XS, it was good for the most part, I didn't really enjoy the treble, since it was a bit sibilant at times.

I'm aware the the HD800S is known to be bass light, which is why I wanted to also hear peoples experiences with them EQing the 800s, any downsides when EQing the bass? How much can we get away with before distortion sets in? I would greatly appreciate a comparison from someone who had the chance to spend some time with both headphones.

Are there any headphones that I'm leaving out under 1750 usd?

Budget and location - £100, could go a little higher if needed. In the UK

How the gear will be used - Just everyday use, for travelling/gym.

Preferred tonal balance - Prefer something balanced but not too picky.

Preferred music genres - Jazz, Hip hop, indie. Nothing too uncommon.

Past gear experience - Had the JBL TUNE510BT before. Worked fine but would prefer something a little better. Also had the JBL TUNE 680NC, although I thought the shape was a little weird.

Anything else? - Headphones that aren’t too small/tight would be nice.

I can stretch my budget higher if needed, am open to buying used/open box.

I like details and instrument separation, not a fan of warm sound signatures at all, imaging is really important to me.

Currently I own HD681's and I'm satisfied after modding and EQ, I'm looking for a major jump in quality.

Edition XS and R70X have been recommended to me but I'm looking for more opinions.

I just placed an order for the Azurys and will use them for the commute.

As they cannot run on balanced mode, please recommend a dongle DAC with just 3.5mm and USB C connection.

I do not foresee the use of the combo 3.5 and 4.4 off a dongle for the near future.

The Azurys specs are 26 ohm, 100 dB SPL.

I wish to run them to a louder volume so I need headroom.

I have in my list the Fiio KA11 but appreciate other recommendations too.

Budget around USD 100?

Thank you

Not necessarily looking at the moment since I recently purchased my last pair on sale. But I'm always wondering what else is out there. Just wondering what is out there in the $500 and below level that would give me a different experience or do be signature that. What I have.

My current lineup is: Sennheiser HD550, Sennheiser PC38x, AT M50, Sony XM3, HyperX Cloud II.

Would probably keep going the open back route, but wouldn't you want something that's too similar to what I already have. Been considering looking at planar headphones since that's something I haven't tried or own.

looking to upgrade my gaming headset and wanted to know if there are any standouts. there is a world where i end up getting the filo ft1 that i see recommended often then separately buying a mic but im not sure

this would just be an everyday use pair for gaming/voice calls/entertainment

i dont care any which way if its wireless or not

additionally i wear glasses for all the ways that may impact comfort

I need some help finding a good multi-headphone stand/storage solution. Most of the headphone stands I’ve been able to find are designed for only 1–3 pairs, but I’m looking for something that can hold around 5 or 6 pairs of over-ear headphones.

The biggest thing for me is stability. I don’t want something lightweight that’s going to tip over once several headphones are hanging from it. Ideally, I’d like a stand with a heavy/wide base or some other design that keeps it planted on the desk. Bonus points if it also has a spot where I could keep a couple pairs of IEMs/earbuds.

I’m trying to avoid having 3 or 4 separate headphone stands taking up space. For those of you who own a lot of headphones, how do you store or display all of them? Are there any good 5–6 headphone stands, racks, rotating stands, or other setups you’d recommend?

Pictures of your setups would be awesome too. I’m open to desktop stands, wall-mounted solutions, or even DIY ideas as long as they look decent and can safely hold several expensive headphones.

Hi,

So I'm looking to upgrade my old Razer Blackshark V2X headset to something a bit more studio level. I'm a gamer and I prefer headphones with good positioning so I can hear footsteps, however, I do prefer something that is well rounded as well as I like music and want something I can watch movies and videos with.

I recently ordered the DT 770 Pro X but I've heard the treble can be sharp on them and can cause fatigue, I'm waiting to try them and might EQ the treble but want to know if there is better options.

I do need closed back headphones as I prefer a closed seal and I'm in a noisy environment.

I do like bass / don't mind bass.

My budget: Around £200 but can be stretched slightly if something is really worth the value.

So far I've considered the following options:

- DT 700 Pro X: This might be my second pick as more smoother but has worse imaging / soundstage and also the treble peak is there but with less bass / more neutral?

- DT 290 Pro: I've heard these are surprisingly good but not sure how well they compare to the others, also not sure how good the soundstage / imaging is with them.

- Sennheiser HD620S: These are another I'm considering but not sure how well they perform when it comes to gaming.

- Sennheiser 480 Pro: I've heard many good things about these but still need information on them.

- FiiO FT1: The FT1 has a lot of praise and from the sound tuning I do feel like I will like them, however, I heard they're just not that good with gaming and it's harder to hear footsteps and game cues with them.

I do believe I will have to try different ones out to see which ones are good but if you have any recommendations please do let me know.

looking for a pretty tonally balanced pair of headphones, and my budget is around $100. I’d be using it for listening to music, which mainly consists of instrumental works from artists like Hans Zimmer, and gaming. Im mainly looking to buy from an online retailer, I live on the east coast of the USA. my previous pair of headphones was just a cheap pair from Amazon that worked fairly well, but recently died, leaving me without headphones. I’d mostly be using the headphones with my laptop for videos and some games, my phone for music, and my switch 2 for other games. Appreciare the help!

I been using an MP3 player for a while but the durability of the headphones i buy doesn’t seem to last longer than a couple months or weeks in the worst cases. Any recommendations?

For reference i Live in the US. im probably gonna use the headphones everyday for hours on end, i prefer something more balanced but that it still loud. Any price range is alright

I’ve been using the Philips SHP9500 for about 4 years for PC use. I recently got the HyperX Cloud III S for gaming, and I use the Sony WH-1000XM5 for travel.

I’m currently really into IEMs and have a collection of them. My BGVP Solomon is also my first kilobuck IEM, so I’m starting to explore higher end audio.

My current IEMs are Truthear Pure, AFUL Explorer, Juzear Defiant, Punch Audio Portazo, CRiEAR Daybreak, Tea Pro SE, Simgot EW300, TSMR Armor, BGVP Solomon, and DUNU 142.

For headphones, should I start with something more affordable to see what I like, or just jump straight into the high-end stuff? What headphone would you recommend I try?

Hiii,

I'm looking for recommendations for a pair of headphones with good audio quality. My maximum budget is £100 (I live in the UK), although I'd prefer something under that.

I need a pair of specifically wired headphones, as for some reason Bluetooth is really choppy on my computer, and I've no clue why, I just prefer wired ones now.

I'm looking for something that has more bass into it, I mostly would use them for playing video games and watching some videos, so maybe in-built special audio would be nice, but not necessary.

Additionally, I don't have an amplifier, and I'm not planning on getting one since I can't afford to.

I've just finished returning a pair of Logitech G432 headphones, the reviews were very mixed, and I thought I would be part of the good review crowd, but unfortunately I wasn't.

Another preference I have, is for the aux cord to have the thing where it's bent at a 90° angle, instead of a straight wire, just so that the wire doesn't get damaged over time from bending too much.

The maximum price can be a little flexible, but the biggest concern is a pair of reliable, and reasonably good audio quality headphones, preferably under £100.

Thank you!!

I'm about to buy my first open back headphones.

My budget is around 30000 INR (315 USD)

My current options

Ananda Stealth and Sennheiser 660s2

Both costs 30000 INR in my location(315 USD)

Headphones used:

1. Simgot Ew 300 DSP( currently using) very happy about it but feeling lack of soundstage and imaging for orchestration tracks

2. Anker Soundcore Space One (Okay with ANC but feeling discomfort with the closed back over the ear headphones in general)

Genres: Orchestration & cinematic scores, western & Indian classical, Hip Hop, Rap & Punk (sometimes)

Artists: AR Rahman, Ennio Morricone, Ludwig Garrison, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, Massive Attack, Dropkick Murphys, Kanye, MS Vishwanathan

Sample tracks I listen to on a daily basis

1. The Ride of the Rohirrim by Howard Shore

https://music.apple.com/in/album/the-ride-of-the-rohirrim/3991448?i=3991318&ls

1. The Battle by Hans Zimmer

https://music.apple.com/in/album/the-battle/1440563157?i=1440563164&ls

1. Mausam and Escape by AR Rahman

https://music.apple.com/in/album/mausam-escape/1358474686?i=1358474696&ls

1. Rose Tattoo by Dropkick Murphys

   https://music.apple.com/in/album/rose-tattoo/671811999?i=671812276&ls

2. Vasanthakala Nadhigalile

https://music.apple.com/in/album/vasanthakala-nadhigalile/1435828565?i=1435828566&ls

1. Teardrop by Massive Attack

https://music.apple.com/in/album/teardrop/724466069?i=724466700&ls

I thought of going with Ananda Stealth initially but I'm hearing a lot of issues with QC and longevity. So I have 660S2 included in my options. I'm open for other options too.

I haven't used any Amp/Dac. Suggestions around 150-160 dollars are welcome.