Need some headphones...

The Darkhorse
The Darkhorse Posts: 101
edited October 2004 in Electronics
Looking to buy some nice headphones. Mainly will be used for PC games but the occasional movie as well...looking to spend 125$ or less if possible. Please someone give me a good reccomendation!!!!!!!!!!!???????
Post edited by The Darkhorse on
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited October 2004
    Check out www.head-fi.org. You can get good deals on gently used headphones on there. I recommend any of the upper-end Sennheiser headphones. HD-580,590,595,600. Those may be a bit above your price range, but check out the site and see what you can snag.
    I am using a pair of 590s right now and I love them. Despite it only being two channel on top of your ears, I find the positioning to be excellent in surround environments in most all games.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited October 2004
    Koss still makes the venerable Pro 4AA, one of my all-time favorites. Thye direct market them for $99.99.

    Here's the link to the site:
    http://www.koss.com/

    Here's the string to the 4AA's:
    Home < Products < Home Stereophones < PRO4AA
    Site is a bit different to navigate. You go through a pop-up...

    EDIT: Thanks for asking... just saw that my two-pair of 30+ year-old 4AA's are still under warranty (as I still have a pulse)... For $12 both will be refubished...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,996
    edited October 2004
    Not to denigrate the Koss Pro4AA's, but... while I agree that the Pro4AA's sound good they are (IMO) not very comfortable, especially for long periods.

    I bought a pair of the very inexpensive Sennheiser HD497's at Radio Shack (of all places!) last year and I was really astonished at how neutral and detailed they were. Allowing for almost 25 years worth of inflation, they were much less expensive than my Yamaha HP-2's, but they actually sound better. I was not expecting that.

    0020080497sidebig.JPG

    www.headroom.com has lots of information and even some pretty candid comments about the products that they sell. I cannot vouch for them as a vendor, though.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,996
    edited October 2004
    FWIW, this is the kind of headphone amp I use to drive the HD497's. It's cute and cheap and easy to build.

    http://pmillett.addr.com/hybrid_head.htm
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by mhardy6647
    Koss Pro4AA's sound pretty good but they are (IMO) uncomfortable.
    Maybe, but they do help develop your neckmuscles... :p

    I always liked the "heft" of the 4AA's and the near total isolation they provided... guaranteeing your own singing will never annoy yourself... I could honestly get to the point where I forgot I even had them on, which pretty much is the ultimate headphone compliment comfort-wise...

    I also own Senn... HD-545 (or some such open air model). Found I had to use a headband to pin them to my ears to get any kind of reasonable bass responce.

    I've not tried closed cup Senns... and with the repair service Koss provides, now I may never try them...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • tecmo04
    tecmo04 Posts: 421
    edited October 2004
    i bought the sennheiser hd280pro and they are awsome. highly recomnded
    My Stuff
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited October 2004
    I'm using Senn HD580($150) and am very happy. It's my first open back headphone, and I'm pretty impressed so far. I have been a Sony devotee for a very long time, I needed to freshen it up a little.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited October 2004
    Hey! Your sig says 580s, which is it? Make up your mind.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by tecmo04
    i bought the sennheiser hd280pro and they are awsome. highly recomnded
    I can also recommend this brand/model. A sealed design. Somewhat big but quite comfortable. Very good SQ IMO. Paid less than $80 shipped from Amazon I think.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited October 2004
    Ooops, HD580....thanks you for the help, I have mental problems.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • The Darkhorse
    The Darkhorse Posts: 101
    edited October 2004
    .......
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  • The Darkhorse
    The Darkhorse Posts: 101
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by mhardy6647
    Not to denigrate the Koss Pro4AA's, but... while I agree that the Pro4AA's sound good they are (IMO) not very comfortable, especially for long periods.

    I bought a pair of the very inexpensive Sennheiser HD497's at Radio Shack (of all places!) last year and I was really astonished at how neutral and detailed they were. Allowing for almost 25 years worth of inflation, they were much less expensive than my Yamaha HP-2's, but they actually sound better. I was not expecting that.

    0020080497sidebig.JPG

    www.headroom.com has lots of information and even some pretty candid comments about the products that they sell. I cannot vouch for them as a vendor, though.

    You sure bout that? Headroom.com seems to be nothing more than a lame triva flash movie lol
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2004
    I know I'm gonna get flamed, but I LOVE my Bose Tri-Port headphones. I was using w/e came with my protable equipment until I got a pair Koss UR-20. Really big, uncomfortable, but sound pretty good. Then, I got my Bose Tri-Ports. Wow!! They are SOOO comfortable & light, I forget they're there! The leather cushions squeeze your head just enough, and they're light!! (Oh, I already said that; all well.) They don't sound much better than my Koss headphones do, but the difference in the experience is immeasurable! They also do great for making it seem like surround sound for games.

    Notice: I don't do critical listening with my headphones, so they might not sound *quite* as good as I think. However, they're still outrageously comfortable!!
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
    PS3, Yamaha CDR-HD1300, Plex, Amazon Fire TV Gen 2
    Pioneer Elite VSX-52, Parasound HCA-1000A
    Klipsch RF-82ii, RC-62ii, RS-42ii, RW-10d
    Epson 8700UB
    In Storage
    [Home Audio]
    Rotel RCD-02, Yamaha KX-W900U, Sony ST-S500ES, Denon DP-7F
    Pro-Ject Phono Box MKII, Parasound P/HP-850, ASL Wave 20 monoblocks
    Klipsch RF-35, RB-51ii
    [Car Audio]
    Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP, Memphis 16-MCA3004, Boston Acoustic RC520
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  • The Darkhorse
    The Darkhorse Posts: 101
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by audiobliss
    I know I'm gonna get flamed, but I LOVE my Bose Tri-Port headphones. I was using w/e came with my protable equipment until I got a pair Koss UR-20. Really big, uncomfortable, but sound pretty good. Then, I got my Bose Tri-Ports. Wow!! They are SOOO comfortable & light, I forget they're there! The leather cushions squeeze your head just enough, and they're light!! (Oh, I already said that; all well.) They don't sound much better than my Koss headphones do, but the difference in the experience is immeasurable! They also do great for making it seem like surround sound for games.

    Notice: I don't do critical listening with my headphones, so they might not sound *quite* as good as I think. However, they're still outrageously comfortable!!

    I have actually had a few peeps reccomend Bose headphones to me :) I am SURELY not a critical listener either and am mainly looking for something that will sound good when headphones are needed (during LAN parties or when I cant crank the HT :)
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  • The Darkhorse
    The Darkhorse Posts: 101
    edited October 2004
    Well, I picked up some HD570's off ebay for 59 bux :)
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by The Darkhorse
    I have actually had a few peeps reccomend Bose headphones to me :) I am SURELY not a critical listener either and am mainly looking for something that will sound good when headphones are needed (during LAN parties or when I cant crank the HT :)

    Then I would definitely recommend the Tri-Ports as they're the most comfortable things I've ever put on.
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
    PS3, Yamaha CDR-HD1300, Plex, Amazon Fire TV Gen 2
    Pioneer Elite VSX-52, Parasound HCA-1000A
    Klipsch RF-82ii, RC-62ii, RS-42ii, RW-10d
    Epson 8700UB
    In Storage
    [Home Audio]
    Rotel RCD-02, Yamaha KX-W900U, Sony ST-S500ES, Denon DP-7F
    Pro-Ject Phono Box MKII, Parasound P/HP-850, ASL Wave 20 monoblocks
    Klipsch RF-35, RB-51ii
    [Car Audio]
    Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP, Memphis 16-MCA3004, Boston Acoustic RC520
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by The Darkhorse
    Well, I picked up some HD570's off ebay for 59 bux :)

    Lemme know what ya think of 'em.

    Enjoy!
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
    PS3, Yamaha CDR-HD1300, Plex, Amazon Fire TV Gen 2
    Pioneer Elite VSX-52, Parasound HCA-1000A
    Klipsch RF-82ii, RC-62ii, RS-42ii, RW-10d
    Epson 8700UB
    In Storage
    [Home Audio]
    Rotel RCD-02, Yamaha KX-W900U, Sony ST-S500ES, Denon DP-7F
    Pro-Ject Phono Box MKII, Parasound P/HP-850, ASL Wave 20 monoblocks
    Klipsch RF-35, RB-51ii
    [Car Audio]
    Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP, Memphis 16-MCA3004, Boston Acoustic RC520
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited October 2004
    I owned them prior to the HD580 and was not overwhelmed, thus the upgrade. Bass was the issue for me with that series.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited October 2004
    I'm dumbfounded that Koss has any sort of recommendation from anyone about any of their products. I've officially heard it all.

    As for the Tri-Ports, maybe it's just me but I can't stand them. Sure they're light weight and comfortable, but the sound is typical Bose. Hollow and lifeless. They sound like a cheap driver in a cheaper plastic cup. Wait...

    The only headphones I can talk about are my headphones I use for DJing. Pioneer HDJ-1000's. They're a lot heavier than most headphones but the sound is awesome. Very aggressive and louder than anything you could imagine. The frequency response is out of this world. Never heard this much bass from a headphone before. I got mine for $150 online (www.audiolines.com) but I've never really tried them for an audiophile standpoint, only DJing or for my iPod on the airplane... again listening to electronica. But I did take them into work one day because everyone was raving about the Tri-Ports and they soon changed their minds when they heard the Pioneers... just designed for a different application.
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited October 2004
    Originally posted by Toxis
    I'm dumbfounded that Koss has any sort of recommendation from anyone about any of their products. I've officially heard it all.
    Glad to be of service... :D ... but don't do anything stupid like drive into a bridge abutment at 100 MPH... there are other things to live for...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • Mjr7531
    Mjr7531 Posts: 856
    edited October 2004
    Have you thought about AKG? Perhaps the K240s? I personally think they are the best headphones I have heard that cost in the ball park of 100 bucks. However, go somewhere and listen to them and others, do you have a Sam Ash around you? Try a store that sells music instuments, They normally have a room for DJ equipment, with monitors, CD players, mixing stations etc... You can go there and listen to headphones using good to awesome equipment.
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