Goldring DR150 vs Sennheiser HD 555

Nameless_87

Nameless_87

Nameless_87

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Hi,

I finally managed to reduce the selection to these 2 headphones.

I will use the headphones for a lot of movies, some gaming and music. Movies being the most important.

I have my own pc room so noise coming out of the headphones is not a problem as I won't be bothering anyone. (That's why I ruled out the Goldring NS 1000)

So I want the best sound quality and build so that they can last a few years.

These are the best prices I found:

Goldring DR150 - £55
Sennheiser HD 555 - £66

So which one should I get out of these 2... I'm also open to other suggestions of course... I just want the best.

Also, can you spec me a great sound card to go with these headphones and the Logitech X-540 speakers I currently own?

Sound Card Budget - £80

Thanks
 
If you get the HD555s, I'd suggest an X-Fi soundcard of some sort (not Xtreme Audio). If you go for the DR150s I'd suggest a Xonar (not DS), at least if you'll be using the headphone surround virtualisation on the soundcards. This is because of the differences in soundstage.

Both decent headphones really. I'd say the HD555s have the edge for build quality and confort. The DR150s sound better in most respects.

Having said that, given that NS1000s are cheaper than either, I wouldn't discount them at all. I rate them higher than both the HD555 and DR150.
 
The problem is... since I'm in Malta the NS1000 I cant find them in the UK for less then the price I mentioned.

Tbh I was favoring the HD555 over the DR150 but I fancied a Xonar card more than a Xi-Fi one.

I'm really confused now... Also what is the difference between the 555 and 595? the 595 are almost twice the price of the 555
 
My 555's broke a few months ago and I replaced them with some DR150's.

I have to say that I much prefer the DR150's. Both interms of sound quality and comfort.

Surround sound virtualisation works perfectly well with my X-Fi Fatality as well.

So my advice...buy the DR150's and be happy :D
 
Nameless_87 said:
The problem is... since I'm in Malta the NS1000 I cant find them in the UK for less then the price I mentioned.

Tbh I was favoring the HD555 over the DR150 but I fancied a Xonar card more than a Xi-Fi one.

I'm really confused now... Also what is the difference between the 555 and 595? the 595 are almost twice the price of the 555
Click to expand...

NS1000 can be had for £49.99 at the moment from the usual place where they keep coming on offer.

The HD555 won't be bad with Xonar as such. It's just that the synergy with Dolby Headphone isn't as good as the Goldrings. This is because the HD555s have angled drivers plus an internal reflector to give more speaker like presentation. That's what Dolby Headphone is designed to do. It still works but might sound a bit too echoey and virtual speaker placement might be a little off.

The difference between the HD555 and HD595 is literally a small bit of internal plastic. They share most of the same components. I'd say the two are very similar indeed. Not worth the price difference IMO.
 
Uriel said:
NS1000 can be had for £49.99 at the moment from the usual place where they keep coming on offer.

The HD555 won't be bad with Xonar as such. It's just that the synergy with Dolby Headphone isn't as good as the Goldrings. This is because the HD555s have angled drivers plus an internal reflector to give more speaker like presentation. That's what Dolby Headphone is designed to do. It still works but might sound a bit too echoey and virtual speaker placement might be a little off.

The difference between the HD555 and HD595 is literally a small bit of internal plastic. They share most of the same components. I'd say the two are very similar indeed. Not worth the price difference IMO.
Click to expand...

Where is this place that keeps giving offers on the NS1000... any hints?

And lets say I'll get a Xonar card to go with the NS1000... Which one should I get?

Thanks for the advice guys :)
 
Sorry to butt in but you guys have an interesting discussion going.

Can I ask how are the Goldring's for gaming, do they allow you hear footsteps from the enemy easily? I was a bit worried about this because they only have a 20,000Hz frequency and the HD555's have a 28,000Hz frequency.
 
I only have the DR50's & they are clear as a bell in FPS games....well in all games tbh.

Directional sound is also brilliant on them.
 
The place that has the NS1000 on offer, is the only place that sells them for that price, only delivers to the UK.

Same for me as Mancubus, X-Fi sound card and Goldring DR150, although I cannot use them yet. :(
 
Marsman said:
The place that has the NS1000 on offer, is the only place that sells them for that price, only delivers to the UK.

Same for me as Mancubus, X-Fi sound card and Goldring DR150, although I cannot use them yet. :(
Click to expand...

Yeah I just noticed that...

The only place that sells them for £49.99 is the p**y and they dont deliver to Malta.

Is there anywhere else where the NS1000 are cheap?

I still kinda like the look of the 555 due to better build quality though.

Really undecided on this.
 
I just wanted to warn you, not sure if it's entirely true or not... But alexhull24 says that the NS1000 works far better only with a headphone amp and without sound quite dull next to the DR150's or something to that effect...
 
Going back to the sound card. The X-Fi Xtreme Gamer is a good card, but my gripe against it is the price. Almost £20 difference is crazy, as the only thing the X-Fi has over the DX is the native EAX5 really. Is EAX even used anymore?

What makes it worse, in a blind listening test, the DX came out on top nearly every time. Also you can buy the D2X for only £3 extra roughly, which although has extra features that are more aimed at people who have some kind of digital speaker system, it has a better DAC than the DX, meaning in theory, sound wise, should whoop the X-Fi. All for an extra £3.

Looking at it that way, the X-Fi is not worth considering imo. £15 cheaper and the Xtreme Gamer is worth considering.
 
Secret_Window said:
I just wanted to warn you, not sure if it's entirely true or not... But alexhull24 says that the NS1000 works far better only with a headphone amp and without sound quite dull next to the DR150's or something to that effect...
Click to expand...

Yes. In passive mode, the NS1000s pretty much require a headphone amp. In active (Noise Cancelling on) mode they have a built in amp and sound very good, save for a slight hissing sound caused by the active noise cancellation.

Bear in mind that active noise cancellation is playing you sound out of phase with the ambient noise. Unless the implementation is perfect, you are bound get some sort of noise artefact.

I've found the hiss depends on background noise and to some extent, freshness of the battery.
 
I'm starting not to like the NS1000... read some reviews about hissing when noise cancellation is on... frankly I prefer a good old normal headphone set...

Currently the 555 are ahead of the DR150 for me due to build quality, however I do not know which one is most comfortable.

About the soundcard, my Antec 1200 has a front headphone and microphone jacks. Will I be able to attach them to the soundcard. I.e which sound card enable this?

Also, I intedt to crossfire with another 5870 later, Where does the sound card fit? Cause I dont know since I never had one.

Thanks for the advice
 
I would say HD555 is more comfortable, but I've never had them on my head for several hours, only had limited time with them.

DR150s should be pretty comfortable unless, like me, you have a big head. I find all the open Goldrings (DR50, DR100, DR150) clamp the sides of my head more than I'd like.
 
DX or Xtreme Gamer, both have front audio header.

As I said in your other thread, the DX will fit into any PCIE socket. It would appear that you have 1x and 4x slots above the GFX card, so either of those.

However the Xtreme Gamer is PCI, so if you go for crossfire, you may not have room for it. It depends if your GFX cards take up 2 slots or just the 1.
 
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Marsman said:
DX or Xtreme Gamer, both have front audio header.

As I said in your other thread, the DX will fit into any PCIE socket. It would appear that you have 1x and 4x slots above the GFX card, so either of those.

However the Xtreme Gamer is PCI, so if you go for crossfire, you may not have room for it. It depends if your GFX cards take up 2 slots or just the 1.
Click to expand...

You said the D2X has better DAC as well... what is that?

And what does the D2X has better than the DX?

Also if I decide to go for the D2X can I just leave the front headphone jack attached to the onboard sound? (I plan to use a splitter (belkin?) at the back to connect headphones and speakers)

Sorry for all the questions as I am a bit of a noob with regards to sound and soundcards.

Thanks again mates.
 
It's ok, to question something is good.

DAC stands for digital to analogue converter. It's the part of the sound card that takes the information coming in, which is digital, and converts it to analogue, which is then sent to the speakers. Bit more to it than that, but that's it in basic term.
 
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