Recommendations on new Headphones/Headsets
- Thread starter Dtshaw
- Start date
Soldato
I have some 770 pro headphones 80 hms ( £99) well worth the price I have them through a Head Box headphone Amp ( £115) from my sound card and have the EQ set to flat , I also have some momentums 2.0 ( £169) and also a set of Bowers and Wilkins P3 ( £120) for the laptop
Ah, gotcha but was looking to spend around £50 if i do get the DT990s or DT770s or any alternatives within that price range..
Soldato
I should say though that I myself find the DTs a bit base heavy out of the box as it were , shame you can increase your budget ...cos I would say go for something from Sennheiser maybe
What Sennheisrs did you have in mind?. It's just i am thinking of the combined price of DAC/AMP or soundcard + headphones. I have done some research but so many options for a guy getting into this for the first time..
@EsaT If the audio on my motherboard is low quality.. would it also not hold back the Hyperx Alphas performance?. I have just been thinking.. i can either get a E10 Dac/Amp with the DT 770/990s or get a soundcard and try it with the HyperXs... What would you recommend?
I think the trouble when recommending audio products, more so for music use than gaming, is that preferences vary and experiences differ greatly from person to person.
If talking about whether a DAC/amp will make a notable improvement to the HyperX Alpha's, then you've got someone who has posted here saying he hasn't found one that has made any notable improvement over his motherboard audio; whereas elsewhere, other people have said there is a notable difference when using a DAC/amp with the Alpha's. The difficulty is, that no one is right and no one is wrong. What matters is what works for you. Knowing exactly what that is, is impossible to know really without trying different things first.
I remember some years ago, there was a guy who posted on the Head-Fi forum, saying that he could not tell any difference between both a X-Fi Titanium HD and Xonar Essence STX sound cards and his motherboard audio, using DT990 headphones. He also had another pair, but I can't remember what they were. Anyway, he could tell no difference between onboard audio and two £150 sound cards. Unsurprisingly, there were other posters who were amazed he couldn't; and also unsurprisingly, some posters who said that there must be something wrong with his hearing.
At the other end, I also remember one forum member saying how much better the Essence STXII was compared to the STX he had before. The STXII is basically the same sound card with minor differences. I'm sceptical to say the least, of this notable improvement, but if someone said that is what he heard, then who am I to say any different.
You could buy a DAC/amp or sound card and find that there is an improvement with the Alpha's, just as you could find that there is very little to none. I'm more inclined to say you're more lilely to find the improvement you are looking for with other headphones, whether it's the DT770/990's or something else, rather than looking to improve upon the Alpha's.
If talking about whether a DAC/amp will make a notable improvement to the HyperX Alpha's, then you've got someone who has posted here saying he hasn't found one that has made any notable improvement over his motherboard audio; whereas elsewhere, other people have said there is a notable difference when using a DAC/amp with the Alpha's. The difficulty is, that no one is right and no one is wrong. What matters is what works for you. Knowing exactly what that is, is impossible to know really without trying different things first.
I remember some years ago, there was a guy who posted on the Head-Fi forum, saying that he could not tell any difference between both a X-Fi Titanium HD and Xonar Essence STX sound cards and his motherboard audio, using DT990 headphones. He also had another pair, but I can't remember what they were. Anyway, he could tell no difference between onboard audio and two £150 sound cards. Unsurprisingly, there were other posters who were amazed he couldn't; and also unsurprisingly, some posters who said that there must be something wrong with his hearing.
At the other end, I also remember one forum member saying how much better the Essence STXII was compared to the STX he had before. The STXII is basically the same sound card with minor differences. I'm sceptical to say the least, of this notable improvement, but if someone said that is what he heard, then who am I to say any different.
You could buy a DAC/amp or sound card and find that there is an improvement with the Alpha's, just as you could find that there is very little to none. I'm more inclined to say you're more lilely to find the improvement you are looking for with other headphones, whether it's the DT770/990's or something else, rather than looking to improve upon the Alpha's.
Yeah, it's all rather subjective in regards to sound. I have read/watched so much content, various different terms and the technical stuff and while i am understanding it. It can be overwhelming, if i am completely honest!. It's my first time buying proper headphones!. I have seen a lot of people in my position go for the DT990s and the Filo E10 as their first setup.. and have high praise, however a few people have said the E10s can only power up to 150 Ohm and it's not recommended to buy it with them, so yea. I would be curious to your insight upon the setup or alternative within that price range..
In regard to the E10K and the recommended headphone impedance; some people take that literally. I guess that is understandable, but not everything in the audio world translates from what is on paper or a website into what is heard, if that makes any sense. The E10K can drive headphones with a higher impedance pretty well, such as Sennheiser HD600/650 for example, which are 300 Ohm. Heck, even the FiiO X1 can drive the 600/650 pretty well. I've got both an X1 and HD600's and it does a decent job. X1 has less power than the E10K.
Impedance rating is just a guide really. There are other factors to take into consideration when determining how easy or difficult any given headphone is to drive. You can't go on impedance alone. Some specs aren't given and the average person has no idea of what to look for, so most people just by the impedance rating, but some take it as a rule I guess.
As an example of impedance rating not telling the whole truth as to how much power the headphones in question might require: AKG K702, which are 62 Ohm require four times as much power as Sennheiser HD598, which are 50 Ohm to reach the same dB. K702's need twice as much power as the 250 Ohm DT770/990 to reach the same dB, despite having a quarter of the impedance.
I think there are some Hifiman headphones that really need a speaker amplifier to power them properly. That's quite rare though.
Impedance rating is just a guide really. There are other factors to take into consideration when determining how easy or difficult any given headphone is to drive. You can't go on impedance alone. Some specs aren't given and the average person has no idea of what to look for, so most people just by the impedance rating, but some take it as a rule I guess.
As an example of impedance rating not telling the whole truth as to how much power the headphones in question might require: AKG K702, which are 62 Ohm require four times as much power as Sennheiser HD598, which are 50 Ohm to reach the same dB. K702's need twice as much power as the 250 Ohm DT770/990 to reach the same dB, despite having a quarter of the impedance.
I think there are some Hifiman headphones that really need a speaker amplifier to power them properly. That's quite rare though.
In regard to the E10K and the recommended headphone impedance; some people take that literally. I guess that is understandable, but not everything in the audio world translates from what is on paper or a website into what is heard, if that makes any sense. The E10K can drive headphones with a higher impedance pretty well, such as Sennheiser HD600/650 for example, which are 300 Ohm. Heck, even the FiiO X1 can drive the 600/650 pretty well. I've got both an X1 and HD600's and it does a decent job. X1 has less power than the E10K.
Impedance rating is just a guide really. There are other factors to take into consideration when determining how easy or difficult any given headphone is to drive. You can't go on impedance alone. Some specs aren't given and the average person has no idea of what to look for, so most people just by the impedance rating, but some take it as a rule I guess.
As an example of impedance rating not telling the whole truth as to how much power the headphones in question might require: AKG K702, which are 62 Ohm require four times as much power as Sennheiser HD598, which are 50 Ohm to reach the same dB. K702's need twice as much power as the 250 Ohm DT770/990 to reach the same dB, despite having a quarter of the impedance.
I think there are some Hifiman headphones that really need a speaker amplifier to power them properly. That's quite rare though.
Aha, yeah. I have read plenty of reports that being the case. I am kinda leaning towards the DT 990 Pros and E10k at the moment!. The only thing that concerns me is the none detachable cable and if that goes bad.
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Soldato
I started out with the DT990 pros (250 ohm) and an E10K and they worked well together. The E10K easily powers the Beyers without breaking a sweat. Short of you physically ripping the cable out you're unlikely to damage them, Beyers are built like tanks, including their cables.
Awesome, they will be picked up on Friday/Refunded the same day. I don't suppose you have a microphone recommendation for headphones?. The only ones i can see are the £50 Antlion Audio ModMic Attachable Boom Microphone.
Soldato
No, sorry, I only play single player games
If you can find 3,5mm plug mic Beyers are easy to DIY mod:Awesome, they will be picked up on Friday/Refunded the same day. I don't suppose you have a microphone recommendation for headphones?. The only ones i can see are the £50 Antlion Audio ModMic Attachable Boom Microphone.
https://imgur.com/gallery/bKU4H
I think Creative's cheap headsets still have such detachable mic.
DT990 is certainly really well balanced for gaming.
While it's not up to top level in details/positioning with binaural sound, it does well in that while having good bass punch.
Of course when fed standard stereo mix for speakers only positioning is artificial inside left/right ear, or in center of the head.
But that's no different from any headphone, including absolute top level AKG K702.
Headphones simply can't ever create cues brain uses to position sound sources, if those cues don't exist in signal.
Soldato
Explain this then: I'm currently listening to music in stereo with my DT1990, Schiit Modi Multibit and Schiit Vali 2 setup and have sounds outside my head plus front/rear depth (voices in front, instruments behind) and even some height now and again.
I have no idea how it happens, it just does. With my last amp (Magni 3) the sound was pretty much between my ears with the same music but the tube hybrid, Vali 2, seems to have rewritten the rule book.
I have no idea how it happens, it just does. With my last amp (Magni 3) the sound was pretty much between my ears with the same music but the tube hybrid, Vali 2, seems to have rewritten the rule book.
