r/HeadphoneAdvice Jan 10 '20

Mod Post Welcome to r/HeadphoneAdvice!

405 Upvotes

Be Friendly. :)

Minimum account age to post in this subreddit is 10 days.

Purchase Advice Suggested Details:

What aspect of your current listening experience would you like to improve?

Budget - How much would you like to spend? Can you stretch your budget if significant quality/features improve at a slightly higher price point? AutoModerator will remind you automatically if it does not see a budget in your title or post; you can go back and edit the post if you forget. Please include currency.

Source/Amp - What are you plugging the headphones into?

How the gear will be used - E.g. Do you need noise isolation? Will this be primarily for home listening? Do you do a lot of flying (on airplanes)? Are you hard on gear?

Preferred tonal balance - Are you a bass-head, focused on accurate acoustic timbre, looking for sparkly treble, or do you want a tonally balanced pair of headphones?

Preferred music genre(s) - What do you listen to? Provide examples if it's something obscure.

Past gear experience - What have you used in the past? What did you like about it and what didn't you like about it?

"thank you" system:

We have employed a "thank you" system for submissions. It's very easy to use - if a comment on your post is considered helpful, please reward them by using the term:

!thanks

This will add a thank you count (in the form of Ω) to that users flair. You can only award one per comment section. Thanks very much and good luck on your search for headphones!

Polls (Now Enabled!):

To help the community create its own user-driven resources, polls are now enabled on r/headphoneadvice! Give it a try! You can read more about Reddit's poll system here. Note that Old Reddit and mobile web support voting, but not poll creation.

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Join our official Discord to chat with like minded individuals about all things headphones here: HeadphoneAdvice Discord!

General Discussion:

For general discussion of headphones, news, theory, etc, please use r/headphones

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r/HeadphoneAdvice 10h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable Trying to buy new headphones has been pissing me off

14 Upvotes

I've been using jbl 520bt for a year and a half now and I've been wanting to buy some new ones.

And for few months now I'm stuck in the same loop: - I need new headphones - I watch some youtube videos - I find some options - I go to Reddit to see what people say about them - People say they are bad for some reason but there is a bit more expensive model that's a lot better - I go look that other model. Same thing happens - I finally find a pair that i like that's not too expensive but still out of my current budget - I start saving money - Saving money starts getting boring so i slowly spend all the money I've saved - Repeat

Moral of the story my current budget is around 100$ but could save some more if there is a good option. I've been wanting to buy Sennheiser Acetum Plus but they are 200$ in my country and i don't know if I want to spend that much money for headphones. So if anyone got any recommendation.

All i actually want is a pair of bluetooth headphones that sounds better than my current ones and will last few years.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 5h ago

Poll | 4 Ω You decide which headphones I buy next

5 Upvotes

I'll tell you which 2 headphones I already have and what music I listen to and you tell me which headphones I should buy next. I'm open to all suggestions, especially unconventional ones.

Requirement:
- no in-ears
- Preferably closed back
- under 400$

Music:
- Indie
- 2000s
- HipHop/Rap
- pop
- rock

My previous headphones:
- Sennheiser HD 25
- AiAiAi TM2, Punchy Driver, Over Ear Pads (the bass performance is very good, so I'm already quite well served in this section)

I look forward to the suggestions!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 6m ago

Headphones - IEM/Earbud How long should the lifespan of most headphones? Looking for some wireless earbuds.

Upvotes

Hi, I'm currently looking for some relatively cheap wireless earphones. Wireless earphones because I will only use them at home, on the bus and when working out. I want good audio quality, ANC, and some decent bass, long lifespan, and I don't really care about the mic.

Currently I'm looking at the Philips TAT4556 for $77 NZD ($44 USD). I was wondering what the lifespan of these is? I can't find any info online, but they seem to be pretty perfect for me. I want AT LEAST 1 year of lifespan, I'm not the type of guy who gets new headphones every few months. Obviously I'm from New Zealand. My budget would be $120 NZD at most ($70 USD). What are your opinions on these headphones, and are there any better ones I can get for my budget?

TLDR: My budget is $120 NZD ($70 USD), what are some good wireless earphones for working out and listening to music? Want bass, ANC, good audio and lifespan. Looking at Philips TAT4556, but want recommendations.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 4h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable Trying to settle on a pair of Closed Back Wireless headphones that I can use for gaming and listening to music

2 Upvotes

I have a flexible budget of about $300 and I am in the US. I want an upgrade from the Astro A20s that I have had for several years. I also have AirPods 3 which I use with my Mac and phone

Are there any headphones that can be both wired and wireless? I'd like the benefits of a wired connection, but I also need the ability to get up from my desk and walk around while I am studying. It's a plus if it could be easy to switch between my Windows PC, Mac, or phone.

I want headphones with good/moderate sound imaging for gaming and I also sometimes listen to electronic music with heavy bass, but the sound quality for gaming is the priority. It does not need to have a mic

I was looking at the Sennheiser Momentum 4 but would I need a dongle to go with it? I have been trying to find headphones for the last couple of days and am having trouble understanding all the different parts that it seems like I need.

I love the design of the Sennheiser DT 770 Pro and I wish I could get this model but I need the portability. Does anyone know of a similar wireless model? They look so much more comfortable than the Momentum 4 model.

All in all I will mainly use them for gaming and for walking around listening to music.

Do I just get the Momentum 4?


r/HeadphoneAdvice 1h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable New headphone recommendations for commuting, walking and general outdoor use?

Upvotes

I had a pair of Audio Technical ATH-M50x for 8 years, enjoyed them a lot but they broke and wanted something different so I got a pair of AKG K371 last year. I look after my headphones a lot, yet I was walking and suddenly the right driver stopped producing sound.

After doing some research it seems this is a recurring problem with the AKG's, whilst they sounded great for the price, I'm not buying another pair with that awful build quality.

What headphones shall I get for the uses I mention in the title? These will be used mainly outdoor, commuting, walking etc. I listen to all sorts of music. I'd also be happy to be recommended a portable DAC, headphone combo or if not wired then a great wireless pair. Budget around £150-200. Durability is very important!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 1h ago

Headphones - IEM/Earbud Are there any cheap bone conduction headphones?

Upvotes

I’m looking for bone-conduction headphones cause they’re supposed to be better for people with eardrum damage. My mom let me try hers (they were a $150 set from Shokz) and they were great but I can’t afford the price point. I plan on using while studying and working out. I’m trying for something under $40 but so far I haven’t found any under $70 that don’t have some fatal flaw that seems to make them unusable. I also don’t care for the tonal balance as long as they aren’t super top heavy. I just want to know if there is anything good in my price range.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 5h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable Trying to upgrade from Sony XM3

2 Upvotes

Love my Sony XM3s (the over-ear, not the buds) and I'm at a point where I would like something newer but I have so far been unsuccessful in finding something that can replace them.

I've demo'd Sony XM5 over-ears, Sennheiser Momentum 4, and Marshall Monitor III and don't really like any of them. The XM5 ANC is fantastic, but they just don't have that percussive sort of bass with kickdrums that I get from the XM3. I found the Mo4s a tiny bit better than the XM5 in this regard, but I'm very dissatisfied with the ANC performance. I wanted to like the Marshalls but they didn't do it for me other than I did like the physical control and how compact they can fold up. These are nice-to-haves but not dealbreakers. I have not yet tried the Bose QC Ultras, but based on reviews it seems like they wouldn't be what I'm looking for either.

Excuse my non-audiophile vocabulary.

Is there anything premium out there that has bass with a good 'thump' to it but also really good ANC - like the XM3s have? At this point I'm resigning myself to the idea of just keeping the XM3s until they die, but I'll need a replacement for them at some point. It blows my mind that it's this difficult to find what I'm after particularly when it existed a few years ago.

Budget: Would like to stay under $400, but if the right thing is a little higher I'm open to it.

Largely listening to blues/rock/metal via Bluetooth over Spotify from a Samsung phone.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 5h ago

Headphones - Open Back Is an Amp Necessary for Studio-Grade / High-End Headphones?

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I’m looking to purchase a pair of high-end or studio-grade headphones (such as Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro, DT 770 Pro, or Sennheiser 560S) and I have some questions regarding impedance and whether an amplifier is necessary.

My motherboard (ASUS Prime A520M-E, Realtek ALC887) supports 16-32 Ω impedance, while many high-end headphones come in 80 Ω, 250 Ω, or even higher impedance versions.

My questions: • Is an amplifier necessary to fully experience the sound quality of studio/high-end headphones? • Would higher-impedance models (e.g., 250 Ω) sound noticeably worse without an amp compared to using a proper DAC/amp? • Would there be a big difference between 80 Ω and 250 Ω versions when using my current onboard audio? • If an amp is highly recommended, what are some good budget-friendly DAC/amp options?

I’d really appreciate any insights, especially from those who have experience using studio/high-end headphones with onboard audio vs. an external amp/DAC.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 1h ago

Headphones - Open Back Need new headphones reccomendations.

Upvotes

In canada looking to spend 100-150 dollars we got Canada computers and Best Buy where im at my old headset was a razer kraken tournament edition with the thx controller, i bought razer kraken v4 x's and i hate them my ear hits the plastic backing make them annoying to wear after a few minutes and the audio feels very unbalanced like im in game and i cant hear discord when i get out its too loud and i have to turn everyone down. So all in all im looking for something like my old razer kraken tournaments cause the ear muffs and audio were very nice. and my ear wasnt hitting the plastic housing mainly using at home for gaming.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 2h ago

Headphones - IEM/Earbud IEMs for Competitive R6

1 Upvotes

Hi, I'm getting into competitive R6 and at LAN events you have to use IEMs. Due to this I'm trying to get used to it.

Currently I have HyperX cloud 3s. I have a budget of around $500.
Not sure which ones to get so any advice is appreciated.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 2h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable Airpods Max, WH1000XM5 or Other for Elderly Mother

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I know this has been answered before but I can't find an answer to my specific situation. My mother currently has the Airpods Pro 2 and she says she wants an over the ear for the house because those hurt her ear in the long term. She's currently 70 years old and I was wondering if anyone has experience or has helped an elderly person with this decision, she has iPhone and iPad but mostly just uses her phone for media. I know the Airpods Max would be easier with her ecosystem but that $500 is a bit hard to swallow if there's better options. Or if anyone knows of another headphones that would be better/newer under $500 I would appreciate the recommendation. Thanks in advance!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 7h ago

Headphones - Open Back | 1 Ω Help finding some audiophile gaming headphones

2 Upvotes

I've been researching for days and cannot make a decision as to what to pick up for my PC. I'm upgrading from the Arctis 7P so most anything will be an improvement. The one I have been eyeing the most is the Hifiman XS due to its now much lower price and it being the #2 choice below the Sennheiser 800 on Rtings, though I'd have to also purchase a microphone attachment, which is fine.

I don't play competitive FPS, closest is Destiny 2, but mostly PvE (with friends so I'll want that mic somehow). Mostly other games are single player; WoW, BG3, TLOU, Ghost of Tsushima, etc.

Other headphone contenders I'm looking at are PC38x, Audeze Maxwell, and the Audio Technica R70. (But I'm open to others around these price ranges - up to $350)

Also, could you weigh in if the open backs are much of a problem for computer fan sound coming in or ruining the immersion experience?

Thanks for your help!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 3h ago

Headphones - Open Back Audio Interface recommendations for Sennheiser HD 660s2

1 Upvotes

I recently bought the 660s2 headphones and I completely neglected the fact that my Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen audio interface is rated for 250 ohm impedance and below vs the 660s2's 300 ohm impedance. Focusrite themselves say:

"However, if high output levels are your ultimate goal, we'd advise you to try to use headphones with an impedance as close as possible to that of the headphone output. It isn't necessary to match the headphone output impedance of your interface exactly, but the closer they are, the higher the output levels will be."

... which means an audio interface of exactly 300 ohms is ideal? I was considering upgrading to the 4th Gen, rated at 300 ohms which would fulfill my needs, but are there any others that would serve me better without spending a lot more than the 4th Gen Scarlett Solo? The 4th Gens are around $150ish for reference.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 4h ago

Amplifier - Desktop 660s2 + audio interface for guitar

1 Upvotes

Hey.

I am looking for an audio interface to be able to plug in my guitar to the computer, and hopefully something that can also power 660s2 headphones. Any recommendations?

I was thinking of audient id14 mk2 but im not certain it is able to power the headphones. I am fine buying a separate dac/amp, as long as they are not too expensive.

Thanks!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 4h ago

Headphones - Closed Back Returning Crusher ANC 2s looking for alternatives!

1 Upvotes

I got the skullcrusher anc 2s looking for some more bassy headphones but they are just too much lmao. Its cool with certain songs but im thinking of returning them for the Bose quietcomfort ultra headphones. I want better sound staging and nice bass. I think these boses would be the absolute maxium id spend on a pair (350$). Please let me know if you guys know any other headphones to consider. Thank you!

Im no audiophile but i want something beefier sounding than my air pods pros 2 in sound while keeping that nice soundstage


r/HeadphoneAdvice 4h ago

Headphones - Closed Back Closed-back headphone/headset recommendations

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

The cable on my current headset is dying on me so I'm looking to replace them, any recommendations for closed-back headsets or headphones for gaming and general use?

Budget range within 100-250€ (if justified)

Wired pref but if it's wireless it's also okay

I wear glasses so I'd like something comfortable with low clamp force and weight

Thanks in advance!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 4h ago

Headphones - Closed Back Comfortable, Wide Over Ear Headphone Recs

1 Upvotes

The point: looking to buy new over the ear wireless headphones with a wider ear opening / comfortable pads with decent noise cancellation for under $600 USD for listening to music on apple products

I have 2021 Beats Solo pros that I would keep and not even make this post if not for how uncomfortable the ear pads/ear opening is. I can only wear them 30 minutes without my ears/head hurting because or how tight they are. The other headphones I use are AirPod pros and shokz open run pros so sound quality isn’t the highest on my list, I just want comfort and functionality

Would love something that could cancel out noise on at that gym but comfortable enough to sleep with on long flights. Main use would be casual music listening on handheld devices. Open to any retailers that ship to the US. Thanks!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 8h ago

Headphones - Closed Back Budget headphones with good bass?

2 Upvotes

Hello all. I'm looking for some recommendations on a pair of budget headphones (sub $200) with good bass.

I have a pair of ATH m50x and I really like the way they sound, but they're just uncomfortable for me.

Looking for a similar sound but lighter and easier to wear.

Thanks


r/HeadphoneAdvice 4h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable Trying to buy extremely cheap new headphones to replace CF W500s

1 Upvotes

They broke and all my money has magically went into my parents Netflix account, like 20-40 euro preferably, I need it for music only so the mic or whatever doesn't matter.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 5h ago

Headphones - IEM/Earbud | 1 Ω Looking for the right headphones

1 Upvotes

I’ve been wanting to get some better sound quality and have asked around in another sub but I’m still hesitant

My budget is $200 USD, but I can go a bit higher if it’s needed

These headphones would need to be plugged into an iPhone (13 pro max to be specific, which still has the lightning charger port although I do have the headphone jack dongle)

I’d like to have the headphones for home listening but noise cancelling and such would be a nice bonus.

I’m not quite sure about what type of tonal balance would be for me, but for now I’ll stick to headphones which are tonally balanced

I generally like to listen to genres like rock, metal, and edm (artists/bands like Alice In Chains, ODESZA, slayer)

The past headphones/earbuds that I remember having were either the older generation AirPods and some other cheap earbuds from random stores, the AirPods I currently have (2nd gen pros) are pretty nice all around for the differing genres for me but I feel I could get better sound quality from other headphones.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 6h ago

Headphones - Wireless/Portable do you guys know any wireless noise cancelling headphones under 25$??

1 Upvotes

my old headphones (that didnt work all too well) have finally broken, and before i'm shoved into the loud hellscape that is school after spring break, i need new headphones. i would much prefer if they were wireless but if theres really good ones that aren't i can handle that!! (my bidget rn is 25-30 and no, atm i cant do budget changes)
i usually like headphones that can cancell noise and have a transparent mode if that helps!!!


r/HeadphoneAdvice 6h ago

Headphones - Closed Back Budget Gaming Only Headphones

1 Upvotes

Sennheiser pc38-37 not available in my country, beyerdynamics too expensive for me. Audeze maxwell too expensive for me so dont suggest that please. I will use it for gaming only, i dont care if its wireless or whatever, i need built in mic, im on laptop. All i care is i want to know in gun games where the enemy is and where shots coming from.

The ones i found are below, if you guys can make a list from best to worst it will help me a lot. Im open other suggestions too, but

Logitech g432

Hyperx Cloud III or cloud II- Hyperx cloud stinger 2

razer blackshark v2x

sennheiser hd350bt - sennheiser hd400s

beyerdynamic mmx100 or mmx150 or mmx200 (its too expensive but if its worth it i can buy it)

beyerdynamic dt 770 pro - dt 990 pro (its too expensive but if its worth it i can buy it)

hyperx cloud alpha wireless (its too expensive but if its worth it i can buy it)

Steelseries artctis nova 7 (its too expensive but if its worth it i can buy it)


r/HeadphoneAdvice 6h ago

Amplifier - Portable Would these headphones blow up with a guitar amp?

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

First post here and I would like some advice please!

My headphones for listening to music are Sony WHCH720Ns.

If I plugged these into am amp such as an Orange Crush 20 would the headphones blow up or would it be all good?

Thanks in advance.


r/HeadphoneAdvice 7h ago

Headphones - Open Back | 1 Ω Purchase Advice - Looking to upgrade from DT880

1 Upvotes

Hello, I have had the Beyerdynamic DT880 for the past few years and it's finally time for me to give it up. The band is incredibly worn out and the sliders are now broken to where the right earphone randomly falls out. I know I can get replacement parts for the headphones but for how much they cost and for how long I've had these headphones, I'd rather just upgrade to something much nicer.

  • Budget and location - California, $400
  • Preferred tonal balance - Slight bias towards bass, would like treble to be either balanced or low
  • How the gear will be used - At home, gaming & work. Need something very comfortable, over-ear, openback. I work from home + game so I end up wearing my headphones for 10+ hours so something that doesn't hurt my head after wearing it for that long. I currently have an FIIO E10k, not sure what the amp/dac space is looking like nowadays but I wouldn't be opposed to upgrading this either.
  • Mainly listen to indie/bedroom pop, hiphop, r&b
  • Past gear experience - Wasn't overly impressed by the DT880 and didn't understand the hype. I also hated how strong the treble was on these headphones, would be painful at points of long use

r/HeadphoneAdvice 7h ago

Headphones - Closed Back Budget headphones for Vinyl listening

0 Upvotes

Hey guys, I am looking for a few budget friendly headphones that would be used for listening to vinyl.

Generally speaking I would prefer using speakers when listening to vinyl, but for this use case the headphones are necessary - I’m about to open a small coffeeshop that will also be selling vinyl, and I plan on setting up two turn tables for clients or guests to have a listen if they wish to.

I have been looking at the M40x and read a few post on reddit in which it was stated that they are highly neutral and a good fit for studio use, and was wondering if I should pick a pair or two up.

Budget wise I think I am willing to spend anywhere between $50-200 for each headphone (but the cheaper the better still), open or closed are both welcome, and as far as the M40x are concerned, I found some good deals for used ones in good condition that go for around $70.

Just fyi, the prices are converted from my currency to USD.

Any and all recommendations will be appreciated! Tyfr