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Hello, I've been looking to replace my current headphones with some better quality ones, but I don't really know what I'm supposed to look for. I'm sorry that I don't really know what headphones I have right now for comparison. What I do know is that I want a Wired Closed Back headset, since I don't really vibe with Bluetooth headphones.

Going through the little list of stuff to add, for budget cheaper is better but if it isn't I can always wait for a sale. or location I'm a US buyer. For tonal balance I guess just in the middle, Accuracy the list says. And for use I'll be using it with my desktop pc.

Thank you ahead of time to anyone who responds!

Hi, I have DT 700 Pro X's and I primarily use them for competitive gaming/music. I tried out the Scarlett Solo for about a month as my PC had too much noise for my cheap motherboard.

My issue is, I cannot stand controlling the volume via the DAC knob, as I have gotten very used to using the knob on my keyboard itself for volume control for years. Everywhere I looked however, people say to keep the windows volume maxed and control the audio levels purely with the DAC.

I returned the solo and am using the apple usb-c to 3.5mm adapter while I look for an alternative.

Is there any real solution to this? I'd prefer not to go back to using a cheap gaming headset but the convenience of keyboard knob is just too good to give up. Sorry for all the knobs.

From what I've sampled of the headphone market, Sennheiser have been my preferred for years due to their quality. However, my current brand (four years old) has been a pain to manage.

I use both an LGTV Smart TV and an Alienware monitor, both for gaming and for viewing. For these, my Sennheiser headphones have needed an adapter to actually plug in, but this adapter is fickle. I can find myself spending minutes tuning it right just to hear things, and lately the audio has become uneven.

Is there an easier way to manage this problem? Do newer Sennheiser headphones have this issue?

I'm trying to find any clip on headphones that won't bleed out/leak out. I have the shokz and they don't bleed out which is great, but I want a wired alternative to have on the side. Anytime I go into this category I fear for the audio bleed, I don't care about cost, I just need it to be good.

Hi everyone - I am seeking advice on extremely comfortable headphones to use to transcribe audio that is difficult to parse and understand. Like people talking in codes and lots of background noise.

I ask that the headphones be comfortable because I have to do it for hours at a time and I wear glasses. So I want to be able to have something on that I don’t notice. I think it has to be over ear headphones though because I really need to be able to hear what people are saying.

I don’t have a real budget but could spend around $400 for the right pair. Or if you told me that these $600 headphones are perfect then I would get those. Thanks so much for your help in advance! Oh and I’d like them to be wireless optional at least. Thanks so much!

Hello!

As ANC feature in my Sony's is dying for some reason (probably due to warranty ending few months ago) I was thinking about buying wired headphones, as I'm not travelling as much with public transport anymore (since I bought a car) nor flying a lot. These will be mostly used with my PC or phone, budget is around $300-$500. I knew I want closed backs as I don't like sound leaking, don't really care as much about soundstage (but I admit, it's amazing compared to closed backs), and love bassy headphones as you can guess from my dying ones. I also want to get a budget Fiio dac/Amp combo, like the E10K or something. After some research I found that Meze 99 Neo would be best for what I'd like (bassy closed backs), but I'd love to hear your opinion with few questions answered: Will this be an improvement from my XM3s? Are there better, still bassy alternatives in this budget? Will the amp/dac combo be helpful or is it a waste of money on such budget?

Thank you and will provide more info if necessary!

So I was initially going to buy a pair of airpods 2 pros coming from the airpods 3 however, I don't see the use of buying another pair of airpods for now. So I decided to get some headphones at around the same price range( (max of 256.44 USD).

for sound quality, I think I'd prefer treble mids and some bass. I generally dislike muddy sounding things, and would want to hear certain "unhearables"

A song example would be "veil" from the anime fire force. I generally want to be able to tell the instruments apart. So for example, I could hear around 2 guitars and a bass, with cheap headphones I guess you'd hear just the song. Another song would be September by earth wind fire, I also like being able to tell the instruments apart, and not just hear the song in general. So maybe the violins trumpets and stuff.

As for the games I play, I generally play singleplayer games. So, FFXVI, Wukong, Souls games etc. I also play MP games, but I honestly do not care enough about footsteps as I used to. I'm only serious about 2042, and maybe no-build fortnite, but I usally just turn down the volume and listen to my own stuff. But, I do like the BGM in the BF games. I would say, my 3rd favorite thing in games is usally the background music, and being able to hear everything nicely is nice.

I don't care for mics, as I never talk in-game. I also don't really care if it's a gaming brand or not, but based on the headphones I've used, they tend to be shitty when you slap the gaming title on it. I use my airpods 3 for everything, but it does a weird thing where it becomes low quality when someone talks. From normal, it becoms muddy and sometimes "slow-mo". I switched on over to Quantum 50's in the meanwhile, but I've realized wired is really annoying.

Leather/ette is also a no-no since I live in a tropical country, so it either gets sticky and hot, or it just crumbles on my ear. Replaceable earcups would also be a godsend but you cant have everything. As for open back vs closed back. I would prefer closed, since It gets noisy where I am, and if need be, I can use one headphone cup.

PS. I'm also looking for some cheaper 85 USD headphone reccomendations for my girlfriend, as she doesn''t wanna spend more than that since she doesnt play much. we have the same tastes)

Hi, in the past I used the Galaxy Buds Plus, but they did not fit well. I managed to fix the issue by using aftermarket tips. Currently, I am using the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but they fall out when I move my jaw, requiring constant readjustment.

I am considering new TWS options around the same performance. The Technics EAH-AZ80 appears to be the most suitable choice. However, I am not sure about the fit. I am also evaluating the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, and Sennheiser Momentum 4.

Should i consider something else, what would you recommend? Thanks

I listen to most genres, especially hard style / punk rock. Big into gaming (mostly fps and others), and casual listening to podcasts

Always rocking dt 770s when I'm on the pc but tempted to do a hail Mary into IEM space to see if it suits me.

Give me some recommendations to look into. Original pair I saw was the zero reds and now it's been slowly changing to em6l and dunu titan s2s / novas.

How much am I losing out on sticking to a "50" pair vs 100-150 iems?

I do music production, so far I've been using my WH-CH520 headphones for about 2 years, now they're pretty much dead, it's permanently outputting on only one channel. No I don't really wanna fix them at the moment, I thought of buying them again but in a nicer color, I really did not have a bad experience with them for what I did

My budget is about 40€ just because I'm buying something else along with it, should I re-buy them or are there better options? I do music production with a lot of textures, and also if there is an alternative I'd want it to be aesthetic and preferably white

Something like trn bt20xs? Really liked these, but they broke unfortunately. My phone can support aptx lossless and it would be great having something with it. I only use iems with 0.78 2 pin btw, but I would be ready to mod kz stuff. Only requests are aptx lossless and no noise :). There are also some neckband no brand things that claim to support aptx lossless, did anyone have experience with it? Thanks in advance

I'm looking to buy a cheap combined DAC/Amp for under $50 that I can use for extended periods of time with my Letshuoer S12 IEMs. I previously used a Fiio BTR5 that I originally used as a portable DAC, but it started to swell and the case cracked (I assume due to using it over long periods of time, or overcharging the battery). So I'd like a cheap, simple DAC to replace it with.

What I need:

- Balanced output

- Cheap, sturdy, won't overheat or swell over time

- "Neutral" sound, not necessarily adding warmth

What I don't need/can compromise on in the interest of price:

- Bluetooth

- Doesn't need a small form factor/portability

- PEQ or apps since I already use Equalizer APO

Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

i mostly play games but whenever i try to find good wireless headphones it’s always bluetooth and the windows connectivity sucks and the latency is super high and when i look for 2.4 ghz it’s always “gamer” headsets with a boom mic so i want something with good sound quality so i can listen to music and watch movies when i want but also for when i play fps games so i can track, being below 300$ if possible. i’m using the logitech pro x’s rn and they’re fine but i’d like a step up in audio quality, thank you so much!

Hi there, thank you kind strangers, who decided to help me with advice.

Few days ago I got myself Philips 9500 headphones, because previously I was using Razer Kraken ones (sounds like i'm in a barrel) and AirPods (the ones with 3.5mm jack - was quite nice, but I don't like to have headphones inside my ears for long period of time), so I decided to go for a better headphones. My main case scenario - watching Netflix, listening YT music and playing games, nothing fancy.

And I was going to get the iFi One (if I remember correctly) DAC for them, and then upgrade from that point in a year or smth (I'm in Ukraine, so it's kinda hard to plan something).

But it turned out during my tests of the new headphones that I have a hearing problem and my "center" is twisted to the left a bit (I've tried on different headsets, I've used mono signal and switch LR to RL physically and my audio scene is leaning towards left ear, not perfectly centered as it should be). On a previous headphones it wasn't that noticeable, but now, with wider audio scene, it's more pronounced.

So... I decided to not go with a new DAC for now, and now here's the question! Sorry for such a long explanation post :)

I'm using headphones through the Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC (PRIME Z690-P WIFI motherboard), but I had in my storage the Focusrite Scarlett Solo (used that for Mic during streams about 5-6 years ago) and Fiio E10 (original one, not the k-version, old stuff). Technically, my MD chipset have better features (on paper), but I was thinking - will I get any benefits in sound quality with my E10 or Solo, or I shouldn't bother?

Or maybe I need some cheap DAC/AMP like Moondrop Dawn Pro?

Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to upgrade from my AirPods Pro 2 to a pair of wired IEMs that offer even better sound quality and more power. The AirPods Pro 2 sound great, but I feel like I’m not getting the most out of my high-res audio library. Plus, I have a FiiO DAC sitting at home that I’d love to make use of.

I’m quite new to the world of IEMs, aside from knowing some big names like Sennheiser and Moondrop. Moondrop in particular catches my eye, as I often see them mentioned here on Reddit, and I love the fantasy, colorful designs they have. That being said, I’m not sure where to start without testing multiple pairs. For reference, I felt that the AirPods Pro 2 were lacking a bit in bass.

I mainly listen to EDM, so any recommendations that cater well to that genre would be a huge plus. My budget is flexible, ranging from $80 to a maximum of around $200.

Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Good evening everyone, it is me again, My hyperX cloud alpha S broke lol, so I need to make things move faster.

I decided to buy the HD560S for around 130$, ( I discussed why in the post), and now I need to buy DAC/AMP, ( I won't buy separately, I don't think it is a good value for 150$ budget), however, I have few options and I'm not that good with how to decide which one is better, I'm looking for a DAC/AMP that will last long life with me, I know if I need the top and the best thing I will spend 1000s$ but I'm not a person that works in audio editing so I don't need the best thing life, but I need a DAC/AMP that will stand with me for years and can handle 500$ headphone if I'm going to buy in the far future.

Summery:
My headset is dying, I'm willing to buy HD560s, but I need a powerful reasonable price DAC/AMP that can handle 350-500$ in the far future,
some options in my sight: Fiio K11- Fiio K7- Soundblaster G6,
do you suggest any audio interface? Can be both for my Audio Technica ATR2100X mic and my new headphones, thanks!

Sony M1 vs Fiio FT1

anyone has them both?

im very curios about the soundstage & imaging differences between these two

also vocals & instruments

they both seem to have good punch

i try to avoid siblant headphones like the JT1 i cant stand it lol

to my ears on youtube clips the sony seem to sound overall very clean and deep but lacking thickness & warmth in instruments & vocals, they sound a bit cold, must be the 200hz dip but the imaging sounds extremly good

the ft1 looks like it sounds warmer but im really curious about the sharpness of the treble

currently looking for something likd these two around that price range, im not sure if it goes better than those two at that price range

music, entertainment & gaming mostly

i listen to alot jazz, soul, rnb, classical, orchestra, funk, 60-90‘s music in general, also old school hip hop and dont mind modern tracks which are more V shaped, pretty much everything expect metal

im looking to try the 490 Pro so something complentary would be nice

im wondering if the FT1 is a better fit since it seems to have that thick warmth sound signature but the treble is still concerning me, ive heard it can be siblant, which means its prone to, i havent heard that about the M1

Hi! Around 2 years ago I've bought a pair of Hifiman Sundaras, and while they've been serving me well, I feel like its time for an upgrade to get closer to my endgame headphones.

The Sundaras are great headphones, don't get me wrong, but at times they can feel a bit clinical, a bit too neutral for my liking and especially lacking in the bass area, the sound stage and the detail however are really good.

Now I'm looking at upgrading and I'm down to 2 "finalists", the Hifiman Arya Stealth and the Meze 109 Pro.

One thing I'm afraid of with the Aryas, is the typical Hifiman QC (had some issues with my Sundara cables too, so I'm not unfamiliar with that) and that they might sound too clinical as well, but I've also seen that they're less-so than the Sundaras

With the Meze 109s I've heard a lot about how it focussed more on the mids/treble while also delivering good bass and generally being more fun-oriented and less neutral (which sounds more like what I'm looking for), much better build quality and especially look also playing a factor of course.

They'll be used at home, usually for either music, watching movies/shows and gaming.

I sadly dont have an option to try them out at an audio store, as none of them have them in reasonable driving distance.

I appreciate any help, thanks so much in advance!

Hey everyone,

I’m currently deciding between two pairs of headphones, and I’m hoping to get some input from people who have experience with either (or both) models. My options are:

1. Sony Ult Wear (WHULT900NW.CE7)

2. Skullcandy Crusher Evo (S6EVW-N740)

Here’s what I’m considering:

Sound Quality: I’m looking for great audio for both music and calls. From what I’ve gathered, the Sony Ult Wear offers solid clarity and powerful sound with its "ULT Power Sound" and customizable bass settings. Meanwhile, the Skullcandy Crusher Evo is all about that adjustable bass experience. How do these two compare in terms of overall sound quality and listening experience?

Noise Cancelling: I need effective noise cancellation, especially when traveling. Sony is known for its noise-canceling features, but I’m wondering if the Crusher Evo can stand up in this area, even though it doesn't have noise canceling. The Skullcandy ANC2 version is the one with noise cancellation, but it’s out of my price range right now.

Comfort & Build: Comfort is key for long listening sessions. Both headphones seem designed with comfort in mind, but I’d like to know how they feel during extended use.

Battery Life: Battery life is important to me, as I’ll be using them for hours at a time. The Sony Ult Wear offers up to 30 hours with noise cancellation on, and the Skullcandy Crusher Evo lasts up to 40 hours. Any thoughts on real-world battery performance?

If anyone has tried both or has any experience with either, I’d love to hear your feedback. Thanks in advance for your help!

Note: The Crusher Evo doesn’t have noise canceling, but it’s currently cheaper than the Sony model. I’m specifically looking for noise-canceling headphones, but I can’t afford the ANC2 version from Skullcandy at the moment. My old headphones are starting to fail, so I need to replace them soon.

(£100-£200, UK) I had a pair of AKG k371's that I loved to death for approximately half a year before it's death after the wire on the right ear cup split from the driver. I've been trying to ride that high of a Harman-esque tuning since. According to Crinacle the SRH-440A also have the same kind of Harman tuning, if so, what would you reccomend I get? Should I risk my luck and get another pair of k371's or are the srh 440a's a good substitute/ a more durable headphone?

Other suggestions are helpful too! I'm looking for something with a similar sound signature/ something with a detailed and clear bass. I've got a pair of DT 770's that i Iove but I would like something more detailed than them

I've been using Samsung Bud 2 Pro for a while now but they have started to give up on me recently so need to look at replacing them but not sure what to go for.

Absolutely love the Buds 2 Pro and hate to get rid of them but no point pushing broken buds.

I don't tend to tinker with sound profiles and tend to leave things in default so that end of things doesnt appeal to me.

I use them almost all day every day between work calls on my laptop, music and podcasts, in the gym and gaming on handhelds.

Main priorities are good, clear, quality sound out of the box, good noise cancellation and decent battery life.

Not a fan of the Samsung Buds 3/old Air pods design, I prefer the in-ear of the Buds Pro 2.

Any advice is appreciated.

P.S. if it matters I use all types of devices, Samsung phone, MacBook for work, Surface pro as personal and Steam Deck for gaming. I've been a big fan of Sony, Sennheiser, Samsung and OnePlus in the past.

Hi! I’m thinking of purchasing the Dyson OnTrac as my headphones for daily wear.

My previous pair was the Sony XM4 and I liked them for the simplicity and good sound.

To be honest, I’m mainly attracted to how cool the OnTrac looks but I also would like it to sound “better” (I don’t know much about headphones) than the XM4s or at least on par. I also need it to have good noise cancellation and ambient sound functions especially for my daily commute to work.

I am planning to buy them 2nd hand for 320$. If there are headphones under 350$ that look just as cool as the OnTracs and have better features, I am open to checking them out.

Thanks! 😊

i always see these 2 recommended but ive searched everywhere and cant find a direct comparison of the 2. Im just curious what is the better pick? sound quality and performance are my main focus would also love to hear anyone else's recs around this price range. I'm new to the hobby and noticed there is alot of info to absorb

This is my first audiophile headphone as I used the steelseries arctis pro wired headphones for years but they recently broke. I mainly do video editing and listen to music on YouTube a lot. I have Dolby atmos which I paid for on my computer which makes my current headphones sound a lot better. Currently I plug in the 3.5mm jack into my Dac (Goxlr mini) and that's how I'm able to use the headphones with my shure sm7b mic. For the focal azurys I'm planning on taking them on a plane and just plugging the aux into my phone or using them daily for video editing/music listening. Should I keep Dolby atmos on? On my phone I have been using this app called SoundID which improves the sound of headphones with an equalizer. I'm just not sure what I should use for these headphones to get the best sound as I heard it is pretty neutral out of the box.

Hi there!

I'm going on a trip early next year which includes a 30 hour bus trip with a bunch of kids. Looking for some noise cancelling over-ears to replace my dailies (JBL Tune510 BT) and that can also be used for gaming to replace my HyperX Cloud Wireds. I do a bit of streaming, so a good mic preferably inbuilt would be great too. My budget is $50-200 AUD.

I mainly play racing games, but also play some FPS titles.

Was looking at some studio headphones, but they aren't great for gaming.

PS: Not sure what flair, so sorry if I chose the wrong one.

Have a Soundcore Q30 and the soundstage is veeery wide and natural sounding compared to a lot of other closed back headphones I realise, which I love. Recently wanted to upgrade and got momentum 4s for exceptional sound quality. The instrument separation, clarity and detail reproduction especially in the percussive elements are night and day and a lot better compared to Q30s. But after a full day of using it, I hate how the soundstage almost sounds like earbuds.

Wrote this post to see if such a jack of both trades exists: good audio quality from momentum 4 and soundstage from Q30s. Probably not unless I splurge unreasonably on Focal Bathys, but I wanted to try my luck and see if there is anything at all that’s the best of both worlds. Doesn’t have to be as good as both the headphones’ soundstage and audio quality, but of a good level for both in one headphones.

What is the best possible headphones I could get around 100 dollar? Preferably lower than 110 my currency is not good, imports, I'm a student etc, you know what I mean.

The most I have is a cx31993 with a lil bit more oomph than my phone so the headphone should be easy to drive.

I've looked into the he400se and it's one of my options but I would want some other opinions. Pls 🥺🙏🏻

I’m looking for good, wireless headphones good for gaming. Preferably without a microphone as I’ll have an external microphone.

My budget is around $150cad tops but the cheaper the better!

What do you guys think you’d recommend??

Thanks!! :)

Heyo, as said in the title, my mom needs a headset with mic for zoom calls.
Does anyone have a recommendation for something durable and comfortable?
She isn't a big gamer nor listens to intricate ambient music so basically just something okayish, pretty cheap, that won't break.
About 50-75$.
Thanks!

Hello all!
Started out in this journey with the amazing HE400SE and the SK01 setup and gave it away to my cousin brother, now looking to upgrade to a mid-fi setup. So looking for a headphone under $300-350.
I am looking between the AU-5000, Sundara, Edition XS (most I am leaning towards as they are the sub500 reduced to sub300 dollars), Moondrop Para and any others.
I listen mostly to soundtracks of Hanz Zimmer like Man of Steel, Dark Knight etc. and pop artists like Black Eyed Peas, Jason Derulo, Train, some Britney, some MJ etc. so a mix of mostly soundtracks, but also pop.
Now if I buy one of these, I will have to book a room in office when I am working from office (on Mons, Weds and Fris). So am also considering Audeze Maxwell, just need to check if I will be missing out too much from the likes of Edition XS in terms of sound quality. I also play games on my laptop like Valo, Dota2, Apex Legends etc. so that is another point in its favour, but sound quality takes preference. I have heard that we get diminishing returns in sound quality when going above Edition XS or Sundara etc. so this probably will be my endgame in headphones. Please note that I do plan to get a Fiio K11 separately. Thanks!