Best Headphones/Headsets

[funke_munke]

Seinhesser HD212 Pro's here, got them for about £12 off ebay, I think their only around £30 normally? Get a seperate mic as said above, you'll really appreciate the quality of the headphones and not be too scared about breaking your kit. I just unplug mine and use them for the ipod on the move aswell. As has already been said, you can't go far wrong with Seinhesser stuff. The best feature of these ones (compared to the earlier hd 497 version) is that they have mini-jacks going into each of the cups so if you step on the cable they just unplug rather than break, which used to force you to either buy a new wire or get soldering, which is a pain in the arse .

[TooNice]

I seem to prefer open-backed headphones now to closed-back ones though!! The worst thing was when Richer Sounds were doing HD600s for around £100 brand new a few years ago!! I wish I had bought a pair then!!

I also have a preference for open headphones. See if you can audition the AKG K501. They can be bought for about £115 delivered.

I've listened to couple of somewhat similar sounding headphones including the Sennheiser HD600 and Beyerdynamic DT880 and a bunch of other less similar sounding headphones (HD650, DT770/990, Sony SA5000/3000).

Between the HD600/DT880 and the K501, I actually preferred the K501. While the K501 is the least bassy of the three, it also has the widest soundstage. All three produces clear, reference class sound in my opinion, and I'd put them in the same class.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I also have a preference for open headphones. See if you can audition the AKG K501. They can be bought for about £115 delivered.

I've listened to couple of somewhat similar sounding headphones including the Sennheiser HD600 and Beyerdynamic DT880 and a bunch of other less similar sounding headphones (HD650, DT770/990, Sony SA5000/3000).

Between the HD600/DT880 and the K501, I actually preferred the K501. While the K501 is the least bassy of the three, it also has the widest soundstage. All three produces clear, reference class sound in my opinion, and I'd put them in the same class.

I actually own a pair of SR125s now. People complain that they are quite bright but most of the brightness does disappear after they have been broken in for a while. They really have a lovely sound stage too!! I also like the fact that they are very easy to drive too!!
I think with the HD600 it does need a good set-up for it to shine with although it really depends on which type of sound you like more TBH!!

AKG and Audiotechnica seem to harder to find than either Sennheiser,Grado or even Beyerdynamic in shops.

I think at some point in the next year(hopefully) I will see if I can pass the optical or coaxial out from my computer into a decent budget DAC like a Bereford or whatever I can afford.

[Biscuit]

it was a total toss up between the 880 and 770 (exactly the same except open/closed) but i take my headphones out when im working at gigs/shoots so i opted for the closed.

Never been a fan of the AKGs, i dont like the way they are put together they always felt flimsy to me and a bit uncomfortable but if your struggling to find them then check out dolphin music im pretty sure they have a good selection of AKGs. I know sound control did before they where taken over but i dunno if their new owners still do.

[TooNice]

@CAT-THE-FIFTH: Ah, I've not heard the SR-125 but based on what I am getting with the HF-1, they can't be any more different than the HD600. They are definitely brighter than other headphones I've tried (but not unbearably so), I don't think the soundstage is nearly as wide as the Sennheiser/AKG/Beyerdynamic I've tried, but they are still great rocking cans And yes, sooooo easy to drive. Not that I suggest doing so, but my Grados sound alright out of an onboard soundcard (I reckon that if anyone is planning to do that, they should just get a Koss), yet when I tried the DT880, they sounded utterly underwhelming until I moved into a better source. The only thing worse I have experienced with an onboard soundcard was with the Westone UM2 (canalphone being so sensitive they pick up a lot of noise). I *think* that the HD600 might be a touch easier to drive (never tried, and don't think I will in the near future).

It's kind of funny that Audiotechnica have so little presence here. When I went to HK and, especially (though I suppose unsurprisingly given that's where they are from) Japan, they were everywhere. They make the only closed headphones I've tried in the £100 range that I actually like.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

@CAT-THE-FIFTH: Ah, I've not heard the SR-125 but based on what I am getting with the HF-1, they can't be any more different than the HD600. They are definitely brighter than other headphones I've tried (but not unbearably so), I don't think the soundstage is nearly as wide as the Sennheiser/AKG/Beyerdynamic I've tried, but they are still great rocking cans And yes, sooooo easy to drive. Not that I suggest doing so, but my Grados sound alright out of an onboard soundcard (I reckon that if anyone is planning to do that, they should just get a Koss), yet when I tried the DT880, they sounded utterly underwhelming until I moved into a better source. The only thing worse I have experienced with an onboard soundcard was with the Westone UM2 (canalphone being so sensitive they pick up a lot of noise). I *think* that the HD600 might be a touch easier to drive (never tried, and don't think I will in the near future).

It seems that you like your headphones!! I also had a pair of SR80s for general use but I managed to break them. I seem to be a bit accident prone with headphones!!

TBH some of the newer onboard codecs are not too bad for general listening. According to some of the reviews I have read they are better than some of the discrete soundcards from a few years ago.

The best in ear headphones I have heard are the Shure E500 TBH.

It's kind of funny that Audiotechnica have so little presence here. When I went to HK and, especially (though I suppose unsurprisingly given that's where they are from) Japan, they were everywhere. They make the only closed headphones I've tried in the £100 range that I actually like.

Another company that was not represented well for years was Onkyo. Some of their high end stereo Integra series components are very hard to find too. I have listened to some of their higher-end stuff which was built in the 1970s and 1980s and they were pretty good for the time.

This is unlike their fashion systems and AV stuff though which is ubiquitous!!