Audiophile headphones etc.

[Celtic]

Intro!
Alright, I won't bore you with my story of why I'll be needing these. Questions you may be thinking to ask I answered under "The MEAT!" and some choices I've made are under "The POTATOES!" Now, I know a bit about audio equipment (car stereos, guitar/bass cabs/heads, speakers etc etc) so you don't have to try and explain anything I'm just asking your opinions on my choices as well suggestions.

The MEAT! (Need to know)
My price point? ~$200 USD (250 at most). Most likely I'll end up just asking for money on Christmas so I won't be pouring much of my own money into it hehe.
What will you be using it for?I'll be using it for personal music (mp3 player), movies (computer/receiver), gaming (computer).
Will I use them outside? Depends on how ridiculous they look! As well if I'm riding my BIKE!<--Click lol
Specifications? Audiophile grade, as well as closed ear if possible (not not necessary) as well as being over ear (no earbuds or on ear headphones please)
Certain brands? I will never buy a Beats Audio or Soul product so don't suggest it please. I won't buy Astro either. Other then that not really.
Wired? Wireless? Is that really a question? Wired.
Genres you listen to? Anything but country. I go on spurts of only Metal for a week then Dubstep the next. Then I'll go a week listening to classical and rap for no reason. So it just depends.
What will you be plugging it into? When using my computer, this horrible Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi that I bought 4 years ago and when I'm in my living room a Yamaha HTR-5830.
Will you be using an amplifier for this? At some point probably. If you can suggest one too that would be wonderful.

The POTATOES! (Choices I've picked)

Audio-Technica ATA-700 First choice, they do look silly I know, but I've heard LOTS of good things about them. Sound quality, build quality, versatility etc.

Sennheiser HD 518 Sennheiser HD 558 and Sennheiser HD 598 These are my 2nd/3rd/4th choice. I love Sennheiser products, I've heard A LOT of good things about these. The 518's are close to my 1st pick. But I love the range the ATA-700's offer. The 598 would be a bit overkill but depending on how much I can get for Christmas... overkill won't bother me. Hahaha. Two problems I hear are build quality. They feel a little flimsy, afraid you'll break it if you even set it down on your bed. As well as feeling tight on your head.

V-MODA Crossfade LP High quality build. Kevlar wrapped wires, soft feeling on your head. They sound great (after a 20-25 hour burn in). Great lows, but washed out highs (fixable with an EQ) but these are better for Rap/electronic type of music. Pretty much my last choice. Mostly because of the fact that I listen to anything other than country and these are not suggest if you listen to Rock, metal, classical etc. even though a lot of the problems with the highs can be fixed with an EQ there are better choices out there.

The QUESTION!

What do you think about these choices? What other headphones that are in the Audiophile category would you suggest based on "The MEAT!"? I really don't want to see people suggest some $20 Sony's.

End result!
I will be buying a pair of Audiophile headphones, a new sound card (most likely an ASUS XONER or another Creative higher end). What will I do for a mic? Most likely will end up buying a Blue Snowball microphone. Why not get a cool headset too? I already have one, but it's nearing on 2 years old. It's time to retire them. Probably will end up spending about.. $250-350 USD when it is all said and done. Next thing to upgrade.. desk built by my own hands.

 

[Ph?bus]

Grados SR225i are good for metal/rock. I am really excited to get mine when I have enough money.

 

[a pet rock]

I've had nothing but good experiences with Sennheiser. Of course, I'm not an audiophile and they're just earbuds. But, still I like them.

 

[Celtic]

Grados SR225i are good for metal/rock. I am really excited to get mine when I have enough money.

The frequency range of those aren't great enough also they don't look comfortable at all. Kind of remind me of old school headphones. For that price you'd probably like the Sennheiser 598's more :3 Just sayin' Plus it sounds like those sit ON the ear not around :s

I'm aware the of the human ear range. Average human can hear 20-20,000 Hz but as low as ~12 Hz. You want a range that exceeds that of the human ear so that the frequencies that you can hear are sharp, crisp sound. I've listened to the same son on a pair of headphones of 20-20,000 Hz then turned around to a 10-35,000Hz and how much more you could hear was amazing. Plus the lower it can handle the less muddy your lows will be. Since you're more likely to lose hearing from high frequency you rarely see headphones exceed 40,000 Hz but some like the Grado PS1000 hits up to 50,000 Hz. You're less likely to lose from lower frequency, it is damaging but significantly less. That being said, you'll see as low as 5 Hz on headphones. Basically what I'm eluding to with all of this, bigger the range, the bigger sound stage you get, thus earing more of what the musician or movie director or w/e intended you to ear. 20-20,000 headphones will get muddy at about 30-40 Hz and tinny at about 15,000-18,000 Hz. Doesn't apply to EVERY headphone with that range. Brand, quality etc make the difference there. Sorry, just ate, and felt like sharing things XD

I've had nothing but good experiences with Sennheiser. Of course, I'm not an audiophile and they're just earbuds. But, still I like them.

Never personally owned anything from Sennheiser, but I know when MLG was doing Halo 2 with Final Boss member "Walshy" was using Sennheiser HD 558's I believe. Audiophile headphones are recommended for gaming as well because of the vast range they produce, footsteps come out crystal clear. I'm a HUGE Audiophile, I can't say I couldn't afford it (I can but can't. Doesn't make sense I know.) more just haven't taken the chance. I have about 5 pairs of earbuds. 4 Skullcandies (1 Titan -not bad- 2 Ink'd 1 Smokin') and 1 pair of Koss. The Ink'd and Smokin' are from high school days, Koss followed after graduation, Titain happened this May or so. I'm tired of earbuds XD

Thank you guys for posting though

 

[iMatthew]

Get Sennheiser HD800

 

[Celtic]

Get Sennheiser HD800

Guess you didn't read my first post. That basically was a troll post. Thanks though.

 

[Ducttape]

Sennheiser makes good stuff. I own the HD 280's and they are everything you could want from a pair of headphones.

 

[Celtic]

Sennheiser makes good stuff. I own the HD 280's and they are everything you could want from a pair of headphones.

Two things wrong I find with those.. They look like my old Koss as far as build quality which I used superglue for a whole year to keep together. That is a big concern since I want these to last at least 3 years, and since I'll be using these for at least 8 hours every single day.. :s Also they don't look the most comfortable.

The range is comparable to the others, but looks more geared to the low end? What kind of music do you listen to with these Ducttape? But for 79.99 on Crutchfield that is a pretty good deal. I think though with a little extra I'd be leaning towards the Audio-Technica ATA-700's.

 

[ChocolateVillain]

Well if your looking for a pair that you can go outside with (in ear type) then cheek out westone.

I use a pair of westone 2 for my laptop when I travel and my ipod while I run. They can be a bit pricey but for me were worth it.

www.amazon.com/Westone-WST-WESTONE2-2-Earphones/dp/B00373PE9Y


On a side note. I always laugh at people who have those huge over the ear headphones out in public jogging.

 

[Celtic]

Well if your looking for a pair that you can go outside with (in ear type) then cheek out westone.

I use a pair of westone 2 for my laptop when I travel and my ipod while I run. They can be a bit pricey but for me were worth it.

www.amazon.com/Westone-WST-WESTONE2-2-Earphones/dp/B00373PE9Y


On a side note. I always laugh at people who have those huge over the ear headphones out in public jogging.

No I hate earbuds, I should have also put that I wanted over ear headphones (I'll fix my first post now). I won't be using this for jogging. If I were to use these for when I ride my bike it would be between classes, then again depending if I go to KU or KSU I may just walk.

 

[reflex99]

idk about where you live, but it is illegal to have both ears covered while driving (driving includes biking)

That's in CA though, idk where you live.

also seems like it would be kinda hard to mountain bike while wearing closed ear headphones.

Other than that, i have nothing of value to add. I like Sennheiser as a brand, but beyond that i am useless as far as audio equipment goes.

 

[Celtic]

I live in Kansas, I'm unaware of the laws here in regard of the legality when wearing headphones while riding a pedal bike (My bike I linked in my first post). I've yet to be pulled over by a police officer, and I ride by their building multiple times when I go out.

It's not too hard to ride a bike when you can't hear anything. You just have to use your other senses more. Vision to be specific. I don't go charge across a street without looking first. But it's becoming winter so I highly doubt I'll even ride my bike for at least another 5-6 months :S

Yes, I know of Sennheisers reputation, all I'm worried is paying 200 for the 598's and they end up feeling not so sturdy :S What ever I do get though, I'll be making a video review for after a good burn in of the headphones.

 

[Ducttape]

I can't speak for the rest of the Sennheiser line of headphones, but my youngest daughter has taken to pulling my headphones around the house and calling them 'her puppy' and they are still in perfect condition.

 

[Celtic]

Yeah the headphones you have don't look nearly as well built as the 518/558/598. But it sounds like they are XD

God if someone suggests Skullcandy.. I'm going to punch them in the face with my fist going through a worm hole which opens up next to them. Repeatedly!

 

[reflex99]

i had a pair of skullcandy stuff.......:/

for $10 not really gonna complain, really anything is better than stock.

 

[a pet rock]

i had a pair of skullcandy stuff.......:/

for $10 not really gonna complain, really anything is better than stock.

If by "stock" you mean Apple-branded trash cans that come bundled with iPods, then yes. Literally anything.

 

[Celtic]

i had a pair of skullcandy stuff.......:/

for $10 not really gonna complain, really anything is better than stock.

From an earlier post of mine-
I have about 5 pairs of earbuds. 4 Skullcandies (1 Titan -not bad- 2 Ink'd 1 Smokin') and 1 pair of Koss. The Ink'd and Smokin' are from high school days, Koss followed after graduation, Titain happened this May or so. I'm tired of earbuds and tired of Skullcandy.

I even bought in highschool a pair of Skullcrushers from Skullcandy. Battery powered sub, without it they're garbage XD Skullcandy headphones are pretty much a fashion statement. They don't have any Audiophile headphones. Every single pair on their website show a range of 20-20,000. For their $149.99 those should be at least entry level Audiophile headphones, but they're not.

Pretty much this whole thread was to get people who have Audiophile headphones, hell even DJ/Studio headphones since they're all about the same level and make some suggestions. As it stands right now I'll most likely get the Sennheiser 598's if they're on stock around Christmas. They have the range, build/sound quality and they don't look ridiculous. I wouldn't be embarrassed to walk down college campus or even stroll around town with them on. But with the Audio-Technica ATA-700 I would be >_> They would never leave my house.

If by "stock" you mean Apple-branded trash cans that come bundled with iPods, then yes. Literally anything.

True, true. I won't use an iPod in my life unless they change a lot on the formats it can read. Also I've never liked the sound quality from iPods >_> even with a good pair of headphones.