Decent headphones and a good subwoofer

[afroAnt]

Hey Everyone,

Firstly I'm looking for a good pair of headphones ranging from $100-$250. I listen to a range of different music like classic, rock, dance, pop, electro, hip-hop, rnb etc. I like bass that I can feel but i still want the sound to be balanced, if you get what I mean.

As for the subwoofer, I want something from $100-$250 and that has great bass, I want my room to shake

 

[afroAnt]

I would also like to add that the sub will be in a 5.1 system and maybe later a 7.1 system, if that helps.

 

[TMRaven]

Closed vs open for the headphones, would you want ones that dont' need an amp, or ones that scale well with an amp? Making your room shake isn't really the sign of a good subwoofer, it's just the sign of a lot of noise pressure.

 

[afroAnt]

Closed vs open for the headphones, would you want ones that dont' need an amp, or ones that scale well with an amp? Making your room shake isn't really the sign of a good subwoofer, it's just the sign of a lot of noise pressure.

I would like closed because of the isolation but is there closed headphones that have the sound of open headphones (sorry for being difficult). I don't mind if i need an amp or not. And for the subwoofer it was just a joke but i need something good for that price range.

 

[TMRaven]

The Denon D2000 has the largest soundstage out of any closed headphone I've personally tested, and it's the headphone I still use to this day. Used, they can run around 200usd. They also extend down to 30hz with confidence. Isolation and portability is not their strong suite however, if that's what you were looking for.

Energy makes great entry-level subs.

 

[afroAnt]

To bad the denon is $300 in australia, unless i get it off amazon because our dollar is up.

 

[Mr.C]

Hey Everyone,

Firstly I'm looking for a good pair of headphones ranging from $100-$250. I listen to a range of different music like classic, rock, dance, pop, electro, hip-hop, rnb etc. I like bass that I can feel but i still want the sound to be balanced, if you get what I mean.

As for the subwoofer, I want something from $100-$250 and that has great bass, I want my room to shake

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1225092/

 

[afroAnt]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1225092/

I've looked at the thread before but they are talking about in-ears, I all ready have the senn cx300II which I love but I need something for my room and for planes.

 

[TMRaven]

I think you should just keep the Sennheiser in-ears for plane usage, and look for a good quality home-use circumaural. If your environment is not that loud, you could even get an open-backed headphone in that case, they will be more balanced, but their bass might be too balanced for your tastes.

Besides the Denon, other headphones I know of with strong bass without too much sacrificing of mids and highs are the ultrasone pro580 and beyerdynamic dt7708-80ohm.

 

[Avatar74]

Sennheiser HD-380.... best professional headphones I've ever used.

As for subwoofers... forget it. Anything you buy for a PC is going to suck. My suggestion? Get yourself a cheap two-channel, 100W per channel receiver, no bells or whistles, and go online and find a pair of KEF or B&W bookshelf speakers at discount... I took an old Sony stereo receiver I already had (which I'd replaced with a surround one for my main A/V setup) and connected a pair of KEF Q-Compacts to that... they're louder, clearer, tighter and more earth shattering than any 2.1 PC setup I've ever bought.

But if you're actually going for a 5.1 setup, then I think $250 tops is going to limit you. I'm not talking about, you know, a $3500 Sunfire sub... that's just stupidly expensive overkill. But a really decent subwoofer with tight response is going to cost you between $300 and $600 new. Or if you can find an old KEF or B&W sub on ebay, go for it but my warning on that is... subs have active components that can easily fail and not having them covered under warranty can really suck.

 

[afroAnt]

Sennheiser HD-380.... best professional headphones I've ever used.

As for subwoofers... forget it. Anything you buy for a PC is going to suck. My suggestion? Get yourself a cheap two-channel, 100W per channel receiver, no bells or whistles, and go online and find a pair of KEF or B&W bookshelf speakers at discount... I took an old Sony stereo receiver I already had (which I'd replaced with a surround one for my main A/V setup) and connected a pair of KEF Q-Compacts to that... they're louder, clearer, tighter and more earth shattering than any 2.1 PC setup I've ever bought.

But if you're actually going for a 5.1 setup, then I think $250 tops is going to limit you. I'm not talking about, you know, a $3500 Sunfire sub... that's just stupidly expensive overkill. But a really decent subwoofer with tight response is going to cost you between $300 and $600 new. Or if you can find an old KEF or B&W sub on ebay, go for it but my warning on that is... subs have active components that can easily fail and not having them covered under warranty can really suck.

Interesting... thanks for that. I'll keep looking. But what do you reckon about http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F...s=miscellaneous&ie=UTF8&qid=1313009608&sr=1-1 they have really good reviews and i can get it for $171 AUD

 

[Mr.C]

That's not a name I've heard of before although reviews on Amazon seem to have been good for it. That said I wouldn't base my decision based on reviews on Amazon. Personally I wouldn't buy it and would be more inclined to get one of the Polk Audio subwoofers linked to on the same page.

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000092TT0/ref=pd_cp_e_1

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I've looked at the thread before but they are talking about in-ears, I all ready have the senn cx300II which I love but I need something for my room and for planes.

That thread isn't just discussing in ear headphones but also over the ear ones like the B&W P5's.

 

[Avatar74]

Interesting... thanks for that. I'll keep looking. But what do you reckon about http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F...s=miscellaneous&ie=UTF8&qid=1313009608&sr=1-1 they have really good reviews and i can get it for $171 AUD

I was about to write a longer explanation but then I noticed something immediately... This is advertised as a 475 watt subwoofer but it's not. In the fine print, 475 watts is the peak power, while 150 watts RMS continuous is their measurement. The truth is that it's probably more like 60-80 continuous sustained watts of power over time (the RMS ratings can be severely inflated by various tricks)... NAD is one of the few companies that makes components that they rate properly with very conservative estimates of continuous power.

Anyway, every +3dB of sensitivity is a doubling of wave power... so picture it like this: a 150 watt subwoofer will deliver half the sound pressure at 90dB sensitivity as a 150 watt subwoofer at 93dB sensitivity, or about the same sound pressure output as a 300 watt sub at 87dB sensitivity. KEF builds subwoofers with sensitivity around 108dB, or nearly 54 times the wave power of this BIC sub (at the same wattage) at far less than 54 times the cost... or about 86 times the wave power if you compare a 250W 108dB sensitivity sub vs. BIC's 150 watt 90dB sensitivity... If $300-$600 is out of your price range, then the way to look at it is: The BIC sub really isn't worth half what they're charging.

I don't particularly see why this sub would deliver better response than a decent pair of 150 watt full range fronts. So, I can see why they're dumping it at what seems like a low price but is actually about what I'd expect such a unit to cost.

 

[afroAnt]

That's not a name I've heard of before although reviews on Amazon seem to have been good for it. That said I wouldn't base my decision based on reviews on Amazon. Personally I wouldn't buy it and would be more inclined to get one of the Polk Audio subwoofers linked to on the same page.

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000092TT0/ref=pd_cp_e_1

That one looks even better. I saw the B&W P5's but over my budget.

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I was about to write a longer explanation but then I noticed something immediately... This is advertised as a 475 watt subwoofer but it's not. In the fine print, 475 watts is the peak power, while 150 watts RMS continuous is their measurement. The truth is that it's probably more like 60-80 continuous sustained watts of power over time (the RMS ratings can be severely inflated by various tricks)... NAD is one of the few companies that makes components that they rate properly with very conservative estimates of continuous power.

Anyway, every +3dB of sensitivity is a doubling of wave power... so picture it like this: a 150 watt subwoofer will deliver half the sound pressure at 90dB sensitivity as a 150 watt subwoofer at 93dB sensitivity, or about the same sound pressure output as a 300 watt sub at 87dB sensitivity. KEF builds subwoofers with sensitivity around 108dB, or nearly 54 times the wave power of this BIC sub (at the same wattage) at far less than 54 times the cost... or about 86 times the wave power if you compare a 250W 108dB sensitivity sub vs. BIC's 150 watt 90dB sensitivity... If $300-$600 is out of your price range, then the way to look at it is: The BIC sub really isn't worth half what they're charging.

I don't particularly see why this sub would deliver better response than a decent pair of 150 watt full range fronts. So, I can see why they're dumping it at what seems like a low price but is actually about what I'd expect such a unit to cost.

I see, thanks for that. Its hard getting a good sub for that price, what do you think of the Polk Audio PSW505 12-Inch Powered Subwoofer?

 

[afroAnt]

What do you guys reckon:

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-10...5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1320043912&sr=1-5

Vs.

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1320043912&sr=1-1

Vs.

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Co...3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1320043912&sr=1-3

 

[martinlird]

Best headphones for your price range (Industry Standard)....
http://www.decks.co.uk/products/sennheiser/HD25_15m_Bag

And for the subwoofer, I personally have a set of KRK studio monitors, these are more than capable of 'making the room shake' as you would say haha, but not just the subwoofer, they hold the whole range of sound.

They are quality speakers and generally industry standard now.

 

[Avatar74]

That one looks even better. I saw the B&W P5's but over my budget.

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I see, thanks for that. Its hard getting a good sub for that price, what do you think of the Polk Audio PSW505 12-Inch Powered Subwoofer?

I can't say I've tried it, but what I'm not seeing are sensitivity specs so it's hard to gauge whether or not it's an efficient sub for the amount of power consumption. That said, if you put Polk, KEF and B&W equipment in a room... I'd tend toward KEF or B&W. And that sub looks like it's priced in the same range as KEF/B&W subs you can get your hands on.

I haven't really been blown away by Polk... and for the money I think KEF or B&W has a better build... partly because they're not as popular as Polk, in America anyway.

 

[Auszero]

Best headphones for your price range (Industry Standard)....
http://www.decks.co.uk/products/sennheiser/HD25_15m_Bag

I would totally disagree with that. I would highly recommend the Sony MDR-7506 or MDR-V6. They have in my opinion been the industry standard since the 80's. They even have their own wikipedia page. They have great isolation and full range frequency response. All for only $100 too. In my long time as a sound engineer I can't remember seeing anyone use anything else. Throw some of the beer dynamic velour ear pads on them and you'll have the best headphones available for a good price.

 

[TMRaven]

The topic creator might have a different idea of what his 'balanced' sound is. For one I don't think he'll ever get a bass that he can feel that much without having the headphone be imbalanced.

Another industry standard is the DT770-80. It's not exactly neutral and flat, but it has a decent balance between bass and highs, with a bit sucked out mids. It will be more along the line of giving a strong bass that he's probably craving, though.

 

[afroAnt]

I would totally disagree with that. I would highly recommend the Sony MDR-7506 or MDR-V6. They have in my opinion been the industry standard since the 80's. They even have their own wikipedia page. They have great isolation and full range frequency response. All for only $100 too. In my long time as a sound engineer I can't remember seeing anyone use anything else. Throw some of the beer dynamic velour ear pads on them and you'll have the best headphones available for a good price.

I like that! If they are industry standard then they must be good. I might consider the MDR-7506

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I would totally disagree with that. I would highly recommend the Sony MDR-7506 or MDR-V6. They have in my opinion been the industry standard since the 80's. They even have their own wikipedia page. They have great isolation and full range frequency response. All for only $100 too. In my long time as a sound engineer I can't remember seeing anyone use anything else. Throw some of the beer dynamic velour ear pads on them and you'll have the best headphones available for a good price.

But is there a difference between the two?

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The topic creator might have a different idea of what his 'balanced' sound is. For one I don't think he'll ever get a bass that he can feel that much without having the headphone be imbalanced.

Another industry standard is the DT770-80. It's not exactly neutral and flat, but it has a decent balance between bass and highs, with a bit sucked out mids. It will be more along the line of giving a strong bass that he's probably craving, though.

Okay lets change my preferences for the headphones a great all rounder pair of headphone that doesn't sacrifice the bass, limit $250

 

[afroAnt]

Looking around I found these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ULAP4U what do you think?

 

[TMRaven]

M50s are very nice headphones. However if you have the money, you'd be better off with the DT770-80. The tonality coming from the M50 to a Beyer is better, and the soundstage is less crowded sounding.

Another option is the Shure 840. It's a relatively flat headphone, but has a small midbass hump to give it a more assertive bass response. The Sony MDR-V6 is just flat.

 

[martinlird]

I would totally disagree with that. I would highly recommend the Sony MDR-7506 or MDR-V6. They have in my opinion been the industry standard since the 80's. They even have their own wikipedia page. They have great isolation and full range frequency response. All for only $100 too. In my long time as a sound engineer I can't remember seeing anyone use anything else. Throw some of the beer dynamic velour ear pads on them and you'll have the best headphones available for a good price.

With yourself being a sound engineer, we are talking of different industries.

I was talking of the DJ industry standard, hence being the Sennheiser HD-25's.

I always recommend these for easy listening headphones, as being use in a loud club environment, the noise cancelling is superb. However, being used for DJ'ing, they inevitably cover the whole range of sound. But they are only small headphones, so can easily be worn under a hat or hood, without looking like a tool, wearing MASSIVE headphones for your easy listening.

This is the what you'd expect for the industry standard in DJ'ing. Stylish, awesome sound quality, exceptional noise cancelling and practical.

 

[Auszero]

With yourself being a sound engineer, we are talking of different industries.

I was talking of the DJ industry standard, hence being the Sennheiser HD-25's.

I always recommend these for easy listening headphones, as being use in a loud club environment, the noise cancelling is superb. However, being used for DJ'ing, they inevitably cover the whole range of sound. But they are only small headphones, so can easily be worn under a hat or hood, without looking like a tool, wearing MASSIVE headphones for your easy listening.

This is the what you'd expect for the industry standard in DJ'ing. Stylish, awesome sound quality, exceptional noise cancelling and practical.

lol wut. Pretty sure sound engineers cover every facet of music, both live and recording engineers. I can't count how many live shows I've done with DJ's like Z Trip, Steve Akoi, Bassnectar, and others and the V6's have never failed me. They're not massive cans either. With the ability to fold one of the cups up for single ear listening they are probably more suited for DJ's than the Sennheisers.

 

[martinlird]

lol wut. Pretty sure sound engineers cover every facet of music, both live and recording engineers. I can't count how many live shows I've done with DJ's like Z Trip, Steve Akoi, Bassnectar, and others and the V6's have never failed me. They're not massive cans either. With the ability to fold one of the cups up for single ear listening they are probably more suited for DJ's than the Sennheisers.

Oh sorry forgot you were Dj'ing alongside Steve AOKI and the likes. For DJ'ing nothing comes close I'm afraid. A sound engineers version of recording and live music is from a completely different perspective.

And if you disagree with that, your in the wrong profession