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Over ear Headphones with MBP. Recommend

Reality4711

Reality4711

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 8, 2009
869
824
scotland
In the title.

Musical tastes - everything except free jazz, english folk, scottish/irish diddly diddly stuff.

Not averse to using a DAC/amp if worth it.

Thanks in advance.
 
I'll look them up..

Any others you have experience of?

They do look very complex for what I want. Don't really need call answering, Alexa etc. More sound quality and comfort wanted and maybe bluetooth / wifi but not absolutely needed.
 
Reality4711 said:
Thank you for the +ve backup.

When the new MBP arrives they will be my next purchase. Would they be better with a DAC/amp out of usb-c or not?
Click to expand...

Always better to have dedicated DAC but the sound quality on it own is really good as well. You might wanna just check it out without any extra attachments to see if it satisfies you.
 
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Makes sense.

I suppose main test will be my TEAC setup with Digital radio (once I cure the mains hum) but having just listened to a live concert (classical) with my old Sony on ear travel headphones I am really looking forward to down the wire stuff via MBP. The sound values are almost the ones I searched for in my youth. Now while audiophiles want warmth etc. I still crave that clean clarity you could never get off an LP. Oddd isn't it how tastes change. Simply love the cold heartless CD & digital stuff - nothing but the sound - brilliant.
 
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I wonder what my next signature will read (in a few months time) Quite excited; for me anyway at the prospect
of goin for my last system/setup
 
For openback, the Massdrop Sennheiser Jubilee HD58x is a steal for US$160. That's about half the price of Sennheiser's cheapest of the current HD6xx line. Pleasant sound and easy to drive.

For closed backs, lots of people like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. But they are too bass heavy for me, so I prefer the ATH-M70x. Same fit, but less hyped in both bass and treble.
 
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makinao said:
For openback, the Massdrop Sennheiser Jubilee HD58x is a steal for US$160. That's about half the price of Sennheiser's cheapest of the current HD6xx line. Pleasant sound and easy to drive.

For closed backs, lots of people like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. But they are too bass heavy for me, so I prefer the ATH-M70x. Same fit, but less hyped in both bass and treble.
Click to expand...

OK but twice the price and I can only find them on eBay in UK..

Good shout though so will keep looking for now - it is a big outlay for me.
 
If you're on a budget, the usual suspects for over ear closedbacks are the Sony MDR-7506, Sennheiser HD-280Pro. Both are just under US$100, and should be available in Scotland. While they are not the ultimate in high fidelity, they are workhorses in the music industry. Sound is good enough to take home for casual listening. Passive isolation is good on the Sony, and very good on the Sennheiser. Impedance is low enough (both in the mid-60 ohms) to dispense with a headphone amp. Earpads (which usually wear out and peel in a year or so) are user-replaceable, and freely available from Amazon.
 
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makinao said:
If you're on a budget, the usual suspects for over ear closedbacks are the Sony MDR-7506, Sennheiser HD-280Pro. Both are just under US$100, and should be available in Scotland. While they are not the ultimate in high fidelity, they are workhorses in the music industry. Sound is good enough to take home for casual listening. Passive isolation is good on the Sony, and very good on the Sennheiser. Impedance is low enough (both in the mid-60 ohms) to dispense with a headphone amp. Earpads (which usually wear out and peel in a year or so) are user-replaceable, and freely available from Amazon.
Click to expand...

The Sennheisers are £130 here.
As long as I stay under the £200 am OK.
Heck of a complexly of buying something.
All that choice from around the world - I think I will order 3 pair from Amazon and return th 2 least liked - or 3 if all duff.
Like I say complicated but not wanting to regret this in 6 months.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Excellent suggestion.

I'm also a fan of Bowers & Wilkins; the P7, and P9 are both superb, while I use the excellent P5 when traveling.
Click to expand...

This is my present lineup....and you can see where the trophy lies.

I also love my diminutive P5.

I have fully embraced the wireless world and yep I do not miss the headphone jack.
IMG_5992.jpg
 
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Tulani said:
This is my present lineup....and you can see where the trophy lies.

I also love my diminutive P5.

I have fully embraced the wireless world and yep I do not miss the headphone jack. View attachment 847373
Click to expand...

Actually, I love my P5s, as well.

As it happens, I have a set of wireless P5s, yet use them wired; anyway, they are very possibly my favourite headphone ever; beautifully made of lovely materials, comfortable, elegant, lovely audio, portable yet powerful.

But, I cannot praise the B&W range highly enough.
 
Reality4711 said:
Makes sense.

I suppose main test will be my TEAC setup with Digital radio (once I cure the mains hum) but having just listened to a live concert (classical) with my old Sony on ear travel headphones I am really looking forward to down the wire stuff via MBP. The sound values are almost the ones I searched for in my youth. Now while audiophiles want warmth etc. I still crave that clean clarity you could never get off an LP. Oddd isn't it how tastes change. Simply love the cold heartless CD & digital stuff - nothing but the sound - brilliant.
Click to expand...

If you want a truly transparent neutral studio monitor headphone, Sony MDR 7506's are the choice of the overwhelming number of musicians who record or need referencing. They're only $79.00, but you cannot get this clarity from phones that cost $300.00. If you watch movies or concerts, you'll see them on the pianos of musicians and on the ears of tv studio folk. They are the work of serious audio people at Sony who make all the video monitors for JPL, NASA, tv studios and more. I've had three pair and still do since. 1991 and they still work perfectly. Sound really great with a decent DAC or headphone amp, as they're made for being used in multiple headphone monitoring amps in recording studios. The MDR7510's are a variation, and I'm loving these a bit more, with a larger, 50mm driver and warmer bass, but not too much to be out of the neutral game. They're around $110.00. You have these for 20-30 years, no joke.
 
Reality4711 said:
Musical tastes - everything except free jazz, english folk, scottish/irish diddly diddly stuff. Not averse to using a DAC/amp if worth it.
Click to expand...

Sony WH1000XM3 Wireless are worth checking out, great reviews - great value

I have 2 sets of the Bose QC35 they are great general purpose headphones (IMHO) and the wireless (bluetooth - no fuss) works great with iPhone, iPad Pro, Apple TV, and X-box (wired) - awesome for travel and love the rechargeable "no batteries aspect" easy and quick to re-charge even on a plane etc.

I have an old set of Sony MDR-V700's that I still use for when I turn up the volume up and want more dynamics or use with older large headphone jack - ie with a Scarlett-2i4 usb interface or connected to an audio amp
 
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