How to request: >Location >Budget >Open or closed >Over-ear or on-ear >Intended use / Favorite music >Other requirements
FAQ: >Do I need an amplifier? Yes. A line-level output is not appropriate for headphones. The amplifier built in to your phone, PC, Playstation controller, or whatever will work for most normal headphones. For less normal headphones, whether you need a dedicated headphone amp depends on sensitivity (most important) and impedance (less important): low impedance, high sensitivity -> No low impedance, low sensitivity -> Yes high impedance, high sensitivity -> Yes, but this config is still somewhat decent without an amp high impedance, low sensitivity -> YES, you will need a thick and beefy amp for this one >Do I need a DAC? Yes, if you want to listen to digital media. Most dedicated DACs in 2022 are more than competent; spending anything more than $100 on a dedicated DAC will not measurably affect the signal quality. Higher-priced DACs may offer a different appearance, different input/output connections, and so on. Look for DACs that support high resolution ( >44.1 Khz) and bit depth (>16 bit)
>Good reviewers? They all suck in their own way, take all of their takes with a grain of salt.
Sabaj A10d 2022 [rated as very good] iFi Go blu [portable, but might not be able to sufficiently power demanding headphones] Topping DX3 Pro + [cheaper bur rated as the same quality as Sabaj A10d 2022 minus balanced XLR outputs] iFi Zen DAC v2 [rated as less good than Topping DX3 Pro + and less feature rich, about the same price] Fiio K5 Pro [rated as the same quality as ifi Zen DAC v2, about the same price] Topping DX5 [rated as only slightly better in quality than Topping DX3 Pro + and has more features, but at twice the price]
>DAC + Amp options
Topping D10s + Topping A50s [rated as very good] Schiit Modi 3E + Schiit Magni Heresy [rated as very good]
If you believe you need better, more expensive stuff, you should not be here.
How to spot a faggot larper: all they do is talk trash without elaborating or suggesting an alternative along with explanation as to what makes it better. If all they do is talk trash make their replies the same as their life - null and void.
Landon Green
whats a decent amp for the Sennheiser HD 560S?
Kevin Perry
Any GOOD headphone yet?
Adam Walker
Audeze with EQ DCA Stealth Everything else graphs like ass
Isaac Thompson
Hmmm. The Sabaj looks good. Seems like a better choice than the DX3 Pro and K5 Pro I was struggling to choose between. By the way, how would I check how DAC/amps would power headphones? My main priority is that it can power the HD600, with extra headroom.
Brody Evans
For a non-planar option I heard th909 also has good bass distortion, avoid Focals and electrostats at all costs.
Aaron James
Fostex’s TH900/909 have magically good drivers especially regarding bass punch, and are excellent with details too, but as headphones, their stock tuning is utterly horrible 6k peak earrape. EQ is essential.
Caleb Lee
>YWN go back in time and become a true headphone pyrate
>If you believe you need better, more expensive stuff, you should not be here. People like you, audio-mullah’s little zealots, you are what kills these threads.
Jaxson Myers
The Dx200 Denons are similar too, the D9200 in particular is like a TH-900 with the tuning of a TH-610.
Brody Reed
I've got a 560S, and I find that my IEMs which are Shuoer S12 and found that those have more detail them my headphones. So now I'm searching for a nice $300 or $350 headphones that is detailed and has a nice soundstage. Currently looking at R70X.
No headphone in that price range will be more detailed or tuned better than the S12
Owen Howard
fug
Ryan Murphy
Gonna play devil's advocate here for a bit: The difference between DACs is minuscule, much smaller than amplifiers and especially headphones themselves. On top of that, the headphones are likely to be the limiting factor anyway until you get to $700+ tier stuff, where most people aren't shopping, so for most people there will not be a difference between some $1000+ Chord DAC and a $9 Apple dongle in terms off sound quality. The vast majority of people do not need better, more expensive stuff.
Joshua Garcia
hello everyone, let me know the weaknesses of my setup. ty
>Location USA >Budget 250 USD >Open or closed/over-ear or on-ear Open, over-ear. As open as possible. >Intended use / Favorite music Primarily for gaming at home while still being able to hear the rest of the house, music taste consists of:
Big band/swing (Glenn Miller Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra), Ska/Ska-punk (Streetlight Manifesto, Reel Big Fish), Hardcore punk (Stick to Your Guns), Industrial (Mick Gordon's Doom soundtrack, Death Grips), Hip-hop (MF DOOM, Nujabes, Childish Gambino).
>Previous headphones Been running ATH-M50x for the past eight years. They're sweaty after more than 20 minutes and the mids can be a little weak depending on the mix, but I like the bass out of them. Also really enjoyed the mids and the treble from the pack-in "Tuned by AKG" earbuds with the Galaxy S9. >Other requirements No external DAC/Amp, will be powering them out of my motherboard's headphone jack and pretty much nothing else. Definitely something that can survive a couple of drops and a baby in the house, no cheap chinkshit plastic that breaks if you look at it funny. Replaceable cable is an upside but not necessary.
