Good headphones for gaming?

[xitshsif]

I'm looking for headphone recommendations. Mostly play FPSs, so I'd love to be able to hear clear footsteps and stuff like that. I do prefer closed-back style to block out some noice, but I don't need crazy noise-canceling ones. I don't need a headset with a mic, just the phones.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

 

[Ika]

If you want closed headphones, you'll have to increase your budget a bit... the cheapest closed headphones that sound decent are Sennheiser HD280 Pros, and those usually go for $70 or $80. My personal recommendation is Audio-Technica's A500, but audiocubes has it for $130 + shipping (but you can probably find it for less, used, on Head-Fi FS/T). If you aren't going to be using them for music, though, the HD280 Pros should do fine.

 

[xitshsif]

Any thoughts on the EH250's? I'm sure those HD280 Pros are better, but how big a difference would there be between those and these?

 

[Ika]

I've actually never heard of those before. Sennheiser releases a million headphones a year so it's hard to keep up. Anyway, they look like the HD212s of old, which were supposed to be worse than HD201s, which I DO have (verdict: not very good), so I wouldn't expect much from them.

Anyway, some qualities of the HD280 - they're VERY good at isolation (almost as good as Bose QC2s, which are active noise cancelling - 280 Pros are passive!), but sound a little bit tinny and harsh, at times (especially with full music, like heavy rock). They lack a little bit of bass, but they are very good at showing detail, which is good for a gamer.

Unfortunately, the cheapest HD280 Pro I could find is $85 shipped from Buy.com. I remember there was a slickdeals posting about the HD280 Pros (I think for $60-70 shipped), and I'm pretty sure a friend of mine got his for $80 or so.

If you're not convinced, look through Headroom's listing of closed headphones. I kinda forgot that you could use supra-aural headphones, too (which are cheaper than full-sized headphones, but aren't as comfortable). If you don't mind pads that sit on your ears, the AKG K81DJ are a really good choice as well (except that they are uncomfortable as heck, especially if you have a big head).

 

[xitshsif]

The HD280s are $70 at Amazon.com, which doesn't sound bad from what you say. I'm no audiophile or anything, but do want a decent set for gaming, so I'm not sure how big a difference I'd see throughout the price range.

These are what I currently have, but they've taken a beating over the past couple years and I figured it's worth getting something a little better.

 

[Ika]

If you're coming from V150s, you'll definitely hear the difference in sound, especially if you listen to music at a decent bitrate. After using Grado SR60s for about 6 months, I thought it would be fun to put on my V150s again... HORRIBLE! They sounded absolutely horrible compared to the Grados - I can't even begin to describe how bad it was.

Anyway, if you listen to music, this purchase will be great. If not, then you might not be getting your money's worth (unless you're a hardcore gamer).

 

[CP5670]

There was a thread on the same topic in PC gaming recently: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2145897&enterthread=y

The HD280 seems to have issues with the headband breaking.

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: CP5670
There was a thread on the same topic in PC gaming recently: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2145897&enterthread=y

The HD280 seems to have issues with the headband breaking.

Just duct tape it and keep using it until the drivers go.

 

[I4AT]

I'm actually using the HD201's and they sound good to me. I've owned the HD570s, and DT770/80s, even went out and bought a $100 amp to drive them, ended up selling them all and I've settled with these $15 HD201. Most people that buy high end cans don't go back, but personally I felt there was nothing about them that made them worth the price, nothing at all.

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: I4AT
I'm actually using the HD201's and they sound good to me. I've owned the HD570s, and DT770/80s, even went out and bought a $100 amp to drive them, ended up selling them all and I've settled with these $15 HD201. Most people that buy high end cans don't go back, but personally I felt there was nothing about them that made them worth the price, nothing at all.

Maybe I'm just very picky about what style of headphones I use. I've tried HD580s, AKG K501s, Beyer DT880s, Beyer DT770s, Sennheiser HD280 Pros, and Audio-Technica AD700s (with various amps - CMoy, Eddie Current Lunchbox, Darkvoice 336i), and when all is said and done, I prefer my Grado SR60 over all of them. The sound of the HD201 is just too "tinny" and claustrophobic for me.

But I digress, as I'm getting into audiophilia here. I suppose for gaming, the HD201s should be fine, except that they're lacking some bass.

 

[frankenhud]

Sennheiser PX100 are very good, probably the best thing for $50 out there.

Originally posted by: I4AT
Most people that buy high end cans don't go back, but personally I felt there was nothing about them that made them worth the price, nothing at all.

I have some AKG K701's and a nice tube amp for them, and I can't imagine agreeing with you They sound wonderful, just amazing. I have people listen to them, and they're blown away. Most high end headphones need a couple hundred hours of burn-in time to sound how they're supposed to sound, also, which a lot of people don't realize.

 

[CP5670]

I never understood why the whole burn-in process is necessary for the user to do, even though I've seen its importance. Why can't they just do this at the factory?

 

[frankenhud]

I think if audiophile headphones sit unused for a very long time (6 months+ I read), the effect of burn-in starts to go away and the diaphragms get stiff again like they were new. So considering that headphones may sit in a warehouse for months or years before finding their way to a consumer, it's not worth the mfr's time to do it.

Also, some people enjoy listening through the burn-in process, and hearing the headphones transform.

 

[Ika]

A bunch of people also don't believe in burn-in, either.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Aflac
A bunch of people also don't believe in burn-in, either.

Burn in is real...very few people would dispute that. In fact, I have measurements that prove its real. What people dispute is the burn in's effect on the sound, or lack there of.

Burn in can yield a modest change in the impedance properties of a speaker/headphone. However, these changes are very minor and would rarely lead to any noticeable change in the frequency response. This is because its effects are offsetting. When designing a speaker, its parameters will change if you "burn it in". However, when you design a box and circuit around these parameters you will find that they are offsetting and lead to little/no difference in your design.

Burn in is more people "getting used to" the sound of their speakers and coming up with a reason to defend their purchase.

 

[frankenhud]

Originally posted by: Aflac
A bunch of people also don't believe in burn-in, either.

Burn-in of cables, like interconnects, I can see being controversial. Personally I think I can hear a difference but it's subtle enough I'm not totally sure.

On the other hand, I don't know how deaf you'd have to be to not hear the difference between new K701's and burned-in K701's. When I first got them, even knowing they were notorious for needing extended burn-in time, I almost returned them. I thought they sounded terrible. Grating sibilance, very little bass, just obviously not good sounding.

I hooked them up to an old DVD player in the laundry room, put a CD with varied music in, put it on shuffle and repeat. I made myself stay away for over two weeks, till they had almost 400 hours on them.

I hadn't been monitoring the progress and "getting used to" the sound, or any such psychological explanation. I just stayed away. And when I finally put them on and listened, it was stunning. It was literally the best reproduced music sound that had ever hit my ears. I was just laughing, it was so great; hearing new details in music I thought I knew well, marveling at how 3D a 50 year old Bill Evans recording sounded.

There's no question the sound was affected BIG TIME by burning in. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it

 

[CP5670]

I think if audiophile headphones sit unused for a very long time (6 months+ I read), the effect of burn-in starts to go away and the diaphragms get stiff again like they were new. So considering that headphones may sit in a warehouse for months or years before finding their way to a consumer, it's not worth the mfr's time to do it.

I guess that makes sense then. I didn't know the effect wears out if they are left alone for long enough.

A bunch of people also don't believe in burn-in, either.

I found the difference from to be very noticeable within only a hour or two. When I first got the DT250 I'm using now, they seemed to have a very dry, harsh sound to them and I was thinking that I had gotten a slightly defective unit (or that the reviewers I had seen recommending these were clueless), but that all changed after listening to some stuff for a while. I didn't know about the burn in issue at all until I looked into it later.

 

[sutahz]

http://clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=A5124310
I have those and like them. That set doesnt include a mic, but they do sell a package which includes a mic, or you can buy the mic seperatly.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: frankenhud
Sennheiser PX100 are very good, probably the best thing for $50 out there.

Originally posted by: I4AT
Most people that buy high end cans don't go back, but personally I felt there was nothing about them that made them worth the price, nothing at all.

I have some AKG K701's and a nice tube amp for them, and I can't imagine agreeing with you They sound wonderful, just amazing. I have people listen to them, and they're blown away. Most high end headphones need a couple hundred hours of burn-in time to sound how they're supposed to sound, also, which a lot of people don't realize.

I second that notion.
Recently, I started using my pair of px100s for commuting on a bike - they are forgiving, warm, comfortable, easy to drive and even fold in half to fit snugly in my pocket! (most of the times when I wear them I just leave them around my neck though)
The only possible complaint I could see (at least for the price bracket) is the total lack of isolation, unless you are a diehard grado fanboy.

Unfortunately, my K701s are not seeing much use at all. monica2 usb, ppx650 with sylvania driver tube - about almost as warm as it gets right? still too cold, analytical and lacking body to me. HD650s are the one to beat for me, and HD580s when I feel like hear things more airy and light. HD650s are phenomenal for anything you throw at - music, anime, gaming, or whatever. NOT recommending it to the op due to the cost associated with the rest of the audio chain however.

 

[Commontone]

Originally posted by: konakonaUnfortunately, my K701s are not seeing much use at all. monica2 usb, ppx650 with sylvania driver tube - about almost as warm as it gets right? still too cold, analytical and lacking body to me. HD650s are the one to beat for me

That's too bad. Everyone's ears are different, and the K701's are very sensitive to the signal chain involved, perhaps too much so. Fortunately I think I found a perfect combination: E-mu 1212m sound card, connected by homemade silver/copper hybrid cable to a Millett Hybrid MAX tube amp (GE tubes). The sound is everything I want it to be. To me, the K701's (once broken in, mine have over 1000 hours on them and still continue to improve) are right down the middle. Not so laid back and polite like the top Sennheisers, but not as slam as Beyers. And I've heard warmer, and more analytical phones.