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500$ Budget for Headphones and Amp/Dac

Waldfee

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Hello,

Am a complete noob on the subject of Headphones and Amps I have spent the last two days browsing through google but that has only made things worse for me because there is so much choice. Hope you can help me narrow down the choices a bit.

Budget: 500€
Music taste: 10% Rock - 10% EDM - 10% Heavy Metal - 10% Pop - 10% Rap - 10% House/Techno/Trance - 10% Indie - 10% Classical music (but most on the piano without orchestra).
Intended use: at home for music (Spotify + Youtube) and gaming (competitive and single player). Closed or open doesn't matter.
Listening habits: Dont rly know the difference between neutral or warm.
Existing equipment: Nothing at all.

Do you even need an amp if you buy for example the Headphones for 500€ but no Amp? Or is a 200€ Headphone better with an amp than a 500 € Headphone without amp.

Thanks in advance. (Please move this in the right thread if i'm wrong here ;D
 

tifune

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So far you have absolutely no preferences and you listen to "everything.". Hoenstly I'd just go to a thrift store or borrow something from a friend so you have some frame of reference, anything really, even if it's just "I tried this model and they made my ears too hot."

Build off of that before you blindly spend 500+, no reason to rush it. I promise good music will still (probably) sound good even on bad headphines
 
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Buy this: drop.com HD6XX headphones; Schiit Audio Modi DAC; Schitt Audio Magni Heresy headphone amplifier
Total will be around 500 dollars US. May be closer to 500 Euros in Europe.
 

someguyontheinternet

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Stuff from Topping is probably easier to pick up in Europe. A Topping DX3 + Sennheiser HD650 should be easy to find and would perform solidly.

Maybe the new Beyerdynamic DT700 Pro X is a good alternative headphone. The frequency response looks solid, but I haven't seen distortion measurements. The sub-bass could be better on this one since the HD650 drops off pretty sharply in that region.
 
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Waldfee

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So far you have absolutely no preferences and you listen to "everything.". Hoenstly I'd just go to a thrift store or borrow something from a friend so you have some frame of reference, anything really, even if it's just "I tried this model and they made my ears too hot."

Build off of that before you blindly spend 500+, no reason to rush it. I promise good music will still (probably) sound good even on bad headphines
Hi, thanks for ur reply.
Problem is that i dont have any friends that have good headphones :D They just have airpods. I also dont have any shop here where i live and the city is only reachable with a car that i dont have. We used to have a train here but their was a huge flooding last year and destroyed all the infrastructure.
 
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Waldfee

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Buy this: drop.com HD6XX headphones; Schiit Audio Modi DAC; Schitt Audio Magni Heresy headphone amplifier
Total will be around 500 dollars US. May be closer to 500 Euros in Europe.
Hi, thanks for ur reply. Unfortunaly i can't get shitt products in eurpe atm cause no stock. Any suggestions for dac and amp or combi?
Def will look at these HP.
 

Smitty2k1

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Topping DX3 Pro+ with Sennheiser HD598se over here. Very happy and only cost me $275 or so. I don't have any comparison but I'm guessing I'd have to spend a lot more money for a significant upgrade to this setup.

If you don't have a streamer yet you can spend the remaining budget on that.
 

RHO

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What is your source? (pc, phone, ...)

For your budget a Topping DX3 pro + and a Sennheiser HD560s would be a very good start.
 
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Waldfee

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Topping DX3 Pro+ with Sennheiser HD598se over here. Very happy and only cost me $275 or so. I don't have any comparison but I'm guessing I'd have to spend a lot more money for a significant upgrade to this setup.

If you don't have a streamer yet you can spend the remaining budget on that.
thanks but i dont need a streamer :) The HD598se dont exist here in Germany :/
 
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Waldfee

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What is your source? (pc, phone, ...)

For your budget a Topping DX3 pro + and a Sennheiser HD560s would be a very good start.
PC. Whats the difference between hd560 - hd 58drop jubile - hd6xx. Whats the up and downsides.
 

JABrown

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I'm happy with the Sennheiser 6xx and the THX dongle. Their cost totals approximately $500. I listen primarily to jazz, rock and classical music.
 

RHO

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PC. Whats the difference between hd560 - hd 58drop jubile - hd6xx. Whats the up and downsides.
It depends. If you are in Europe the Drop products get a lot more expensive when you add customs fees and taxes. Returning them when something is wrong is also a hassle.
I have the HD6XX and I like them. But I bought them before the new import rules.
The HD560s measurements look very nice, they can be had for €159 (Thomann.de), they are just as reliable as other Sennheiser products...

Here's a link where you can compare them: https://headphonedatabase.com/oratory/headphones?ids=66,265,63,187
I've added the AKG K371. It's a very nice sounding headphone, with very good bass extension compared to the Sennheisers. But some have had bad luck with the build quality (I haven't, mine are still fine). I like the comfort on the Sennheisers better.
 
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Waldfee

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Stuff from Topping is probably easier to pick up in Europe. A Topping DX3 + Sennheiser HD650 should be easy to find and would perform solidly.

Maybe the new Beyerdynamic DT700 Pro X is a good alternative headphone. The frequency response looks solid, but I haven't seen distortion measurements. The sub-bass could be better on this one since the HD650 drops off pretty sharply in that region.
The 650 is 350 €. Many ppl say that the hd6xx is the same as the 650 in sound but is "only" 216 at drop. Would u still recommand the 650 if so, why?
 

RHO

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The 650 is 350 €. Many ppl say that the hd6xx is the same as the 650 in sound but is "only" 216 at drop. Would u still recommand the 650 if so, why?
The HD650 can be had for €303 : https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ead-on-audio-product-sales.23706/post-1165922

Since you are going to use them for gaming too, maybe the HD560s would be better. I have no experience in this regard but from what I read the HD560s has a bigger soundstage. That could help. I think the somewhat more elevated higher mids could also be an advantage in that use-case.
Again, I have no personal experience in that area.
Maybe ask @Robbo99999 about it? Has has quite a bit experience with these.
 
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Waldfee

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It depends. If you are in Europe the Drop products get a lot more expensive when you add customs fees and taxes. Returning them when something is wrong is also a hassle.
I have the HD6XX and I like them. But I bought them before the new import rules.
The HD560s measurements look very nice, they can be had for €159 (Thomann.de), they are just as reliable as other Sennheiser products...

Here's a link where you can compare them: https://headphonedatabase.com/oratory/headphones?ids=66,265,63,187
I've added the AKG K371. It's a very nice sounding headphone, with very good bass extension compared to the Sennheisers. But some have had bad luck with the build quality (I haven't, mine are still fine). I like the comfort on the Sennheisers better.
Yeah :/ i just saw. f*ck my country xD. Thanks for the link :) Any opinion on the beyerdynamics 770 880 990? How do they stack up against sennheiser.
 

RHO

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Yeah :/ i just saw. f*ck my country xD. Thanks for the link :) Any opinion on the beyerdynamics 770 880 990? How do they stack up against sennheiser.
I've extended my previous post. Maybe you missed it.

I own the DT770 and they are not bad. But without EQ they don't compete with the HD6XX or K371. For me the mids are pushed back too far and makes them sound muffled. Bass is good. Treble can be quite spicy. I don't like the stock pads on them. Too shallow. Build quality is excellent. Not have a removable cable is also a downside.
 

someguyontheinternet

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The 650 is 350 €. Many ppl say that the hd6xx is the same as the 650 in sound but is "only" 216 at drop. Would u still recommand the 650 if so, why?
Mainly availability (no waiting/shipping times and potential customs shenanigans). You can probably find a used HD650 or HD6XX in good condition for around 200-250 Euro (I bought mine for around that much on Ebay).
The HD560s should also work just as well, but since I have never owned one my mind probably jumped to the more familiar option first.
 

Jimbob54

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+1 for DX3 pro + and Senn HD560S- great value combo. If you want them to be portable rather than desktop based, consider the same headphones with Tempotec Sonata HD pro dongle dac/ amp from Aliexpress for about 40 euros.
 

RHO

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Ur sure u can order the "french" version and get it send to germany? If i switch to german version they are 359
Ah, didn't check if the price changes with country of destination.
I think Thomann would be your best bet for Sennheiser headphones.
For headphone DAC/amps I have good experience with Hifistudio79.nl and Audiophonics.fr.
 
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