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General purpose headphone for gaming/music/calls, under 200$

faenil

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Hi everyone,

I have been reading this forum for a while :)
Thanks everyone for the insightful discussions!

I am currently looking for advice on a pair of headphones to use daily during work for calls and for music (no specific genre) and occasional gaming.
Ideally no amp, but will consider that unlocks a much better sounding model.

I wear glasses and the arms are a bit wide, so the seal won't be great (or should I stop considering over-ear and research good IEMs? Maybe ER2-XR?).

Sound leak not a problem, noise isolation not needed.

I don't have a strong preference over the sound signature, which I appreciate will make it more difficult to provide a good recommendation :D
I am prioritizing neutral sounding headset, but not a must.

After looking the option I have shortlisted a few:
- X2HR, due to its impressive soundstage and natural sound profile. They also seem to perform well when the seal is not great.
- HD598/599 seem to also get some praise for the same properties.
- Hifiman HE400SE, they seem to be less sensitive though and have 2 input connectors (one on each side), so plugging in the boompro mic is a tad inconvenient)
- AKG K371, which got really good reviews in this forum, but has a mini-xlr input (I suppose I could buy an adapter to plug a 3.5mm mic into it).
- AudioTechnica M40X, which I was recommended by a musician that mostly uses them for recording.
- DT770 (no detachable cable though)

Budget is about 200$ for headphones only.
Happy to consider refurbished models too.

Models with a single 3.5mm input are preferred so I can match them with a V-Moda BoomPro or ModMic mics, but if there is a killer model that has a different input plug I am happy to consider that too (matching it with a wireless or lavalier mic).
 
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staticV3

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Hi @faenil ! Welcome to the forum.
The HD560S sounds like a perfect match for what you're looking for.
No Amp required, low seal dependency, under $200, and a great frequency response out of the box, plus good sound stage which should do well for gaming. The only snag is that you can't the Boompro with it.

or should I stop considering over-ear and research good IEMs?
I personally switched to IEMs a few months ago, but it's not for everyone. Finding an IEM that you can wear for hours can be difficult, though I appreciate the lack of headphone hair.
For competitive gaming I think IEMs beat headphones, since the sound seems just a bit more focused, maybe due to a lack of internal reflections.
I switched from an HD600 to a pair of $5, mmcx modded MH755 btw, and I see no reason to go back. Both i used/use with extensive EQ.
 
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faenil

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Hi @faenil ! Welcome to the forum.
The HD560S sounds like a perfect match for what you're looking for.
No Amp required, low seal dependency, under $200, and a great frequency response out of the box, plus good sound stage which should do well for gaming. The only snag is that you can't the Boompro with it.
Would you mind elaborating on the recommendation?
The x2hr seems to beat HD560S on most rtings tests (not sure how much I should rely on those, though :))

If HD560S is worth it, I suppose I could an adapter to plug the mic in and bend it up a bit?
shopping

I personally switched to IEMs a few months ago, but it's not for everyone. Finding an IEM that you can wear for hours can be difficult, though I appreciate the lack of headphone hair.
For competitive gaming I think IEMs beat headphones, since the sound seems just a bit more focused, maybe due to a lack of internal reflections.
I switched from an HD600 to a pair of $5, mmcx modded MH755 btw, and I see no reason to go back. Both i used/use with extensive EQ.
Oh, nice pair of IEMs, what a bargain.
I currently have a 1More Triple Driver (which seemed to be the best under 100$ at the time, but it seems like it's fallen behind a lot, now)

I started researching over-ear with the assumption that they would provide better sound quality at the same price (compared to IEMs), however I am not sure that statement is correct.

As far as I could read online, though, it seems like IEMs cannot physically match the soundstage and imaging of over-ear open-back headphones, which is very useful in gaming (not that I game a lot, nowadays...but I like to think I'll get back to it)
 
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Dunring

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If you need a headset, get a Beyerdynamic MMX300 on eBay used and replace the pads with the silver DT770 ones which sound and feel so much better. I used one for years and it's great. Bass is best with a little power, but a Soundblaster X1 or Creative refurbished G6 on their site would handle it and the mic easily. It's a really nice mic on that also for calls or chatting.
 
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faenil

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If you need a headset, get a Beyerdynamic MMX300 on eBay used
Another great option.
I was hoping to decrease the amount of options, but they are actually increasing :) (thanks for chiming in!)

Any reason to pick them over X2HR or HD560S+mic ?
 

staticV3

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Would you mind elaborating on the recommendation?
The x2hr seems to beat HD560S on most rtings tests
I've only heard the X2HR, which is decent, but sounds a bit fuzzy.
I expect the 560S to sound better, though can't say for sure.

If HD560S is worth it, I suppose I could an adapter to plug the mic in and bend it up a bit?
The 560S uses a 2.5mm TRRS locking plug to connect to the headphone, so not sure how you'd use a 6.35->3.5mm adapter there.
61zn1vM6F0L._SL1500_.jpg
 
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faenil

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I've only heard the X2HR, which is decent, but sounds a bit fuzzy.
I expect the 560S to sound better, though can't say for sure.
Right, ok, thanks :) I guess I could try both.
HD560S are 50% more expensive than X2HR, at the moment. (about 170£ vs 110£)
The 560S uses a 2.5mm TRRS locking plug to connect to the headphone, so not sure how you'd use a 6.35->3.5mm adapter there.
View attachment 245050
I picked the wrong image, I meant 3.5mm -> 2.5mm.
A couple of people on Reddit have connected the boompro to HD560S using those (a quick google search shows).
 

Hckd

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Regarding IEM vs Heaphones, I game a bit (used to game a lot more in the past in competitive scenarios, fps) and I think is very model dependent… But, in all honesty I used some heaphones that were not really that good for gaming (as I’m not being able to pinpoint exact location of shots/footsteps via sound) and never used a good IEM that wasn’t good at it. An example of this is me grabbing the HD650 instead of the HD800S in some games because the latter just makes some sounds look like they are too far for it to be intuitive.

This is just my experience, dunno if it is like this for everybody.
 

digitalfrost

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From personal experience:

- IEMs are best for competitive gaming. Due to the low noise floor, you can hear things much better. You might think your PC isn't loud and your room is quiet, but you will notice the difference, it is not small. Alternative would be closed back over-ears.

- For daily use and calls I much prefer open back headphones, since they don't heat up the ears like other type of over-ear headphones and you can hear yourself talk. Also they're easier to put down and put on than IEMs.

- If your room isn't air conditioned, any type of over ear headphone that you use a long time will get dirty, especially in summer. In much prefer IEMs for long gaming sessions since they don't suffer from this.

- Forget any type of line-in microphones that go into the computer. The signal is weak and the inside of a PC is just a mess when it comes to audio. You can expect interferences and noise and bad sound quality that will annoy anyone you're speaking to. If you want to use a modmic, get the modmic USB.

My personal solution is a dedicated studio microphone that I feed into a bunch of VST plugins through EqualizerAPO. I use the cheap the t.bone MB 88U Plus and people tell me my voice sounds amazing and I should record an audio book :p.

I use two interfaces for recording and playback and I have a dedicated headphone amp. If I would have to do this for cheap nowadays:

- Get a USB interface that can power both 250ohm studio headphones and works with IEMs
- It should have XLR inputs and phantom power for a proper mic
- Do not forget a proper mic stand costs money

For over hear phones, I'd probably get beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X or DT 700 PRO X. IEMs, there's a new star every couple of months. At the moment, I'd look at Truthear Hexa, but there's plenty of options in all price brackets.
 
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WhiteHartMart

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faenil

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Regarding IEM vs Heaphones, I game a bit (used to game a lot more in the past in competitive scenarios, fps) and I think is very model dependent… But, in all honesty I used some heaphones that were not really that good for gaming (as I’m not being able to pinpoint exact location of shots/footsteps via sound) and never used a good IEM that wasn’t good at it. An example of this is me grabbing the HD650 instead of the HD800S in some games because the latter just makes some sounds look like they are too far for it to be intuitive.

This is just my experience, dunno if it is like this for everybody.
Thanks :)
My personal solution is a dedicated studio microphone that I feed into a bunch of VST plugins through EqualizerAPO. I use the cheap the t.bone MB 88U Plus and people tell me my voice sounds amazing and I should record an audio book :p.

I use two interfaces for recording and playback and I have a dedicated headphone amp. If I would have to do this for cheap nowadays:

- Get a USB interface that can power both 250ohm studio headphones and works with IEMs
- It should have XLR inputs and phantom power for a proper mic
- Do not forget a proper mic stand costs money

For over hear phones, I'd probably get beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X or DT 700 PRO X. IEMs, there's a new star every couple of months. At the moment, I'd look at Truthear Hexa, but there's plenty of options in all price brackets.
Thanks for all the insight! Really useful post.
I have some recommendations for desk setup, but I am looking for a more mobile setup as I often move from my desk to other rooms/places, so audio interface and studio mics are not an option, unfortunately. Thanks for going through the details, though.

Regarding the Hexa, that's a great tip! Are they supposedly better than Zero?
I was thinking of buying the ER2XR to test them, but I might as well just go for the Zero as a test IEM!
I'd say HD560s also - I use mine with an adaptor to allow me to use the VModa Boompro with it - have had no issues at all. Two such adaptors I've used are:-
Great, thanks!
Just struggling to find 560S at a good price...haven't found enough evidence to justify the increase in price from X2HR.
I guess I just need to try them :)
 

digitalfrost

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Thanks for all the insight! Really useful post.
I have some recommendations for desk setup, but I am looking for a more mobile setup as I often move from my desk to other rooms/places, so audio interface and studio mics are not an option, unfortunately. Thanks for going through the details, though.

Regarding the Hexa, that's a great tip! Are they supposedly better than Zero?
If you read the Zero thread some people described them as shouty, from the measurements the Hexa could fix this.


Just type Hexa in the search bar here, you can easily compare measurements from multiple reviews.
 
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faenil

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Just type Hexa in the search bar here, you can easily compare measurements from multiple reviews.
Yeah I did some research after that post and went through that not long ago :) (also searched for Hexa on this forum).
I lack the experience required to judge whether being close to this or that target curve equals better or worse phones for my use case, unfortunately (I understand curves like Harman are statistically supposed to please most people).

However, I haven't found any reseller that has the Hexa ready to ship in Europe, so far :D

Almost tempted to look for MH755 as an alternative, assuming those are any easier to find.

Meanwhile, I received the MMX300, today! Will be listening to some music tomorrow.
 

digitalfrost

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Yeah I did some research after that post and went through that not long ago :) (also searched for Hexa on this forum).
I lack the experience required to judge whether being close to this or that target curve equals better or worse phones for my use case, unfortunately (I understand curves like Harman are statistically supposed to please most people).

However, I haven't found any reseller that has the Hexa ready to ship in Europe, so far :D
Amazon germany has them ready to ship in 10 days: https://www.amazon.de/Truthear-Struktur-dynamischen-Expansibility-Kopfhörer-black/dp/B0BLZ2QPYS
 
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faenil

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BOSE QC 35 or 45 are perfect for you. Amir also gave an excellent review: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...5-ii-review-noise-cancelling-headphone.20584/
I did see the review, and it's interesting how well it performed.
However I struggle to fit it in the budget, considering it still needs an external mic.

Has anyone tried both QC 35II and any of the currently recommended models? (HD560S, MMX300, X2HR)

It also only seems to perform well with ANC on, which I am not personally a fan of (ANC, that is)
 
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htky

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Almost tempted to look for MH755 as an alternative, assuming those are any easier to find.

The chances finding a legit one are pretty slim and even if you find one, it most likely will cost at least 5x more :(
 
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faenil

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The chances finding a legit one are pretty slim and even if you find one, it most likely will cost at least 5x more :(
Yeah, I think it should come with the SBH24 adapter, which is about 20£ at the moment, not that bad :)
(the alternative at that price point is the Chu, I guess)

Today I tried the MMX300, but just for a couple of meetings, so no music listening yet...they were quite warm on my ears, I am not sure I would be happy to keep them on for a few hours a day, and temps are low now, let alone in summer.

Sennheiser IE300 is also currently on sale at 115£, that could be a good deal too. Anyone tried them?
 
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astcal

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I did see the review, and it's interesting how well it performed.
However I struggle to fit it in the budget, considering it still needs an external mic.

Has anyone tried both QC 35II and any of the currently recommended models? (HD560S, MMX300, X2HR)

It also only seems to perform well with ANC on, which I am not personally a fan of (ANC, that is)

with Bose you save $ on amp etc. They will bluetooth to you phone or computer. The mic quality is among the best so making your phone calls much better. ANC is nice, you can only beat it with open headphones if you have a tomb quiet environment.

QC35 II refurbished can be found on BOSE website for $199.
 
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