Need wired HP for watching TV

[jcgriff]

I installed some Revel M80XC's for surrounds on the wall in my HT 5.1 system and now my wife keeps sending texts from upstairs to turn it down so she can sleep. My carefully selected Revel speakers (F226Be's and a C426Be with the M80XC's) are going to waste . It's to the point where I have to turn it down so low I can't hear what's going on 10 feet away although that probably has more to do with my old ears than anything else. I think the M80XC's mounted close to the ceiling right under the bedroom did me in. I have to give her a break though since she has to be up at 5AM.

So I'm using headphones with a Denon X3700. I had an original pair of HD580's that sound fine but I feel like my heads in a vice after a short while. Can I get a recommendation for some headphones that sound reasonably good without EQ but are really comfortable. I'd like to keep it under $750. Thanks in advance.

 

[jcgriff]

PS, just can't use IE's since I can't ever get a good fit so over ear is it for me.

 

[Zensō]

It’s above your stated budget, but the Sennheiser HD800S is widely considered the most comfortable headphone on the market. It’s the only headphone I can wear for a full day working at the computer. It pretty much disappears on your head.

 

[JSmith]

now my wife keeps sending texts from upstairs to turn it down

Speakers vs wife... hmm, hard decision.

My carefully selected Revel speakers (F226Be's and a C426Be with the M80XC's) are going to waste

Oh man, that is a shame!

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JSmith

 

[jcgriff]

It’s above your stated budget, but the Sennheiser HD800S is widely considered the most comfortable headphone on the market. It’s the only headphone I can wear for a full day working at the computer. It pretty much disappears on your head.

That's what Amir's review said too. Anyone heard the Drop version of the 800S, it's cheaper at $1,100. Amir also said some EQ helped. I just don't know how easy that would be on this system.

 

[jcgriff]

Speakers vs wife... hmm, hard decision.

Oh man, that is a shame!

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JSmith

Let's not go there... she's generally supportive of my audio obsession so sometimes I have to bend. It's also a rental so no major structural modifications.

 

[Zensō]

That's what Amir's review said too. Anyone heard the Drop version of the 800S, it's cheaper at $1,100. Amir also said some EQ helped. I just don't know how easy that would be on this system.

I haven’t heard the 8XX, but Crinacle gave it a bad review and I tend to agree with his conclusions. They bumped up the bass which is good, but introduced a gaping hole at 1-3 kHz which is likely a deal breaker.

Drop + Sennheiser HD8XX Review: Illogical Conclusion – In-Ear Fidelity

A review of Drop and Sennheiser's latest and most anticipated collaboration: the HD8XX.

crinacle.com

I’m not sure a headphone with the HD800 level of comfort that doesn’t require EQ exists. The AKG K371 follows the Harman curve but the build quality is sub par and the comfort is poor. There’s the DCA Stealth at $4K (ouch). The Hifiman Sundara might be a fair compromise, or the Focal+Drop Elex, both of which sound pretty good without EQ and are reasonably comfortable.

If you can come up with a way to do it, almost any headphone will benefit from EQ…

 

[Helicopter]

I might consider Focal Clear MG or DCA Aeon Noire. I use Sennheiser TV headphones, RS185, for this, but they are wireless things. I get the same texts.

 

[jcgriff]

OLED77CXPUA

If you can come up with a way to do it, almost any headphone will benefit from EQ…

What might be a way to add the ability to EQ specifically the headphones? Denon X3700H in preamp mode to NAD M27. Sources are Oppo UHD203/Roku Ultra/LG OLED77CXPUA. It would seem to me I would need it off the HP jack so it would work with any input and mute the speakers? Is there such a thing or is there another way to do it?

 

[Zensō]

What might be a way to add the ability to EQ specifically the headphones? Denon X3700H in preamp mode to NAD M27. Sources are Oppo UHD203/Roku Ultra/LG OLED77CXPUA. It would seem to me I would need it off the HP jack so it would work with any input and mute the speakers? Is there such a thing or is there another way to do it?

If you have a digital out, the Quedelix 5K has a nice companion app with full featured 10-band PEQ. I don’t own one, but it’s extremely popular with headphone enthusiasts.

https://www.qudelix.com/

Personally, I run straight from my source, to an RME ADI-2 DAC fs, to my headphones. The EQ is handled by the PEQ in the RME. Oratory has 5-band plus 2-shelf EQ settings for a growing number of popular headphones.

index/list_of_presets_rme_adi-2 - oratory1990

r/oratory1990: Mostly covering topics like headphones, in-ear headphones, acoustics, electroacoustics, acoustic tuning, headphone design …

www.reddit.com

 

[Cahudson42]

The Phillips SHP9500 at about $70 is all you need. it is extremely comfortable, good for TV without EQ, and, of course, better with. Use with Qudelic 5k to provide both bt and PEQ.

Or as I do with mine, also just for tv at night, a $27 or so bt receiver with volume control.
Neoteck 192kHz Digital to Analog Audio Converter with Bluetooth 5.0 Receiver Volume Knob, Coaxial Toslink to Analog Stereo L/R RCA 3.5mm Audio Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T5K48Q8/

Alternately, if you want to listen to music in addition, you might consider my approach for that. It's my separate setup for Amazon Music listening, a $149 HE400se, Qudelic 5k at $109, and $42 balanced HP cable. IMO, hard to beat for under $1000... It's not quite as comfortable than the SHP9500 for long sessions, which is why I keep that setup for tv..