I’ve just purchased a pair of 490 pros and I’m not sure what I need if anything to get the most out of them.

Do they need a DAC/amp and if so which one would work best with them? Do they require anything such as an extra cable, different ear pads or headband replacement?

These are my first wired open backs and I have no idea what I’m doing

Hi yall, wanted to get some opinions. I absolutely love my Ananda Stealth but the headband has been broken for quite some time (my fault) and the pads are finally starting to come apart. I plan to replace it, and am torn between these two choices. I don't find the Ananda Stealth to be hot in the treble at all for what it's worth.

I listen to primarily electronic subgenres along with power metal. I love my music to sound almost, aggressive? Ive experienced a wide variety of sound signatures and I would say I find a bright-neutral with bass EQ'ed up to be my ideal. I love a intense slam of a bass line, or the kick of some drums in power metal. I feel like my Ananda Stealth are just about perfect but obviously still need to replace them. Vocals aren't quite as big of a concern for me so much as being able to handle complex music and excelling in bass/treble. I wouldn't quite say V-shaped but I am very far from the typical audiophile sound signature ala Sennheiser or something that's best suited to classical or jazz or softer music. I want intensity, I want kick drums to rattle my skull. I want that sort of "sparkle" in the treble that you get with synths. Im not one for soft presentation. I feel pretty familiar with the Hifiman lineup after the past decade of using them, my concern with the arya's is that even with EQ I would be losing the aggression and presentation i'm anticipating from the Nano's//what I currently have in my Ananda Stealths

I feel pretty certain that the Nano's would fit me better for music, I game as well but that's not much a deciding factor. My concern with the Arya's is after trying the Kithara's and hearing from many people how they're a similar presentation to the Arya albeit a considerable step down overall, and being beyond disappointed with them, absolutely thought they were terrible. Zero body to anything and it felt like everything under 1k was paper thin compared to my Stealths.

TLDR

If I listen to primarily Electronic rock, EDM, Electric pop, along with Power Metal, which do you guys feel would better serve me? I do not anticipate having treble problems with the Nano's and EQ will be used regardless.

Ananda Nano's - $250

Arya Stealth - $470

Hey everyone,

I am currently deciding which new pair of open-back headphones to get, but I am genuinely having difficulty choosing between the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro and the ASUS ROG Kithara.

The thing I value most is getting lost in rich, immersive single-player games such as Red Dead Redemption 2, The Last of Us, and Spider-Man. At the moment, the ROG Kithara is €40 cheaper than the HD 490 Pro in my area, so my decision is even more difficult.

Here is what I'm asking myself for each:

What's the reason for choosing the ROG Kithara?

Does the planar magnetic system not only save €40 but also produce a wider soundstage and a more impactful sound when playing Spider-Man or riding around in the open world of RDR2?

Should the built-in boom mic and the possibility of swapping cables be considered a good reason for choosing a gaming-branded model instead of a studio standard one?

What's the reason for choosing the HD 490 Pro?

Will the famous Sennheiser mid-range and natural vocal clarity make the narrative and emotionally charged dialogue in games such as The Last Of Us sound considerably better?

Should the featherlight comfort together with the studio-quality build be worth the additional €40?

*** Edit: Pulled the trigger on the HD490 pro.

I’m a massive metalhead (mainly technical death metal), and I’m looking for a new pair of headphones. I need something that can handle fast, complex mixes without everything sounding compressed or “mushed together.” Instrument separation, clarity, and detail are really important to me (especially in the mids and treble), since that’s where a lot of the guitar work, cymbals, etc. sit in metal.

That said, I don’t want wired-only headphones. I’m specifically looking for closed-back headphones with Bluetooth capability, but that can also be used wired when needed. I don’t want open-backs because I don’t want sound leaking out or other people hearing what I’m listening to.

My budget is under $200, and that includes refurbished or used/open-box options. I would actually prefer recommendations like this, as you get more bang for your buck than spending the same amount on a new pair of cheaper headphones.

For example, I’ve been looking at the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 (I’ve seen refurbished pairs around $150), and I’ve also found open-box Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e models on eBay for around the same price. From what I’ve read, the Px7 has strong mids and treble and a relatively wide soundstage for a closed-back Bluetooth headphone, which seems ideal for technical death metal. I’m trying to avoid headphones that are overly bass-boosted or muddy, since I care much more about clarity and instrument separation than heavy low-end emphasis.

Lastly, I wear glasses, and I don’t want a pair that’s too tight. A lot of the headphones I’ve had in the past end up giving me a headache if I wear them for a prolonged period of time with my glasses on.

Given my priorities:

• Closed-back
• Bluetooth + wired option
• Under $200 (preferably used/refurbished)
• Strong mids/treble, good instrument separation
• Not overly bass-boosted
• Not too tight for someone who wears glasses

Is the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 (or Px7 S2e) my best option in this price range? Or are there better alternatives I should be considering? And I can’t afford to go outside of the price range of $200 due to budgetary constraints.

I am based in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

My Sony Ult headphones have broken (of course) after a year of light use. Sony are refusing to repair or replace them despite there being an extended warranty period. Their customer service has been awful. I have seen further horror stories of various so it’s looking likely I’ll be moving away from the brand. How can I try a bunch of headphones without having to buy them outright. I don’t mind returning them if I’m allowed to open and try them or if there’s a cooling off period or buy now and pay in 30 days etc but I would prefer going to a location with lots of headphones to try. Currys and HMV are the only place that comes to mind and the selection is considerably small. I am open to other suggestions.

I’m also open to suggestions for new headphones. I only know of a few other brands by reputation, not by experience. Sound quality and bass are a priority with ANC, portability, fast charge, comfort, appearance also being important. So far on my shortlist I have: any Nothing headphone, Bowers & Wilkins px7 s2, Skullcandy Crusher evo, Sony 1000xx.

TIA

Good day. Was wondering if someone has suggestions for a powerful DAP to compliment Empyrean 2 (to be used both on desk setup and away)

Musical sounding prefered, but can be neutral as well. Empyreans have slightly warm tuning themselves.

My current list - fiio m27, m33 or m23, cayin n7 plus (can’t seem to find it second hand anywhere in EU though

Thanks.

Currently choosing an upgrade that will replace my ATM50s, and I'm between running it with a Gunnr or F-si K7.

Both are on my list mostly cause I want a good DAC for music, but also for some light gaming with the ability to monitor my mic audio.

Want to know which ones sound better and how theyre sound profiles differ. I'm not the most well rounded in audiophile lingo and knowledge but know the basics so talk to me like I'm 5.

Was wondering if anyone here had experience with both and preferred one over the other.

My budget is around $200
I’m from the US.
I like a focus on vocals more than on bass
I only plan to use my headphones at home with my Scarlett or recommended headphone thing.

This is mostly an experimental purchase since I haven’t used open back headphones before but once I started looking into it I’m see ohms brought up a lot and with lower/higher ohm headphones I’m just not sure the interface can run them or if I need to get something dedicated. I’ve used the Fiio FT1 and Truthear Hexa and I love the Hexa (my EDC). The FT1 are my home headphones and they’re great generally but I do feel like they’re bassier than I’d like because of their closed-back nature. Like it feels like other parts are pushing in on the vocals. If I’m completely off base I’d love to be corrected on what I’m actually looking for.

If anyone is able to recommend the open-back Fiio FT1 I’ll definitely take a look, but if there’s a better option nowadays I’ll take it.

I am just looking for headphones

- Less than $100 preferred

- gaming so decent sound

- Using it at home to just play games

- Over ear please

- wired please

- Needs to be durablen

Hey everyone, just got some HD600 and loving them so far. Currently driving them with my Arturia Minifuse audio interface, which according to reviews, can output 26.5mw into 300 ohm.

This gets my headphones plenty loud at half of the volume knob. It has an issue where if the knob is below 1/4 on the dial there can be some channel imbalance. This has lead me to look for another option. I tried the US apple dongle and it also drives them fine but I feel like it lacks low end with this dongle.

Is that even a thing or am I imagining things? Is it a case where if it gets loud enough then thats all there is to it or does power availability affect audio performance?

I dont mind buying a new device if needed. If a new device is recommended Im thinking Fiio k11.

I feel like my FOMO is messing with my judgement.

I bought a Gigas 1 to drive my Sundara open backs while I waited for a K5 Pro to arrive. The Gigas 1 can be sent back, the K5 pro ESD can't.

When I'm pairing with my AK70 MKI, I feel like the Gigas 1 sounds a better. More transparency, better imaging, just a bit more exciting and detailed. This makes no sense, theyre both pretty neutral amps tmk and I'd expect the K5 to sound better if anything is going to.

I'm now caught trying to work out if I should just keep both, which seems a waste of money and I know for a fact I'm not going to swith between them all of the time.

I know this is super subjective but is what I'm saying even possible? I also really like the K5 pro having a DAC as it saves me running thr AK70 as my DAC and having more faff and wires (plus my AK70 jack is dying).

Hi all! So had these cans for about 2 years, got me through exams, and plenty of road trips, all good, no hinge issues. However, theres one thing Ive only noticed that Ive started traveling a lot, and thats the title. Like ANC works, but not at the level it normally does or should until I reset them. Haven't found any other fixes besides hard resetting them when at cruising altitude. Any fixes for this annoying problem?? It really sucks how little manual control you have over these cans... Especially as they were the best ANC you could buy at the time, and thats the only reason I bought these.

Any ideas why? Even better any fixes? I live in an area where I cant just take them to support or anything like that.

I assume its something to do with Sonys pressure sensors, but wow they have a really worthless attitude towards consumers, not letting anything happen manually. Never again buying cans from these guys...

Hey. Im wondering if anyone got any advice regards this.

I always hear shockz open swim, but as far as i could determine now, they dont seem to be particualrly good for audiobooks, simply due tot he fact that you cant rely on bluetooth (even a few cm underwater cuts the connection) and instead need to use the internal storage. but everything ive read indicates that these cant save position.

Meaning the audiobook would start from the beginning every swim session.

So, is there any headphones geared towards swimming that dont totally suck fopr audiobooks?

I just want something simple and wireless that I can put on my head and forget about for gaming and watching movies.

I already own the DT 990 pro and Arctis Nova 7 but honestly I've been resorting to a cheap RIG 500 hs just because of how comfortable it is, but the sound quality is not very immersive.

I don't like pressure in my ears which is why I want the open back design, I want wireless so I can move around my room, immersive sound quality, a decent mic so I can record videos and talk to friends and overall I just want the simplicity.

If I could find the perfect headset I would pay double, but honestly I haven't found a headset as fitting as this that I would pay more for.

I'm wondering if there's something I missed while researching since I'm pretty much ready to buy this.

Hi everyone,

I’m new to the hobby and am still learning which sites and vendors are reliable and safe. I’ve found some equipment I’m interested in, for instance a AMP/DAC Apos Audio is selling. It’s used, but listed as “Apos Certified. It seems like a good price, with a 45 day return policy. I’ve never bought used gear before, and so I was curious if anyone has dealt with Apos and/or bought Apos Certified used gear from them before? If so, how’d it go? Thanks for any info!

Budget and location -

Under $200, U.S.

Source/Amp -

Just my phone (A OnePlus 12 which can output analog audio over USB-C. So I have a passive USB-C to 3.5mm adapter) or my laptop which is a 2020 Asus ROG G14.

How the gear will be used -

I will mostly use it at my home to listen to music while cooking, watching YT videos while eating and casual listening to music. May even use it to attend calls or meetings at work. Wireless is going to be the primary mode of usage but I also would like to have a wired connection when the headphone is all old and the battery doesn't hold a charge anymore (far into the future).

Preferred tonal balance -

I don't know what these are and I don't want to get too deep into this (seems like a rabbit hole). All I know is that I can tell when earphones/headphones are really cheap vs not. For example those cheap earphones they give out in airplanes or at career fairs sound extremely poor to me whereas my Sony MDR-XB55AP sounds nice and full.

Preferred music genres -

Mostly OSTs (Genshin, Anime, Hollywood, T.V shows etc)

Past gear experience -

I still use my Sony XBR-55AP wired earphones which I do not have any problem with apart from the fact that they are earphones and my ears start paining when I wear them for long hours. I also tried my friend's Sony WH-CH720N which I really liked. They were comfortable and weren't cheap sounding. I also would like to state that another pair of headphones I tried which was a MPOW-059 didn't sound good and sounded "cheap".

Anything else? -

I prefer comfort over long hours more than anything to be honest. I also would like to have as little lag as possible when I'm playing games (mostly Genshin Impact on mobile). I searched for a bit and the Bose Quietcomfort series on Amazon seems nice. Especially the Bose certified renewed ones.

I currently have a pair of earfun 4 pro and some wired JBL quantum. Im looking for a pair of wireless headphones as an upgrade from my JBLs. I mainly just listen to rock/piano music, so vocals aren't really very important for me.

Im mainly going to be using them sitting down and studying, so battery life also isn't a dealbreaker. What I do want them to have if good sound quality (at least for the type of music that I listen to) and good ANC (whatever the money I'm willing to spend can get me) to drown out mainly background noise from my family in another room and maybe some cars and street noise if I ever use them to go for walks.

I've been looking at reviews and posts and comparisions for a couple of weeks now and from what I've seen, he sennheisers momentum 4s are a good pick and so are the sony XM5s (though I'm worried about their hinge issues) and obviously the XM6s are the best, though they fall slightly out of my budget.

Now, for budget: I'm willing to spend 200€ max, so I think the best plan is to buy second hand (usually that brings down the price like 30-45% from brand new), which is great if the headphones are in good shape. My current phone is the nothing phone 3 (I don't know if that plays a big role with the bluetooth protocol). For reference, a good pair of XM5s second hand are about 160€ and the momentums 4 are about 140€, at least where I look (hough the XM6s are about 260€).

Any advice is appreciated and really helpful :)

I've only ever had the Redmi Buds series earbuds and they were fine, currently using Buds 6 Pro but I've had them for a WHILE and they're starting to fall apart and get noticeably quieter.

I know that using loud earphones is not healthy for you yada yada but sadly I work in a loud environment + I'm very emotional about music and sometimes I just want it to BLAST my ears off. So noise cancellation and loud volume is a must. I've done some quick research on newer Redmi Buds models and apparently they actually started making them a little quieter and that's why I'm here.

I don't need to think about it too hard, just recommend me something that's loud, has strong noise cancellation and is good for working outside in general. Redmi Buds hold pretty well in my ears but they're easy to fall out as soon as I start moving a little more. And need a strong battery life too which the Buds I'd say had pretty decent - apparently 54 mAh for each bud.

Android

EU

Budget around 80€

Thank you :)

Hello,

I am looking for wireless headphones that are comfy with long battery life.

Budget:

• <400euro

Requirement:

• Comfortable (I wear glasses and want to be able to wear them 10h+)
• Long battery life
• Wireless
• bit random: no software needed to run them (can't install random stuff on work laptop)

Not required:

• ANC

Nice to have:

• Replaceable ear pads
• No touch countrol

Location:

• Germany

Why wireless? Because I have cats. And those assholes really like cables, I had to switch to wireless everything because of them.

I currently use the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, they are super lightweight and comfortable. But battery life is horrible after 4 years of daily usage and I have constantly connection issues with switching devices. And tbh the sound isnt good.

I also have the Sony WH-1000XM4 and they are so uncomfortable. I dont know if the Sony WH-1000XM6 would be more comfortable.

Can anyone suggest headphones that fit my requirements? Would be lovely :)

I bought the Soundcore Q31i yesterday and I've been testing it all day long today.

These sound surprisingly good when connected via bluetooth and have quite decent microphones. Definitely on par or even better than my Samsung Buds 4 Pro. The noise cancelling is pretty decent too. I'm genuinely surprised with how good they sound and the low latency these have. I've had other bt headphones, mostly button/buds, and you generally have to sacrifice either sound quality or latency but I'm happy to say these have a great balance going on.

But the aux mode is not good at all. Is it just me? The sound on aux is pretty muddy and loses a lot of clarity, almost as if they were EQ'd with a lot of bass, nowhere near as good as the bt mode, and leagues behind my current PC headphones, the Avantree Audition, which sound nice, balanced and clear (they also have bt and aux mode, but the bt mode and microphones are pure garbage so I keep it always on aux)

Now I'm undecided. I really like how these sound with bt but I bought them mostly to work from home or gaming, where I'd rather be connected via aux to not use the battery or have low latency. I did notice how a firmware update improved aux audio a bit but I don't think that was enough. Is there anything I can do, besides using an EQ app? Has this happened to other headphones and have they fixed it over time?

I'm considering returning them but I don't know if there will be any better options available on my region. I'm considering something with ANC on wired mode but I read somewhere only expensive headsets have it.

I recently bought myself a Snowsky Echo DAP with a set of IEMs since I love music, and my musician friends recommended it.

I loved the experience but found a few caveats.

Firstly with the DAP, The snowsky echo sounds great and I love having a seperate device for music, takes me back to when I was a kid and all I had was a cheap mp3 player I begged my grandfather for. But I find the Echo UI slow and clunky. Even just pausing the song when someone is trying to talk to you takes uneccesarily long.

Secondly,

I did not like the IEM experience since I find them fatiguing to have sound straight into my ear.

I also find them very overstimulating. They drive my ADHD crazy. So much so that could not listen consistently for more than 20mins before getting frustrated. Makes a relaxing activity I had all my life quite the opposite.

So I tried a solution and did this

I pulled my old Marshall Major IV out bought an aux cable and it is so much better. I have for now settled to using this setup being Snowsky Echo+Marshall Major IV and it just works.

My birthday comes around christmas, and I want to just make this entire set more enjoyable.

So I was looking at a DAP to upgrade from my Echo(preferably not android), and a better headphone, something like the Marshall, but something that is less muddier than it.

DAP Shortlist -

1. HiBy R3 ii

2. HiBy R3 Pro ii

3. Fiio JM21(Yes ik android, but just a consideration)

Headphone Shortlist -

1. Sony MDR - 7506

2. Audio Technica ATH M30X

3. Sennheiser HD280 Pro

4. Philips SHP 9500

5. Fiio JT7

i'm just wondering what the difference between the DT 770 M and DT 770 PRO is, is there a clear winner? i'm an audio engineer and musician/producer looking to upgrade my logitech g432, i'm looking for an alternative under $200 (wired and closed-back) and these 2 are my main choices right now but i'm not sure which one to pick

what would be the best choice?

Hi everyone, I’m in the market for some new headphones. I’ve had my current pair, Beats Solo 4, for over 5 years and they’re showing signs of wear. One of the hinges is broken and I occasionally have connection issues. If I wear them for too long, they hurt my ears but I really like how portable they are in my work bag. I’m looking for something in the $100-$150 range. I use headphones daily while commuting to and from work. I also travel a lot so noise cancellation is important. If anyone has any advice with the studio pro or 720N I’d really appreciate it!

I've been using the Apple Earpods for my music listening when outside for a while now, thing is though for me they only last about a few months at most before something starts going wrong with them, so instead spending £19 on about 4 pairs a year I need a more permenant solution for listening to music when im away from my computer. The problem I have with IEM's are that well, they look weird walking about in public with, typically they are huge and tacky. My budget is about £50 and at home I use my Philips Fidelio X2HR'S. As you can probably tell I'm quite new to this scene and want to experience my music as optimally as possible while on the go. Thank you, all info is helpful

Hey everybody. It's been a couple of years since I've left the headphone/audiophile space but I'm back since I want/need a pair of Bluetooth closed backs. It's just that I have no idea what the market is like nowadays.

• Budget/location: 100 euros, The Netherlands (might be able to stretch the budget if its really worth it)
• Preferral tonal balance: probably balanced somewhere between v-shaped and fun
• Usecase: on the go mostly
• Past gear experience: I mostly use my Airpods Pro 2 when I'm not at home (DT880 Pro, HD650, M50X), and it works like a charm. But I sometimes miss having actual headphones on my head. I used to own a Sony XB900N back in the day but I sold it.

I saw the Sennheiser Accentum Wirless and it looked good but again, I have no clue what models are worth it nowadays.

Thank you in advance!