HeaDphone Discussions. (Audiophile and Gaming)

[PandaAttack1]

Okay, hold on, is @SCHUMI4EVER Masterblaster?

Indeed!

 

[KakHard]

Aweh manne.

Sticking with the opinion of Zreviews... has anyone used or maybe still use the Tin T2 IEM's ?

I'm sure it might have been mentioned in this monstrous thread of 122 pages, but I haven't been following every day.

I've been using my Sennheiser CX 300-II Precision's for years now, and actually still have a new sealed set waiting in the wings for when the current set breaks but I want to try a decent new price/performance option as well.
Seeing as the Tin T2 is seen as the SHP9500's of IEM.

I use it primarily for gym on a mid-level FLAC player and also listening on my Hidizs AP80 at home.

Any other decently priced options I can look at?

Fanks.

 

[naughty]

the Tin T2s generate lots of good reviews but you can also look at the options from KZ (if you can import one of those) - the KZ ZSN pros come in at around R470 landed to your door from Amazon (US price of around $25 but they are way cheaper from the chinese guys like Gearbest and Banggood and Aliexpress if you can find a reliable way to have them shipped here from those guys) and they sound a lot better than the CX300ii's and the AKG Y20s that i have also tried .... in fact the CX300ii as well as the Y20 made me basically have a poor impression of IEMs (In Ear Monitors) but the KZ ZSN pro for the price actually give a few entry level full sized over ear models a bit of a run for the money

the Tin T2 OR even the T3 may be even better .... but i can't comment seriously on those compared to the Sennheisers because i haven't heard them .... but my experiments with the KZ ZSN pro make me want to invest in a really decent set of IEMs instead of trying to keep messing around at the entry level .... maybe like a set of Fiio FH7s or something like that or in and around that mid tier level around R5k in price (High end IEMs being of the Campfire Andromeda level but those are around R19k at retail)

 

[PandaAttack1]

Aweh manne.

Sticking with the opinion of Zreviews... has anyone used or maybe still use the Tin T2 IEM's ?

I'm sure it might have been mentioned in this monstrous thread of 122 pages, but I haven't been following every day.

I've been using my Sennheiser CX 300-II Precision's for years now, and actually still have a new sealed set waiting in the wings for when the current set breaks but I want to try a decent new price/performance option as well.
Seeing as the Tin T2 is seen as the SHP9500's of IEM.

I use it primarily for gym on a mid-level FLAC player and also listening on my Hidizs AP80 at home.

Any other decently priced options I can look at?

Fanks.

I own a Tin T2 and Tin T2 Pro... Anything you want to know specific? They definitely get my stamp of approval.

 

[KakHard]

Thanks guys, just wanted to check if they are indeed a decent option.
If the Tin T2's would fair better than the Sennies it's replacing I will be happy.

 

[SykomantiS]

Look what just arrived at work.

Sent from my BLA-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[Ninja_Theory]

Thanks guys, just wanted to check if they are indeed a decent option.
If the Tin T2's would fair better than the Sennies it's replacing I will be happy.

When you climb a level or two up from the CXii's, which isn't too expensive an exercise, you'll wonder how you ever thought they were good. This was my experience anyway.. @naughty gave some great advice.

 

[naughty]

@SykomantiS - are those a bluetooth set?

 

[SykomantiS]

@SykomantiS - are those a bluetooth set?

Yes they are- LDAC capable.

Amazon.com: 1MORE Triple Driver BT in-Ear Headphones Bluetooth Earphones with Hi-Res LDAC Wireless Sound Quality, Environmental Noise Isolation, Fast Charging, Volume Controls with Microphone - Silver: Gateway

Amazon.com: 1MORE Triple Driver BT in-Ear Headphones Bluetooth Earphones with Hi-Res LDAC Wireless Sound Quality, Environmental Noise Isolation, Fast Charging, Volume Controls with Microphone - Silver: Gateway

www.amazon.com

 

[Wadkiller]

This is a topic I have zero knowledge or understanding of and I would appreciate your input.

This is purely for gaming and the very odd, update induced, 30min music stint every other month. 99% of the terms you guys use are lost on me.

I have been using an HD415 with a Asus Xonar D1 for close on to ten years. I am in the process of doing a complete pc overhaul and thought this might need some attention as well. I intend to upgrade to a new Asus ROG mobo with Supreme fx, if that is of any help.

I dont mind spending a few grand if its wort it. Comfort is top priority as the HD415s tend to hurt the ears after a few hours of gaming.

Any suggestions?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

Suggestion 1 - Stay off of amazon when you are boozed.

Suggestion 2 - Supreme fx will do fine if your intention is casual gaming. BUT, if you want to dip your toes into this hobby, look into getting a better DAC (dedicated sound card). What is your budget?

Will leave the headphone considerations to my way more informed gaming friends on here who can tell you what the best bang for buck headphones are to tell which direction a fart blows when playing counter strike...

 

[Scubadude]

LCD-GX by Audeze

The LCD-GX brings the signature Audeze LCD sound to the gaming industry, complete with crystal-clear voice chat for the serious audiophile gamer.

www.audeze.com

No idea who the intended target market for this one is ... $899 gaming headset with rather odd specs.

 

[goblinm]

The dac on the upper end asus mobos is very good. I have a ROG hero x and I prefer the dac on the board to the JDS Odac I have.
It also has extreme amplification when plugging in higher ohm headphones sbut a external amp sounds better (in my case JDS 02).
I can recommend getting a sennheiser hd650 or its massdrop equivilent hd6xx. There are a few on sale on carb, or you could order new from massdrop. was about 4.5k all in (price/imports and shipping).

 

[SCHUMI4EVER]

This is a topic I have zero knowledge or understanding of and I would appreciate your input.

This is purely for gaming and the very odd, update induced, 30min music stint every other month. 99% of the terms you guys use are lost on me.

I have been using an HD415 with a Asus Xonar D1 for close on to ten years. I am in the process of doing a complete pc overhaul and thought this might need some attention as well. I intend to upgrade to a new Asus ROG mobo with Supreme fx, if that is of any help.

I dont mind spending a few grand if its wort it. Comfort is top priority as the HD415s tend to hurt the ears after a few hours of gaming.

Any suggestions?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

You're in luck. The correct answer is currently being sold on Carb.

[Sale] - Philips Fidelio X2 | Sound Cards

Item: Philips Fidelio X2 Age: Unknown Price: R1900 Warranty: Nope Packaging: Yes, original Condition: Great Location: Cape Town Reason: Prefer my 6XX Shipping: Can do, buyer's expense Collection: Always good Link: Fidelio X2

carbonite.co.za

 

[Wadkiller]

Was thinking of about R3000, but if an additional R2000 will make a substantial difference then I will happily pay that.

 

[Montezuma]

Was thinking of about R3000, but if an additional R2000 will make a substantial difference then I will happily pay that.

My opinion is that, purely for gaming, no. You said you'd only be listening to music while waiting for updates but your main intent and focus is gaming right?

 

[Wadkiller]

You're in luck. The correct answer is currently being sold on Carb.

[Sale] - Philips Fidelio X2 | Sound Cards

Item: Philips Fidelio X2 Age: Unknown Price: R1900 Warranty: Nope Packaging: Yes, original Condition: Great Location: Cape Town Reason: Prefer my 6XX Shipping: Can do, buyer's expense Collection: Always good Link: Fidelio X2

carbonite.co.za

Thanks to all for your inputs.

Schumi, would one need a DAC/Amp to use this? If so, what would you recommend?

I see the Fidelio X2 compares well to the HD6xx range, and it seems it would be personal preference between them?

My opinion is that, purely for gaming, no. You said you'd only be listening to music while waiting for updates but your main intent and focus is gaming right?

Thats is correct, gaming would probably be 95%.

 

[PandaAttack1]

This is a topic I have zero knowledge or understanding of and I would appreciate your input.

This is purely for gaming and the very odd, update induced, 30min music stint every other month. 99% of the terms you guys use are lost on me.

I have been using an HD415 with a Asus Xonar D1 for close on to ten years. I am in the process of doing a complete pc overhaul and thought this might need some attention as well. I intend to upgrade to a new Asus ROG mobo with Supreme fx, if that is of any help.

I dont mind spending a few grand if its wort it. Comfort is top priority as the HD415s tend to hurt the ears after a few hours of gaming.

Any suggestions?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

What money are we looking at for a total solution?

Your basics are dac, headphone, microphone. Depending on what headphone you want, you might need a amp as well. All depends on the budget.

Anything comfortable and openback should suit your needs just fine. Up to you if you think it's worth spending a few grand extra for the occasional 30min listening session.

I should read the other responses first....

 

[SCHUMI4EVER]

Thanks to all for your inputs.

Schumi, would one need a DAC/Amp to use this? If so, what would you recommend?

Not necessary because its super easy to drive. But a few months down the line you may want to get this.

Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro PC/MAC External DAC & Audio Amplifier - Wootware

Buy Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro PC/MAC External DAC & Audio Amplifier at Wootware with fast shipping & superb service.

www.wootware.co.za

As for the 6XX I can't really say. I suppose yes it is a choice though I'd definitely say the X2 is more comfortable than that more rounded clampy Sennie design.

If you want new Scott also has a 58X for sale for 3.8K.

 

[Wadkiller]

Not necessary because its super easy to drive. But a few months down the line you may want to get this.

Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro PC/MAC External DAC & Audio Amplifier - Wootware

Buy Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro PC/MAC External DAC & Audio Amplifier at Wootware with fast shipping & superb service.

www.wootware.co.za

As for the 6XX I can't really say. I suppose yes it is a choice though I'd definitely say the X2 is more comfortable than that more rounded clampy Sennie design.

If you want new Scott also has a 58X for sale for 3.8K.

Would the GSX 1200 be better than something like the nuprime (which born2fish is also selling)?

New would be preferred, but I am not averse to buying seconde hand, especially if I am getting something better. In this case, I might be able to get a amp and headphones for almost the same price.

 

[SCHUMI4EVER]

Would the GSX 1200 be better than something like the nuprime (which born2fish is also selling)?

New would be preferred, but I am not averse to buying seconde hand, especially if I am getting something better. In this case, I might be able to get a amp and headphones for almost the same price.

For overall sound the Nuprime is probably better. But for gaming I'd argue the GSX1200 would edge it.

It's a bit hard to say because I have X2 and GSX1200 and haven't yet tried anything else. I do know though I prefer the GSX1200 in surround mode with a bit more reverb than the usual stereo mode as the Nuprime would give but better. Whether it's better enough to overcome the "spectacle" of having this control on the GSX1200 though is an experiment I have not yet been able or willing to commit money to.

 

[Wadkiller]

Aaitog, I am that poepol that buys a 4x4 for that occasion where I might need it (luckily I am using it for its purpose now).

The more I read the more Hd6xx/650s are mentioned as the epitome, anything better/more expensive has serious dimishing returns. I also regret thinking afterwards I should have spent more to get something better (think 8600gts vs 8800gt - biggest fail of my life)

Looking at perhaps buying on massdrop, but I believe I would need a DAC. Anything there you can recommend that would not break the bank but still do them justice?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[naughty]

Would the GSX 1200 be better than something like the nuprime (which born2fish is also selling)?

New would be preferred, but I am not averse to buying seconde hand, especially if I am getting something better. In this case, I might be able to get a amp and headphones for almost the same price.

look the GSX 1200 has its advantage for gaming since it also offers surround facilities but the Nuprime is more for Audiophile style music listening where a more neutral and realistic audio experience is required instead of giving you effects whizzing all around your head

so it depends on what you want .... me personally i would want the Nuprime - I have had a few of the uDSD - each time a buddy wanted my run in ones i sold it to them and got a new set .... until i upgraded to an ifi iDSD Micro Black Label which is in another universe as a mobile DAC/AMP .... sadly i sold that too after three or four months to change into a different direction (ie get a DAP) but i have convinced myself that i'm eventually going to get one of those iDSD Micro BL again because i can't really see anything else that is mobile that will perform at the level that the iDSD micro BL did but i still want a DAP first

in terms of what you are asking you definitely have to decide what you are after - for gaming the GSX 1200 may be better but for music the Nuprime would be better .... so it all depends on your own personal interest and preference .... and yes there is stuff out there that's way better at both the different purposes these are for, but those will come at a price so decide whats your priority and then start looking for equipment that matches the aims you want to fulfill

the one thing is though for me the uDSD will not be suitable for something like the HD600/HD650/HD6xx because i have read somewhere that something like a Hifiman HE4xx needs a similar amount of power as the HD6xx and i i borrowed my old uDSD to see if it could run my HE4xx better than my Fiio K3 that i'm running as a temporary solution, and while it was definitely better than the K3, it wasn't as good or as loud as i would have hoped, so under that logic you would need something better than the uDSD to make those HD6xx really sing (don't get me wrong - it would work and probably acceptably but acceptable is the last thing that you want when you spend that amount of money - you should want awesome and for that you need a better and stronger amp) all of this is just my opinion though and you can take it with a huge mountain of salt because you may be used to listening at softer volume levels than i do

 

[Scubadude]

Nuprime uDSD is a good option. It is a great DAC and has a passable headphone amp which does in fact drive both HD600 and HD650 to permanent hearing loss levels. It does not however bring out the best in either of the Sennheisers. This is more a reflection on the scaling ability of the Senns than the outright performance of the uDSD as an amp. Get one and be happy untill you relegate it to DAC duties when you upgrade.

 

[Supreme]

And here I am with an old Harmon Kardon HK680 and a set of SteelSeries Siberia's Makes me the happiest person alive and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg.

 

[Wadkiller]

Not sure if my analogy is correct/fair. I understand the hd58x is more than a decent headphone and from what I can see very similar to the hd600/650/6xx. Most people would be happy with any one of them, the hd650 has a slight premium and arguably the best of the lot, however the 58x is the easiest to drive.

Would a decent headphone like the 58x with an average amp be better than the 650 with an average amp?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

Not sure if my analogy is correct/fair. I understand the hd58x is more than a decent headphone and from what I can see very similar to the hd600/650/6xx. Most people would be happy with any one of them, the hd650 has a slight premium and arguably the best of the lot, however the 58x is the easiest to drive.

Would a decent headphone like the 58x with an average amp be better than the 650 with an average amp?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Both of these benefit massively from a better than average amp. I had the 58x on my Xonar Essence STX (low gain) and the bass was muddy. Put in on the little dot and it's a completely different headphone.

Your best bet would be to read up what the subtle differences between the two are and which type of sound you prefer. I think for gaming you would prefer the 58x with the back foam in and then put the difference in towards upgrading your DAC/AMP

 

[Wadkiller]

You win, bought the HD58X. I am sure I wont struggle to flog them if I decide to get something else.

Now to get a dac/amp, I guess now the real struggle starts.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Montezuma]

You win, bought the HD58X. I am sure I wont struggle to flog them if I decide to get something else.

Now to get a dac/amp, I guess now the real struggle starts.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

As for DAC/Amp, here's my take on DACs and I know many will disagree but this is w.r.t. having a budget as well. If your motherboard headphone jack doesn't exhibit any kind of noise/interference (like a hum, or a hiss, static, etc.) then you don't "need" an entry level DAC and you're better off getting a good/better headphone amp. On the other hand, if your motherboard DAC is noisy then you will of course benefit greatly from an external DAC. Of course at a later stage you can upgrade and get a nice external DAC that you like.

 

[Ninja_Theory]

You win, bought the HD58X. I am sure I wont struggle to flog them if I decide to get something else.

Now to get a dac/amp, I guess now the real struggle starts.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Congrats! You can't go wrong with the 58x or 6xx/650. I can't recall your exact use case, more gaming right? In which case, the GSX1200 or Xonar U7 may be the better purchase (if surround sound is a thing for you). If your ratio of music use hits 50% then consider going with a more audio-oriented DAC/amp like the NuPrime uDSD/AGD R2R11/Deckard/Chord Mojo/Topping D70/DX3 Pro/Schiit Stack/JDS Labs O2+ODAC COMBO etc. If you have the budget, you really can't go wrong with the uDSD, or even better, the R2R11. Both are really superb entry points into this slippery rabbit hole.