# Headphones, let's hear what you got



## LarksTongue (Nov 21, 2013)

I don't know if this is the right place for this, but Ima go with it. Anyone out there have a decent set of cans/is into headphones. I don't have anything fancy at the moment. I just have a set of Bose AE2's with some slight mods to them, that also voided the warranty, but whatever. I ren them through a Fiio E06 mini headphone amp. I'm saving for a Schiit Modi/Magni and probably some DT770's. What gear do you have.


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## Cloudy (Nov 22, 2013)

I'm currently using AKG271s with my guitar rig, great headphones with interchangeable headphone pads/cables (cables were a must for me, I have a tendency to roll over cables in my chair and fray them). I tried a bunch of sets at my local Long and Mcquade before deciding these were the right ones for me, great quality. 

I really enjoyed the AT M50s and the DT770s, they just didn't have the changeable cable I wanted


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## JoshuaVonFlash (Nov 22, 2013)

I use Beats Solo Hd's, I got them for my Bday last year and they made all the headphones/buds I used before sound very stripped down and over treblely, they have a much fuller sound and I can hear everything in the mix and songs sound much more balanced EQ wise. Bad thing about them is after about a year(at least for me) the leather on the inside lining begins to become to come off like they didn't put enough glue to keep it attached to the frame of the headphones.


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## LarksTongue (Nov 22, 2013)

Cloudy said:


> I'm currently using AKG271s with my guitar rig, great headphones with interchangeable headphone pads/cables (cables were a must for me, I have a tendency to roll over cables in my chair and fray them). I tried a bunch of sets at my local Long and Mcquade before deciding these were the right ones for me, great quality.
> 
> I really enjoyed the AT M50s and the DT770s, they just didn't have the changeable cable I wanted



I will say an interchangeable cable is pretty useful, especially since 9/10 times, it is what goes wrong with the headphones. That reminds me as well, I was also looking at V-Moda M-100's. They are apparently pretty decent, have the cable, and an awesome warranty. Decisions, decisions.


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## DoomJazz (Nov 22, 2013)

I use KRK 8400's, they're fairly flat, definitely more midrange apparent than the DT770s that I've tried, but they also require a shit ton of burn in time for them to sound good. They can be used as entertainment headphones, but my vote goes for the 770s.


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## Skyblue (Nov 22, 2013)

My sister's BF just gave me a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7b-SViS, active noise canceling, it's an absolute dream listening to music with them.


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## rekab (Nov 22, 2013)

M50 here. I've tried others over the last couple years but nothing that would make me switch yet. 

If you want a removable cable on the 50s a friend of mine bought his here: USB Microphone, Stereo Microphone, ATH-M50 Headphone, Wireless Microphone, Preamplifier, Digital Recorder, Custom Cables and more at Rock Bottom Prices from The Sound Professionals - Great deals on Microphone, Preamplifier, Digital Recorder, Cable an


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## isispelican (Nov 22, 2013)

DT770, they are absolutely great but the cable is a bit too long.


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## osirisguitar (Nov 22, 2013)

Cloudy said:


> I'm currently using AKG271s with my guitar rig, great headphones with interchangeable headphone pads/cables (cables were a must for me, I have a tendency to roll over cables in my chair and fray them). I tried a bunch of sets at my local Long and Mcquade before deciding these were the right ones for me, great quality.
> 
> I really enjoyed the AT M50s and the DT770s, they just didn't have the changeable cable I wanted



I just can't make friends with my AK271s. I think they sound very unnatural somehow, too tinny, no bass...


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## Necris (Nov 22, 2013)

I have 2 pairs of Audio Technica ATH-AD700s open back headphones and I can't imagine going back to what I used to use, AKG K-44s.


I'd like to try out a headphone amp, but I'm doing well with just the Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium that is in my computer.

I wanted a set of headphones with interchangeable cables because that is where my headphones tend to die on me, but I ended up just buying 1/8" plugs and chopping off the old cable about an inch above where it seemed to cut out and attaching the new plug there. Much cheaper than buying a new set of headphones. Still if I were in the market for another pair of headphones replaceable cables would be a must.


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## Cloudy (Nov 22, 2013)

osirisguitar said:


> I just can't make friends with my AK271s. I think they sound very unnatural somehow, too tinny, no bass...



They're suppose to not amplify any aspect of music so you get the real sound of whats playing. Its not for everyone but its exactly what I wanted


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## Ocara-Jacob (Nov 22, 2013)

I use Beats Studios for listening and AKG K240s for recording.


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## osirisguitar (Nov 22, 2013)

Cloudy said:


> They're suppose to not amplify any aspect of music so you get the real sound of whats playing. Its not for everyone but its exactly what I wanted



I know, I bought them for mixing. But I tend to add way too much bass when I use them...


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## setsuna7 (Nov 22, 2013)

Audio Technica ATH-SJ55


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## LarksTongue (Nov 22, 2013)

Oh yeah I want the amp because the aux out on my laptop broke and I need something that connects via USB to listen to music off my computer.


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## Itchyman (Nov 22, 2013)

Sennheiser HD428, Sennheiser HD25-1 II Adidas, AKG K550, AKG Q701 Quincy Jones, Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm
I plug them into an ODAC/O2 or a FiiO E7 + Galaxy S3 International w/Boeffla Sound


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## Baelzebeard (Nov 22, 2013)

I've been using the good old Sony mdr-7506's for more than 15 years. I have a set of velour replacement ear pads which makes them very comfy. Some love them some hate them, but I love them.

The most important thing with headphones is being familiar with bow they sound, and how that translates to other phones/speakers etc. That takes time, and now most other headphones sound weird to me.


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## Vhyle (Nov 23, 2013)

Damn, you guys have some high dollar shit. I have the plain ol' trusty Sony studio headphones. $30 and they've lasted for years. I love them. A little heavy on the lows, but they sound fantastic, especially for the price.


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## Fat-Elf (Nov 23, 2013)

DT-770 for mixing and recording. Creative Fatal1ty for casual listening and voicechatting.


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## StupidDav (Nov 23, 2013)

I'm on my 3rd pair of HiFiMan RE0s, use them for mixing and listening, not a lot of bass but it does extend pretty low.


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## Given To Fly (Nov 24, 2013)

I use Shure SE215 earphones. They are basically earplugs with speakers but sound amazing, so much so I no longer use my Bose, M50's, or EX-29's....and the SE215's are the entry level model! I highly recommend them...for everything!


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## Eric Christian (Nov 24, 2013)

SONY MDR-7506


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## ThePhilosopher (Nov 24, 2013)

Etymotic ER6i for general listening with my phone and AKG K240MK2 for in the studio.


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## Chuck (Nov 24, 2013)

DoomJazz said:


> I use KRK 8400's, they're fairly flat, definitely more midrange apparent than the DT770s that I've tried, but they also require a shit ton of burn in time for them to sound good. They can be used as entertainment headphones, but my vote goes for the 770s.



I've got the same pair, I really dig my KRK's. I still want some M50's for bass heavy stuff. But these hold their own. Definitely true on the burn-in though. They do open up nicely as they burn in though.


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## maliciousteve (Nov 26, 2013)

Audio Technika Ath M50s. Best pair of headphones I've owned. Originally i got them for recording but found I loved them for everything.


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## spadz93 (Nov 26, 2013)

not headphones, but for casual listening, my shure SE315 IEM's are pretty bangin


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## Silence2-38554 (Nov 26, 2013)

Focal Spirit Pro's here. They are currently my go-to cans for anything self-powered & really most things in general. I also have a set of Sennheiser HD-600's that I'm saving up for a Schiit Asgard 2 to power. These two cans rule to closed/open back headphone game in their price range, IMO. I also own:

-Shure SRH840
-Akg K240s
-Sony MDR7506
-Sennheiser HD280

Have owned:
-Beyerdynamic DT770 (impossible to mix on. Bass heavy, light midrange)
-AKG K550 (really wanted to like these, but their low end was too dependent on having a perfect ear cup seal & I got sick of babysitting them)
-AKG Q701 (bass light & very bright cans, IMO)
-Sennheiser HD598 (Not good at all for metal. Very soft sounding)
-Sennheiser HD558 (Actually regret selling these. They sounded great)

FWIW, I also own a set of the Shure SE535 IEM's & they're fantastic


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## works0fheart (Dec 1, 2013)

The Beyerdynamic DT770's are what I have. I like them, but I'm also not huge into recording so I really can't lay claim to how good they are in that area. I think they have excellent clarity with everything else I use them for though, and they're very comfortable.


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## s2k9k (Jan 17, 2014)

Itchyman said:


> Sennheiser HD428, Sennheiser HD25-1 II Adidas, AKG K550, AKG Q701 Quincy Jones, Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm
> I plug them into an ODAC/O2 or a FiiO E7 + Galaxy S3 International w/Boeffla Sound



HANWEI Practical katana dude


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## ATOMICxTomato (Jan 18, 2014)

Itchyman said:


> Sennheiser HD428, Sennheiser HD25-1 II Adidas, AKG K550, AKG Q701 Quincy Jones, Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm
> I plug them into an ODAC/O2 or a FiiO E7 + Galaxy S3 International w/Boeffla Sound


Do you have any mods on your HD428? I use to have them, did the simple bass mod to them. Loved those cans, great sound stage for closed headphones. I actually just bought another pair on ebay for $17 bucks


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## Shimme (Jan 18, 2014)

Grado SR80i's here!


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## vilk (Jan 18, 2014)

I also have Bose AE2. What kind of mod did you do to them?


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## acrcmb (Jan 18, 2014)

Audio Technica M50's


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## WrldEtrBenny (Jan 18, 2014)

Audio Technica MTH-A50s

I havent had much experience with another but im really happy with them.

I mainly use them for listening to my mixes on a second sound source as my Mackie MR5MKII are my main source and during the night my neighbours dont like my music 
and also for plane flights


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## Don Vito (Jan 18, 2014)

I have these.





Paid like $100 for them, but are there better options out there? I like how they sound personally, but I swear I've gotten cleaner sounds from some of the kiosk headphones at FYE.


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## Andii (Jan 18, 2014)

I've had the ATHM50s for about five years. They are great for recording vocals, drums or any monitoring during portable field recording. For listening they get the job done, but aren't all that enjoyable to me. They reproduce everything, but the sound stage is non-existent and the highs have a slightly hard edge at about 4khz. The low frequency extension is excellent, but for casual listening, I usually want more quantity. 

I have a pair of VMODA M80s. They are better for casual listening than the M50s by a long shot. I don't like on ears and these are no exception. They can get slightly uncomfortable after a while. I got them on sale for, no kidding $40 from Radio Shack because they were just ditching their inventory of them. You have to put them on just right to get a good seal and have them sound correct. They are extremely smooth and have a nice low frequency respsonse that not only extends all the way down, but delivers it strong. These aren't for a basshead though. They deliver more bass than M50s, but they aren't slamming bass into your skull. 

I bought the VMODA M100s recently. The pair I got were defective, but I believe it is very rare. The problem made them intermittently sound really mediocre because of a poor connection. When they were working right they sounded absolutely amazing. The stock earpads are so shallow that my ears hit the grills and cause pain, so the XL pads aren't really an accessory, they are required unless you stuff something under the earpads. The sound of these though, I seriously wanted to headbang, dance, bob my head and move around when listening to these. SMASHING.


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## Wrecklyss (Jan 18, 2014)

AKG K518LE i bought in Afghanistan after my Auvios stopped working. Very flat response and cancel out outside noise very well.

Also like AKG K44s but i lent mine to a buddy who owns a studio and haven't listened to them in a while. I remember them sounding great though.


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## Necris (Jan 18, 2014)

^ I've had a few sets of AKG K44s; they were always uncomfortable for me to wear, too tight. They also all broke in the same general area, the wires in the cable would fray away from the jack or fray a few inches up, easy enough to fix but certainly a pain in the ass.


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## LudoCluedo (Jan 20, 2014)

Business: AT M50
Pleasure: Koss PortaPro

Also had a set of K44's, were uncomfortable for me too and died an early, frayed-cable death.


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## Nonservium (Jan 20, 2014)

Sennheiser HD280's, love em for music. Studio use, not so much. There's an odd Mid range on these things.


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## asher (Jan 20, 2014)

Sennheiser HD555s.

Amazon.com: Sennheiser Classic Stereo Headphones: Electronics is the current Amazon link, because they've been replaced with the 558's now. I grabbed them when they were on clearance for sub-$100.

They're comfy with stiff glasses, which is good because that's what I wear , open back isn't too bothersome as long as you're not cranked on the volume (studio tested! never received complaints about blasting LoG/BTBAM/Meshuggah/etc to my own ears in the two years I had 'em), the sound's very even and neutral and have a very nice sound stage. My only complaint is that the bass is a bit on the polite side. It's there, and very well defined, just doesn't quite have the oomph you might want.

When I run them through my desktop's ASUS Xonar Essence 1/4" jack everything sounds very full and you can really tell the difference going up to .flac and such.


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## Itchyman (Jan 21, 2014)

s2k9k said:


> HANWEI Practical katana dude


For sure!



ATOMICxTomato said:


> Do you have any mods on your HD428? I use to have them, did the simple bass mod to them. Loved those cans, great sound stage for closed headphones. I actually just bought another pair on ebay for $17 bucks


Dual entry recable with heavier guage (made a big difference) and the bass mod. They pump so much bass, it makes my eyes vibrate lol


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## stevexc (Jan 21, 2014)

I've been using a pair of AKG K240 MkIIs for about 6 years now, the longest I've kept any headphones alive. They're not as huge in the bass as most headphones, but I prefer that - I find them to be REALLY damn clear though.


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## BrainArt (Jan 22, 2014)

My little sister got me a pair of AKG K44s for Christmas and I've been loving them. Have a pair of Sennheiser HD201s that I dig as well, but I need to get a replacement plug so I can fix them.


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## ATOMICxTomato (Jan 24, 2014)

Itchyman said:


> For sure!
> 
> 
> Dual entry recable with heavier guage (made a big difference) and the bass mod. They pump so much bass, it makes my eyes vibrate lol


If you dont mind me asking, how did you do the dual entry recable? I just got my pair in but it seems that the headphone jack is already messed up, though these were refurbished but still.....


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## Itchyman (Jan 24, 2014)

I drilled holes into the housings.


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## BlackMastodon (Aug 2, 2014)

Thought I'd revive this thread as I'm looking for some good recording headphones. 

I just picked up a pair of Sennheiser CX175s for casual listening and the gym, and I have a pair of Razer Electra that I use for gaming. The Razers are way too bass heavy to listen to music and I wouldn't try using them for recording either.

Based on this thread I was interested in the Beyerdynamic DT770s (until I saw people saying that they're also bass heavy) so now I'm leaning more towards AKG K240s or something from Audio Technica. Any advice? Pros and cons, etc?


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## Necris (Aug 2, 2014)

^ Are you using a real amp for recording, and do you live in a noisy home? If not you could try some open backed headphones. The Audio Technica AD900x are supposed to be great, I've gone back and forth on whether or not to pick up a pair.

I have the AD700s and they're a bit bass light but the bass that is there is quite solid, they're still my main headphones for listening 2 years running, a lot of people consider them among the best for gaming too. 
The AD900 and AD900x headphones make up for the light bass without losing the clarity of the 700s (the main difference I'm aware of between the 900 and 900x is the look).

If you're looking at beyerdynamic the 880s look like the better choice. They're semi-open rather than fully open. Wait on ebay and you can find the 32 ohm versions (easiest to drive) for under 250.

The 770s can be bass heavy, depending on what version you get. The 32 ohm versions appear to have a big spike in low frequencies, compared to the measurements of the 1350s they have more bass and frankly my 1350s already sound choked by bass. The 600 ohm ohm version actually has a drop in bass, but they'll require a headphone amp to drive and will cost more.







*The only reason I'm bringing out the frequency response measurement graphs is because the graphs from headphone.com seem to correlate closely to my own listening experiences with headphones I own/have owned and they may illustrate what to expect better than descriptions from users.

----------------------

Add Beyerdynamic DT1350 headphones and Etymotic ER4PT In ear Monitors to my list of headphones. For the latter, originally I was just going to stick with the supplied ear tips, but I've reconsidered and may go for custom molds via Sensaphonics. This is purely for comfort reasons more than anything, even after the triple flanged tips have softened from consistent use they are still painful to remove from my left ear. The foam and glider tips weren't a huge improvement. All 3 seemed to be trying to artificially widen my ear canal, its as uncomfortable as it sounds. I think the Etymotics are worth the additional investment.

I'm going to be picking up a Schiit Magni and Modi soon. I'd considered the Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber but I realized that I wasn't quite ready to spend that much on gear I have no first hand experience with. I'd also considered the JDS O2+ODAC, but the Magni/Modi are cheaper, and according to people who have owned both, sound very similar.


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## crg123 (Aug 2, 2014)

I use Ultrasone Pro 900's got them for a steal through a friend.

I use to own a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50s, and they were great for the price, a bit bass heavy for mixing though.


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## Spacestationfive (Aug 2, 2014)

I am unbelievably satisfied with my Presonus HD7 headphones for tracking and roughing in my mixes before I finish with my monitors. The unbelievability is due to the fact that they only cost me $60 new.


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## AlejoV (Aug 2, 2014)

For listening= Sony XB600
For monitoring=Cheap Superlux HD668B


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## Murmel (Aug 2, 2014)

BlackMastodon said:


> Based on this thread I was interested in the Beyerdynamic DT770s (until I saw people saying that they're also bass heavy) so now I'm leaning more towards AKG K240s or something from Audio Technica. Any advice? Pros and cons, etc?



I've got the DT770s and dig them a lot. I do like my bass though. Not doing any serious work in them, just digging to music.


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## Omura (Aug 2, 2014)

Shure SRH940
JH Audio JH5 pro (ciem)

One day I will own Audeze LCD2's. One day.


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## BlackMastodon (Aug 3, 2014)

Necris said:


> ^ Are you using a real amp for recording, and do you live in a noisy home? If not you could try some open backed headphones. The Audio Technica AD900x are supposed to be great, I've gone back and forth on whether or not to pick up a pair.
> 
> I have the AD700s and they're a bit bass light but the bass that is there is quite solid, they're still my main headphones for listening 2 years running, a lot of people consider them among the best for gaming too.
> The AD900 and AD900x headphones make up for the light bass without losing the clarity of the 700s (the main difference I'm aware of between the 900 and 900x is the look).
> ...


No, I'm gonna start using amp sims (need to do some research into some software for those, too) and my house isn't too noisy. I looked at some graphs (thank you for showing me those btw) and it's looking more like I'm leaning towards the AKG K240s or the Audio-Technica AD900x. The 880s have the most appealing output, but they also cost a lot more than I want to spend when I'm only just beginning to get into recording. 






Anyone with the AKG K240s care to throw in some input on the high frequency side? Is that huge drop really noticeable?


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## Aescyr (Aug 4, 2014)

My main headphones for music these days are an over ear pair of Sennheiser Momentum. Super comfortable and sound great. I still have some HD212 Pros here somewhere too, awesome headphones considering I paid $27 for them.


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## Deception (Aug 4, 2014)

Sennheiser HD202s for listening, and also monitoring until I get some actual monitors


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## FretsOnFyre (Aug 4, 2014)

Deception said:


> Sennheiser HD202s for listening, and also monitoring until I get some actual monitors



Same over here. They're not half bad, especially considering the price.


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## Dominoes282 (Aug 4, 2014)

stevexc said:


> I've been using a pair of AKG K240 MkIIs for about 6 years now, the longest I've kept any headphones alive. They're not as huge in the bass as most headphones, but I prefer that - I find them to be REALLY damn clear though.



Hells yeah someone else who uses these. I have two pairs (55&#937; and 600&#937 for occasional studio use and they work swimmingly


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## Dust_to_Dust (Aug 11, 2014)

I use KRK 6400's for mixing when its late, tracking guitars, and general music listening. 

Really comfy and a damn good sound.


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## Sephiroth952 (Aug 11, 2014)

I actually have a pair of DT770s (80 ohm) and I can honestly say I love them. Very crisp and clear sound. While they can be bassy at times I wouldn't go the stretch to call them bass heavy. They are though the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn though, I can wear them for 5-8 hours with very minor ear pain (They are gonna hurt sometime).

Oh and the best part is they are build like a ....ing tank, you cannot break these things, and even if you could beyer sells basically any part you could need.


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## wheresthefbomb (Aug 12, 2014)

big'ol senheiser hd280 pro

awesome headphones. don't trip without 'em.


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## ATOMICxTomato (Aug 18, 2014)

So ive been wanting some some good bass iems for a while now and have narrowed it down to two options, Hippo VB or Atrio Future Sonics Mg7. The Atrios cost twice as much as the Hippos but ive heard awesome things about both actually. Which of them have a good lower extension, deep, tight, and clear sounding bass while still retaining clarity throughout? i am abit of a basshead


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## Kaickul (Aug 22, 2014)

For monitoring I use a cheap Superlux HD669


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## BigBaldIan (Aug 24, 2014)

Sennheiser HD203, really good bang for the buck.


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## pott (Aug 24, 2014)

Headphones:
Sennheiser Momentum
Sennheiser HD25-II
V-Moda M100
Audio Technica ATH-M50

In ears:
Sennheiser IE7
Westone UM1
Klipsch X10


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## Spaceman_Spiff (Aug 24, 2014)

I have had my pair of Sennheiser HD280s for 4 years and never had an issue with them. The flatness is great for tracking, and with some eq adjustment on my phone they sound amazing for casual listening.


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## Alimination (Aug 25, 2014)

Still rockin my Audio Technica ATH-M50 

Love them to death


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## Nile (Aug 26, 2014)

I came in here to say that I have a pair of Think Sound ear buds and they got ripped out of my ears and fell into a riding lawnmower and got wrapped around one of the bolts on one of the blades and one of the ear pieces got hit with the blade itself. Everything about them is solid, still completely works and only got like a 1mm dent into it and these are things that'll cut your hands off.

Durability 10/10.


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## shpence (Sep 12, 2014)

Anyone have a pair of over-the-ear wireless headphones they'd recommend? This is just for listening, not monitoring.


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