Snazzy Labs I think you can only really use those at home or in a studio, so while you might not go "back", you will still use closed-back ones on the go
Jokes aside, open-backs come in all budget ranges. The pair I own cost be only $54, and it is said to be the best open-back in the market under $150-$200 (I might be wrong). I own the Philips SHP9500S.
I mean if I had to choose between a pair of Sennheiser HD800's vs the newest IPhone XS Max which sells for around the same price I'd DEFINITELY pick the HD800s in a heartbeat lol at least the HD800s would actually last two decades or more.
some extra details for those looking to buy some: Closed back headphones are better for a Tailored listening experience, usually you get a stronger bass because you can trap the bass much easier in a closed chamber (people tend to enjoy that little bit of bass boost) however at the cost of high end sounding a bit shrill and weak at times Open back headphones are mostly gonna be for professional use in a studio or at home and its a lot harder to trap the bass in an open chamber however they have a much wider sound and are able to produce higher quality top end noise, as well as noise further down sub bass Semi-Open back headphones get the best and worst of both worlds, since they have that open back, the soundstage is relatively wide, however not as wide as full open backs. They also don't bleed like open backs, but they don't trap all the noise like closed backs. they have a much more detailed high end than closed backs but not quite as detailed as full open backs, the one thing they have that doesn't have a cavoite would be the bass, they have a very detailed bass and trap bass really well, the sound still bleeds like crazy but the bass can stay contained in semi open-backs pretty well Entry Level recommendations for each category Closed back: Sennheiser HD280 Semi-open back: Samson SR850 Open back: Philips SHP 9500 KEEP IN MIND: having loud bass, and having a lot of bass are NOT the same thing. loud bass simply implies a bass boost, meaning the frequencies in the bass section are just louder. having a large bass means you get more of those frequencies in the bass section, its a wider sound, it giving you more noise in that bass section rather than just giving you a little bass and boosting the crap out of it. Ex. Meze Empyreans their graph is a straight line all the way down to sub bass, however it might not be as boomy and punchy as a set of closed back Sonys
Hey mate can you also suggest me a headphone with reasonable price so that I can mix as well as listen to music (bass trap music) with a detachable cable and if it has bluetooth too then perfect
@@arnavverma4507 I'm not sure of many mixing headphones that would be wireless, however the superlux HD 681s are probably the best bargain you can get on a pair of cans, they're openback and their frequency response are flat so they're ideal for mixing, as fox closed backs, I'd either recommend some Sennheisser HD280s or audio Technica ath m40s, but if you have more money to spend I'd say go for some Sennheiser HD 560s, if you do go for those they're about 120 ohms so you'll need an amp to run them
If you're playing video game, I suggest using open back especially for FPS where you will listen to surrounding even better. Don't fall for 5.1 or 7.1 "gaming" headsets.
Yusoff M Simulated 5.1/7.1 is nothing more than marketing and sound like absolute crap compared to open back headphones. I don't even understand why they were made in the first place.
I dont know hat you use but i have a 7,1 surround headset from logitech and the surround is really really good, when you're playing a game and a zombie is behind you, you can hear the zombie from the back of your ears like it's really there, also with tne logitech gaming software you get full optimizing functions (you dont get that with open headphones) and they even include a surround test in the software and if you do the test you can hear a woman voice talking: "over hear is the right rear surround channel" and you really hear her talking from right rear its actually a bit scary. Also with that 7.1, the .1 (LFE channel) really works great to. If you but like a razer kraken pro you dont get that becouse razer is fake surround sound and razer headsets sou d like 2$ earbuds. So i don't agree with you on that
Johnny Campos Take away the mixamp and the Astro is nothing more than a stereo headset. kobe Cornelis I can achieve a similar, if not the same, results with my Superlux 681-Evo for about half the price. Simulated/virtual 7.1 is nothing more than software to achieve an effect that any open-back headphones can naturally do.
Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, Grado, Shure, Audio Technica, Klipsch, AKG, Audeze, Hifiman, Stax, V-Moda etc. For headphones/audio in general, if it isnt German, hard to pronounce or triggers spell check then its most likely not worth buying. There will always be exceptions though. Noble Audio and Sony are just a few of those.
theBKLounge Well, I'll have to disagree. There is a Chinese brand, Invotone (well, it is Invotone here in some European countries and Takstar internationally), and since I've bought my first Invotone headphone, the HD2000 a year and a half ago, I became their "fanboy", sort of. The HD2000 is amazingly cheap (I bought it for 8000HUF=28.8USD=25.7EUR), and the only thing I can complain about is isolation. Other than that, they are comfortable, they seem durable, and oh God, the sound is amazing. I can't find too many headphones that sound similar, in fact, I've only heard 2 so far: the "bigger brother", the Takstar Pro 80 and the Denon DN-HP500, which are both much more expensive than the HD2000. Also, some other Chinese brands, Superlux and SoundMAGIC worth mentioning, but I don't like them as much as Takstar.
the only thing I wish you'd have done, is give a demonstration of how bad the sound leaking is if the other people in your room can hear it as clear as you do, then it's quite a leak but if it's just a tiny bit, then I don't see too much of a problem
Nikolaj Lepka Let's just say if "sound leak" is even a concern in your use case scenario in any way, you won't even need to think about open-back headphones.
Nikolaj Lepka It's not that big of a deal. People will know that you're listening to music, and if they're sitting right next to you they might be able to distinguish what you're listening to if they focus. I have some of both types, and It all boils down to where you'll want to use them. If it's at home, go open back; you get much better sound for the same amount of cash. If you want to use it at work or in public, go closed.
Nikolaj Lepka Have you never sit on the bus/train close to some careless person listening to rock wearing a headset? Yep, that's pretty fucking annoying okay. Closed back is the way to go if you're going to use them in public.
Came here expecting a mention of Grado SR80i, was not disappointed! Such a great headphones for the money and cheap spare parts to fix them very easily.
The most important aspect of open-backed headphone designs is that they will have a much more neutral and "true" sound, particularly for bass frequencies. Closed-backed headphones necessarily have to compensate for bass and thus have a distorted version of the audio, which is usually fine for people just enjoying music. However, for music producers and those who have to listen to mixes for reference, open-backed designs are a must as it's much closer to the actual frequencies in the audio file. For most people, they may well find open-backed headphones less "exciting" than closed-backed designs, which can be a lot more bassy and with crisper high-end which makes the audio really "pop". They also don't have the intrusive leakage into your environment. Anyone making music or working with audio who needs to do intricate mix references to compliment their studio monitors should always invest in a good pair of open-backed cans however, as close-backed products will be compromising the sound stage and frequency response. Of course, people in studios will also need close-backed 'phones for tracking so that leakage into the mic is reduced to acceptable levels.
+Sonny Williamson There are alot of more exciting open-backed headphones than closed actually. Most people might find open phones too "boring" because their first open back purchase is probably a Sennheiser 598 or 598. Sennheiser doesn't make fun headphones and especially not their flagship HD800.
And with open back you lose the sensation of like, imprisonment. The sound has so much space to breathe that you can listen hours and hours and hours without any pain. The fact that most open backs are also neutral made me rediscover my music, because almost all consumer grade headphones are so bassy it eats up the rest of the spectrum. Open backs really made me rediscover music and now I love it even more than ever. I'm never going back from open backs
If you want a good, inexpensive pair of open backs, go w/ the Sennheiser HD 518's. I use them constantly and they are easily the best headphones I've ever used due to the soundstage Marques talks about and you can get them for anywhere from $50-$70. Side note, most open-backs are exponentially better w/ an amp, so I recommend getting, at the very least, a cheap 20$ one on Amazon in conjunction w/ your headphones.
help so you are referring to open back? if so is this true? *they reproduce soundstage and imaging better..for instance, if you hear gunshots from your right, you can tell if it's 1feet away from you or 10 feet, you can't do that with closed, they keep the sound inside the the earcups, "open back" let the sound waves escape.* cuz i am planning to buy a hyperx cloud 2 but this is closed back but when i so that post i seems so confused
@@soybins6902 btw there are many types of headphones but they fall under open back or closed back. Like there is planar magnetic, electrostatic, dynamic, armature, and bone conduction
Admin-i strator they reproduce soundstage and imaging better..for instance, if you hear gunshots from your right, you can tell if it's 1feet away from you or 10 feet, you can't do that with closed, they keep the sound inside the the earcups, "open back" let the sound waves escape..
help is this true? *they reproduce soundstage and imaging better..for instance, if you hear gunshots from your right, you can tell if it's 1feet away from you or 10 feet, you can't do that with closed, they keep the sound inside the the earcups, "open back" let the sound waves escape.* cuz i am planning to buy a hyperx cloud 2 but this is closed back but when i saw the post i seems to be so confused
yea, soundstage is where you can tell the difference between being 1 feet away from you or 10 feet. then you have imaging where you can tell if the sound is for example in the back right or front right rather than just to the right, but if you never experienced this before, you gotta train your ears, don't get dissapointed at first if you don't get the full experience, I had to "train my ears" also.
Many open-backed headphones are also incredibly comfy and able to be worn for many many hours. Something like my ATH-M50s would get sweaty and uncomfortable past like 20-30 minutes, whereas the AD-700s I used to use I could literally forget I was even wearing them. The open back makes them nice and breathable.
I have a pair of Sennheiser 598s. Before them I had Sennheiser 555s for like 7 years. I prefer the spatial sense of sound and when I'm in public I just use earbuds.
One significant advantage of open backs that you didn't mention is ventilation. You can sit for hours with open backs on and your ears won't sweat or overheat. Try doing the same in closed ones, esp. in the summer with no AC...
ATH-M50x Type Closed-back dynamic Driver Diameter 45 mm Magnet Neodymium Voice Coil CCAW (Copper-clad aluminum wire) Frequency Response 15 - 28,000 Hz Maximum Input Power 1,600 mW at 1 kHz Sensitivity 99 dB Impedance 38 ohms Weight 285 g (10 oz), without cable and connector Cable Interchangeable cables: detachable 1.2 m - 3.0 m (3.9' - 9.8') coiled cable, detachable 3.0 m (9.8') straight cable and detachable 1.2 m (3.9') straight cable Accessories Included Protective carrying pouch, 6.3 mm (1/4") screw-on adapter ATH-R70X (Open) specification: Type Open-back reference Driver Diameter 45 mm Frequency Response 5 - 40,000 Hz Maximum Input Power 1,000 mW at 1 kHz Sensitivity 99 dB Impedance 470 ohms Weight 210 g (7.4 oz), without cable and connector Accessories Included Protective carrying pouch
A really good explanation. I'm a studio engineer. Headphones are my life. Theres one more advantage of open backs: less ear fatigue. Try listening to a pair of nice tightly sealed Sennheisers for 10 hours and call me in the morning, well you probably won't feel like talking. While I do like the open soundstage of openbacks I do feel like closed is more accurate. From a normal audience perspective I'm sure you don't care about accurate. If you do want accurate Sennheiser hd280 pros for $99 is all you need.
2:26 "And they can't hear your music" 2:44 "If someone's sitting next to you it'll sound like there's mini speakers on your head" Just pointing it out. :) Love the breakdown either way!
Any Sennheiser would kill it. Or go with Audio Technica, or Bang & Olufsen. I personally prefer Sennheiser although I also have a pair of B&O and they are bloody amazing
You forgot to mention why exactly they sound better Opposite polarity sound waves in closed back headphones often manage get dampened by something on the inside of the cup but a part of them bounces back and interferes with the sound, where with open backs that sound gets thrown out the back I'm not remotely sure why more companies have not tried making open back gaming headphones or alike for this reason,since research on dampening in the earcup goes out of the window and the price of good sound can drop massively
I have grados sr60i's (listened to this video with them) and I love them. The sound quality is great, the build quality is great, and they only cost $80. I would definetley recommend getting these if you want open backed headphones but are on a lower budget
I am surprised that you didn't mention that open backed headphones tend to not have as strong bass as closed back. By the way, open back headphones are better for gaming (especially on FPS'es), as they, like you said earlier, give you immersion/a wide soundstage and tell you where the instruments are played and the same goes for knowing where people in your environment are shooting or walking.
Studios need both open and closed-back headphones. The closed-back headphones are used for recording because they prevent noise bleed, and the open back headphones are used for monitoring outside the booth and for mastering.
My first pair of open back headphones were the Sennheiser 598s and I fell in love with them. They are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn and make music sound like a symphony.
It's a lot easier to design a very high-end open-back headphone than a sealed one. That's why really, really good sealed headphones are _massively_ expensive.
Kam Chun Hong Most, not all. The Fostex TH-900 are sealed back and so was the legendary Sony MDR-R10, one of the most famous flagship headphones ever made. Most of the flagship Audio-Technicas, such as the woodies, are also closed-back. All electrostatics are open-back because the design requires it.
Corinn Heathers The R10 is a one in a decade phoenix that never ressurrected even now... its true that a recipe of making a great headphones is all tiny parts of it, but even until now Sony still can't make one that can become a worthy successor... sad as headphone diaphragm as a life time limit.
Muhammad Kharismawan Sony just keeps swinging and missing. Their last few attempts at a flagship full-size headphone were both really miserable failures. :/ (I still do think the MDR-7550 is one of Sony's best-sounding headphones ever, but IEM, not full-size...)
Corinn Heathers I really wan to try that... not a lot of place still sell Sony old line of IEM, but i found one selling the EX600... do you think it worth 200$ its selling at?
Thanks for this, I watched a few of videos on Unbox Therapy and couldn't understand why open back headphones were any good, regardless of price, now I see it's a matter of listening environment.
I have the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm which I've been using for around a year and a half. It's an open-back headphone and comes with a durable coiled cable. I don't see myself using anything else. Absolutely love it.
So you say you can hear music and people talking but they can not hear your music, to just after that, say that they CAN hear your music. wich one? 2:20
Gerard Umbert I was thinking the same thing too. In fact I decided to bring my Sennheiser HD 598 to work one day and I was listening to music at about halfway volume level on a Samsung Galaxy S4 that I had a coworker come to my cubicle and say, "So this is where that noise is coming from." And on that day I decided to not bring them to work ever again...
This video earned my subscription. I'm definitely an audiophile and whenever I hear non-audio techies talk about headphones I start to get a little twitchy... This was really well explained, really well informed. Subscribed and can't wait for more!
The open back headphones sound really interesting! I've never heard of those. I use Bose Quite Comforts which I like mainly for the noise canceling when I work at a cafe or while traveling. I know they're not the tech-head favorite but I love them. Might have to try these open back headphones however. -RH
I have them and I really like! Especially for fps games, you can hear all those footsteps you feel like you're cheating :) Just change the pads to some velour ones and you're good to go.
I got Sennheiser Momentum closed-back headphones for music listening at my desk at work, and HD598 open-backed for late night TV watching at home. Both are awesome at what they do.
Really helpful. The Only thing I knew about Open Back Headphones, was that they have some sound leak and that didn't appeal to my liking, but now that I know that they're helpful for hearing the enviroment around me, I'm definetly going to consider them.
SmokeySmudgeStudio There is a point. Lots of people use lower end open headphones with a mod mic for gaming. Even low tier and off brand models can often beat the performance of those neon green "gaming headsets" people spend hundreds on.
this came out 6 years ago. If I had watched this video, I wouldn't have bought my headphones I have rn. All I had heard at the time was that open back had higher sound quality, but none of the downsides because I was bad at doing my research. Now I have iems bc my friend who does his research liked them so I trusted him. I don't regret those and I came back to my open backs because the wire got a little ruined (already bought replacements) and I miss my items immediately. Good video, wish I had seen it earlier.
Definitely going to buy some Open-backed headphones now. I often find myself only using one earbud or one ear pad. I never knew these existed, and I love the ambient noise of my fan blowing on my face, along with the cars on my street, and never being fully immersed into what I'm doing.
You have a great ability to describe things clearly, and your voice is ideal for these types of videos, ie flat/no accent, don’t speak too fast or slow, not a high or deep voice, etc Random compliment I guess, but you rock. Thanks for doing what you do.
I need some open back headphones for my room, when using closed back headphones i usually have one ear out anyways to listen for the door. I've always been the type to listen to one instrument or another during the course of a song and this sounds like it makes it even better.
They should make open back headphones with optional clip on covers. I would think that should be relatively easy to engineer, should not add much cost, would be a great selling point and then you get the best of both types.
I rarely subscribe and comment on TH-cam, but I have said your videos are amazing and awesome. Technologies and smart phone explaination, pro and cons bla bla bla are just straight, plain and simple to understand. I don't have to research on articles and spent time to read through those diplomatic review on tech.
Also I like this kind of videos. They have that instructive part for people who don't know a thing about it that I like and they're still having the great quality which your videos are distinguished for. Definitely thumbs up
There is a physical reason that open back headphones can more accurately reproduce sounds. The closed back headphones actually have to work harder because when the diaphragm moves it is either increasing pressure or pulling negative pressure. The open back eliminates this problem. This is why you have better sound overall but as you mentioned the drawbacks to the open back design do not make it a headphone for all applications. At home I definitely prefer the sound quality of the open back design but when traveling or away from home the closed back will have to do.
Other things to mention ( closed vs opened back) -Bass: while closed back headphones have subwoofer like bass, opened back headphones have punchy bass but not as closed back headphones due to the pressure that can be caused by closed back -amplification: most high-end opened back headphones need a proper amplifier in order to output its full potential unlike closed back headphones
Points missed . Monitoring Headphones - Also used in studio's for monitoring while playing/singing. You need isolation in this case (both directions) so that you only hear your preferred mix in your headphones and the sound doesn't leak back into the mic. Open Back/Reference headphones - can practically sound less than accurate because of the lack of isolation which let's the ambient noise bleed in. Unless you're in a very quiet environment, the surroundings, which is plagued by lower frequency hums (aircon, engine noises etc) , can drown out the fidelity of the lower frequencies. Hence, the market for such headphones demand that everything else in the headphone is also higher quality ( user willing to use headphones in such controlled environment is a demanding audiophile). That's one of the reasons why it's also so much more expensive.
Great explanation, my friends who don't produce music don't understand. But in the studio, studio monitors are the best for producing. Open back headphones can be used for the delicate work after your mix but yeah. Thanks for the video!
I listen vinyl with open back headphones. I have tried my Audio Technica ATH M50 for vinyl and I have tried my AKG K240 for records and the open back sounds great. The soundstage is fantastic on those headphones.
You didn't mention the acoustic properties of open back headphones. They inherently have a more neutral sound because of this. This is the main reason professionals prefer to use these when possible.
That was a very clear and concise break down. Also, kudos for being able to work through all of that backround noise. Was that music or construction? As always, thanks for the great video. :)
Not mentioned in the video but this is great for bikers and walkers who listen while on there commute but can't hear traffic coming while listening. You'd be surprised on how many people get hit for walking into danger while listening to music and not being able to hear the outside world. Safety first.
this is probably the sharpest, best piece of footage i've ever seen on my 27inch cinema display, 1440p looks fantastic. 4k must be jaw dropping. also dem hd800. currently own the hd650 but looking to upgrade sometime in the future.
Imma go with closed back cus I don't want my homies to know I like white girl music.
Yes No im hip
Yes No That's what earbuds are for.
***** no.
***** iggy is a horrible artist through and through. She just has a nice body..
TrueZtyleZ7 Or CIEMs :D
Good explanation, buddy. Once you go open-back, you'll never go back.
You have mine too.
I said ŚTFU is a fucking gay!! (:
***** Do audio technica ATH-M50's need an external amp ??
Snazzy Labs I think you can only really use those at home or in a studio, so while you might not go "back", you will still use closed-back ones on the go
Snazzy Labs Once you go closed back, you never go back
after seeing the price it made me CLOSE BACK my wallet.
lol !!!!!!
Good one 🤣🤣🤣
Jokes aside, open-backs come in all budget ranges. The pair I own cost be only $54, and it is said to be the best open-back in the market under $150-$200 (I might be wrong). I own the Philips SHP9500S.
I mean if I had to choose between a pair of Sennheiser HD800's vs the newest IPhone XS Max which sells for around the same price I'd DEFINITELY pick the HD800s in a heartbeat lol at least the HD800s would actually last two decades or more.
a cheap $20 headphones, look closed back, but use them at the gym and you will hear everything around you.
So much crispy
MarCRISPY Brownlee?
***** TeamCrispy
***** tld please reply I am a huge fan of your videos. Would mean the world to me if you replied. Also #TeamCrispy all day every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the info..FTW!
Liked and shared
some extra details for those looking to buy some:
Closed back headphones are better for a Tailored listening experience, usually you get a stronger bass because you can trap the bass much easier in a closed chamber (people tend to enjoy that little bit of bass boost) however at the cost of high end sounding a bit shrill and weak at times
Open back headphones are mostly gonna be for professional use in a studio or at home and its a lot harder to trap the bass in an open chamber however they have a much wider sound and are able to produce higher quality top end noise, as well as noise further down sub bass
Semi-Open back headphones get the best and worst of both worlds, since they have that open back, the soundstage is relatively wide, however not as wide as full open backs. They also don't bleed like open backs, but they don't trap all the noise like closed backs. they have a much more detailed high end than closed backs but not quite as detailed as full open backs, the one thing they have that doesn't have a cavoite would be the bass, they have a very detailed bass and trap bass really well, the sound still bleeds like crazy but the bass can stay contained in semi open-backs pretty well
Entry Level recommendations for each category
Closed back: Sennheiser HD280
Semi-open back: Samson SR850
Open back: Philips SHP 9500
KEEP IN MIND:
having loud bass, and having a lot of bass are NOT the same thing. loud bass simply implies a bass boost, meaning the frequencies in the bass section are just louder. having a large bass means you get more of those frequencies in the bass section, its a wider sound, it giving you more noise in that bass section rather than just giving you a little bass and boosting the crap out of it. Ex. Meze Empyreans their graph is a straight line all the way down to sub bass, however it might not be as boomy and punchy as a set of closed back Sonys
Thank you for the comment mate. So helpfull 😊
Hey mate can you also suggest me a headphone with reasonable price so that I can mix as well as listen to music (bass trap music) with a detachable cable and if it has bluetooth too then perfect
@@arnavverma4507 I'm not sure of many mixing headphones that would be wireless, however the superlux HD 681s are probably the best bargain you can get on a pair of cans, they're openback and their frequency response are flat so they're ideal for mixing, as fox closed backs, I'd either recommend some Sennheisser HD280s or audio Technica ath m40s, but if you have more money to spend I'd say go for some Sennheiser HD 560s, if you do go for those they're about 120 ohms so you'll need an amp to run them
The empyreans bass is slightly overemphasized, its just not thats extreme, but its definetily not flat
If you're playing video game, I suggest using open back especially for FPS where you will listen to surrounding even better. Don't fall for 5.1 or 7.1 "gaming" headsets.
Yusoff M rip, wish I knew this before I bought my nice headset a couple months ago...
Yusoff M Simulated 5.1/7.1 is nothing more than marketing and sound like absolute crap compared to open back headphones. I don't even understand why they were made in the first place.
TrueZtyleZ7 and some even try to put multiple drivers to make them look pro...
I dont know hat you use but i have a 7,1 surround headset from logitech and the surround is really really good, when you're playing a game and a zombie is behind you, you can hear the zombie from the back of your ears like it's really there, also with tne logitech gaming software you get full optimizing functions (you dont get that with open headphones) and they even include a surround test in the software and if you do the test you can hear a woman voice talking: "over hear is the right rear surround channel" and you really hear her talking from right rear its actually a bit scary. Also with that 7.1, the .1 (LFE channel) really works great to. If you but like a razer kraken pro you dont get that becouse razer is fake surround sound and razer headsets sou d like 2$ earbuds. So i don't agree with you on that
Johnny Campos Take away the mixamp and the Astro is nothing more than a stereo headset.
kobe Cornelis I can achieve a similar, if not the same, results with my Superlux 681-Evo for about half the price. Simulated/virtual 7.1 is nothing more than software to achieve an effect that any open-back headphones can naturally do.
Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, Grado, Shure, Audio Technica, Klipsch, AKG, Audeze, Hifiman, Stax, V-Moda etc.
For headphones/audio in general, if it isnt German, hard to pronounce or triggers spell check then its most likely not worth buying. There will always be exceptions though.
Noble Audio and Sony are just a few of those.
theBKLounge lol, that's actually pretty accurate.
No one cares about you speaking German.
theBKLounge Audez'e says hi
Richard Malivert Dude I want you to do a review on the iPad Pro that will come probably next three month.
theBKLounge Well, I'll have to disagree. There is a Chinese brand, Invotone (well, it is Invotone here in some European countries and Takstar internationally), and since I've bought my first Invotone headphone, the HD2000 a year and a half ago, I became their "fanboy", sort of. The HD2000 is amazingly cheap (I bought it for 8000HUF=28.8USD=25.7EUR), and the only thing I can complain about is isolation. Other than that, they are comfortable, they seem durable, and oh God, the sound is amazing. I can't find too many headphones that sound similar, in fact, I've only heard 2 so far: the "bigger brother", the Takstar Pro 80 and the Denon DN-HP500, which are both much more expensive than the HD2000.
Also, some other Chinese brands, Superlux and SoundMAGIC worth mentioning, but I don't like them as much as Takstar.
the only thing I wish you'd have done, is give a demonstration of how bad the sound leaking is
if the other people in your room can hear it as clear as you do, then it's quite a leak
but if it's just a tiny bit, then I don't see too much of a problem
Nikolaj Lepka it is quite clear indeed...let's say you do not want those in a libray.
Nikolaj Lepka Let's just say if "sound leak" is even a concern in your use case scenario in any way, you won't even need to think about open-back headphones.
Nikolaj Lepka look up "UrAvgConsumer", he does a couple of those tests on various sets of headphones.
Nikolaj Lepka It's not that big of a deal. People will know that you're listening to music, and if they're sitting right next to you they might be able to distinguish what you're listening to if they focus.
I have some of both types, and It all boils down to where you'll want to use them. If it's at home, go open back; you get much better sound for the same amount of cash. If you want to use it at work or in public, go closed.
Nikolaj Lepka Have you never sit on the bus/train close to some careless person listening to rock wearing a headset? Yep, that's pretty fucking annoying okay. Closed back is the way to go if you're going to use them in public.
No one is gonna talk about his awesome shirt?
Alexis Alexander everyone is talking about it
@@Samuelkings have yall seen the smiling monkey pics
Came here expecting a mention of Grado SR80i, was not disappointed! Such a great headphones for the money and cheap spare parts to fix them very easily.
Isaac Alonzo Yes they are!
Snazzy Labs as my friends calls them "headphoneless" because he can't understand why sound leaks so much.
Been debating getting a pair of the SR80e or the SR225e for a while now
Isaac Alonzo yessir grado's are top notch. if you are in a quiet room by yourself, throw a pair of these on and go to heaven
Are the 225s worth the extra hundred from the 80s?
Anyone else heard the banging in this video? Might be a headboard
Tadooko someone is getting it on ;) I heard it too
Tadooko It's that open back computer you're using.
***** yeah... thats what we all say ;)
***** midtown life
Tadooko It's Casey Neistat on his hoverboard.
Nicely explained, thanks Marques!
CANE DO VIDERO ABOUT DRM / WIDEVINE EXPLAINED
Duck you crud is mudd
The most important aspect of open-backed headphone designs is that they will have a much more neutral and "true" sound, particularly for bass frequencies. Closed-backed headphones necessarily have to compensate for bass and thus have a distorted version of the audio, which is usually fine for people just enjoying music. However, for music producers and those who have to listen to mixes for reference, open-backed designs are a must as it's much closer to the actual frequencies in the audio file.
For most people, they may well find open-backed headphones less "exciting" than closed-backed designs, which can be a lot more bassy and with crisper high-end which makes the audio really "pop". They also don't have the intrusive leakage into your environment. Anyone making music or working with audio who needs to do intricate mix references to compliment their studio monitors should always invest in a good pair of open-backed cans however, as close-backed products will be compromising the sound stage and frequency response.
Of course, people in studios will also need close-backed 'phones for tracking so that leakage into the mic is reduced to acceptable levels.
+Sonny Williamson There are alot of more exciting open-backed headphones than closed actually. Most people might find open phones too "boring" because their first open back purchase is probably a Sennheiser 598 or 598. Sennheiser doesn't make fun headphones and especially not their flagship HD800.
@@717890098 define "fun" when you criticize Sennheiser
And with open back you lose the sensation of like, imprisonment. The sound has so much space to breathe that you can listen hours and hours and hours without any pain. The fact that most open backs are also neutral made me rediscover my music, because almost all consumer grade headphones are so bassy it eats up the rest of the spectrum. Open backs really made me rediscover music and now I love it even more than ever. I'm never going back from open backs
If you want a good, inexpensive pair of open backs, go w/ the Sennheiser HD 518's. I use them constantly and they are easily the best headphones I've ever used due to the soundstage Marques talks about and you can get them for anywhere from $50-$70.
Side note, most open-backs are exponentially better w/ an amp, so I recommend getting, at the very least, a cheap 20$ one on Amazon in conjunction w/ your headphones.
Ryan Moulton yep, you're right!
For that price range would also like to recommend the SHP 9500's.
meh, the HD 598's are often on sale at 100$
Soundstage: how wide the song sounds (spatial)
Imaging: direction the sound seem to be coming from (directional)
thus, soundstage≠imaging.
help so you are referring to open back? if so is this true? *they reproduce soundstage and imaging better..for instance, if you hear gunshots from your right, you can tell if it's 1feet away from you or 10 feet, you can't do that with closed, they keep the sound inside the the earcups, "open back" let the sound waves escape.* cuz i am planning to buy a hyperx cloud 2 but this is closed back but when i so that post i seems so confused
@@soybins6902 it applies to every headphone. Closed back headphones can have amazing sound stage and/or imaging
@@soybins6902 btw there are many types of headphones but they fall under open back or closed back.
Like there is planar magnetic, electrostatic, dynamic, armature, and bone conduction
If you reply i will DIE
HOLLLLLY SHHIIIIIT
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
***** F
Liek if u cri evrytiem ;(
Rip Tech Freak
Tech Freak And then Teck Freak dies.
Open back headphones are _perfect_ for gaming
Yea, but why?
Admin-i strator they reproduce soundstage and imaging better..for instance, if you hear gunshots from your right, you can tell if it's 1feet away from you or 10 feet, you can't do that with closed, they keep the sound inside the the earcups, "open back" let the sound waves escape..
help is this true? *they reproduce soundstage and imaging better..for instance, if you hear gunshots from your right, you can tell if it's 1feet away from you or 10 feet, you can't do that with closed, they keep the sound inside the the earcups, "open back" let the sound waves escape.* cuz i am planning to buy a hyperx cloud 2 but this is closed back but when i saw the post i seems to be so confused
yea, soundstage is where you can tell the difference between being 1 feet away from you or 10 feet. then you have imaging where you can tell if the sound is for example in the back right or front right rather than just to the right, but if you never experienced this before, you gotta train your ears, don't get dissapointed at first if you don't get the full experience, I had to "train my ears" also.
btw what budget $60 Open Back headphones do you recommend to me?
I swear by my open-back HD 598, most authentic and clear audio recreation I've ever heard.
Great video, thanks for the explanation!
Many open-backed headphones are also incredibly comfy and able to be worn for many many hours.
Something like my ATH-M50s would get sweaty and uncomfortable past like 20-30 minutes, whereas the AD-700s I used to use I could literally forget I was even wearing them. The open back makes them nice and breathable.
I have a pair of Sennheiser 598s. Before them I had Sennheiser 555s for like 7 years. I prefer the spatial sense of sound and when I'm in public I just use earbuds.
the_TS same hear when i'm in public i use ear buds when I'm on my laptop at home i use my 558s and for my desktop i have a pair of 650s
I love the 598s
One significant advantage of open backs that you didn't mention is ventilation. You can sit for hours with open backs on and your ears won't sweat or overheat. Try doing the same in closed ones, esp. in the summer with no AC...
I bought a pair of grado headphones 3 years ago and they are still great! Incredible product
Watching it in 2021 and still the quality is just unbelievable
ATH-M50x
Type Closed-back dynamic
Driver Diameter 45 mm
Magnet Neodymium
Voice Coil CCAW (Copper-clad aluminum wire)
Frequency Response 15 - 28,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power 1,600 mW at 1 kHz
Sensitivity 99 dB
Impedance 38 ohms
Weight 285 g (10 oz), without cable and connector
Cable Interchangeable cables: detachable 1.2 m - 3.0 m (3.9' - 9.8') coiled cable, detachable 3.0 m (9.8') straight cable and detachable 1.2 m (3.9') straight cable
Accessories Included Protective carrying pouch, 6.3 mm (1/4") screw-on adapter
ATH-R70X (Open) specification:
Type Open-back reference
Driver Diameter 45 mm
Frequency Response 5 - 40,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power 1,000 mW at 1 kHz
Sensitivity 99 dB
Impedance 470 ohms
Weight 210 g (7.4 oz), without cable and connector
Accessories Included Protective carrying pouch
The Chibi NEKO ???? uhh okay?
2 FPS WHAT!? YOU GOTTA PROBLEM!?
nvm
the ath r70x seems superior on their specs but require a real good amp. anything above 300 ohms require a legit good amp.
"I'm not that much of a gamer"
wears a Master Chief T-Shirt
K MARKASS
To he honest, a lot of youtubers put ads in their video, but yours are the only one without ads, so exclusive to see your video.
A really good explanation. I'm a studio engineer. Headphones are my life. Theres one more advantage of open backs: less ear fatigue. Try listening to a pair of nice tightly sealed Sennheisers for 10 hours and call me in the morning, well you probably won't feel like talking. While I do like the open soundstage of openbacks I do feel like closed is more accurate. From a normal audience perspective I'm sure you don't care about accurate. If you do want accurate Sennheiser hd280 pros for $99 is all you need.
2:26 "And they can't hear your music"
2:44 "If someone's sitting next to you it'll sound like there's mini speakers on your head"
Just pointing it out. :) Love the breakdown either way!
HUH
Lol
DUDE i love your t-shirt! Anyways, top notch explanation as always.
open back. A pair of fidelio x2's will take you away. oh and the lower priced shp9500 are great as well.
Someone who knows their shit
Would the Sennheiser HD 598 be a good choice? Heard they're one of th best.
Absolutely.
Yes, unless you like your headphones having a lot of bass.
Misx shp 9500 is much better for cheaper as well
Any Sennheiser would kill it. Or go with Audio Technica, or Bang & Olufsen. I personally prefer Sennheiser although I also have a pair of B&O and they are bloody amazing
You forgot to mention why exactly they sound better
Opposite polarity sound waves in closed back headphones often manage get dampened by something on the inside of the cup but a part of them bounces back and interferes with the sound, where with open backs that sound gets thrown out the back
I'm not remotely sure why more companies have not tried making open back gaming headphones or alike for this reason,since research on dampening in the earcup goes out of the window and the price of good sound can drop massively
I have grados sr60i's (listened to this video with them) and I love them. The sound quality is great, the build quality is great, and they only cost $80. I would definetley recommend getting these if you want open backed headphones but are on a lower budget
I wonder what kind of comment I have to post to make MKBHD reply to it! ;)
Ninad Sachania a legit question, may be!
OMG THE REAL MKBHD OMG OMG OMG BIG FAN MATE BIG FAN!
Wow its the legit one.
Who did?
There never is for anyone for me *****
Something's different in this video... You look sharper than usual? More handsome? Smarter maybe? Can't quite put my finger on it.... ;)
Justin Maller If you are making those tees man, I need one!!
Haha I see what you did there, your on about the 4k resolution........
Srikant Vijay Kumar halo
Gacstez not quite :)
Srikant Vijay Kumar shop.facets.la :)
A review of the R70x and/or HD800 would be really nice...
You're best off trialing them yourself in a store.
***** Unfortunately I'm probably never going to get that chance
Ethan Alba
Why? AV shops aren't exactly hard to find.
+Jaw Ji
I just don't live near any of them
Ethan Alba
Where do you live?
Watching this in 2021 on some beyerdynamics open back headphones. MKBHD is the goat!
I'm really crushing on Marques rn not even gonna lie. Bouta follow him on all the social medias
Great video Marques!
I am surprised that you didn't mention that open backed headphones tend to not have as strong bass as closed back.
By the way, open back headphones are better for gaming (especially on FPS'es), as they, like you said earlier, give you immersion/a wide soundstage and tell you where the instruments are played and the same goes for knowing where people in your environment are shooting or walking.
Not ideal for watching porn ._.
ಠ_ృ nah
ಠ_ృ Bruhhhhhhh
Right? That's what speakers are for, don't want to get tangled up on dem headphone cables.
R/nofap
@@SaltyMaud dunno about you mate, but I like to wrap cables around my rod.
Studios need both open and closed-back headphones. The closed-back headphones are used for recording because they prevent noise bleed, and the open back headphones are used for monitoring outside the booth and for mastering.
My first pair of open back headphones were the Sennheiser 598s and I fell in love with them. They are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn and make music sound like a symphony.
It's a lot easier to design a very high-end open-back headphone than a sealed one. That's why really, really good sealed headphones are _massively_ expensive.
No, not quite right. All ultra high ends are open back.
Senheisser opeous
Grado ps1000
Audeze LCD3
Beyerdynamic T1
Abyss
Hifiman HE1000
Kam Chun Hong Most, not all. The Fostex TH-900 are sealed back and so was the legendary Sony MDR-R10, one of the most famous flagship headphones ever made. Most of the flagship Audio-Technicas, such as the woodies, are also closed-back.
All electrostatics are open-back because the design requires it.
Corinn Heathers The R10 is a one in a decade phoenix that never ressurrected even now... its true that a recipe of making a great headphones is all tiny parts of it, but even until now Sony still can't make one that can become a worthy successor... sad as headphone diaphragm as a life time limit.
Muhammad Kharismawan Sony just keeps swinging and missing. Their last few attempts at a flagship full-size headphone were both really miserable failures. :/
(I still do think the MDR-7550 is one of Sony's best-sounding headphones ever, but IEM, not full-size...)
Corinn Heathers
I really wan to try that... not a lot of place still sell Sony old line of IEM, but i found one selling the EX600... do you think it worth 200$ its selling at?
who cares about headphones whered you get that cool chief shirt
shay campbell they are shirts made by justin maller, if you follow marquez on instagram he has a link on his last pic
thankyou! weird asking a question on the internet and having someone politely answer it instead of getting harassed and death threats
Shirts Hub Stop advertising here...
shay campbell you too...
stankypitts WOA $50 bucks for chief shirt damn. thats with out postage
thanks brother always awesome to learn something
Thanks for this, I watched a few of videos on Unbox Therapy and couldn't understand why open back headphones were any good, regardless of price, now I see it's a matter of listening environment.
I'm not even into headphone like this but I just love learning something new every time I watch another one of your videos
listening to this video with my audeze lcd-2s!
Listening with my ATH-M50x's. These are badass
goo6 Headphone-bro
goo6 bruh
Just listening with my POS HD 650s
goo6 Well, you don't need this video! Audeze is awesome as hell!!
Thanks, as always, ***** ! Your points of view are always very helpful.
If im using open back headphones, would the sound leak get picked up by a vocal mic?
depends on your mic and if you have special software for your mic.
Awesome, this dude has been doing straight to the point, high quality videos for soo long.
I have the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm which I've been using for around a year and a half. It's an open-back headphone and comes with a durable coiled cable. I don't see myself using anything else. Absolutely love it.
crispier than a fresh bag of lays
***** why aren't you posting like 2 videos in a week?
So you say you can hear music and people talking but they can not hear your music, to just after that, say that they CAN hear your music. wich one?
2:20
People can definitely hear your music when you listen to open back headphones.
i know, it's just that he contradicted himself
Gerard Umbert I was thinking the same thing too. In fact I decided to bring my Sennheiser HD 598 to work one day and I was listening to music at about halfway volume level on a Samsung Galaxy S4 that I had a coworker come to my cubicle and say, "So this is where that noise is coming from." And on that day I decided to not bring them to work ever again...
I love this "explained" series you have going. I always learn something new. Keep it up!
This video earned my subscription. I'm definitely an audiophile and whenever I hear non-audio techies talk about headphones I start to get a little twitchy... This was really well explained, really well informed. Subscribed and can't wait for more!
Get the Philips shp9500
Anyone watching this in 2024
hadir 😂
Sup dawg?
Massdrop always sells openback headphones. I want to buy some but I'm always in public
who cares let them hear
The open back headphones sound really interesting! I've never heard of those. I use Bose Quite Comforts which I like mainly for the noise canceling when I work at a cafe or while traveling. I know they're not the tech-head favorite but I love them. Might have to try these open back headphones however. -RH
It's a basic and straight forward explanation between the difference of the 2 headphones. Thanks for info! MKBHD
***** Dat Master Chief shirt though...
Hd600 = best (relatively) low priced open back headphones IMO
Actually no, since you'll gonna need a more-than-beginner amplifier to drive it, and it COST.
What about the superlux 668b? 50 dollars semi open and logan from tek syndicate recommends his face outta them
Kuramaz Ōtsutsuki They're fine for the price
Kuramaz Ōtsutsuki Check out the HD330 from Superlux, the sound has a Beyerdynamic vibe for a much lower price.
I have them and I really like! Especially for fps games, you can hear all those footsteps you feel like you're cheating :) Just change the pads to some velour ones and you're good to go.
For $50, the takstar 2050 is one of the best headphones you can get. The akg k240 @$75 is another great budget headphone
Wawaweewa Rice bought them for 35$
I got Sennheiser Momentum closed-back headphones for music listening at my desk at work, and HD598 open-backed for late night TV watching at home. Both are awesome at what they do.
Really helpful. The Only thing I knew about Open Back Headphones, was that they have some sound leak and that didn't appeal to my liking, but now that I know that they're helpful for hearing the enviroment around me, I'm definetly going to consider them.
2019 ,and the joke (in comments) about the porn listening , is still alive..
R/nofap
Isn't the point of headphones that other people can't hear your music?
SmokeySmudgeStudio Not entirely. Higher end headphones offer sound quality that speakers can't match.
Thomas Riddle fair point, but that just shows that there's no point buying budget open back headphones
also are you voldemort?
SmokeySmudgeStudio Well, those don't really exist anyway tbh. And yes :D.
SmokeySmudgeStudio There is a point. Lots of people use lower end open headphones with a mod mic for gaming. Even low tier and off brand models can often beat the performance of those neon green "gaming headsets" people spend hundreds on.
Dude what is your hair lmao
It's called hair.
It’s like a fauxhawk fade or something
this came out 6 years ago. If I had watched this video, I wouldn't have bought my headphones I have rn. All I had heard at the time was that open back had higher sound quality, but none of the downsides because I was bad at doing my research. Now I have iems bc my friend who does his research liked them so I trusted him. I don't regret those and I came back to my open backs because the wire got a little ruined (already bought replacements) and I miss my items immediately. Good video, wish I had seen it earlier.
My Favorite MKBHD videos are the "Explained" Videos. GREAT JOB!
lisitning to this on my hd598 :)
I have them too, btw what amp/dac do you use.
Starkelite i have the hd 558
Do you need a dac for it ?
Ahmad Aburahma I think they’re pretty efficient so not exactly but if you want to get the most out of them then it’s best to get a Dac/Amp
Wait...There's headphones that don't isolate noise?!?
The more you know lol
Came back to recap these headphones. Man I remember when this video was new. How things have moved on.
Definitely going to buy some Open-backed headphones now. I often find myself only using one earbud or one ear pad. I never knew these existed, and I love the ambient noise of my fan blowing on my face, along with the cars on my street, and never being fully immersed into what I'm doing.
Dank Hotdogs If you're typically in areas where you're not interrupted by much, then open-back headphones are definitely something to consider.
You have a great ability to describe things clearly, and your voice is ideal for these types of videos, ie flat/no accent, don’t speak too fast or slow, not a high or deep voice, etc
Random compliment I guess, but you rock. Thanks for doing what you do.
I need some open back headphones for my room, when using closed back headphones i usually have one ear out anyways to listen for the door. I've always been the type to listen to one instrument or another during the course of a song and this sounds like it makes it even better.
They should make open back headphones with optional clip on covers. I would think that should be relatively easy to engineer, should not add much cost, would be a great selling point and then you get the best of both types.
I rarely subscribe and comment on TH-cam, but I have said your videos are amazing and awesome. Technologies and smart phone explaination, pro and cons bla bla bla are just straight, plain and simple to understand. I don't have to research on articles and spent time to read through those diplomatic review on tech.
The growth 🙌
Also I like this kind of videos. They have that instructive part for people who don't know a thing about it that I like and they're still having the great quality which your videos are distinguished for. Definitely thumbs up
There is a physical reason that open back headphones can more accurately reproduce sounds. The closed back headphones actually have to work harder because when the diaphragm moves it is either increasing pressure or pulling negative pressure. The open back eliminates this problem. This is why you have better sound overall but as you mentioned the drawbacks to the open back design do not make it a headphone for all applications. At home I definitely prefer the sound quality of the open back design but when traveling or away from home the closed back will have to do.
Other things to mention ( closed vs opened back)
-Bass: while closed back headphones have subwoofer like bass, opened back headphones have punchy bass but not as closed back headphones due to the pressure that can be caused by closed back
-amplification: most high-end opened back headphones need a proper amplifier in order to output its full potential unlike closed back headphones
Points missed . Monitoring Headphones - Also used in studio's for monitoring while playing/singing. You need isolation in this case (both directions) so that you only hear your preferred mix in your headphones and the sound doesn't leak back into the mic. Open Back/Reference headphones - can practically sound less than accurate because of the lack of isolation which let's the ambient noise bleed in. Unless you're in a very quiet environment, the surroundings, which is plagued by lower frequency hums (aircon, engine noises etc) , can drown out the fidelity of the lower frequencies. Hence, the market for such headphones demand that everything else in the headphone is also higher quality ( user willing to use headphones in such controlled environment is a demanding audiophile). That's one of the reasons why it's also so much more expensive.
Thank you for making a nice short video. I don’t know why all these TH-camrs think their videos have to be 20 minutes long.
Great explanation, my friends who don't produce music don't understand. But in the studio, studio monitors are the best for producing. Open back headphones can be used for the delicate work after your mix but yeah. Thanks for the video!
Great job Marques. I'm not the most technology advanced person but I learn so much watching your videos. Thank you so much.
I listen vinyl with open back headphones. I have tried my Audio Technica ATH M50 for vinyl and I have tried my AKG K240 for records and the open back sounds great. The soundstage is fantastic on those headphones.
I had some I guess open back ear buds as a kid and loved the way they sounded. They were Phillips and had an open back to them.
You didn't mention the acoustic properties of open back headphones. They inherently have a more neutral sound because of this. This is the main reason professionals prefer to use these when possible.
Since you graduated you're unstoppable! Thanks for this simple but very useful video Marques! Keep up the good work!
For people who want a cheaper open-back option, get the Samson SR850's, they're about 50 bucks. They are insanely good for the spend.
This.
These are excellent!
That was a very clear and concise break down. Also, kudos for being able to work through all of that backround noise. Was that music or construction? As always, thanks for the great video. :)
Not mentioned in the video but this is great for bikers and walkers who listen while on there commute but can't hear traffic coming while listening. You'd be surprised on how many people get hit for walking into danger while listening to music and not being able to hear the outside world. Safety first.
Marques never disappoints another high quality vid from the tech king himself.
this is probably the sharpest, best piece of footage i've ever seen on my 27inch cinema display, 1440p looks fantastic. 4k must be jaw dropping. also dem hd800. currently own the hd650 but looking to upgrade sometime in the future.