The HD660S was at a steal of a deal on Amazon recently. I used to be a bass head but damn the HD660S changed my taste. I love them and playing FLAC files through a DAC/AMP makes me get so immersed in my music.
@@hy7968 The 6X0 series is so close to one another than finding which is better or worse is meaningless and entirely up to your tastes and the kind of music you listen to. They have the same resolving capabilities but slightly different tuning. My only problem with the 660s is the ridiculous MSRP, but when they go on sale for 300$, they're a great purchase.
@@orthosympa6993 the hd660s is quite different from the rest of the line up. It doesn’t extend as well on both ends compared to maybe the HD6xx for example.I don’t really think the HD6xx or hd600 sounded veiled in any way (to my ears) but the hd660 did sound veiled. The fr graph also backs this up.
@@ralphjones1151 ABYSS Headphones has their own youtube channel where they will talk for days about this and that with headphones and gear but never once mention rival or even entry level gear so it is arguably useless for most viewers unless you are just fangirling over their own ABYSS products or looking to drop 500 bucks on a headphone stand and other merch. DMS works there, last I heard, but at least he makes an effort, albeit on another channel entirely.
@@chungang7037 well, that's the idea of a TH-cam channel of a company. To introduce and talk about ulyour own products. To make advertisement. You won't see apple praising how fantastic the new Samsung phone is or vice versa. So I'd I frame your comment differently: it's great to see a company having someone who makes impartial reviews.
@Chung Ang It would be extremely in bad taste for them to cover any other headphones. It's the Abyss main company youtube channel, if they bash another headphones then heads will fly, maybe even in court.
@@alfonsal3939 Have you seen their videos? That channel isn't edited ads with sick B roll footage, it is a bunch of dudes with beer hanging out talking gear, for hours....just not any gear that anyone I really buys lol. It is pretty weird to be honest. I dunno, pretending other brands don't exist is silly in such a niche hobby, you see the same people and brands at canjam and meetups so why bother. But then again this hobby has plenty of silly to go around so whatev~
My NTH 100 broke and actually fell completely apart with light use. Support said that they couldn't send me the part and that they weren't repairable. They offered for me to send my pair all the way across the country to them and they would send a replacement. The cost of that seems like it might be a avoidance tactic. A bolt, a nut, a few lock washers and a washer later proves that they were wrong. They're fixed and better than ever with the loss of some articulation. I like everything else about the NTH-100 as a practical decent sounding closed back, especially for film making, but they have that one weak point in an otherwise great build and I really thought that their customer service wasn't so great. The parts that the hardware goes on are metal, so that fix is a permanent one so It's all ok in the end. They really need to do something about that though.
1) For my daily commute to work: I use the Sony XM5. Reliable and sounds good. 2) For gaming, Watching movies and music at home: Audeze Maxwell. Sounds awesome, amazing immersion. 3) Currently looking into a more refined headphone to use at home, currently considering the Audeze MM-100. Would also consider some other at the same price range/+100 USD.
My list includes: Drop x Sennheiser 6XX As discussed Drop x Sennheiser 58X Better efficiency and better bass than the 6XX with less warmth on top. The driver used seems to be a little quicker giving vocals greater clarity. German Maestro GMP 8.35 D Mobile Great all-arounder that’s practically indestructible. Easily modifiable. For Bluetooth it would be my JBL E55 BT Quincy Edition. It’s a warm sounding, inoffensive headphone that sounds like you’re listening to a Quincy Jones production. Having his voice for the commands doesn’t hurt either!😊
Same experience with Drop HD series. Actually I miss the highs and better resolution of the 6XX with 58X, if it wasn't for that, they would be a really very good cans. As for the 6XX, the original 600 are nicer sounding cans, but they aren't easy to find used.
Apparently it sounds very similar to the X4. When the X4 was on sale for $79 it was an absolute bargain. With a bit of EQ it sounded very good on everything.
The NTH100 cracking adjustment bar is a thing, both of mine broke I hold it together with a couple layers of packing tape, works like new haha. Hopefully Rode fixes this issue with v2 and makes the pads slightly bigger.
I'm more of an IEM enjoyer, and the only headset that makes me want to buy another headphones are the hd6xx. The only problem is that I really have no reason to buy one since I already have the blessing2 and my house is not as quite as it should be which means I would probably not enjoy them as much. I really like the seal I have with the blessing2, makes everything better. And once again great video!
I’ve had the original HD600 (I haven’t heard a 650) for going on 20 years now, and I guess they’re just sort of a timeless reference to me. My current “flagship” is the LCD-5, but there’s no point in using it unless I’m at home with access to a very transparent, very powerful, very big, desktop DAC/amp. Back to affordable… As an alternative to the Sonys you chose here, I like the ATH M-50s, perfect for Apple’s newer laptops with improved built-in amp. The newer Sony of that line have a soft spot for me, as their over the top punchy bass and midrange slam makes them ideal for beat matching two turntables in the DJ booth. The wireless Audeze Penrose sound really good to me as well for the price, but I never know if I can get them to pair with any given device on any given day. Great channel!
I have the 6xx and they hold their own against my expensive utopia, hd800 and hekse, there is no reason flagship headphones couldn’t be at least 50% cheaper but we can only blame ourselves for chasing constant perfection and diminishing returns at a premium.
Switched from M50S to HD6X0 series and after adjustment to different presentation offered by Sennheiser it's impossible to go back. I wish there was affordable HD 6X0 closed back equivalent with veIour earpads. I tried the 7506 but they're too shouty and V6 was no longer available. V6 has very decent tonality.
Great review of affordable open and closed back headphones. My personal best headphones in my collection are the open back HD600, closed back HD598, the open back HD660s which I got on Amazon. And I would also mention my 1More in-ear Quad Driver IEMs. Keep up the great videos. They are very educational and enjoyable to watch.
One thing to consider regarding the AKG brothers. On my K371 the pads disintegrated after roughly one year of indeed intense use. The real problem here - you cannot get original replacement pads from AKG/Harman - they (and the service place they forwarded me to) simply do not have any. Period. Not that the original pads were great but ... So first try on the third party market resulted in pads from China that simply would not fit (even after rated R violence) and ended reluctantly with 50 bucks pads from Dekoni.
@@metal571 Well as AKG as we know it does not exist anymore we have to address the service idea of the giant that is the Harman-group. I hope I can dig out the original email confirming this. However, 50 bucks aftermarket pads for a 130 Euro headphone sort of like miss the point of "affordable" cans although I must admit for me these are an significant upgrade to the original pads.
@@metal571 contacted AKG again today. Response by Harman EMEA customer-service responded again by confirming that they do not sell/have the original pads. So, the situation in other regions might be different ...
If you want to improve the Sony V6, put ZMF Ori Lambskin pads on them..better soundstage and much better comfort. Just pull the pad lip over the back of the cup to install them.
I find it interesting how rarely you see Beyer DT240 Pro's mentioned. I have them and they are cheap, light, small, durable and sound good for long listening sessions. I have 3-4 other headphones and always come back to DT240's when I get bored.
It would be a crime not to include the DT 770 Pro on any budget headphone list. They're good at nearly everything and compete with headphones double the price. Other mentions: - Audio-Technica M50xBT/BT2. The absence of ANC gives these the freedom to provide sound quality that blows much more expensive Bluetooth headphones out of the water, and at a much cheaper price. A lot of people have criticized the M50x for having boomy midbass, but either I must have gotten lucky with mine, or the Bluetooth version is tuned better than the wired ones. Mine sound so good, I almost like listening to them more than the DT 770s. If your ears can fit inside their relatively shallow earcups, they may even be comfortable for long periods of time. - Bose QC 35/35 II. They won't win over any audiophiles with their sound quality, but as somebody who finds the entire Sony WH-1000XM series of ANC headphones to be incredibly disappointing in nearly all respects, I find these to be a far superior alternative. Their sound quality is just good enough that I don't mind making them my only headphone when traveling. Avoid the QC 45 though. Those are a huge downgrade.
I really like my x2hr. Even tho I have other more expensive and objectively better ones I often listen to x2hr, especially for electronic music (soundstage is awesome).
That does bring an interesting question, which might have already been answered in a previous video, do invest in one high-end headphone (above $600) or do you buy multiple budget headphones with different sound profiles? For me the Meze 99 Classics/Noir (I have the Noir) are a good buy for someone beginning the hobby. I'm not sure if it's the tuning or if it's because it doesn't take much to run them but I hear everything and in detail. Of course, it might not mean much coming from someone who isn't remotely close to what could be considered an audiophile. Funny story, I recently found my pair of Ghostek blu tooth headphones from about 8 years ago and they sounded atrocious; quiet and with no highs.
Eeeeeeey, some AT wing system love! One important thing to note with any of those is that if you're someone who gets hotspots from _everything_, the AT flappy wing system is for you. I can wear a pair of R70X for hours longer than say HD600 or Ananda.
What's the tonality of R70X and character comparing to HD 600, since I find them to be one of the easiest to listen to, other than narrow stage. Many complain that R70X is not worth the purchase and has boring tune.
@@pliedtka Being worth the purchase is sort of dependant on your priorities and where you live. In Australia the R70X is cheaper than the Senns, so the value is about right, especially if you find the Senns uncomfortable. They have a bit more stage than the 600, not much, maybe an inch or from your ears, but enough to remove the claustrophobic sensation. Tonality there is more midbass (too much of you're using an OTL, but fine with a solid state amp, for me at least), the upper midrange is a little more relaxed, and the treble isn't quite as detailed. Some people find it a tad grainy, but I personally don't. Needs good power because 470ohms. Doesn't really scale, it is what it is. But, it's comfortable in every sense, so if you want a hassle free daily it's good. Clamp is a bit high out of the box, but easily corrected.
I’m probably definitely using the wrong headphones, but I really love sennheiser hd 280 pro headphones plugged into a Fiio BTR7 Bluetooth dac amp, I boosted the bass and treble just a bit and broken in the headphones, they sounds really good to me, I primarily use them for listening to music
Agreed about the V6 especially with different pads that can bring them more to a neutral accurate presentation :) =- MUCH better than the 7506's for audio work
@@AndrewLamas19 Sry, cant remember now! although I found Brainwavez HARD velour to be particularly good for AKG 371 in terms of refining tuning to be better for work. I suspect i used these on the v6 as well.
At 5:09 I swear to god I thought he said his 'Zune' 😂 For a second I thought I was gonna have to pull my old one out of a drawer to plug my hifimans into
might have seen different variants of the same video . tbf there isn’t much you can do with headphones apart from review them again and again every year
Cool topic! Shocked your Sennheiser HD560 didn’t make the cut! I love them! Also, the HD58X Jubilee! And, I am not embarrassed to say my SHP9500 would have made the cut! Cheers 🍻 ‼️
I would love a “best entry level headphones” I was thinking of getting drop HE-4X as entry for planars and porta pros or the cheaper variant as my entry to that style of headphones.
I love my Hd-650s. The difficulty I'm having is what do I upgrade to beyond them? I could use a bit more bass and treble, but not too much. They're not necessarily the best headphones to really rock out with. They're the type you put on and listen to for hours.
the koss sound signature is really a jack of all trades, but the build quality it's pretty shitte and you would have to take a lot of care for them if you carry your headphones with you around
Can vouch for the 710BT I also like my koss kph40 . I'm not sure what the next step up would be in the 710 , I hated the k371 and the 710 looks like it would graft better than the 361 . Maybe something like a k702 ?
I'm upgrading my amp/dac from a Dragonfly Red to a Chord Mojo 2 soon and I've been thinking, when I do, of upgrading my Drop/Hifiman HE5XX to either Hifiman Edition XS or Drop/DCA Aeon Open X. Which would be better with the Mojo 2 or should I just stick with the HE5XX. The 5XX sound okay on the Dragonfly Red but will probably sound better much better on the Mojo 2. They mostly lack bass, soundstage and they distort easily at loud volumes on the Red. The question is, would either of the other 2 sound better than the HE 5XX on the Mojo 2?
Dragonfly runs from 5V supplied by USB port, so you can't expect much output level from it. I would only invest in DAC/Amp if it has at least 4-5 times the power output of the Red at given impedance (5xx in this) to drive them properly.
@@pliedtka Thanks. The Mojo 2 should have more power output and is apparently class A. I think I may have to buy both the Hifiman Edition XS and Drop/DCA Aeon Open X and just test all three with the Mojo2 & get rid of the two that fall behind, because I can't seem to get a straight recommendation from anyone regarding the headphones I mentioned against my HE5XX. But I will be testing the HE5XX with the Mojo 2 first in the hopes that it cures the issues, before buying any other headphones. I am kind of looking forward to an upgrade in the headphones though, because I've already cracked the outer plastic driver housing of the 5XX in 2 places. Build quality wasn't what it looked like in the pictures on Drop. Feels like they're so light & delicate I could crush them with one hand if I sneezed too hard LOL
I am surprised you like the AD500x but hated the Phoenix and Peacock.. based on crins measurements the AD500x has the things you hated with the other 2 headphones times 2
Further AD500X hacks from using these every day for years - use a hairband instead of a rubber band. Lasts longer, and looks classier. You can also solder on a detachable cable socket without too much difficulty, and I sprayed the metal mesh a lovely blue at the same time.
@@sheanreal Rode actually uses cooling gel in its pads. I heard some complaints from people that they get a bit too cold sometimes when you pick them up from a cold room. I haven't used them though, so I don't know about other variables. I bet they are good if DMS recommended them. DT 770 Pros are super good for the price, they're built like tanks, super comfy, isolate very well. I also personally love how they sound, some may not like their high 4khz peak, but I actually don't mind that. Music/gaming are fantastic with them.
Personally, I prefer the K371 headphones without EQ. Superlux HD 681 are good when watching movies. They have a great soundstage. DT 770 pro also has a good soundstage as a closed headphone.
@@jari121 yes I have k371 as well and it's sooo good. Tried dt770 but it requires an amp which I don't have yet. I'm curious with nth-100 now. I really am confused because DMS said that he likes it because it has more warmth than the k361, which the k371 also has. But he hates k371 anyway, and likes nth-100 warmth.
You guys are funny. Talking about cheaper headphones and bringing up devices in the range of 400$. Crazy! Well than lets talk about my Sundara from Hifiman for 370$ . This planar headphone tops all of what I have seen so far easy. Cheap in compare is only the Beyerdynamics 770Pro 250 Ohm. But I wouldnt make fuzz about them , they are by far not as good as you can read/hear about it all over the place. They are ok. Very low detail bass, reserved mids and a very ugly spike somewhere at its highs. But still can be fun and cost "only" 120$/Fr. all inc.
When the X4 was on sale for $79 it was an absolute bargain. With a bit of EQ it sounded very good on everything. The 4XX also sounds very good but more expensive.
![จบจนได้ ! | Black Myth: Wukong #007 [ตอนจบ?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DSqvWndF0sw/mqdefault.jpg)
The HD660S was at a steal of a deal on Amazon recently. I used to be a bass head but damn the HD660S changed my taste. I love them and playing FLAC files through a DAC/AMP makes me get so immersed in my music.
My fav headphone of all time! good pickup
FLAC sometimes crashes my Chromebook 😢
Hmmm the hd660s is kinda the worst of the 6x0. Would even choose the hd580 over it.
@@hy7968 The 6X0 series is so close to one another than finding which is better or worse is meaningless and entirely up to your tastes and the kind of music you listen to. They have the same resolving capabilities but slightly different tuning. My only problem with the 660s is the ridiculous MSRP, but when they go on sale for 300$, they're a great purchase.
@@orthosympa6993 the hd660s is quite different from the rest of the line up. It doesn’t extend as well on both ends compared to maybe the HD6xx for example.I don’t really think the HD6xx or hd600 sounded veiled in any way (to my ears) but the hd660 did sound veiled. The fr graph also backs this up.
I love the one piano note + zoom at 6:14 when talking about having only one headphone. Like it's a real heartbreaker
Well at least he talks about other headphones unlike the Abyss channel boys.
What’s the context for this? Who else are you talking about? Genuinely curious
@@ralphjones1151 ABYSS Headphones has their own youtube channel where they will talk for days about this and that with headphones and gear but never once mention rival or even entry level gear so it is arguably useless for most viewers unless you are just fangirling over their own ABYSS products or looking to drop 500 bucks on a headphone stand and other merch. DMS works there, last I heard, but at least he makes an effort, albeit on another channel entirely.
@@chungang7037 well, that's the idea of a TH-cam channel of a company. To introduce and talk about ulyour own products. To make advertisement. You won't see apple praising how fantastic the new Samsung phone is or vice versa.
So I'd I frame your comment differently: it's great to see a company having someone who makes impartial reviews.
@Chung Ang It would be extremely in bad taste for them to cover any other headphones. It's the Abyss main company youtube channel, if they bash another headphones then heads will fly, maybe even in court.
@@alfonsal3939 Have you seen their videos? That channel isn't edited ads with sick B roll footage, it is a bunch of dudes with beer hanging out talking gear, for hours....just not any gear that anyone I really buys lol. It is pretty weird to be honest.
I dunno, pretending other brands don't exist is silly in such a niche hobby, you see the same people and brands at canjam and meetups so why bother. But then again this hobby has plenty of silly to go around so whatev~
HD668b, K 240 and HD280 Pro's are my favourite cheap options at the moment. EQ makes them great and far better than the average person is used to.
My NTH 100 broke and actually fell completely apart with light use. Support said that they couldn't send me the part and that they weren't repairable. They offered for me to send my pair all the way across the country to them and they would send a replacement. The cost of that seems like it might be a avoidance tactic. A bolt, a nut, a few lock washers and a washer later proves that they were wrong. They're fixed and better than ever with the loss of some articulation. I like everything else about the NTH-100 as a practical decent sounding closed back, especially for film making, but they have that one weak point in an otherwise great build and I really thought that their customer service wasn't so great. The parts that the hardware goes on are metal, so that fix is a permanent one so It's all ok in the end. They really need to do something about that though.
TOTALLY agree with you on the AD500x and V6--such little known gems. Of course the 6xx got me down this rabbit hole...
Same here. Never thought I'd spend more than 1k on a pair of headphones... I've got multiple now 😭 thanks to 6xx
Ad500x let's me hear enemies through walls 💥
new headphone show video thats has budget headphones is an instant click for me.
1) For my daily commute to work: I use the Sony XM5. Reliable and sounds good.
2) For gaming, Watching movies and music at home: Audeze Maxwell. Sounds awesome, amazing immersion.
3) Currently looking into a more refined headphone to use at home, currently considering the Audeze MM-100. Would also consider some other at the same price range/+100 USD.
I have the ad700x . That whole series is great for gaming.
Loved my ATH 500X
underrated for sure, miss them
My list includes:
Drop x Sennheiser 6XX
As discussed
Drop x Sennheiser 58X
Better efficiency and better bass than the 6XX with less warmth on top. The driver used seems to be a little quicker giving vocals greater clarity.
German Maestro GMP 8.35 D Mobile
Great all-arounder that’s practically indestructible. Easily modifiable.
For Bluetooth it would be my JBL E55 BT Quincy Edition. It’s a warm sounding, inoffensive headphone that sounds like you’re listening to a Quincy Jones production. Having his voice for the commands doesn’t hurt either!😊
Same experience with Drop HD series. Actually I miss the highs and better resolution of the 6XX with 58X, if it wasn't for that, they would be a really very good cans. As for the 6XX, the original 600 are nicer sounding cans, but they aren't easy to find used.
Wow, glad to see the ad500x here. Haven't heard about audio technica's AD series in a long long time. I personally own the a500x closed back version.
I think the HD 560S should have been on this list.
It's hard to beat a pair of HIFIMAN HE400se hooked up to a good DAC/Amp... Its price-performance ratio is top-notch...!!!
Apparently it sounds very similar to the X4. When the X4 was on sale for $79 it was an absolute bargain. With a bit of EQ it sounded very good on everything.
I have the complete Sennheiser 600 series line and while all of them are good in their own way; my fav are the HD580 & 660S on tubes.
I swapped to Brainwavz oval pads on my 7506 and it has been a great experience. Love your videos!
Apparently these work well on the AKG k367/371 as well
The NTH100 cracking adjustment bar is a thing, both of mine broke I hold it together with a couple layers of packing tape, works like new haha. Hopefully Rode fixes this issue with v2 and makes the pads slightly bigger.
I contacted support and they wouldn't send me the part. I repaired mine with hardware. A bolt, some lock washers, a washer and a nut.
AKG 612 pro still the best tuned cheap open back headphone around, shines on a tube amp too...for closed back Shure 840 very well balanced...
My friend recommends the K612 instead of Sennheiser Drop offerings if one likes more sparkly highs and airy presentation.
I'm more of an IEM enjoyer, and the only headset that makes me want to buy another headphones are the hd6xx. The only problem is that I really have no reason to buy one since I already have the blessing2 and my house is not as quite as it should be which means I would probably not enjoy them as much. I really like the seal I have with the blessing2, makes everything better. And once again great video!
Modified HD58X is my favorite budget headphones and it's more mobile friendly even I have 6XX as well
I’ve had the original HD600 (I haven’t heard a 650) for going on 20 years now, and I guess they’re just sort of a timeless reference to me. My current “flagship” is the LCD-5, but there’s no point in using it unless I’m at home with access to a very transparent, very powerful, very big, desktop DAC/amp. Back to affordable… As an alternative to the Sonys you chose here, I like the ATH M-50s, perfect for Apple’s newer laptops with improved built-in amp. The newer Sony of that line have a soft spot for me, as their over the top punchy bass and midrange slam makes them ideal for beat matching two turntables in the DJ booth. The wireless Audeze Penrose sound really good to me as well for the price, but I never know if I can get them to pair with any given device on any given day. Great channel!
I have the 6xx and they hold their own against my expensive utopia, hd800 and hekse, there is no reason flagship headphones couldn’t be at least 50% cheaper but we can only blame ourselves for chasing constant perfection and diminishing returns at a premium.
Switched from M50S to HD6X0 series and after adjustment to different presentation offered by Sennheiser it's impossible to go back. I wish there was affordable HD 6X0 closed back equivalent with veIour earpads. I tried the 7506 but they're too shouty and V6 was no longer available. V6 has very decent tonality.
Also where was the KPH30i!?
Honestly you've got me pretty sold on the ad500x since that's basically what i could use for my gaming set
Great review of affordable open and closed back headphones. My personal best headphones in my collection are the open back HD600, closed back HD598, the open back HD660s which I got on Amazon. And I would also mention my 1More in-ear Quad Driver IEMs. Keep up the great videos. They are very educational and enjoyable to watch.
One thing to consider regarding the AKG brothers. On my K371 the pads disintegrated after roughly one year of indeed intense use. The real problem here - you cannot get original replacement pads from AKG/Harman - they (and the service place they forwarded me to) simply do not have any. Period. Not that the original pads were great but ... So first try on the third party market resulted in pads from China that simply would not fit (even after rated R violence) and ended reluctantly with 50 bucks pads from Dekoni.
I am really sorry to hear that BC I have a pair of k361 that I really enjoy
AKG doesn't offer replacement pads at all for their own product? I wonder if the headphone show guys can also confirm this
Apparently Brainwavz oval pads work well.
@@metal571 Well as AKG as we know it does not exist anymore we have to address the service idea of the giant that is the Harman-group. I hope I can dig out the original email confirming this. However, 50 bucks aftermarket pads for a 130 Euro headphone sort of like miss the point of "affordable" cans although I must admit for me these are an significant upgrade to the original pads.
@@metal571 contacted AKG again today. Response by Harman EMEA customer-service responded again by confirming that they do not sell/have the original pads. So, the situation in other regions might be different ...
I really love my ATH-50x
The DT770 80ohm and the HD6XX are my budget headphones. Great video as always
Have you tried the K361? I have the 770 and the AKG’s but I never find myself going for the 361’s…. Midrange is so grainy, detail is just not there
My All time Budget Love is the Samson SR850
If you want to improve the Sony V6, put ZMF Ori Lambskin pads on them..better soundstage and much better comfort. Just pull the pad lip over the back of the cup to install them.
I find it interesting how rarely you see Beyer DT240 Pro's mentioned. I have them and they are cheap, light, small, durable and sound good for long listening sessions. I have 3-4 other headphones and always come back to DT240's when I get bored.
focal elegia for 300$ now is great closeback option I like them more than beyerdynamic t5p gen 2
It would be a crime not to include the DT 770 Pro on any budget headphone list. They're good at nearly everything and compete with headphones double the price. Other mentions:
- Audio-Technica M50xBT/BT2. The absence of ANC gives these the freedom to provide sound quality that blows much more expensive Bluetooth headphones out of the water, and at a much cheaper price. A lot of people have criticized the M50x for having boomy midbass, but either I must have gotten lucky with mine, or the Bluetooth version is tuned better than the wired ones. Mine sound so good, I almost like listening to them more than the DT 770s. If your ears can fit inside their relatively shallow earcups, they may even be comfortable for long periods of time.
- Bose QC 35/35 II. They won't win over any audiophiles with their sound quality, but as somebody who finds the entire Sony WH-1000XM series of ANC headphones to be incredibly disappointing in nearly all respects, I find these to be a far superior alternative. Their sound quality is just good enough that I don't mind making them my only headphone when traveling. Avoid the QC 45 though. Those are a huge downgrade.
I really like my x2hr. Even tho I have other more expensive and objectively better ones I often listen to x2hr, especially for electronic music (soundstage is awesome).
Can confirm, would stab if he took the HD-560S' back from me.
Very good choices! I’d love to get my hands on an MDR V6, but they’re getting hard to find.
Dms I think you should do a review on the ad500x
HD560S, really good open back headphones
That does bring an interesting question, which might have already been answered in a previous video, do invest in one high-end headphone (above $600) or do you buy multiple budget headphones with different sound profiles? For me the Meze 99 Classics/Noir (I have the Noir) are a good buy for someone beginning the hobby. I'm not sure if it's the tuning or if it's because it doesn't take much to run them but I hear everything and in detail.
Of course, it might not mean much coming from someone who isn't remotely close to what could be considered an audiophile. Funny story, I recently found my pair of Ghostek blu tooth headphones from about 8 years ago and they sounded atrocious; quiet and with no highs.
Eeeeeeey, some AT wing system love! One important thing to note with any of those is that if you're someone who gets hotspots from _everything_, the AT flappy wing system is for you. I can wear a pair of R70X for hours longer than say HD600 or Ananda.
What's the tonality of R70X and character comparing to HD 600, since I find them to be one of the easiest to listen to, other than narrow stage. Many complain that R70X is not worth the purchase and has boring tune.
@@pliedtka Being worth the purchase is sort of dependant on your priorities and where you live. In Australia the R70X is cheaper than the Senns, so the value is about right, especially if you find the Senns uncomfortable. They have a bit more stage than the 600, not much, maybe an inch or from your ears, but enough to remove the claustrophobic sensation. Tonality there is more midbass (too much of you're using an OTL, but fine with a solid state amp, for me at least), the upper midrange is a little more relaxed, and the treble isn't quite as detailed. Some people find it a tad grainy, but I personally don't. Needs good power because 470ohms. Doesn't really scale, it is what it is. But, it's comfortable in every sense, so if you want a hassle free daily it's good. Clamp is a bit high out of the box, but easily corrected.
Great review! The 6xx looks especially interesting. Thanks for not including anything from the Koss hair-harvester series. 👍🏽
I’m probably definitely using the wrong headphones, but I really love sennheiser hd 280 pro headphones plugged into a Fiio BTR7 Bluetooth dac amp, I boosted the bass and treble just a bit and broken in the headphones, they sounds really good to me, I primarily use them for listening to music
HD660S
If you get a chance try pairing them w/ a TA-26 Tube amp, its a great pairing.
Agreed about the V6 especially with different pads that can bring them more to a neutral accurate presentation :) =- MUCH better than the 7506's for audio work
what pads you using?
@@AndrewLamas19 Sry, cant remember now! although I found Brainwavez HARD velour to be particularly good for AKG 371 in terms of refining tuning to be better for work. I suspect i used these on the v6 as well.
HarmonicDyne Zeus!!!!! For 315$
Better than many of this
You told so :)
Actually they don't need big AMP so it even chipper
Kinda surprised that HD560S wasn't on the table considering how much you were gushing over it and then I found the reason 😂
why is that
@@biggestnibba His gf took those
At 5:09 I swear to god I thought he said his 'Zune' 😂
For a second I thought I was gonna have to pull my old one out of a drawer to plug my hifimans into
might have seen different variants of the same video . tbf there isn’t much you can do with headphones apart from review them again and again every year
Great list and thank you
Cool topic! Shocked your Sennheiser HD560 didn’t make the cut! I love them! Also, the HD58X Jubilee! And, I am not embarrassed to say my SHP9500 would have made the cut! Cheers 🍻 ‼️
DMS included a note during the vid that his GF, Sam, has his HD560's, otherwise they would have been on the list.
Great video, even though I'm late.
Keep trying to find that table lamp, where did you find it?
06:03 Ha ha nice :)
Thanks for the info mate, very helpful.
Why dont you like the Shp 9500 & 9600?
I would love a “best entry level headphones”
I was thinking of getting drop HE-4X as entry for planars and porta pros or the cheaper variant as my entry to that style of headphones.
I love my Hd-650s. The difficulty I'm having is what do I upgrade to beyond them? I could use a bit more bass and treble, but not too much. They're not necessarily the best headphones to really rock out with. They're the type you put on and listen to for hours.
Having flashbacks of the snow when I used to live in Buffalo.
OK, now do mid range please!
Hd6xx, he400i, m40x w/deep pads. Got the hx55 and the 880pro 600ohms coming
Koss KPH30i or KPH40 or Audio-Technica ATH-M40x?
go for the audio Technica
the koss sound signature is really a jack of all trades, but the build quality it's pretty shitte and you would have to take a lot of care for them if you carry your headphones with you around
Audio Technica, and get new ear pads from AT once they start to pill off. The ear pads and head band is the major issue on M series Audio Technicas.
Can vouch for the 710BT I also like my koss kph40 . I'm not sure what the next step up would be in the 710 , I hated the k371 and the 710 looks like it would graft better than the 361 . Maybe something like a k702 ?
Surprised to see no AKG K361 or K371 on this list, but good other picks all the same. I've gotta get myself a pair of 650's at some point.
The 1More Triple can be found new for cheap, same as the Hifiman HE400SE
I'm actually about to throw my Rode headphones up on ebay. I never touch them, I grab IEM's and my HD600's and even my KPH40's far more often
I'm upgrading my amp/dac from a Dragonfly Red to a Chord Mojo 2 soon and I've been thinking, when I do, of upgrading my Drop/Hifiman HE5XX to either Hifiman Edition XS or Drop/DCA Aeon Open X. Which would be better with the Mojo 2 or should I just stick with the HE5XX. The 5XX sound okay on the Dragonfly Red but will probably sound better much better on the Mojo 2. They mostly lack bass, soundstage and they distort easily at loud volumes on the Red. The question is, would either of the other 2 sound better than the HE 5XX on the Mojo 2?
Dragonfly runs from 5V supplied by USB port, so you can't expect much output level from it. I would only invest in DAC/Amp if it has at least 4-5 times the power output of the Red at given impedance (5xx in this) to drive them properly.
@@pliedtka Thanks. The Mojo 2 should have more power output and is apparently class A. I think I may have to buy both the Hifiman Edition XS and Drop/DCA Aeon Open X and just test all three with the Mojo2 & get rid of the two that fall behind, because I can't seem to get a straight recommendation from anyone regarding the headphones I mentioned against my HE5XX. But I will be testing the HE5XX with the Mojo 2 first in the hopes that it cures the issues, before buying any other headphones. I am kind of looking forward to an upgrade in the headphones though, because I've already cracked the outer plastic driver housing of the 5XX in 2 places. Build quality wasn't what it looked like in the pictures on Drop. Feels like they're so light & delicate I could crush them with one hand if I sneezed too hard LOL
Have you tried any of the V modas? V moda crossfade m100 that came originally was pretty good for its price as well..
so no hifiman he400se?
The rode or the k371? Are they very different? the k371 also has a bumped up bass. (in comparison with the k361 at least)
Thanks Much !
will you be reviewing the new ollo audio s5x headphone?
No mention of Beyerdynanic DT770 Pro ?
a bit uncomfortable when first thing I think of for budget choice is focal elex
Surprised you didn't include Argons
I am surprised you like the AD500x but hated the Phoenix and Peacock.. based on crins measurements the AD500x has the things you hated with the other 2 headphones times 2
yup, it is interesting
i thought the absence of the HD560S was strange 😂
Yes!!!!! Budgrt gear for the win!!!
I traded my NTH-100 for a bass amp haha
VE Supernova with pad swap!
After watching the past few videos, I need to know what that lamp is on the table. Does anyone know? I need it! Lol
Sony XM5 is best audiophile headphones. Change my mind.
nah, xm4!
Koss KPH40
My "budget" is the Maxwell.
What about the tygr 300r?
still very fun
not sure where you live but where I live it starts at 300usd so maybe too pricey for this list
Further AD500X hacks from using these every day for years - use a hairband instead of a rubber band. Lasts longer, and looks classier. You can also solder on a detachable cable socket without too much difficulty, and I sprayed the metal mesh a lovely blue at the same time.
Waves from Italy! 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🗡🗡🗡
surprised he didnt mention the hd560S, or was that too obvious an answer
He did
@@ngohoangvu7433 did he? I heard the 6xx but not the 560
@@antyvirusuk8056 He included a note.
6:12 note on screen.
@@DMS3TV ah, no wonder i missed it
Superlux HD 681, AKG K371 and Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro are also worth to mentioning.
Highly agree on Dt 770 pros
Better than the Rode?
@@sheanreal Rode actually uses cooling gel in its pads. I heard some complaints from people that they get a bit too cold sometimes when you pick them up from a cold room. I haven't used them though, so I don't know about other variables. I bet they are good if DMS recommended them. DT 770 Pros are super good for the price, they're built like tanks, super comfy, isolate very well. I also personally love how they sound, some may not like their high 4khz peak, but I actually don't mind that. Music/gaming are fantastic with them.
Personally, I prefer the K371 headphones without EQ. Superlux HD 681 are good when watching movies. They have a great soundstage. DT 770 pro also has a good soundstage as a closed headphone.
@@jari121 yes I have k371 as well and it's sooo good. Tried dt770 but it requires an amp which I don't have yet. I'm curious with nth-100 now. I really am confused because DMS said that he likes it because it has more warmth than the k361, which the k371 also has. But he hates k371 anyway, and likes nth-100 warmth.
Aiaiai TMA-2 Studio.
Sleeping with the fishes
fish tastes yummy in my tummy
Beyerdynamic dt880
Maybe the 250 ohm version, but still way too bright to be called neutral.
You guys are funny. Talking about cheaper headphones and bringing up devices in the range of 400$.
Crazy!
Well than lets talk about my Sundara from Hifiman for 370$ . This planar headphone tops all of what I have seen so far easy.
Cheap in compare is only the Beyerdynamics 770Pro 250 Ohm. But I wouldnt make fuzz about them , they are by far not as good as you can read/hear about it all over the place.
They are ok. Very low detail bass, reserved mids and a very ugly spike somewhere at its highs.
But still can be fun and cost "only" 120$/Fr. all inc.
Do cheap headphones cause tinnitus.
Very bright ones or V shaped might cause tinnitus. But loud listening levels will do it anytime.
Shirt needs ironing
haven't done that in decades
Love your gf 😹😹😹
bro that italian comment doesnt make sense but at the same time is a little cringe
First
hmmm
HD 6xx, the worst headphone ever.
When the X4 was on sale for $79 it was an absolute bargain. With a bit of EQ it sounded very good on everything. The 4XX also sounds very good but more expensive.