A total of 101 reviews of this product on Reddit.
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These are a collab between us and AKG, they use the same drives as these:
https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K240STUDIO-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/
It’s fair that they’re not better than $100+ audiophile grade headphones, but they sound amazing for $35.
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I use these bad boys. Don’t let the price fool you. These things are awesome.
AKG Pro Audio K240 STUDIO Over-Ear, Semi-Open, Professional Studio Headphones
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Open back FTW. I use Audio-Technica R70s. Also probably out of budget for OP.
I’ve seen these on several lists for good and inexpensive. Thought about grabbing a pair:
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Your headphones are probably good enough, but if you’re still unsure, Emma herself recommended me the AKG K240s which I’ve seen her using within the last year and which I still use to this day. They are also very affordable for the absolutely amazing quality you get from them. These were recommended to me when specifically asking for what to listen to Phwoa with.
There was also a more noise cancelling brand, Monoprice or something. If I can find the model number I’ll edit this comment. But the AKGs are some of the best out there.
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I’d recommend these instead, but if you want wireless ones go for those I guess
Edit: grammar
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I have these $75 AKG headphones and they last for decades… literally 20+ years. When the cord wore out, I ordered a replacement directly from AKG. Highly recommended!!!
https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K240STUDIO-Semi-Open-Professional-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
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When you say flat, you mean like you don’t want bass boost, right? Because I’m looking for similar headphones.
Going to try AKG K 240 Semi-Open Studio Headphones
The reviews say it’s lacking bass or has no additional bass, which is exactly what I’m looking for.
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I have these ones at home (and a similar more expensive version at work)
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I have a pair of these, they’re a fraction of the price of Beats, sound infinitely better, and, IMO, look better too. Though I do have a fondness for the retro aesthetic.
What do you think?
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If you liked the Samson’s, you would love the AKG K240s. Not too much more coin, and a replaceable cable so leg incidents are less likely to result in new headphones. I’ve had mine for 5 years and they look and sound new despite heavy use.
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What’s a good way to assess if your track is mixed well? I’ve been using Logic Pro for about the last 6 years but only for demos and songwriting for rock/pop stuff I used to do. My buddy and I have been collabing on some hip hop stuff and it’s a low budget project so if my mix sounds good, I don’t wanna spend money on getting it mixed by someone else. I’ve sent it to various friends and they all said positive things about it. However, considering that my setup is a cheap pair of headphones and Logic Pro X, I’m still unsure.
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AKG K240 here. Semi-open and nice big cups which is useful for reducing ear fatigue. Reasonably flat frequency response ideal for mixing, but if you are used to consumer headphones you may need to watch your bass mix more closely as these are flat.
Now the MK2 is out you can get these for around $150 US but I have seen them around for under $100.
More reviews here: https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K240STUDIO-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
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Another great pair of semi-open-back headphones that would probably be more in your budget are the AKG K240s. I have the K271s that are basically the closed-back version of them, and I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.
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I’m just starting to care about the quality of the audio I listen to. For my birthday, a family member got me the AKG K 240 Semi-Open Headphones. I know these are not very good, but I thought they would be better than just standard gaming headsets or $15 earbuds. However, I feel their sound is really muffled. Would this be a good amp for these headphones and possibly future headphones I get. I don’t want to blow hundreds on an amp that is really good, but way over kill for the 240’s. I also don’t want an amp that just barely improves the 240’s and requires me to buy another amp if I ever get better headphones.
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Lotta good arguments in here already.
There are some songs I just can’t listen to on normal headphones or laptop speakers. When the song has a really nice beat, I can only really appreciate with a decent set or my buddies car speakers.
The music feels completely different and once you hear it with a nice set of headphones on its hard to listen to it flat again.
Another issue is that I work and play at my computer for hours. Earphones or cheap headphones would probably hurt my ears after awhile. Even my nice ones hurt me every once and awhile because I wear glasses.
There are some sets out there that are light as a feather and don’t put pressure on your ears. The ones styled like this are like that.
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https://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
AKG’s are great, comfy, and usually, come with velour pads in the box.
You can also check your local music stores, guitar and speaker stores, etc. for a cheaper price. They will sometimes have them on sale there at places like guitarcenter.
I suggest over the ear, and semi open, or open headphones.
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Open headphones have almost no isolation; sound goes in and out with very little attenuation. While openness varies, for the most part, people around you will hear your music.
I wouldn’t say the CAL! is better than the M220, it’s more of an alternative. Under ideal situations, I’d say the M220 is better, but that’s only because openback headphones are generally better (of course, the downside is that you get no isolation).
I would not trust massdrop’s MSRP numbers. Even then, a lot of headphones do not cost near their MSRP. I’m not certain, but I’m pretty sure the M220 is in essence a recolored K240. Same impedance, sensitivity, and appearance.
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Considering buying a new pair of headphones to replace my gaming headset. Have (tentatively) decided to get the AKG K240s but I also need to get a microphone to go with them for playing games. Would prefer it to be reasonably cheap (about £30 maximum). Would prefer a microphone that I can attach to my headphones and doesn’t pick up too much background noise as I have a loud mechanical keyboard and would prefer not to have to use push to talk when I play.
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I was looking at the AKG K240, and they look good to me for a basically first pair of good headphones.
Budget: About $100 Canadian
Source: PC
Requirements for Isolation: A lot, as there is usually a furnace running close to me during snowy months (Canada, so half the year), and my MX Green keyboard is pretty loud.
Public: Nope
Type of Headphone: Over Ear, so full sized I think?
Tonal Balance: Doesn’t matter much to me, so probably balanced.
Past headphones: Sennheiser HD 429, and some generic Sony ones before that. They were my first pair of semi-decent headphones, so I don’t know what really stood out to me.
Preferred Music: I don’t listen to music much at all on my PC, I mainly play games and watch YouTube videos. I do listen to a lot of podcasts while gaming though, does that help?
Improvements: Better fit, more isolation, more comfort, better looks. Also I feel like my current HD 429s might break soon, knowing my history with them.
Canada BTW, and I am a huge gamer so these headphones will be mostly used for that.
Would they be recommended by /r/headphones here to someone like me?
Also, an amp. Would I need one for those headphones? I don’t feel like getting one personally, as I am a broke teenager.
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Hi, /r/headphones!
I need your suggestion on a new headphone 😀
- Budget – £30 or less, Manchester, United Kingdom, can stretch to £50 if there’s reasonable improvement.
- Past headphones – Superlux HD 681b, I’m using it to play with my bass guitar, no complaints about it, but sadly I left it in Indonesia because I don’t have enough space…
- Source – Laptop
- Requirements for Isolation – Some Isolation to Full isolation, I will be using this on my room with my wife
- Will you be using these Headphones in Public? – No
- Preferred Type of Headphone – full-sized (similar to Superlux HD 681b if possible)
- Preferred tonal balance – Balanced (or similar to Superlux HD 681b)
- Preferred Music – almost anything, japanese song, western song, instrumentals, games.
- What would you like to improve on from your set-up – No particular improvements in mind, a more comfortable headphone will be nice, since I’m tired of using my phone in-ear headset.
Right now I’m looking at this AKG K240 Studio Headphone which is exactly £50, if there’s any cheaper option, that would be great.
Thank you!
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Holy hell I didn’t realize you could grab the k240’s for 53$ now on amazon. The last time I looked at them around a year and a half ago they were like 90$.
Good call on that, the superlux copy is very nice but going with the original for that close to the same price is the way to go.
http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
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Amazon has the AKG k240s for $55 with Prime. That seems like a good deal, but it’s like $15 cheaper than I’ve seen anywhere else. Is there any chance they’re knock offs? I remember when I purchased my MDRs there were a ton of cheap knock off versions floating around.
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Your mobo has a soundcard though, doesn’t it? Usually they are pretty good. If it doesn’t you can buy an External DAC…
As for the Headphones, best I could find that I would reccomend is:
However, I’m not an audiophile, so someone might be able to help you better than me….
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I’ve been using AKG K240’s for their spacious sound and mostly flat response. They are a little loud in the mid-to-high frequencies, but that’s my only complaint after a couple years’ use. They’re pretty affordable too.
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I am looking for some nice headphones to use with the Vive as well. Have a 60-80 dollar budget. Anyone have any thoughts on these? I like the way they look, but wonder how they’d do for VR.
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I have a pair of akg 240 head phones that are semi open and I haven’t used them for gaming but I could see them being good. With music you get a decently open sound with less noise coming through to disturb others. I could see that translating well to other games. They are pretty neutral sounding so I don’t think certain sounds will be over represented.
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I would suggest this. Its at the high end of your price range, but they sound great and are built very well. Cable is detachable too.
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I would go with Studio headphones. My choice is the AKG K240 Studio Here and you still have 30$ to buy yourself a nice lunch! 😀
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Budget – $100
Source – Desktop PC, open to getting an amp down the road
Requirements for Isolation – I’d prefer open, so less isolation
Preffered Type of Headphone – Over ear only
Preferred Tonal Balance – Not sure, I’m a beginner, so a middle of the road?
Past Headphones – those free IEMs that ship with samsung phones
Preferred Music – So what’s prompting me to buy new headphones is gaming/skype, what I have now is terrible. However, I really enjoy listening to lots of music (a bit of everything, jazz, classical, electronic, rock). I’d rather have a great music headphone that can do gaming than the other way around.
What would you like to improve on from your set up – Beginner, trying to get into this.
Location – US (preferably amazon since i have prime)
PS: Found these on the guide, and they seem kinda cool. But I noticed there were reviews from like 2006, so these are like 10 years old, are there newer more improved things out there?
Also saw the HD 558.. but they say they’re noise cancelling? I’ve heard to avoid noise cancellign headphones. Are the 518’s the same thing but without noise cancelling?
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Exactly, and just a sidenote: I have always liked the akg sound,in fact my first pair of over ears that really left me wanting more was an akg(this pair in specifc) I want to get back towards that akg sound. Not that the headphones I have don’t sound amazing because they do…it’s just I love the way akg headphones sound. The oversized nature of them wins some points for me as well.
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Budget: ~$150 I wouldn’t say it is hard, but I’d like to aim around there…I don’t mind waiting for sales. (also need a mic, looking at a Blue somethin’ or a modmic)
Source: Computer, onboard card for the time being (Realtek ALC1150)
Requirements for Isolation: Conflicted here, as much as I want the sound stage and quality from open/semi open headphones – I DO want to be able to use them outside of my office…which I share with my girlfriend whilst gaming. So, more isolation is better.
Preferred Type of Headphone – Fullsized, circumaural.
Preferred tonal balance – I want over all balanced,
Past headphones – N/A
Preferred Music – Primarily for gaming, perhaps electric or metal, occasionally jazz and piano music.
*Thus the desire for neutral, I can change EQ balance but the 2 genres tend to have conflicting focus points.
AKG Acoustics K-240 are currently on sale and wondering how those would be for my needs, but the open nature bugs me.
I do want a detachable cable if possible.
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Yes, the HD688B is a fantastic choice, but if you can save up a few bucks the AKG K240s are another superb choice: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429711721&sr=8-1&keywords=akg
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The 240’s are wonderful, have a semi-open design which is great for everything except recording/tracking purposes and are extremely comfortable. And they sound great.
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Hey Everyone
Trying something a little different here, usually I make an ad for single product but felt like it would be more beneficial to have a tldr summary of the common Q&A that has come up in past comment threads. I’m still available to answer questions. Here goes:
The Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6xx ($200) and HD58x ($150) are both amazing headphones. Either can be your first and last pair of “audiophile grade” headphones. If you’re planning to just plug the headphones into your phone or laptop, the HD58x will generally sound better. If you plan to use a gaming computer, or a standalone amp/dac/etc, then the HD6xx will “start to really shine”. You can’t go wrong with either pair, but the HD58X’s are more affordable at $150, versus the HD6XX at $200. These are great for both music and gaming, they are open-back headphones, not closed, meaning they are not noise cancelling, they actually leak music as that makes it sound considerably better.
If you’re looking for a gaming headset with a microphone the Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37x ($120) are a phenomenal option. They sound great, and have a built-in microphone that is super clear (cancels background noise) and are super comfortable. My favorite feature on these is that the microphone auto-mutes with a satisfying click when you flip it to an upward position.
If you’re on the go and want some earbuds (IEM’s), the Massdrop x NuForce EDC ($60) and EDC3 ($100) are both good options. The quality of the EDC3’s is better than the EDC’s because it uses 3 separate drivers in each earbud to produce the music. This gives it more leeway to create detail in the music it produces.
If you’re on a budget and just want to unbox something fun and cool this year, I suggest grabbing a pair of our AKG x Massdrop M220 Headphones. They’re normally $50 on the site but if you use that specific link, you’ll get a $15 discount applied on checkout for a final total of $35. If you don’t already have a nice pair of headphones, just buy these for $35, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. They use identical drivers as the AKG K240 headphones on Amazon for $70, with thousands of 5 star reviews.
Already got a great pair of headphones and looking for an AMP/DAC to make them sound even better? Check out the Massdrop CTH + SDAC ($320).
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I have them and they’re alright, but I’d recommend you save your money and skip over them to get something better. They have a pretty dark sound, and the clamping makes them get a bit fatiguing. They also don’t have much soundstage.
I really like my AKG K240s, because they’re kinda the opposite of everything I listed as a shortcoming of the M20Xs. They sound bright because they have more mids and highs, although you may not prefer this (most producers I’ve met are bassheads LOL). They’re not bass heavy by any means, but I’ve heard that the bass gets much better if you use an amp. I wouldn’t know, I’m a pleb with no amp. They’re 55 ohms so everything can drive them, but they’d probably be better with more power. They’re also really, really light, and have great soundstage.
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I am very happy with these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001ARCFA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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A shock mount is really important and a cheap one is fine, just make sure it’s big enough for your mic (the one I posted was fine).
Basically any movement of a mic will introduce handling noise.
The shock mount holds it with…basically rubber bands. It suspends it, so when moving it around little bumps or nudges don’t get recorded.
On the Sony mic I mentioned, even if you just picked it up while recording you will get recorded handling noise (it’s really precise and stereo…so it can pick up a spoon in a saucer from 2 floors down – no joke).
Shotguns are better because their polar patterns are made to reduce side noise: https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/microphone-polar-patterns/
Small tripods are great for mounting your mic. I personally wouldn’t use them for cameras. What you want to do it never touch your mic when recording.
As for the ntg2 vs ntg3 – honestly I have no idea, but as I said before, it’s really about the recorder. If you have a passable mic and it’s as close as you can get to the talent…you’ll be fine.
Most people who do this for a living would absolutely scoff at a $350 mic. They would spend that on a tripod alone.
I’d save $100 and just get the ntg2.
I bought the RX Elements 7 hoping it would be better than Audacity – it isn’t. Audacity has a really Windows 95 look, but it works really well, as does RX. I’ve stuck with Audacity because I know exactly how to use it.
>I think I need more advanced audio editing software for what I’m trying to jump into.
Probably not. Get good sound when recording. Post can save you from hiss and you can boost the levels, but if the initial recording sucks there’s not a lot you can do. “Garbage in, garbage out”.
You’re getting stuck on the gear – don’t. GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is real.
Let me put it this way, if you gave me a $5000 Gibson guitar and said “Make good music” and you gave Jimi Hendrix a $100 pawn shop guitar, who do you think would make better music?
Don’t stress too much about the gear.
With that said, do worry about the sound. An extra $100 isn’t going to make that much of a difference, but a dead cat, a shock mount, a recorder with good preamps, and not touching the mic will.
Also, get a decent set of headphones. You don’t need to spend a lot, but monitoring this stuff is important.
I use these: https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K240STUDIO-Semi-Open-Professional-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
But these work as well (if you want closed back): https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M30x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUQW8
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Not sold on Amazon Canada unfortunately. Only the portable versions 🙁
Are the k240 any better?
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- Budget – Between 50 and 100 euros (±10%)
- Source – My home computer, plugged into a motherboard using Realtek ALC892 chipset
- Requirements for Isolation – I’m only going to use it at home, so low to none is fine
- Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Nope
- Preferred Type of Headphone – Over ear to avoid any sore
- Preferred tonal balance – No preference
- Past headphones – Steelseries Siberia V2 but nothing exceptional to say about it, I don’t know how good they are for music listening as I have no other reference to compare, but I can keep them hours without feeling ear sore which is definitely appreciated
- Preferred Music – Games and movies soundtracks so mainly instrumental musics (Hans Zimmer musics, WoW musics, Ark Survival Evolved, etc)
- What would you like to improve on from your set-up – Better audio quality overall to really enjoy musics, I sometimes enjoy just closing my eyes and trying to hear every single instruments in tracks to “feel” the music, like dissecting it
- Location – France but I can order on any European Amazon website. I’m generally using Keepa to compare Amazon prices.
I’m a beginner in audio listening (never looked at tutorials on how to listen or such) but I’ve always enjoyed doing the “audio dissection” I mentioned earlier. I’ll use the headphone both for gaming and enjoying musics, but more aimed toward the latter. The Philips SHP9500 recommanded on the purchase page seemed like a good fit, but here in Europe it costs around 130$ for some reasons. The AKG K240 Studio is available for ±65$ on Amazon websites, but I don’t know if it would be fine or if the difference with the Siberia V2 would be noticeable.
Any thoughts/advice please?
Thanks in advance 🙂
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If Wanna cry got you early on you would be able to find a pair of AKG K 240 (About 100 on Amazon). Is there a way to put a little force down on the only thing holding me back. https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly.
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don’t know much about headphones. I like Sennheisers and AKG.
I know these AKG K240STUDIO are pretty good for $50.
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La verdad, es que por 70 lucas no vas a conseguir buenos audifonos tipo headset de monitoreo. Si tu fin realmente es para estudio o monitoreo por 70 lucas puedes conseguir los IEM Shure que son super standard, o irte por unos IEM KZ que son mas baratos que los Shure (Pero tendrias que pedirlos por Amazon o Aliexpress).
Te pille estos por 84k pero es venta por Mercado Ripley asi que es bajo tu propio riesgo, fuera de eso los audifonos son unos clasicos para monitoreo pero son semi abiertos.
https://simple.ripley.cl/audifonos-con-cable-akg-k240-mpm00003934340?s=o
Y de todas formas hice una busqueda rapida y estan por el mismo precio en USD SIN OFERTA por Amazon (Envio e impuestos incluidos), asi que tan oferta no es.
https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K240STUDIO-Semi-Open-Professional-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA?th=1
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Hey man,
I’ve also suffered from the frustration of trying to make sense of the headphone jungle. Let’s see if we can send you in the right direction 😉
First off, since you are posting in r/ZReviews I’m assuming that you’ve already watched Zeos’ introduction to gaming audio (GameFidelity:: A Guide to Gamer Audio Gear), perused his headphone guide ([z]GUIDE[s] \\\ HEADPHONES) and checked out the open-back headphone section on HifiGuides.com.
Regarding the Fidelio X2HR: It is a generally well-regarded headphone and I can’t imagine that you’d be too disappointed with it. If you look at its measurements on InnerFidelity, you’ll see the sound profile is relatively dark (emphasis on low tones, recessed mid and highs). This is excellent for musical enjoyment (if you’re a bass head) but less good for gaming (boosted bass can mask details, which are already vague due to recessed treble).
On the other hand, if you look at the AKG K240 ($70 on Amazon) it is more or less the exact opposite: rolled off bass, neutral mids and highs. This is much better for competitive gaming, but may sound sterile and analytical in comparison to the Fidelio.
That last part is the kicker: Hearing and preferences differ. Personally I’m treble sensitive and love gaming with the Sennheiser HD 650 (functionally identical to drop.com‘s HD 6XX, with a similar sound profile to the Fidelio X2). Whereas using the AKG for extended periods would give me a headache. Keep this in mind when you read diverging opinions on headphones: the only opinion that truly matters is your own.
Ideally you should directly compare the various options in your price range, but failing that I’d strongly suggest you buy from a shop with a generous return policy. If you have the money (or credit) I’d suggest you order both the Fidelio and the AKG and return your least favourite set. IMO it would take you less than five minutes to make up your mind.
Buying secondhand is unbeatable in terms of value, but too risky for my liking. I’d suggest you only buy secondhand from someone local to you, and only after auditioning the cans.
Good luck!
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I’ll tell you the cheapest options for quality gear you’ll probably need:
- 100$ Microphone – AKG P120
- 160$ Audio Interface – PreSonus Studio 24c
- 110$ MIDI Keyboard + Controller – Novation LaunchKey Mini
- 100$ DAW Software – Ableton Live Intro (FL Studio is also good, but the basic version costs 200$)
- 60$ Monitor Headphones – AKG K240Studio
- 100$ Monitor Speakers – PreSonus Eris 3.5
- 80$ Pair of Acoustic Panels – GIK 242
- 710$ Total, for a comprehensive, high-quality kit.
Here’s a couple of important points:
- If you only want to produce electronic music, and never want to record vocals or instruments, you don’t need to buy a microphone.
- If you’ll only be producing alone, and don’t mind wearing headphones, then you don’t need to buy monitor speakers or acoustic panels.
- If you want to produce with other people, or don’t like wearing headphones, then you don’t need to buy monitor headphones.
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>akg 240s
do you mean these ones??
https://www.amazon.in/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001ARCFA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
buy this and you get detachable cable, if thats worth it for you.
55 OHMS as well.
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Pretty sure the headphones in the studio are AKG K240: https://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
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AKG K240 Studio e AKG K240 MkII Studio Dovrebbero essere semi-aperte.
AKG K121 Studio (semiaperte)
Io mi trovo bene con queste: Marshall Major II Bluetooth. Non sono professionali, sono bluetooth ma hanno anche il cavo se ti si scarica la batteria incluso nella confezione, sono sovraurali, si comprimono in modo molto comodo e non viaggio più senza.
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I have these headphones
and I need something like this but a lot shorter(like 1 foot) I don’t know what I’m looking for to make sure its compatible, can someone find me one that fits?
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I have these headphones
and I need something like this but a lot shorter(like 1 foot) I don’t know what I’m looking for to make sure its compatible, can someone find me one that fits?
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r/headphones may be more help.
I personally use a pair of AKG K 240 (About 100 on Amazon).
Lots of people here seem to like Sennheiser headphones
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Budget – $100 USD, pretty flexible if worth it. I understand that good quality =! inexpensive.
Source – PC, mainly listening to music and court recordings, dictated speech and the like. Also watching movies.
Requirements for Isolation – Closed back headphones. Will be using these indoors.
Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No
Preferred Type of Headphone – Full size, the kind that sit on your head and have large over the ear pads. Wired with a detachable wire preferred.
Preferred tonal balance – Flat response is fine, I can set the EQ to my needs.
Past headphones – multiple pairs of Monoprice Premium Hi-Fi DJ Style Over-the-Ear Pro Headphones, multiple pairs of Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Rage v1 and v2, from both brands I liked the removable cord and the large, closed back over ear cups.
Preferred Music – Electro Swing, Noir Jazz, EuroDance, Piano and String symphonies.
What would you like to improve on from your set-up – I have a very wide head and every single pair of headphones I’ve owned break at the joint where the ear cups attach to the band that goes on your head. When not in use they hang on the wall on a hook. I really think something built like the AKG K240 or the Superlux HD 681 will work since they don’t have the classic “joints” that I see on a lot of headphones, but I am looking for closed back headphones.
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AKG K240 and Sony MDR-V6 are pretty close ($65). They’re very neutral, they’re used by lots of pros for mixing and mastering.
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Hm, I can’t speak to that mic as I’ve no experience with it. Personally, if it works and it’s not outrageously priced I’m a fan of it!
As for headphones I’m a big fan of these 280s I have, great value for the price. I rotate between the 280s, these AKG k240s which are another great headphone for their price, these Grado SR80e for some music. Once upon I time I read a ton about entry level audiophile headphones and those were on a few lists. Bought them and have enjoyed them over the years.
I have more expensive headphones and audio set up but honestly after years of listening it’s been an experience of diminishing returns for me so I really do praise lower-priced, great sounding headphones.
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Hi there,
your post has been reported for violating Rule 1 of this subreddit and I’ll have to remove it.
> Rule 1: All requests that solicit product opinion or asks for purchase advice must be posted in our purchase sticky.
If you are looking for a quick recommendation give
/r/headphones’ Purchase Assistants a try.
You are very welcome to repost your question in the stickied daily purchase advice thread.
Using this format helps others answer your request
NOTE: Industry standard for dubbing is the AKG K240 Studio, the Samson is a Chinese clone originally made by the company Superlux and then re branded.
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I’d go for the OG AKGs over the clone superlux:
https://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/
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I’d highly recommend buying a nice pair of headphones and either a ModMic or a cheap lapel mic. Despite the price, the lapel microphones aren’t actually that bad.
If you absolutely must go with the headset instead though, then I’d say go with the HyperX headset you listed. Avoid the Logitech one, as Logitech has a poor reputation with headsets due to design flaws that introduce weakspots that can and will break. No idea how ASUS headsets are.
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I live in Canada, and am looking to purchase my first pair of quality headphones. My budget is around $100CAD (~$76 USD.)
I’m looking for headphones that are good all-rounders, because I listen to a lot of music, edit a lot of video, record my own music (singing, trombone, and guitar), and some gaming, so I need whatever headphones I buy to be able to handle multiple use cases well. I don’t really know how I would describe it in audiophile terms, but something that has a fairly neutral sound (like studio monitors) would obviously work.
As far as open vs closed, I would strongly prefer a closed set if I ever take them traveling (I usually use earbuds/IEMs,) but I can go for an open set as well.
Since I like to consider myself fairly style-conscious, I would like these to not look butt-ugly, but not over the top as well. A simple, functional design is really what I’m looking for. In specifics, I could either go very retro or very modern (see this or this)
In other words, a solid headphone within said budget. Thanks in advance!
Oh, I also have glasses and would thus prefer an over-the-ear set as opposed to an on-ear solution. Thanks again!
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I live in Canada, and am looking to purchase my first pair of quality headphones. My budget is around $100CAD (~$76 USD.)
I’m looking for headphones that are good all-rounders, because I listen to a lot of music, edit a lot of video, record my own music (singing, trombone, and guitar), and some gaming, so I need whatever headphones I buy to be able to handle multiple use cases well. I don’t really know how I would describe it in audiophile terms, but something that has a fairly neutral sound (like studio monitors) would obviously work.
As far as open vs closed, I would strongly prefer a closed set if I ever take them traveling (I usually use earbuds/IEMs,) but I can go for an open set as well.
Since I like to consider myself fairly style-conscious, I would like these to not look butt-ugly, but not over the top as well. A simple, functional design is really what I’m looking for. In specifics, I could either go very retro or very modern (see this or this)
In other words, a solid headphone within said budget. Thanks in advance!
Oh, I also have glasses and would thus prefer an over-the-ear set as opposed to an on-ear solution. Thanks again!
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I’m $15 over budget but this is the best I could find .
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$64, i have these and really like them https://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
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- Budget – $100 CAD but I would be willing to go up to around $110 if needed.
- Source – Either the USB or headphone jack for my PC
- Requirements for Isolation – I would like to be able to hear my own voice while talking to friends online. My current headphones block out a nice bit of outside sounds and make it difficult to hear myself well at normal speaking volume.
- Will you be using these Headphones in Public? – No
- Preferred Type of Headphone – Full size. Something that doesn’t cause much irritation and sweating for my ears.
- Preferred tonal balance – Something neutral. I don’t really know enough about tonal balance to really have a preference. Just as long as it is good for gaming, videos, casual music listening.
- Past headphones – I had a couple pairs of turtle beach px21s between 2010 and 2014 that kept breaking. I currently have a pair of razer kraken pros that I bought in early 2014. They have been fairly decent over the past couple years but the material they use is starting to wear off and leaves flakes in my hair and on my desk. They are also rather uncomfortable after wearing them for 2 to 3 hours and cause my ears to sweat.
- Preferred Music – Don’t really have a preference. These will be my main headphones for my PC and used for mostly video games and movies/videos.
- What would you like to improve on from your set-up – Better sound, better build quality, better comfort.
- Location – Canada
I used the Purchase Assistant and it recommended the AKG K240 for me. They seem nice but I was wondering how they compare to other headphones around that price range. I have been looking at these few, Philips SHP9500, HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset, and the Logitech G35, and have seen good things said about them. What do you think would be best for me? Also a microphone isn’t required for the headphones, I already have a separate one.
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I commented on a similar post recently.
I have a pair of Sony MDR-V6 and a pair of AKG 240
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AKG K 240 Studio would be my recommendation 🙂
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I am in a similar situation and price range I think. I have engineered audio in the past and sound is very important to me, but I also am not going to spend a lot of money on headphones. If you make an educated purchase, you will usually get what you pay for with headphones. That being said, my personal opinion would be AKG K240. This is based on the fact that the semi open back design provide a great balance of open soundstage vs isolation from outside noise. In VR, sound design is very important and there is a decent amount of research you can do regarding SDKs and binaural audio. But to keep it simple, you really only need stereo headphones bc you only have two ears, and as long as the audio is designed with 3D space in mind, you shouldn’t need more than two sound sources. My second choice for affordability would be Sennheiser HD 518. Sennheiser is probably my favorite brand and you get what you pay for, but I believe the AKG option is a little better value.
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Neither!! If thats your budget I would HIGHLY recommend getting a nice pair of headphones like these and than get a mic to stick on like this. Most “gaming headsets” have terrible bass heavy audio and the mics are shit. This will save you money and will preform SO much better. Watch this video or this video depending on your budget. If you absolutely have to get a “gaming head set” there is this or this but it is much better still to make your own.
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No sound cards are not a great investment.
A good pair of headphones is the main source of good quality audio.
Headphones and headsets are 2 different things.
- Headphones = no microphone.
- Headset = with microphone.
Adding a microphone to a headphone makes it a headset, it generally increases the price but also often equals in worse audio quality.
Also most “gaming headsets” are terrible. Razer, SteelSeries, Corsair, Logitech, etc..
So most people that know anything about good quality audio, always recommend a headphone with a separate microphone.
There are a few exceptions for decent / good quality headsets. I will list them down below
Your motherboard actually got good on-board sound. So you won’t see a big improvement when you get a sound card.
this long video talks about sound card myths. No need to listen to everything, but I would say the first 8 minutes are fairly okay and good to know. This should make you turn away from sound cards.
Good sound absolutely starts with a good pair of headphones (or headset).
If you buy a $500 sound card or $2000 DAC/AMP and use a $15 amazon basics headphone, it will not sound amazing at all. Sure it will probably sound a bit better, but I hope that you’ll get my point.
“budget” quality headphones generally start around the $100 mark. With the slightly better ones hovering around the $120-200 mark and above this you can find some awesome stuff, but also some pretty.. not amazing stuff.
Audio is also very different for every person.
First off all; what music, games, movies do you listen to / watch?
A hardcore, drum&bass music style, action game/movie type of person will prefer a much different pair of headphones compared to..
A classical, rock, metal music style, MMO/adventure games/movie type of person.
Some people prefer bass, while others rather prefer clear mids (vocals) and highs.
So I can’t pick out a headphone/headset for you until I know what you prefer.
A couple of solid gaming headsets:
| Model | Review | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kingston HyperX Cloud | Review | $76/78 |
| 2. Sennheiser PC G4me One | Review | $150 (Price went down a lot!) |
| 3. Logitech G633 | Review | $120 |
A couple of amazing headphones:
| Model | Review | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser HD518 | Review A bit more bass. | $69 This is a steal.. |
| Sennheiser HD558 | Review More balanced | $94 Also a steal.. |
| AKG K240 semi-open | Review | $69 |
| AKG K240 MK II open | Review | $109 |
| Audio Technica AD700x | Review | $100 |
These are all amazing headphones as well as headsets.
Headsets:
I listed them in order, this would be my picking order if I was forced to decide between a headset.
Note that the Kingston Cloud got different color options. The Cloud Pro is the exact same headset but black and red.
The Cloud II got somewhat the same color options. Black & red, Black & grey, White & pink.
The difference between the Cloud I & II is 7.1 virtual audio. This is a feature I personally never really recommend. You have 2 ears, when you place a headphone on your head you’ll have 2 positions where sound comes from. Your brain actually is very cool and complex.
If you’ve got some earbuds or a 2.0 headset/headphone.. Listen to this virtual barber shop & close your eyes! This sound clip is amazing and also a bit educational.
Headphones:
I personally am a fan of Sennheiser, because the music that I listen too works very well with these headphones. I’ve got the HD598s.
But Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, AKG & a few other brands are also capable of making very high quality headphones.
Honestly, I can talk a lot about headphones here, but I will spare you this.
Here is a great source list with awesome headphones. The # numbers behind the short explanation gives you a review.
Sound cards / DAC&s:
As the video explained in the above video. Sound cards is something you want to avoid.
When you want to increase the audio quality. We have to start spending a bit of money.
A external DAC/AMP (Digital to Analog Convertor / Amplifier) is the next step into great quality sound!
My currently favorite company for DACs & AMPs is Schiit. Yes that really is their name. Their Schiit is bananas!
They are absolutely not the only good audio guys in the industry. But I just love them. They’re a small start-up company that started over on head-fi. The website I used a lot for reviews.
Their entry level DAC/AMP combo will cost you about $240. The Schiit Stack. They’ve upgraded and revised this stack a couple of times already since the review. They’re now selling the Uber 2 versions, which costs $150 each. I hope to be able to actually obtain this stack this year.. I hoped to get it in 2015, but well.. I don’t schiit money sadly xD.
But yes, I know that this is expensive. Luckily this company created a less expensive DAC/AMP combined unit.
The Schiit ..Fulla. Yes their naming is hilarious, please reverse the brand + model name when you refer to this product!
It’s an impressive device and will destroy ALL sound cards that you can pretty much get. Here is a detailed review.
Gosh, sorry for the bomb of information again!
Hopefully this answered your questions.
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I’d like to spend $50-$120. I want the best Pink Floyd experience my ears can encounter at this pricepoint. Undecided between open or closed (recommendations?)
Here’s what I’ve encountered as good recommendations so far, I would like a few more opinions before I decide.
AKG K 240 Semi-Open Studio Headphones ($64)
Samson SR850 Professional Studio Reference Headphones ($49)
Grado SR60e Headphones ($79)
http://www.amazon.com/Grado-SR60e-Headphones/dp/B00KYTNU9U/ref=lp_2529509011_1_1?srs=2529509011&ie=UTF8&qid=1454022868&sr=8-1
Headphones recommendations for the ultimate Dark Side Of The Moon experience (Vinyl)?
I haven’t heard of Grado, but I see they are recommended often. I’m not very clear the difference between the SR60e and the SR80e (or other models).
I’m fine with getting something of high impedance, I’m just not clear what the benefits of a high impedance is.
Grado Prestige Series SR80e Headphones ($99)
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The AKG240 also has some gold on it.
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i believe these are semi-open?
http://www.amazon.de/AKG-240-Studio-Kopfh%C3%B6rer-schwarz/dp/B0001ARCFA
for open
AKG K702
http://www.amazon.de/AKG-K702-Dynamische-Referenz-Kopfh%C3%B6rer/dp/B001RCD2DW
Audio-Technica AD700x
http://www.amazon.de/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X–Ear-Kopfh%C3%B6rer-Klinkenstecker/dp/B009S332TQ
for closed –
ATH A700x/900x if you can find them
ATH MSR7
http://www.amazon.de/Audio-Technica-ATH-MSR7BK-High-Resolution-Kopfh%C3%B6rer/dp/B00PEU9CFA
DT770 80ohm
http://www.amazon.de/Beyerdynamic-DT-770-80-Ohm-Kopfh%C3%B6rer/dp/B0016MNAAI
for mic http://www.modmic.com/
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These are my headphones. I can attest that audio is very much underrated.
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Closed Back: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446242930&sr=8-1&keywords=mdr-v6.
Also comes with velour pads if you prefer.
Both these should blow Siberia out of the water.
I personally use http://www.amazon.com/Technica-AUD-ATHAD500X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S333U4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446242992&sr=8-1&keywords=ath-ad500, I would wholeheartedly recommend them only if you have a reasonably large head as they’re pretty huge, otherwise the other two are better.
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I’ve always been a big fan of AKG-K240s. I’ve personally owned 2 pairs and we use ’em in the studio here where I work. Hope it helps!
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These AKG’s are $70 and are pretty much the best bang for your buck that you can get in an affordable price range. Never heard anything bad about them either. I have a very similar model, a bit cheaper as well, but they are a blessing. Highly recommend these, unless you want to go cheaper. For $50, you can get these, and I can vouch for them that they are phenomenal for the price tag.
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I can’t personally speak for the AKG K 240, but it is highly recommended for that price range. They are Semi-Open though, so you may not like them if you’re in a loud environment.
I actually got the MkII(a bit more expensive) recently, as in Monday, and so far they’re really nice. They both have detachable cables, MkII comes with a second, coiled, cable. I don’t think the cheaper K 240 comes with velour ear pads, like the MkII did, and I’ve read that that is one of the downsides to the cheaper K 240s. They’re really light and flexible as well.
You could probably get better suggestions over at /r/headphones – or check out the Head-fi buyers guide.
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I would recommend getting a nice pair of headphones and an Antlion Modmic.
AKG K240’s are a good choice, very comfy: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA
One thing to note is that they are semi-open headphones, which means if you’re using them in public people may be able to hear what you’re listening to (though in my experience they’d have to be pretty damn close, like hovering over your shoulder close) and they won’t block outside noise.
And here’s the Modmic: http://www.modmic.com/
The K240’s will give you better audio quality than most ‘gaming headsets’ with a built in mic (though that’s always subjective to a degree) and the Modmic can go on any pair of headphones you might care to put it on.
I use the Modmic with a pair of HD600’s and it’s glorious. However, when you start to get into higher-end headphones you’re going to need to get an amp. Check out /r/headphones for more recommendations if you don’t like the K240’s for any reason.
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So right off the bat the KRK-8400’s will give u a skewed perspective on your music. As shown in this graph the comparison between the two http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=963&graphID[]=2961&scale=30
The KRK-8400’s are closed back headphones. They hype up the bass and boost the mids vs the dt880’s do not and will stay true giving you a neutral sound to mix on. There’s nothing worse then being romanticized and fooled into thinking the music sounds good just because the headphones make it sound good.
What I Suggest is you get a pair of AKG 240’s or Sony MDR 7506 both will run you about 100$ that way you can get a good audio interface like the focusrite 2i2 and the amp.
Links for the headphones that I’d recommend.
Sony MDR 7506 $100
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E
Keep in mind that you can get the audiointerface for about $100 on craigslist I’d just buy it of craigslist and get the amp and headphones from guitar center Plus price match everything ^_^
And yeah you did choose some really sick headphones to mix on to begin with. The dt880’s were the first pair of headphones I bought and I did a ton of research before buying them. But if you want the whole enchilada the headphones the audio interface and the amp I’d choose this avenue.
Please don’t choose the krk-8400’s cause you might regret since the translation might not work well because they are hyped.
Good luck!
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For that price range there really isn’t much, If you can save up a few bucks a Used AKG K 240 perhaps would do the trick: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431224384&sr=8-1&keywords=AKG For a smiliar price you may have to suffice with closed back with the Audio-Technica ATH-M20x: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M20x-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431224486&sr=8-1&keywords=ath+m20
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Your post was a little weird but I think you meant you were looking for great gaming headphones which also function as great headphones in general, in that case the ATH-M50xs are great, but it’s out of your price range, so I’d reccomend the following. Open: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431296537&sr=8-1&keywords=akg Closed: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1431296556&sr=8-2&keywords=ath
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Probably the AKG K 240s would be to your liking: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1431224632&sr=1-1&keywords=AKG
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I’d advise against the Razer headset, instead I’d recommend headphones meant for music and grabbing a microphone. I’m more partial to the Philips SHP9500.
Open headphones that will leak sound (but are ‘open’):
then adding a mic like the:
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If you want the ‘open back experience’ the AKG K 240s are a great semi open back option at a budget: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA If you want a more bass oriented pair of closed back headphones give the Audio-Technica ATH-M30x a go: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUQW8/ref=psdc_172541_t1_B000AJIF4E
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Budget – £40-£65ish
Source – Plugging them into my desktop computer and sometimes my Blue Yeti Microphone
Requirements for Isolation – Mostly using these at home, I’ve heard that open headphones have better audio quality, so I’m leaning towards that.
Preferred Type of Headphone – My current headphones fit over my ears, which I quite like.
Preferred tonal balance – Probably want a balanced set. I play games and listen to a variety of music. I really liked the way NiN sounds with my previous set of headphones.
Past headphones – My last headphones were SteelSeries Siberia V2. I never used the microphone, but was overall happy with the audio quality and comfort. Was unhappy that the left phone broke 2 months after warranty ended.
Preferred Music – NiN, The Decemberists, Bach, Some Arctic Monkeys, Some Gotye, Kavinsky, Big Data
Location – I’m from the UK, and I’m not sure about any price comparison sites.
Other Notes – Basically, I’ve checked out the recommended guides, and both the AKG K240 Studio (£72) and the Grado SR60e (£75) were slightly out of my range, and the lower end things were at the £20ish mark. I might stretch to those if you guys think it’s worth it.
Also, I’m totally jealous of you Americans with your low audio equipment prices 😛
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I currently use a pair of AKG K240s ($80) at work, but their open back means they’re not that great at drowning out the louder coworkers/gatherings in my pod.
In a month or so, I’m going to upgrade to the closed back AKG K271 MKIIs ($150) and use the K240s at home so I don’t disturb my neighbors.
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Alright simple optimizations:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
For an entry level gaming build a 1070 paired with an i5-7500 is pretty much overkill, to get the best value you should pairing a 1070 with something like a +4.5GHz Haswell (4770K) or newer. For an entry level build like this an RX 480 4GB with a [email protected] monitor and a good mouse would give the best experience.
If you are going to be going with a Micro ATX board and a Modular power supply, you can save money by going with an okay budget case like the Zalman T2 plus.
Your power supply pick isn’t optimal, a SeaSonic G 550W is just as capable and comes with the same 5 year warranty. If you don’t need a modular PSU you could save some money and go with a SeaSonic S12II 620W.
If you have a Best Buy close to you, you can pick up a Logitech G303 or a SteelSeries Rival 300 pretty cheaply, but the Rival 100 is very capable too.
For headphones the AKG K240 for $60 can’t be beat, but if you have to get anything cheaper the Superlux HD 681 offer better audio quality than the Kingston HyperX Cloud II for $30. AKG K240 is in a class of it’s own being a real pair of Studio/Mixing headphones.
My final build would look something like this:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
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You can get real studio quality headphones for $68 (normally $160)
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What about headphones? You get a lot more bang for your buck with headphones…. /r/headphones can help you out, but the basics are DAC->Headphone Amp->Headphones. $300 is honestly enough to have a really nice setup. If I were going to build a $300 rig it would be with a Schiit Modi DAC, Schiit Magni Amp and AKG K-240 Headphones. This setup would easily surpass the SQ you could get from $300 on new speaker equipment.
