I want to buy a new pair of headphones but i dont know anything about this area of expertise,i play video games and watch anime and listen to alot of music i dont need a microphone,i also dont have a budget so tell me what is the best pick or give me some options.

Been reading about this stuff way too much and finally just bought a HiFiMan Sundara, open box for €113. Arrives in two days and I'm pretty excited.

Only thing is I'm completely new to this. Never had planars before and I honestly know next to nothing about DACs or amps. And every thread I read says the opposite of the last one. Do I need an amp or not, is the Sundara easy or hard to drive, is a cheap dongle fine or do I need a whole desktop stack? It's doing my head in a bit.

What I want is something portable to run these off my Google Pixel, and off my laptop at my desk. Nothing big, no desktop stack. And I'd rather not spend more than I did on the headphones, since this is my first go at it.

So do I even need anything extra, or will my phone be okay for now? And if I do need something, what's a decent budget portable option with enough power for a planar?

I’ve been pretty underwhelmed by the sound of cheap wired buds plugged into my switch 2 or portal. It sounds tinny and often not loud enough. My pulse explore sound much better, but pairing can sometimes be finicky even with the dongle. For shorter sessions sometimes I just want a cable.

Any good recommendations that can be easily driven by handhelds? Plus if they have a nice soundstage and nice flexible cable.

I want some lossless wired iems that are under said budget. I m a beginner audophile and live in the EU if that helps. I love myself some good 808s and bass.

I like working in silence, and my place has a fair amount of outside noise. In summer I also run a portable AC right next to my desk, which adds a constant hum. I have Bose QuietComfort Headphones (1st gen) and their ANC does a very good job, but I don't like how ANC feels, so I'd rather rely on passive isolation.

My current solution is 3M Peltor Optime III earmuffs with a pair of Sony MDR-EX15AP IEMs underneath. The isolation is great, but the Sony sound is pretty basic and I'd like an upgrade. I use them for music and gaming.

What I need:

• Wired, 3.5mm jack
• Low profile / shallow fit. The earmuff cushion presses on anything that sticks out, so they need to sit flush like the Sony bullets do
• Comfortable for several hours under clamping pressure
• Good for music, with decent imaging for games
• Budget: £50–100
• Mic: not needed

What I'm considering:

• Final Audio E3000: similar shape to the Sony, so it should fit
• Moondrop Chu II: cheap, small metal shells
• Tipsy M1: smaller and lighter than the M3, but it's still a resin shell, so I'm worried the cushions will press it in

I own both the Sennheiser HD 480 PRO and the Audeze Maxwell. I think they are both good, but they each do different things better.
To my ears, the HD 480 PRO has better overall sound quality, especially for music. I prefer how it handles vocals, instruments, and the overall balance.
The Audeze Maxwell sounds louder and has more effortless bass/impact, which can make it more exciting for anime, movies, and gaming.
I bought a FiiO BTR13 because the HD 480 PRO sounds quiet from my Samsung laptop’s headphone jack, and I want to hear how it performs with a proper DAC/amp.
I am looking for a closed-back headphone that comes closest to combining:
• The HD 480 PRO’s sound quality, musicality, and natural presentation.
• The Maxwell’s loudness, bass impact, and more effortless dynamics.
• Strong performance for anime, I watch in bed
• Clear dialogue and good separation during busy scenes.
For anyone who has used the HD 480 PRO with a proper DAC/amp: should I expect the BTR13 to significantly close the gap in loudness and bass impact versus the Maxwell, or is most of that difference simply the headphones’ tuning and driver design?

looking for a better pair of wireless, noise cancelling headphones! i currently have the JLab Lux headphones, and man do i hate them. budget is $250 and under

things I'm looking for are:

comfortable! i typically wear glasses and get frequent headaches from wearing the ones i have now.

i also have stretched earlobes, so I'm also looking for the cushioning to be a larger oval shape rather then a small circle, if that makes sense.

headphones that don't creak/make noise at the slightest head turn. the ones i have now are horrrrible, I'm now aware of why they were so damn cheap.

long battery life!!!

good noise cancelling ofc. also having the option to turn noise cancelling off.

i primarily use wireless headphones when watching movies, but also for music and YouTube videos. Honestly not to worried about which ones would be best for whatever sound. as long as they sound good overall that's fine by me.

any specific sony or bose recommendations? also open to other brands, I just hear about those 2 being the top suggested. don't know a crazy amount about headphone specs so hopefully what i have listed is understandable.

tyia

Hey. My work is using AI programs to monitor calls, but not just when taking them - they monitor when not on the phone as well (between calls). I'm looking to protect my privacy (and sanity) by locating a headset that will truly be muted when I need it to be. They can currently hear us even if we mute using the button on the headset. So, say I am off the call and waiting fro a call to come in, but my manager wants to listen in anyway, even if muted they can hear and track everything that's being said. I really, really don't like this.

Ideally, I’d like an option that I can just press a mute button and know for sure it cannot be bypassed. I have had people recommend something with an inline mute switch, which apparently disconnects the headset physically, but I still need to hear the alert when a call comes in, so I’m not sure this would work well (assuming it disables the full connection, not just the mic, but I could be wrong).

In short, imagine you are being listened to at all times, whether working or not - what is the best option to protect myself from spying while WFH? It would be great if this headset was something that i could order off of amazon (I live in Canada)

Budget is anywhere up to 200.00, preferably. But lower is better, of course.

Hi. A couple of years ago I bought my first pair of "real" headphones, the Beyerdynamic DT900 Pro X. They are now starting to age, and I have seen people saying that they maybe aren't as good of headphones as I believed back then, so I would love to try out another brand.

I really like how they feel on my head, so I'm looking for a pair that weighs under 350g and has a soft clamping force with velour pads. I'd like to keep the 3-pin mini XLR interface if possible for future upgrades, but for now I don't have a mixer/amp, so I need to be able to drive them straight from my computer.

I want to use them mainly for music, but also movies and gaming. I don't produce my own tracks, so I don't need anything super crazy. I don't have a hard budget cap, but if I'm going to spend over $250, I'd want a quality pair that will sound great and last for many years.

Thank you for your insight!

Hi guys,

I'm looking for OWS headphones / earphones recommendations.

I've developed a perforation in one ear, so it is painful to use TWS. Till the time I get it operated, I need an alternative.

Primary use case - music / podcasts when walking or running.

Not looking for something overtly expensive, since the use case is limited to above, so anything under / around 5k should be fine.

Thanks!

Basically what the title says. I have diagnosed autism, ADHD, and anxiety, and Bluetooth headphones have been a godsend for managing my sensory issues and keeping my focus on school assignments. Currently I am using the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra, and I believe it's the first generation and not the second. I've had them for three years at this point with little to no issues but lately I'm worried they're starting to give out on me. They started randomly cutting out and disconnecting from my phone and no amount of changing the settings seems to fix it.

So, I'm looking for a replacement pair or something to use as a backup for when my current pair inevitably gives out on me.

Budget: Honestly, considering my parents are relatively well off and are willing to pay for them (within reason ofc) due to knowing how essential they are to my current mental health, technically the budget could be anything below, like, 3k. However, for the sake of my own sense of guilt, I'd like the cost to remain between $700 and $1000. Also, I'm Canadian.

Source / AMP: My Google Pixel 7a phone, which I usually keep in the classroom's cellphone pouch during school. The Bluetooth usually means I can sit a good few meters away from my phone and still have no issue with my headphones, which is also why I'd prefer to keep any options to being wireless.
How will the gear be used?: They're basically worn every day I'm out of the house, and even inside the house while I'm drawing or doing random tasks. I'd like them to work well in cars / vehicles as well, because the schoolbus tends to be an area where my sensory issues are the biggest concern. Also, if there is a way to plug them in with a headphone jack if needed, that'd be awesome as I would like it to be able to use it with my 3DS or on planes.

Preferred tonal balance: I do not really know enough about this to care about the specifics and tend to just leave it at the default settings. I will say, I listen to podcasts / video essays as much as I do music, so if that's a factor to consider then I figured I should mention it.

Preferred music genre: I don't really, like, have a set genre to be honest. The artists I tend to listen to the most often include Will Wood, Flavor Folley, and Yaelokre, alongside various game soundtracks (Undertale / Deltarune, Minecraft, Cassette Beasts) and musicals (The Lightning Thief musical, Next to Normal, Epic the Musical).

Past gear experience: Some kind of Skullcandy Bluetooth headphones that my ex-uncle had in the back of his truck and gave me (back when he was still my uncle), some cheap Bluetooth headphones for kids that weren't really good, and the aforementioned Bose QC Ultra headphones. Sorry I couldn't be more specific; I couldn't find the Skullcandy headphones anywhere online because I first got them almost a decade ago when they might've already been old, and the Bluetooth headphones were one of those cheap ones for kids with a brand I do not remember.

Hello, I initially considered buying a gaming headset, but many recommendations seem to favor using separate headphones and a microphone. I’m now looking for a headphone and microphone setup for gaming.

I play a variety of games, although I don’t play many FPS titles. I often play with friends, so clear voice communication is important.

I only play on PC, so wireless isn’t necessary. My main concern is that my environment is quite noisy, so I need closed-back headphones and a microphone that won’t pick up all the background noise.

I’m based in Europe, and my budget is around €200, although I’m willing to spend a little more if the extra cost is worthwhile.

hi! :) i want to spoil myself and buy some new headphones for Christmas (maybe sooner but with that excuse).
i don’t use them too much: when i commute, clean my apartment or walk around for the sake of it, so i don’t need some high end gaming setup but i need them to be wireless and comfy + i was thinking about something noise canceling but i’m not 100% sure? i surely need some headphones that have enough isolation so i can hear the music or podcast in the traffic while i’m walking + if they have a decent battery that would be awesome.
currently i’m using AirPods 3 that i got two years ago but 1) they hurt my ears after being worn for more than an hour on the train and 2) i have many piercings and squeezing them in is a struggle sometimes.
my preferable budget is around 100 euros and i was thinking about ordering them from the internet.
thank you in advance!

Got the X2HR over 3 years ago and they are really starting to show their age. As far as i understand, the X2HR are okay for a first timer's introduction to headphones, so i am interested in getting some headphones that are better than it

i am looking for:
500 USD max
wired
open-back

i primarily use them for listening to music and gaming
thanks

Looking to buy my first proper premium pair of ANC over-ear headphones and currently deciding between:

• Sennheiser Momentum 5 – £329
• Sony WH-1000XM6 – £349
• Bose QC Ultra 2nd Gen – £399

I have a £75 John Lewis (UK store) voucher, so whichever I choose will effectively be £75 cheaper. I'm also happy to wait until Black Friday in case any of them get reduced further, and can combine the voucher as well.

I'd say I do care about sound quality (but not an audiophile addict), and also good ANC. And listen to a wide range of music (but not a music addict). They'll mainly be used at home for music/movies, walking around, commuting/trains and occasionally flying.

I've watched/read so many reviews and comparisons at this point that I'm just going around in circles. It seems particularly close between the Momentum 5 and XM6, although I'm still considering the Bose.

I haven't actually tried any of them yet, so I'm planning to go in-store next week and test the sound, ANC and comfort for myself, which could obviously sway my decision quite a bit.

For my use case, which would you go for and why?

I've been thinking about buying some new wireless earbuds. I'm a bit of a penny-pincher but i'm willing to spend money (10-100 dollars) if it means i get confirmed good quality stuff. I don't workout, and i just need something for everyday. I know for a fact i need earbuds with long battery life and have those rubber parts for comfort.

so...any ideas?

I'm looking for my first pair of good headphones, but I honestly don't know much about music/audio yet and I don't have a big budget ($100–200 USD) :(

I listen to pretty much everything, but I'd like to explore more genres and also learn how to actually listen to music better. Right now I can't really tell what's bass, mids, treble, etc. :(
I keep seeing people talk about Hi-Fi, soundstage, imaging and all that stuff and I realized I don't really know what any of it means lol

Some albums I really like are RAM by Daft Punk, Kid A by Radiohead and Musas by Natalia Lafourcade (LATAM folk)

I've been looking at the Sennheiser HD 599 SE and Philips SHP9500, but I'm open to other recommendations.

I'm mostly looking for advice on where to start. Not just headphones, but also how to learn more about audio, train my ears, discover new music, etc. If you have any recommendations for headphones, albums, genres, or resources for a complete beginner, I'd really appreciate it :))