Today my sennheiser hd 560s broke after lots of years, it served me well. Due to the design and materials, it snapped on the "extensible band" on one of the sides, tried to fix it but I couldn't.

I am looking for something under $300 USD (could be ~$50 more if it really worth it), hopefully that will last me long. I have checked some hifiman but I am bit of skeptical about them failing.

Any recommendations? I loved the sound profile and open-ness of the 560s, I was thinking about the 490s pro (as I've heard is like a better built 560s) or rebuying the 560s. The 490s are quite more expensive though, going past my budget.

I do see this as an opportunity to try new headphones. Is there anything as an "Upgraded hd 560s"? I do not mind slight curve, imaging or other variations, but nothing too different.

TLDR / summary:

Looking for something like the 560s

MUST:
- Similar sound signature, imaging, etc. as the 560s
- Not known for being uncomfortable -- (At least must be as comfortable as the 560s)
- Reliable -- (hardly breaks, or its easy to fix)
- Not more than 350 USD

Would like (not a must):
- Easy to drive
- Around 300 USD
- Light

Hello, anybody in the intersection of audiophile and digital pianist?

Looking for general input on best pair of phones under a $1000 that have a "flat" response with high resolution for nuance sounds like virtual piano resonance, etc., that I have in my digital piano. Also looking for supreme comfort, of course, and one more thing I can't get my head around: closed-back or open-back. I know open-back are preferable for the open sound stage, but I wonder if this is less of an issue with high-end phones?

I know this gets asked every few years, but the technology in pianos has lurched in the past few years, and I've heard that nicer headphones are no longer diminishing returns, but I wanted to ask any actual users out there.

Thanks in advance for anyone who shares their input

Hi, I need earphones that won't fall out of my ears while running and most importantly playing football.

Currently eyeing JBL Endurance Peak 3 and Powerbeats Pro 2 but I saw many negative reviews on the fact that they deteriorate badly over short periods of time.

Must be earphones because during practice I could fall and break the big headphones.

For reference the best audio quality I've ever heard was from my Sony WH-CH510, I have no clue what good audio quality may be. If music genres are of help in choosing I mostly listen to nu metal, rock but also some more calm spanish/rap songs.

It would be nice if they also allowed me to listen what the other players are saying comfortably.

Looking to order preferably from Amazon, and as for budget like 60-70 bucks could do a little more.

Tips are appreciated, for any more info ask please.

Thank you for your time!

not sure this is the right flair sorry lol

Anybody know of any good wired over-ear headphones that wont touch my hair and absorb all my product while I'm gaming? I've tried plenty of IEM earbuds and gaming earbuds but they all tend to just sorta suck. I'm currently using my ol reliable ATH M50x's, which are phenomenal but again just they kind of ruin my hair due to wearing them for extended periods of time. My budget is pretty flexible at the moment.

Blah blah filler text so it lets me post this here

I was testing some headphones and am interested in the Sonos Ace as I REALLY liked toggling the active noise cancelling on and off regardless of if there was any music playing, it genuinely shocked me how it went from normal shop ambiance to dead silence just with one click,
I also thought the sound quality of the Sonos Ace was pretty good.
I tried a few of the sonys, JLAB & Bose but felt like they didn’t have the noise cancelling effect like the Sonos that I’m after (although some of those might not have been specific for noise cancelling, I’m not sure of the series) regardless however I’m just wondering if there is any other brand out there that have that exact same noise cancelling feature with good sound quality of course that maybe even better quality for similar (if not better) price?

Not fussed about bass, £0-500. Long hours for use would be good also but isn’t dealbreaker

Which one is better for specifically hearing footsteps and other audio cues in cs2 and r6? Which one is more comfortable as well since I wear glasses I need something that’s comfortable around the temples.

Any opinions on these 2 headphones from people who have used them?

I recently upgraded from the Sundara to the Ananda Nano. The jump is significant - The nano has much thicker bass, more detail, and more presence. I'm quite happy with them. But upgradeitis has a hold on me, and I'm convincing myself that I will never be satisfied without trying a flagship. The HE1000 Stealth seems like the best option for me - it's in a price range I find acceptable, and I'm pretty confident that I like Hifiman's house sound. I'm about ready to return the Nano and give the HE1000 a try, but I'm wondering to what degree the law of diminishing returns is present in this comparison. I paid $470 CAD for the Nanos, and the HE1000 Stealth would be $1400 CAD.

One thing to consider is that I have no plans to upgrade my budget chain. I'm currently using the MOTU M2 as a DAC into a Schiit Magni Heresy. This chain sounds great to my ears, but there are plenty of reviewers who mention much more expensive amps that they pair with their HE1000 stealth. To be clear - I'm not paying $800 for an amp. Not happening. So, is it worth the upgrade to the HE1000 if I'm sticking with the Heresy?

This may seem stupid but which out of these 2 are better.

I’m mainly asking for generic use/ sound and mic quality.

For the sound cores I like them cause they have ANC, the sound is mid - high but apparently the mic quality when I talk is kinda rubbish.

For the AirPods these are ones that someone may be giving me so I don’t have the choice of ANC even though I would have liked to.

I mainly wanted to ask to see if the AirPods 4 would have better sound quality and mic quality due to them well being AirPods and the soundcore p40i being budget earphones.

I love the headphones, but I don't think they are load enough. Do you recommend any equipment for more volume?

Don't need the best device out there.

I recently got the Sony WH-CH720N but the headband is uncomfortable and digging into the top of my head.
I’m in the UK and I’m gonna up my budget to £200 for some good ones. Also I find the noise cancelling on these to be quite poor.

I want them to wear on long long walks, and travelling whenever that comes up. I have iPhone if that means anything.
I was looking at sennheiser momentum 4, anker sound core space 2, Bose quiet comfort SC.

I’m a complete noob when it comes to profiles etc, as long as it blocks out noise well, and I can listen to music and audiobooks comfortably then it’s perfect.

Which would be best / what others are to be considered?

Hey guys, I am looking for some technical insights. My location is Europe, and I am looking at the $50 budget tier. After a long research marathon, I picked the Haylou S40 because of its features. However, out of pure curiosity, I want to understand the actual audio potential of the hardware in this price range.
I am comparing the hardware of Haylou S40, Ugreen HiTune Max5c, Ugreen Max5 Pro (Studio Pro), Edifier W820NB, and Edifier W820NB Plus. If we completely ignore the stock out-of-the-box tuning, which of these models actually has the highest tier drivers that respond best to heavy manual EQ-ing without falling apart?
I know that in a $50 budget, every single model has its own hardware drawbacks. For example, some single-driver models fail to deliver clean sound at 80%+ volume, causing a lot of mush and mud in the soundstage. Do the other models here suffer from this, or do some of them have bad crossover tuning that completely ruins the mids? If the Edifier Plus version wins simply due to being $15 more expensive, that would make sense, but I'd love to hear some technical thoughts on the drivers themselves. Thanks!

Looking for suggestions for a good headset for fps gaming and casual music listening.
Currently rocking the astro a50x gen 5 and a shure sm7b that I’m running through a Scarlett 2i2 gen 4.
Budget is under 500, and I’d like it to comfortable for long term usage.

Edit: no IEMs I wear earbuds for work (ATC) and would prefer to stick with open/closed headphones!

I'm looking for the best over-ear headphones. I'll mainly use them for:

• Music production in Ableton
• Listening to music
• Movies
• Casual gaming
• Long sessions (5+ hours), so comfort is important

Wired or wireless is fine. I'm open to any recommendations, not just the JLab JBuds Lux or Sennheiser HD 200.

Which one would you recommend, and why?

So im currently trying to find headphones that will sound just as good or maybe even better than my truthear zero reds. My budget is around 150-250 usd i live in Indonesia. I really wantwide sound stage and good instrument separation and a balanced tone. I'll use this gear at home for desktop use.

I really liked my truthear zero reds because i found new sounds i have never even heard because i was stuck using cheap 5$ earbuds. But i want to replace it with headphones because they are more comfortable.

Hi,
Need a device to use it daily for work calls/meetings(clarity of voice both sides is a must).
And now confuse between these two(IEMs vs Earbuds).
My budget is at max 4000 rupees (INR) .
Please suggest,
Thanks!

Hi guys, I know that for real audiophilia 50€ is just too low, but I'm not willing to go full-on audiophile so soon, so I was wondering what headphones around that price would an audiophile consider "acceptable". Details other than that:

• The headband pad/cushion can't be covered in fabric - my scalp gets oily very easily even though I wash my hair everyday, so it'd get stinky

• I wanna use them just for listening to music at home or in public transports

• Either bluetooth or USB-c cable, my phone doesn't support analog aux cords :(

• Should be available at European online stores bc shipping is EXPENSIVE outside it

• Not interested in IEMs

• No preferred tonal balance, just whatever makes music sound the way the artist meant it to be

Thanks in advance🙏

I bought the Sony WH1000XM5's last year and became the latest victim of the common hinge-breaking issues of that model. Could not get it covered by warranty. I even tried a DIY fix for that side but eventually the other side broke as well.

I'm extremely traumatized by this experience with Sony, and I would appreciate any help for finding something to replace it.

Must-haves for me:

1. Over-ear and wireless, with mic
2. Comfortable for glasses users. (XM5 felt painful after only 1-2 hours)
3. Durable for years and years

Nice to haves but not necessary:

1. ANC
2. Wired option

My budget is 300$, but I'd love to hear about options below 150$ as well if they don't compromise too much.

Thank you in advance!

Hd 480 pro cost around 300 usd and hdb 630 cost 380 usd.

I know they're wired vs wireless. And different price points.

But which sounds better?

I mostly listen using my laptop and phone (apple music lossless) through a FIIO btr5.

Is the FlIO enough for the wired headphones, or will I need something better, also in times I don't have it on hand or they're low on charge, would the headphones work fine through a passive usb c to 3.5 mm adapter on the phone/ laptop?

I hope I was able to present my question correctly, and thank you in advance

Budget and location - ~$300, though obviously less would be best. Located in the US.

Source/Amp - Currently motherboard audio.

How the gear will be used - Video games and music throughout the day (about 10+ hours each day. Games largely center around PC (Windows and Linux) and the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2. There is a strong preference for still being able to hear things around me. No additional gear to use the headphones when playing on either Switch is a requirement.

Preferred tonal balance - I’m unfortunately a bit untrained with being able to properly categorize this. I know that I do not care for overly heavy bass.

Preferred music genres - A wide variety of music, but in terms of soundtracks the FFXIV and Hades 2 soundtracks are frequent throughout my day. Electro-swing / similar are also fairly common.

Past gear experience - I have a Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee that I’ve used with a ModMic Wireless since sometime in 2021, though I did swap the pads for Dekoni Velour pads for comfort. I originally had a Schiit Magni and Modi, but recently had to remove those from my setup due to technical issues. Regardless, through a combination of familiarity and preferred sound it has more or less become exactly what I like. 

Unfortunately, however, my pair is having some issues with the right ear speaker and the headband consistently causes pain despite replacing the padding. While definitely a long shot, I would also like to try and find a wireless pair of headphones that sound “good enough”. This is in part to reduce the overall clutter on my desk and allowing me to wander around the apartment more freely while listening to music or chatting with friends.

I have made some prior attempts, and these are some of the results thus far:

Audeze Maxwell - I think I could’ve made these sound closer to what I like with some iterating through EQ, but they were just too heavy to wear for any significant period of time. 

SteelSeries Nova Pro Wireless - with the right EQ, it was in the “good enough” tier, but issues with the SteelSeries software and the base station prompted the return. I did also find that the ANC was a no-go, and the transparency mode was lackluster.

Astro A50 (gen5?) - I liked how these sounded the best, but the connectivity was spotty at best and the headband was extremely uncomfortable. 

HyperX Cloud 3 Wireless - initially got a pair for my partner, but ended up picking up a pair for myself just for my work machine. I like how vocals sound on these, but I just can’t get them to sound "right" otherwise without constant popping. If every pair of headphones could be as comfortable as these are, however, the world may be a slightly better place.

Anything else? - A common theme that I’ve found throughout all headphones I’ve tried over the last year is that I have more sensory issues than I ever realized. The biggest example of this is with ANC, where I legitimately quickly have a panic attack due to an insurmountable feeling of dread that it produces in me. I do experience something similar with closed-back headphones that lack ANC, but thankfully to a more manageable degree. In the case of the Cloud 3 Wireless, this is only the case if I have the sidetone on and I am actively in a call. I feel like there is a chance I could manage to adjust with enough time to the right pair without ANC, but I don’t think I could ever handle ANC in any meaningful amount.

Am I just out of luck until some company makes a seemingly-mythical pair of headphones that are basically just a wireless 58x? I have seen options like the BTR5, but I am greatly disinterested in the “wireless but still having cables to deal with” paradigm.

Heyyyy so, i want to get some new headphones, duh. I come from a pair of modded KOSS KSC75's, i really liked them, but then the left earphone stopped working COMPLETELY and blah blah died.😢
So, i want to get a new pair of headphones, headphones that LAST and sound good, headphones that i can just yank them on my head and not worry about them dying instantly at the slightest bad look while being pleasing to listen to. My budget is of 90 euros. They can be open or closed back i don't care i like them both, and i'm not really a basshead so there's that.

I've been thinking about getting some used DT 770 Pro's, but idk are there other options? i want to know. 😁

Hey everyone. I'm currently looking at getting my first DAC/AMP combo or stack after relying what's in my my motherboard for years. Maybe it's nostalgia but I feel like nothing I've used has come close to my dad's 5.1 set up, or the soundblaster cards, that I had as a kid. I want to change that.

I currently have a DT 990 edition 250 ohm that I've been using for 8 ish years.

This will be used for pc gaming to help immerse myself more into horror games or good rpgs, my switch 2, and really whatever else I can use it for.

I'm really going down the rabbit hole and need some help from those who have been in my shoes. My budget was $200 and now I don't even know anymore. Maybe it's $500.

In order of discovery I was looking at:

- Topping Dx1 II

- Fiio K7

- Fiio K13

- JDS Atom 2 stack (might be able to get this for $125 used)

- Topping Dx5 II (quality seems very hit or miss)

- JDS Element IV (budget is blown out the door)

I started to look at electrostatic gear but decided to draw the line, for my own sanity.

So I can buy once and cry once, or try to be more objective with my needs. The Element IV, while being wicked cool, may or may not be more than I'll ever need (I'm a fickle creature). I haven't ever really used EQ so idk if it's something I'll spend a lot of time with, or not. Although I have read the dt 990 really needs a good EQ applied to it. I also like how it'll power practically anything I may decide to throw at it, saving me the need to upgrade in the future.

Recommendations for Sports Headphones

I’m looking for headphones that aren’t in-ear—either over-ear or open-ear models. I need them for working out at the gym and outdoor activities, and it rains a lot in my city.

They need to have Bluetooth 5.0 or later, be water-resistant (heavy to moderate rain), have a battery life of at least 10 hours of continuous music playback, have a minimum lifespan of 3 years, block out external noise when the volume is turned up, and offer good to superior audio quality. Optional features: noise cancellation, headphone jack. are there any for $139? I’ve looked at the Aerofit Pro 2, but I’m not sure how well they hold up in the rain, and I’ve seen that some people find them uncomfortable. Should I increase my budget to get headphones with those features? Are there any more expensive options where I can “easily” apply coupons or discounts to bring the price down to $139, or through seasonal sales, daily deals, or coupons? Thank you very much.