Seeking New Headphones - Please Recommend

I find myself in the market, too. I’ve had my Grado SR-125’s for many years and could probably benefit from a closed-back design now. Not a big headphone guy; maybe will use them a few hours a month.

Meanwhile, I have to replace the crumbling foam earpads with a set off Amazon.
 
Angsty said:
I find myself in the market, too. I’ve had my Grado SR-125’s for many years and could probably benefit from a closed-back design now. Not a big headphone guy; maybe will use them a few hours a month.

Meanwhile, I have to replace the crumbling foam earpads with a set off Amazon.
Click to expand...
I have some nice headphones. Started there due to lack of space for a nice speaker setup.

My favorite closed backs are the BeyerDynamic DT177X Go. They are easy to drive and sound very nice and you can tweak the sound by changing the pads. The leather pads provide a deeper bass profile.

I also have a set of Meze 99 Noir which I really enjoy. They definitely have a sound character and aren’t as neutral as the 177X , but enjoyable. Also, easy to drive, very comfortable, and look cool.

I have set of Grado SR80 in my closet but haven’t listened to them in years.
 
Angsty said:
I find myself in the market, too. I’ve had my Grado SR-125’s for many years and could probably benefit from a closed-back design now. Not a big headphone guy; maybe will use them a few hours a month.

Meanwhile, I have to replace the crumbling foam earpads with a set off Amazon.
Click to expand...
Has anyone on N&G used the Sennheiser HD 620S headphones and have an opinion to share about them?

I have been slow to make a headphone move, but they are in my online shopping basket at $350. The Mese 99’s are a bit more flashy and less neutral, from what I’ve seen and read.
 
Angsty said:
After going to reviews of the BeyerDynamic DT177X Go, I can see why it is recommended. Now stuck between the DT177X Go and the newer Sennheiser HD 620S. 😵‍💫
Click to expand...
I haven’t heard the 620S, but do have the 6XX. My guess is the 620S will have a 6 series sound signature and thus be pretty good. At 150 ohm impedance they shouldn’t be too hard to drive, but like other 6 series headphones from Sennheiser (and others) will probably benefit from good amplification.

You may want to check out headphones.com. They have a generous return policy and are willing to talk to you and answer questions to help you make a decision.
 
Well, it looks like I got neither - for now. I got a pair of Thieaudio Ghosts for $50 directly from the Linsoul site.

They are not closed back but for $50 (shipped!), I figured I’d experiment a bit. There being no discount motivating me for either other pair. The Ghosts seem to have been fairly well received in the market and are likely an upgrade to my old Grados.

Easy to see how people go down the slippery slope of headphones after doing some reading tonight. I have rarely used headphones, but there is an increasing need to limit my nighttime speaker listening.

I’ll probably opt for the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohm if I still need closed backs. My preamp manufacturer recommends a headphone over 50 ohms. The 250 ohm 620S may require more drive than the preamp jack may prefer.
 
Last edited:
Angsty said:
Well, it looks like I got neither - for now. I got a pair of Thieaudio Ghosts for $50 directly from the Linsoul site.

They are not closed back but for $50 (shipped!), I figured I’d experiment a bit. There being no discount motivating me for either other pair. The Ghosts seem to have been well received in the market and are likely an upgrade to my old Grados.

Easy to see how people go down the slippery slope of headphones after doing some reading tonight. I have rarely used headphones, but there is an increasing need to limit my nighttime speaker listening.

I’ll probably opt for the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohm if I still need closed backs. My preamp manufacturer recommends a headphone over 50 ohms. The 250 ohm 620S may require more drive than the preamp jack may prefer.
Click to expand...
The DT770 are a solid headphone. My son has them and likes them. Uses them for audio editing and general listening.

I thought the HD620s were 150 ohm. In any case I don’t think they’ll be hard to drive with any decent headphone amp.

Your preamp manufacturer is probably recommending an over 50 ohm headphone because of the output impedance of the headphone out. My understanding is that it is ideal to have at least an 8 to 1 ratio between the headphone impedance and the headphone amp impedance output. Don’t hold me to this, but I read it somewhere a while back and it stuck with me.

Enjoy your new headphones. I look forward to your review.
 
mindhead1 said:
The DT770 are a solid headphone. My son has them and likes them. Uses them for audio editing and general listening.

I thought the HD620s were 150 ohm. In any case I don’t think they’ll be hard to drive with any decent headphone amp.

Your preamp manufacturer is probably recommending an over 50 ohm headphone because of the output impedance of the headphone out. My understanding is that it is ideal to have at least an 8 to 1 ratio between the headphone impedance and the headphone amp impedance output. Don’t hold me to this, but I read it somewhere a while back and it stuck with me.

Enjoy your new headphones. I look forward to your review.
Click to expand...
Thanks - you are correct on the 150 ohm rating. I consulted a headphone power calculator and found that my old Grados were the worst case of the bunch being fairly current hungry at 32 ohms and 98 dB sensitivity. They require twice the nominal current of the DT770 Pro or HD620S.

My preamp is stout with a substantial power supply, so it never complained. But, it may have sounded better with a lower current requirement.

I’m about to learn more about a branch of audio that I have long neglected.
 
Angsty said:
Well, it looks like I got neither - for now. I got a pair of Thieaudio Ghosts for $50 directly from the Linsoul site.

They are not closed back but for $50 (shipped!), I figured I’d experiment a bit. There being no discount motivating me for either other pair. The Ghosts seem to have been fairly well received in the market and are likely an upgrade to my old Grados.

Easy to see how people go down the slippery slope of headphones after doing some reading tonight. I have rarely used headphones, but there is an increasing need to limit my nighttime speaker listening.

I’ll probably opt for the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohm if I still need closed backs. My preamp manufacturer recommends a headphone over 50 ohms. The 250 ohm 620S may require more drive than the preamp jack may prefer.
Click to expand...
Just got the Thieaudio Ghost today. Out of the box, it sounds fine but not amazing yet. How long should I expect burn-in to take?
 
Angsty said:
After a couple of days, the Ghost is sounding better than my Grado SR-125. Not a high bar, but certainly progress.
Click to expand...
I’m keeping the Ghosts - they are good enough for my needs.

Now I need a decent replacement cable - the OEM cable is really flimsy. I’m looking for a 6 foot cable with 1/4” TRS at the amp end and a pair of 3.5mm TRS for the earcups, under $50. Any suggestions?

I first tried BJC, but they wanted $109 to fab a cable.
 
Last edited:
Angsty said:
I’m keeping the Ghosts - they are good enough for my needs.

Now I need a decent replacement cable - the OEM cable is really flimsy. I’m looking for a 6 foot cable with 1/4” TRS at the amp end and a pair of 1/8” TRS for the earcups, under $50. Any suggestions?

I first tried BJC, but they wanted $109 to fab a cable.
Click to expand...
Periapt Cables and Hart Audio are my go to for Custom headphone cables. The Hart Audio interconnect system is great if you have multiple headphones and amps in your collection.
 
Angsty said:
I’m keeping the Ghosts - they are good enough for my needs.

Now I need a decent replacement cable - the OEM cable is really flimsy. I’m looking for a 6 foot cable with 1/4” TRS at the amp end and a pair of 3.5mm TRS for the earcups, under $50. Any suggestions?

I first tried BJC, but they wanted $109 to fab a cable.
Click to expand...
I was decidedly ‘meh’ on the ThieAudio Ghost headphones. Furthermore, one channel was going in and out intermittently, even after I changed out the headphone cable. I had one more tweak to try: replacing the provided 1/8” to 1/4” plug adapter.

You know what - it worked! The one channel is no longer flaky and both channels sound clearer and more coherent. I love the Ghost now compared to my old Grados.

I may still get a custom cable later to eliminate the adapter altogether now that I’m happier with the headphones.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top