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Whats the best set of entry-level headphones you can get?

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I've recently been getting more and more into audio and was trying to find the best set of entry-level headphones which is the most appropriate for someone getting into it. Any ideas?
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WilloftheWolf
10
Dec 11, 2020
I have been thoroughly impressed and DEEPly satisfied with my purpleheart wood E-MU PH closed headphones. They are a bit delicate so if you are planning to use them for recreational purposes or travel, these may not be right for you. But as far as sound quality goes, these are phenomenal for the money. Drop exclusive $75-80 I believe.
WilloftheWolf
10
Dec 11, 2020
WilloftheWolfNever mind, I didn’t realize I was replying on a 2 year old post >< what I said still stands though, LoL!
smith6552
1
Dec 23, 2018
Hifiman HE-400i is a great bang for the buck intro to audiophile headphones. You can get them for under $250. But beware, they just might start you down a slippery slope of ever more expensive headgear.
Delmetrice
23
Dec 22, 2018
This is such a personal question, you'll never get one answer, and you'll probably end up more confused than you were in the first place. At least I was. Instead of focusing on "the best," focus on finding out what you like. Dynamic drivers are good for this, and they're much more forgiving with amps and other equipment that you'll likely end up adding to the list of things to look into. This could totally be an unpopular opinion, but I'd say go for the HD58X. They're easy to drive, you can use them most places (I never found sound leak that bad), and they have a reliable sound signature for you to compare to. Forget the amps, or DACs, find out if you want to get punched in the ear drum or if you like more neutral stuff. If you don't like them, the resale market is pretty decent, and they're good backups. After that, then start exploring based on what you like to hear and what you like to do.
jcadduono
14
Nov 26, 2018
I'm going to have to say the M1060. I upgraded to them from my Beyerdynamic T1 which costed significantly more. If you like the M1060's signature as much as I do, then you could move on to the more expensive Audeze line which sounds somewhat similar and uses the same technology. There's also Hifiman. Unfortunately there's not a whole lot else though. If you can find somewhere to try out headphones, I would do that. It helps to try both entry level dynamic driver AND planar magnetic driver headphones as they can be entirely different, where I'd say planar magnetic sounds closer to an actual large speaker (especially with their sub-20hz-response!) that is placed closer to you. Where as a dynamic driver headphone will usually sound like a smaller speaker that is a bit further away. (assuming both drivers are volume matched) HD6XX or HD59X work great as entry level dynamic headphones. As for me, I've moved on to the LCD-X from my M1060 but it only feels like a small upgrade. BTW the M1060's wood ring will crack (I guarantee it) where the headband meets the wood cup, it doesn't seem to alter the sound at all. It's not worth returning if that happens (which it will). A reason I went with the wood-free LCD-X later on. xD
dcha12
461
Nov 23, 2018
I think what most people are missing is that there is no right way to start in this hobby! It truly does not matter if you're one of those people who is rich enough to start off with a Sennheiser HE1 or one of those who struggle to save enough to buy $50 headphones. Everyone starts from somewhere. That being said, it would help us out with suggestions a lot if you could tell us: 1) what your budget is, and 2) if you're looking for a complete system (source, DAC, amp, headphones).* That being said, the Sennheiser HD 58X or the HD 6XX is the safest start. Both are regarded as great headphones and scale well as you build your system and acquire better gear (the 6XX much more so than the 58X in terms of scalability). *Another thing. Recommendations for different headphones can also change depending on what you like to listen to. Listing this can also help.
sleepyhxad
4
Nov 23, 2018
dcha12Yeah I see, my budget is roughly $500AUD and just headphones for now. What I listen to varies but is primarily rap and piano.
dcha12
461
Nov 23, 2018
sleepyhxadIf you want them primarily for those two genres I'd recommend the HE-4XX. Otherwise, both Sennheiser options are much more versatile (and are much better at acoustic instruments like the piano in my opinion)
uccprince
10
Nov 22, 2018
https://darko.audio/2018/02/go-forth-and-multi-buy-kzs-knockout-ate-iem/ best starter package for the $$. Nothing else even comes close. Using a chord mojo these are just slightly less detailed than my oppo’s ... they travel well ... and if I lose them or break them ... who cares!
Rhamnetin
172
Nov 22, 2018
Stax SR-009
JonnyModena
225
Nov 21, 2018
I would have to vote both the Sennheiser HD 58x and the Hifiman HE-4xx. Or the HD 6xx and the Hifiman HE-400i. All of these will do extremely well paired with a good amp. The HD 58x will do very well without an amp, if that is something you are interested in. I use the Hifiman 400i in my studio for most listening purposes. I use the HD 58x on my couch when I need to be able to hear what my wife and kids are saying in the background, but still want a good listening experience. Your ears will tell you which of the bunch you like most, if you find yourself in a position to purchase two or more sets.
Neubrineo
27
Nov 21, 2018
Any of the Sennheiser HD6xx family and by that I mean HD600 , HD650 , 660s or the Massdrop variants,the HD6XX which is really just 650 or 58X which is 660S with more bass.I heard all of them except the 58X,but if the user reports and measurements are true,then its best value for money headphone in the world. These Sennheisers despite their price are true high end and for many people end game headphone.No other headphone have such smooth,neutral,distortion and resonance free midrange and treble.At 149$ for HD58X or 199$ for 6XX,I dont see any reason to buy other headphone in sub 600$ price range.The closest competition would be Focal Elex at 699$,second hand used HD800 for 600-800$ or Audeze LCD 2 classic for 800$.
anilnatha
6
Dec 22, 2018
NeubrineoI absolutely love my HD600. That being said, I was also going to recommend any of the headphones you mentioned with the note that some of those have high impedance, so a decent amp is recommended to use them to their full potential. I didn’t realize how underpowered I was driving mine until I bought a Schiit Jotunheim with the multibit DAC and swapped the headphone single ended cable for a four-pin XLR.
Neubrineo
27
Dec 22, 2018
anilnathaWith all due respect, I disagree about both the high impedance and underpowered thing. High impedance headphones are easier to drive becose weak amplifiers often decrease their maximum output voltage as the headphone impedance gets lower. Crosstalk and distortion is much less on high impedance headphones, external amplifier might have worse crosstalk and distortion driving low impedance headphones than smartphone/notebook/tablet/PC driving high impedance headphones. High impedance headphones are much more tolerant of high output impedance of weak amps due to damping. The problem is that these build in amps have capacitor coupled outputs and the capacitors are often too small so its like highpass filter that is way too high and it kills the sub bass.
phoenixsong
1055
Nov 21, 2018
Define point of entry :)
sleepyhxad
4
Nov 22, 2018
phoenixsongSomeone getting into audio as like a first time.
phoenixsong
1055
Nov 22, 2018
sleepyhxadTrue, but for some they enter with Focal Elex headphones and matching tier setup, while for others it would be the Koss Porta Pro driven direct from their mobile phones. Without defining the entry level, it would be hard to make any suggestions
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