[scarfa21]

Hello, so glad i found this site.  anyways im searching for a good headphones for my home theater set up. I dont play games on my pc, these are basically only for blu-ray, dvd, xbox360, etc.  i searched and really could not find anything that wasnt from 2007.  my price range is around 200-250 or so.
 
Thanks in advance

 

[JayB18]

Do you want open or closed phones?  Open will sound better but closed will offer isolation. What are you plugging these into?
 
Open phones: DT440 or AD900
Closed: DT250 (80 ohm)

 

[winma]

Quote:

Hello, so glad i found this site.  anyways im searching for a good headphones for my home theater set up.
 

Welcome to headfi buddy...
 
Are you plugging them to your A/V receiver? 

 

[scarfa21]

hi, i have an onkyo tr sr-606, and i would prefer closed but open would not be an issue either.
 
yes i would be plugging them into my receiver.
 
One thing im concerned about is the surround aspect of the headphones, i want something that would create some sort of surround, especially for my blu-rays, i have read here that 5.1 phones are out of the question and not really worth it.

 

[stevenswall]

For watching movies an open back headphone will give you a more enveloping sound, usually preferable if you like surround sound. Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica are two brands I would go with.... I have used the ATH-AD700 from Audio Technica and it sounds like a more pristine theater or cinema setup. From CanJam (A headphone convention) I liked most of the Beyerdynamic models, so long as they are open... I really can't stress enough how much of a difference it makes, especially if all you re familiar with are closed back 'phones. Keep in mind that all of these headphones will probably require better amplification than a soundcard can offer... a budget stereo reciever should suffice.

 

[scarfa21]

well these are not going to be used on my pc at all, i will be using my onkyo.  thanks for the replys!!

 

[maverickronin]

AFIK there aren't any good "5.1" headphones, as in the kind that have multiple drivers on each side.  You can still get surround sound from a normal pair of headphones though.  This works through something called an HRTF.  Some recievers have HRTF processing through their headphone out, but yours doesn't appear to.  There are also stand alone devices that can take 5.1 input and output an HRTFed signal to headphones.
 
The combination of a good pair of headphones and a good HRTF will give you a legitimate surround sound experience.  You'll probably need to upgrade your receiver or buy a stand alone processor to get it though.

 

[mralexosborn]

AD700. Does this suggestion surprise anyone? 

 

[scarfa21]

Thanks for all the replys, the only thing im concerned about is the bass on the ad700.  ive read on here that its not really that good.  Is this usually an issue with open air phones?  I think im still going to get them tho as the reviews have been great.
 

 

[joelpearce]

Wait, isn't that the opposite of what you want?
 
Don't get a pair of headphones just because other people like them.  For movies, you want good bass.
 
So, your criteria list is:
-closed (preferably)
-relatively easy to drive
-good for games and movies
-decent bass
 
I would recommend some different headphones.
 
You might want to check out some Ultrasones, which would excel at all of those tasks--maybe a Kees modded HFI-780.  The Beyerdynamic DT150/250 are excellent for those tasks, and many people do like the Audio-Technica A-700 (closed), which fits your criteria better.  The Denon D2000 might be an even better choice--people tend to love them for movies and they drive quite easily.
 
I don't think it's fair to say that open headphones are better as a blanket statement.  Only one pair of my headphones are open, and I really like the sound quality I get from my closed headphones.  Just stay away from headphones that are known for having a relatively narrow sounstage (M50, Grados, Shures)
 
For movies, you will probably be quite pleased with the stereo sound.  Most of the processes that create virtual surround in headphones also muddy things up significantly.  A stereo signal into a decent pair of headphones is still immersing, quite clear, and sounds pretty awesome.

 

[scarfa21]

great, thank you for the info, that def helps

 

[desktophifi]

But...soundstage and positioning is essential for gaming, since you play on your Xbox...thats something that the Ad700's or HD555 could give you better than closed. 

 

[scarfa21]

ugh, no wonder why im so confused

 

[Equus]

Well, I mostly play RPG's on my Xbox, so positioning isn't that essential to me, so your mileage may vary. 

 
I agree with joelpearce.  I have the Onkyo TX-SR607 and use a pair of ATH-A700's when I'm running the washing machine or when I'm trying not to disturb the neighbors late at night.  Most of the time I use a 7.1 speaker setup, and I find the A700 still pretty immersive.
 
Are you going to be using the headphones primarily, or are you looking at it as a supplemental thing mostly?  I don't know about your receiver, but I know the 607 doesn't have the best headphone output quality wise.

 

[scarfa21]

supplemental, mostly for late night movie watching and game playing.  im more concerned about the movies than i am with gaming tho.  As far as the output, how can i make it better?, never used it before but we both have onkyo 600 series so im assuming the quality is the same