When buying headphones..

What should you look for?

I've been looking online and been reading about headphones, except for the wired/wireless arguement and the design..

I'm going to buy the no-headband kind of headphones (Hate the ear plug ones+over the head band flattens my hair xD) , and

I've read that Electrostatic headphones are better than dynamic? (Whatever that means)

Thought this might be important info for finding a headphone: (?)

Ports - Audio In / Microphone Jack (retaskable for 5.1 audio)
Audio - Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio

 

I'm going to be a terrible person and quote myself.

My knee jerk reaction would be to recommend you the Koss KSC75, but I'd like to know more first about what you're seeking.

 

In you want in ear headphones check out Razers Morray or Morray Plus.... There good, noise canceling and the Plus version have a tiny Mic for gaming. There available for 30-60 bucks I believe.

Razer | For Gamers. By Gamers.? | Online Store - Razer Moray+? Mobile Gaming Communicator

 

I would just add comfort into the mix.

 

look at the steelseries siberia neckband headphones...goes around the back of the head, confortable, and great sound

 

I'm sorry if I wasn't specific xD I don't want any recommendations/suggestions on headphones.. just specifications of a high quality head phones. Is it all about music? I'm going to also game (don't need a mic) and watch movies.

What will you be listening music from? iTunes.
Where will you be listening your music? youtube.
Which types of music do you prefer? Erm, all types really. Mix of everything..
Is portability an important factor? Nope, just going to keep it near my laptop.
Would you like to block out outside noise, or be able to hear your surroundings? Block out would be nice. Hearing my surroundings isn't a problem either.

Would you like IEMs (sit inside ear canal), earbuds (rests in ear opening), supraaurals (sits on outer ear), or circumaurals (surrounds the entire ears and rests against sides of head)? First choice, supraaurals-- Can I get good sound with it? Second-- circumaurals.

Ultimately, do you care about sound quality? How much are you willing to sacrifice for it? Yes, I'll pay more for a HQ headphone.

 

If you're talking about the published specs, then they're pretty worthless, unless they tell you something *really* bad.

e.g. take a 5hz-22khz published response. The figures don't tell you HOW the phone responds at either of those extremes, just that it does respond in some way. And just because a phone does go to 22khz, doesn't necessarily mean it'll be more faithful to the source than one going to 20khz - since digital playback has a brick wall at 20khz, and you also need to take into account your hearing range (which is usually way, way less than 20khz).

Same goes for published impedance - the impedance is measured at 1khz. Drivers can vary wildly in impedance over its addressable frequency range.

If you're talking about what high-quality headphones work for, well they work in making almost anything sound better, or in some cases making very low-quality audio sound worse because you can hear more wrong with it.

And it's not just the quality itself you need to consider, it's how the headphones play back the sound. Headphones (as do speakers) vary wildly in HOW they play back the sound. One can be bassy, other can be thin (and both can share the same published frequency response and other figures). And some will be suited more to gaming/movies than others, and certain headphones will be more suited to high-quality music listening within the styles you like than others.

Personally I prefer purpose-built surround phones like the Logitech G35 for gaming and also computer+headphone-based movie watching. If I'm listening to music, I'll switch to something else more traditionally 'audiophile'.

Electrostatic headphones generally are better as they respond to smaller changes in the sound more accurately than the majority of dynamic headphones do (although not necessarily audibly better than high-tech, high-end drivers such as that found on the '04 Sony Qualia 010), but they tend to be more expensive.

 

Those headphones are horrible. They'res subpar bass and after letting 6 of my friends use them they all report headaches and the headphones slipping off.

 

I would recommend the PortaPros which are much more comfortable to wear (not too expensive either), but it might unfortunately mess up or pinch OP's hair.

There are much better headphones around, of course.

"Yes, I'll pay more for a HQ headphone."
Is this for instance like $150+ dollars? Also, how good is your hearing? Can you tell the difference between 128kb/s and 192kb/s MP3s? Do you care about that difference? Will you be listening in a noisy environment? (television in next room which you do not want to hear, for instance)

Do you really like bass? Or might you like a thinner sounding yet possibly clearer sound (hehe balanced).


By the way, I try to keep my hair neat/short for the sake of my headphones, though at the moment it's long, so I'm using IEMs mostly.

 

^ This.

Anyone who makes a suggestion that you should buy Headphone XYZ before they know your needs, preferences, and budget are giving you bad advice.

What is your budget?

 

Well, if you can get me a 128 kb/s and a 192 kb/s -- then I'll see if I can notice a difference or if I care about it really.. Yes about the noisy environment- there's a TV in the same room and my mom's nagging I'd like to not hear I don't really know.. Is bass good? I guess balanced :/

 

And do you want closed headphones to isolate you from outside noise, and noone has to hear what youare listening to?