need some advice on some pair of sennheiser's

planning on buying a headset from sennheiser. couldnt really tell what the differences between the 166,161,156 & 151.

i know little about headsets but i do know that having a sound card helps and since the 166 has one i might get that, but i noticed that this is a " Open air speaker system, like that of Sennheiser open headphones, provide sensational acoustics ideal for professional gaming ". now i need something that covers my ears and eliminates all external sounds for me to hear,would this fit my need?

im currently using the old creative fatal1ty headset. would there be a lot of difference performance-wise with the senns? tnx guys

 

Unlikely. For one, "open air" would let in environmental sounds. So I think you want just the opposite. In fact, from what you describe sound isolating headphones would be the best. Second, Bose makes one of the most recognized pair of sound isolating headphones out. However, Sony has also received recognition as one of the best sounding. Nevertheless, be for warned that, these types of headphones can be really expensive, with some pairs costing up to $300.

BTW, there are also sound isolating ear plugs too.

 

thought everybody kept saying to stay away from bose but thanks anyways. i might look at other senns for my preferred type. PC1** to be specific.

 

Stay away from Bose

Unless you find a pair like 80% off, its not that they make bad stuff just its overpriced.

 

There's no general reason to stay away from Bose; as both their headphones and prices are competitive. In fact, its manufacturers like Sennheiser (a professions equipment maker) that typically overprice their products. While Bose is mainly a consumer based seller.

 

BOSE
"Buy other sound equipment"

I like Ultasone and Sennheisers the most.

 

Other than the Bose hate bandwagon--do you have anything significant to add?

 

Actually I'm not so sure about that.

I have seen people complain about the build on one piece of Bose equipment - some headphones I think.

And Bose is hellishly expensive.

Now Sennheir has expesive professional equipment, but it also depends where you buy it.

I got my Sennheiser IE8 form Amazon (Amazon directly not !!! merchant) for around 200€ - regular retail price is 360 odd €.
And for IEMs IE8 are one of the best - people will argue which place exactly.

It depends simply where you buy.

And with Bose you pay a lot for the name.

 

bose is awesome!!! i got the lifestyle 48 for 1600usd...which i think is worth it. goddam ive never felt so immersed in a movie b4, besides the theatres ofc...

are u suer about senn? get plantronic 377, that seems to be strongly recommended here.

 

I think you are talking speakers now though, not headphones.

Different products - potentially different quality.

 

Not to get further off-topic, but you spent $1600 (yes, I know it usually retails for $4000, and that's even more monumentally retarded) on some dinky hockey puck sized untreated paper speakers (yes, 20 lb. copier paper is more durable) and you think you got a good sounding system and great deal? Your subwoofer (ahem, excuse me, "Acoustimass module") is comprised of two mid-range speakers with a jacked up low-pass crossover that's probably set to 1KHz.

Whatever floats your boat. Maybe you hooked everything up with Monster Cables.

 

...no bose sounds good, at least for me. its not my problem that you can't A) afford one, im only a high school student so obviously i didnt pay for it or 2) there might be speakers out there that you own and want to think they are the best. BOSE maybe ripoff, but their sound quality is top notch. idk what your problem is, ofcourse, who in the hell uses monster. i get monoprice cables. and i used to be kinda like you, but its not like i could stop my dad. he LOVES bose, he bought that + the headphones + those *REALLY CRAP* earphones. whenever i play 5.1 xbox, its heaven, so im fine with my DAD spending 1600USD on something that IMO is good. at 4000USD, its is SO NOT WORTH IT, but its my dad money and he can do whatever he wants with it.

 

Stop there. Not that it's impossible for you to know how to determine good sound, but it's extremely rare for anyone under the age of 30 to interpret good sounding speakersj to anything that doesn't shake the neighborhood.

Bose are far from being the best speakers I've ever heard, but they're as equally far from being the worst. For their price and utility (especially if you live in a dorm room) I give them an "A!"

 

You, a high school student, accusing me of not having enough income to afford a Bose system? That's hilarious. How about you worry about getting a diploma and a clue and stop lying? You didn't get the Lifestyle 48 for $1600, your daddy did. Who are you to judge the value of a set of speakers when you represent your father's purchases as your own?

For $1600, I could create a home theater setup that could blow away anything that Bose sells. I'm not even an audiophile; I just understand that paying over $1000, much less $4000, for $200 worth of parts is ludicrous. It's not my job to educate you about speaker construction and sound reproduction, but spraying sound everywhere with no soundstage, an 80Hz frequency gap, and 2.5" main drivers that would be tweeters in a real speaker system does not constitute good sound quality. If you like it, you like it, but don't go around saying that their product is top notch when you don't know what you're talking about.

http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

Okay, enough threadjacking. mokylim, since you are looking for a closed ear headset that won't leak sound, take a look at the Sennheiser PC350.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106219

 

woah guys chill...where is the love? lol. tnx for the recommend snake but i did look at that and its kinda way over my budget*sigh*.

 

Here are differences between the four different Sennheiser headsets you're considering:

PC151: Closed ear
PC156: Closed ear, USB
PC161: Open ear
PC166: Open ear, USB

It's pretty much as simple as that. Apart from the USB, the PC151 and PC156 are essentially the same, as are the PC161 and PC166. I don't know how good the sound card adapter is, but it's most likely better than what's on your laptop. The PC156 would fit your requirements if you want the sound card.

 

hmm.....aside from the fact that the u can hear sounds from around you with the open ear headphones. what are the HUGE difference when using open ear and closed ear headphones? and tnx for that snake.

 

I thinkwith Open Headphones other people hear what you listen too - with closed ones not (excluding extreme volume possibly).

 

hmm...i meant performance-wise...read somewhere that having closed headphones makes sounds "resonate" inside.dont know what that means. im guessing it has something to do with vibrations inside. any1 confirm?

 

Well, sound is a wave caused by the vibration of objects.

Resonnace is induced motion...

It could add to the sound from a physical point of view - but ask the audiophiles.

 

...thats what ive been telling you. when i mean "I got it", obviously i didnt pay for it. my dad knows a supplier that why. but yea, you obviously know 100x more about audio, you claim your not to be an audiophile, you prolly are...im sorry for my lack of knowledge towards audio. im working for that diploma tho, taking ap chemistry and precalculus as a sophomore.

but just so i would like to know, the lifestyle 48 is 1600usd for me. if "I" were to buy one for my own room, which would be a cheaper >= set of 5.1? the only companies i know for speakers are bose, klipsch, and logitech...lol, you get it i dont know much. but it is mind-boggling to me that things exist in the world that are better than bose. when i first setup it up my jaw dropped with how excellent the imersion factor was. i guess, by your logic, that harmon kardon and bang and olufsen are bad? is that rite? what would be considered the BEST OF THE BEST in speaker systems?

 

There is no such thing as the best of the best. At least not for everyone. Sound, or more correctly the interpretation of what makes it correct, is a function of many things not the least of which is taste. To put it another way, the "best" speaks are the ones that you find the most pleasing.

On the other hand, there are general standards for what it takes to accurately recreate sound. Once you understand more closely how sound works, and those standards, you can determine a best speaker but that would only be from it's mathematical accuracy. Still most people have their idea on what sounds good; and in the end, that's usually the speaker that you will buy.

Still, most people would be able to tell you whether a Lexus 450 is a better car than a Toyota Corolla. When you look at it that way, this debate could be easily answered--or go on for a very long time.

 

I prefer open headphones, but it has more to do with comfort than anything else. My ears feel a little strange after wearing closed headphones for several hours. They don't hurt, but they'll feel physically fatigued and warm from being sealed off from fresh air.

As far as sound quality and performance, I find it depends more on the specific model of headphones, but generally, you may find that the bass is better on closed headphones. However, open headphones should give you better soundstage and imaging, as well as be less prone to distortion from resonance.

Your reasons for wanting closed headphones may be different, but I personally don't really consider the sound leakage of open headphones to be a problem. I've had open headphones in four different offices, and the ambient noise from the building HVAC and the computer fans is far louder than anything you'll hear from my headphones unless you sit right next to me. If you're sitting right next to me, then we're obviously in a meeting, and clearly I have no reason to be listening to music then.

It's cool man, I was just giving you a little bit of ish, so thanks for taking it in stride.

Like any product out there with such a wide range of prices and features, you can't always claim that there is a "best." To be fair to Bose, like Krane said, Bose is far from the worst, but also far from the best. Now, why do I have a problem with Bose? It's because you get a very poor value for the money. Based on price/performance ratio, Bose is the worst, because at least you know the cheap stuff doesn't sound good. Their marketing is generally geared towards making as many people as possible believe it's right to pay for vastly overpriced hardware and become smug over it. You know, sort of like many owners of products from that computer company named after a popular fruit. With Bose, it's really a matter of pure physics. How much air can you displace with a 2.5" driver versus a typical 5.25" size main driver? Bose achieves their sound using equalizers, which if improperly utilized, distorts the sound and overdrives the speakers. An equalizer is supposed to be the finishing touch of a home theater system, not the core.

The nice thing about the Bose speakers is their form factor. If you're in a college dorm room and you need space, they're good for hiding in the corners and keeping out of harm's way.

Personally, I will be getting the ELT525 tower, center, and bookshelf speakers from AV123.com, a separate subwoofer from somewhere else that I've yet to decide upon, and an Onkyo SR-607 receiver. AV123 regularly rotates their products on sale and I intend to pick up everything for around $1500-1600 when the ELT525s go on sale again.

For most mainstream buyers, I would say that a handful of good brands to look at are Boston Acoustics, Polk Audio, and Yamaha, as you can assemble a very reasonably priced 5.1 set with a receiver for under $1000. Klipsch tends to be a bit pricier, but they have a nice line of products. There are many, many other brands out there as well, both mainstream and niche. The reason why I say I'm not an audiophile is because I find there's a practical spending limit to good quality audio. I won't pay $1000 for a pair of headphones or $4000 for a home theater system, but many true audiophiles will go for every last drop of sound clarity and detail.

 

yea man, im only 16, i have a long way to go in terms of maturity...lol. so what i think "good" is, is bose quality sound. now better would mean the plethora of better speakers for less money rite? my friend in china made his own speakers, and he claims that to be the best. obviously, i dont know how to, so that isnt a viable option.

lol, for me, audiophile is someone who has a good general knowledge of the speaker market and/or how speakers work. you fit that description very well. i was first looking for a pair of pc speakers before i get a 5.1 setup for my tv that i plan to put in my room. so, just for pc speakers, ive seen the M10s, which by guess blow out the z-2300/logitech z cinema (latter was the one i was about to buy)? i really need em now, im using dell speakers which arent good at all. what are the niche products for pc speakers? i thought logitech was/are good? so what can top that?

ALSO I LOLED/ROFL at the macbook wheel. man i spread that news with all my friends and they just sat there trying not to break their guts from laughter.

 

First, maturity has less to do with age and more to do with mind set. I've met many people more than twice your age the behave as if they're still in middle school.

Second, there's no clear answer to that question since how well speakers sound is for the most part a personal experience. Some people can eat fast food and say it's as good as a gourmet meal. If you look at it that way, who am I to tell them any different.

That would be like sewing your own clothes. You could do it, but it's unlikely to be of anything greater than a sentimental value.

Personally, I think there is a lot more too it than that. On the other hand, anyone that appreciates the high quality of music can be considered an audiophile. But in the general sense, an audiophile is someone who would not settle for substandard speakers or audio equipment. You don't really have to understand the science, but most do.

The list is endless. However, Logitech is fine. As long as your realize their for a PC and don't get them confused with a theater hall set of speakers.

 

SACH7002, it's probably best that we don't hijack mokylim's thread any more than we already have, but if you make a new thread, I can help with picking out a set of computer speakers and answer your other speaker-related questions.

 

all rite, i think i will settle with the z2300 or z cinema. kinda leaning towards the z cinema since its USB and looks much better. it also comes with a remote, which is cool. im done, lol i have px200 sennheiser, thats all tho. they are pretty good imo, good sound and great for travelling around the place.

 

thats cool guys.make it like its yours.im having fun reading all things thrown about. also, im now kind of gearing towards the pc166 per suggestion of snakecharmed.

 

mokylim, I see you're now leaning towards open headphones with the PC 166. I think you will be happy with that. As a headset, it's pretty good. The sound quality should be more than acceptable. Of course, if you can find the PC 350 for a price that fits your budget, I'd still recommend that more than the PC 1xx.

SACH7002, not to confuse you even more, but I would recommend the Swan M10 if you'll primarily be listening to music and the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 if you need more bass, although the M10 really just completely outclasses the ProMedia 2.1.

I wouldn't get the Z-2300. They're severely overrated and have terrible mid-range and highs. Now, if you can get the Z Cinema for a lower price than the M10 and ProMedia 2.1, it might be worth it. The main thing I don't like about the Z Cinema though is that you have to install software to tweak the speakers. I think it's asinine that Logitech wants you to do that, but if that's not a problem for you, then it's fine.

As for Logitech's speakers in general, I find that they're usually terrible for music. They generally have too much bass and that bass tends to be sloppy too. The crossover in most consumer grade computer speakers is set way too high, which causes the satellites to play bass for exaggerated and distorted effect and the subwoofer to play notes that it has no business playing.

 

well..how bout 80bucks? that was the price tehy had on tigerdirect a couple of months ago. that was why i wanted it.

edit: ahh dam they dont have it anymore!!!!

 

Don't dismiss DIY speakers so soon. Many of the best loudspeaker housings I've ever seen were custom made, there's alot to be gained by having total control over how your loudspeakers are put together.

 

so after a whole week of researching, researching and researching...i pulled the gun on the pc350...i first decided on the pc156 but then i said if im going to spend on this why not get the best one there is. so imma let u guys know how this thing is compared to my logitechs and fatal1ty's.thanks for all the inputss guys

 

yea ima grab the pc350 soon. at 136USD, its a good deal, and has the best quality of all headsets out there sicne its using 5 series drivers.

 

SACH70002 if you really are interested in knowing what some of the top class speakers/headphones are I strongly recommend visiting the head-fi.org forums. The guys will gladly fill you in. As to the original topic, I would actually look in to buying a pair of headphones like the Audio-Technica A700's (not to be confused w/ AD700) and then just buying a clip on mic w/ it.

 

Seconded, but you might want to look around a bit and read before posting new threads. Chances are, most of what you're asking has already been posted so you could try doing a search for it. They're not too tolerant of people posting repeat questions (probably because that detracts from the overall goal of the forum to talk about (high end) headphones). Just a friendly warning

But yea, some of the information at head-fi is quite invaluable and I've learned a lot from merely lurking there and reading through the threads.