Suggestion for new headphones and microphone

[Gaebryel Quintyne]

Hey guys again.

My current headphones are getting run down now... The ear pads on them has almost all of its materials completely faded and worn out. I currently use the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBL Professional Headphones https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica...%2C160&sr=8-38. (I bought these for $214 CAN from NCIX)

I have been thinking of buying a new headphones as well as a new microphone to go with it. This is not an immediate need since my headphones currently work fine, even though I bought it back in 2014 but just the ear pads "leather" covering (I don't know if it was leather though but it felt similar to it) have completely come off it in bits and pieces and now the yellow foam remains.

I want to try out a different type of headphone but from the same company because the sound on their headphones has been amazing so far, especially since I upgraded from my old sound card to a new one (Sound Blaster Audigy Fx). Here is my choice for the headphones:
https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica...0&sr=8-16&th=1

I want to get an open-back one since I want to be able to hear of my surroundings so I don't feel completely deaf to the outside world lol. Like if in case the doorbell rings or someone is calling me, etc. My current headphones make me completely engrossed and I can barely hear anything outside of it.

For microphone, I want to get something that I can attach to the new headphones. I was thinking of this:
https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica...285984&sr=8-12

It's from the same company as the headphones and can be attached to the side of the headphones. Also, the wire is 3 m long, which is the same length of the cable for the headphones. I was gonna buy another modmic since I have a modmic attached to my current headphones but the adhesive comes off easily and I feel like it might come off again since it seems a bit weak. Also, the modmics that are currently sold have a 2m long cable length, which won't work with my headphone ones that well.

Just want to re-iterate, I am not in a rush to buy these... Just want like a pros and cons type thing or if anyone has one of these or both of these then your experiences with them would be very helpful.

[oplawlz]

Have you considered buying replacement pads until you settle on a new headset? They're super cheap.

[Gaebryel Quintyne]

Have you considered buying replacement pads until you settle on a new headset? They're super cheap.

I wouldn't know where to get them. Supposedly the headphones themselves have been discontinued now. I vaguely remember there being replacement pads available when I bought this headphone back in 2014 but never payed any attention to it, thinking that I would never need them... until now.

[oplawlz]

I wouldn't know where to get them. Supposedly the headphones themselves have been discontinued now. I vaguely remember there being replacement pads available when I bought this headphone back in 2014 but never payed any attention to it, thinking that I would never need them... until now.

Amazon sells everything my dude. You can probably even find some aftermarket cloth pads that wont have the cracking issue

[Gaebryel Quintyne]

Amazon sells everything my dude. You can probably even find some aftermarket cloth pads that wont have the cracking issue

I searched for them and found some replacement pads for my headphones... I don't know why I didn't search them before lol. Only problem is that the headband (the part that goes on top of the head) has discolored as well. The material's bits and pieces are shedding or falling off. Like when I take my headphones off, orange "dandruff" is on top of my hair. I don't know where I can get like a replacement for it but I don't think it's separable or can be taken apart.

[oplawlz]

I searched for them and found some replacement pads for my headphones... I don't know why I didn't search them before lol. Only problem is that the headband (the part that goes on top of the head) has discolored as well. The material's bits and pieces are shedding or falling off. Like when I take my headphones off, orange "dandruff" is on top of my hair. I don't know where I can get like a replacement for it but I don't think it's separable or can be taken apart.

Ah, yeah i can see that being a problem. I was pleasantly surprised to find all the pads on my last headset were replaceable, which solved the same issue you're having.

I'm surprised you haven't gotten any advice from people who are better versed in audio than I in this thread yet. I'm a cheapo who makes do with a ~100 corsair gaming headset, not of a quality to match what you're looking for so I don't have much to contribute, unfortunately

[agentsi]

beyerdynamic

Just do yourself a favor, look into them. I promise they're better than anything a "game" company is trying to sell you.

[Hoofey]

Check out Beyerdynamic MMX 300 v2, its basically a DT770 Pro with a 100$+ condenser microphone built on.
Its a closed one though, but hard to find anything better.
https://support.beyerdynamic.com/hc/...as-DT-770-PRO-

Just remember that they require a burn-in period of like 10-20 hours. Gonna sound flat when you first plug em in.


If you want to stick to Audio-Technica, the ATH-R70X is also a good alternative, albeit a bit more expensive.

[Kagthul]

Your budget can really limit what you can get.

If you're going to stick with your current set (and just get new pads or whatever), cool.

Otherwise, i cant recommend a good open-ear set (i dont use one), but if you want to go with a good set of phones + standalone mic..

Get a ModMic.

[Ange]

I used a ModMic for a short period but for just 2x price you get lavalier or neckband condenser mics that you can basicly attach with cable ties or magnets just as you are used from modmid. Currently as backup headset I got a HD25-II with an AKG C 520 L (the 555 cost half of that ~85€) with a small USB-audio interface with phantom power for the mic - clean mic sound, dynamics are kept in place even without a compressor and as with most recording USB interfaces they can drive any headphone unlike consumer products.

My clear favourite for open-back is the AKG K702/7xx series without headband bumps, extremly comfy (no ear touching), extrem wide soundstage, you will turn your head a lot with the extreme soundstage - no joke, you might never know what comes from the headphone and whats a noise around you and the best part of it, clear highes, maybe the cleares you can endure and no mudded mids/lows so it is way more pleasent to wear them over longer times.

With the open-back I just use a gooseneck or normal large diaphragm mic for comfort reasons.

[msdos]

I just got my second pair of Sony MDR-X05. I'm pretty sure these came out in 2013?? There's a reason they still manufacture these. They tick all the boxes: comfort, sound and have a hardware control that works on obsolete ipods and I'm pretty sure works with Sony Walkmans, but I don't have a Walkman yet.

I originally was looking for something I could wear all day, that's what I asked the employee who was trying to help me, he pointed me to those, wish I could thank the guy today.
My last pair lasted til this year, until the plastic on them literally snapped from too much stress over the years.
That's their main drawback is that they aren't metal framed, so if you blend them too much taking them off your head, eventually it will micro fracture the plastic and they will snap structurally. Still usable, but not comfortable whatsoever.

[Gaidax]

I really liked Sennheiser HD8, but I finally managed to crack them by dropping them on hard floor right on only plastic part they had after several years of use, they still worked fine, but I taped that part and the glue started sort of leaking or some such making my hair sticky, so I gave up.

I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.

I bought Shure SRH1540 instead which should have been even higher grade and while they are REALLY comfortable, lightweight, have amazing earpads and naturally all bells and whistles like detachable cables, case, replacements and so on (which HD8 had anyway too, but were heavier), the sound on them is way too clear/neutral so it feels too flat for me, I do use EQ a bit to make it more lively, but I really preferred Sennheiser HD8 sound out of the box.

So yeah, if you can still find Sennheiser HD8 - I vote for it with both hands and don't get headphones that are way too neutral/monitor grade, just not very good for gaming.