Headphones (and amp?) required for lots of movie watching

ben.spencer · 09-11-2009, 11:38 PM

Hi there,

I'm after some headphones and amp advice please. I've never bought a really decent pair before, and ideally don't want to be spending more than £200 in total.

I watch a movie in bed pretty much every night before going to sleep. Therefore the headphones will be need to be very comfortable and also closed so that I don't keep the missus awake!

My current setup is woeful - a cheap pair of headphones connected directly to the TV - but I now have a PS3 in the bedroom so can make use of some much better connectivity.

Presumably the best way to get audio from the PS3 is via the optical output and then passing it through something like the JVC SU-DH1 headphone amp? Are there any other headphone amps out there which come highly recommended? I also looked at the Astro Gaming A40 MixAmp which seems to be targeted heavily towards pro gamers - I will only be using this PS3 for mild gaming really.

So onto the cans themselves... I'm completely open to suggestions to be honest. During my research so far, the following two have caught my eye:

Sennheiser HD 380 Pro | Goldring NS-1000

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers,

Ben

Drubbing · 10-11-2009, 9:25 AM

Only high impedance phones need an amp - and they don't increase SQ in phones that don't need them, certainly not from something like a PS3. It might be dig out, but I take it the PS3 is still doing the DAC.

For your use an amp is an expense you don't need to bother with.

Even so, SQ will always be limited by your source material (movies aren't as demanding on headphnoes as recorded music) and the console, so just buy good quality comfy ones.

The Shure 840 are worth considering as well - good sounding closed phones.

ben.spencer · 10-11-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drubbing

Only high impedance phones need an amp - and they don't increase SQ in phones that don't need them, certainly not from something like a PS3. It might be dig out, but I take it the PS3 is still doing the DAC.

For your use an amp is an expense you don't need to bother with.

Even so, SQ will always be limited by your source material (movies aren't as demanding on headphnoes as recorded music) and the console, so just buy good quality comfy ones.

The Shure 840 are worth considering as well - good sounding closed phones.

Thanks for the advice.

I was thinking that I would need an amp to control the volume more than anything. The PS3 does have volume control but it's not very accurate.

Drubbing · 10-11-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben.spencer

Thanks for the advice.

I was thinking that I would need an amp to control the volume more than anything. The PS3 does have volume control but it's not very accurate.

That's one expensive volume knob.

ben.spencer · 10-11-2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drubbing

That's one expensive volume knob.

Haha! Good point.

If you think a decent pair of headphones will sound great connected directly to the PS3 then, is an extension cable with a volume control an option?

For example, the Sennheiser HZR62?

ben.spencer · 10-11-2009, 11:45 AM

I completely forgot to mention that I'd like to get as close to a 5.1 experience as I can through closed-back headphones.

Drubbing · 10-11-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben.spencer

Haha! Good point.

If you think a decent pair of headphones will sound great connected directly to the PS3 then, is an extension cable with a volume control an option?

For example, the Sennheiser HZR62?

Well no good phones will sound great out of a PS3, no matter how you connect it. But amping what is a relatively poor source won't assist SQ anyway.

As close to 5.1? With headphones? Closed ones? You're having a lend, surely.

ben.spencer · 10-11-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drubbing

You're having a lend, surely.

Sorry mate, no. Completely new to this. All I've read so far is that the A40 MixAmp with open headphones allows for great precision for gaming (is 'soundstage' the right word?)

I don't need that great precision obviously - even a subtle difference between front and back will be fine.

Optical out from PS3 is decent quality surely?

Drubbing · 10-11-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben.spencer

Sorry mate, no. Completely new to this. All I've read so far is that the A40 MixAmp with open headphones allows for great precision for gaming (is 'soundstage' the right word?)

I don't need that great precision obviously - even a subtle difference between front and back will be fine.

Optical out from PS3 is decent quality surely?

Close phones will nullify most soundstage, ie width and depth, but you'll probably get left right front and back.

Even "5.1" phones don't do 5.1, no matter what the marketing says.

If the PS3 is decoding the digital signal (movie/music etc) then digital transfer means little - you'll still have a poorish signal, only sent via digital.

Amping poor sources tends only to make the bad things more noticeable. None of that may be an issue for movies/TV.