Headphone Recommendation?

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jagdpanther · Post by **jagdpanther** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 4:41 pm

My stereo amplifier that is fed from my Gentoo system will be off-line for a month or two and I still want to listen to music, hear videos, and games so I am asking for headphone recommendations / suggestions. Here is what I am looking for:

Wired stereo headphones (no microphone) fed via analog jack from computer. (I guess USB would be OK but then I would need to think about the DAC in the headphone and ensure Gentoo compatibility.) I would like over-ear (the open air design is fine) or on-ear but NOT in-ear (ie. no ear-buds.) Any recommendations or places to look, or things to avoid? (I would like to keep this under $300)

Thank you.

zen_desu · Post by **zen_desu** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 4:54 pm

jagdpanther wrote:My stereo amplifier that is fed from my Gentoo system will be off-line for a month or two and I still want to listen to music, hear videos, and games so I am asking for headphone recommendations / suggestions. Here is what I am looking for:

Wired stereo headphones (no microphone) fed via analog jack from computer. (I guess USB would be OK but then I would need to think about the DAC in the headphone and ensure Gentoo compatibility.) I would like over-ear (the open air design is fine) or on-ear but NOT in-ear (ie. no ear-buds.) Any recommendations or places to look, or things to avoid? (I would like to keep this under $300)

Thank you.

I really enjoyed a pair of Sennheiser HD 558 headphones for close to a decade before I got a new pair (hifiman he1000v2). I don't think they make those headphones any more but the HD 560 may be similar to them and be within your budget.

Every open ear Sennheiser I've used has been comfortable and sounds great. I like my hifimans a bit more but they are HEAVY. Not the sort of thing you can wear 24/7 without feeling it in your neck, or the type of thing you can reasonably wear around. I've heard the ananda and arya series of headphones from hifiman are great if you want to try out planar magnetic headphones.

Post by **NeddySeagoon** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 6:04 pm

jagdpanther,

$300 for a month or two seems like a big investment.

I have a pair of Sennheiser's. I'm not recommending anything as my hearing is suffering from age and a misspent youth. :)
Five years ago one ear cut off at 6.5kHz and the good ear could get to 7.5kHz.
It will be worse now.

I expect the Sennheiser's are wasted on me.

Website · Post by **Zucca** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 6:20 pm

Audio Techinca ATH-M50x studio headphones have served me well (I have the bluetooth enabled ones, which also work wired).
I also have beyerdynamic DT-770. Sounds very good compared to the price. If your audio device can push harder, there is also 250 Ohm version of DT-770.

If you only intend to use headphones rarely and don't care so much about quality, then look for Taiwanese Superlux headphones. You can get 90% there just with $20-$40.

jagdpanther · Post by **jagdpanther** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 7:31 pm

Thanks for the replies.

>$300 for a month or two seems like a big investment.

> If you only intend to use headphones rarely and don't care so much about quality, then look for ...

These headphones will get less usage after two months or so, but I really care about sound quality when listening to music.

Post by **Banana** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 7:55 pm

I use a beyerdynamic DT-990 for years now. No problems with them and replacement parts are still available.

But, what I discovered over time: Your ears are oval and beyerdynamic (most of them) earcups are round. (If you do want to use over the ear headphones)
And over time your ears do grow and long usage can make them hurt since the round does not find 100% over the oval of the ears.

Website · Post by **Zucca** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 10:55 pm

jagdpanther wrote:but I really care about sound quality when listening to music.

Open back headphones "gives a better soundstage". The question is do you want isolation or more soundstage.

I choose isolation, since usually when I wear my headphones I want to concentrate.

jagdpanther · Post by **jagdpanther** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:05 pm

> Audio Techinca ATH-M50x studio headphones have served me well

You are the second person to recommend ATH-M50x. I think I will start looking there. Thank you.

jagdpanther · Post by **jagdpanther** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:34 pm

Zucca wrote:
jagdpanther wrote:but I really care about sound quality when listening to music.
Open back headphones "gives a better soundstage". The question is do you want isolation or more soundstage.

I choose isolation, since usually when I wear my headphones I want to concentrate.

I usually listen in a quiet room anyway so I am thinking that open back, mainly because I assume that I won't have a hot ear issue with the open back. I am now looking at either :
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-Back
or
Audio-Technica ATH-R50x Open-Back

Website · Post by **Zucca** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:56 pm

jagdpanther wrote:I am now looking at either :
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-Back
or
Audio-Technica ATH-R50x Open-Back

I have to say I haven't suffered from hot ears with ATH-M50x over the last... maybe 4 or 5 years. I think I've kept them on my head at least for 5 hours straight. BUT, those are my ears. If you've had problems with closed backs... I'd go with the open ones.
Also keep in mind, that at least ATH-M50x, while those are over the ear, the cup is on the small side. My ears fit there just right, though.

saturnalia0 · Post by **saturnalia0** » Wed Jan 07, 2026 1:10 pm

Koss Porta Pro seems to fit all your requirements. I have been using for several years with no complains. Outstanding sound quality for the price.

Spanik · Post by **Spanik** » Wed Jan 07, 2026 1:42 pm

Still using my ancient AKG K240DF half-open ones. Sadly they don't make this version anymore but there are newer versions available. No problem wearing them a day, I have even fallen to sleep wearing them. AKG has lots of over-ear models.

Website · Post by **Zucca** » Wed Jan 07, 2026 2:05 pm

saturnalia0,

Koss Porta Pros are on-ear, while OP is looking for over-ear.

jagdpanther · Post by **jagdpanther** » Sun Jan 11, 2026 6:31 pm

I received the ATH-R50X headphones. I listen to these in the same room where I usually have a stereo system with speakers, so it is quiet. For the next day or two until the stereo goes off line for a few months I can easily switch back and forth: so speakers vs headphones.

The headphones do a very good job. I played some music and listened on the speakers and then the same piece on the head phones. Both sound good. (Even though the ATH-R50X are "open back", with the headphones turned off, they do mute the speakers a little so I took off the headphones for comparison.)

The only negative about the headphones is that you can "hear" very low frequency sound but you can't "feel" it the way you can with my 75LB subwoofer. (On the plus side I would not have had to add felt pads to the bottom corners of some pictures to keep them from rattling from the same subwoofer.)

Overall I am very happy with the headphones and will now have audio for the next few months.

Thanks to all of the posters in this thread.

Headphone Recommendation?

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