I need phones for composing music: $150

[Jacob13]

Hey all,
I'm a newb when it comes to headphones. I use a program called Fruity Loops to compose music regularly. When I get so many instruments going at once, my laptop speakers crackle. I've used external speakers and they crackle as well. I've determinded that my sound card can't handle the amount of processing I'm asking it to do. I plan to upgrade my sound card to the Asus Xonar Essence STX card. It's high end and I'll need some equal quality headphones to go with it.


I don't want to spend more than $150 on the phones. I have my eye on the Sennheiser HD595 but like I said, I'm a newb and could use advice. Although I do most of my work at home, I don't want to have to use an amp to get the full quality out of my phones. I believe that the higher the impedence, the better it is to have an amp, correct? These phones have an impedence of only 50 ohms. From the research I've done I don't think these would need an amp. Am I right?


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I don't need noise canceling and I don't want a mic. Just some good quality headphones that will allow me to listen to trance, piano, rock, metal, electropop... everything, without hindrance.

[dfkt]

The sound card doesn't do any processing with apps like Fruityloops. If it crackles, you're either gotten too loud and clipping the signal (over 0dBFS), or your CPU can't hold up. Try not to get in the red with your output, or try the same track on a beefier computer with better CPU and more RAM - I bet one of those is the real issue for your crackling.

[steinburger1109]

Originally Posted by dfkt

The sound card doesn't do any processing with apps like Fruityloops. If it crackles, you're either gotten too loud and clipping the signal (over 0dBFS), or your CPU can't hold up. Try not to get in the red with your output, or try the same track on a beefier computer with better CPU and more RAM - I bet one of those is the real issue for your crackling.

Probably the CPU, right? Because wouldn't his trying the external speakers mitigate issues with loudness?

[Satellite_6]

My crappy laptop sound makes pops and clicks but I'm not sure that's the same thing, and my laptop is fairly new/powerful.

If you buy the HD 555's and remove the foam they are the same thing as the HD 595's and they are cheaper. There are also the new HD 558's. Funny that's the second time I've posted that today.