best headphone amp under 200
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Corey
I can only afford up to $400 headphones
Answer
Well, first of all, skip monster, skullcandy, and bose right off the bat. None of them are worth anywhere near their msrp. A price range isn't really enough info to recommend a good set of headphones, so I'll just tell you about several brands.
Sennheiser:
Most reputable audio brand. All of their higher end models are laid back with good soundstage (i.e. you can close your eyes and pinpoint where each instrument is). They fare well with jazz and classical, but some may find it slow and boring for genres such as rock, or even jazz and classical. Also, if you're willing to spend $400 in the sennheiser line, you will need a headphone amp and dac to push the headphones. That will probably significantly raise the price. Plus they're all open back, as in they'll sound better than closed back headphones, but they leak both ways more than any closed headphone and people will definitely hear what you're listening to. Not recommended for portable use.
Grado:
Family owned business known for having a very fun, energetic sound that works wonders for classic rock. That's not to say they don't fare well with any other genre; they're great for adding a little energy to any genre. All the models in the grado line are open back.
Denon:
Bassy sound that still manages to represent the entire spectrum very well. It will not drown the mids and highs with bass like the beats do (which makes them all the better) and they have great soundstage for a closed headphone.
Beyerdynamic:
They make everything from neutral sound to a v-shaped sound. Some may need amps,others won't. Some are closed and some are open. They have a great portable pair of headphones (t50p I believe). I don't know too much about the brand, but they are well regarded.
AKG:
Flat sound with great soundstage. They're open back and definitely need an amp to shine. Keep in mind, however, these are some of the most bass light headphones you will find on the market.
Audio-Technica:
Great all-rounders for cheap. The M-50 is very well regarded, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's the best headphone under the sun, which some would have you believe. They're not; they're just great for the price if you want a good set of closed back headphones.
V-moda:
Not really great until you get to the M-80. They're all great portable bassy headphones with a very sleek look, but the M-80 is the best sounding of the line at ~$200.
If you need more help, go to head-fi.org. You will find all the information you need, and then some.
some questions about playing a guitar?
bornirish5
hey, like I really want to be able to play the guitar. I think i would enjoy it. but I probably wouldnt be able to get lessons.... so would it be worth looking into? and what do I need to know if I decide to get a guitar? I would want an electric guitar if anything. I am a total noob to guitaring if i got into it. so what would I need to know?
and how would I go about tuning it? like is it supposed to tune a certian way?
Answer Hello,
Q1." So would it be worth looking into?"
Of course it would ;) . And yes, you can learn on your own, there are electric guitar methods available in
music stores, as well as free online lessons (see the sources section).
However, you need to be aware of what lies ahead of you after you pick a guitar and a method: learning the basics (correct hand and body positioning, how to read tabs, how to fret and strum, chords...)
and more importantly practicing for hours and hours over several months just to start playing a little.
The beginning is very tedious, you'll feel pain on your fingertips due to the pressing of strings against the guitar's neck, you'll have to keep repeating the same chords over and over again. If you're still at it after the first 6 months, you'll probably do fine. Advice: even if you don't get a teacher, do try to contact other beginners. Mutual support can help when you're discouraged.
Q2. "what do I need to know if I decide to get a guitar?"
Based on my personal experience, here's some advice I can give you to choose your guitar.
Your choice should be dictated by two main points:
1. Your feeling: try before you buy. You're going to be playing your guitar for a while, so make sure that you like how it sounds, how it looks, and are comfortable with it. Take your time, try several guitars, both plugged and unplugged. If you don't like what you ear, go for something else. Also, make sure that the guitar store sets up the guitar properly for you, and ask them to show you how they do it, and how to change strings. Note: I would not buy from the internet at first, unless you can set up your guitar yourself or know someone who can do it for you.
2. Your budget. Electric guitars require an amplifier to work, as well as a shoulder strap and an audio jack to connect the guitar and the amp. You'll also need a tuner and a few picks (plain nylon 1mm ones are fine). 200-250 EUR will get you an electric guitar starter pack complete with an amplifier, a learning method and some accessories. What you get is basic but good enough to get started. You can also buy each component separately.
Regarding beginners guitars: There are all sorts of brands out there that offer cheaper guitars for beginners. If you're going for electric, the best known brands would be Squier by Fender, Epiphone, Ltd by ESP, Ibanez, Yamaha... These manufacturers want to keep a good image, so they're more careful about their beginner guitars' quality. They're also a bit more expensive.
Of course, the bigger your budget is, the better: if you're sure you're going to keep playing and can afford a US made Gibson or Fender (1000+ EUR), do so.
Personally, I started on a Squier Affinity Series "Fat Strat" with a VOX DA5 amplifier, then I upgraded. I now use a Washburn X50 PRO and a Gibson Les Paul Studio.
Regarding amplifiers: you can get very good "rehearsal" ones for less than 100 EUR. They're not powerful enough for a concert (5W max) but more than enough for a flat, a house or a garage jam session. They're also smaller and can even work on a battery if need be. Examples: Roland Micro Cube, Vox DA5, Line 6 Micro Spider.
If you really want to save money, you could also go for the Vox AmPlugs AC30, which are purely battery operated and plug into the guitar itself. The main problem is that they have no loudspeakers, so no playing out loud is possible unless you use external loudspeakers. It's mostly meant to be used with headphones.
Other things:
Pickups(PU): pickups are the rounded rectangles you'll find under the strings on the guitar's body. They come in 2 formats, single pick ups and humbuckers. Simply put, singles have a brighter sound but tend to get interference easily from amplifiers, microphones. Humbuckers are free from interference and have a heavier, crunchy sound sound Humbuckers are much larger than singles. Typical Single PU guitars: Telecaster, Stratocaster. Typical Humbucker guitars: Les Paul, SG. Don't worry too much about those at first. As I said earlier, when you try a guitar, you'll know what you like.
Vibrato/Tremolo: this allows you to change the notes' pitch so that it seems to "vibrate". It's neat but it has major drawbacks: Fender models are good but they detune the guitar very quickly, Bigsby models look great but aren't very spectacular sound wise, Floyd Rose models are very good but if you break a string, it will be a pain to replace it due to this model's design. My advice: don't bother with those at first. They're nice to have but not required.
Q2: "how would I go about tuning it? like is it supposed to tune a certain way?"
Yes, there is a standard way of tuning a guitar
If I use the classic 6 string diagram, with the notes on the left:
E ----------------------------------------⦠High E string (thinnest string)
B ----------------------------------------â¦
G ----------------------------------------â¦
D ----------------------------------------â¦
A ------------
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