Let's talk about over ear wireless headphones with ANC

Which is the best BT headphones for streaming films within apple ecosystem? (Except the airpods max)

I have used only bose QCs. Though I love them and dialogues are especially clear, I just have this feeling of missing something when watching films.

Also, are there any non ANC BT headphones that provide better quality than Bose QCs, worth considering?
AR Rahman
Jiya Jale is my go-to song to test any audio equipment. I can't get enough of the tinkling anklets.
 
Bought a cheap TWS ( from Oppo) offline, a white one, don't remember the model number (enco something)...pretty good for price. At least the bass is not bloated.
 
I wasted my money first on boat 450 as they were both wired and wireless but they hurt my ears so bad. Then I just got the realme wireless neckband ones for the calls.
Still looking for a wired+wireless over ear headphones for cheap...loosing battery in middle of calls is super annoying
 
@red dragon can you tell me what configuration should I use with my beyerdynamics dt 990pro in windows. I got the 250ohm one. directly using it with my system 3.5mm jack at present. running at 70% volumn as of now as I need to run them for longer hrs on head.
 
I would suggest you to install ASIO4ALL and while using headphones, turn off the default speakers ( from ASIO4ALL panel)
However in this mode, you can't listen to offline or online content simultaneously. If you're watching youtube, you have to close your offline audio/ video player.
Most audio players nowadays let you use ASIO as output source.
It may be a placebo effect, but ASIO has the best audio drivers for all kind of onboard soundcards and I can appreciate the difference between default drivers and ASIO.
I wasted my money first on boat 450 as they were both wired and wireless but they hurt my ears so bad. Then I just got the realme wireless neckband ones for the calls.
Still looking for a wired+wireless over ear headphones for cheap...loosing battery in middle of calls is super annoying
What's your budget?
Below 100 EUR, Sennheiser HD450 ( newer version of HD4.5BTNC) sounds decent to me (it's not boomy or bloated like most cheap Sony wireless headphones)
Think you can get pxc550 ii for 150 EUR from Amazon during sales. It's really light and comfortable with stellar battery life.
I had to google boat 450 as I've never even seen one in life ( let alone try) ,it looks like knock off B&O wireless headphones at a fraction of price!! Is it India only product? Not available anywhere in Europe.
 
Last edited:
I would suggest you to install ASIO4ALL and while using headphones, turn off the default speakers ( from ASIO4ALL panel)
However in this mode, you can't listen to offline or online content simultaneously. If you're watching youtube, you have to close your offline audio/ video player.
Most audio players nowadays let you use ASIO as output source.
It may be a placebo effect, but ASIO has the best audio drivers for all kind of onboard soundcards and I can appreciate the difference between default drivers and ASIO.

What's your budget?
Below 100 EUR, Sennheiser HD450 ( newer version of HD4.5BTNC) sounds decent to me (it's not boomy or bloated like most cheap Sony wireless headphones)
Think you can get pxc550 ii for 150 EUR from Amazon during sales. It's really light and comfortable with stellar battery life.
I had to google boat 450 as I've never even seen one in life ( let alone try) ,it looks like knock off B&O wireless headphones at a fraction of price!! Is it India only product? Not available anywhere in Europe.
https://www.asio4all.org/ is this what are you talking about ? any tutorial for the configuration ? I was trying it on the youtube but all I got was for production level tools settings :p
 
Last edited:
I would suggest you to install ASIO4ALL and while using headphones, turn off the default speakers ( from ASIO4ALL panel)
However in this mode, you can't listen to offline or online content simultaneously. If you're watching youtube, you have to close your offline audio/ video player.
Most audio players nowadays let you use ASIO as output source.
It may be a placebo effect, but ASIO has the best audio drivers for all kind of onboard soundcards and I can appreciate the difference between default drivers and ASIO.

What's your budget?
Below 100 EUR, Sennheiser HD450 ( newer version of HD4.5BTNC) sounds decent to me (it's not boomy or bloated like most cheap Sony wireless headphones)
Think you can get pxc550 ii for 150 EUR from Amazon during sales. It's really light and comfortable with stellar battery life.
I had to google boat 450 as I've never even seen one in life ( let alone try) ,it looks like knock off B&O wireless headphones at a fraction of price!! Is it India only product? Not available anywhere in Europe.
Its a indian brand sells good headphones for cheap that's why I went with it as I did'nt wanted to spend too much for WFH setup. Thanks for the recommendations.
 
https://www.asio4all.org/ is this what are you talking about ? any tutorial for the configuration ? I was trying it on the youtube but all I got was for production level tools settings :p
Yep, it's basically a production tool (to minimise latency) to optimise the crappy Windows on board sound drivers. It's pretty easy to set up. You'll have a pdf on the desktop after installation which is easy to understand.
I'm using it with Foobar and JRiver media center and this is the only way to improve the sound without modifying it. Keep the sampling rate etc.at default values.
Have used Boom ( and at least 10 other sound enhancers) all of them just distort the sound.
This is an area where Microsoft is years behind Apple. Apple's core audio, core MIDI functionalities are simply better.
Yes, these are mostly production related, but these things do improve your listening environment.
If you're really into audio quality, I would suggest you a crazy audiophile trick ( which actually works) Instead of spending money on Boom/ Dolby etc. Just download a free DAW (like Tracktion Waveform or Bandlab Sonar, if you wanna go real crazy) and use the DAW as your music player. If you don't like something just add a inbuilt mastering channel strip to the master out and tweak the settings to your preference.
A much nicer option compared to the hundreds of sound enhancer softwares ( where you don't have much control and can't measure the DSPs you're applying.
If you like the changes you made in the master chain, just export the song with those settings..that way you can listen to your own mastered music from a phone/ DAP.
Yes, many of you will call me crazy for this, but if you like music and obsessed with quality, a DAW is usually the best audio player, try it once.
 
Yep, it's basically a production tool (to minimise latency) to optimise the crappy Windows on board sound drivers. It's pretty easy to set up. You'll have a pdf on the desktop after installation which is easy to understand.
I'm using it with Foobar and JRiver media center and this is the only way to improve the sound without modifying it. Keep the sampling rate etc.at default values.
Have used Boom ( and at least 10 other sound enhancers) all of them just distort the sound.
This is an area where Microsoft is years behind Apple. Apple's core audio, core MIDI functionalities are simply better.
Yes, these are mostly production related, but these things do improve your listening environment.
If you're really into audio quality, I would suggest you a crazy audiophile trick ( which actually works) Instead of spending money on Boom/ Dolby etc. Just download a free DAW (like Tracktion Waveform or Bandlab Sonar, if you wanna go real crazy) and use the DAW as your music player. If you don't like something just add a inbuilt mastering channel strip to the master out and tweak the settings to your preference.
A much nicer option compared to the hundreds of sound enhancer softwares ( where you don't have much control and can't measure the DSPs you're applying.
If you like the changes you made in the master chain, just export the song with those settings..that way you can listen to your own mastered music from a phone/ DAP.
Yes, many of you will call me crazy for this, but if you like music and obsessed with quality, a DAW is usually the best audio player, try it once.
Tutorial to dede bhaiya o_O
 
Tutorial to what? ASIO4ALL? Just install it mate. For geeks like you, it's a piece of cake.
1618592714130.png

is this correct ?
 
Absolutely. Turn off all the outputs except HD audio out ( in my case the HD audio out is divided into headphones and inbuilt speakers out, are you using a desktop?)
What are you using to play audio files? Don't change the buffer size if there's no audio cutoff issues.
 
Absolutely. Turn off all the outputs except HD audio out ( in my case the HD audio out is divided into headphones and inbuilt speakers out, are you using a desktop?)
What are you using to play audio files? Don't change the buffer size if there's no audio cutoff issues.
mostly its vlc player and browsers :p and yes I am using desktop.
 
Did you notice the problems inherent to Windows? No matter what you're doing, Windows is actively powering up all the available audio ins and outs simultaneously, this is the root cause of latency issues with midi/ audio input, various static noise, crackling sounds with mixing, mastering.
ASIO gives you the option to turn off everything you don't need.
Steinberg/ Magix etc. have their proprietary ASIO drivers, but those only work with their hardware/software. Majority of the audio focused software companies depend on ASIO4ALL.
This has been a major issue with Windows for years, but MS will never fix it.
Apple will drive you crazy with removing/ changing ports, slots, Microsoft will do the same with their softwares. I've seen people going crazy and spending thousands on audio interfaces to eliminate latency ( specially after coming to Windows after decades of using Macs..where pretty much every peripheral works with minimal latencies) which will never go away unless you install ASIO drivers.
 
Did you notice the problems inherent to Windows? No matter what you're doing, Windows is actively powering up all the available audio ins and outs simultaneously, this is the root cause of latency issues with midi/ audio input, various static noise, crackling sounds with mixing, mastering.
ASIO gives you the option to turn off everything you don't need.
Steinberg/ Magix etc. have their proprietary ASIO drivers, but those only work with their hardware/software. Majority of the audio focused software companies depend on ASIO4ALL.
This has been a major issue with Windows for years, but MS will never fix it.
Apple will drive you crazy with removing/ changing ports, slots, Microsoft will do the same with their softwares. I've seen people going crazy and spending thousands on audio interfaces to eliminate latency ( specially after coming to Windows after decades of using Macs..where pretty much every peripheral works with minimal latencies) which will never go away unless you install ASIO drivers.
To be honest, Mere dimag ke upar se nikal gaya ye sab. I don't have any cracking or interference issue with or without the ASIO4ALL. The thing is that after installing it, I am confused that is it working by default or do I have to open the UI for that to make it work. plus the UI don't have minimize option which kinda sucks ...

The only Issue I have is the low audio for enviorment in VALORANT gameplay. its better then the one with the default one but again its very low. don't know if its the game, windows drivers, amd drivers, realteck drivers or something else. But While playing COD : WARZONE I don't have any issue at all.
 
You have to set it up as the output driver in vlc first, then it will open everytime you open vlc. Once open you have to check the required boxes ( headphones for you) No need to minimise the interface or anything, just close it, it will remain in the system tray.
 
I would suggest you to install ASIO4ALL and while using headphones, turn off the default speakers ( from ASIO4ALL panel)
However in this mode, you can't listen to offline or online content simultaneously. If you're watching youtube, you have to close your offline audio/ video player.
Most audio players nowadays let you use ASIO as output source.
It may be a placebo effect, but ASIO has the best audio drivers for all kind of onboard soundcards and I can appreciate the difference between default drivers and ASIO.

What's your budget?
Below 100 EUR, Sennheiser HD450 ( newer version of HD4.5BTNC) sounds decent to me (it's not boomy or bloated like most cheap Sony wireless headphones)
Think you can get pxc550 ii for 150 EUR from Amazon during sales. It's really light and comfortable with stellar battery life.
I had to google boat 450 as I've never even seen one in life ( let alone try) ,it looks like knock off B&O wireless headphones at a fraction of price!! Is it India only product? Not available anywhere in Europe.

How is this Sennheiser HD 458 BT comapred to Sennheiser HD 450 BT


is 458 better than 450 ? These naming schemes confuse the s*** out of me

I have a JBL T460BT which has this annoying issue. There is a bit of static before and after audio (wake up and when returing to power save mode). Is this the case with expensive BT Headphones too?
Little White noise when there is nothing to output. I am using a TP-Link USB Bluetooth Adapter UB400 to connect to PC.

Cannot take calls on Sennheiser HD 458 BT . Right? No mention of a mic anywhere.
 
Last edited:
No idea mate, possibly same drivers etc. 450BT is good enough, if you don't need ANC can opt for 440BT too.
Only problem with them: though over ear, the earpads are small, can replace them with something suitable for M50/40X, they do fit and increases the comfort significantly.
If you can stretch your budget a bit can look into pxc550 II, other than micro USB, I like pretty much everything about them. No overpowering bass, pretty neutral sound with solid ANC ( not TOTL but very useful in flights/ subways) and decent microphones for calls.
Since people are more interested in 1000XM4, the 550 II goes on sale very frequently ( I've seen as low as 149EUR!!...at that price point, totally worth it, even you don't like wireless audio. The USB audio in these only are worthy of this lower price, ANC/ Bluetooth are just bonus.. seriously!!)
Nah!! Background is silent in all of these headphones.
I'm using a dirt cheap TWS ( Oppo Enco W11), it was the cheapest TWS in that store. Really surprised by the sound..Oppo is not new in the audiophile world, but at this price point, it was a pleasant surprise.
 
Last edited:
You have to set it up as the output driver in vlc first, then it will open everytime you open vlc. Once open you have to check the required boxes ( headphones for you) No need to minimise the interface or anything, just close it, it will remain in the system tray.
its not showing in the system tray is what's the real issue :/
 
Back
Top