Anyone listen to their Blu-rays with headphones?

[BRu-LAy]

Just curious. Are there people out there that like to watch their blu-rays with headphones? I was tried and true with my Onkyo 5.1 surround system, but when I started watching my blu-rays with my Grado SR-80s, it became a total different experience.

This is especially with concert blu-rays. To me it seems like you can hear more the the sound's strength and richness.

I still watch with the surround sound, but sometimes I like to experience the sound with the headphones.

Anyway, just wanted to see who else is out there that likes to do this.

[katharsis]

When the wife is sleeping I put in headphones once in a while.
Got the Sennheiser HD 212, nothing too fancy, but I like the sound of them a lot. Some movies actually do sound better imo as well, you know the ones that have very soft audio when there is conversation, but as soon as music or some action kicks in its way off the charts. We only live in an apt building and the guy below us sure doesn't want to hear me play Die Hard kind of movies every 2 days...

[jmlalit5]

A headphone jack for a TV is the one single thing I miss from my terrible,old, little TV. I upgraded to an HDTV that's 11 inches bigger, widescreen and cost many times the price of the old one. I used to use the headphone jack when I had the old TV. This wasn't a big enough upgrade either-there is absolutely no way for me to use surround sound speakers with my HDTV (no HDMI either). That's why I'm upgrading again after only having my HDTV for a little over a year.

[miokti]

I use headphones, but I hook them up to the receiver, not the TV.

[Chaka]

I really wish the PS3 had bluetooth headphone option just for this purpose.

[Blu Falcon]

Heh heh... I watch Blu-ray and play Call of Duty 4 with my Grado SR-60 headphones! I'm totally immersed when I have those headphones on, and it really brought my movie viewing and gaming experience to a whole new level (connected to my Yamaha RX-V1800). I can't always crank up the HT due to the fact that I have a two year old and my subwoofer has the tendency of disturbing the neighbors in my apartment building (neighbor says it literally shakes his aparment), so I often resort to my cans. I've heard that both the Grado SR-225 and SR-325i sound significantly better, so I'm saving up to get a set of those as well. But for a set of sub $100 cans, the Grado SR-60 is arguably the best bang for buck solution out there. And I absolutely love the retro look of Grados. The pads that come with the SR-60s can get rather uncomfortable, so I replaced them with a set of Sennheiser pads. The only problem is they're really ugly (bright yellow), but comfy. I just ordered a set of Grado L-Cush pads, so that should mitigate the ugly factor at least. I also purchased the Grado extension cord, which is the best cord you can get for your cans. No noticeable loss whatsover. A good set of headphones is a worthwhile investment.

[brent98]

I probably would, but my reciever doesnt have a front headphone jack, and isnt capable of handling uncompressed audio. However, I love my Grado SR-80s and they go well with all my devices that use headphones, they look and sounds great.

[BRu-LAy]

I heart Grados.

[u_nick]

I need a system with a headphone jac first. I definitely plan to though. I live in a two family, so often have to lower my volume.

[beavis667]

Occasionally I'll use my Audio Technica AHT-A900LTD's or AKG K701's on movies (both bd and dvd). I'll use them when the family is asleep and I want to watch a good action flick. I love those cans, and appreciate good cans and all that, but nothing beats 7.1 audio with a real sub for movies. I prefer cans for 2 channel SACD or DVD-A.

[Palanthian]

I do sometimes, when everyone is sleeping late at night and someone yells "TURN DOWN THAT MOVIE!!!" :P

[Teazle]

For movies, Sennheiser HD 280 Pros and a JVC SU-DH1 virtual surround headphone amp. The latter works surprisingly well provided the signal is DD or DTS via optical and Pro Logic is kept off. (Drawback is it can't be used for lossless virtual surround.)

For 2-ch SACD/DVD-A, Etymotic Research ER-4s and a small DJ mixing board (Numark DM1001X) to drive the phones and set levels (has separate pots for gain, master vol, headphone vol and LED level indicators).

[Single_Stack]

I also love my Grado's. Very natural sounding, lots of detail. Very comfy too for long wear.

[iNCREDiPiNOY]

So do I! I use the telephone wired headphone up to 15 feet.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by Teazle

For movies, Sennheiser HD 280 Pros and a JVC SU-DH1 virtual surround headphone amp. The latter works surprisingly well provided the signal is DD or DTS via optical and Pro Logic is kept off. (Drawback is it can't be used for lossless virtual surround.)

For 2-ch SACD/DVD-A, Etymotic Research ER-4s and a small DJ mixing board (Numark DM1001X) to drive the phones and set levels (has separate pots for gain, master vol, headphone vol and LED level indicators).

I've heard that the headphone amp makes all the difference. So, the Sennheisers work great, eh? Hard to find somplace to audition them, have to take your word on this one.

[Teazle]

Originally Posted by Blu-Dog

I've heard that the headphone amp makes all the difference. So, the Sennheisers work great, eh? Hard to find somplace to audition them, have to take your word on this one.

I've had the Sennheiser 280s for over a year now; chose them as the best headphones I could find under $100 (paid $85) with good passive noise attenuation (c. 30db). Decent sound (for a closed DJ-type design) with slight bass emphasis. Takes a few days to break in the pads so they conform to your head -- at first not very comfortable but after that they're fine.

I haven't tried the Grados other people are talking about so I can't say how they compare to those. But I suspect that a major improvement in sound quality is possible only by radically departing from the design -- e.g. going to open headphones and foregoing noise attenuation or using in-ear type (more accurate but less convenient to use).

Headphone amp can be very important (headphone circuit on the receiver doesn't always sound good) but be wary of "high end" models costing hundreds or a thousand or up aimed at audiophile home consumers. I would look to gear aimed at DJs, maybe small recording studio type equipment -- the things used by people working with headphones professionally -- for better quality, really robust stuff for much less money. (Often available secondhand and the gear lasts forever.)

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by miokti

I use headphones, but I hook them up to the receiver, not the TV.

Same here. I use a Swiss product called 'Ergo 2'. I did a lot of auditioning and to my ears the Grados were just too harsh in the higher frequencies. Sennheiser didn't fit my head, but the Ergo was just right

A headphoneamp will be a useful upgrade in the future. But I still wait for HDMI switching in the 'Dangerous Music ST/SR Monitor Controller'. Then I could say goodbye to my trusty Denon. There is a great headphone amp built into this unit as a bonus.

[Single_Stack]

Originally Posted by Teazle

I haven't tried the Grados other people are talking about so I can't say how they compare to those. But I suspect that a major improvement in sound quality is possible only by radically departing from the design -- e.g. going to open headphones and foregoing noise attenuation or using in-ear type (more accurate but less convenient to use).

Yeah, the open-ear Grados do sound very different than my Sennheiser's, and for most things I prefer the 'Grado' sound... very pleasing.

For noisy, public places, I prefer my in-ear Sennheiser's since they cut most or all outside noise.

I use a Beresford TC-7510 DAC / headphone amp which sounds excellent for such a small cost.

[hendersd]

Beyerdynamic DT990's do it for me. DT1350's when I need more isolation. Interested in some Grados though...

[HammyTown]

Headphones have become my preferred listening choice over my speaker setup - for movies, music and gaming. I just upgraded from a pair of Sennheiser 580 to 598 and I'm very pleased with them.
Based on all the praise for other brands Beyerdynamic, Grado, Denon and Audio Technica (here and on head-fi) I may try some other brands-models. I already have over 15 pairs of IEM's and a couple of portable amplifiers - really didn't need to add another hobby of full sized cans and amplifiers.