Headphones recommendation to watch series/anime on Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

[*Boom*]

Hello everyone,
I need some help and recommendations here for some closed-back, over-ear headphones for watching series/anime from a tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite). It is especially important that they do not leak any sound as I need to use them with a person sleeping next to me. I really want something with neutral sound like what my TV produces, I don't like overly-bassy headphones. So, I'm here, asking for some recommendations for headphones that meet these criteria:

-Wired, 3.5mm (I am not interested at all in wireless)
-Closed-back and Over-Ear (extremely important that they don't leak, as explained above, I need to use these with someone sleeping next to me). Over-Ear is the best at preventing sound leakage and isolation, correct?
-Something with neutral sound, not too bass heavy, preferably just like standard flagship TV built-in speakers. The TV I have been using for years now is Samsung LE46A656A1F. Sure it's old now, but it was their flagship model back at the time when I bought it and love the sound it produces.

The tablet has Dolby Atmos, should I switch this on?

Thanks in advance everyone, any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[DCarmi]

Over-Ear is the best at preventing sound leakage and isolation, correct?

Not necessarily. As a habitual audiobook listener I use in ear wired headphones with no complaints.
I do have closed-back Sennheisers and they leak much more.

You don't mention budget but you could take a look at sites like rtings.com, as a starter, which produce tables of tested headphones with lots measurements you can filter and sort by. Then look at other reviews.

The earphones I use are sadly no longer available.

 

[Friesiansam]

My Focal Elegias isolate reasonably well, as over-ears go but, my Shure SE535 in-ear jobbies, isolate much more effectively and without active noise-cancelling.

 

[Al ears]

As mentioned before some idea of budget might be useful.
I currently use Bowers and Wilkins P 7

 

[*Boom*]

Thanks for the replies everyone, truly appreciated. Budget would be around 100 Euros give or take. I would prefer over-ear rather than in-ear for prolonged viewing. I was looking at some AKG models which fall into my budget, are these any good?

Just for comparison, my girlfriend bought the JBL Tune 500 for the same purpose (viewing while I'm asleep), these are horrible and overly bassy for my liking. Just mentioning it so people know what sound signature I am avoiding.

Any input on Dolby Atmos on or off? Is this any good or will it make enhancements that actually break the audio instead of make it better?

Thank you in advance once again everyone.

 

[Gray]

I was looking at some AKG models which fall into my budget, are these any good?

The K550 is.
I think I'd probably end up with Beyer DT-770 Pro if I was buying what you need.

 

[Rodolfo]

Sony (MDR-)7506: classics, neutral, nice. They sound great -most importantly- with my two older Microsoft Surface tablets, among other devices. They are light, comfortable, fit my ears, and isolate fine for my lady, fellow passengers, etc..

In-ears probably isolate best, but they're not as comfortable for me and only use mine when portability is the priority. With reasonable/safer/smart volumes, the isolation difference is minor for my/our next-to/sleeping applications.

 

[DCarmi]

Sony 7506 are probably less leaky than the Beyer DT-770 Pro.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x might be worth considering, if pushing the budget a bit. They are pretty neutral sounding, if I remember correctly (tried a friends pair). They seemed quite comfy as well.

 

[Gray]

To be honest, if any of the closed-backs mentioned here were found to be leaky - you've probably got them too loud for your own good.

(And yes, I'm taking into account that you'll be right next to someone in a quiet room).

 

[bigboss]

Any input on Dolby Atmos on or off? Is this any good or will it make enhancements that actually break the audio instead of make it better?

Useful only if your equipment is capable of decoding Atmos. Headphones in your budget are stereo only. So keep Atmos off.

 

[Friesiansam]

The K550 is.
I think I'd probably end up with Beyer DT-770 Pro if I was buying what you need.

The AKG K550 is a good suggestion, if you can find a good pair.

 

[Gray]

The AKG K550 is a good suggestion, if you can find a good pair.

We've had the Mark 1 and 2 versions in our family.
Have they stopped selling the Mk 3 now?

 

[Friesiansam]

We've had the Mark 1 and 2 versions in our family.
Have they stopped selling the Mk 3 now?

I still have my Mk1s and, I believe the Mk3 is finished.

 

[*Boom*]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies everyone! This is extremely helpful! Thank you so much, it really is sooooo appreciated! Thank you also @bigboss for confirming about Dolby Atmos, I'll keep it off then.

So, after doing some looking around from the suggestions above and seeing some reviews, I'm leaning towards the Sony MDR 7506. Some questions:

-I can get them for 110 Euros including shipping. Should I proceed with these for my intended usage? The Beyerdynamic and ATH-M50x come to 180 - 200+ with shipping.

-Seeing if I could hit 2 birds with one stone. Apart from using them for watching movies/anime from the tablet, I have an iPod Touch 6th gen which I listen to music from for around 2 hours a day. Will music be enjoyable with these, or are they too flat then for that purpose? So, the MDR 7506 for movies on my tablet, then in the future get something more audiophile level for actual music listening, or will these suffice?

-From some research, the MDR 7506 are 63 ohms, will the iPod Touch be able to power these without an amp? And of course, for my main intended usage, will the tablet drive them fine with no issues?

Thanks again everyone, and sorry for all the questions, I know most of them are very noobish. I'm quite new to this whole audio thing, especially about ohms and the like, so any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Rodolfo]

-I don't know your local market, but that's about as high in the usual range as I've seen them, e.g., at amazon dot com and dot uk. Not especially high, though, for sure. I'll note/add that the 7506s are significantly more compact than any Beyerdynamics I know, and the M50s: folded, they will actually fit inside of the M50s at rest; I may have a pic of that from when I reviewed the M50s. That's in case compactness matters to you.

--I listen mostly to music with mine on a broad range of sources: Music is why I own them! You asked for a neutral-sound recommendation, and that's what they do wonderfully. Unless your "Boom" handle implies it's how you like your music... I like jazz, classical, and lots of latin and other sounds, including the serious booming of the 1812 Overture. But "bass heads" would likely prefer less neutral offerings.

---I use them on a HiBy R3 Pro Saber player, a Samsung phone, and a Microsoft Surface Pro. For the player, I use a balanced cable connector to connect to the balanced 2.5mm output jack (it also has a 3.5mm jack). I don't have experience with the itouch, but it should do fine. My Sennheiser 598s and RHA CL750 are both higher impedance and they sound fine on all my devices, perhaps with a little higher volume settings on the 150-ohm RHAs. I've enjoyed music on the 7506s for decades, as have pros in recording studios. You'll often see videos of recording and broadcast studios where the pros/performers are using them. I'm sure you can find pics and videos of such usage on line. These have been illustrations of their neutrality, quality, and reliability to me,

Enjoy your eventual selection!

 

[*Boom*]

Thank you @Rodolfo Yeah Amazon is where I am getting them from. I decided to proceed with the MDR 7506 Haha no I don't like too much bass, Boom was just a nickname I had back in my teenage years lol, nothing to do with bass.

Before I make the order, I like your balanced cable suggestion, so I looked up some cables/adapters to try finding a balanced one. I'd prefer plugging into an adapter rather than directly into the devices (iPod/tablet) cause I don't want to wear out the devices' ports with the constant switching in and out of the headphones.

I need one straight adapter for my iPod, and one angled for my tablet. I found these from Amazon, can you please tell me which ones are balanced?

https://www.amazon.de/GEEKRIA-Balanced-Adapter-Convert-Connector-silver/dp/B07DDP9WY5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1A9RUFLRLZ7S3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-dne9ofZyzWKiU8r2UdtcYu4K2og77e0KsVZkeER2j_5A8SecMHTSz_XGVZtCZTwn567qa3n0gytOSGMdDLKNCt--kDkvvEwXrI5QVvBvr8fT4zNYWAlrUC4ocm5eZtwVX_5G95aVEarDbhbeFRsdKFOPAQ_YDP8LCdmXluG1g86G6DUzepjlUgc1CV6SiUd16KOv95xWvjN0u_3qcSrreJPvO0fnF2gG3PbeRMTgr4._0ZF1qFBL1MCz4PcEDQBEo7k95aB5XqVLhnrvu2uUXw&dib_tag=se&keywords=3.5mm+to+3.5mm+adapter+balanced&qid=1709806460&sprefix=3.5mm+to+3.5mm+adapter+balanced%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

https://www.amazon.de/AAOTOKK-Headphone-Converter-Headphones-Microphone-3-5-mm-M-F/dp/B07XVMP51H/ref=sr_1_22?crid=3EQL6W8AX56K6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fAXdfDivH5RrcDr57VJw06d_xiDqG6xb9AOsj8r_S97oczkeF7y1DbIdBym35cxDuEiRNygrxxljqvXtHg8dQWZSn3VHO0zTF9dRiLnFtD2c-7UlHJ4fG-SyP4NKHjKxOvWKvV5ZdLSPI_ZT_uMT7Guz6ZQlP0SO8unHBvsJEjM6_FThVv-dG8NVdZH0TaKU3UVCBX9ZXvPppdGC7haKHPPdqvLfkfBG8Ad3l8mO4Vw.ZZHcJLRakO7aKQug9b3ZAtE3XpmP6IF79Uor2LVtihc&dib_tag=se&keywords=3.5mm%2Bto%2B3.5mm%2Badapter&qid=1709805627&sprefix=3.5mm%2Bto%2B3.5mm%2Badapt%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-22-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGY&th=1

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Adapter-Headset-Headphones-Headphone-Smartphone-3-5mm-Male-2-5mm-Female/dp/B0BTHNDDQ3/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_4_9/259-5173040-1732325?pd_rd_w=agHif&content-id=amzn1.sym.6ebe1bf9-1e45-40dc-b013-9e8c7ce1588f&pf_rd_p=6ebe1bf9-1e45-40dc-b013-9e8c7ce1588f&pf_rd_r=8DASNPA5X3HGM677XW6Y&pd_rd_wg=Qa2l8&pd_rd_r=0ea0aacb-83a7-4d1c-9ea6-d8ed09a9df4e&pd_rd_i=B0BTHNDDQ3&psc=1

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Adapter-Female-Degree-Headphone-Stereo-3-5-angle/dp/B07M8B16WL/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_3_2/259-5173040-1732325?pd_rd_w=B0aFS&content-id=amzn1.sym.6ebe1bf9-1e45-40dc-b013-9e8c7ce1588f&pf_rd_p=6ebe1bf9-1e45-40dc-b013-9e8c7ce1588f&pf_rd_r=T8546TNM38NAN1QQ7PZJ&pd_rd_wg=XRUnH&pd_rd_r=a7e84587-677b-40c3-b374-f0381639e8a7&pd_rd_i=B07M8B16WL&psc=1

Thanks again for your advice, and thank you again everyone for your input! You really helped me out greatly with your suggestions.

 

[Gray]

I'd prefer plugging into an adapter rather than directly into the devices (iPod/tablet) cause I don't want to wear out the devices' ports with the constant switching in and out of the headphones.

That's sensible thinking - bear in mind though, that the extra length of an adaptor can add leverage - which can cause more harm than plugging / unplugging.

I would also question your need for balanced cable.
For balanced use, there must be four separate cable cores (conductors) from a balanced source to the headphones.

I don't think you're using any balanced source are you?

And the Sony headphones use single-sided cable don't they?

Perhaps @Rodolfo or another owner can advise otherwise - but if the Sony only has a fixed 3-core cable, then it can't be used genuinely 'balanced'.

(Some headphones with single-sided cable can be used balanced, but only when there are 4 cores in that single cable - and when it's fitted with the appropriate 4-pole connector).

 

[Rodolfo]

Gray is right, Boom: your Tab and i-touch (and most other audio sources) do not have "balanced" output connections/jacks. "Balanced" is a commonly misunderstood or confounded term in audio. It has a different meaning than neutral, for one. Here, I'm referring to cable connections with three (vs. the standard two) conductors. Visually, you will see three (vs. two) bands on the plug ends in the linked extension below. I'll let more technical types elaborate or explain this better than I can. Or there's Wikipedia, of course: viz., its "balanced audio" page. My HiBy player is the only device I have with a balanced output.

On your links, sorry I can't help because, though I'm fluent in english and español, I understand very little deutch. In any event, the above clarification may render the search macht nichts.

Parenthetically, this is the balanced cable extension I use with the Sony and RHA head/earphones -both of which have standard two-conductor 3.5mm plugs- with my HiBy player only:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NNCXSLN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Note that I am not recommending this cable as superior to other options, even just at amazon. It simply works well with my devices.

 

[My2Cents]

Are you an insomniac?
How do you go to sleep after all that 'screen time'?
I'm just thinking about your health... mental and physical.
(or perhaps the person next to you suffers from hypersomnia)?

 

[*Boom*]

Thanks for the explanation @Gray and @Rodolfo So basically for the devices I own it doesn't matter if the cable/adapater is balanced then and I can choose any 2 from those links I provided? 3 of the 4 links have the 3 bands that you stated @Rodolfo instead of 2 (the first link only has 2).

Yes @Gray the Sony headphones only has a single-sided cable from what I can see.

@My2Cents Unfortunately yes, I suffer from acute insomnia, been like this for over a decade now. Acute is like periodic insomnia, comes in bouts and goes, could last weeks. Thanks for your concern, I appreciate it.

 

[Gray]

So basically for the devices I own it doesn't matter if the cable/adapater is balanced

What you get on the end of the supplied / attached Sony cable Boom, is a standard 3.5mm stereo jack plug.
Other descriptions you may see for the plug are 3-pole, TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) or SE (Single-ended).
SE is another way of saying that it's not 'balanced'.

And that's the point You don't require anything to do with balanced.
You don't even need any adaptor for your use.
If I were you, I'd be plugging that 3.5mm jack plug direct into your devices - for minimal lateral strain as the cable is pulled about.

But if you'd really rather plug in and out of a separate socket, then the one below is what you want - to also provide the right-angle you desire. (The only 'adaption' is the angle - its socket is of the same type as the plug).

1x Right Angle 3.5mm Male Jack Plug To 3.5mm Female Adapter Headphone Earphone . | eBay

1x Right Angle 3.5mm Male Jack Plug To 3.5mm Female Adapter. 1x Right Angle 3.5mm Male Jack Plug to 3.5mm Female Adapter. Headphone 3-POLE - GOLD PLATED. 1x Right Angle 3.5mm male to 3.5mm female adapter.

www.ebay.co.uk

(With the headphones, Sony supply a screw-on adaptor for the bigger (6.35mm) sockets).

 

[*Boom*]

Thank you for your continued input and explanations @Gray It truly is so appreciated. I will proceed with ordering the headphones then Looking forward to receiving them. I would also like to thank everyone else that pitched in these past few days, you all have been so welcoming and informative. I wouldn't have managed to get to this decision on my own. Thank you so much.

 

[DCarmi]

Unfortunately yes, I suffer from acute insomnia, been like this for over a decade now. Acute is like periodic insomnia, comes in bouts and goes, could last weeks. Thanks for your concern, I appreciate it

As a fellow (mostly former) chronic insomniac watching a screen before sleep is not a good idea. The blue light emitted from screens suppresses the production of melatonin hormone which affects your day/night cycle.

For a long time I used to watch lots of late night TV/Video when I could not sleep and it really did not help. Now I try to read a little before sleep and use fairly flat earbuds to listen to audiobooks (music keeps me awake). I found one particularly boring audiobook which has me asleep in literally seconds. I use this in extreme insomniac circumstances .

 

[*Boom*]

@DCarmi thank you for your concern. Yes I had read that about the blue light from screens.

That audiobook idea you said sounds good, especially if it's someone with a really boring and dragging voice. Fall asleep in seconds? Wow that must be a really boring audiobook haha.

Thank you for the suggestions and concern. I could actually give that a shot, sounds relaxing also just listening to something in the dark while resting my eyes till I fall asleep. Thank you again.

 

[jjbomber]

... watching a screen before sleep is not a good idea. The blue light emitted from screens suppresses the production of melatonin hormone which affects your day/night cycle.

So why do so many people fall asleep in front of the TV?