Sorry, for the questions. Thank you for the answers.

Last newbie question... I hope. I hope. I hope.

If I'm going to go UNAMPED, which would you choose?

Grado SR-60's - nice, audiophile starter, but some recommend moving up for the small price difference. Seems good for portable use also.

Grado SR-80's - seems to be a disagreement over the requirement of an amp. The cutoff point seems to be before or after. Anyone?

Alessandro's MS1 - this seems like such a deal for the same price as the SR-80's, but how will they sound without an amp? Amp may be in the future, but not now.

Those Eggos- Okay, fans pipe in. Is this a good portable AND home set of cans?

Sennheiser 497 - Cheaper in the US right now than the rest. Heard good things without an amp.

Open or closed is not an issue. They will mosly be used with a quality audio card, though occasionally with a sound system/DVD setup. Maybe occasional iPod use is really unusual situations.

Thanks so much everyone. Cash is a concern right now (though obviously I'm still buying headphones) and your help may keep me from making a costly mistake. The world is a better place with Head-Fi... and Hydrogen Audio.

I would say choose between SR80, M1 and D66.
It's very simple now.
If it's for portable use, I think you will need a closed headphone.
If it's for home, it depends on what kind of sound are you looking for. SR80 and M1 are a little heavier on the bass.
A closed phone is always more convenient for me.
I will take D66.

exactley what he said.

Sony Eggo D66 of coz

Well, there are no losers at all among your choices, but given your criteria, just to confuse you, I think the SR60s are the best choice by a good margin. They're relatively cheap, and I like the sound quality better than the D66 eggos (light on bass) and HD497 (recessed midrange plus comfort issues) and I like the comfort better than the more expensive Grados or their relatives.

If you do get the SR60s, which come with comfy pads, be sure to bend out the metal headband a little so they're more comfortable.

But I think you're on the right track whatever you decide.


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Please confuse away. Thanks much for the comments so far.

Also since there's been discussion of the cans sound differences (bass etc.), let me add that the majority of the music played through them would probably be borderline acoustic (Kate Rusby, Hem, John Fahey, etc.) or alt/indie rock (Stephen Malkmus/Pavement, Wilco, etc.)

Thanks again,

Ric

seems like the eggos have stolen lots of the grado's thunder as the best budget cans lately. personally, i would choose the SR60's as steve999 also recommended, theyre great little cans. they sound awesome through virtually any soundcard, pcdp, or whatever else. also, i listen to the same kind of music you do-- i find that solo acoustic guitars sound AWESOME through them, but since theyre grados theyre also great for rock and such. anway, you really cant go wrong with any of your choices

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Thanks. How would you compare the sound to the Senn PX200's? I know it's apple and oranges, but been listening to the PX200's for the last couple of days, and though they're not completely burned in, at least I know how they sound. While I'm not completely satisfied, the PX200's are a big step forward over the iPod earplugs and probably the start of my financial downfall.

of the four i've own three except the ms1. Eggos are good all around headphones for home and for portable use. THe 60's i feel are light on bass whereas the 80s have killer bass. All three ran out of my n707 MD player. Comfort wise it depends whether you like grado bowl pads or not...otherwise to me it's grado 60>eggos>80s. Sonically I prefer the 80s over both, so if you're looking for a more neutral sound, the ms1 would be the ticket.

For solely home cans, I would go for the Grado SR80 without even considering the others.

For both outdoor and home cans, I would go for the Eggos. I don't want to end up pissing those around me with my choice of music when I am out.

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i did a review of my px200's post burn in, i dont remember what the thread title was, but you can search for it. ill repeat it happily tho, i love talking about headphones and such the grados are of course much more open, have a great separation of instruments, and a wide soundstage compared to anything else ive listened to. the px200's are flat and even a tad tinny in direct comparison with the grados, but an amp helps this. when amped, the px200's sound muddier than the SR60's but bridge the gap in bass. also, they are darker than the SR60's, but i dont find it to be drastically so like many here do. also, the px200's are definitely closed cans to me, as the soundstage isnt clearly defined or separated. nonetheless, i find them great for my portable usage where the grados just wont cut it with outside nosie. in short, you can expect a lighther, more forward, fuller sound from the SR60's in comparison to the PX200's. hope this helps

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They sound very good unamplified, and can further grow with the addition of an amplifier. These are very fast, dynamic cans. If that's how you like your music you'll be blown away.

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Okay, another signal you're talking to a newbie... what does 'fast' mean in 'fast, dynamic cans'?

Thanks again for all the comments everyone. You're helping much.

Besides a more neutral sound, anyone have any additional comments on the difference between the 'famous Grados sound' and that of the Alessandros? How significant is the difference?

I personally don't like some elements of the sound of the Grat...Grados, but I would probably agree with what Northern Oak said. Eggos for general purpose, SR80's for home only use. They are pretty useless (and annoying to others) for portable use.

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What he said!

Seriously, I own the Grado SR 80s and the Eggos. I think the Eggos really come alive with an amp and a lot of that missing Eggo bass is found when you amp them. SR 80s sound great even w/o an amp. But I do love my Eggos. Do I sound confused? Yes and no.

I love all my headphones!