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What is the affordable 'best' of each manufacturer.

post #1 of 79
6/30/09 at 2:40am
Thread Starter 
Okay, since arriving on Head-Fi several months ago, my wallet has been getting emptier and emptier, and my thirst seems to never be fully quenched as I continue to explore different headphones and different manufacturers. I know that I will never be able to financially reach the heights of a Senn Orpheus System or Sony Qualia 010 or even a Grado PS1000. So in my fiscally restrained search for top of the line headphones to meet my varied needs I feel that I am satisfied with my current choices from 3 manufacturers:
a) Sennheiser HD 580 with 600 grills and 650 cable
b) Grado HF-2 (anxiously awaiting)
c) Audio Technica ESW10JPN's
So, my question is - what other manufacturers and models should I consider in my middle-of-the-road search for sonic satisfaction? ie) Denon, BeyerDynamic, Stax etc.
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post #2 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:00am
Going by brands is just silly tbh.
Going by how you like your music, what sound signature you prefer, what music you listen too = far better.
But since you're playing that game:

Beyerdynamic: DT880(600 ohm) / DT48.
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post #3 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:02am
IMO, the affordable 'best' from Beyerdynamics would be the DT48 for 60-150 used.. AKG 501..Sennheiser 580.... AT AD700.. Ultrasone.. 780..
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post #4 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:24am
so, wait, what are you looking for?
best bang in each manufacture?
"affordable best" is such a subjective term.
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post #5 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:35am
I remember when "affordable best" meant an AD700. Now, I'm about two weeks away from placing an order on an HF2 and currently looking for a job to save up to buy an HD800. God, I love/hate this place.
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post #6 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:38am
Thread Starter 
Okay - a little more info. I listen to classic rock, prog, blues - everything from Nick Drake to Atomic Rooster. And I do prefer open cans but am not closed to closed so to speak. Lately I have been turning more to the sound sig of Grado, Alessandro and Audio Technica.
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post #7 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by charliex View Post
Lately I have been turning more to the sound sig of Grado, Alessandro and Audio Technica.
1. My ES7s dont have a whole lot in common with my MS1s

2. Dont know how the comparisons go further up the tree, but the impression I get is that the A-T fanatics arent overly taken with the Grado sound.

3. I accept that you can like both (I do), but you did say 'sound sig' : that implies that you think they have more similarities than dissimilarities. Gotta be a whole new thread in that alone ......
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post #8 of 79
6/30/09 at 4:09am
If you're into the AT sound, then grab a AD2000. I've seen Grado heads fall in love with it.
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post #9 of 79
6/30/09 at 4:13am
Since "best affordable" is highly subjective, I will just write down my opinion on "best affordable headphone" from each manufactures.

AKG - K601
AT - AD900
Beyer - DT880
Grado (Alessandro) - SR225, MS1
Senn - HD580

Never tried Denon yet
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post #10 of 79
6/30/09 at 9:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by doping panda View Post
I remember when "affordable best" meant an AD700.
Still does. Probably always will. Being into more expensive stuff does not change the fact that AD700 is absolutely astonishing for under $100.
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post #11 of 79
6/30/09 at 1:19pm
Affordable best:

1) Stax SR-Lambda + Adaptor combo for around $300

2) AKG K501 for $150ish

It's true that the AD700 is very enjoyable for $100, but it really doesn't come close to either of those I mentioned.
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post #12 of 79
6/30/09 at 1:43pm
Stax headphones require special amps and do not work with conventional headphone amps. Saying that you can get them for $300 is therefore misleading, since that is for the phones only.

The flagship AKG is the K701, and that is nowhere near as good as the AD700 (I know because I have owned both), so how could the K501 possibly be better?

Edit: I just checked on ebay, and the Lambdas are $650 (for just the phones.) Are you quoting used prices? If so, that is just silly since you are comparing against phones that others have quoted new.
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post #13 of 79
6/30/09 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by intoart View Post
Stax headphones require special amps and do not work with conventional headphone amps. Saying that you can get them for $300 is therefore misleading, since that is for the phones only.

The flagship AKG is the K701, and that is nowhere near as good as the AD700 (I know because I have owned both), so how could the K501 possibly be better?

Edit: I just checked on ebay, and the Lambdas are $650 (for just the phones.) Are you quoting used prices? If so, that is just silly since you are comparing against phones that others have quoted new.
I still own both of these cans, and I disagree with this statement. However, you need to pour more money into the K701 to have it surpass the AD700. I liked the AD700 more until I got my Meier Cantate, which represents a $500 price hike on a phone already more expensive.
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post #14 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:09pm
As someone else who also owned both the AD700 and K701, I'd take the former over the latter any day. The argument that you need to spend $500 to make a $300 phone sound "better" than a $100 phone merely indicates how underwhelming so many expensive phones are.
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post #15 of 79
6/30/09 at 3:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lucky View Post
As someone else who also owned both the AD700 and K701, I'd take the former over the latter any day. The argument that you need to spend $500 to make a $300 phone sound "better" than a $100 phone merely indicates how underwhelming so many expensive phones are.
The last sentence is very wrong. HE90 vs ibuds straight from an ipod: which one sounds better?
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