I need some new rock 'phones
Sep 26, 2003 at 12:44 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 22
enak

enak

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I just bought the new Perfect Circle album, and with the DT880's I feel i'm missing something.

Can anyone suggest another pair of cans which may fill the gap I think i'm missing?
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 1:44 PM Post #2 of 22
enak,
How do you like the new album? I have yet to hear it, though I enjoyed APC's debut. I am a huge Tool fan, however and I own all their stuff. Here are cans that are great for rock:

Audio Technica ATH-A1000 (used to own, moved up to W1000 and then W2002)
Grado SR-225 (my favorite rock cans)
Grado RS-1 (also good rock/jazz cans)
Sony MDR-CD3000 (great all-around cans)
Sennheiser HD600 (many will dispute this, but these cans are great for rock too; they are my favorite overall headphones)

I would recommend some cheaper options, but since you already have the great DT880 and ER-4P it seems you are beyond the MDR-V6, SR-60 and HP170. My favorite out of the above cans is the 225; its slam and dynamics are great for rock. The CD3000 is also a great can for rock, and I even like the HD600 (but since the DT880 doesn't have enough "oomph," the HD600 may not satisfy you without an amp like the Max).
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 2:02 PM Post #4 of 22
Neil: I enjoyed it, it is my first rock album so it's kind of a new genre for me
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, I especially liked Weak and Powerless, and The Nurse Who Loved Me.

I may try the grado's, thanks for the suggestions

pbirkett: do you think the huge bass is overpowering or would it suit this kind of music? I have no experience with it, but heard these are bass monsters
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Sep 26, 2003 at 2:31 PM Post #5 of 22
I've had no complaints about the bass of the 770's particularly for rock. I find the bass on these cans to my taste, and I also had the 880's and found them too polite for rock music. The 770 has a good body to the sound, and certainly has good air guitar factor.

They are bass monsters, but in the right system they are one of the most fun to listen to headphones I have ever heard, period.
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 9:46 PM Post #6 of 22
One word - Grado!

Some say that the SR-225 is Grado's best Rock can. I can't say for sure because I own the SR-325 and RS-1. Of these two, the SR-325 definitely has more attitude when it comes to hardcore Rock n' Roll.
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 9:56 PM Post #7 of 22
Quote:

Originally posted by pbirkett
and I also had the 880's and found them too polite for rock music.


That's what I am feeling, I guess ill try both the grado's and the DT770
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Sep 26, 2003 at 10:10 PM Post #9 of 22
I'd also recommend the DT770 for budget, since they're a bit rough-edged, and the RS-1 for a more accomplished dynamic performance. The CD3K's are great all rounders, but probably not that much better than the DT880 in terms of dynamic involvement for your uses.


The RS-1 and the DT770 are in my experience quite genre-specific, they fall behind quite badly for general purpose use. However if it's bass/dynamic monsters you want, either of these ought to work wonders. The way I see it, the DT770 is a tool. I think there are few headphones which work better than the DT770 for gaming... if you will, incidental sound effects which require lots of bass and overall soundstaging. The RS-1 is more of a musical instrument.
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 10:22 PM Post #10 of 22
I guess i'm looking for some fun headphones, not quite analytical, but something to tap my foot to.

Screwdriver: What are the main differences between the MS2 and their grado counterparts?
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 10:42 PM Post #11 of 22
I found the first a perfect circle album to be really badly recorded, exhibiting a wall of treble, colored bass, and recessed midrange. I felt like the drums were recorded with a very remote mic in a hollow room. The same thing happens when listening to Godsmack's "Awake" album; the fidelity is mediocre to begin with. You might be experiencing the effects of a really bad recording through a really darn good set of cans.

You can't rescue bad recordings; I've tried.

I thought the DT880s put the listener closer to the soundstage than HD600s did and were in no way boring.

Cheers,
Geek
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 10:46 PM Post #12 of 22
Sorry for the double post...

But I really think it's a bad idea purchasing a second set of expensive headphones just because you found a recording "boring." Once again listen to some known good material (find a golden audiophile recording or two and try those out).

Try some grados if you want different cans, but if the recording is bad you really really notice it with them (sensitive and emphasized high end) and the rock music I tried with grados literally GRATED because the combo of an innately bright and bad recording and bright headphones through an audiophile setup produced something way way too aggressive. Good recordings through grados are absolutely divine, though, and I wouldn't mind keeping a pair of RS-1s around to complement my senns.
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Cheers,
Geek
 
Sep 26, 2003 at 11:45 PM Post #14 of 22
Quote:

Originally posted by mclaren20
thirteenth step sounds AWSOME out of my 225's.
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Likewise from my 325's.

I haven't heard any of the other Grados, but I'm quickly starting to think these are the perfect rock cans. The bass is deep and fast like the 770 (actually faster/tighter), just not overemphasized like the 770. Now all we need is a 325 smily
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Sep 27, 2003 at 12:16 AM Post #15 of 22
Grados, pick your price point. A-T A900's are a decent closed alternative.

I think the 770's will work with some rock, like Pink Floyd's The Wall, which seems to have more bass than most others, but it ends up sounding hollow on metal with it's recessed midrange.
 
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