HD595 or HD600 both ampless? - Page 2

You should reassess your choices for headphones if you plan on listening unamped from a portable. There are full size headphones that do well directly from a portable and are also good headphones for rock. The HD595 and especially the HD600 aren't one of those headphones.

I've tried my HD600 directly from my iPod Classic (80 GB version). I end up listening to them at max volume and wishing I could go louder. If it happens to be an album that is mastered at a low volume I'll be extra double wishing it could go louder. I don't know how loud your Sony player can get. But you're likely going to be wishing it would go louder.

With the HD600 there is also the "veil" issue. Without and amp you are going to experience the veil. Sound being a little dull. A reasonable desktop amp is needed to break through that and open up the sound.

The HD600 also isn't my first choice for a rock headphone. It's too polite for rock. It doesn't give the energy and drive and punch that is necessary. It can do rock, and I'm listening to Neil Young and Crazy Horse on my HD600 right now because the HD600 tames the overly distorted guitars, but it's not always my first choice for more energetic rock.

I really suggest you ask around for suggestions for full size headphones that can be run directly from a portable and are good for rock. My suggestion in that area would be a Grado or Alessandro.

Idk... I listen to my HD650s out of the diminutive Sansa Clip+ and the volume is quite alright. I actually don't turn up the volume to max.

But the SQ is just acceptable (which is still excellent from an objective viewpoint given that the headphone is their non-800 flagship) An amp does make a large difference.

If you read a lot here you are going to find the HD600/HD650 and the K701/K702 headphones to be very popular. Both get used by people with big rigs so they must be the best headphones for everyone? Right? Well no.

There's lots of other very good headphones that would be much better suited for unamped use from a portable and for rock music. It is silly to get swayed by headphones that sound great in someone elses system with the music that they listen to. There's lots of other headphones.

I don't play with full size headphones driven by a portable so I don't have anything really specific to suggest for alternative headphones. I do and have owned Grados. The Grados and Alessandro headphones are a great option for rock music from a portable. Audio Technica and Sony and AKG and others also make some headphones that would fit that need.

Here's my take on the HD600 and K701

The HD600 are frankly boring with rock that needs drive and energy. They don't have the punch or the speed that is necessary. They're more suited for classical music or jam rock and similar styles. The brilliance of the HD600 is that they don't do any aspect poorly (soundstage, tone, accuracy, detail, clarity, etc), but at the same time they don't excel in any of those areas either. They're great headphones because they don't suck, not because they are awesome performers in any one area.

The K701 has no bass (I'm about to get dumped on for saying that). They don't have the energy in the bass and fullness in the midrange that is necessary in my view for rock music. They're a headphone for analytical listening. I want a headphone for emotional listening. The K701 doesn't give me what I want. But others love them. So what's to say? Some people like them and some people don't.

Are you sure you still want the HD600 or K701?

If your going new you could see if any local shops have any headphones on hand you can listen to. They are hide to find but I have found guitar/music shops often have a few decent headphones on hand, also look for higher quality audiofile shops versus large chain retail shops. Also strangely enough I hear that airports are often a good source for headphones as they often have kiosks that specialize in them for some reason.

Have you considered getting a soundcard like the Xonar Essence STX? It should be easier to get and no discrete amps of its price range can beat it. And anyway umamped the HD555 is probably your best choice. Amped I'll still take the HD555 over the HD595. And have you considered getting headphones from other brands like ATH or Grados? They will be more easy to drive out of a mp3 player. If you don't know what to get I think the ES7 is a good choice unamped.