I just found $250 that I can spend on headphones now. And I am getting closer to deciding finally what headphone I am going to buy.

Alright here is what I am looking for:

It has to be under $650.
It cannot be fatiguing to listen to.
It can be open-air or closed-air.
EDIT: If it is more than $475, it has to sound good w/o an amp.

Would it better for me to buy a great headphone and leave it at that, buy a good headphone and upgrade the cable, buy a good headphone and get an amp, or would it be best to buy an O.K headphone and upgrade the cable and get an amp.

So far I have thought of a CD3000 with an amp, HD650 with a cable upgrade, a used W2002, a RS-1, K1000.

Do you guys agree or disagree with any of the choices that I have thought of so far? Are there anymore headphones or headphone combos that you guys would recommend.
The type of music I will be listening to will be hip/hop, rap, eletronica, instrumental, and some light alternative. I will not be listening to head-banging music, but I do like to listen to music at relatively high levels.

Thanks

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ATH-A900 $195 (they raised the price, it was 185) on Audiocubes

What's your source?

I am using computer, receiver, and sometimes iPod.

Somehow I hear the overkill alert ringing...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

Try the CD3000s or RS-1. Try unamped first, get an amp later.

Edit -- in fact, I'm getting a vibe that says you should go straight for the Grado RS-1. If it costs too much, try the SR-325, SR-225 or RS-2.

I'd say, for that, definetely go for the A900s, the iPod will easily power them.

Is the soundstaging on the RS-1 good?

EDIT: Would it be find without an amp or cable upgrade?

I haven't heard the CD3000's and am very curious about them, but with your money and various setups you could split the cash up. Get the SR225's (definitely not the RS1's unless you've got a pretty nice amp) or HD580's, some ER4P's or ER4S's, and a Meta. The trouble I see is many of the recommended phones for your receiver/soundcard may not realistically work for the portable iPod.

It's possible you may want to upgrade your soundcard also depending on what it is. It's hard to see you maximizing the potential of whatever headphone you purchase if you have a mediocre soundcard and no amp.

I would most likely buy an amp later on.

Get some decent headphones HD580, SR125/225, etc, a decent amp (META), and a BETTER SOURCE!!! If you get a good DVD Player the sound quality will be much better and if MP3 is your thing, burn MP3 discs, at 320kbps you should get upwards of 75 songs per disc. Upgrade sound card and get some nicer cans down the road.

Don't ignore the role a good amp/source plays in your how your headphones sound. It's hard to know the signifcance of a good amp/source without ever hearing the improvements they bring, but it's best to get a balanced system, not just buy the most expensive headphones you can afford. I think I'd take my main rig to RS-1's out of a soundcard any day.

I agree with blessingx and Jasper.

I would recommend the Grado sr-225's and like a headsave transit meta42 or an ultra. And get a good DVD player for your music.
But you really are going to need to have an even balance( in how good they are) of source/amp/ headphones. You can't use a crappy source and then spend 1,000 dollars on the headphones and amp, you also don't want to buy a really good source a really good amp and a 20 dollar pair of headphones.

Out of the ones you have listed( not including the cd3000's) I would say the Rs-1 is the best , but Ive never heard the cd3000's and some people say they like them better then the Rs-1's. But like said before the Rs-1's would HAVE to have an amp and good source other wize your wasting your time and money.
Sounds like you should just get some Sr-80s , sr-125's . And then see how you like them and then deside from there if you want to get an amp and better source.

1. You've posted quite a bit here, evidently to get help making up your mind. Eventually, however, the choice is yours. Almost everyone here has made changes from their initial choices in equipment. That's part of the hobby and a lot of the fun. Your tastes are also going to change as your experience and knowledge increase. As there is no absolute right answer, don't expect to achieve it immediately. So get off the fence.

2. Low impedance headphones generally are easier to drive than high impedance headphones. Impedance numbers are listed in the headphone specifications and low impedance phones are well below 100 ohms. This is because low impedance phones present a much less difficult amplifier load, especially with inexpensive low power amps. The Sony CD3Ks are excellent low impedance closed headphones. The open or closed headphone choice is personal and based upon the environment in which the cans are to be used; can you leak sound and not bother anybody?

3. Headphone preferences can only be established through lengthy listening sessions to your music of preference in a system very similar to (if not exactly like) the one you will be using. Adding an amp or changing a source can make huge differences in the sound of a system. Upgrading an amp, more subtle changes in a source, or even interconnect changes can produce smaller changes and be used to refine a headphone listening system.

All that said, if you choose a good pair of low impedance cans, improve your source at the earliest possible time, and plan to add an amp with adequate power supply (and designed to dirve both low and high impedance loads), you cannot go wrong.

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Me, too. I also had the impression, that the money was better spent on a less expensive phone in combo with a nice little amp and a better source - that's why my overkill alert was ringing.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini