Looking for something great 450$ max. lasting about 10 years, need your opinion!

 Edit(29/10/2010):

This threat has got hardly anything to do with portable source gear, sorry that's my mistake.

After some very good advice of some head-fiers I had an revelation of which I was hoping for so every thing below this edit is not relevant anymore.

I guess it was kind of naive to think desktop class equipment would come in a portable package, I am still giving the Stepdance a change though. So there is just one other option, and you have said this over and over again,: a high-end open headphone, like the Sennheiser hd650. that's kind of an anticlimax, isn't it? Well, thank you for making me see the light. This threat is becoming kind of confusing since I make up my mind everyday, I hope that you still have some patience left. So I would like to make a new start, and change the title of this threat, if you had to choice a headphone that you have to use for 10 years: which one would it be? Plus: could the Stepdance be your favouret desktop/home amp for 10 years?

thank you.

not relevant:

This threat is semi about portable amplifiers but since I had to make a choice I went for this forum.

My birthday is next month and so I am looking for audio gear. At the moment I own a nokia 5800 and the Sennheiser HD448's and I feel like the HD448 has more to offer if amped right. My max. budget would be around 450$ but I mostly want 'bang for the buck'.

I did some research and I am looking at the ether the Meier Audio Corda Stepdance or the Hifiman hm-602, of course I am open for sugestions.

The Stepdance seems like a very good amp but the nokia 5800 would be the bottleneck. If the Stepdance is able to handle high impedance headphones like the Sennheiser HD650 I could use it in the future as amp in combination with a CDplayer, is it capable to drive such a headphone?

The Hifiman hm-602 has got a lot of features and wouldn't be bothered by the nokia 5800 and so an instant huge improvement. With the usb dac mode it could be an audio source in the future for a full-size amp, or isn't it that good? The Hifiman is also a bit cheaper since the stepdance needs batteries. Moreover it seems like there is an offer that includes the RE-262 IEMs for free, which seems nice to.

At last I would like to say that I am not really into the ipod touch sound. It lacks 'muscle' IMO, if that's the word.

So, what would you buy?

Thank you,

mcmalden

Edit:

I am not looking for a pair of new headphones.

Edit (27/10/2010):

The hifiman does include the RE-262's.

My biggest concern with the Hifiman is: it kind of looks like cheap plastic, Japan made, rubbish while the stepdance looks like German manufacture. Still the Hifiman looks kind of old school.

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

Considering you would have ~$450 to spend, and your headphones are ~$100, I would highly recommend upgrading your headphones before worrying about your amp or source. With ~$450 you could get a really nice set of headphones and a decent amp. Though it is true that the HD448 will get better through amping and a better source, you will most likely experience a much greater upgrade in SQ if you upgrade your headphones.

 

Just my $0.02

That might be but I am not looking for a new headphone, I should have mentioned that, sorry. The thing is: If I buy a new headphone I will buy a high-end open headphone and at the moment I mostly use my headphone on the move. So closed is the only option. This is because I life with my parents and my dad owns a pair of Totem Staff speakers. Moreover, if the hm-602 include the RE-262's it would be upgrade anyway (though I'll probably sell them).

Thank you for your rapid response!
 

Just made my second edit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero Kid 

Yep I think you would be a fool to spend ~$400 on a new player and/or amp just to use it with your existing headphones and player (in my opinion of course).

The thing with any portable set up is the weakest link will always bring everything else down - regardless of how much you spend.

 

So my suggestion is seriously consider getting better portable headphones (Sennhesier HD-25 or Audio-Technica ESW9 for example) or some high end universal IEMs, then check out cheap players such as the Sansa Clip+, Sansa Fuze, Hippo Gumstick, or even a Nationite s:flo2 (akaTelecast T51). Those players will give you bang for buck performance ratio and coupled with some better headphones you'll be set for audio bliss on a budget.

 

So I know you aren't after new headphones, but I think that's a flaw in your current thinking. Think about it some more is all I'm saying

I understand what you are saying but I am not looking for the best audio quality for now but also for the future. I have only used my HD448 one year now and it would be weird, in my opinion, to buy a new one so soon. Moreover, if I wait another year I could buy a 450$ headphone and I will have a decent source.

So if I am correct you would buy the Hifiman hm-602 with the RE-262's?
 

Well the thing is: I listened to some high-end headphones a while ago and I really didn't feel like I was missing something with my HD448. Of course more bass but the HD448 is a very good headphone IMO. I am not really in need for two pairs of closed headphones, I might just sell my HD448 in 2011 but I won't ask new headphones of my parents 2 years in a row.  I don't want to buy a decent mp3 player because my nokia 5800 is quiet decent and I like it more than the ipod touch 3g. So I guess I really am a fool but that's just the way I am. My parents aren't going to give me money for my birthday, somekind of philosophy, so I thought: "let's get something real good that I can enjoy for a lot of years."  This is the idea: I have some decent sound right now but I want really good sound when I go to college, I want something like the Sennheiser HD650's. I won't be able to listen to the Totems regularly by then you see? So I thought: let's get one piece of my college audio setup that I can carry around so I can enjoy it right now and that would but be good enough to use with, for instance, the HD650s. I hope you can understand my situation though a wouldn't expect you to understand my way of thinking.

These are my suspicions: I think the Stepdance + CDplayer would be the best for headphone use and the hm-602 + an amp would be able to drive some nice speakers. I guess I better not ask if you would choose speakers or headphones. I hope you can understand why I started this threat, it's just a very tough decision. I just want to get some opinions: if you had to choose between the Stepdance or Hifiman hm-602, wat would you choose? I am sorry I didn't make the situation clear earlier.

Edit:

The title of this threat doesn't really explains the situastion, does it? Very confusing, I understand why you recommended headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokyung 

I still say get a new headphone/iem.

 

Your 450$ dap will be meaningless, sure you will hear some "difference" but the difference won't be like "zomfg!"

 

You might as well save the money, but yes, I do see where you are coming from.

The hifiman 602 includes the RE-262's for free!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokyung 

I'd still rather get something like SM3 or CK10  and Clip+.

 

And you just said it yourself,  you didn't hear the difference between high-end phones with the one you own. So, I don't think you'd hear the difference between high-end DAP and low-end DAP.

 I did not want to give the impression that I am deaf. The headphones I meant where semi high-end (like the Sennheiser HD598 and K701) moreover I have never said I couldn't hear the difference. About the high-end DAP part: I could hear the difference between my dad's pervious denon amp and his new Naim powersupply, pre and power amplifier. I could hear the difference between my dad's previous denon CDplayer and his new Arcam CD73, so: is that high-end enough? I thank you for you not wanting me to waste my (parents) money on something I wouldn't appreciate but I do care about good products. The thing is, my ears have been pampered with Totem speakers and in a relative way I think my HD448s are pretty good since these other High-end headphones also sounded like crap compared to the Totems. If my dad haven't had these speakers I would buy a good headphone immediately. I really don't want to sound cocky buy you most have had the same experience: after buying better audio equipment you simply can't enjoy your previous setup as much as you used to did?

about the HD448

I agree with violetta88, it's the reason why I bought these headphones. They really compared good to the k701 and HD598.

About the HD650: I want a home setup with the HD650. In this home setup I would like to use the hifiman hm-602 as DAC or the Stepdance as amplifier. I doubt if the stepdance can drive the HD650 but nobody seems to know it, that's kind of the problem. Since most of my music is 320kb/s AAC and I don't own a lot of CDs a usb DAC would be nice but I don't think the Hifiman hm-602 is a real good one. I really hope the stepdance can drive the hd650's because I believe the stepdance is a very nice little amp with great SQ for home and on the move, never listened to it though. I think the soundstage of the x5800 is a bit narrow, this is greatly solved by an amp, besides that the SQ is quiet good indeed.