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post #19801 of 28869
10/6/12 at 5:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KG Jag View Post


As far as I know, all Fiio are solid state amps; don't know the first one you listed at all.

 

The affordable desktop hybrid amp that I like with the MS21 and 325is is the HiFiMan EF2A.  I am however, less sensitive to treble from these cans than you appear to be.

 

 

Noted, i will look into it and thanks :)

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post #19802 of 28869
10/6/12 at 5:26am

Hi,

I posted on main page already but as it was wrong place I decided to double post in here.

 

I would really appreciate some help, I don't know much about headphones, my present headphones died and I'm looking to upgrade to better sound quality.

Presently I have ATH-AD700. Price range is 100-250 GBP.

Open back, over ear. Will be worn long hours, must be comfortable (ad700 are very comfortable).

I listen to Bossa Novas, Chillout, Drumm & Bass, Dubstep, Industrial.

Will be used with computer only (SB X-Fi Xtreme Gamer with PAX drivers).

I know its a waste of quality to have a computer as source but there is no other choice for me :)

This card is quite powerful, with ath-ad700 my volume in Windows is usually 5-10%, Winamp 15-20%.

Will be used for gaming as well.

I am/was very happy with my ath-ad700 but they broke so I need to get new ones.

 

I love mids. I like them very clear and detailed, yet not clinical rather warm and lively. Wide stage is good addition (that's why ad700).

Don't like strong resonating bass (or not sure how its called when bass sounds like from sub woofer). Bass cant be aggressive rather calm and warm, should be short, crisp, clear and responsive :)

Highs should be similar to mids but mids should dominate.

All together should sound realistic for vocals with wide stage and lots of details.

I prefer low volume, not sure if it changes anything in characteristic of headphones.

Isolation is not important.

I don't mind getting some amp if its reasonable price.

 

Like I said before I'm pretty new to quality headphones.

If you think that my description of expectations is very different from characteristic of (currently owned) ath-ad700 please point out so I can understand difference and choose better.

In short term, if I talk bs please let me know :)

 

Is it worth getting ath-ad900?

Seen lots of good comments about dt880, will they fit me needs?

 

Many thanks!

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post #19803 of 28869
10/6/12 at 10:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Locaj View Post

Hi,

I posted on main page already but as it was wrong place I decided to double post in here.

 

I would really appreciate some help, I don't know much about headphones, my present headphones died and I'm looking to upgrade to better sound quality.

Presently I have ATH-AD700. Price range is 100-250 GBP.

Open back, over ear. Will be worn long hours, must be comfortable (ad700 are very comfortable).

I listen to Bossa Novas, Chillout, Drumm & Bass, Dubstep, Industrial.

Will be used with computer only (SB X-Fi Xtreme Gamer with PAX drivers).

I know its a waste of quality to have a computer as source but there is no other choice for me :)

This card is quite powerful, with ath-ad700 my volume in Windows is usually 5-10%, Winamp 15-20%.

Will be used for gaming as well.

I am/was very happy with my ath-ad700 but they broke so I need to get new ones.

 

I love mids. I like them very clear and detailed, yet not clinical rather warm and lively. Wide stage is good addition (that's why ad700).

Don't like strong resonating bass (or not sure how its called when bass sounds like from sub woofer). Bass cant be aggressive rather calm and warm, should be short, crisp, clear and responsive :)

Highs should be similar to mids but mids should dominate.

All together should sound realistic for vocals with wide stage and lots of details.

I prefer low volume, not sure if it changes anything in characteristic of headphones.

Isolation is not important.

I don't mind getting some amp if its reasonable price.

 

Like I said before I'm pretty new to quality headphones.

If you think that my description of expectations is very different from characteristic of (currently owned) ath-ad700 please point out so I can understand difference and choose better.

In short term, if I talk bs please let me know :)

 

Is it worth getting ath-ad900?

Seen lots of good comments about dt880, will they fit me needs?

 

Many thanks!

 

The 900 is an excellent can and the natural step up from your 700.  Like the 700, it is very easy to drive.

 

The DT880 is a great can, but it is not a mid-centric can.  You will get more bass and brighter treble than you had with the 700.  It will need an amp, if bought in the (generally preferred) 250 Ohm version and up.

 

You might want to check out the Senn HD 558 & 598 as well.

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post #19804 of 28869
10/6/12 at 10:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipster2010 View Post

I have really no knowledge of the AKG you have, but this is what I pulled from joker's portable can review:

Sound (8/10):
 Head-to-head comparisons with the K81DJ are inevitable but I will try to be as general as I can. In a nutshell, the K181s alleviate a lot of the issues I had with the sound of the K81s but just don’t go quite far enough. They are more balanced and less dark than the K81s. The low end is still very powerful but the K181s do a better job of controlling it and it is even more extended than with the K81s. The bass also feels like its integrated better into the overall sound. Additionally, there is a bass toggle switch, but after playing with it for a bit I decided that it is better kept in the “low” position for fear of altering plate tectonics. The midrange is very clear and boasts a good amount of detail and very natural tonality. It seems slightly forward compared to the K81s but this is likely the result of the K181s’ better bass and treble control. The treble is equally natural and very smooth. Though it lacks the distinctive sparkle of the K81, there is not a hint of harshness or sibilance with the K181. Amplification has an effect on the K181s, but not so much that I would recommend getting an amp just for them. I have also been using them with a DHC Cryo K702 cable, which sounds brilliant with these. It really helps with the treble rolloff issue that these share with the K81s. Overall the K181s are still far from being flat, neutral monitoring phones but they can be quite fun, especially with the club-type music for which they were so obviously designed.


Since you like the bass end turned up, I think you need a bassy can which the Sennheiser is not. The HD558 is a great can, but you may find it lacking in bass. Also they are open, which means that the back of the headphone cup is a metal grill which allows air (and sound) to pass in and out freely. This means that if you turned on the Sennheisers and put them on you leg like you said with the AKGs, they will be at least as loud, but probably much louder. Open cans have lots of benefits, but isolation and leakage is not one of them.


Like I said before, the Beyer DT770 should work well depending on how loud you listen. I had the 250ohm and ran in straight from my computer before I finally got an amp, so I know it can be done. There is the 80ohm version though which would be even easier to drive.

I definitely like the design of the dt770s, but there were multiple reviews on amazon saying hey wouldn't be ideal to use without an amp, and that was the reviews of the 80 ohm one.

What would you say about the new Sony XB800s? Or the audio technica ath-m50?

And the more I use my current headphones, the more I need new ones based on comfort alone. It has a lot of bass and that is nice, but comfort is top priority. And if too much bass can lead to discomfort, then I will just need to accept that I won't get as much bass, but also won't feel any pain after using them for a longer period of time.
Edited by strausd - 10/6/12 at 10:31am
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post #19805 of 28869
10/6/12 at 11:39am
Wow this is a huge thread and I've spent way too much time reading these forums in the last 2 weeks. Thanks to everyone who posts and bothers to answer noob questions!

I'm looking for my first "truly" high end cans, I'm currently using HD437, HD500, and AT50 for portable use. The 500's were high end when I bought them years and years ago...

I'm looking for the best all-round can I can get for under $1000USD, they would be run off of either the PC or iPhone primarily through my E17, or through my hi-fi for serious listening sessions. I listen to all types of music, literally....

For comparison I really love my AT50's (I was surprised!) for bassy/electronic although the trebles can be overly bright sometimes to the point where some metal can be painful, while the senn's are definitely warmer and better for anything mellowed but I find them a bit muddy for some stuff and I actually prefer the detail on the AT's

So far looking at the audeze lcd2, hifiman he500, senn's hd650, looking for mid sounding (I.e. all rounder not too bright or too warm, etc for lots of different music) theses ones are easy to get in Canada but I'm open and I'm also curious about high end closed cans as it increases where/when I can listen...although open cans should sound better?

Would love recommendations based on - detail first, bass second, soundstage third and anything else after that. Would prefer if they can run decent through my e17

Thanks for any response, and I'll keep reading all the other threads in the meantime!
Edited by ferday - 10/6/12 at 11:42am
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post #19806 of 28869
10/6/12 at 12:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferday View Post

Wow this is a huge thread and I've spent way too much time reading these forums in the last 2 weeks. Thanks to everyone who posts and bothers to answer noob questions!
I'm looking for my first "truly" high end cans, I'm currently using HD437, HD500, and AT50 for portable use. The 500's were high end when I bought them years and years ago...
I'm looking for the best all-round can I can get for under $1000USD, they would be run off of either the PC or iPhone primarily through my E17, or through my hi-fi for serious listening sessions. I listen to all types of music, literally....
For comparison I really love my AT50's (I was surprised!) for bassy/electronic although the trebles can be overly bright sometimes to the point where some metal can be painful, while the senn's are definitely warmer and better for anything mellowed but I find them a bit muddy for some stuff and I actually prefer the detail on the AT's
So far looking at the audeze lcd2, hifiman he500, senn's hd650, looking for mid sounding (I.e. all rounder not too bright or too warm, etc for lots of different music) theses ones are easy to get in Canada but I'm open and I'm also curious about high end closed cans as it increases where/when I can listen...although open cans should sound better?
Would love recommendations based on - detail first, bass second, soundstage third and anything else after that. Would prefer if they can run decent through my e17
Thanks for any response, and I'll keep reading all the other threads in the meantime!

 

The ones that you mentioned need way more power than what the E17 can provide to drive them properly. The E17 is a good DAC, but the amp section is a bit lacking. I've heard people drive HD650 with E17 with good results though, so YMMV.

 

For an all-rounder can I'd recommend the ATH-W1000x. They run for around 550 bucks, good bass response, great ATH mids and 3D soundstage. Treble can get out of hand on certain materials though, or depending on the amp. The higher model, W5000, is supposed to sound more refined but lacking in bass quantity and picky on components/source. The W3000ANV could be great too, being LTD edition and such.

 

Or get a D5000/7000 if you can find good deals on them. These Denons make great all-rounder cans with their insane sub-mid bass response and sparkling treble. Too bad they are getting discontinued, so you may try the D7100 instead for around 900 bucks. 

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post #19807 of 28869
10/6/12 at 12:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferday View Post

Wow this is a huge thread and I've spent way too much time reading these forums in the last 2 weeks. Thanks to everyone who posts and bothers to answer noob questions!
I'm looking for my first "truly" high end cans, I'm currently using HD437, HD500, and AT50 for portable use. The 500's were high end when I bought them years and years ago...
I'm looking for the best all-round can I can get for under $1000USD, they would be run off of either the PC or iPhone primarily through my E17, or through my hi-fi for serious listening sessions. I listen to all types of music, literally....
For comparison I really love my AT50's (I was surprised!) for bassy/electronic although the trebles can be overly bright sometimes to the point where some metal can be painful, while the senn's are definitely warmer and better for anything mellowed but I find them a bit muddy for some stuff and I actually prefer the detail on the AT's
So far looking at the audeze lcd2, hifiman he500, senn's hd650, looking for mid sounding (I.e. all rounder not too bright or too warm, etc for lots of different music) theses ones are easy to get in Canada but I'm open and I'm also curious about high end closed cans as it increases where/when I can listen...although open cans should sound better?
Would love recommendations based on - detail first, bass second, soundstage third and anything else after that. Would prefer if they can run decent through my e17
Thanks for any response, and I'll keep reading all the other threads in the meantime!


$1,000 is serious headphone money and in most cases probably the turf of the Summit-Fi section of this forum.  However, there is no sense in buying anywhere near that price point, if you are listening to MP3's through a Fiio.  The first two cans you mentioned are planars and I don't think that any Fiio will drive them properly.  The HD 650 is also too difficult to drive properly from most portable amps (I don't know about yours).  So first it is important to know:

 

What is the format of your music and other sounds you will putting into these cans?

 

What sound card, dac and amp beyond a Fiio do you plan to use--or are willing to buy?

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post #19808 of 28869
10/6/12 at 12:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strausd View Post


I definitely like the design of the dt770s, but there were multiple reviews on amazon saying hey wouldn't be ideal to use without an amp, and that was the reviews of the 80 ohm one.
What would you say about the new Sony XB800s? Or the audio technica ath-m50?
And the more I use my current headphones, the more I need new ones based on comfort alone. It has a lot of bass and that is nice, but comfort is top priority. And if too much bass can lead to discomfort, then I will just need to accept that I won't get as much bass, but also won't feel any pain after using them for a longer period of time.

The beyers will benefit from an amp, but the 80ohm you can do without one unless you need to play music super loud. The bass will tighten up a bit with an amp, but even though they are 80ohm, they aren't that hard to drive volume wise. The Sennheisers that you are also looking at, benefit from an amp as it brings out the bass a little more and fills the bottom end.

 

I know nothing about the XB800 as it looks like it is less than a month old. The XB500/XB700 were total basshead headphones and were very comfortable. You might look into the XB700 as it has slightly better mids and highs than the XB500.

 

The M50 would probably have the sound you are looking for, but may not be the most comfortable choice. Some people think they are comfortable, while others can't stand them after a short while.

 

Too much bass may lead to discomfort if it personally bothers you. Some people are bothered by bright treble and can't listen to certain headphones for too long because of it. If the bass has bothered you, then you could look for something wil a bit less bass emphasis. The most comfortable headphones in your price range IMO are the Beyer DT770/880/990 or any Sennheiser from the HD518 or up. 

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post #19809 of 28869
10/6/12 at 1:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KG Jag View Post


$1,000 is serious headphone money and in most cases probably the turf of the Summit-Fi section of this forum.  However, there is no sense in buying anywhere near that price point, if you are listening to MP3's through a Fiio.  The first two cans you mentioned are planars and I don't think that any Fiio will drive them properly.  The HD 650 is also too difficult to drive properly from most portable amps (I don't know about yours).  So first it is important to know:

What is the format of your music and other sounds you will putting into these cans?

What sound card, dac and amp beyond a Fiio do you plan to use--or are willing to buy?

Thanks (link pro too)

Im a pretty obsessive music collector, Most of my music is in flac, with 320k mp3 copies for pod use, although I have a lot of lower quality stuff as well I'm not expecting that to sound great on anything. I've been more into the collecting itself, and my hifi in the past and have a good system but with kids and junk I can't listen as much as I'd like, and I travel a lot for work so I'm getting into the phones world more and more. I almost never use cd's or vinyl since I've ripped it all.

I can plug in to my hifi which is onkyo receiver + pre amp, it should drive any can just fine I would think...but I don't wanna be stuck in my theatre room I'd rather be able to have a portable-ish system if possible (ie sit in bed or in front of my PC). Is there an add on to the e17 to jack the power or am I looking at a completely different setup?

In short, over time I'm willing to spend an almost arbitrary amount for a great setup. For now, I have 1k...save it? Buy a desktop amp first? Even better, a portable? Or are there cheaper cans that will sound a lot better than my current setup, using the e17 as it sits? I like the e17 but I've never had a DAC before so the difference is enormous to me at the moment...

Thanks a bunch guys the quick responses are appreciated
Edited by ferday - 10/6/12 at 2:01pm
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post #19810 of 28869
10/6/12 at 3:27pm

For a portable setup, you could buy a small one box dac/amp and put the rest into customs or collapsible closed headphones. I'm using a Practical Devices XM6 to an ER4P at work and thinking of upgrading to either the Ultrasone Signature Pros or customs myself.

 

I don't think it would compare to a desktop dac/amp and open headphone in the same price range though. The XM6 is a good battery powered portable, but I've owned desktop units that are around half the price (Audinst HUD-MX1, Audio-GD NFB-12, etc) that can outperform it.

 

Seeing that you have an E17 already, you could get something like a Fiio E09k and a HE-400 for home use (around $520 total) and then get some top tier iems to use with E17 on the go. 

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post #19811 of 28869
10/6/12 at 4:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipster2010 View Post

Too much bass may lead to discomfort if it personally bothers you. Some people are bothered by bright treble and can't listen to certain headphones for too long because of it. If the bass has bothered you, then you could look for something wil a bit less bass emphasis. The most comfortable headphones in your price range IMO are the Beyer DT770/880/990 or any Sennheiser from the HD518 or up. 

Ok that is good to hear. Of the DT770 and HD 558, which one wins overall for comfort and which one for bass? And by how much? And how would the HD 449 fit in that area?
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post #19812 of 28869
10/6/12 at 4:35pm

Hi,

I used to have the Pioneer HDJ-2000 for a really long time until it got stolen a week ago. Now I want to get another pair of headset but not the same as my old cans. Any suggestions of what i can get that compares to Pioneer HDJ-2000 or better in terms of quality and price(willing to pay more if its worth it).

 

Thanks.

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post #19813 of 28869
10/6/12 at 5:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strausd View Post


Ok that is good to hear. Of the DT770 and HD 558, which one wins overall for comfort and which one for bass? And by how much? And how would the HD 449 fit in that area?

I don't know what the HD449 is like, but it will not be in the same league as teh other two cans. The comfort is pretty similar between the two cans so it's mainly personal preference. The DT770 will have more bass, but it is a bit boomy, with an amp it will get a bit tighter. The HD558 will have a more balanced bass that will come forward when amped. Both are great cans, but very different. The HD558 is a pretty friendly sound that will make most music sound good even it it was mastered poorly. The DT770 has a "fun" sound with more emphasis on the bass and treble. Either can may work for you, but the best thing would be to see if you can try out at least one. While this might not be possible, it would at least let you see if the one(s) you try feel and sound the way you want.

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post #19814 of 28869
10/6/12 at 7:13pm
Just a quick question, I'm wondering about the bass impact of the KRK 8400s compared to other headphones that are commonly labeled as "neutral" such as the Shure 840s, Sony MDR-V6, and FA-003/clones. I ask this because I've heard that the KRK's are "bass light" and having little to compare them to I'm not sure if what I'm hearing is what one would consider bass light or neutral. I just know that they're much, much lighter in bass than my m50s, which I know are known to have an emphasized bass. So if I did decide to eventually pick any of these up, I'd like to know how they compare.
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post #19815 of 28869
10/6/12 at 8:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferday View Post


Thanks (link pro too)
Im a pretty obsessive music collector, Most of my music is in flac, with 320k mp3 copies for pod use, although I have a lot of lower quality stuff as well I'm not expecting that to sound great on anything. I've been more into the collecting itself, and my hifi in the past and have a good system but with kids and junk I can't listen as much as I'd like, and I travel a lot for work so I'm getting into the phones world more and more. I almost never use cd's or vinyl since I've ripped it all.
I can plug in to my hifi which is onkyo receiver + pre amp, it should drive any can just fine I would think...but I don't wanna be stuck in my theatre room I'd rather be able to have a portable-ish system if possible (ie sit in bed or in front of my PC). Is there an add on to the e17 to jack the power or am I looking at a completely different setup?
In short, over time I'm willing to spend an almost arbitrary amount for a great setup. For now, I have 1k...save it? Buy a desktop amp first? Even better, a portable? Or are there cheaper cans that will sound a lot better than my current setup, using the e17 as it sits? I like the e17 but I've never had a DAC before so the difference is enormous to me at the moment...
Thanks a bunch guys the quick responses are appreciated


I'll start with a word on warning.  In my experience the headphone out of an Onkyo A/V receiver is very weak.  It probably won't adequately power an HD 650 and certainly won't drive most if not not all planars.  It's not like the 70's and 80's when receiver headphone jacks could power about anything you plugged in--and included 600 Ohm dynamic headphones.

 

If you want a quality and affordable portable amp that will drive almost anything except planars, the HeadRoom Total Airhead is still on sale for half price ($49.00):

 

http://www.headphone.com/headphone-amps/amplifiers/headroom-total-airhead.php

 

You should plan on getting a desk top amp at minimum and perhaps an amp/dac in either one piece (purchase) or two.  I'm old school and still do my serious music listening on CD & vinyl.  So for me, the amp alone is enough.  My guess is that you will end up with both (perhaps in a combo unit).  Good desktop equipment that will push planars starts at about $225 to $250 a pop.  Some (among many) examples are the Schiit Asgard amp & Bifrost dac, Matrix M Stage and Audio-gd NFB 12.1 (amp + dac).  What you select will greatly depend on how it pairs with the cans you ultimately buy.

 

With regard to cans--the HD 650 (and older more neutral) HD 600 are classics and still hold up very well.  Above them the best buy new is the HE-500.

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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › ++ FULL-SIZE HEADPHONE RECOMMENDATIONS THREAD++ i.e. Don't start a new thread: ask for advice HERE! [Please read OP]