++ FULL-SIZE HEADPHONE RECOMMENDATIONS THREAD++ i.e. Don't start a new thread: ask for advice... - Page 1760

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

Which Superlux?  The M50's have recessed mids.  Most seem to buy them for their bass.

The 681's. They broke just a week ago, bought them on june '12. :)

Hello, i am new to the forum and decided to sign up since i am looking for a pair of headphones to replace my recently broken sennheiser hd 202's. Since i was not impressed with them i was looking for a new pair of either open or closed (preferably closed) over ear headphones under/around $300 mark to listen to music and play games on my computer, something that will wow me hopefully as well as not hurt after hours of gaming. My dad is an audiophile and i am kind of spoilt listening to naim equipment all the time and would like some nice sounding headphones. I mostly listen to un-copyrighted rap but also trance, rock, pop, and punk. classical/opera are the genres i do not listen to which is why i am posting this. I was looking at the sennheiser hd 598's but they are more suited towards the genres i do not listen to. Also wondering what else i would need to get, AMP, sound card etc. I know pretty much nothing about headphones so any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time. 

Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a new pair of headphones, and don't want to hurt the wallet *too* much. I currently have Bose AE1s, and despite all their negative press, they are the best sounding headphones I have heard so far, even compared to ATH-M50s, Sennheiser 555s (which have more soundstage), and a number of others I have had the chance to compare side by side. My current dream would be the M50s plus the AE1s in one, but one can only dream.

All of that said, I am looking for a really neutral and flat response pair of headphones. I want to hear the music as it was intended to sound. I am currently considering the German Maestro GMP 8.35 D or the Denon AH-D5000. The GMPs I can get for $200, and the Denons for $440. Given that the GMPs are less than half the price, and seem to review nearly as well, I am wondering if there is really such a big step (or a $240 step) between the two. I've heard people say "oh, this is what a $440 pair of headphones sound like" or "the wood creates an entirely different atmosphere" or "I've never heard anything that is quite as good as these". Whilst all that is well and good, is the community consensus that the Denons are out of this world and a superb headphone, possibly worth $240 more than the GMPs?

These will be combined with my Juli@ sound card, and my Bushmaster DAC.

Any help, comparisons, and experiences you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated :)

Kind regards,

sabrehagen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trunks159 

I'm not really getting any answers here but I'll try again. Could anyone compare the bass quantity of an open can like a q701 or hd598 to a closed can like mdr7506, mdr 1r, or dt770 pro 80. They will only be amped by a fiio e11. I have some sr80is and they don't have enough bass.

Thanks!

I've heard the K701/K702, HD595, and 1R's. Not exactly the Q701 or HD598 but they will have to do.

Obviously with the 1R's you're going to get more bass slam. The Senn's are really basslight, they don't reach very deep either. The AKG's have more bass extension and detail but not much impact. IIRC, the AKG's have about 2/3 of the bass punch of the 1R's.

If the Grado's didn't have enough bass for you, then obviously the Q701/HD598 won't be any good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trunks159 

Well for starters you need an open can.  I myself am looking for an open can for around the same price.

 

Ive found 3 that compete for the title:

AKG Q701

Sennheiser HD558/598

MDR MA900

 

I will probably get the ma900s though.

 

Actually, i take that back, you don't need n open can.  The Beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80s are perfect for dance/electronic music and have a great sound stage.  If you get an open can, your definitely gonna loose some bass for those genres, but will be mind blowing for games.  You should check them out.

After poking around a bit, reading and looking for something within my budget I went for the DT770 80.

I found them in a german site(madooma.com) for 200$ including worldwide shipping. rather than 240+ from other places.

Thank you for the helpful advice!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrViolin 

treble head? Did I just hear that? Orthos are pretty dark in comparison to stats and dynamics. LCD-2 is already considered pretty colored and dark when comparing them to other phones. 

Wasn't there a Star Trek episode titled "The Trouble with Trebles?"

Originally Posted by roguegeek (Click to show)

Quote:

Originally Posted by roguegeek 

I tried to get some feedback from the AD appreciation crowd, but it was pretty minimal so I'm checking with the general recommendation thread group. I'm not currently in the market for a new can, but I wanted to start my research early so when it does happen (probably in a few months), I will have tested a fair amount of equipment and can continue with an educated decision.

 

First some background every understands where I'm coming from. I use two closed cans at work (MDR-1R and SRH940), one open can for gaming (K702), and one open can for home music (AD700). I have loved the sound and detail my AD700 since I originally bought it for my gaming rig, but it's about the most uncomfortable thing you've ever put on your head, so I picked up the K702 and relegated the AD700 back to my home music rig which sees about the least amount of playtime from me. Now I'm looking to replace it again.

 

• I don't have a set budget on this purchase. Maybe $800-1000? My priority is my happiness and I'm willing to spend a decent amount to get there.
• These will be strictly for home use and never taken outside. The majority of the time will be spent in a seat, on a couch, or laying down and just listening to music. I envision a small percentage will be spent on watching movies as well.
• I have no isolation needs what so ever. They can be wide open and I prefer them to be.
• I know people hate hearing this answer, but my musical tastes are all over the place. Format can be MP3, AAC, FLAC, and AppleLossless. Bit rates for the lossy format are generally 320kbps, but there is probably a small portion of my library that can dip down to 192kbps.
• The major source will be an Apple Macbook Pro, but it may every once in a while come from a higher end Pioneer receiver (can't recall the model at this time). I have not decided on an amp yet, but I will be sure it pairs well with the cans that I choose. No budget has been set yet, but I anticipate $300-600.
• I am looking for a neutral signature with quality sound throughout all frequencies. I love crisp detail in the highs and quick/punchy lows. The soundstage sound be expansive to help pinpoint the detail. If I could compare it to something everyone has heard, think of an uber AD700 with a little more punchy bass.

 

I have the Audeze LCD2 on my list. I'd like to get a group of maybe 3 or 4 to try out in total. What else should go on that list?

 

I also would like recommendations of cans that I can try with contrasting signatures to the one I'm describing above just so I can be sure that what I'm looking for is really what I want.

 

As always, thanks for all of your help. Thoughts? Feedback?

 

 

Done a fair amount of research this week and based on that, my original criteria above, and your recommendations, I've put together an initial list of cans to check out with comments or concerns. It's listed from least interested to most interested.

• HD 650: Looks like they are the exact opposites of what I'm looking for. Very warm. Very slow. Very dark treble. I want to try them for that comparison.
• HD 600: Maybe a little closer to neutral than the HD 650. We'll see.
• LCD2: This was the first on my list for a while, but it's getting pushed back because I'm reading it's fairly warm with a fairly recessed treble.

• HE-5LE: The price is right, but I'm reading a lot of very wild treble. As it is discontinued, it's going to be difficult to demo and/or purchase them.
• HE-6: They read like they'd be something I'd really really like, but I'm concerned out possibly being too bright. The big thing that's pushing me away from this is the cost and extreme amount of amping they need.
• HD 700: Don't know much about these and it looks like it's going to be hard to demo and/or purchase them as they are discontinued.
• HD 800: Everything I've read about these make me excited. Looks to be very detailed, analytical, and with a very wide soundstage. Like the HE-6, the only thing swaying me away from them is the price.

• T1 Tesla: Love the DT880, but haven't heard the 600ohm version of it. I'm very concerned about the T1 being worth the the $1050 difference between the two.
• HE-500: From everything I've read, these are number one on my list. Sounds like they're a slightly more efficient HE-6 with much tighter treble compared to the HE-5 and HE-5LE. The price point is also very very attractive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zilchy 

Hello, i am new to the forum and decided to sign up since i am looking for a pair of headphones to replace my recently broken sennheiser hd 202's. Since i was not impressed with them i was looking for a new pair of either open or closed (preferably closed) over ear headphones under/around $300 mark to listen to music and play games on my computer, something that will wow me hopefully as well as not hurt after hours of gaming. My dad is an audiophile and i am kind of spoilt listening to naim equipment all the time and would like some nice sounding headphones. I mostly listen to un-copyrighted rap but also trance, rock, pop, and punk. classical/opera are the genres i do not listen to which is why i am posting this. I was looking at the sennheiser hd 598's but they are more suited towards the genres i do not listen to. Also wondering what else i would need to get, AMP, sound card etc. I know pretty much nothing about headphones so any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time. 

First check the buyers guides linked in the opening post of this thread.  After that let us know which cans appeal to you and why.  This will help narrow things down and draw sharper focus on what you're looking for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabrehagen 

Hi guys,

 

I'm looking to buy a new pair of headphones, and don't want to hurt the wallet *too* much. I currently have Bose AE1s, and despite all their negative press, they are the best sounding headphones I have heard so far, even compared to ATH-M50s, Sennheiser 555s (which have more soundstage), and a number of others I have had the chance to compare side by side. My current dream would be the M50s plus the AE1s in one, but one can only dream.

 

All of that said, I am looking for a really neutral and flat response pair of headphones. I want to hear the music as it was intended to sound. I am currently considering the German Maestro GMP 8.35 D or the Denon AH-D5000. The GMPs I can get for $200, and the Denons for $440. Given that the GMPs are less than half the price, and seem to review nearly as well, I am wondering if there is really such a big step (or a $240 step) between the two. I've heard people say "oh, this is what a $440 pair of headphones sound like" or "the wood creates an entirely different atmosphere" or "I've never heard anything that is quite as good as these". Whilst all that is well and good, is the community consensus that the Denons are out of this world and a superb headphone, possibly worth $240 more than the GMPs?

 

These will be combined with my Juli@ sound card, and my Bushmaster DAC.

 

Any help, comparisons, and experiences you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated :)

 

Kind regards,

 

 

sabrehagen

Haven't heard the German Maistro, but the M50 and D5000 are not neutral headphones.  Once again, I suggest that you check out the buying guides linked in the opening post of this thread and use it as a starting point for your research.  Once you've IDed some neutral or neutral-ish cans that interest you come back and post again concerning what you like and why you like it.  This will help narrow things down and draw sharper focus on what you're looking for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven7 

Hi guys, I was looking for a new headphone and I am looking for some help here. I need a headphone that have clear vocal, clarity and rich sound while bass is really not a requirement. Most of the time I will use it on movies and music, and some gaming. I am also looking forward for it to have sufficient amount of noise isolation and comfortable as I sometimes wear it for long hours. And I am using it for me desktop with a Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! Pro USB Sound Card so it needs not be portable (despite the fact that my sound card is USB). Last but not least, I am in quite a tight budget here at around $70 and I only have my eyes on Audio-Techica ATH-T500 and Sennheiser HD 203. Any recommendation and comments on my current choice is appreciated. Thanks.

The best can in that neighborhood for unamped use  is the CAL!, currently just under $70 at Amazon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trunks159 

I'm not really getting any answers here but I'll try again. Could anyone compare the bass quantity of an open can like a q701 or hd598 to a closed can like mdr7506, mdr 1r, or dt770 pro 80. They will only be amped by a fiio e11. I have some sr80is and they don't have enough bass.

Thanks!

You're asking about how 5 different cans will sound out of one particular amp $60 portable amp.  You are not likely to get many, if any, responses.