Based from the characteristics of ATH-A900, eg. easily driven without amp, forgiving, good soundstage, etc..

Is there a headphone that has similar characteristics as ATH-A900 but better ?

I was thinking to get ATH-A900, from your opinion, what is the next level of ATH-A900? providing it has the same characteristics ?

I hear the Beyer 880's are the next step up, then the cd3k's, but of course they both need to be amped.

I wouldn't really say DT880 is the next step up.. DT880 has a sound signature that's quite different from the A900. It's somewhat a mixture of Sennheiser (distance from sound, airy soundstage), Grado (exciting and forward bass and trebles)... somewhere along the line there's some characteristic of the A900 in there as well.

Of course, DT880 should be a slightly higher class headphone than the A900, but it's not a direct upgrade in terms of retaining the same type of sound signature.

There's a big blackhole in between that $200~$300 class headphones... the direct next step up is really the Sony CD3000, or one of the Audio Technica W series....

Both of which costs much more, and they don't have the easily driven and forgiving characteristic of the A900. They're all very detailed, and very revealing of any flaws in your source.

a Grado.

so that means, if i am looking for the headphone that has the characteristics of ATH-A900, well... my quest will end with ATH-A900 then ?

I wouldn't consider Grados a progression of the A900 sound either. If you are strictly speaking of what people might consider "better", Grados has a few more headphones to throw into the mix. If you are considering the "characteristic of the A900 to the next level", then the Grados aren't it.

Besides a very different sound signature, Grado's soundstage is vastly different than just about any other headphones that I've ever heard. Grados has a soundstage that starts from the "inside-out". It feels like the sound is coming from the middle of your head and fading away as it gets further.

All other headphones that I've ever tried in my life has a soundstage that mimics something closer to reality... sound is emmitted from a source outside, and gets closer and closer to me.

This is a characteristic that's both interesting, intriguing, addictive, but also repulsive about the Grados. You can get really used to it and finding it addictive, or you may find it completely lacking and get annoyed with it. It's just a matter of personal preference.

Grados do not have the same type of 3d imaging that the A900/CD3000, even the Sennheiser HD580/600/650 is able to achieve either. Grado's 3d imaging is more compressed and flattened.

Anyway, not to say that Grados aren't good headphones... just that if you want a natural progression of "what's next" after the A900, the Grados aren't it.

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Could very well be... I've been stuck with the A900 for quite a while now. Although I've finally just gotten myself a CD3000 recently (due to a good deal in the F/S forum), and it will be here in another week or so.

CD3000 really is the direct big brother to the A900's. Just that it's also a lot more stringent on what it needs to make it really sing. At the same time, I'm also ready to spend another huge chunk of change to upgrade my source... so it's all in consideration.

If I wasn't going to upgrade my source, then I wouldn't have gotten the CD3000's anyway.

well then... A900 for me then... hehe... cause i cant afford CD3000 not to mention it desperately NEEDS an amp ! hehe...