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Looking for new headphones. I am in between Panasonic RP HTF600, KRK KNS 6400, and Shure SRH440

post #1 of 16
1/3/12 at 5:55pm
Thread Starter 

I recently got some sennheisser hd220s and I really enjoyed them except they were incredibly uncomfortable to wear for more than 5 minutes.  They were too tight and I would constantly try to adjust them but it never improved.  So, I've been reading all over the internet to decide what to get for a replacement, but I thought I'd get some confirmation by posting my own thread.

 

Basically, I know this much about each headphone:

 

KRK KNS 6400 - Most people say they are incredibly comfortable and that they are great at producing a flat response sound.  I'm not sure if I would enjoy these because I would've liked a little more color and bass from the sennheissers, which I'm returning.

 

Shure SRH440 - I've heard that these are quite popular and produce and all around good sound.  However, I have also heard that they can be uncomfortable when worn for a long period of time because of their weight.  My musician friend just got a pair and highly recommends them but comfortability is a big issue for me.  

 

I have a large head (had to buy a double XL helmet for Lacrosse) and pretty big ears.  It's probably safe to say that I am also sensitive around my ears because most headphones I've owned have been uncomfortable for me.  The most comfortable pair I've ever worn were Phillips Stretch, but those don't sound to great and they're pretty cheap looking.

 

Panasonic RP HTF600 - These look very appealing to me because of the price.  They appear to be very popular because of the surprising quality to price ratio.  I am willing to spend the extra money to get a better headphone though.  I would gladly step the price up from $30 to $75 if that means getting a better overall product.  People say these headphones have a great low end.  This is also very attractive to me.

 

I mainly listen to contemporary jazz and electronic jazz fusion (Chick Corea, Eldar, Dorian Concept, The Clonious, Squarepusher), a little bit of experimental/ambient hip hop (Flying Lotus), and classical.  I greatly enjoy loud, head-shaking bass, but I am also a very analytical listener.  I want the headphone to make all minute aspects of the sound apparent when listening.

 

Any thoughts?  I'm leaning toward the Panasonics but I want to make sure that they live up to hype.  My second choice would be the KRKs because of their comfortability.

 

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post #2 of 16
1/3/12 at 6:26pm

You might want to try the KRK 6400's with the 8400 memory foam pads for maximum comfort. 

 

Since you are a self described "analytical listener", stay far away from the Panasonics.  They lack detail in every register. 

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post #3 of 16
1/3/12 at 6:34pm
Thread Starter 

Woah.  The foam pads alone cost 30 dollars.  I'd rather buy the KRKs and the panasonics if I'm spending extra.  Sadly I don't have that option right now.  $75 budget.  I might look into it later on though.  How's the bass on the 6400's?  If it lacks presence, could I EQ it in?

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post #4 of 16
1/3/12 at 8:29pm

I did exactly this, aggressively equalizing my bass 5-7dB. The answer is yes, but the bass is a bit different. The bass has volume, the bass can shake at 20hz, but the bass doesn't slam like a more standard headphone can. If you're someone who wants emphasized, impactful bass I would suggest against the 6400s, but if you're fine with a more subdued, tone-like bass the 6400s can do a fine job. I found bass impact at 70hz can be pretty decent, but it gets significantly iffier in the lower frequencies. I explain more in my full review of the KRK KNS 6400s.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BittyTang View Post

Woah.  The foam pads alone cost 30 dollars.  I'd rather buy the KRKs and the panasonics if I'm spending extra.  Sadly I don't have that option right now.  $75 budget.  I might look into it later on though.  How's the bass on the 6400's?  If it lacks presence, could I EQ it in?



 

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post #5 of 16
1/3/12 at 9:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SanjiWatsuki View Post

If you're someone who wants emphasized, impactful bass I would suggest against the 6400s


I would really like as much bass as I can get while still having a clear sound.  Are their any similar headphones with more impactful bass?  How would the SRH440s hold up?

 

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post #6 of 16
1/3/12 at 9:21pm

I have not heard the SRH440 personally, but I expect it to handle bass in the exact same way. Quotes like "The bass response is very sterile, or dry I guess would be a good way to put it. It's there, it just isn't impressive, even with the extra pads."  when people talk about the SRH440's bass and also the graph showing the bass response being overdamped, like the KRK KNS 6400, makes me come to this conclusion. Between the two, I would choose the KRKs because the bass response looks less overdamped (therefore more impactful) and, from what I've seen, their waterfall CSD plots are cleaner and quicker, implying better clarity and clearness.

 

As for the HTF600, it's a completely different class of headphone. The details across the board are not even close to the KRK KNS 6400, but the bass is big, boomy, and impactful. Loose bass response, slow transient response, mediocre detailing, but an overall warm bassy sound. It's probably the best choice for a budget basshead headphone, better than the XB500 in my opinion. It's a good $30-40 headphone and is incredibly comfortable with velour pads (my most comfortable headphone, hands down), but is the exact opposite of an analytic headphone. I suggest against getting this one. 

 

It's almost impossible to get analytic sound and big impactful bass at this price point -- headphones which do impactful lows with detailed, analytic mids and highs really don't show up until the Sennheiser HD650s, and those breach $300. The Fostex orthodynamics can pull this off significantly cheaper, but require modding which may not churn out the same results for everyone. 

 

How good of an amp are you packing? One thing I would seriously consider is getting the Fostex T20RP MKII and do -very- aggressive equalization. It has an amazing mid-range, but very little bass response stock. It wouldn't require modding and I found that it sounded amazing once equalized correctly. My T20RP MKII has since been modded, but it is still my headphone of choice.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BittyTang View Post


I would really like as much bass as I can get while still having a clear sound.  Are their any similar headphones with more impactful bass?  How would the SRH440s hold up?

 



 

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post #7 of 16
1/3/12 at 9:36pm
Thread Starter 

I don't have an amp. I'd prefer not to use one.  I'm just going to be plugging these into my computer for gaming and an ipod for music.  I'm not very big into the headphone scene.  The nicest headphones I've ever listened to are my friends beats or my old sennheiser hd280s.  I was impressed enough with both of those headphones, but the beats are way pricey and the senns were uncomfortable.  I guess I'll say that I'd be satisfied with a headphone that's comparable with either of those two headphones but also comfortable.  If the KRKs accomplish that then I'll probably end up getting those.


Edited by BittyTang - 1/3/12 at 9:39pm
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post #8 of 16
1/3/12 at 9:38pm
Thread Starter 

I'd actually never heard of portable headphone amps until finding this site.  Do they improve sound dramatically?  If so, I'd look into buying one for sure.  And which ones can you recommend (that aren't too pricy).

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post #9 of 16
1/3/12 at 9:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BittyTang View Post

I'd actually never heard of portable headphone amps until finding this site.  Do they improve sound dramatically?  If so, I'd look into buying one for sure.  And which ones can you recommend (that aren't too pricy).



One of the fiio's might help, but they aren't going to dramatically improve the bass of a phone that's a little weak in the lows. Maybe you'd be better off with something like the m50. One I've heard personally with good lows is the Equation RP21....also the sony v6 might be good for the music genres you listen to.

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post #10 of 16
1/3/12 at 10:29pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lejaz View Post



One of the fiio's might help, but they aren't going to dramatically improve the bass of a phone that's a little weak in the lows. Maybe you'd be better off with something like the m50. One I've heard personally with good lows is the Equation RP21....also the sony v6 might be good for the music genres you listen to.



The m50 is a little over my budget.  I heard the RP21s are a lot like the v6's but with less range.  I've heard good stuff about the sony v6 but I'm not sure if it's actually a great headphone or if it's just been around for a long time and garnered celebrity status.

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post #11 of 16
1/3/12 at 10:40pm

No way....the RP21 sounds nothing like the v6 imo. They have less high end, but if you remove the foam that improves. They're more neutral and warmer...and a bit darker... than the v6, and have good strong bass. They're very good with jazz and hip hop, imo. The krk's will probably have better highs, but you'll definitely lose out with the lows. The v6 is not a bad headphone at all. It's just got too much of a upper mid peak for a lot of folks....however others aren't bothered by this at all. YMMV


Edited by lejaz - 1/3/12 at 10:41pm
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post #12 of 16
1/3/12 at 10:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lejaz View Post

No way....the RP21 sounds nothing like the v6 imo. They have less high end, but if you remove the foam that improves. They're more neutral and warmer...and a bit darker... than the v6, and have good strong bass. They're very good with jazz and hip hop, imo. The krk's will probably have better highs, but you'll definitely lose out with the lows. The v6 is not a bad headphone at all. It's just got too much of a upper mid peak for a lot of folks....however others aren't bothered by this at all. YMMV



Well, even if I were to get the rp21s, I can't find them anywhere.

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post #13 of 16
1/3/12 at 10:47pm

The Panasonic RP-HTF600-S have a good bassy sound, I've used the Beyer EDT 200 Velour pads since day one.

The Beyerdynamic EDT 200 Velour ear pads are $20-$25 and out of stock until about Feb.

They are plastic($35) headphones, the Shure and KRK will take more abuse (guessing).

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post #14 of 16
1/3/12 at 10:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

The Panasonic RP-HTF600-S have a good bassy sound, I've used the Beyer EDT 200 Velour pads since day one.

The Beyerdynamic EDT 200 Velour ear pads are $20-$25 and out of stock until about Feb.

They are plastic($35) headphones, the Shure and KRK will take more abuse (guessing).



Maybe I can find a place to listen to those.  I'm really curious about how they sound.

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post #15 of 16
1/4/12 at 2:45am

The Shures and KRKs will no doubt be able to take more abuse. My HTF600s feel flimsy by comparison. If you're fine with equalizing, I still think the only headphone that can provide good bass with analytic mids and highs is a Fostex orthodynamic like a T20RP MKII or T50RP, either with modding or heavy equalizing.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BittyTang View Post



Maybe I can find a place to listen to those.  I'm really curious about how they sound.



 

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