[fiyace]

Hey Head-Fi,
 
Recent joiner here and I have a couple headphones already but am looking for much more. I have the Ultrasone HFI 780s but they don't pack nearly enough punch for me and sound far too tinny; I also have the V-Moda M80s which I like a lot but am looking for an overall upgrade (and the on-ear style kills my ears). I predominantly listen to trance/house (Above & Beyond, PvD, Armin, Arty, Alesso, Kaskade, Eric Prydz etc)/most other electronic music except for dubstep. I love and listen to every other type of music like rap, rock, pop, classical etc. a lot too so I would like these headphones to be great overall and not too pidgeonholed into only electronic. 
 
Headphones I am considering are the HifiMan HE-400 or HE-500s, Audeze LCD-2's,  Senn. 650's, MadDog's, Ultrasone HFI 900 and not quite sure on the amp other than it needs to be portable and I've heard great things about the Fiio E11.
 
If anyone can comment on any of these or add other headphones/amps I should consider I'd greatly appreciate it.
 
Also, the reviews on here are stellar. Head-Fi is awesome.
 
Edit: I do enjoy a good amount of bass, but nothing more than is proportionally on the VModa M80s as these are borderline too much for me, though not yet overdone.

 

[Mad Max]

What's your music source?
Do you care if the headphone is open-back or closed?
 
I would leave out the Fostex and HD650 from your list of considerations and add DT990 and DT880 if you don't mind open-back.  Add Q701 to the list if you plan on getting a Stepdance, 2Stepdance, or Quickstep portable amplifier.
Add ATH-A2000X if you skimp out on getting a good portable amp, although the wrong amp can make the treble on this one a bit awful.

 

[fiyace]

No preference between open/closed back; source will be my phone (Galaxy S3) or my computer though am actually also looking for a new mp3 player as well (have been looking at Cowon recently but the model everyone seems to love here [D9?] is impossible to find).
 
If anyone can possibly pair good combos of amps with headphones that would be ideal (as Mad Max has done, thank you btw).
 
Can you comment on the E11 with the HE 400 vs. HE 500 vs. Ultrasone HFI 900? What amp maximizes these headphones' sound/which would be best for primarily electronic music? Best overall? How do they compare to the DT990 + amp(/which amp?) and the Q701 with Stepdance/2Stepdance/Quickstep amps?
 
Edit: Source also a Nexus 7 tablet.

 

[teknikk7]

Schiit Modi  $99
Schiit Magni  $99
Beyer DT990 Premium 600OHM  $379
---------------------------------------------------------
$ 577
 
You will be happy.

 

[Deviver]

Quote:

Schiit Modi  $99
Schiit Magni  $99
Beyer DT990 Premium 600OHM  $379
HRT STreamer  $149
---------------------------------------------------------
$ 726
 
You will be happy.

sorry to derail slightly for a newbie questoin but what is the purpose of both the HRT STreamer and the Modi? (arent they both dacs?)

 

[teknikk7]

Quote:

sorry to derail slightly for a newbie questoin but what is the purpose of both the HRT STreamer and the Modi? (arent they both dacs?)

Doh!  My bad, you are correct.  Not sure where that came from..

 

[fiyace]

What is the difference in sound quality between 600 OHMs and the other variants (250, 32) aside from needing an amp to power it? And is there a decent portable amp that will work with them? I feel like no portable amp will sufficiently drive a 600 OHM set of cans, though I have actually read a decent amount about Schiit and hear great things so I may try it out.

 

[Bill-P]

None of the headphones you listed is suitable for portable use, so why would you want a portable amp?
 
And if you are looking for pure bass, I think you can try either M-Audio Q40, or Audio Technica's new WS99.
 
Before someone recommends you something like a Denon D2000, I have to say... they are more transportable than portable due to their size and cable length, but if you feel comfortable with that...

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

None of the headphones you listed is suitable for portable use, so why would you want a portable amp?
 
And if you are looking for pure bass, I think you can try either M-Audio Q40, or Audio Technica's new WS99.
 
Before someone recommends you something like a Denon D2000, I have to say... they are more transportable than portable due to their size and cable length, but if you feel comfortable with that...

 
He probably doesn't share your idea of "portable".

 

[teknikk7]

Quote:

What is the difference in sound quality between 600 OHMs and the other variants (250, 32) aside from needing an amp to power it? And is there a decent portable amp that will work with them? I feel like no portable amp will sufficiently drive a 600 OHM set of cans, though I have actually read a decent amount about Schiit and hear great things so I may try it out.

Not exactly sure..?  I had the 250's first and returned them.  The 600 got that slam that a basshead like myself craves.

 

[jibzilla]

.

 

[fiyace]

I am looking for a pair that I will also be able to bring into the office but bring with a portable amp because I can't bring in a desktop one

None of the headphones you listed is suitable for portable use, so why would you want a portable amp?

And if you are looking for pure bass, I think you can try either M-Audio Q40, or Audio Technica's new WS99.

Before someone recommends you something like a Denon D2000, I have to say... they are more transportable than portable due to their size and cable length, but if you feel comfortable with that...

 

[teknikk7]

Quote:

ultrasone pro900 and alo national.

If you don't care about mids +1...

 

[fiyace]

I have done some research and determined the recessed mids on the Ultrasone's will likely bother me too much to get them so they are out of the question. I also hear the DT 990s (600 OHM) have incredible bass, but am worried they may be too overpowering for my liking. How does their bass compare to that of the V Moda M80s on both an absolute comparison and relative proportion to the rest of the sound signature? For me, the M80s have lots of bass which I would say is too overpowering were it not made up for by great mids and highs which IMO are not lost or muddied at all by the bass (and to my great surprise!). Do any other varying OHM level models of the DT990s produce less bass than the 990s and would you still pair them with the Schiit Modi/Magni? If this is the best combo, I will go ahead and get it as I don't yet have a desktop DAC/amp combo at home and am also in the market for one.

 

[Mad Max]

The other versions have more bass, supposedly. Especially the 32-ohm version.