[Danchou]

Hey guys,
 
I got my ATH-M50 a week ago, upgraded from 20 € IEM. I of course love them, but i would rather like something more portable, so I was thinking on switching back to IEM or get a pair besides the M50. The ATH-M50 also drain my Galaxy S i9000 way too fast.
I don't want to miss the High quality of the M50, but i think I prefer the sound(stage) of IEM over Headphones. Important for me is, that they have a good isolation, because i will mainly listen to them in the bus. Also they should not be too analytic/sharp(RE0?) since i just wanna enjoy my music on the go. My favorite is the M3 atm, because i heard they sound really enjoyable and i LOVE the design and i get them easily in EU. If the other IEM's outperform the M3 i would rather take them though.
I thought about getting one of these:
 
| Brainwavz M3 | Brainwavz M2 | Head-Direct RE0 | Sunrise SW-Xcape |
 
Now i got two Questions:
1. Are these IEM's enough quality wise to actually replace the ATH-M50? In this case i would sell them and buy 2 IEM's instead.
2. Which IEM's should I take for unamped Galaxy S i9000?
 
Thank you in advance

 

[Byakushiki]

I'm getting some HDJ500's, but not sure on how good they'll perform. Has anyone else here pulled the trigger on them and can tell me a bit of what to expect? I'm coming from some Altec backbeat 326's. Or am I just a solo wing here?

 

[Prospero424]

So I sent my old Senn HD-590s in for repair and they basically refused to repair them for the nominal rate due to (according to Sennheiser) them being obsolete and parts being unavailable.  Not sure I really buy that as they immediately tried to get me to purchase a set of 595s or 598s for "half price", which wound up actually being more than they were selling for on Amazon.  Classy.  I really liked the sound of the 590s, but honestly they're the only pair of good headphone I've ever owned so I really don't have a basis for comparison.
 
Anyway, since it looks like I'm not going to be able to get them repaired, I'm in the market for replacements in the $150-$225 range.  I'll be hooking them up to an Onkyo TX-NR609 when in the living room and a PreSonus FireBox that doubles as my headphone amp (tube-based Firewire device) when on the computer. Portability is not important. I generally listen to a lot of pop, indie rock, electronic, and hip-hop. I do enjoy punchy bass response, but what's most important to me is accuracy and faithful reproduction. Ideally, I'd like a mostly neutral/accurate set with a hint of extra warmth. I have a lot of HD audio media (24-bit, 96-192Khz FLACs).
 
So far these are the ones I'm looking at:
 
Audio Technica ATH-A900 Audiophile Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones
Sennheiser HD595 Dynamic High Grade Performance Premiere Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Studio Monitor Headphones
Grado Prestige Series SR225i Headphones
 
Pricing within the range I specified isn't a concern.  I just want what will sound the best without going over the maximum amount I set for my budget.  Please let me know if you have any other suggestions or, if not, which of these choices would be best for my described listening environment/habits.
 
Thanks!

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Armaegis, here is a list of some:
Koss PortaPro $60
Sony MDRXD100 $25 (owned them for 2 years, where pretty comfort)
Sennheiser HD205 $70 (tried them and sold them, heat the ears and presses to much)
Sony MDR V-700 $130 (own them now, not satisfied. after 40 mins my ears hurt)
Sennheiser HD201 $30
Bose on ear $190
AKG K518 $110 (I've read that they press on the head too much, so I'm suspicious about them)
AKG K403 $50
Sennheiser HD515 $140
philips SHP1900 $40
philips SHM7110U $60
philips SHL9560 $65
Platronics USB Audio 995 $100
Sennheiser PX100 $70
Hesh Skullcandy $100
Sennheiser HD215 $130
Grado SR60 $110
Sennheiser PX200 $100
RPDH1200 Technics $170
Sennheiser HD202 $65
SportaPro koss $60
Sennheiser HD428 $115
Sennheiser HD25 $235
Sennheiser HD218 $60
Sennheiser HD203 $70
Grado SR80 $140
AKG K420 $100
AKG K512 $70
AKG K450 $140
AKG K430  $130
AKG K240 $170
Aurvana live creative $170
HQ1400 creative $50
 
I don't want any of them in particular, just picked some to give you a feel about prices here. Heard today from a friend that PortaPro are very comfy... And my budget is around $150.
 
 

 
I'm not a huge fan of the porta pros, and they're not really worth it at that price.

If the PX100 is the ii version, that's actually pretty good. 
 
The AKG K240 is decent at that price. 
 
The K518 has a lot of clamp. Great isolation, but not much for comfort (the K181 is nicer here because it spreads the pressure out more)
 
 
Quote:

de-foamed them the day i got them

 but i was afraid the 600/650 would sound too similar...i like the way my 555's sound but im not in love with it. i feel like the bass could extend lower and be more detailed and the mids and highs could be more detailed and maybe warmer. plus some more soundstage couldnt hurt. 
 
i would love the k701 if they had more bass. while i listen to lots of acoustic stuff, i also listen to metal and indie stuff that just wont sound good with lacking bass.
 
that takes me to the dt880 which ive been told have better bass and great highs, but recessed mids which isnt good for my acoustic stuff 

 
can you guys confirm/deny? this is all based on what ive read. i dont really have any way of trying any cans out.
im leaning towards the akg's...could i use eq to bring the bass out?
 
i dont really want to buy any more senns right now, what should i get?
 

Out of the DT770/880/990 family, I feel the 880 is the most balanced and sounds nice out of a tube amp. The Denons might also be worth considering. While not typically well known for detail, they have great bass extension and a lovely warm sound to them. 
 

 

[kchapdaily]

Quote:

Out of the DT770/880/990 family, I feel the 880 is the most balanced and sounds nice out of a tube amp. The Denons might also be worth considering. While not typically well known for detail, they have great bass extension and a lovely warm sound to them. 
 

which denons? the D2000? 
 
thats another thing that im a little worried about with the 701's i feel like their detail may take away from actually enjoying the music. i want cans that have musicality and detal

i think i really need to find a place to go audition some of these headphones before i can make a real decision...

 

[Armaegis]

 
Quote:

I'm getting some HDJ500's, but not sure on how good they'll perform. Has anyone else here pulled the trigger on them and can tell me a bit of what to expect? I'm coming from some Altec backbeat 326's. Or am I just a solo wing here?

I consider them good for the price. There's lot of competition in that price bracket though, so it's worth poking around and checking out their options. I have the big brother HDJ-2000 and think it's fantastic. 
 


Quote:

So I sent my old Senn HD-590s in for repair and they basically refused to repair them for the nominal rate due to (according to Sennheiser) them being obsolete and parts being unavailable.  Not sure I really buy that as they immediately tried to get me to purchase a set of 595s or 598s for "half price", which wound up actually being more than they were selling for on Amazon.  Classy.  I really liked the sound of the 590s, but honestly they're the only pair of good headphone I've ever owned so I really don't have a basis for comparison.
 
Anyway, since it looks like I'm not going to be able to get them repaired, I'm in the market for replacements in the $150-$225 range.  I'll be hooking them up to an Onkyo TX-NR609 when in the living room and a PreSonus FireBox that doubles as my headphone amp (tube-based Firewire device) when on the computer. Portability is not important. I generally listen to a lot of pop, indie rock, electronic, and hip-hop. I do enjoy punchy bass response, but what's most important to me is accuracy and faithful reproduction. Ideally, I'd like a mostly neutral/accurate set with a hint of extra warmth. I have a lot of HD audio media (24-bit, 96-192Khz FLACs).
 
So far these are the ones I'm looking at:
 
Audio Technica ATH-A900 Audiophile Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones
Sennheiser HD595 Dynamic High Grade Performance Premiere Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Studio Monitor Headphones
 
Pricing within the range I specified isn't a concern.  I just want what will sound the best without going over the maximum amount I set for my budget.  Please let me know if you have any other suggestions or, if not, which of these choices would be best for my described listening environment/habits.
 
Thanks!

Actually below your budget, but how about a Fostex T50rp?
 

 

[Danchou]

I think the ATH-M50 sound better then the Sennheiser HD 595. But you should also have a look at Beyerdynamics 770/880/990.
 
As far as i've heard, noone was really disappointed by the ATH-M50, and they are getting praised for their neutral sound and accuracy alot,
so they will most likely fit your needs pretty good .
 
EDIT: seems like evryone kinda stepped over my thread... This thread doesn't work too well with many people asking at the same time. Well i'll wait some more

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

which denons? the D2000? 
 
thats another thing that im a little worried about with the 701's i feel like their detail may take away from actually enjoying the music. i want cans that have musicality and detal

i think i really need to find a place to go audition some of these headphones before i can make a real decision...

The D2000 would be closest to budget. The D5000/7000 go up rather quickly. 
 

 

[Prospero424]

Quote:

Actually below your budget, but how about a Fostex T50rp?
 

 
Never heard of them.  How do they compare to those models I mentioned above?


Quote:

I think the ATH-M50 sound better then the Sennheiser HD 595. But you should also have a look at Beyerdynamics 770/880/990.
 
As far as i've heard, noone was really disappointed by the ATH-M50, and they are getting praised for their neutral sound and accuracy alot,
so they will most likely fit your needs pretty good .
 
EDIT: seems like evryone kinda stepped over my thread... This thread doesn't work too well with many people asking at the same time. Well i'll wait some more

Thanks!  I was taking a hard look at the Beyers, but many reviews are saying they're more focused on bass than accuracy and warmth.  They do look awfully comfy. And yeah, the ATH-M50 is what I'm leaning towards at the moment.  I just wanted to get some more input.

 

[Danchou]

Look at this:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more#post_6938759
 
Beyerdynamics are idiots for releasing so many different headphones with the same model number...
 
as far as i understood, there are three models for 770, 880 and 990... Each 3 or 4 different sounding headphones. just idiocracy

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

 
Never heard of them.  How do they compare to those models I mentioned above?




Thanks!  I was taking a hard look at the Beyers, but many reviews are saying they're more focused on bass than accuracy and warmth.  They do look awfully comfy. And yeah, the ATH-M50 is what I'm leaning towards at the moment.  I just wanted to get some more input.

The Fostex are excellent headphones once you give them a bit more power. Flat frequency response, punchy bass and also detailed highs but don't lose out on the mids. They are also a forum favourite for modding, and there are several threads here dedicated to them. Even just a bit of poster putty and felt will bring them up considerably, and it really doesn't take more than a half hour of work to do.
 
The Beyers are quite comfortable, but do tend to feel U shaped in frequency response with their strong bass and treble

 

[kiteki]

 
Quote:

So I sent my old Senn HD-590s in for repair and they basically refused to repair them for the nominal rate due to (according to Sennheiser) them being obsolete and parts being unavailable.  Not sure I really buy that as they immediately tried to get me to purchase a set of 595s or 598s for "half price", which wound up actually being more than they were selling for on Amazon.  Classy.  I really liked the sound of the 590s, but honestly they're the only pair of good headphone I've ever owned so I really don't have a basis for comparison.
 
Anyway, since it looks like I'm not going to be able to get them repaired, I'm in the market for replacements in the $150-$225 range.  I'll be hooking them up to an Onkyo TX-NR609 when in the living room and a PreSonus FireBox that doubles as my headphone amp (tube-based Firewire device) when on the computer. Portability is not important. I generally listen to a lot of pop, indie rock, electronic, and hip-hop. I do enjoy punchy bass response, but what's most important to me is accuracy and faithful reproduction. Ideally, I'd like a mostly neutral/accurate set with a hint of extra warmth. I have a lot of HD audio media (24-bit, 96-192Khz FLACs).
 
So far these are the ones I'm looking at:
 
Audio Technica ATH-A900 Audiophile Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones
Sennheiser HD595 Dynamic High Grade Performance Premiere Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Studio Monitor Headphones
Grado Prestige Series SR225i Headphones
 
Pricing within the range I specified isn't a concern.  I just want what will sound the best without going over the maximum amount I set for my budget.  Please let me know if you have any other suggestions or, if not, which of these choices would be best for my described listening environment/habits.
 
Thanks!

Shure SRH-940
 
 


Quote:

de-foamed them the day i got them

 but i was afraid the 600/650 would sound too similar...i like the way my 555's sound but im not in love with it. i feel like the bass could extend lower and be more detailed and the mids and highs could be more detailed and maybe warmer. plus some more soundstage couldnt hurt. 
 
i would love the k701 if they had more bass. while i listen to lots of acoustic stuff, i also listen to metal and indie stuff that just wont sound good with lacking bass.
 
that takes me to the dt880 which ive been told have better bass and great highs, but recessed mids which isnt good for my acoustic stuff 

 
can you guys confirm/deny? this is all based on what ive read. i dont really have any way of trying any cans out.
im leaning towards the akg's...could i use eq to bring the bass out?
 
i dont really want to buy any more senns right now, what should i get?
 
 

I heard the Matrix M-Stage amp improves the k701 a lot, if you can afford both of them.
 
 

 

[Prospero424]

Quote:

The Fostex are excellent headphones once you give them a bit more power. Flat frequency response, punchy bass and also detailed highs but don't lose out on the mids. They are also a forum favourite for modding, and there are several threads here dedicated to them. Even just a bit of poster putty and felt will bring them up considerably, and it really doesn't take more than a half hour of work to do.

If you took price completely out of the equation, which would you pick: the Fostex or the ATH-M50?

 
Quote:

Shure SRH-940

Thanks!  But those are about $75 out of my price range.

 

[Byakushiki]

Quote:

 

I consider them good for the price. There's lot of competition in that price bracket though, so it's worth poking around and checking out their options. I have the big brother HDJ-2000 and think it's fantastic. 
 



Actually below your budget, but how about a Fostex T50rp?
 

Thanks! I was concerned also about its construction, as it appears to be plastic but just found out the core is actually magnesium alloy. Sounds like they'll serve me well, as long as I don't take'm into minus degree weather!

 

[kiteki]

Fostex T50RP is probably way better than M50, haven't heard the M50 though.
 
Fostex aren't about price.