[jgray91]

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Not a full sized one but PortaPro's are good too! Lol. But, Hybrid, what headphones are you coming from? <---- main question

It is quite okay IMO, but the bass really intrudes on the mids to be a little bit more enjoyable for me. Go read my impression on it if you're curious (it's in my sig).

 

[kn19h7]

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Very often they pick Victor... That's like the Japan-only JVC.
And very often they pick headphones based on value. Now this is talking about average consumers.
EDIT： This week at the equivalent to BestBuy (but with much larger quality headphone variety)--this figures both your average consumer that often don't want to spend a lot on headphones, and audiophiles to some extent.
Most popular headphones (overall): Sony MDR-ZX700
Fullsize: JVC-Kenwood HP-RX900, Sony MDR-C900ST
Runner-ups: Pioneer SE-MJ551, Pioneer SE-M290, Sony MDR-XD100, Panasonic RP-HT260, Sony MDR-ZX1000
Surprising, two years ago Sony was hardly ever on the highest popularity ranking. But I hear good things about the ZX700. The other two... not sure about their availability in NA.
You'll notice that most of these are fairly inexpensive headphones, the most expensive (in Japan) being the ZX1000 --> ZX700 --> JVC-Kenwood HP-RX900
Not looking at the ranking itself and by volume of sales, Sennheiser HD598 is there too. Audio-Technica is hardly ever on ranking xP

 
Well, individual model sales figures may not be too meaningful as AT has perhaps the widest product range as a headphone manufacturer...
And imo AT do produce very good headphones like the ad2000 and a2000x
 
My playlist is mainly of Anime/Doujin/Game related music btw..
hd800 is quite likely to be my next headphone purchase in the future though I don't reallly need new headphones now (while I do like its sound, I don't really expect it to replace my current 2 main headphones, but my amp has only 2 outputs orz). Btw I do wish Sony to announce a new lineup of open headphones with a flagship that can compete with hd800 since they stopped the SA line.. ==

 

[RayleighSilvers]

I've auditioned them but my memory is too hazy to give an accurate description but everyone always says the m50's have recessed mids and are too bassy. The same is said about the art series as well that the mids are recessed. There is the air series that could be considered but they have no bass so wouldn't work for me. The higher up models like the wooden ones are described to work better with slower music like jazz, which obviously wouldn't suit pop. The A900/x could be the closest to what Im looking for but that stupid wing system doesn't bode too well with smaller heads. I dont know how the japanese wear it themselves. This is what I meant by there is no headphone in their line up that does japanese music properly. 

 

[214324]

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Oooooo You've been to Nihon? So jealous.
 
I wish Audio technica would just release a headphone and specifically advertise it for Japanese songs. Can't believe it's so hard to find the right headphone from AT. Non of their models seem to really suit me. Any idea of what people in Japan buy?
 
 

 
Haha, yeah. Was there for 9 days (honestly, you need longer to enjoy all of the awesomeness) and stayed in Tokyo in a Hilton near the Shinjuku Station. It was right next to the Tokyo Government Building (I think that's the name. Iunno. It's a building with 2 large towers and there's a large square prism structure at the bottom with a circle in it that kind of resembles Japan's flag.

 
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Well, individual model sales figures may not be too meaningful as AT has perhaps the widest product range as a headphone manufacturer...
And imo AT do produce very good headphones like the ad2000 and a2000x
 
My playlist is mainly of Anime/Doujin/Game related music btw..
hd800 is quite likely to be my next headphone purchase in the future though I don't reallly need new headphones now (while I do like its sound, I don't really expect it to replace my current 2 main headphones, but my amp has only 2 outputs orz). Btw I do wish Sony to announce a new lineup of open headphones with a flagship that can compete with hd800 since they stopped the SA line.. ==

Sony makes good headphones? Sorry. I just never knew that. It's new to me since it's the first time I've ever heard about their headphones, and being good.

 
Quote:

I've auditioned them but my memory is too hazy to give an accurate description but everyone always says the m50's have recessed mids and are too bassy. The same is said about the art series as well that the mids are recessed. There is the air series that could be considered but they have no bass so wouldn't work for me. The higher up models like the wooden ones are described to work better with slower music like jazz, which obviously wouldn't suit pop. The A900/x could be the closest to what Im looking for but that stupid wing system doesn't bode too well with smaller heads. I dont know how the japanese wear it themselves. This is what I meant by there is no headphone in their line up that does japanese music properly. 

Hm...will take this into account.

 

[RayleighSilvers]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/601953/headphones-for-vocal-music-asia-pop-ballad
 
Thought you might be interested in this thread if you haven't seen it already. The TS is looking for headphones for the same type of music as well 

 
Seems to have gotten some decent responses.

 

[RayleighSilvers]

Just got my CAL's today. Have tried them out with a few songs, not sure what to think at the moment. Will give it more time and compare with the panasonics

 

[kalbee]

Sony does make good headphones, though usually their high end models only. Liked the SA stuff very much too.

And you are right, AT has a lot of models, and are generally more expensive than other Japanese brands. Many good ones are on-ear too, like the ES. Their studio models sound pretty good for their price, but I believe they are quite cheaper in Japan so...

Japanese people have big heads, guess that's why they fit them. Not all of them, naturally.

Now for actual suggestions, for vocals orthodynamics are quite amazing. Going to have to mod them a bit to get the extensions (and need amp preferably) out. Almost what I exclusively use now.

 

[214324]

Quote:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/601953/headphones-for-vocal-music-asia-pop-ballad
 
Thought you might be interested in this thread if you haven't seen it already. The TS is looking for headphones for the same type of music as well 

 
Seems to have gotten some decent responses.

This response caught my attention.
 

Heya,
 
Just ran those tracks (albeit they are awful quality), and some others that are of high quality of some J-pop through a few of my headphones for kicks. I don't listen to this stuff often, if ever, so had to do a quick audition to get an idea of which headphone does what with it.
 
AKG Q701 - Quite nice actually, I find vocals always sound nice in a wider sound stage, no sibilance, nothing over powers the vocals, they're clearly the focus, no overwhelming bass, and the treble isn't spiked to the point of fatigue. Though I felt it was too analytical, a little cold, and reminded me that I was listening through headphones.
 
Hifiman HE-300 - Mids are actually kind of weird, there's a weird edge to it, hard to describe. The rest sounds great, good presentation, good sound stage. But vocals have an edge to them that sounds like a weird treble blanket or something, or maybe just a weird spike in upper mids. Not something I'd suggest for this genre.
 
AudioTechnica A900X (and the similar A900) - Right away, the vocals were warmer and more organic sounding. AudioTechnica I think was made for J-pop. The voices are flawless. The sound stage is great. Nothing over powers the vocals. The instrumentation is simply delicious. Hands down, this is the one that really grabbed this material and presented it in a way that made me lose myself in the music.
 
Shure SRH940 - Excellent vocals, wonderful presentation and sound stage for it. A little bright (this stuff seems to have very high pitched female vocals pretty much always), not much, if any sibilance. Instrumentation is nice, but the low end is definitely lacking for my tastes, though it's more suited for the ballads, less so for the j-pop stuff with some beat to it. Not something I'd use for this stuff as an entire genre. Again, great for the vocal/ballad stuff, but not so much for the tracks with a beat or anything with some bass in it.
 
Ultrasone HFI 2400 - Not up to the task, the vocals were a little distant and had a weird artificial feel to them, kind of cold. The bass is nice, but there's a lot of background noise and metallic weirdness to it, probably the spiked treble. The mids are obviously recessed here, so I wouldn't use them for anything that is really vocal based or focused. Great for electronic and some rock even, but not for things with vocals it seems. Sound stage was nice at least.
 
M-Audio Q40 - Nice for vocals actually, much to my surprise. The Q40 has some mids. They're a little muffled, not as clear as some others, and the treble is a little too smooth for my liking for this kind of stuff (I seem to like a little sparkle to give it a bit more emotion/edge). The bass is lovely, the beats are grooving. Voice sounds good, but again, not best here. Good sound stage. Everything is a little distant though, again, likely due to mids/treble compared to bass. Not something I'd get for this genre specifically.
 
Beyer DT770 - Great vocals, my first reaction was that everyone always says these have recessed mids, yet these sound fantastic for vocals, so recessed by popular theory or not, they are wonderful for vocals and I'm liking them much like how I liked them from the A900X. Sound stage is wonderful, good spacious sound, not too distant from the voice, but not right on top of it. Bass is not overwhelming at all, it's there and warm and gives it a body, some weight. The treble has a sparkle, something I really like with vocals, it gives it that edge, a touch of something to give it a little excitement, but is not sibilant and not fatiguing to me. DT770 is great for this genre. I'm quite impressed, as I didn't expect it to be.
 
Denon D2000/5000 - Vocals sound clear, clean and nice. A rich sound, organic even. The treble is a little more apparent here compared to some others, it definitely has more sparkle than the DT770 and A900X which both have been my favorite so far for this genre. There is a touch of sibilance, which I don't have in my other genres, so it seems that it's part of the tracks and less the fault of a headphone. Spacious sound stage, great presentation of all the instruments, the beats and the voice is still focused and up front. I'm liking this quite a bit, though I expected them to be great for this, as they are with everything for me. If you really like a bright beautiful j-pop voice, this one really pops, for lack of a better term.
 
Sennheiser HD650 (and HD580 by contrast) - Vocals sound good, but the treble is dim and sort of boring to me. Made me think of the Q40 earlier. Everything is clear and nice, a good body, warm, spacious sound stage, presented nicely. But for my preferences, not enough treble. I much prefer the HD600 (or HD580) in this sense for nearly everything, but especially here for this genre. Not enough bite for me.
 
Grado SR80i - Surprisingly great for vocals, the voice is clear, with a touch of grain, good body to it, warm enough to sound nice, but not too bright to the point of pain. Good overall balance for the genre. Not in love with the comfort, but the sound is right for it to me. I would prefer more sound stage, but it's still an option and quite a fun one. 
 
Fostex T50RP - Vocals are ok, but it's weird, there's a dampness to it, not much sparkle, and it doesn't sound right. The mids are good, but it's basically all I hear, so it adds more weight to a voice than there is, probably because the treble seems so distant, and the bass is just mid-bass, so it sounds like any other thin headphone to me. At times it seems to be ok for this genre, but then it gets complex and it just sounds congested and the voice doesn't seem to be the focus of what I'm listening to, and that sort of kills it for me. Not recommended.
 
Hifiman HE-500 - I just melted. The voices are so natural, so intimate, so beautiful. My god. But this is not a fair comparison at all. Let's just say, reach for the stars. Excellent.
 
I sort of stopped there, I have others to try of course, but really I think I nailed it for my preferences down to the AudioTechnica A900X followed by the Beyer DT770 in the mid-tier price range. I didn't expect that as much. But there it is.
 
The A900X is what I would suggest at $250.
 
  
 
Very best,

Time to start a list, again. So here they are right now. I will rank them later as I do a little more thinking.
 

1. Q701 (rather unlikely)
2. K550
3. K702 (I heard the Q701 does better)
4. A900X (very likely)
5. A900
6. DT770
7. DT880
8. DT990 (probably not but just throwing it in here)
9. D2K (will try to find these at $250)
10. D5K (if I can find them at $300 or so)

 
I wish I had enough money to spend on headphones for planars but unfortunately, I don't.

 

[jgray91]

A very cheap planar/ortho* but one that needs some work is the Fostex T50RP. I'm getting one already shipped by the way, so if you can wait a little bit (say 2 weeks to 1 month) and a couple of weeks after that, then I'm happy to chime in with my impressions.
 
 
 
*By my understanding they are similar technology in principle, only different naming. From an article by Tyll Hertsens on Inner Fidelity, he explained the nomenclature in detail.

 

[214324]

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A very cheap planar/ortho* but one that needs some work is the Fostex T50RP. I'm getting one already shipped by the way, so if you can wait a little bit (say 2 weeks to 1 month) and a couple of weeks after that, then I'm happy to chime in with my impressions.
 
 
 
*By my understanding they are similar technology in principle, only different naming. From an article by Tyll Hertsens on Inner Fidelity, he explained the nomenclature in detail.

Yeah, then there's that, but I'm not that comfortable about modding.

 

[jgray91]

I'm currently reading the massive T50RP thread (now currently at page 43 or something) and so far the most extreme mod I read are soldering the cable directly to the drivers and glueing acoutsic foam to the cups. Most, if not all the mods that are mentioned up to that page (and of course I've read the other mods first beforehand) are reversible, thus not permanent. Besides, nothing like a few drops of gule to make it permanent.
 
I am looking forward to it, but trying to keep my expectations low. Don't want to "disappoint" myself for hoping for the stars but only getting the sky.

 

[214324]

Quote:

I'm currently reading the massive T50RP thread (now currently at page 43 or something) and so far the most extreme mod I read are soldering the cable directly to the drivers and glueing acoutsic foam to the cups. Most, if not all the mods that are mentioned up to that page (and of course I've read the other mods first beforehand) are reversible, thus not permanent. Besides, nothing like a few drops of gule to make it permanent.
 
I am looking forward to it, but trying to keep my expectations low. Don't want to "disappoint" myself for hoping for the stars but only getting the sky.

Well, I have enough time to wait, and while I do, I need to make a list or decision.

 

[kalbee]

You can get perfectly good sounds on the T50RP entirely with reversible mods. Don't ever have to touch a soldering iron either.

Meanwhile I do not recommend the Q701. While the sound is very good, the soundstage feels abnormally large and mat not suit popular music as well as say jazz. My brother owns this so im not making baseless claims by the way; they are, however, just my opinions. Also depends if you want to use an amp or not; some will require it.

@jgray: i agree with your views on the PortaPro's. I didn't do a quarter mod so I can't really tell how that made changes. The only mods I did were external, and the sound is pretty amazing for its price. Comparing it to $250 cans might be a bit of a stretch so I'll stop it's mention right here lol.

 

[214324]

Quote:

You can get perfectly good sounds on the T50RP entirely with reversible mods. Don't ever have to touch a soldering iron either.
Meanwhile I do not recommend the Q701. While the sound is very good, the soundstage feels abnormally large and mat not suit popular music as well as say jazz. My brother owns this so im not making baseless claims by the way; they are, however, just my opinions. Also depends if you want to use an amp or not; some will require it.
@jgray: i agree with your views on the PortaPro's. I didn't do a quarter mod so I can't really tell how that made changes. The only mods I did were external, and the sound is pretty amazing for its price. Comparing it to $250 cans might be a bit of a stretch so I'll stop it's mention right here lol.

Definitely considering the T50RP because it's usually under $100.
 
I did get some bad feedback too about the Q701 with some J-music. Will take that (and the K702) off the list.
 
 

1. Q701 (rather unlikely)
2. K550
3. K702 (I heard the Q701 does better)
4. A900X (very likely)
5. A900
6. DT770
7. DT880
8. DT990 (probably not but just throwing it in here)
9. D2K (will try to find these at $250)
10. D5K (if I can find them at $300 or so)
11. T50RP and some mods

 

[bowei006]

Enie Menie Miney Moe time Hybrid Core...