[proglife]

SSIA

I'm going to bring my Vali into work and up my headphone game. For years I've been using Etymotic Er-4's and some 10 dollar Phillips junk phones that I actually like, as they're smooth and not distracting. These are powered by some Fiio DAC/amp combo.

Hoping to run the Fiio into Vali with some new closed back cans. My HD600's are my favorite headphones so anything closed with that tonal balance would be awesome. Does this exist? Thanks so much for any suggestions.

 

[notfitforpublic]

Been causally researching this myself. Valhalla 2 on the way and I want to move my Vali to another room that will require closed cans, so my HD600's and DT880's aren't an option. The NAD HP50 has come up a lot in my travels but I haven't had the opportunity to audition a pair yet. I can tell you that I found the v1 Momentums over ear to be a pretty poor match for the Vali, so I'd steer clear of those. 
 
Hope someone can help you out with some suggestions 

 

[proglife]

Been causally researching this myself. Valhalla 2 on the way and I want to move my Vali to another room that will require closed cans, so my HD600's and DT880's aren't an option. The NAD HP50 has come up a lot in my travels but I haven't had the opportunity to audition a pair yet. I can tell you that I found the v1 Momentums over ear to be a pretty poor match for the Vali, so I'd steer clear of those. 

Hope someone can help you out with some suggestions 

Thanks for the reply! I do have Momentums in house...they pretty much have iPad duty if the wife is asleep. Good headphones, but certainly not in the same ballpark as the 600's.

I'll have a look at the NAD's

 

[proglife]

Anyone have thoughts on headphones that fit this requirement?

 

[Bill-P]

Oppo PM-3 is actually pretty close.
 
I think the Nad Viso HP50 is closer to the HD650 than it is to the HD600. Even then, it doesn't seem to be on the same technical level.
 
The Oppo, on the other hand, does get pretty close, though it falls short of the ultimate resolution that one can get from the HD600 with much better amplification. The PM-3 stops scaling at some point... but it can be plugged directly into a mobile phone, so if you're into that.

 

[YtseJamer]

Go with the OPPO PM-3.

 

[Mark Up]

If like the spacious ear cup space, the wide opening headband (to fit large heads) and the balanced sound with good but well controlled bass, and a fairly nice stereo spread, for $120 the AKG K553 are the best value closed headphone I've heard. Very balanced. Great midrange details also, slightly more extended highs but they're just as smooth. The bass is flat and accurate, totally not boomy, but if you want it to boom on a song just push their ear pads in against your ears, instant sub bass power.

 

[proglife]

Excellent. I'll check out the Oppos. Thanks folks

 

[notfitforpublic]

At 26ohm and 102db/1mW, isn't the PM-3 gonna be effected by the Vali noise floor (Hissing) and an impedance mismatch? I've tried a few sensitive/low impedance dynamics with the vali (never tried any PM's) and although they don't sound bad, the Vali certainly seems to perform better with mid/high impedance cans.

Any one have any suggestions that slide into those parameters?

 

[notfitforpublic]

 

...

Hoping to run the Fiio into Vali with some new closed back cans...

Any luck so far proglife? the choices for closed back cans with the right sensitivity/impedance in the mid-fi range seem pretty sparse. 

 

[proglife]

Any luck so far proglife? the choices for closed back cans with the right sensitivity/impedance in the mid-fi range seem pretty sparse. 

Sorry for for e delayed reply! No luck yet. Moving some gear around in the home (speaker) system. This work headphone thing has taken a back seat.