[Rarach]

Although I like my DT880 in some way I am still looking for perfect headphone that would suit my needs better without heavy EQ tweaking.

My requirements:

1. Warm but still forward sounding - I like to be in middle of music not hearing it from distance (forward like dt880 but much more warmer)
2. I prefer good mids and bass over highs (i am sensitive to highs so phones with too much highs are out of game (dt880))
3. Bass should be tight and have good impact but not as much to kill rest of music or give me headache
4. Have to be good on female vocals
5. Comfortable and circumaural
6. Music have to be fun (Beyers are good for analyzing music but I wouldn't call them fun cans)
7. Easy to drive (I will use them unamped straight from PC soundcard first but I will get SS amp ($400 max) later if I like it's sound signature). I am not getting amp for DT880 first before upgrade because I think that there might be phones with signature that I like better and that would need different amp than DT880. Correct me if I am wrong here.
8. Price $200-$400
9. Closed/Open doesn't matter but I guess that open will sound always better..
10. Music preference 70% electronica (vocal trance, progressive house) /20% (rock/pop/new age) /10% R'n'B


I have this candidates right now:

a) Sennheiser HD600 ($370) - FWIR warm, balanced with perfect mids and lifelike vocals, someone say its veiled - if it means just less highs I dont mind. I am afraid just of it's so called "laid back" presentation.

b) Denon AH-D2000 ($390) - FWIR warm, forward sounding with probably best bass out of there for the bucks. Music can sound V shaped. Might have recessed mids (which I DON'T like).

c) Sennheiser HD650 ($385) - FWIR warm, with more bass than HD650, more laid-back and power hungry than HD600. Many people like it less than HD600.

d) Beyerdynamic DT150 ($272) - FWIR warm, with no specific weakness. Fun to listen just really ugly looking. May be my bet but isn't it uncomfortable ?

e) Audio-technica AD900 ($295 + import fees) - FWIR spacious, midcentric, easy to drive. Love or hate phone. I am afraid of not enough impact on bass.

f) Audio-technica A900 ($255 + import fees) - FWIR probably worst SQ wise from my list. Recessed mids, good bass. Easy to drive.

g) Or just take a risk and get really good amp for DT880 (will be hard to sell later in my country if I don't like it

)


I am waiting for all opinions. Thank you

 

[apatN]

You really want a good amp with the Sennheisers but I think you will like them. They are laid-back though.
You could also get some sort of DAC and/or amp. I am sure a HD650 will sound great on my DAC and amp for instance. It would be a shame if you do get another headphone but don't like the sound because it is not driven properly.

 

[sidewind]

I would prefer HD600,but it's not so easy to drive,if you are strict.
But if you're not,it has a better performance than HD650 on harddisk MP3 players.

 

[Rarach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatN /img/forum/go_quote.gif You really want a good amp with the Sennheisers but I think you will like them. They are laid-back though. You could also get some sort of DAC and/or amp. I am sure a HD650 will sound great on my DAC and amp for instance. It would be a shame if you do get another headphone but don't like the sound because it is not driven properly.

I really liked Seinns sound on EH350 (and hated comfort) but FWIR they are more gradoish style than Seinns style. Actually I wouldn't mind just EH350 ver.2 (same sound signature, bit more refined, circumaural)..

Another headphones I am taking into consideration are HD595 that should be more forward sounding than rest of Seinn line... but probably league below other phones mentioned here.

Anyway is there any chance that with amp (other than tube) my DT880's would become warm, bass heavy with unrecessed mids and polite highs?

If I go this way (geting amp first), which SS amp would be good for both DT880 and HD600 ? (Well I doubt that its possible when 1 of them are bright and 1 are warm but... ) I am thinking about Corda Arietta (cheapest one for me), Gilmore Lite or Eddie ECSS..