[Dano]

First off, a general hello to the board. I registered yesterday after checking out the site, which I only stumbled upon after reading Markl's amazing letter in Stereophile.

Rather than just grovel for recommendations from the group, I believe a little personal background should be first shared. I am 35 years old and have been a music fanatic since I was about 10 or 11 - I remember getting the 'bug' after a day at a friend's house with these two cool new records and covers - one came in a paper bag (Zep's 'In through the Out Door'); the other with just a plain white wall of bricks (no further info needed).

I became an audiophile in my high school/college days, but have never had the right amount of space to properly expand on my original system. To this day, I still have my same 1985 Yamaha R-50 receiver driving a Rotel 855 CD Player, a Rega Planar 2 'table and little 13" Energy ESM-4 loudspeakers.

In any event, I now have recently purchased a house in the 'burbs and have a good amount of space. The one problem - I have two little kids (ages 3 and 1o months), which makes it real difficult to listen to any music for an extended period time and any reasonably loud level.

Enter the world of headphones. I have a downstairs level where I have a big leather couch, two chairs, a new 36" Sony Wega XBR-800 TV and a 5-disc carousel Panasonic CP-72 DVD Player. I would love to add a headphone amp and a nice set of 'cans' so I can start listening to music without disturbing the rest of the house or fearful that my speakers or other equipment is destroyed by my kids. Here are some of my parameters:

Musical taste: I listen to a variety of styles, but do not listen at all to classical (flag me if you wish, but it's not for me), country or dance/house/techno. I have about 750 commercial CD's and about 300 LP's. I grew up listening to classic rock (Led Zep, Floyd, The Stones, Clapton, Hendrix, Yes, Steely Dan, etc.), caught the jazz bug in college (Miles, Coltrane, Monk, Rollins, etc.), and dabbled a bit in the early grunge years with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains (although I preferred the Black Crowes to any of these for this time period), before finally finding some bands that I really enjoy over the past 5-10 years (Pavement, Foo Fighters and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (best live band in existence today) being the most liked). The only thing not mentioned so far is the fact that I am obsessed with the Grateful Dead and have been since 1985. I frequent many related message boards and trading sites, have about 250 live concerts on CD-R and this band accounts for about 75% of all of my listening.

Budget: I can probably spend up to about $300 each on a pair of 'phones and a headphone amp. Wish I could afford more, but we all have to start somewhere and at least at this price point (after cruising these forums the past two days), I believe I can get very good value.

What I need from the group: Some recommendations to narrow down the field. I am more interested on which amps/'phones go well together, since I can get the info on just the separates from all of the reviews and message boards here. I am not a DIY guy, though I would certainly hire the services of someone here to build an amp for me if need be. So let me know what combinations you like for my budget needs and I can't wait to make my purchases.

Thanks for all of your time and assistance in reading and (hopefully) replying to this post.

Dan-o

 

[GEMINGA]

Don't be dissapointed by all of the smart-assed answers and comments.

I have asked for advice, several times as different users and still haven't been advised or helped out determining what I need.

 

[00940]

considering your style of music, I'd go for a pair of grado. An used pair of SR225 should lead you in the 130$ range. To complement it, a diy amp. As a wallwart powered cha47, a RA-1 clone or a szekeres. You can contact diyers like JMT or Tangent (post an wtb ad in the forum). It should cost you about 120$ too. And of course, a good pair of IC, the Kimber at 50$ are supposed quite decent for the price (the diyer will perhaps propose you some ICs, offering a good ratio price/quality).

Total 300$

of course make a search now on these terms, see the alternative and don't hesitate to ask more questions. It is only the beginning of the journey.


edit : oops nevermind, i didn't see the "300$ each" I seriously need sleep

 

[GEMINGA]

DANO,
Maybe my comment shamed some people into helping you out.

 

[00940]

Quote:

Originally posted by GEMINGA DANO, Maybe my comment shamed some people into helping you out.

Don't believe a word of it. We are shameless.

 

[markl]

Dano, welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet!

Quote:

Budget: I can probably spend up to about $300 each on a pair of 'phones and a headphone amp. Wish I could afford more, but we all have to start somewhere and at least at this price point (after cruising these forums the past two days), I believe I can get very good value.

Top cans in your price range you should research are Sony CD3000 (my personal reco, but about $100 above your $300 budget), Senn HD600 with replacement cable, Beyer DT880, and Audio-Technica W1000. All those cans are in your general price range.

As for an amp, at the $300 mark, I'd wait until something came up here for sale used in the For Sale forum. Amps are like cables-- you have to spend a lot to get a little. If you aren't willing to go out and do it right, you may end up with an amp that's not much better than your current jack, and does not really satisfy you. Whatever you do, make sure you select an amp that is well-rounded and able to drive many different cans well (not all amps can, especially below the $300 mark). Headphones exibit a wide range of loads, and you don't want to end up with an amp tailored to drive the load of the HD600 only to end up with a CD3000 as your headphone and an amp that can't drive it well.

Mark

 

[joelongwood]

Book 'em, Dano........sorry, couldn't resist.

Anyway, welcome to Head-Fi. I'm sure quite a few people will chime in with their recommendations, but let me give you mine.
In your budget range ($600), the Grado SR-325 paired with a Grado RA-1 is a nice combo. The synergy of the two, to my ears, is excellent. The slightly rolled off top end of the RA-1 complements the somewhat excessive treble of the SR-325.
I would also consider contracting with a DIY'er, such as JMT, to construct for you a META42. Pair that with a Sony CD3000 for a luxurious sound. Extremely comfy, with a huge soundstage, and doesn't leak much sound.
If you want a bit more forward presentation than that, consider the Beyer DT-880s. They also mate very well with the META42.
There are a lot more excellent combos out there, and I'm sure you'll hear about them.
Hope this helps.

 

[elnero]

Do you have a preference for open or closed headphones? In your situation I would assume probably closed for the isolation.

I have a pair Audio Technica W100's and a JMT built Meta42 that I love with just about every recording I've thrown at them. The Meta42 would probably be a good choice as you can work with the builder to configure it specifically for your needs. Plus at it's price point its quite an overachiever.

 

[Mike Scarpitti]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dano Budget: I can probably spend up to about $300 each on a pair of 'phones and a headphone amp. Dan-o

At that level ($600) you can get into the low end of Stax electrostatics, I believe. An upgrade path includes better amplifiers and even better headphones, but even at around $600-700, you're going to be amazed.

It makes no sense to spend that kind of money on dynamic (magnetic) headphones, because the electrostatic will smoke them. Electrostatics cost more, but they're worth it.



http://www.benjaminrossen.com/HIFI/html/hifi_01.htm

 

[elnero]

Oh yeah, I completely forgot that dynamic headphones completely suck and people should only use electrostatics, how silly of me...

 

[Mike Scarpitti]

Quote:

Originally posted by elnero Oh yeah, I completely forgot that dynamic headphones completely suck and people should only use electrostatics, how silly of me...

FOR THAT PRICE, yes...

If you're STARTING at $600 or so, it makes no sense to do otherwise...He's not intending to use them for portable units, so I suggest, quite rationally, that he investigate Stax lower end models...

 

[elnero]

Sorry Mike, I just couldn't resist,

and by all means Dano give the electrostatics a try.

 

[BDA_ABAT]

With a budget of ~$600, you'll likely be very happy with your initial headphone rig. Since you are already familiar with audiophilia, you know that this is likely only the begining!

One suggestion: stick to your initial budget. When I first started this hobby/addiction, I tried to cut corners and go cheap. Ended up spending more money because I wasn't at all satisfied with the sound I was getting from the less expensive stuff.

A lot of folks at this site have definite opinions and are extremely willing to share. Would suggest that you go through the reviews of headphones and amps that are positioned at the top of each forum. Gives you a lot of info in a reasonably short amount of time.

Headphones:
From what you've already posted, sounds like Grado headphones are in your future. But, these are headphones that people generally either LOOOOVVEE or HATE. If you have a chance, check to see if there's a headphone meet happening anywhere near you in the short term. Great way to meet a bunch of other silly headphone enthusiasts and try a bunch of gear.

If a meet isn't possible or appropriate for your timetable, would suggest finding a brick & mortar store that has headphones for you to try. Some places will allow you to listen with your own music.

If you can't do an in-store demo, then shop at a place that has a good return policy (e.g., HeadRoom) You can try their products for 30 days. If you don't like them, send them back. Terrific site, terrific service, all around good folks. They also happen to be sponsors of this site.

CAVEAT: remember burn-in. The initial sound may change over time with additional use. Example: Grados generally sound very bright when they are first being used. Some folks never get past this initial experience. The brightness settles down with use.

Other headphones to consider for home use (what everyone else has already posted!): Senn HD580/600, Sony CD 3000, AT W1000, Beyer DT 880.

I'm in a similar situation... the only time I can listen to music is late at night while the rest of the family is asleep. Leaves speakers out of the question. In fact, I generally listen in bed. Leaves open headphones out of the question. The answer for me is Etymotic ER4S. They're canal phones... you jam them down into your ears. Sounds painful, and for some people, it is. But, if you can deal with something sitting in your ear, they sound remarkable. Many folks can and don't have any problem with them (I can wear them for hours without problem). They're also a godsend if you do any travelling. They block out almost all the noise from other passengers and from the airplane/trains engines.

If you're looking for something portable, check out the Koss KSC35. They're ~ $30 and are fun headphones. Easy to drive from a portable CD player/minidisk/iPod, whatever. Great for use while working out!

Amps:
Depends on what headphones you end up getting. For Grado, the RA1 is an excellent match. But, many folks will tell you that the cost is a bit disproportionate to the quality of the parts. There are folks that have made RA1 clones for ~ $40 in parts. The design of the RA1 is a modified CMOY circuit. If you are at all into DIY, might be worthwhile to try making a CMOY. Check out Tangent's section on building a CMOY for more info.

If you are not a DIY type person or just don't have the time, can contact some of the DIY gurus here for assistance building an amp for you (e.g., JMT, Tangent, KurtW, Tigger, others).

The CMOY is a pretty basic design that happens to work well with Grados. But, there are other, better designs.

The CHA47 is sort of a buffed version of the CMOY. I believe JMT still builds these amps for folks. The amp can be packaged in a small and interesting package (e.g., an Altoids tin) or whatever type of case you want.

Going further up the line in sound quality, you could consider a META42. For more info on the META design, check out Tangent's META pages. Can get a truly buff META42 in your price range. And, depending on how it's configured, the META can be either totally portable (no AC), both AC and DC, or solely AC for home use.

Depending on how it's configured, a META will likely be able to drive just about any headphone that you're likely to throw at it.

Another suggestion: check out the For Sale/For Trade section of this site. You can find some excellent deals from folks that generally take very good care of their equipment.

Good luck!
Bruce

 

[elnero]

There is some seriously good advice all wrapped in one post. Excellent post Bruce!!!

 

[Dano]

Just wanted to thank all of the folks who replied so quickly, with many of the posts being very informative.

To reiterate - I have about $300 to spend on 'phones and an additional $300 on an amp. That's it. Can't spend 6 bills on electros/Stax's and I can't spend that kind of cash on a ZOTL or significant headroom amp.

Have already thrown JMT an e-mail about building me a Meta 42 and intend to check out Tangent's site.

Being a long-time audiophile, I will try and go to some local stores to try out some Sennheisers and Grados. If a place does not let me audition gear with my own tunes, I am out the door. Always been my policy with Audio stores and will not change.

Again, thanks to the board and I am here to stay and will definitely keep everyone up to date with my purchases and listening experiences.

PS: I am not one of the lucky ones who can put earpieces into their ears without discomfort. So that route is out.