[epithetless]

Despite the fact that I am a satisfied HD485 owner, the head-fi bug has gotten me all interested in the eH350 for pretty much no reason whatsoever. I guess I just want to explore some other aspects of that smooth Sennheiser sound...something with perhaps a bit more in the mids and a touch less bass. The bug hasn't bitten so hard as to make me lose all sensibility -- i.e. I wouldn't want to take a distinct step backwards with a new purchase, but I'm fine resting on the same level. Should I even be considering the eH350s? Or is the HD555 the only reasonable next pick in this particular orchard?

For reference, all listening will be done unamped for the time being, most often from my PC soundcard/s and occasionally with my portable DAPs.

Or -- and here's the other question -- would I be better served going the (decidedly non-Sennheiser) Alessandro MS-1 route (as that's another curiousity of mine)? My latest genres of interest: electro-pop, indie-pop, electronic(a), indie-rock, alt-country, underground hip-hop, neo-folk...

 

[nsjong]

No.

The EH series and the HD4xx series are both disappointing...


Grado all the way.

 

[CLum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. The EH series and the HD4xx series are both disappointing... Grado all the way.

This coming from someone who doesn't find it necessary to own a grado when you supposedly are an expert in the price range.

Regardless, I would probably go with the grado as well. One warning though is not to side step too much which is what I think you will be doing with either of your two choices. This is coming from someone with a lot of experience. Side stepping only leads to wasted money and a general wonderment of what you are missing. So my real suggestion is to save up.

 

[dw6928]

I bought the EH350 for a parent for their Ipod. It runs very well with it. Nice clarity and sonics.

 

[facelvega]

EH350 wouldn't really be an upgrade. Just a side-step at best. And for me the HD485 is about as Grado-ish as Senn ever gets, so I don't know if the Grados will really do it for you either. For pete's sake, don't get another Senn though. If eighty bucks is burning a hole in your pocket, why not grab a portable amp and maybe a generic USB sound controller and double the quality of your signal instead?

 

[vagarach]

Yes! Upgrading your source will be a better investment than what even you realise to be a sidestep just for stepping's sake. Never underestimate how much the source affects the sound.

 

[epithetless]

Hrm. Been pondering this, and I think you folks are onto something: You know why I'd rather take a sidestep to inexpensive new headphones than adjust anything else? Because as I stand over the bottomless chasm that is Source Upgrades, I can literally hear the wind sucking through my wallet. And it goes something like this: Once I start sifting through amps, I will of course want to compare them. Maybe I'll settle on one or two for a while, but then, naturally, I will need a new soundcard. Not to mention some new DAPs with line-outs, or worse, some new DAPs with separate line-out modules. Plus interconnects. At this point, my existing headphones will be patently unworthy of scaling the crater of my debt/audio enlightenment, and I will need to invest in some higher-end models. But higher-end models synergize with specific amps quite differently, so I will surely need another amp or two to match my theoretical new headphones. Which leads me to wonder: Will anything so plebeian as a "simple" setup ever come close to bringing satisfaction again? Will the novelty of inserting a headphone plug into a headphone jack seem utterly archaic and/or downright sacrilegious? Or will I perhaps be able to find some manner of adequate compromise in a pair of ultra-high-end IEMs and an as-yet-uninvented DAP if I, God forbid, just want to carry a player and some headphones with me to enjoy the music?

*gasp* *gasp* *wheeze* ... (You see, I expect to do a lot of internal ranting as this hobby takes hold

...Maybe I should just save my health and take up jogging...)

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by epithetless /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hrm. Been pondering this, and I think you folks are onto something...

It's all true, but the main point is that a good portable amp and even a usb sound controller like the $8 generic one Redleader once reviewed will get you the first half of what dacs and amps can do for less than $100 all told. The prices go up from there. It's like how the KSC-75 will get you the first half of what good headphones can do.

But hey, grab another headphone or two in the meantime, why not. But if you don't want to make a definite upgrade, then make sure to get something completely different, I'd say.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by epithetless /img/forum/go_quote.gif For reference, all listening will be done unamped for the time being, most often from my PC soundcard/s and occasionally with my portable DAPs. Or -- and here's the other question -- would I be better served going the (decidedly non-Sennheiser) Alessandro MS-1 route (as that's another curiousity of mine)? My latest genres of interest: electro-pop, indie-pop, electronic(a), indie-rock, alt-country, underground hip-hop, neo-folk...

The MS-1 is certainly worth a closer look especially if you will be running without an amp, plus having a relatively wide range of music to listen to. They just won't do the really high energy rock as well as traditional Grados'.

 

[TAF94]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. The EH series and the HD4xx series are both disappointing... Grado all the way.

I've only owned the EH350, but I can say without a doubt, HD485 is far, far from disappointing. One of my favorite cans btw.

Quote:

Originally Posted by epithetless /img/forum/go_quote.gif Despite the fact that I am a satisfied HD485 owner, the head-fi bug has gotten me all interested in the eH350 for pretty much no reason whatsoever. I guess I just want to explore some other aspects of that smooth Sennheiser sound...something with perhaps a bit more in the mids and a touch less bass.

EH350 is semi-circumaural and is not very fun to wear imo. It's kind of a half around - partial over the ear deal.
Sounds like HD555 may be what your looking for.

 

[epithetless]

My thanks to everyone who's taken the time to respond. TAF94, I think it was your "EH350...is not very fun to wear imo" that finally snapped me out of my senseless, lustful stupor. I believe I will start my descent down Source Upgrade Canyon and put the Xenos 0HA-REP portable amp on my Christmas list. Gah.

facelvega, I already own a Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro, which appears to be a less generic, fairly-respected-for-the-price version of the USB sound controller RedLeader reviewed. To be honest (and to my surprise), I found I get better quality from the headphone amp of my Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers fed through my Audigy 2 ZS's line out...so I had pretty much written off the TBAAM. Perhaps an external amp will give it new life, though. I'm also considering the M-Audio Transit as an ancillary Christmas wish...partly for the headphone perks and partly as a first step toward M-Powering my system with ProTools (hobbies, hobbies, hobbies...).