[Ademir]

Hey headfi, I read you a lot, this is my 1st post though

And it is to find wich headphone will be more suited as my next buy

So I did my homework and ended up kind of lost. Let me share my needs:

I've been making music at home for some time, that's what the headphones are going to be for most of the time, I own a pair of HS5 monitors and use both my AKG's K240 MKII and Shure's SRH440 as reference, and I feel like stepping up a bit. The headphones are powered trough my scarlett's 2i2 and I have read people saying it's not enough for headphones with higher impedances, as I have seen people saying it is in fact enough, so question mark here. Also I want to say that I absolutely hate the Shure's SRH440. They were most definetly one of the worst buys I have ever made, they have an awful sound, as if every single frequency is being emphasized at the same time, they hurt like hell, and make you feel like there's someone screaming inside your ears. I believe they are considered V shaped, but as I haven't tested any other V shaped headphones I can't say if that's the problem. On the other hand I have very few bad things to say about the AKG's, they are very lightweight and the headband fits just perfectly, I love the sound signature as it tends more to the neutral side, it has good bass extension but overall laidback low end, very clear treble and a slight emphasis on the mid range wich has been bothering me a bit lately.

I kinda want the K240 a bit more exciting, maybe less clinical without compromising too much on reliability. Comfort is an issue as I use glasses, though I know it varies from person to person.

I was looking between these 3 cans:

The Audio Technica's ATH AD900x;

The Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250ohm;

And the Sennheiser's HD598.

With the beyer's my issue is my scarlett for driving them since they are 250ohm, that and that their kind of harsh on the high frequency, from what I read, wich is a nono for me (one of the reasons I hate the shure's), is this the case? The DT's have so many versions it is way too confusing, from what I read the Pro version is flatter than the Premium one, that's the reason why I chose them.

I like the senn's for not having that harshness, but their lack of bass or lightness makes me fear the possibility of getting really bored of them. Even though I'll use them for mixing and mastering, damm I want to have fun.

As for the Audio Technica's I'm not sure what to think since I have not read a lot, but from the little I read I feel like they're kind like the 598 with more treble or something, wich if is the case isn't exactly what I'm after.

Overall I want more neutral headphones, I believe to have a tendency on opened backs, but maybe a good closed one could change that, I just don't want anything boring really as I listen to a big variety of music going from classical to dubstep, passing trough a variety of electronic, some rap, pop, jazz and a bit of rock.

Now I'm really sorry for putting all that info, I'm very lost really, I thought the senn's were the ones, but now I got no idea, I was thinking about going akg again but it feels like I'll be getting the same thing, I briefly considered the ATH M50x but I kind of fear they'll hurt, and I'm not sure if I trust their recommendations. The budget is 200$, though price varies a lot where I live.

Anyway, any help is appreciated and thanks a lot for your time.

 

[serman005]

If you are concerned about bass being adequate, the HD598 may not be for you. Likewise, if you are concerned about bass, the AD900X is likely not your can. The Beyer may be too peaky in the treble for you, given how you feel about the Shure. All of which leaves us--if you still want open--with the Fidelio X2. It has more than enough bass response and is not sibilant. You would need to add a bit to your budget ($240.99 on amazon). It really is a very nice open headphone. You might read about it and see what you think. You also could always get a used one--they are out there. That is my take on your quest for an open headphone.

 

[Malfunkt]

Ideally, you'd use calibrated studio monitors in a treated room for mixing.

Like speakers, most headphones have something a bit unique about their signature.
Headphones give you isolation and detail, without having to worry about room reflections. They can be very useful.

What I might recommend, is getting two headphones, one for composition/longer-term listening, and then a second one for critical mixing/monitoring. It really depends on the type of music you are making. For instance, if you are doing piano compositions, and other instrumental sounds, getting a comfortable open back headphone for composition is fine (ie. HD650, HD600, SHP9500, Beyerdynamic Amiron, etc). This headphone you don't want to be overly analytical, or fatiguing. Also, check things like cable length and flexibility. If you are in-front of a keyboard, a long cable can be handy, as you can get it out of the way of your hands. You also may want a closed can, one that isn't overly critical. The Shure SRH1540 is a good choice. Shure designed that to be a bit more relaxed.

Your mixing headphone would have some different attributes. If you want something that is incredibly balanced, I highly recommend the Sennheiser HD250 Linear, but these are rare and hard to get in great condition. They are easily one of the best balanced headphones I've heard and - very linear. They are fantastic for all manner of production.

If you are producing electronic or bass oriented genres I'd check out the MDR7520. This headphone has an accented low-end, that can be useful to 'get in' to your music without turning the volume too high up. It allows you to hear the bass detail also, without over-compensating your low-end in your mix.

Though i haven't tried look into Beyerdynamic DT1770.

Edit: oops if your budget is $200, I might save up a bit. However, the headphones you have are actually quite good. The HD250 Linear I mentioned is under $200 but it comes in both 300 and 600 ohm and would require a decent amp (Objective 2 is fine). If you can get the older style AKG K240DF that is also excellent. Do you have that model?

 

[buke9]

You should have started out with the HD-280 Pro's very neutral with good bass impact. Then go from there.

 

[Ademir]

Thank you for all the responses! I was waiting to get headfi e-mails for the replies, turns out they went to the spam folder

 

[Ademir]

@serman005 Thank you for your take! As you thought I am concerned with the bass, I feel like it should make itself noticed, I have read a lot that their (598) bass isn't anything special, maybe, I thought, it is something that would payoff due to the relaxed sound, what do you think about it?

I was afraid with the treble on the Beyer's, I'm a bit more concerned with harsh highs than most people, so it's not in my list anymore. As for the Fidelio X2 I'll definitely go read about them, sounds like they could be a good choice.

About closed backs I do fear buying them, but I could. And I might go up a tier, if you have any thoughts let me know!

@Malfunkt Thank you for replying! After a brief search I'm convinced that I won't find the HD250 around here, sadly, and am leaning towards going a bit up in investment, as it feels more likely to make the right pick this way.

My AKG's are my comfortable long term option, I have used them 8 hours straight without discomfort. Mine are the K240 MKII, probably not the K240DF (wich I might not be able to get), though I read somewhere that even inside the K240 MKII they have different manufactures and this makes a difference in their sound so I don't really know as all this is very confusing. My only problem with the AKG's are the prominent mid frequencies, and the not that present bass (wich I suspect might not even be due to the bass, but to the overwhelming mids).

About the music, I make mainly electronic and hip hop. I own a digital piano that has built in speakers and I think I wouldn't need headphones if composing on them, though I often use the AKG's when playing at night and they don't cause issues. I plan on treating my room soon so my monitors will hopefully get more reliable, that said maybe I should choose a not fatiguing, comfortable, fun pair of headphones (if such thing exists) as I really like extensively using them and having the mixing side covered by the monitors it wouldn't be a problem. Do you agree with that?

I have considered the MDR7520 until I read a reviewer saying that their head pressure is above normal. After the SRH440 experience I have to at least believe the new pair won't hurt, I'll also think twice before buying another pair of Shure's hahah, though I'll consider the SRH1540 and I'll take a look into the DT1770, they look as all the DTs very comfortable wich is a great start.

I'll also put some speakers in the ceiling and will need a receiver for that, I believe I can buy one that also serves as an amp.

To sum up what I'm looking for I'd say I want a different approach on sound that would complement the AKG's while being comfortable and balanced, but that can make the job and entertain on its own.

@buke9 I have been avoiding taking a look at them for whatever reason, I'll take your word and go read about'em.

 

[Malfunkt]

You could always look into an HD600 or HD650. Great headphones and at home in the studio.

 

[Dulalala]

The headphones are powered trough my scarlett's 2i2 and I have read people saying it's not enough for headphones with higher impedances, as I have seen people saying it is in fact enough, so question mark here. Also I want to say that I absolutely hate the Shure's SRH440. They were most definetly one of the worst buys I have ever made, they have an awful sound, as if every single frequency is being emphasized at the same time, they hurt like hell, and make you feel like there's someone screaming inside your ears. I believe they are considered V shaped, but as I haven't tested any other V shaped headphones I can't say if that's the problem.

The Shure SRH 440 aren't v-shaped in any way. I think the issue is your using a DAC/Amp with a 10 ohm output with a 44 ohm headphone which is causing some distortion. You should be using a headphone with at least 80 ohm with that DAC/Amp.

 

[Dulalala]

The DT's have so many versions it is way too confusing, from what I read the Pro version is flatter than the Premium one, that's the reason why I chose them.

There is no difference in drivers between the pro and premium. Only difference is build materials of the headphone.

 

[serman005]

Yes, I agree, if you are sensitive to treble peaks, the Beyers could be a challenge for you. Yeah, I find the HD598 bass not to be weak, it's just not profound. If that makes sense. I enjoy listening to mine very much and recommend them generally. If you 'go up a tier,' let us know and we can try to assist.

 

[Ademir]

@Dulalala The impedance on the AKG's is 55ohm, no distortion. As for the DTs they have different impedance wich causes a difference in sound right?

@serman005 I was reading on the X2 and got really interested on it, according to what I read they have resemble the Senn's HD6XX but are more fun sounding, kind of all rounders. I have yet to read some more, but they are deffinitely in my list. Can you describe your 598 a bit more in depth? I feel like they will not work with everything, my impression is that some classical instrumental music will sound very good but hip hop for example may sound boring.

So, my list has changed entirely since the first post so I think I should do my research and then tell you guys what options I have in mind. I plan on looking into the HD6XX and will update here when I have more info, in the meanwhile if you have suggestions on higher priced cans feel free.

 

[Dulalala]

@Dulalala The impedance on the AKG's is 55ohm, no distortion. As for the DTs they have different impedance wich causes a difference in sound right?

The amount of distortion caused by a headphone due to impedance mismatch will vary. Some headphones are very sensitive to it while others will display very little change.
The general rule is your output impedance should be at least <1/8 of your headphone impedance. If the impedance <1/8, there won't be any distortion caused by impedance mismatch. The DT don't have a different sound because of their impedance, the sound signature of a headphone is due to the tuning of the headphone and not the impedance.

 

[serman005]

Not sure what else to say about the 598. Maybe this. The jewel of this can: mids are probably in the lush range. Really good. Bass is fairly good, really, and begins rolling off at around 90 Hz or so, dropping around 15 dB or so at 10 Hz.. As for the upper frequencies, there is a bit of a peak at around 10,000 Hz followed by a dip and then another smaller peak. I find them good for classical, jazz, vocal, and bluegrass. I don't really think of them as a hip/hop headphone, partly because of the bass, partly just because of the overall voicing of the headphone.. So, it's a nice headphone, it is just not for everything.

 

[Ademir]

@serman005 Yeah that's what I expected, I think I'd really like to have them, but their not quite the right buy here, thanks

 

[Ademir]

@Dulalala Ah, I didn't know that.