[Baines93]

So, what headphones shall i get?

Basically, i like everything, i listen to anything that is thrown at me, although not really heavy metal or metal.

I got the CX300's previous to coming here, and after listening 24/7 on holiday in france, i suddenly realised that they were bloated in the bass region, and had no detail. I came here thinking i hated bass, and got the er6i's. I found them to be great although my source, A zen vision m, is very cold sounding, and when i plug them into my new laptop they have a new sound! They are warm, bassy when needed, but not too punchy or uncontrolled. I like it, although i dont want to wear iems at home. Anyway, im getting my Livewires soon, and i think hey are perfect, even out of my cold portable source!

So, now i want a pair of headphones for use with my laptop mainly, although my cold ZenVM in bed sometimes, and occasional gaming. I want closed, as my laptop listening is in the lounge, and my family are watching tv in there, but open is a possibility and i am happy to try it if it is worth it. Gaming is upstairs, so open is fine up there. I want something really comfortable though, as my gaming headphones (USB, Virtual) ar horriblly uncomfortable, and quite naff! I also want them to be comfortable because it helps me channel into the music and relax. Preferrably velour/cloth pads.

I am currently unamped, although i MAY get an amp in the future after borrowing one and trying it with my Livewires & new headphones.

My source files are 96k-~320k mp3's and a few wma's. I know they suck, but i dont listen critically, i just like a certain signiture, and in this case i want comfort.

So basically closed or open, preferably closed though. Something that has reasonable highs, but bass that is there when it i needed, i like a warm sound, but i am not mad about bass, Bass quality over quantity, so tight and controlled. They can sound a little cold, but my laptop is a warm source, and that will be what i mainly use them with, so they will be warmed by it anyway.

If i ever change my laptop, then i will get a warm sounding amp for them, and the livewires, for portable and home listening. That is another day, and another thread though!

My budget is fairly small at a meager $65, but i will be buying used, so i get more for my money. It could increase a bit, after i get my Livewires made, a few months, and i can sell my CX300's and ER6i's if they fit good, and i like them.

So what shall i get? I want a good all-rounder, with bass that is there when needed, and good highs, but not too bright, or fatuiging. Comfortable, good positioning for the occasional gaming. Velour pads preferably.

So ATH A500? ATH AD500? A700 at a push? AD700 at a push? Grado's? (Apparantly uncomfortable) Or am i totally wrong??! What is the difference in sound signiturebetween the 500's and 700's and open or closed. After doing some reading, the 700's sound like they suit me, i think, and if the 500's are like them, then im set. But open, or closed?

If this helps; if i chose a new universal iem, it would be the SFP5, as i think it is a good all-rounder from what i have read.

Thanks in advance,

Matt

 

[nutkicker]

With $65 I would personally just get a pair of KSC 75's and spend the rest of the money on cd's or something.

 

[intoflatlines]

SR60 without a doubt. The comfort issue is really subjective.. some people find them really comfortable while others hate them. A change of pad types also can change the sound and make it more or less comfortable.

SR60 come with comfies which some people (like my girlfriend and my dad) find very comfortable. I personally don't like them. I prefer the bowls. My ears are smaller so it makes the bowls into basically circumaural pads.

Sure, the SR60 are open, but I think that you'll deal with it when you hear how great they sound, especially for the price.

 

[Baines93]

I have heard they are fatuiging. Are they?

Any other suggestions?

 

[Baines93]

Also they are rock cans aren't they? I want good allrounders, with a warm sound, but good highs too.

 

[kejar31]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baines93 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also they are rock cans aren't they? I want good allrounders, with a warm sound, but good highs too.

Yes they are rock cans, but they are the best phones your are going to get in the $65 price range. If you want an all around head phone, push your budget up to around $100 and there will be more options for ya. Like the ATH-AD700 and the HD555's.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Have a look at the Sony MDR-V6. I owned a pair for years and they're good headphones. Still used in studios and professional use, as well. They aren't hugely popular here, but there's a good reason they've been around for years and do a lot of pro work.

 

[Omega]

I have owned the Sony MDR-V6, Koss KSC-75 and Grado SR60, all are good recommendations, but the Koss KSC-75 should be the first you try. Also consider Sennheiser PX100, which I have also owned.

V6:
Good monitor headphones. They are rugged, totally closed, and brutally revealing. They are NOT enjoyable to listen to, because they have a pushed (and IMO, artificially bright) high end and odd soundstage. It was impossible for me to enjoy music in these. Also, they are the least comfortable of the three, to me. Velour earpads got hot quickly (like earmuffs) and made my ears sweaty, and the cups were smallish and shallow, so my average sized ears were pinched inside, which was uncomfortable for >1 hour. I eventually gave my pair to a friend, who thought they were great (compared to stock Ipod buds)

SR60:
Great headphone for rockin' out on the cheap. I use them on my computer for gaming and occaisonal rock listening. Sound good unamplified. They are totally open, so expect a LOT of sound to leak. As in, if you sat at the back of a city bus and listended at pleasantly voluminous levels, the driver could hear it. They are not particularly durable. I find them confortable enough. The pads smash my ears after some time, but I can wear them in relative comfort for 2-3 hours. Severely attenuated highs and somewhat bloated bass, but midrange and overall impact can be very enjoyable. Kind of stinks for some genres that stress ensemble balance, like jazz and classical.

KSC75: Good overall, astonishingly good for the price. Buy a pair for $20 from Radio Shack (or cheaper, from Amazon), quit Head-Fi and enjoy your music

. They are smooth sounding, have respectable bass output, get midrange fairly right, and are transportable, packable, and do not need amplification. Try these first, and when you eventually spend $100+ on a set of headphones (+amp other gear), go back and compare with KSC75 to understand the meaning of "incremental improvement." For $60, my recommendation is buy 1,2 or 3 pairs of KSC75's. Keep them as backups or give them to friends.

PX100: Also quite good for the price, but at least twice as expensive as KSC75 for less accurate, more bloated sound. Comfortable, transportable, clever folding design. Work well from most sources without amplification. Leaks some sound, but not enough to bother most. Gave my pair to a girlfriend, she loved them. I'd buy KSC75's before another pair of PX100's.

Disclaimer: This is all my opinion of course, and my taste surely differs from another person's. However, I have owned and directly compared all these cans, so in that sense, my opinion is at least backed by experience!

 

[Baines93]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kejar31 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes they are rock cans, but they are the best phones your are going to get in the $65 price range. If you want an all around head phone, push your budget up to around $100 and there will be more options for ya. Like the ATH-AD700 and the HD555's.

What about the A500/AD500? What is the sonical difference between the newer 700 model?

Also open or closed, whats the sonical difference?

Which are more comfy? AD have velopur pads and A have pleather pads. One has a 2 part support first headband, whilst the other has a full first headband.

TIA,

Matt

 

[Baines93]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have owned the Sony MDR-V6, Koss KSC-75 and Grado SR60, all are good recommendations, but the Koss KSC-75 should be the first you try. Also consider Sennheiser PX100, which I have also owned. V6: Good monitor headphones. They are rugged, totally closed, and brutally revealing. They are NOT enjoyable to listen to, because they have a pushed (and IMO, artificially bright) high end and odd soundstage. It was impossible for me to enjoy music in these. Also, they are the least comfortable of the three, to me. Velour earpads got hot quickly (like earmuffs) and made my ears sweaty, and the cups were smallish and shallow, so my average sized ears were pinched inside, which was uncomfortable for >1 hour. I eventually gave my pair to a friend, who thought they were great (compared to stock Ipod buds) SR60: Great headphone for rockin' out on the cheap. I use them on my computer for gaming and occaisonal rock listening. Sound good unamplified. They are totally open, so expect a LOT of sound to leak. As in, if you sat at the back of a city bus and listended at pleasantly voluminous levels, the driver could hear it. They are not particularly durable. I find them confortable enough. The pads smash my ears after some time, but I can wear them in relative comfort for 2-3 hours. Severely attenuated highs and somewhat bloated bass, but midrange and overall impact can be very enjoyable. Kind of stinks for some genres that stress ensemble balance, like jazz and classical. KSC75: Good overall, astonishingly good for the price. Buy a pair for $20 from Radio Shack (or cheaper, from Amazon), quit Head-Fi and enjoy your music . They are smooth sounding, have respectable bass output, get midrange fairly right, and are transportable, packable, and do not need amplification. Try these first, and when you eventually spend $100+ on a set of headphones (+amp other gear), go back and compare with KSC75 to understand the meaning of "incremental improvement." For $60, my recommendation is buy 1,2 or 3 pairs of KSC75's. Keep them as backups or give them to friends. PX100: Also quite good for the price, but at least twice as expensive as KSC75 for less accurate, more bloated sound. Comfortable, transportable, clever folding design. Work well from most sources without amplification. Leaks some sound, but not enough to bother most. Gave my pair to a girlfriend, she loved them. I'd buy KSC75's before another pair of PX100's. Disclaimer: This is all my opinion of course, and my taste surely differs from another person's. However, I have owned and directly compared all these cans, so in that sense, my opinion is at least backed by experience!

For the price of KSC75's i will just buy a pair when i see them used in the forum.

Argh, im so stuck now.

Read my above post. I'd appreciate some help if anyone can answer them^.

TIA,

Matt

 

[kejar31]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baines93 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What about the A500/AD500? What is the sonical difference between the newer 700 model? Also open or closed, whats the sonical difference? Which are more comfy? AD have velopur pads and A have pleather pads. One has a 2 part support first headband, whilst the other has a full first headband. TIA, Matt

I have not heard the A500/AD500 so I can not comment on them. As for open vs closed, open almost always sounds better, given they are equally priced, especially in the ~100 price range.

 

[jgonino]

I have owned the SR60, the KSC75, the A700 and A900. I suggest the SR60. While it may be considered a rock headphone, it sounds excellent with other types of music, and can be made very comfy by getting a pair of HD414 pads on ebay and a Beyerdynamic headband.

 

[KTamas]

Get the KSC75s. I just got mine and I already love them. The PX100s are very dark, bloated on bass.

 

[Baines93]

What about HD570's?

 

[intoflatlines]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baines93 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have heard they are fatuiging. Are they?

Some find them fatiguing, others don't. I love how the bowls fit, my girlfriend and dad hate it. They prefer the comfies. I don't think they're fatiguing at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baines93 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also they are rock cans aren't they? I want good allrounders, with a warm sound, but good highs too.

Although Grados are considered to be great rock cans, I find that they sound great with all genres. I listen to a lot of different stuff (but mainly rock) and I love how the Grados sound with everything. The treble is nice and detailed. Some find it too harsh, but not me. I think that my SR225 are very versatile.