[NoobAudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif On the other hand, you have just said you dont really want to put forth any effort for the amp (and DAC if this is a computer based rig). This is lame. The whole thing is very lop-sided to me. You put forth a solid effort looking for nice headphones with your left hand while your right is in your lap. Why not use both hands together? You get more done that way. IME headphone systems are just that, systems. Certain things work really well together, others dont.

Well power you would get plugging into a mac, i don't know the exact wattage the input is, an amp will change this. The reason i am sceptical of an amp is because i can just imagine sitting with my computer and when i want to move from upstairs to down stairs and such i will have to haul ass with the amp.

I am also not very knowledgeable on the subject, therefore my reason for not purchasing an amp is based on lack of information.

A headphone that caters for my needs within price range, doesn't seem hard. Although it is and the last thing i want to do is "OMG i got theze M0NSTA beats riGht and ther thu best eva YEE NAWW WATT IM SAYEENN?!" ... A couple of months ago i was one of these guys

 

[captian73]

I had my 650's for a few years, and putting aside certain comments, i can tell you now that the 650's do need a decent amp. I was driving them with various CMoy amps, and it wasn't until I bought my RSA that I discovered what the 650's could really do.

Anyway, Sennheiser, Grado, Beyer, it doesn't matter what you buy; it doesn't have to be permanent. If you don't like them, you can always change them! Don't fret, just make a choice.

 

[aimlink]

^You bought an RSA what?

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoobAudio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well power you would get plugging into a mac, i don't know the exact wattage the input is, an amp will change this. The reason i am sceptical of an amp is because i can just imagine sitting with my computer and when i want to move from upstairs to down stairs and such i will have to haul ass with the amp.

The power your laptop is getting isn't what the headphone will be getting. Your headphone is only going to get as much power and the jack gets, which is a fraction of the PC's power. With the HD650 and AKG K701/2, you'll want an amp. They won't get enough power without one. Will they be loud? Probably loud enough. Will they sound good? No way.

Grados are easier to power than either of those two. You'd be okay just plugging them into the laptop. Will they sound good? Not their best, because for that you'll need a DAC and, again, an amp. Will they be driven closer to their optimum level than the Senns? Yes.

Think of it like this. Your headphone out jack is going to supply the Senn HD650 about 50% of the power it takes to make them sound their best (I'm making these numbers up). The Grados will get within 90%. Which headphone sounds best at 100% of its requirement is debatable, and they're both good at different things. It's safe to say that 90% of a Grado will probably sound better than 50% of a Senn even if the Senn fits your needs more.

Of your current choices, I say the Grado. Or check out other Grados in their Prestige line, like the SR225i, or even the SR60i if you want to see what they (sort of) sound like first.

I'm with aimlink when he says that Grados are more all-rounders than people say. They shine with aggressive music like rock or intimate music like jazz, but can do everything pretty well. Exceptions include classical, which really needs a soundstage Grados do not give, and some bass-heavy music. I love them with electronic like trance, but if you want a more skull-shaking bass, they won't do well.

 

[Deep Funk]

An AKG K240 DF or Monitor could work. I was quite lucky to find a DF rather cheap. A K141 in various versions could work too.

 

[ConGrUenCy]

If you decide to get Grados, you probably should consider the 225is over the 325is, since they are better all- round cans imo.

 

[captian73]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^You bought an RSA what?

I got a hornet.... the (until recently) baby of the RSA range.

 

[eucariote]

I find it so very difficult because once you compare 3+ headphones, you suddenly hear qualities and shortcomings in all of them - and become aware of the fact that none (so far that I've heard) are free of flaws. That being said, I'd have to agree with Head Injury and say that Grados really are good all-rounders. I own 6 good headphones and my Grado HF-1 get 90% of my head time. If I lost those, the SR225s would take their place.

And try to get at least a portable amp/dac (even if it means spending that much less on headphones) because headphones will not sound their best. The only exception might be IEMS, which do not need much juice to sound good. SE530 sound amazing even out an ipod.

 

[Head-Head]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think it's as hard to pick good headphones as sometimes it's made out to be on head-fi. People argue over minutia and blow the differences out of proportion. Almost any mid to high end headphone does very well even with the things they're reportedly not good at. Just take into consideration your sensitivities, and try and match your headphones with your primary use and the secondary uses will work out well enough. You do need to consider your whole package (amp, source, headphones) and not just the headphones when searching tho.

So why own four pair of phones when its only minutia between them & even that's blown out of proportion?

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Head-Head /img/forum/go_quote.gif So why own four pair of phones when its only minutia between them & even that's blown out of proportion?

Fanaticism.

With that, minutia constitutes whole new worlds. Some describe it as night vs day. Enter this world, and you find yourself saving to explore minutia, some of which is not even physically demonstrable (try one of the HP recabling threads).

 

[pyramid6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Head-Head /img/forum/go_quote.gif So why own four pair of phones when its only minutia between them & even that's blown out of proportion?

Because I want the sound stage of the K701 with the what ever it is I like about the HD650. The problem with more than one headphone, is you know they are missing something. It better to have one headphone and think they are the best, than have two and know they aren't.

 

[ForgottenxxRebel]

because you don't have much money and its hard to choose something and worry about regretting it later. And because you can't really try on and get a real feel of how headphones will be until after you buy them.

 

[Junliang]

One thing to note.
IMO, do not ever ever purchase anything that you have any doubts or unhappiness with them.
It will on the FS forum soon enough, wasting your time.

True, its always hard to choose when you are starting out.
Its just like google.
Like what you said, you like monster beat, so you went to google them.
Then what ?
Some linked it to head fi, and poof, monster beat got owned, and tons of options came flowing in.

I suggest you to attend meets, and test out various cans and setup.
The moment you hear one that wow-ed you, do not whack it that fast.
Try it again a week or 2 down the road, and if you still like it, whack

"If we still love each other when I return from overseas... Lets get married !" Sounds familiar ?

impulsive buying is never a good thing, though impulsive buying also generally means less research on the product at hand, and what is the true fact here ?
"What you don't know won't hurt you"
And in this case, "What you don't know wont sway your opinion/decision"

so in a nut shell, take people's advice with a pinch of salt, take their recommendation with a big heart and go and audition them at meets. Try one that you really like, and try them again a few weeks down the road.
That was how I gotten my k702 with moon audio black dragon cable first.

and since i intend to go balance - think of how you are going to use it daily, and whether it fits you (like k70x being very easy to mod, it fits me perfectly fine), i went to get the k701 and love it thoroughly everyday.

Hope this helps

 

[Mr.Sneis]

I would say go with what you can afford; as you try out stuff you'll figure out quickly what you like and dislike. My first year on head-fi was a bunch of headphones I really didn't like; of which included the sr-60, eggo d66, hd280's, and 7506's. Had I not gone through that experience I wouldn't have figured out that I dislike most of Sony's signature sounds, extreme harshness in the highs, pleather/leather pads, any stock grado pad, and that I prefer mids.

Just do what you want

the great thing about head-fi is that you really aren't out too much money if you make the wrong choice; chalk it up to a learning experience.

 

[Ypoknons]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoobAudio /img/forum/go_quote.gif A headphone that caters for my needs within price range, doesn't seem hard. Although it is and the last thing i want to do is "OMG i got theze M0NSTA beats riGht and ther thu best eva YEE NAWW WATT IM SAYEENN?!" ... A couple of months ago i was one of these guys

The only way you're going to grow out of that is by going to listen to headphones at meets and audio stores, or even better, buying a few, making bad decisions and learning to make good ones. I've seen people on head-fi going "omg my HD650 out of my laptop are the best evah I ownz" ... getting the right headphones, it's only one part of a good setup.

As for not getting an amp (and a good DAC), with phones like the HD650, forget running them upamped. These headphones aren't designed to be moved around much, they're basically a hi-fi around your ears. If you don't want to "haul ass", get something that can be run out of your laptop or an IEM and accept the limitations you get from those phones (smaller soundstage amongst others).