[Prolificaudio]

The title pretty much says it all. I don't want something that is a side step or a little upgrade I want something that blows the M50x out of the water. I want something that is superior SQ, Very Fun sound,l bright, analytical, detailed, Lush, warm, beautiful soundstage, with good speed. I have listened to so many headphones in the last 2 weeks and honestly nothing has struck me as a huge step up from the m50's. I listened to the Bower and Wilking P7 last night and to me it sounded a lot better but still not a big enough step up that I can justify spending 400 dollars in comparison to 160. To me that shouldn't even be a competition for the price difference. So what do you guys think? Does sq not get that much better because I don't get it. The only headphones I have heard that wasn't a comparison was the Grado rs1 ans LCD 2s which are obviously both open. So lets hear it my friends your lists starting with the m50x and going up? I think this will make a good thread because everyone and their dog has the Audio Technica's so lets make some lists and why they are better than the m50x! Thanks in advance my friends.

 

[nicholars]

Shure SRH 1540, Fostex TH600

 

[Hi 5]

Philips Fidelio X2

Superior build
Superior Comfort


Superior Sound!

Bass
mids
highs
soundstage

2x the price 2x the sounds

X2....

 

[DivergeUnify]

Philips Fidelio X2

Superior build
Superior Comfort


Superior Sound!

Bass
mids
highs
soundstage

2x the price 2x the sounds

X2....

except its not closed

 

[Hi 5]

Lol, surfing Head-Fi on my iPad mini

I do miss allot of stuff.

Closed back eh?

Focal Spirit Pro!h34r:

 

[kapanak]

I think the problem is that there aren't many leaps and bounds better upgrades to closed-back headphones. There just hasn't been enough research done in the field for some reason.
 
However, the following stand out as pretty big upgrades to the M50x's ...
 
SHURE SE1540
 
NAD HP50
 
FOSTEX TH600/TH900
 
Mr.Speakers Alpha Dog
 
Audeze LCD-XC
 
... and probably the new Audeze EL-8 closed back version.
 
Yep.
 
Edit: And yes, the order was intentional in terms of what I subjectively liked more.
With the exception of the EL-8, I have nearly 50+ hours of listening experience with all the headphones I mentioned.

 

[nicholars]

  I think the problem is that there aren't many leaps and bounds better upgrades to closed-back headphones. There just hasn't been enough research done in the field for some reason.
 
However, the following stand out as pretty big upgrades to the M50x's ...
 
SHURE SE1540
 
NAD HP50
 
FOSTEX TH600/TH900
 
Mr.Speakers Alpha Dog
 
Audeze LCD-XC
 
... and probably the new Audeze EL-8 closed back version.
 
Yep.
 
Edit: And yes, the order was intentional in terms of what I subjectively liked more.
With the exception of the EL-8, I have nearly 50+ hours of listening experience with all the headphones I mentioned.

 
How would you compare the TH600 to the SRH 1540, I owned the Denon D2000 but am interested in trying the TH600's

 

[kapanak]

   
How would you compare the TH600 to the SRH 1540, I owned the Denon D2000 but am interested in trying the TH600's

I shall attempt to write this as clearly as I can, as it has been a month since my time with both these headphones.
 
First of all, if you want any semblance of isolation, forget the TH600. This is a practically open headphone, with minimal isolation, although sound leakage is well controlled. The TH600 has distinct, clear, heavy bass, and some may find it slightly overwhelming. It has a LOT of bass. The sound is captivating and punchy. There is something wrong with the one particular part of the mids with the TH600 I can't quite put my finger on, but direct comparison with the HD800 and HD650 says there are details in the mids that the TH600 fails to reproduce. If I were to put a frequency on it, I'd say around 400Hz. The treble is also strong with the TH600, but no annoying spikes. TH600 scales pretty well as you increase the volume, with minimal distortion, but a bit of grain. Once again, the bass on the TH600 is well extended, and its mids are certainly stronger than its highs. It has a snappy, crispy sound signature, and definitely warm. This is not a neutral headphone at all. They are very easy to drive, and the construction on them were impeccable.
 
On the other hand, the Shure SRH1540 were very neutral, almost monitor-like, and didn't have nearly as large of a bass as the TH600. The soundstage of the two are very similar, but the SRH1540 had the upper hand, with a really open and generous space simulated in the sound. I preferred the treble and mids of the SRH1540 to the TH600, as I did not find the TH600 crunchy and crispy sound to match my tastes. SRH1540 is practically distortion free, except for some odd reason when you increase the volume, bass, mids and treble suddenly blend in together, and don't sound very good. TH600 definitely scales better with volume increase. The SRH1540 are bright (not treble bright, but more refreshingly bright) and clear, with a slight bass roll-off, but generally have what I'd consider an ideal sound, especially for a closed-back headphones. For a $500 pair of headphones, the build quality of the SRH1540 is amazingly good, and the earpads are very comfortable, and keep your ears cool, which a lot of closed-back headphones fail to do. They are light and great looking.
 
I hope that helps. Might help to let you know that my regular pairs of headphones are the HD800 and Momentum over-ear and SHURE SE535, and the HD800 and SE535 are what I consider the best headphones I've heard in their respective categories.

 

[Prolificaudio]

Whats the sound like with the shure 1540s? Are they like any other shures? I was not at all impressed with any of the other shures to be honest.

 

[RockaRolla]

  The title pretty much says it all. I don't want something that is a side step or a little upgrade I want something that blows the M50x out of the water. I want something that is superior SQ, Very Fun sound,l bright, analytical, detailed, Lush, warm, beautiful soundstage, with good speed.

 
You can give any of the full-size woody ATH a try
 
I have the W1000X and it is as what you describe above

 

[Prolificaudio]

I was also considering those! Been eyeing the new audio techica msr7 not enough info yet though for me to make an investment.

 

[RockaRolla]

i have not heard the msr7, but going purely by the price tag, i would say its probably a side-step
 
you should hop into any audio shop and give the msr7 a listen and compare it against your m50x

 

[Music Alchemist]

Another vote for Focal Spirit Professional!
 

I want something that is superior SQ, Very Fun sound,l bright, analytical, detailed, Lush, warm, beautiful soundstage, with good speed.

 
Bright and analytical are typically the opposite of lush and warm, unless you just mean a headphone that reproduces the warmth, etc. in recordings.
 
Honestly, even my QC15 sounds far better than the ATH-M40x, which is the closest headphone to the ATH-M50x, except more neutral.
 
(Oh, and I'm selling my QC15 for $175. It was originally $300. I don't mean to hype things up, but it's one of the few headphones I've heard that fits your description of all those things simultaneously, though it can't compare to the FSP, and it has a more intimate soundstage, which can be preferable.)

 

[Prolificaudio]

My only problem is I don't want another studio headphone I want something that has that fun factor to it. Now that doesn't mean a studio headphone doesn't have that sound sig but I feel like it makes it less likely because from what I read it seems like studio cans try to be as neutral as possible. I have no idea though.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  My only problem is I don't want another studio headphone I want something that has that fun factor to it. Now that doesn't mean a studio headphone doesn't have that sound sig but I feel like it makes it less likely because from what I read it seems like studio cans try to be as neutral as possible. I have no idea though.

 
Yeah, some of them suck, but the FSP is more engaging and punchy. Neutral tonal balance is only one aspect of sound.