Received the HM5s recently and am so far impressed. I bought them for an office headphone (where isolation is key) to replace Ultrasone HFi 580s, which I find just way too harsh to listen to for more than 15 minutes. First impression was that the sound was not nearly as aggressive or exciting as...

The W1000x has a big mid-bass hump but then there is a large roll-off, so there isn't much presence in the very lowest regions.

Find the innderfidelity review of the W1000x, he does a bit of headband bending in the video. The headband is not nearly as flimsy as it looks and can be bent quite significantly, although you will never get a "tight" fit with these headphones, they are very much for listening while sitting still.

High end: Audio-Technica AD2000 (note not bassy, but extremely fast and the "right" tonality for electronic) More bassy: Ultrasone pro 900 Under $200: Ultrasone HFi 580/DJ1 Budget: Sony XB 500   Generally Ultrasones, Denons and the bassier Beyers are the recommended brands for electronic.

Quote:   +1.

Quote: Hmmm I wouldn't call the W1000X bass light. The W1000 (no X) and W5000 match that description, but the W1000X has plenty of bass. Compared to the Ultrasone HFi 580 (a very bass heavy can), the W1000X sub-bass rolls off a bit earlier but mid-bass punch is possibly even greater. Each...

Yea I find the highs a bit harsh and mids a bit recessed. I use the "treble reducer" eq on my ipod and it helps no end.

Quote:   The DJ1s are the same as HFi 580s. The DJ1 pros are closer to the Hfi 680s, iirc. The DJ1/580 are much more upfront, bassier headphones. They still have a big soundstage, but have a much more aggressive sound signature which gives them a more up-front sound.    

Shure SRH940s are supposedly detail monsters, do some research into them. As for Grados, try before you buy as the Grado sound signature is quite bright, and if you have had previous problems with harsh highs then they might not be for you.

See this thread for a comprehensive review of several high-end headphones, including LCD-2, AD2000 and HD800:   http://www.head-fi.org/t/548875/review-audeze-lcd-2-hifiman-he-6-stax-sr-507-stax-oii-mki-bhse-et-al   For electronic (particularly faster genres) the AD2000 gets a lot of praise.

Can you do a review on if/how they change comfort and sound when you get them? Been trying to weigh up whether the L3000 pads are worth it for a while myself.

Out of the ones you are asking for opinions on, the best for electronic (due to speed) are the HD800 and AD2000, and out of those two, for your requirements I'd go with AD2000. Easy to drive and less picky about amplification than HD800. The bass on both these can be described as "fast and...

The current MS-2 selling on the Alessandro website is the "i" model. It's just not called the MS2i by Alessandro. The MS-2i is more neutral sounding than the SR325i (which is renouned for being a bit harsh). But yea, for metal, Grado/Alessandro are the traditional choice due to their speed and...

Quote: I had the same thoughts when buying mine, now I'm trying to weigh up whether it's worth spending an extra $100 to get L3000 pads!   For an open alternative, I also considered the AD2000 for a while, but I decided to wait and see if A-T releases a replacement flagship open can...

I had the same problem with mine, basically I cut the toe off an old sock and taped it around the headband. Looked stupid but was much more comfortable.

Next year is Audio-Technica's 50th anniversary... There is going to be some amazing limited edition can, be assured of that. It likely won't replace the W1000x since the W1000x is the most recent A-T woodie, and the limited edition will likely be extremely expensive. Like, L3000 expensive. There...

I thought the 25-1 had fairly rolled off treble? They are good for rock though.  The Shure SRH 940 is an excellent suggestion, skipped my mind when i made my first suggestions and is quite possibly exactly what the OP is looking for. Good call.   Quote:  

Ultrasone Hfi-580/DJ1, Ultrasone HFi-780 (both have big bass which you may not want, recessed mids and sparkly treble, very aggressive sound signatures)   Audio-Technica ESW9, ESW10. For these I am going purely off other people's comments so don't take my word as gospel, but supposedly these...

Adapter arrived. Listening to the W1000x out of an ipod nano right now (on about 1/2 volume). Sounds surprisingly good. Loses a bit of detail, punchiness and soundstage compared to a better source/amp, but all in all is very listenable, and a credit to how easy the W1000x is to drive.

Ah thanks for the clarification, your request makes more sense now. Anyway, to help people give you advice: What will you be using the headphones for? (Music, gaming, movies etc) What sort of music will you be listening to on the headphones? Do you have any preference for sound signature...

Isn't this the wrong way to go about things? IMO first choose a set of headphones which is well suited to the music you enjoy, then an amp which matches the headphones. Headphones are by far the more important part of the chain when it comes to sound signature. Buying an amp first and then...

I use the W1000x off a solid state amp, the Audio-GD NFB-12, which has quite a warm sound with rolled off highs. I prefer it to the Fiio E9 which is more neutral, but the difference is not huge (it's not a picky headphone). I have not heard it off a tube amp.   It does acoustic and jazz very...

Have a 1/4in socket - 1/8in plug adapter coming in the mail next week (the W1000x comes with 1/4in plug and no adapter) - so I'll let you know how it sounds out of various sources. It is very easy to drive though, using the Fiio E9 or Audio-GD NFB-12 it is about as easy as an AD700 or Ultrasone...

From what I can tell the Goldrings were a sort of FOTM 4 years ago haha. Not sure why they would get recommended now, especially for anyone with a decent budget.   Quote: