[Bonny]

Sup guys!

I'm guessing there's been countless threads where people asked for help like this, but I just thought I might give it a shot. I feel like my problem's kinda personal here.

So I'm looking for a pair of headphones, preferably Open-Back, that I would use not only as an all-round headphone for everything but mainly for checking on the mixes of my music.
I have some KRK Rokits 5, but I'm sitting in an untreated room with the speakers being very damn close to the wall, so it'd be great to have some nice headphones with a somewhat flat frequency to reach a nice compromise for the overall mix.

I don't mind buying used headphones since my Sennheiser HD555s (that I bought used) have been serving me well for quite some time now and they're still going, despite rubber scratching off the cable.

Another thing to consider would be the impedance of the headphones or how hard they are to drive.
There probably won't be any chance, that I'd be getting my hands on any amps anytime soon. I have an audio interface (Line 6 Pod HD) but I doubt the headphone jack makes any difference to the amplification of the headphone.
(I don't know. I'm not really experienced in the whole amping scene)

When it comes to the price, I'd probably go for the 80-200 € price range, if we're talking prices of new headphones.

I thank you in advance!

(Another thing that I'd like to add is that I'd rather stay away from strongly sibilant headphones.
I've been experiencing some ear-pressure lately, which has made me very aware and conscious of, for example my Grado SR-60s, which I can't wear for longer than 30 minutes without getting ear fatigue and possibly even a headache.)

 

[serman005]

I wish you could push your budget to $300 because then you could get into an HE400S, which would be terrific for your needs. You can add the Focus A pads to augment the bass response and you're all set. Keeping the budget at around $200, I would say that you are probably best with an HD598. It has a terrific soundstage and is relatively neutral with a good amount of detail. The X2 is another option but it has a rather emphasized bass response, which does not go with your stated sound signature wants. Lastly, there is the AD900X, which tends toward the light side of the ledger signature-wise. Heading toward thin but not quite thin. None of these are sibilant. Impedance is a non-issue. You might read about these and see what you think. It is possible one could work for you.

 

[Delayeed]

I would recommend HD558s. HD598 has grainy and sibilant treble problems which you don't want. I also think the HD558 is a better headphone all around: Pretty much neutral from what I can remember, maybe slightly warm but not rolled off or muffled sounding at all. Can get them quite cheap too.

Even better option would be HD6XX / used HD600/650, even though they have 300 ohm impedance, they do sound good enough out of a phone and Line6 POD HD (X?) seems like a solid piece of kit.
Very neutral, less grainy and cleaner than options above even though with a smaller sound stage. The thing is too that they will scale really well should you want to upgrade your upstream equipment.

I used the HD600s for a while and still do. They translate quite well, one of the best values in all of audiophilia.

 

[serman005]

Personally, I find the HD600, 650, and 6xx (I own all three) to have rather intimate soundstages compared to several other open headphones in that price range. For me, they would not therefore be ideal for mixing. Something with a wider stage would be more fruitful, IMO. ---)

 

[Bonny]

I wish you could push your budget to $300 because then you could get into an HE400S, which would be terrific for your needs. You can add the Focus A pads to augment the bass response and you're all set. Keeping the budget at around $200, I would say that you are probably best with an HD598. It has a terrific soundstage and is relatively neutral with a good amount of detail. The X2 is another option but it has a rather emphasized bass response, which does not go with your stated sound signature wants. Lastly, there is the AD900X, which tends toward the light side of the ledger signature-wise. Heading toward thin but not quite thin. None of these are sibilant. Impedance is a non-issue. You might read about these and see what you think. It is possible one could work for you.

The furthest I'd go would be the Hifiman He-300, which I saw recently for about the price of 100€ used. Don't know how it competes against the HE400S. Sadly the AD900X hits a much higher price point around here where I live.
Also, I always thought the SHP9500 was the X2/X1 's little brother. By any chance, do you know how it compares to the X series?

I would recommend HD558s. HD598 has grainy and sibilant treble problems which you don't want. I also think the HD558 is a better headphone all around: Pretty much neutral from what I can remember, maybe slightly warm but not rolled off or muffled sounding at all. Can get them quite cheap too.

Even better option would be HD6XX / used HD600/650, even though they have 300 ohm impedance, they do sound good enough out of a phone and Line6 POD HD (X?) seems like a solid piece of kit.
Very neutral, less grainy and cleaner than options above even though with a smaller sound stage. The thing is too that they will scale really well should you want to upgrade your upstream equipment.

I used the HD600s for a while and still do. They translate quite well, one of the best values in all of audiophilia.

I'd be a very happy man if I could get my hands on the HD600 with a nice pricetag. Sadly they go for around 250 and above here. I'll see if I can get my hands on a nice cheap one on Ebay some day.
I've also looked into the HD558 but had a kind of negative image of it since it was hiding in it's big brother's shadow (HD598). I've heard of people mentioning the HD598 being kind of harsh and your statement pretty much proves the point.

Although my concern is: is there a noticable difference between my HD555 and the HD558 to the point that it's worth the money? I mean, my HD555s are still pretty fine, despite the ripped cable and cracked headband, although they're still just aesthetic issues.

Thanks for the answers, guys.

Also: speaking of the soundstage issue. By mixing I mainly mean EQ-work, mastering and all that. Panning is not really my biggest concern since that's not really something I spend the most time on (I have my trusty presets ;D )

 

[Delayeed]

my concern is: is there a noticable difference between my HD555 and the HD558 to the point that it's worth the money? I mean, my HD555s are still pretty fine, despite the ripped cable and cracked headband, although they're still just aesthetic issues.

Yeah it's more of a sidegrade... Usually you can get very good condition HD600s for around 200$ on eBay so that would be your best bet.

 

[Bonny]

I'll have the HD558 as a potential replacement if the HD555 dies on me.
In the meantime, I'll keep a look out for the HD600.

Thanks a lot, You two!

 

[Bonny]

Yeah it's more of a sidegrade... Usually you can get very good condition HD600s for around 200$ on eBay so that would be your best bet.

Managed to get HD600s on Ebay for 139 € with the package and all that. These sound stellar!
I did realize that I need a little bit of a higher volume setting in comparison to my HD555. I'm guessing that's what the higher Ohm value is doing. Don't feel any loss in important frequency volume though. Maybe slightly stronger low-mids in comparison. I dunno!
Thanks guys, now my old mixes don't sound the way I wanted them to sound... which is good! lol

 

[Delayeed]

Managed to get HD600s on Ebay for 139 € with the package and all that. These sound stellar!
I did realize that I need a little bit of a higher volume setting in comparison to my HD555. I'm guessing that's what the higher Ohm value is doing. Don't feel any loss in important frequency volume though. Maybe slightly stronger low-mids in comparison. I dunno!
Thanks guys, now my old mixes don't sound the way I wanted them to sound... which is good! lol

Wow that is a GREAT price for them! Very happy for you

 

[Vamsi Vadrevu]

I'd very strongly recommend HD 598. Compared to my M50x they are very neutral and the highs are also tame. Coming from M50x I thought the HD 598 had very laid back highs (which was non-fatiguing yet detailed enough to show the mix properly). I myself have Yamaha HS5s for mixing and like you, even I have them stuck against a wall due to lack of space (have plans to do some acoustic treatment soon). And I used to mix with M50x (which are uncomfortable and fatiguing to listen to, but their bass is very punch). I recently got the HD598 and they are much better for mixing in my opinion, if you are in a quiet environment.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Another thing to consider would be the impedance of the headphones or how hard they are to drive.
There probably won't be any chance, that I'd be getting my hands on any amps anytime soon. I have an audio interface (Line 6 Pod HD) but I doubt the headphone jack makes any difference to the amplification of the headphone.
(I don't know. I'm not really experienced in the whole amping scene)

If whatever is driving the headphone has a high output impedance, it can make the bass thicker or thinner. The effect can vary from one headphone to another. My speaker amps with headphone outputs at 120ohms or higher were all horrible with my 32ohm Grados, making them sound like tin cans. They still kinda sound boring on my HD600 (save for the headphone output on my Marantz CD60, but that has a chip that was used for the Fiio E9, despite being around 20yrs old by that point) but not as bad as on the Grados or AKGs I tried.

When it comes to the price, I'd probably go for the 80-200 € price range, if we're talking prices of new headphones.

I thank you in advance!

In terms of high enough without being too high impedance, while having a usable sensitivity is concerned, there's Superlux, like the HD330 and the HD668B. Problem is, their response is boosted in the low frequencies.