[simon_brown75]

Hi,

I very much enjoy the sound of my current AKG K141s but they are very uncomfotable so they have to go. I could get the K240 Studios, which are pretty similar but circumaural. However my budget allows a step up in quality as well, so I was looking at other options like K601 and HD600 (both £150 here in the UK). I've owned SR80 in the past and found them thin, bright and uncomfortable, so not looking to go down the Grado route again. Never used any Beyers. As for Sennheiser I've used my brothers HD565 Ovations (120 Ohm) quite a lot and while I do like them they don't exactly sound double the price of my K141s to me (which is what they cost). Maybe part of the reason is we don't have a headphone amp so we've never got the best out of them.

The phones will be plugged mostly into the headphone socket on my Marantz CD6000 OSE LE and occasionally into my Audigy 2 ZS soundcard. TBH I don't want to spend the extra to buy a headphone amp, I would much rather just get a set of £150 cans which sound great without amplification.

So my real question is - how much would HD600/K601 respectively be hamstrung by plugging them straight into my CDP unamped? Should I just get something more like 50-60 ohm instead? (HD595/K240 Studio/DT660)

I listen to mostly pop/rock/electronic, stuff like Muse, Radiohead, Catatonia, Killers, Pink Floyd etc but also some Jazz/Acoustic/Classical from time to time. The cans must be open back, circumaural and have a wide soundstage.

Many thanks in advance for any guidance

Simon.

 

[simon_brown75]

I'd also like to throw Audio Technica ATH-AD900 into the mix. 35 ohm so could be ideal.

 

[simon_brown75]

Right, having done plenty of research now, I've ruled out the K601, HD600 and DT880 due to high impedance and not wanting to buy an amp. I've ruled out the HD595 due to the high sensitivity worrying me - my 101 db K141s are nearly too loud for me with my CDP on minimum volume, so the 112 db HD595s could well be too loud (unless I'm misunderstand or oversimplifying sensitivity?). Plus I've been listenning to my brothers HD565 Ovations and I just do not get on with them at all, so that's another reason not to go with Sennheiser. I've read quite a few bad comments about the DT860s so they're out.

So that leaves me with Audio Technica, either the ATH-AD700 or ATH-AD900s. The 900s are pricey in the UK and it doesn't help that they're quite a bit uglier than the 700s. There is audiocubes though - they can deliver me the 900s for £120 (assuming I don't get hit with import tax) versus about £165 from the UK.

Hmmm... I think I should get the 900s rather than buy the 700s and then end up buying the 900s in 6 months. Right, I've decided, it's gonna be the 900s. Fingers crossed I don't get import tax slapped on, although that would still only take them up to the UK price.

 

[simon_brown75]

One last try at getting some badly needed help

Bought the ATH-AD700s - they are so close to being perfect but the lack of bass is spoiling the deal for me so they might have to be returned. They've been burned in about 50 hrs so far. Some of my music just needs a certain amount of bass - especially Muse.

Can't really think where to go from here though - I've read the AD900 are similarly lacking bass. The K240 Studios, well I'm not considering those anymore after comparing my K141s to the AD-700s, talk about muddy bass overkill from the K141s. Searched loads of threads and they all reckon HD595s are quite a bit worse in several areas than AD700s, plus I'm not mad on the veiled Sennheiser sound as heard on my brothers HD565s. I suspect even the HD600/650 would have this vieled sound too - I much prefer the clarity of the ATs. Still don't want closed back so A700/A900 aren't in the picture.

So I'm kinda stumped. I guess I'll return the AD700s for now and hang onto my money until I find the right replacements.