[frazereds]

Hello all, not been back since 2007, since then I bought beyer DT770s 80 ohm which are still going well with only pads and foam changed to date. I have a range of IEMs and wireless which have their on the move and TV uses etc.

Now hankering for my next set of full size headphones, after many hours reviewing stickies here, reddit and many many reviews I feel I have a short list which I would welcome feedback / steerage on please

Kit / source

• Main server PC - M4A, lossless and MP3 content
• Genres - EDM, Electronica, Drum and Bass, Progressive House, IDM, chill etc. Occasionally Tool, Radiohead, death metal, film sound tracks. 95% EDM though.
• ifi Zen DAC v2 Amp - love the truebass and powermatch buttons
• Beyer DT770s - a true friend and love the bass and soundstage, for what their is on these.

Looking ahead

• Same source and genres - a bit obsessed with metalheadz at present
• Love bass
• looking for something updated and a touch different from the DT770s
• I think I am looking for closed, but perhaps I might go for open, to hear when at my desk, if I want isolation then the beyers are there, having both options would be cool
• Balanced cabling options - have the option on the ifi DAC amp - so it would be shame not too
• Wood - like a bit of texture and natural look

Budget - up to 400ish GBP / 500 USD

Shortlist / options
1. Modding my dt770s with the custom cans package - copper rings, damping, balanced conversion and cabling. Buy another set or send in mine for conversion - dt770s have served me well and with some revamping they could continue to be fun (perhaps I will do this anyway and also buy another HP set
https://jfunk.org/wpc/product/...770-for-pono-player/

2. Meze 99 classics Go balanced. Do like the wood appearance and seem bass happy

3. Fostex massdrop th-x00 (not available easily though) or the Fostex TH610's - priciest option

4. Monolith 1060c - like the idea of being able to take off the wood cups to open up and experiment - best of both or none?

5. Sivga Phoenix - lots of reviews say they have impressive sub bass and mids for an open phone - very intriguing but do they really? There seems to be some conflicting views (as ever)

there you have it, the above shortlist represents approx 20 hours reading, viewing and indecision... Thank you for reading and tolerating some smilie usage..

 

[earmonger]

I don't mean to complicate your choices but for EDM and everything else that revels in head-spinning weirdness, you should consider the Audio-Technica ATH-R70X.

Light and comfortable verging on weightless, wide soundstage that's so much fun for panning, super clarity (good for metal), natural sound for instruments that need it, and it claims a bass response down to 5 Hz -- clean bass, not a mudslide. (It may sound underplayed if you're used to V-shaped phones; you can always EQ the bass up because the subbass response is ready and waiting.)

Don't take my word for it; there are a zillion reviews.

And here's a good UK price: https://www.thomann.de/gb/audio_technica_ath_r70_x.htm

Edit: Forgot to factor in the exchange rate. That Thomann price is $337, equivalent to standard US price of $350, so you might be able to shop around and find a better price. Sometimes open-box ones show up.

 

[frazereds]

thanks, I have considered the AT's. 470ohm though unless balanced route, with my DAC amp ok to 600ohms it seems. I have watched a number of reviews also

 

[cinisi]

I personally went from 770's to 99 classics. Had the 770's for 2-3 years before upgrading.
Wasn't really impressed because the 770's were also bass-happy.
I upgraded the earpads to thicker leather pads, and this improves the seal (and bass) very nicely.
They've been my office cans for 2 years and I've been happy throughout (before upgrading yet again)

 

[frazereds]

Thanks what did you upgrade onto?

 

[cinisi]

Thanks what did you upgrade onto?

Went from the 99 Classics to a pair of LSA HP-2 to a pair of ZMF Verite Closed

These are my end game and I will only consider selling these if I can get my hands on a stabilized pair

But I have enjoyed the 99 Classics for a long time before feeling the need to try something new!

 

[frazereds]

Went from the 99 Classics to a pair of LSA HP-2 to a pair of ZMF Verite Closed

These are my end game and I will only consider selling these if I can get my hands on a stabilized pair

But I have enjoyed the 99 Classics for a long time before feeling the need to try something new!

Woo hoo those look amazing congrats!

 

[frazereds]

@earmonger you might be happy to hear I have odered the audio technica's as managed to get a decent discount on the ath-r70x

hoping I like them... seem bass capable according to specs but open and very light, should be a nice contrast to my dt770's which I can mod. Refreshed the earpads with a new set of beyer pads and they are much more lovely again.

some kind of headphone stand is next, I have some left over timber so if I have time I will make something.

Oh and perhaps a balanced cable so I can run the ATs to their full potential

Thanks for ideas and suggestions

 

[earmonger]

@earmonger you might be happy to hear I have odered the audio technica's as managed to get a decent discount on the ath-r70x

hoping I like them... seem bass capable according to specs but open and very light, should be a nice contrast to my dt770's which I can mod. Refreshed the earpads with a new set of beyer pads and they are much more lovely again.

some kind of headphone stand is next, I have some left over timber so if I have time I will make something.

Oh and perhaps a balanced cable so I can run the ATs to their full potential

Thanks for ideas and suggestions

Pretty sure you will love the ATH-R70X, especially since you have a DAC/Amp.

Balanced, I dunno.

Don't order a balanced cable unless you can find a guaranteed compatible one. The connectors inside the ATH-R70X are nonstandard. You'll see when you get them that the cable isn't marked left and right. But somehow AT made connectors that send the right and left channels correctly regardless of which side of the cable you connect. Very cute, but any aftermarket cables have to be specific to the ATH-R70X. They do exist, however.

Also, the other quirk: you probably saw in reviews that the right and left channel are only marked inside the headphones, just above the cups. I put a little sticker on the right side of mine to tell them apart; not a big deal.

 

[frazereds]

Thanks
Have been crawling through some older posts and spotted some balanced cable specs, connectors that seem to fit
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...depth-review-impressions.765004/post-11565945

Will enquire with a cable builder I know to see what potential there is.

But will be seeking how they are as soon as in hand

 

[frazereds]

The r70x's seem pretty nice. The main thing that has surprised me is how microphonic the cable is. Not massively noticeable with music on, but at lower volumes or off it is very obvious with a turn of the head etc.

 

[frazereds]

My worries about driveability also are not borne out thankfully. No probs with my poco f2 phone as well as from my ifi Zen DAC v2.

Balanced cable sourced and enroute too. Hope that sorts the microphonic issue

 

[earmonger]

For what it's worth, I put a wire bag tie (from grocery-store plastic bags) above the Y split on the ATH-R70X and I slide it up a bit. It helps with the microphonics, which I find minimal anyway since I listen when I'm largely stationary.