2nd pair of cans

[musicbuff]

I have Sennheiser HD 650's and they sound the best I've ever heard through my Musical Fidelity M1HPAP headphone amp (had the amp for going on 2 weeks now).  The veil is gone.  With Jazz and Instrumentals the Sennheiser's bring the "smile element." I'd like to add another pair of headphones that give a different sonic sound.  I'm contemplating
 
1.  Grado GS 1000i
2.  Audeze LCD-X or XC
3.  Hifiman HE-6
4.  Sennheiser HD800
 
My headphone amp does a very good job driving my Senn's (there was a bit of annoying graininess with male & female voices at times that I eliminated by decreasing the treble through JRiver Media Center's equalizer).  But I also listen to cantatas and choirs who sometimes have a soloist, (e.g. the Robert Shaw Chorale, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir) and of course many soloists with background singers (e.g. soundtracks like Whitney Houston in "The Preacher's Wife, etc.).  I've found sometimes when there are soloists they occupy the center stage and the choir comes through the left and right ear speakers with very little of the choir audible in the center stage behind the singer.  Which of the above listed headphones would allow me to hear choirs evenly across the whole sound stage?  I hear the Sennheiser HD 800's have a cavernous soundstage which is wonderful for orchestras.  Would they be good for choirs, too?  Thanks.
 

 

[musicbuff]

Went with Sennheiser HD800's and all I can say is WOW!  Imaging, sound staging, clarity are all phenomenal.  I'm running the 800's with Sennheiser's balanced cable and I'm awaiting the arrival of Senneheiser's balanced cable for my HD 650's.  Both headphones are running through a Sennheiser HDVA600 HP Amp and Musical Fidelity M1SDAC.  Though not as good as my FLAC files, mp3's sound great!  There's a lot less time spent restricted sitting in the sweet spot to hear phenomenal music.  I'm in music heaven.

 

[jibik]

Nice to hear your experience. Did you get a chance to hear the lcd x as well? I myself are at this similar point. Only difference is that my amp is Bryston BHA-1.

 

[jmk720]

I have the same amp than you with some mods, allready have a lot of times the hd650 they are not to my taste, but the best recomendation that i can give you for the hd650 is to invest on better system, the hd650 scale very well and can get where you want, its really impressive!

Now that you get the hd800 buy some tube amp, like the Zana Deux and the Donald North Audio...

 

[SilverEars]

IME, HD650 or 6XX should be paired with a solid-state like the BHA-1, which brings out the speed and bass tightness, slam, and quantity.

I think for the HD6XX you want to do solid-state opposed to what people do for HD800(S) which is tubes to smoothen the treble harshness. IMO, it's better to damp the response of HD6XX.

Interestingly, HD6XX sounds it's best with Gumby and BHA-1 setup. That's the best I've heard.