[dawa]

Right then, so I'd like to upgrade my cans. I've got two pair that I use frequently, both of which
I'm somewhat satisfied with; but that have issues I'd like to address (with the wallet
 
Current gear
 
* AKG K242HD
* Denon AH-D2000 (Don't judge; I played in a garage band. I like bass. It exists, I promise.)
 
I realize these two cans are almost as different from each other, in design and sound, as you can
possibly get. I've done a good amount of reading on head-fi regarding reviews, so I have
a rough idea of what I should be looking at, but I'm interested in the opinions of
those of you who know the sound signatures of these (or cans very close) and have passed
through this stage of gear upgrades. Since everyones opinion can vary (wildly) here is how
I feel about the cans. Hopefully this will give you some kind of an idea about where I should be
heading.
 
* AKG K242HD
  Likes:
     * Kind of comfortable (compared to Grado)
     * Soundstage is pretty good
     * Slower to fatigue
  Dislikes:
     * The AKG muffle(lack of clarity) is driving me nuts
     * Any less bass and you might as well just advertise them as "a baseless purchase"
     
Overall this can is OK. I'd love to say it is great for studio mastering, but then you get to
the clarity issue and ... no. I want to like these better than I do, but I can't.
 
* Denon AH-D2000
   Likes:
     * Pretty comfortable, sometimes a bit sweaty
     * Nice clarity
     * After the AKGs, it's nice to hear some bass (albeit a bit uncontrolled)
     * Fun with most music, even classical (some times); engaging
   Dislikes:
     * The soundstage is more like a soundsoapbox, but I've heard worse
     * Fatigues fairly quickly (for me); feels aggressive even on unaggressive music
     * Would be nice to hear mids from time to time
 
I find myself using this can most of the time, but it is just not so great for extended listening.
The clarity issue on the AKGs drives me to use the Denons for music I know they're not
best suited for, unfortunately. I can game or easy listen (not paying attention) with the
AKGs, so they're my Listen All Afternoon(tm) cans.
 
What I'm looking for, specifically, is something that I can use for fairly extended listening but
has enough clarity, reasonable (I don't need to rival the Denons) bass, and a fairly good 
soundstage. At this point I really think my only real choices are Beyer DT-800@600, 
Senn 600s, Senn 650s.
 
I've read the Senn vs. Beyer flamew^H^H^H^H^Hdiscussion(s), so I'm well aware that the
Beyer fans think they're better than the HD800s and the Senn fans think they're smoking crack.
My main concerns with either set are:
 
Senns = muffled/veiled like AKG, but fun to listen to
Beyer = more analytical than the AKG, but boring(?)
 
I'd love to know if I've missed anything. I'm fine with open (in fact, I expect open or semi-lying) cans.
If I need to use closed cans then I don't really consider the environment one where I can OCD over
the audio anyway.
 
Thoughts? If this isn't enough to start a ranging battle then I'll just say right here that
emacs sucks!

 

[In Over My Head]

I recently got LCD-2 as upgrade from D2K. I pretty much agree with your assessment of the D2K. The LCD wipes the floor with the D2K in every way that I am aware of. 
 
The bass sounds like real bass, deep and textured with awesome speed and control. 
 
The mids are awesome. Makes guitars sound involving. I get much more of a feel for different guitarists tones.
 
The treble is not harsh or fatiguing, but still sufficiently detailed. Cymbals sound awesome.
 
Whilst the soundstage is generally considered small by those who know better, it surpasses the D2K by miles. The sound is so much wider and  more layered. 
 
 
Sorry if I come across as a fanboy or shill, but I can't stop listening to these cans and can't recommend them highly enough.

 

[dawa]

I actually thought of the LCD-2. They're certainly on the radar, but at the same time the price is high enough to warrant some serious consideration. The 880s are a paltry 24800 yen, so this is a serious step-up. Even the D2000s were only 20000 yen a few years back. I'd certainly need to stop by a shop to demo these before clicking.. or just eat ramen for a year. Thanks

 

[In Over My Head]

Lol, yeah, they are pretty expensive. But I personally believe they are definitely worth it. They often pop up in the used gear forums for reasonable prices, and the used price is fairly stable. You could get a used set, and probably sell them for around the same price a year latter. I rationalised my purchase by virtue of skipping the intermediate upgrade path and just going for what I'd consider end-game.
 
I would definitely consider auditioning a set, but be prepared to eat ramen for a while if you do