[tfarney]

I'm not going to trade up my 580s; I really like them. But if I were to add another pair of full-sized cans, looking for a different sound, what would the the best alternate/mate to my Senns the AKGs or the Beyers?

Tim

 

[Rednamalas1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfarney /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not going to trade up my 580s; I really like them. But if I were to add another pair of full-sized cans, looking for a different sound, what would the the best alternate/mate to my Senns the AKGs or the Beyers? Tim

depending on your music preference and your budget.
If you like classical music, K701 is wonderful (DT880 isn't bad either)
if you like good accurate sound with tiny bit of emphasis on treble, Dt880 are the cans for you.
K271,K501, K1000(!) are good alternatives to senns. I personally disliked DT770 80ohms due to its overpowering bass, same goes for DT990.

really depends on your music preference I guess.

FYI DT880s can be frequently had at 200$, and K701 at 240$. Both require a decent amp setup though IMO.

 

[nutkicker]

you might want to see if you can find a place you can demo before buying K701's, if your interested in them. lots of people like them, and lots of people hate them. i'm in the second category.

 

[ktheone]

K701 is wonderful for classical...

 

[dcstep]

The K701 is wonderful for everything, IMHO. However, it demands a great amp, like my Woo WA6. An iPod can't drive it adequately without a supplemental amp.

Dave

 

[synaesthetic]

I haven't listened to K701s, but DT880s are amazing. Ridiculously comfortable with great sound. They are a tad bright, but not fatiguing. I used to have a pair that I ended up selling to a friend after a year or so of use.

Like the K701s you need a good amp to drive them. They are gluttonous beasts.

 

[orkney]

Depending on your price range, you might consider the AT AD2000s as a pair of complementary phones. They seem to be very good all-rounders and on some material they're absolutely riveting. I also really like the DT-880s but they do need a good (and powerful) amp to sound their best.

o

 

[majkel]

DT880 Pro would be the best IMHO. K701 and AD2000 both sound weirdly colored in higher midrange to me, in a different way of course but it's ugly and unnatural.

 

[brainsalad]

The Sennheiser's have there own sonic signature that can be heard across the entire line. Being a HD600 past owner and a current HD650 owner, I purchased a set of K701's and just before the 30 day return expired, I returned them. Along with most of the Grado's, they have a very large HF bump that was very, very fatiguing to me. Some people consider the K701's to be SOTA.

I have found that no matter what headphones I buy, I will only buy them from someone that can give me my money back if I don't like them.

Good Luck!

 

[eitook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brainsalad /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Sennheiser's have there own sonic signature that can be heard across the entire line. Being a HD600 past owner and a current HD650 owner, I purchased a set of K701's and just before the 30 day return expired, I returned them. Along with most of the Grado's, they have a very large HF bump that was very, very fatiguing to me. Some people consider the K701's to be SOTA. I have found that no matter what headphones I buy, I will only buy them from someone that can give me my money back if I don't like them. Good Luck!

what's SOTA?

 

[gjkphd]

SOTA=state of the art

 

[gjkphd]

SOTA=short on tonal accuracy

 

[Uncle Erik]

I've got the K-701 and the DT880. The headphone with the biggest contrast to the 600 and 650 would be the DT880. The DT880 has a more aggressive sound, is faster and is much more detailed. You'll get a much different presentation from the 580. The K-701 is a good headphone, too, but you'll get a wider difference with the Beyer.

 

[boomana]

The DT880 are faster, but have a nightmarishly painful treble if you're at all sensitive that way. The 701s are also brighter, have a crisp sound in comparison to the 580s, but are not headache producing (I am sensitive to highs) like the Beyers in my experience. The 701s do require a pretty serious amp, but there are a couple that aren't expensive (the DV 336 and the Heed Canamp, for example) that many report as being able to drive them well. Since both those amps handled my K340s well, it's probably true. I didn't have the 701s and those amps at home at the same time.

I'm currently interested in the AD2000s and trying not to be (I don't need more headphones!). I heard them once a couple years ago, liked them, but wasn't drawn to them. They had a light airy sound to my memory at that time. I heard them recently for a second time, and was totally wowed. The system they was paired with was truly impressive (a R2R with master tapes a Zana Deux), but it gave me a taste on how good these headphones really are.

The RS1s or RS2 shouldn't be dismissed as possibilities. They offer a nice contrast to the Senns. I should state that I've only heard the RS1s, but you could read up on the differences between the two if you're at all interested.

 

[synaesthetic]

Well, you don't pair the DT880 with a bright source and amp, that's just asking for trouble.