[zman0225]

Hey all, 
 
    Before I start, I know there are a lot of posts like these; however, none of them really gave the specific suggestions
that I wanted. I have around $1k budget this summer and need suggestions on the BEST combo in your opinion, please
give me your reasons. I am currently looking at the Mad Dog; however, I have heard mixed reviews about them and I 
feel like I can extend my budget a little bit higher than a pair of Mad Dog. Also, I am a complete neophyte when it comes
to DAC and Amps (I have a Fios 5 for my M50s), so any inputs on the would be awesome. 
 
    On the side note, I have seen a lot of praise for JH's new freqphase, so I have been considering getting a pair of JH13s.
However, I do not really care for portability at this point. So I am looking for something with a awesome soundstage, beautiful 
precision, and something not too bassy (like the M50s). Thanks for your time.  

 

[squallkiercosa]

My honest opinion: Save your money dude. You could get a decent sound for a lot less (like the Mad dogs for example)...
 
If you have plans to do it anyway you could order the Fostex TH-600 from amazon.co.jp for less than 800$ and send it to you using Tenso. Hope it helps. 

 

[wafflezz]

I'm an audiophile noob as well. But if I have any advice to give it is....be careful. There's a lot of snake oil salesman out there in the audio world with high end stuff it seems and some people buy into it. I'm not one of those who thinks "everything's a placebo so don't even bother", but they do exist and they can cloud a lot of people's judgement. Just because you spend more doesn't mean you're gonna get more. 

Don't be a victim of buyer's remorse

 

[smellyfungus]

Quote:

My honest opinion: Save your money dude. You could get a decent sound for a lot less (like the Mad dogs for example)...
 
If you have plans to do it anyway you could order the Fostex TH-600 from amazon.co.jp for less than 800$ and send it to you using Tenso. Hope it helps. 

i believe he was looking to spend $1K on a headphone, amp and dac altogether.
 
i don't have any specific recommendation because everyone hears differently and prefers a different sound signature.
 
i would advise reading the headphone buying guide and familiarizing yourself with the sound glossary to understand what's being described. find the headphone that suits you best, comfort should be one of the most important factors if you plan on listening to them for extended amounts of time.
 
after that, search through the appreciation thread of that headphone to find an amp/dac that synergizes well (that's still within your budget).
 
if you take the time to research on your own, you'll be able to get something you will love. people here tend to push their opinions onto you, its up to you what you want to believe.
 
good luck.

 

[squallkiercosa]

Quote:

i believe he was looking to spend $1K on a headphone, amp and dac altogether.

The TH-600 is a 25-ohm headphone, which doesn't really need an amp...

 

[davidsh]

It does need an amp, since the sensitivity is fairly low.

 

[squallkiercosa]

Quote:

It does need an amp, since the sensitivity is fairly low.

My bad. Which amp you think would be better for the TH-600? You could also post other options

 

[zman0225]

Quote:

My honest opinion: Save your money dude. You could get a decent sound for a lot less (like the Mad dogs for example)...
 
If you have plans to do it anyway you could order the Fostex TH-600 from amazon.co.jp for less than 800$ and send it to you using Tenso. Hope it helps. 

Hmm, based on general consensus, the TH600 seems to be very flat. Also, would anyone suggest HD700? I've heard that its soundstage is incredible. I'll hold up on the amp/dac suggestions, since that seems to change base on the flavor or headphones. 

 

[spaark]

If you get a HD 700, you won't have enough money for an amp or DAC.
 
What sort of sound signature do you want?
Would you like something "fun" or more analytical?
Do you want a laid back sound or something fast?
Do you want open or closed headphones?
 
That last question has probably been answered. You were interested in the HD 700 because of its soundstage, so that rules out most closed cans. My advice is to not spend that much money on headphones if you don't know exactly what you want.

 

[squallkiercosa]

You won't regret the TH-600. Nobody does. 

http://www.amazon.com/Fostex-TH600-FOSTEX/dp/B00BEUCNNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370201525&sr=8-1&keywords=th-600+fostex
 
http://www.audiophile.com/collections/new-products/products/fostex-th-600-premium-reference-headphones

 

[cel4145]

The reviews in this thread should help: http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-57-headphones-compared-update-ultimate-ears-uerm-added-4-14-13

The Schitt Audio Modi and Magni DAC/headphone amp stack would sufficiently drive most headphones. So if you save $300 out of your budget, most of the headphones in that review list will be fine with this amplification. If you find cheaper headphones you like, you could always buy a little better electronics.

 

[davidsh]

I don't like hd700. Weird midrange/tonality

 

[squallkiercosa]

Quote:

My advice is to not spend that much money on headphones if you don't know exactly what you want.

 
Good thing I'm not the only one who does think the same however, my experience showed me that doesn't matter how many times you repeat the same, people will still spend the money they were intended to. So if you're planning to spend 1000$ then go for the good stuff and it will probably be your last headphone for a long time. About the dac/amp combo an ibasso d7 to complement. Have fun. 

 

[zman0225]

Quote:

 

I see. I am not adamant about spending $1000, if you think that I should go with the Mad Dog, what amp/dac should I go with?

 

[zman0225]

Also I am looking for something more fun than analytical (of course, precision and balance are musts).