[REB]

Just curious to know what your best bang for buck purchase was. Not necessarily new headphones (we all know about the KSC35, PortaPros, K501 and HD580), but also secondhand or chance purchases: a stax lamba pro at a flee market for $10 or a sennheiser hd600 for $50. Because sometimes research doesn't come into it, but luck does.

I'll start with my €20 purchase of a late '80s beyerdynamic dt990 (600 ohm) from a friend. He liked it, but wasn't in love with it and neither was I until I bought a graham slee solo and hooked it up as an afterthought. Instant audio bliss and my cheapest headphone purchase in a long time. My friend was so amazed that he purchased another pair of vintage dt990s, now knowing what they were capable of. Nothing I purchased since comes close in terms of bang for buck (although the ad2000 and the esw10jpn definitely deliver in terms of what they cost, their bfb ratio is much lower). At a distance the purchase of a pair of akg k500s for €80 follows. So what are your stories?

 

[intoart]

I would have to say the DT770 Pro. At $150, it utterly destroys phones costing as much as $600.

 

[Ericular]

Quote:

Originally Posted by intoart /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would have to say the DT770 Pro. At $150, it utterly destroys phones costing as much as $600.

What kind of source + amp do you run the 770s with? I'm starting to wonder if I don't have any good sources, because I'm not in love with the DT770 Pro/80's as much as I expected to be.

iPod Touch 2G --> DT770 = Not enough power. Too quiet. To be expected...
PC S/PDIF out --> Sony Receiver --> DT770 = OK, at least I can get enough volume. Clearer than my Senn 212 Pros with tighter bass. Sibilance a little annoying at times, since I'm used to nothing of the sort from the 212's.

Adding the Fiio E5 to the iPod headphone out gets me enough volume, but it's just getting re-amplifed. No LOD yet...

Anyway, I assume the headphones aren't the problem, since they are sometimes highly regarded here. Do you think it's my low quality source + amp that's holding these DT770's back from wowing me? Or is it possible for two different people can have different enough preferences that one will love the sound and the other will think it's nothing special?

I am new to all of this, so it's also possible I'm not skilled enough to notice any mind-blowing improvements from the Senn 212s to the DT770/80's. Still, for going from a $30 headphone to a $150 headphone, I was hoping not to need instruction on how to notice the minute differences I'm paying extra for.

 

[ourfpshero]

dbi pro 700 from ebay for a whopping 13$ shipped

also senn hd265 for 20$

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ericular /img/forum/go_quote.gif Or is it possible for two different people can have different enough preferences that one will love the sound and the other will think it's nothing special?

Oh yes

. Stick around for a bit and you'll see for yourself. It seems like you'd better post about your dt770 in the most disappointing purchase thread.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourfpshero /img/forum/go_quote.gif dbi pro 700 from ebay for a whopping 13$ shipped also senn hd265 for 20$

And it worked

?

 

[That dude]

I bought some plastic "bomb" packs for about $0.20 each.

And I got my Sennheisers courtesy of "thedeliveryman". So a free headphone is the best bang for buck I can think of...

 

[intoart]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ericular /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of source + amp do you run the 770s with? I'm starting to wonder if I don't have any good sources, because I'm not in love with the DT770 Pro/80's as much as I expected to be. iPod Touch 2G --> DT770 = Not enough power. Too quiet. To be expected... PC S/PDIF out --> Sony Receiver --> DT770 = OK, at least I can get enough volume. Clearer than my Senn 212 Pros with tighter bass. Sibilance a little annoying at times, since I'm used to nothing of the sort from the 212's. Adding the Fiio E5 to the iPod headphone out gets me enough volume, but it's just getting re-amplifed. No LOD yet... Anyway, I assume the headphones aren't the problem, since they are sometimes highly regarded here. Do you think it's my low quality source + amp that's holding these DT770's back from wowing me? Or is it possible for two different people can have different enough preferences that one will love the sound and the other will think it's nothing special? I am new to all of this, so it's also possible I'm not skilled enough to notice any mind-blowing improvements from the Senn 212s to the DT770/80's. Still, for going from a $30 headphone to a $150 headphone, I was hoping not to need instruction on how to notice the minute differences I'm paying extra for.

I use mine with my Cambridge Audio 340C and 340A, which is a truly awesome system. On the other hand, I have also heard them powered by an iphone (no amp), and they sounded excellent that way as well.
How you could not be utterly blown away by them is beyond me.

 

[Rex81]

I wasn't blown away by the DT770 Pro/80 either. Actually, after I listened to the $34 JVC RX700, I wanted to get rid of the DT770 as fast as possible because they turned into a paperweight. Don't get me wrong, they're a nice headphone, but I felt they didn't have a chance aginst the JVCs.

More power to you if you like them though. Its fun to be passionate about a headphone, especially one you percieve to be a good value.

So, yeah, a brand new pair of RX700 is by far the best value I know of. I just sold my D2000 because they were too similar to the RX700. I spent the $200 on a new bike.

 

[intoart]

Too bad the RX700s are not available anywhere. I attempted to try a pair, but gave up after waiting over a month for my order to ship!

 

[skudmunky]

DT770 pro (new version) from amazing for $98 shipped.

 

[Uncle Erik]

1. Denon DL103 for about $120. Man, does this thing sound good! I'll probably stick with these forever, since I hate paying big bucks for wear items.

2. Used Beyerdynamic DT48 for about $60. Read the raving reviews of the select few of us who own these. A few of the superphones might better it, but these smoke pretty much everything in detail retrieval and accuracy.

3. Used Quad ESL-63 pair for $650. They roll off hard below 40Hz, but are stunning on everything above that.

 

[subtle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by intoart /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would have to say the DT770 Pro. At $150, it utterly destroys phones costing as much as $600.

LOL! No it doesn't. In stock form, it doesn't come anywhere close really.

 

[ourfpshero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REB /img/forum/go_quote.gif And it worked ?

both worked great- still have them- the dbi was like new

 

[intoart]

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif LOL! No it doesn't. In stock form, it doesn't come anywhere close really.

It is clear from that statement that you are incapable of recognizing fantastic sound quality when you hear it. How sad for you!