[Weller]

Hey everyone!

I stumbled here a few days ago, researching a purchase for new headphones for home use.

I currently own a pair of PX 100s hooked up to a Cowon iaudio 7, filled with classical music, which i'm quite happy with.

Having read wonders of Grado, I'm considering the grado 125i/80i/60is. Was just wondering if anyone with classical habits could recommend any of them, or any other headphone of another brand.

I'm quite new to all this, so I really appreciate any suggestions!

 

[Blackmore]

AKG K501, been suggested for ages, I believe.

 

[JayB18]

The K501 will need an amp though. If you dont plan on getting a good desktop amplifier then Id recommend the AD700, AD900, or DT440. The Alessandro MS-1 would be ok for small scale classical and chamber music. If you want a closed phone then the DT250-80 would be a good choice.

 

[chews89]

Yes, I agree with Blackmore, the K501s are meant to be BEASTLY with classical. Although I have never heard one myself..

Maybe you should think about investing in a dedicated headphone amp. Monitor the for sale forums, there are a lot of good deals that pop up. Another phone that supposedly does well is the K701, which can be found within your budget if you buy used. Good luck!

 

[ting.mike]

AKG 501 first choice. Probably need another $500 for an amp that can drive it though.
MS-1 may actually be a decent choice with no amp.

 

[moogoob]

Grados are OK with classical, but not great due to their condensed soundstage. Still, you certainly won't find 'em bad cans by any stretch, plus their low impedance makes them a bit easier to drive. If you do look at Grado, I'd suggest saving up a tad more to jump to the 225i, or consider one of the Allesandro models (the MS1 gets a lot of respect here).

EDIT: or break your bank and get a pair of HD650s with a decent amp. I can't listen to classical though any other cans any more.

 

[Skorpitarius]

I have limited experience with headphones compared to most people on here but in what i've heard - i'd say the Sennheiser 600 or 650 and the higher-end Sony headphones (assuming you buy them used at a significant discount(as I just did) .

 

[ting.mike]

The bottom line is that everyone'll tell you that for $200, it's hard to have an ideal classical phone. The K501 akg is $150ish, but you can't really drive that with the cowon, nor any sub $500 amplifier.

Why don't you try AKG 271 or 240s. They're fairly easy to drive from a DAP like your cowon. And they can play classical quite well for $150ish.

 

[Blackmore]

If you are lucky you can find K501 for like USD 80 used http://cgi.ebay.de/AKG-K-501-Endnutz...3A1%7C294%3A50, rest spend on used Firestone Cute Beyond http://www.firestone-audio.com/cgi-b...asp?pdtseqnm=1, which fairly good for any headphone, imo.

 

[K_19]

I'm thinking K271 or K240 also. I've heard them from a music store before playing nothing but classical, and they sounded good. Or even AD700 if you want to go really cheap unamped... though they won't have the best smoothness/cohesion, you'll at least love its huge soundstage for classical.

 

[plonkersaurus]

imo, get the k501's, I'm pretty sure they would sound better than ms1's with or without amp, if the cowon cant drive them loud enough get a cheap cmoy amp.

k501's dont sound bad with no amp... I don't mind so much if they are driven from an amp or straight from phone/zune/ipod etc

 

[nullstring]

Man, I wish I could pick up a pair of those

They never show up on USA ebay =(

 

[moonboy403]

Amp or not, it doesn't matter. Get the K501. While classical's its strength, there are much more to the K501 than that. The smooth and soothing mids are to die for.

 

[Acix]

You can try the K-701 on the FS forum.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Another vote for the K-501 here.

Decent desktop amps start around $300, however, you might want to try your hand at finding a used receiver. You might already have one. Or you can get one from your friends or family, find one at a garage sale, Craigslist, the Salvation Army, or any place you'll find secondhand electronics.

The K-501 needs the power to sound its best. You can only get that from a desktop amp or a receiver, not from a portable or a soundcard. The good news is that old receivers work and cost less than any of the other options.

A side benefit is picking up a receiver with a phono stage. You'll be able to run a turntable. Classical on vinyl is hugely underappreciated, so you'll be able to find more LPs than you can store on the cheap.