Best headphones for electronic music (trance, progressive)?
Feb 18, 2013 at 2:40 PM Post #31 of 58
Quote:
Almost a year later, but I got the opportunity to audition the LCD-2 at a local store, using some super expensive amp.  Meh, clarity was amazing, but still not worth $1000.  Having never owned full-sized cans, only 535's & 16 pros, maybe I'm just expecting too much.  I like nice, tight, robust bass; lush, forward mids, and unoffensive treble/highs.  Open-back cans just make no sense to me, not for someone into electronic.  I just don't feel like exceptional soundstage and airiness really have a huge part to play in electronic music.  Definition, clarity, highly precise low-end, & the ability to not muddle everything together, those are the important things for electronic music.
 
Having said all this any new suggestions?  I'll up the antee to $2500 for headphones & an amp.  Also, these don't have to be portable, would be nice but they certainly don't have to be.

 
Well I love using HE-500, LCD-2, D2000, PRO 900 for electronic....you could go for D7000 or even a HE-6 or HE-500. I love electronic on HE-500. You need some time to adjust with LCD-2 though. LCD-2's bass is quite banging once you take some time to get used to it. It has more impact than D2000 and HE-500. Right up there with PRO 900.
 
" I like nice, tight, robust bass; lush, forward mids, and unoffensive treble/highs" That is the definition of LCD-2. It took me some time to get used to LCD-2 when going from HE-500. Besides those headphones, I really don't know what else to suggest. Maybe Ultrasone Signature? Sennheiser are not suited for electronica - perhaps Stax models.
 
Maybe trying LCD-2 or LCD-3 again for a couple of hours......or skip headphones and get yourself Funktion One speakers
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  IMO the best speakers for electronic music in the world
 
Feb 18, 2013 at 4:57 PM Post #32 of 58
Well... like I mentioned long ago, you could try and find a Denon D5000/D7000 or try going the Ultrasone Signature Pro/Signature DJ route...
 
Feb 18, 2013 at 5:16 PM Post #33 of 58
I listen to trance as main genre too, Armin van Buuren, Dash Berlin, Above and Beyond, etc.. and I love them through my HD800, but for a bit more of bass I put the HE-400 on.
 
Here in Spain no one sells Audeze' LCDx, so I can't tell but it may be my next -expensive- Headphone
 
Cheers
 
Feb 18, 2013 at 11:40 PM Post #35 of 58
If you aren't satisfied with the LCD-2 for electronic music, there's still the LCD-3, which I consider the absolute headphone god for electronic (minus electronica and the other relatively softer forms of electronic). The forms of electronic music with beats over 120 bpm generally need a headphone with a deep and articulate bass. Closed headphones generally sound boomy (the W3000ANV excluded), although I haven't tried any of the Fostex. The LCD-3s take the LCD-2 bass to another level and improve on vocals, dynamic range, imaging (especially center imaging), soundstage size (all of these amount to greater transparency).
 
Headphones that are either flat or treble-tilted tend to have annoying siblence with electronic, which most of the time is likely the fault of the producer more than the headphones, but still an issue to consider. You certainly won't have that problem with the more well-known EDM producers, but if you listen to a lot of independent, less-experienced producers, you'll definitely have that issue arise.
 
Feb 18, 2013 at 11:44 PM Post #36 of 58
Quote:
If you aren't satisfied with the LCD-2 for electronic music, there's still the LCD-3, which I consider the absolute headphone god for electronic (minus electronica and the other relatively softer forms of electronic). The forms of electronic music with beats over 120 bpm generally need a headphone with a deep and articulate bass. Closed headphones generally sound boomy (the W3000ANV excluded), although I haven't tried any of the Fostex. The LCD-3s take the LCD-2 bass to another level and improve on vocals, dynamic range, imaging (especially center imaging), soundstage size (all of these amount to greater transparency).
 
Headphones that are either flat or treble-tilted tend to have annoying siblence with electronic, which most of the time is likely the fault of the producer more than the headphones, but still an issue to consider. You certainly won't have that problem with the more well-known EDM producers, but if you listen to a lot of independent, less-experienced producers, you'll definitely have that issue arise.

In this day and age most of them, even the young big names, don't know how to produce a good track.  That's the biggest downside with JH16 pros: what used to sound decent on my shure se535 sounds like crap on the 16's.  I've come to realize that a majority of Electronic isn't well produced, which is a shame, because in my opinion it has a greater technical potential than any other genre.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:02 AM Post #37 of 58
I agree with what you say about it's potential. There are just too many producers who creatively are talented but don't know how to produce well. That's why I recommend something laidback. I don't believe the problem is the genre—just the relatively young age of the genre. I would start out with a laidback headphone and then possibly add on something more revealing in the future.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:04 AM Post #38 of 58
And yes, the JH16s are way too revealing for mediocrely produced music of any genre.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:15 AM Post #39 of 58
Haven't heard the LCD-3 yet, would love to listen to them at one point. Although the treble response would have to be a lot better with LCD-3 in comparison to LCD-2 to really get the most out of trance, house, and electro. The HE-500 does a far better job here over the LCD-2 while having very decent bass capabilities.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:25 AM Post #40 of 58
Quote:
I listen to trance as main genre too, Armin van Buuren, Dash Berlin, Above and Beyond, etc.. and I love them through my HD800, but for a bit more of bass I put the HE-400 on.
 
Here in Spain no one sells Audeze' LCDx, so I can't tell but it may be my next -expensive- Headphone
 
Cheers

good man.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:31 AM Post #42 of 58
Quote:
If you aren't satisfied with the LCD-2 for electronic music, there's still the LCD-3, which I consider the absolute headphone god for electronic (minus electronica and the other relatively softer forms of electronic). The forms of electronic music with beats over 120 bpm generally need a headphone with a deep and articulate bass. Closed headphones generally sound boomy (the W3000ANV excluded), although I haven't tried any of the Fostex. The LCD-3s take the LCD-2 bass to another level and improve on vocals, dynamic range, imaging (especially center imaging), soundstage size (all of these amount to greater transparency).
 
Headphones that are either flat or treble-tilted tend to have annoying siblence with electronic, which most of the time is likely the fault of the producer more than the headphones, but still an issue to consider. You certainly won't have that problem with the more well-known EDM producers, but if you listen to a lot of independent, less-experienced producers, you'll definitely have that issue arise.

I'll admit, I only had the chance to listen to one track on the LCD-2s; Mat Zo ft. Linnea Schossow- The Sky (Club Mix).  It was by no means bad, it just wasn't as full bodied as I was expecting it to be be.  I was expecting the sound to envelop me, and it didn't.  I definitely need to go back & try again, and if I can, I will try the LCD-3s.  Making the move from the se535's to the 16's, I think i'm expecting nothing but excellence from full-sized cans, but then again maybe I really should start small and work my way up to excellence since they are a difference beast/experience from IEMs.
 
Do you think the LCD-3s would work as well with Hybrid as they would with Above & Beyond or Armin?
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:40 AM Post #43 of 58
Quote:
I'll admit, I only had the chance to listen to one track on the LCD-2s; Mat Zo ft. Linnea Schossow- The Sky (Club Mix).  It was by no means bad, it just wasn't as full bodied as I was expecting it to be be.  I was expecting the sound to envelop me, and it didn't.  I definitely need to go back & try again, and if I can, I will try the LCD-3s.  Making the move from the se535's to the 16's, I think i'm expecting nothing but excellence from full-sized cans, but then again maybe I really should start small and work my way up to excellence since they are a difference beast/experience from IEMs.
 
Do you think the LCD-3s would work as well with Hybrid as they would with Above & Beyond or Armin?

 
Perhaps you should try the HE-500 if you haven't tried them yet. Definitely more engaging on HE-500 with those genres in comparison to LCD-2. Throw in any trance artists like Armin Van Buuren, Dash Berlin, John O'Callaghan,  Kaskade, Markus Schulz, Paul Oakenfold, Richard Durand and so on. Lot of air, breathing space, instrument separation and incredible treble.
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:45 AM Post #44 of 58
Quote:
 
Perhaps you should try the HE-500 if you haven't tried them yet. Definitely more engaging on HE-500 with those genres in comparison to LCD-2. Throw in any trance artists like Armin Van Buuren, Dash Berlin, John O'Callaghan,  Kaskade, Markus Schulz, Paul Oakenfold, Richard Durand and so on. Lot of air, breathing space, instrument separation and incredible treble.

I will definitely give those a try, we really do have pretty identical taste.  
 
Feb 19, 2013 at 12:46 AM Post #45 of 58
I listen to a lot of electronic music and my favourite so far is the Sony MDR SA-5000. they excel with this genre like no other.. 
 

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