Best headphones for female vocals and all-round use

[EasyRaider]

Actually, I'm already pretty much settled on buying the Senn HD595, because they seem like such a nice deal here in Norway, at ~$210, and I am hoping I won't need an amp. However, I want to hear some opinions. For comparison, here is a list of other supposedly good cans:
HD580 ~$300
HD650 ~$462
Beyer DT880 ~$404

I'm a big fan of Enya and (a slightly lesser) of Kate Bush, so female vocals are very important. Ideally, it should sound like the singer is in the same room as me. I also listen a lot to trance, (euro)dance, pop, rock and similar. The phones must do reasonably well with classical, too. Accurate positioning and deep bass for gaming would be a nice bonus, but I already have a half-decent set of 4.1 speakers to cover that (Logitech Z-560).

I don't really want to buy an amp, for three reasons:
1) They are hard to get hold of for a Norwegian resident.
2) I have gotten the impression that only expensive amps (>~$400) really make substantial improvements in sound quality.
3) Cheaper amps typically have poor balance at low volumes, which is a big no to me, since I like to listen (at low volumes) while studying.

I am planning to drive them with the Emu 1212m, but I'm not sure. Definitely computer-as-source, though.

 

[toaster]

how much are you willing to spend?

if you're mentioning a 500 dollar set of cans and possibly buying an amp, i would say to get the sensaphonic prophonic 2X-S.

they do all vocals ridiculously well and are the first (and only, that i know of) headphone to do every genre of music perfectly.

they are $800 dollars, but require no amp.

also you are in norway, so i am not sure if you would be able to get molds done...the headphones are custom molded to your ears.

i don't know if you were looking for canalphones, but if you want the best sound possible and are willing to spend the money, you can't go wrong with these.

 

[rauer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyRaider ...For comparison, here is a list of other supposedly good cans: ... Beyer DT880 ~$404

Have you noticed that the forum sponsor Meier-Audio ships speakers worldwide and their price incl. shipping is EUR 225,- / $ 265,-

Not sure of the customs, though. If you're within the EEA but not EU, would you have to pay a customs duty?

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyRaider Actually, I'm already pretty much settled on buying the Senn HD595, because they seem like such a nice deal here in Norway, at ~$210, and I am hoping I won't need an amp. However, I want to hear some opinions. For comparison, here is a list of other supposedly good cans: HD580 ~$300 HD650 ~$462 Beyer DT880 ~$404 I'm a big fan of Enya and (a slightly lesser) of Kate Bush, so female vocals are very important. Ideally, it should sound like the singer is in the same room as me. I also listen a lot to trance, (euro)dance, pop, rock and similar. The phones must do reasonably well with classical, too.

Not sure on the classical part but if you listen to female vocals then to my ears 595 sound much much better than 580. Vocals are almost magical on 595 while they sound a bit 'wrong' on 580 - and at your quoted price it almost make no sense to buy the 580.

Compared to other phones I tried, 595 have better overall resolution than dt531 and sound more neutral / better balanced than akg 271 which also happen to reproduce sweet vocals. Haven't tried 650 and 880 yet but then again at almost double 595's price I don't think the 'competitors' give double the sound quality.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

The DT880 is where it's at for female vocals. Only the K1000 has sounded so good with them, that I can remember. However the DT880 is a power pig, and definitely needs good amping to sound good.

If you don't want to get an anp, the HD595 is a great set of cans, and will be easier for the soundcard to drive due to their midddle-range impedance (i.e. they don't demand a lot of current (as 32-ohm cans do) or voltage (as 250 and 300 ohmers do).

 

[Sisyphos]

I can only approve the above-mentioned: the HD595 is very recommendable for female voices, although I have to admit that the DT880 is even slightly better in this regard.
But as mentioned many times on this forum, the DT880 really needs an amp to shine. I tried both, HD595 and DT880 with my Echo Indigo soundcard as source.
The Indigo just did not have enough power to drive the DT880 properly, but with the HD595 it was no problem. So I finally kept the HD595 and I am very happy with them. It's one of the most balanced phones I ever listened to. Anyway the DT880 seemed to have a higher potential than the HD595, but as said before, in this setup it was impossible to use it. Although I don't know how much power your Emu-soundcard has, I doubt that it'll be enough for such demanding cans like the DT880. So in your case: get the HD595, in this price-range it's one of the best phones on the market, and one of the very few in this league that's quite easy to drive.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sisyphos Although I don't know how much power your Emu-soundcard has, I doubt that it'll be enough for such demanding cans like the DT880.

You're right, it doesn't. The EMU unamped does best with mid-impedance cans (say from 64 to 150 ohms).

 

[GlowWorm]

Female vocals are very life-like and suductive with the HD580/6X0's, the best that I've heard, although I've yet to try the DT880's.

 

[ReDVsion]

Another vote for the DT880s.

 

[mulveling]

I find vocals slightly sweeter on the AKG K340 than the HD650. The 650 is the better all-arounder for its bass response. Both are substantially better than HD580/600, which themselves are very good. Haven't heard dt880 yet

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling Haven't heard dt880 yet

Think of them as an HD650 with slightly less midbass and slightly more treble, and an overall more airy sound. The two cans really are quite close, I think the difference is a matter of taste (slightly darker vs. slightly brighter). Consider that this is with the Headphile cable on the Senns, but stock cable of the Beyers.

 

[GlowWorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer Think of them as an HD650 with slightly less midbass and slightly more treble, and an overall more airy sound. The two cans really are quite close, I think the difference is a matter of taste (slightly darker vs. slightly brighter). Consider that this is with the Headphile cable on the Senns, but stock cable of the Beyers.

Good point. I guess if you read between the lines the DT880 gives you more "bang for the buck", but I guess it all depends on personal preference.

 

[EasyRaider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rauer Have you noticed that the forum sponsor Meier-Audio ships speakers worldwide and their price incl. shipping is EUR 225,- / $ 265,- Not sure of the customs, though. If you're within the EEA but not EU, would you have to pay a customs duty?

Every import above ~$28 is subject to a ~$22 fee plus 24% sales tax of the total price including shipping. It's still cheaper, but not by much.

I haven't set a limit, but I feel a reasonable budget would be $700 total, including source (I don't have the EMU yet).

I guess I'll go with the HD595. I can always try them out and send them back within 10 days if I don't like them. That should give me at least 100 hours of burn-in.

But first I need to get myself a good source. The 1212M seems like the way to go, but the domestic price is just too high (~$345). I would also like it to be external, in case I decide to get a laptop. I think I'll make a thread about it in the source forum.

Thanks everyone.

 

[NightStalker]

would it perhaps be worth getting the Chaintech AV-710 and using some of the $700 budget on a decent headphone amp? As i know that many people using high end setups have their AV-710 as the source... cant be half bad.

cheers
-jake

 

[saint.panda]

Vocals on HD650: Extremely life-like and natural
Vocals on RS1: very lush, very intimate
Vocals on Beyer DT880: (in my opinion) oversweetened