[Rockofeller]

Hey all,
I am considering getting a new headphone to go with my soon to be built DIY tube amp. The price range on the headphones is max $2500. What would be the best headphones in this high end price range? I don't feel too comfortable messing with cables. My most common Jazz listening is:
Saxophone stuff from the 60's, sarah vaughan and similar singing, etc. I dont listen to much "fusion" and 0 smooth Jazz. I do listen to big band occassionally. Basically the decision should be: which headphone sounds best on "A Love Supreme"?

edit: I was considering audiotechnica high end cans? can stax omega II's be driven from a tube amp?

 

[jagorev]

I am sure others will have high-end headphone recommendations, but I hope you're going to spend some of that on upgrading your source.

 

[Snake]

Electrostats work very well with tubes - Stax 404 or Omega 2, Senn HE60 or HE90. But the real question is the tube amp itself - what was it designed to drive? Regular dynamic, the high voltage swing of electros, or is this a loudspeaker amp?

If dynamic think Sony R-10 or Grado RS series. If loudspeaker amp think AKG 1000. Senn 600 & 650 do not "need" the warmth of a tube amp attached; they have natural warmth that does not need additional emphasis, so maybe I wouldn't go there (that is personal, of course).

 

[ilovesocks]

Prepare for a flood of RS-1 recommendations!

 

[PsychoZX]

AKG K1000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake If dynamic think Sony R-10 or Grado RS series.

A R10 would be next to impossible to find for $2500.

 

[Samgotit]

With such a high budget I'd throw a USB DAC in there.

 

[ilovesocks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samgotit With such a high budget I'd through a USB DAC in there.

Yeah, if you went with an RS-1, even if you bought it new you'd have $1800 left over. Maybe a Benchmark DAC-1? Even after that you'd still have $800!

I wish I had a budget like that ..

 

[Rockofeller]

I have not decided which amp I am going to build. I would like to know which headphones I'm going to get down the road (why I started this thread) so I dont make a mistake on amp choice. I was thinking an upgraded SEX amp www.bottlehead.com . I am pretty new to high end audio so I don't know what would be good for electrostatics. If I need a different type of amp altogether, then I need to know that - but first I need an idea of what sort of headphones are best! And yes, I can get a good DAC sometime, but thats another issue entirely.

 

[pawlowski6132]

$2,500 cans and DIY amp????

Doesn't make sense.

 

[Snake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawlowski6132 $2,500 cans and DIY amp???? Doesn't make sense.

Sure it does. After all, when it comes down to it, the well-respected KGSS and Blue Hawaii used to drive (your choice of) Stax or Senn electros are, essentially, DIY.

 

[Snake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockofeller I have not decided which amp I am going to build. I would like to know which headphones I'm going to get down the road (why I started this thread) so I dont make a mistake on amp choice. I was thinking an upgraded SEX amp www.bottlehead.com . I am pretty new to high end audio so I don't know what would be good for electrostatics. If I need a different type of amp altogether, then I need to know that - but first I need an idea of what sort of headphones are best! And yes, I can get a good DAC sometime, but thats another issue entirely.

Well I think [humbly] I can quickly speak up for almost everyone here and say that "There is no "best" headphone"!

Each one has it's own character and the question is what character you, the owner, prefer. At your budget you are simply going to pick from the "A" category list of Stax electros, Senn electros, Grado Reference, AKG 1000, top A-T, a few different Sonys, etc.

What's your flavor? 31 different served here!

 

[pawlowski6132]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Sure it does. After all, when it comes down to it, the well-respected KGSS and Blue Hawaii used to drive (your choice of) Stax or Senn electros are, essentially, DIY.

First of all, I've never heard of a KGSS or Blue Hawaii. Second of all, I don't see how the average person can design & build an amp that can leverage all the qualities of a $2,500 set of phones. Doesn't make sense.

 

[VR6ofpain]

 

[Rockofeller]

What is that??? And I'm in the hobby of high end headphones for the fun of it - for the listening enjoyment and for the fun of learning about electronics and audio. As a result, I am building my own amp! I don't see why a DIY amp (www.bottlehead.com) can't deliver an incredible experience with top of the line headphones, plus I have no reason to get $500 headphones that arent as good - maybe ill get a singlepower supra down the road...but for now, a DIY amp, the best I can build, best tubes, etc. - and the nicest headphones feasible.

Aren't there certain sonic signatures which make more sense with tubes, and certain ones with jazz..that would help me narrow down my list? And what are the requirements of driving something like the omega II's?

 

[digitalD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawlowski6132 First of all, I've never heard of a KGSS or Blue Hawaii. Second of all, I don't see how the average person can design & build an amp that can leverage all the qualities of a $2,500 set of phones. Doesn't make sense.

First of all, KGSS = Kevin Gilmore Solid State, a very popular design by an incredibly smart man. Blue Hawaii = Kevin Gilmore designed hybrid amp, also incredibly well designed. Second of all, these aren't "average" people. They work very hard coming up with a good design and then drop their ideas into the community to decide on how to better it. Some designs are modified from previous amps (professionally built - opened and observed for design schematics then tweeked, or previous, good builds where improvements could be easily made). They are considerable pieces of equipment that require a lot of knowledge and a whole lot of work. I suggest you not underestimate DIY equipment before you even listen to it.