Lorenzo
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2005
- Posts
- 47
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- 0
Man, head-fi is slowly going to make a pauper out of me!
Anyway, as I stated in my very first post here, my first "real" headphones were the Beyer DT880s. I love these cans, they are detailed, have a nice soundstage, and have a very in-your-face front row sound. I thought they were very well rounded...perfect. Very transparent, and I can hear all the details.
Until I got the AKG 501s. Man, I didn't think the Beyers were lacking Mids, but these cans really have that area down. Excellent detail, pretty good soundstage (not as open as the Beyers) and a warm sound overall, but compared to the Beyers, these don't have much bass. But that midrange...a lot of music actually sounds BETTER on these AKGs. Including even some bass-heavy hip-hop or pop music. I think maybe because the mid-bass is stronger than with the AKGs, giving a fuller sound. The relative lack of bass is fine for most of the music I listen to as well, since I listen to mostly classical and jazz, and that music benefits more from a tight bass than a booming powerful one.
But then, I tried a friend's Grado SR125, and these things really had some nice bass. Not as tight as either the AKG or the Beyer, but it had greater impact. The highs didn't have the detail of the Beyer, and the mids on the AKG were far superior. But still a nice forward presentation that wasn't harsh to my ears. But the soundstage was kind of limited, I don't know if that is normal with Grados or not.
Now I'm spoiled...I have heard three different cans and heard three different areas of sound that those cans did well. The question...are there any headphones that have a very balanced sonic signature but still remains fairly transparent? The rub is, I would like the price to be under or just over $200, and I prefer a forward presentation. Maybe something slightly more laid back than the Beyers. Closer to the AKG than the Beyers, if you know what I mean. But it should still have a lot of detail.
I've been doing research, and it seems I may like the Sennheiser HD595s. Or, maybe a cable upgrade for the Beyers might add some more to the midrange and add some power to the bass. I actually like the tight bass as it is right now, but a little more impact will help add some richness to the overall sound I think. I was thinking the headphile upgrade with black max and ported woodies? The total price for that is too high though...maybe just the cable upgrade would do the trick?
My current (and only) amp is the Headroom Micro, and it is very versatile and was able to drive all the above headphones with no problems. Later on, I was hoping on buying a more portable amp, and the Ray Samuels Hornet is looking like something to save money for.
Anyway, any suggestions would be cool. I'm not buying anything now, but I would like to know about some cans I should look into trying to audition. There's a few hi-fi stores back home, so hopefully they carry at least the Sennheisers.
Anyway, as I stated in my very first post here, my first "real" headphones were the Beyer DT880s. I love these cans, they are detailed, have a nice soundstage, and have a very in-your-face front row sound. I thought they were very well rounded...perfect. Very transparent, and I can hear all the details.
Until I got the AKG 501s. Man, I didn't think the Beyers were lacking Mids, but these cans really have that area down. Excellent detail, pretty good soundstage (not as open as the Beyers) and a warm sound overall, but compared to the Beyers, these don't have much bass. But that midrange...a lot of music actually sounds BETTER on these AKGs. Including even some bass-heavy hip-hop or pop music. I think maybe because the mid-bass is stronger than with the AKGs, giving a fuller sound. The relative lack of bass is fine for most of the music I listen to as well, since I listen to mostly classical and jazz, and that music benefits more from a tight bass than a booming powerful one.
But then, I tried a friend's Grado SR125, and these things really had some nice bass. Not as tight as either the AKG or the Beyer, but it had greater impact. The highs didn't have the detail of the Beyer, and the mids on the AKG were far superior. But still a nice forward presentation that wasn't harsh to my ears. But the soundstage was kind of limited, I don't know if that is normal with Grados or not.
Now I'm spoiled...I have heard three different cans and heard three different areas of sound that those cans did well. The question...are there any headphones that have a very balanced sonic signature but still remains fairly transparent? The rub is, I would like the price to be under or just over $200, and I prefer a forward presentation. Maybe something slightly more laid back than the Beyers. Closer to the AKG than the Beyers, if you know what I mean. But it should still have a lot of detail.
I've been doing research, and it seems I may like the Sennheiser HD595s. Or, maybe a cable upgrade for the Beyers might add some more to the midrange and add some power to the bass. I actually like the tight bass as it is right now, but a little more impact will help add some richness to the overall sound I think. I was thinking the headphile upgrade with black max and ported woodies? The total price for that is too high though...maybe just the cable upgrade would do the trick?
My current (and only) amp is the Headroom Micro, and it is very versatile and was able to drive all the above headphones with no problems. Later on, I was hoping on buying a more portable amp, and the Ray Samuels Hornet is looking like something to save money for.
Anyway, any suggestions would be cool. I'm not buying anything now, but I would like to know about some cans I should look into trying to audition. There's a few hi-fi stores back home, so hopefully they carry at least the Sennheisers.