[mickey matharu]

I have an x3 2nd gen, track sources are mostly flacs 24 bit and some mp3s at 320 kbps. I want a pair of headphones under 250 $ that will run directly with my x3's. Closed backs for now.
I want a well defined and spacious Soundstage and the instruments need good seperation
Bass must not be overwhelming
preferably tight and well responsive
Vocals need to be well defined and clear.. "No v signature sound for me "

My preferred genre is classical, country, jazz and folk... Usually involves lots of orchestration.

Please suggest...

Thanks in advance

 

[Tail]

I have an x3 2nd gen, track sources are mostly flacs 24 bit and some mp3s at 320 kbps. I want a pair of headphones under 250 $ that will run directly with my x3's. Closed backs for now.
I want a well defined and spacious Soundstage and the instruments need good seperation
Bass must not be overwhelming
preferably tight and well responsive
Vocals need to be well defined and clear.. "No v signature sound for me "

My preferred genre is classical, country, jazz and folk... Usually involves lots of orchestration.

Please suggest...

Thanks in advance

From what you described I'd say if you can stretch your budget by a bit if possible and get NAD Viso HP50, balanced sound signature with not too much bass at all (but present, they don't lack it) and very good soundstage for a closed back headphone... if it's possible for you to stretch budget by that much it's really worth checking... who knows maybe you find them for 250 somewhere (they are usually 300 $)  

 

[Music Alchemist]

I have an x3 2nd gen, track sources are mostly flacs 24 bit and some mp3s at 320 kbps. I want a pair of headphones under 250 $ that will run directly with my x3's. Closed backs for now.
I want a well defined and spacious Soundstage and the instruments need good seperation
Bass must not be overwhelming
preferably tight and well responsive
Vocals need to be well defined and clear.. "No v signature sound for me "

My preferred genre is classical, country, jazz and folk... Usually involves lots of orchestration.

Please suggest...

Thanks in advance

 
My favorite is the Yamaha HPH-MT220.
 

  From what you described I'd say if you can stretch your budget by a bit if possible and get NAD Viso HP50, balanced sound signature with not too much bass at all (but present, they don't lack it) and very good soundstage for a closed back headphone... if it's possible for you to stretch budget by that much it's really worth checking... who knows maybe you find them for 250 somewhere (they are usually 300 $)  

 
The HP50 is $249 on Amazon.

 

[mickey matharu]

From what you described I'd say if you can stretch your budget by a bit if possible and get NAD Viso HP50, balanced sound signature with not too much bass at all (but present, they don't lack it) and very good soundstage for a closed back headphone... if it's possible for you to stretch budget by that much it's really worth checking... who knows maybe you find them for 250 somewhere (they are usually 300 $)  

Thanks alot but these arnt available in India... Nor are Yamaha headphones.. What do you think about the Shure SRH 840's or ath m50 x's limited edition

 

[ZapX629]

I have an x3 2nd gen, track sources are mostly flacs 24 bit and some mp3s at 320 kbps. I want a pair of headphones under 250 $ that will run directly with my x3's. Closed backs for now.
I want a well defined and spacious Soundstage and the instruments need good seperation
Bass must not be overwhelming
preferably tight and well responsive
Vocals need to be well defined and clear.. "No v signature sound for me "

My preferred genre is classical, country, jazz and folk... Usually involves lots of orchestration.

Please suggest...

Thanks in advance

If you can get the MSR7 grab it and don't look back. It's everything you're looking for. 

 

[mickey matharu]

If you can get the MSR7 grab it and don't look back. It's everything you're looking for. 

That was quick... Gotta give you that.. They sound pretty impressive... But I can get them here. There is a studio equipment store here they asked me to buy the Beyer dynamic DT 770 pros 80 ohms.. What do you say??

 

[inthere]

The DT880 Pro's are not closed................
 
Yamaha HPH MT220's sound like what you want frequency wise but they're strident to my ears, and I have tough ears. I've solved the problem by putting Alpha Pads on them, but I don't know if they're available in India. They do however sound like $600 headphones once they have the Alpha Pads on though. 
 
 If you want the biggest soundstage you'll ever hear on closed cans out the box for under $250, look into the Pioneer HRM-7. They have very tight bass and smooth highs with great clarity. 

 

[mickey matharu]

The DT880 Pro's are not closed................

Yamaha HPH MT220's sound like what you want frequency wise but they're strident to my ears, and I have tough ears. I've solved the problem by putting Alpha Pads on them, but I don't know if they're available in India. They do however sound like $600 headphones once they have the Alpha Pads on though. 

 If you want the biggest soundstage you'll ever hear on closed cans out the box for under $250, look into the Pioneer HRM-7. They have very tight bass and smooth highs with great clarity. 

Sorry made a mistake they are DT 770 pro 80 ohms

 

[ZapX629]

Sorry made a mistake they are DT 770 pro 80 ohms

Those are V shaped and need an amp to sound their best. 

 

[Music Alchemist]

Yamaha HPH MT220's sound like what you want frequency wise but they're strident to my ears, and I have tough ears. I've solved the problem by putting Alpha Pads on them, but I don't know if they're available in India. They do however sound like $600 headphones once they have the Alpha Pads on though. 

 
Oh, cool, I didn't realize (or remember) that you owned (or at least heard) the MT220. I actually enjoyed the treble and would describe it as cold and clangy instead of hot and harsh. Only sounded slightly bright to me, and I despise bright headphones. (Can't stand the treble of the Sennheiser HD 800 and Sony MDR-7506.) I liked the MT220 more than four figure flagships, personally. But in the case of the HE6, I think that's just because I need to hear it from a speaker amp, because I wasn't impressed how it sounds from even a powerful headphone amp.
 
He mentioned that he doesn't think Yamaha headphones are available in India:
 

Thanks alot but these arnt available in India... Nor are Yamaha headphones.. What do you think about the Shure SRH 840's or ath m50 x's limited edition

 
By the way, the M50x isn't worth its asking price at all, unless you reduce the extreme amount of bass with EQ.

 

[inthere]

 
Oh, cool, I didn't realize (or remember) that you owned (or at least heard) the MT220. I actually enjoyed the treble and would describe it as cold and clangy instead of hot and harsh. Only sounded slightly bright to me, and I despise bright headphones. (Can't stand the treble of the Sennheiser HD 800 and Sony MDR-7506.) I liked the MT220 more than four figure flagships, personally. But in the case of the HE6, I think that's just because I need to hear it from a speaker amp, because I wasn't impressed how it sounds from even a powerful headphone amp.
 
 

 
 Yeah, that was entirely due to your recommendations. I really liked them at first but then the ear fatigue got to me. With the Alpha Pads they sound sensational and really smooth out the treble and blow up the soundstage to big time width.
 
Only problem is now I have to get 2 more sets of Alpha Pads (at $58 each) because I now have them on my Nighthawks. 
 
The extra set was originally on my SZ2000's, then I stripped them for the Yamahas, then finally they're on the Nighthawks.
 
 To the OP also, the M50x may have too much bass for you, plus the soundstage is nowhere near spacious.