jonathanjong
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2008
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So, my K26Ps might soon be retired, if I can't figure out how (or be bothered to) fix it (see DIY forum for details). I'm ready for an upgrade! The K26Ps weren't great headphones, but they were good for the price and the pros (size, fit, isolation) outweighed the cons (sometimes boomy bass, lack of detail and soundstage) for me. So...where to from here? I'm hoping to get something with the same pros but with better SQ, and I expect to pay more than the ~$50 I paid for these.
The natural one step up are Sennheiser HD280 and AKG K81DJ, AFAIK. I'm a bit more reluctant to go for the Senns because they seem to be one of those "hit and miss" cans. Are there any more candidates?
Sub-question: Should I skip the one step up and go for something higher end? I probably wouldn't find the ES7 isolating enough or the Q40 portable (read: small, discrete) enough. The ESW9s are, sweet though they may be, a little beyond my current budget. Maybe some day.
Now, information:
Music preferences
I listen to mostly alternative rock (e.g., Muse), indie pop rock (e.g., Death Cab for Cutie, Belle & Sebastian), and classical (orchestral and chamber); I also listen to easy listening stuff (e.g., Sarah McLachlan, John Mayer) and jazz (e.g., Miles, Coltrane).
Sound signature preferences
I'm no bass head, but I've always preferred a dark over bright. This might not be all the suitable for my classical listening, though...so, advise away.
Other preferences
The headphones has to be relatively small, preferably supra-aural. So, think AKG K414P, Sennheiser PX100, etc. As I said earlier, I want these to isolate well, say in the gym or in an airplane. Price is an issue, and I think I'll stop at ~$150. A little bit more is fine.
So, what say you, Head-Fi?
The natural one step up are Sennheiser HD280 and AKG K81DJ, AFAIK. I'm a bit more reluctant to go for the Senns because they seem to be one of those "hit and miss" cans. Are there any more candidates?
Sub-question: Should I skip the one step up and go for something higher end? I probably wouldn't find the ES7 isolating enough or the Q40 portable (read: small, discrete) enough. The ESW9s are, sweet though they may be, a little beyond my current budget. Maybe some day.
Now, information:
Music preferences
I listen to mostly alternative rock (e.g., Muse), indie pop rock (e.g., Death Cab for Cutie, Belle & Sebastian), and classical (orchestral and chamber); I also listen to easy listening stuff (e.g., Sarah McLachlan, John Mayer) and jazz (e.g., Miles, Coltrane).
Sound signature preferences
I'm no bass head, but I've always preferred a dark over bright. This might not be all the suitable for my classical listening, though...so, advise away.
Other preferences
The headphones has to be relatively small, preferably supra-aural. So, think AKG K414P, Sennheiser PX100, etc. As I said earlier, I want these to isolate well, say in the gym or in an airplane. Price is an issue, and I think I'll stop at ~$150. A little bit more is fine.
So, what say you, Head-Fi?
.