[Trastan]

First of all, I would like to thank everyone here for being polite, courteous, and considerate in my various beginner questions. I believe that I am closing on my next (and likely last for a good while) pair of headphones, and I would appreciate any assistance I can get before I make the plunge. Here are my listening styles and needs:

- I need a great, all-around set capable of reproducing crystal-clear highs with respectable bass. These will be used for many genres of music, in addition to movies and games.

- I'm afraid that I'm sticking to the open variety; no IEMs or closed 'phones, please.

- When considering each, please note that I will be powering whichever choice I make using a Denon home audio receiver. This is key, as I have no desire or ability to purchase an amp in the near future, and any set that I would be purchasing would be driven soley by that receiver. If, therefore, I would get superior results from a cheaper set, please let me know. I'm reading all that I can (I've skimmed through the entire 15 pages of threads here), but I'm always interested in personal experiences.

AKG K 701

- I appreciate bass, but I'm no basshead; I put value in its presence, but pure clarity is more important. I believe these fit such a need, and I'm currently looking at them as my primary option, though I worry about their possible lack of bass. Hence, the problem with them (aside from the price!) is that I won't have an amp, but rather a home receiver. Would this still be a great choice knowing this?

Sennheiser HD 650

- Better bass, but muddier than the K 701s. Is this accurate? As stated above, I value clarity above the amount of bass; with that in mind, I'm a little wary, in addition to the powering concerns.


I think this should be enough to get started with. Again, thank you all very much for the continued help; there's a lot for me to absorb here, and I appreciate everyone's patience.

 

[Rise To The Top]

I wouldnt say that the 650's bass is muddy at all. Depends on what you are amping with. I have heard both, and the HD650 has more bass and sounds more round. The K701 is more of an analytical phone, more true to the sound. With the source you will be running, I would reccomend the HD650. I had a similar setup in Vegas for the month I was there, and they sounded great.

 

[stewgriff]

How do you like your Grados? Their sound signature will be far different than the less aggressive Sennheisers or AKGs. If you want to keep that emphasis on treble with a more balanced sound and better comfort, a Beyerdynamic might be better for you. DT880 is more neutral, with less bass, and DT990 is more "fun" with more (but still punchy and clean) bass. Or, of course, you can always climb up the Grado ladder.

Also, you may want to invest in a better soundcard or DAC, and get a good entry-level amp.

 

[kramer5150]

**edit**

I didn't read your profile... you already have an SR60. What is it you don't like about the SR60? What elements are trying to improve on?

If your Denon receiver is as warm as mine, I'm going to suggest the most detailed Bowl padded Grados. RS-1, MS2 or 325i FTW. The SR60 with bowls and Koss A250 sounds great too with these receivers.

Ive never heard the HD650 or K701 out of my Denon.... My wild, completely speculative guess is that they would sound too subdued and laid back. I have tried my HD580 and its a real snooze-fest. But thats with my preferences and values.

I like my K240s for DVD movies... warm and bassy.

 

[Trastan]

Thanks for the replies.

Again, I will be using a Denon receiver as my source, from my PC (connected with digital optical cable from an Auzentech X-Mystique sound card). I don't have any plans on buying an amp, though I am open to suggestions.

Rise To The Top: Sounds good, thanks for the info. The 650s sound like they might be the way to go, but I'm still a bit worried about the clarity; not so much of the bass, but the treble. The reason I'm upgrading is because I'm not getting the clarity that I'd like out of my SR-60s. While I'm sure the 650s are leagues better than the SR-60s, I'd like to make sure that they're the right fit for me, or at least as well as I can without personal experience.

stewgriff: I'm not sure what you mean by "aggressive" sound. You do make a good point, though: the Beyer DT990 might be a good idea as well. I'd rather not purchase another Grado at this time, as I'd like to get a feel for other brands first.

EDIT: Kramer, my SR-60s are, while certainly great, seeming to be lacking it precise details for me, regardless of the source. I haven't tried bowls with them yet, so that might be a great idea. Your speculation about the K701 and HD650 being subdued are exactly the things that I was worried about, and want to avoid completely. Your suggestion to stay within the Grado lineup is interesting; I hadn't taken note of the SR 325i. I had wanted to try other brands, but that set may be just the one I'm looking for.

Hmm...

 

[stewgriff]

I'd define an aggressive sound as one that emphasizes the bass and treble. It's also punchy, and the soundstage is generally compressed to a level that provides more impact to the ears. In other words, Grado.

From what I've heard, the Beyer DT990 preserves a good deal of the Grado's punch and has more bass, a large soundstage, a little smoother (but still upfront) treble, and much better comfort. I haven't heard the HD650, but if a lower-quality level HD555 is close to the same sound signature, I would say that Sennheisers generally have less emphasis on treble and more on neutrality. They also do not have quite as much punch as a Grado/Beyer, and instead have a more laid back sound that would be better for classical material but be detrimental to rock/metal/R&B. Their more neutral signature would be more "audiophile", though. I haven't heard any AKGs.

You can see this site of headphone reviews, maintained by senior Head-Fi members, for detailed reviews of headphones.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trastan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the replies. EDIT: Kramer, my SR-60s are, while certainly great, seeming to be lacking it precise details for me, regardless of the source. I haven't tried bowls with them yet, so that might be a great idea. Your speculation about the K701 and HD650 being subdued are exactly the things that I was worried about, and want to avoid completely. Your suggestion to stay within the Grado lineup is interesting; I hadn't taken note of the SR 325i. I had wanted to try other brands, but that set may be just the one I'm looking for. Hmm...

Sounds like you just need to get out and demo them with warm amps. At this level of gear... its all about personal preference. I am a firm believer in synergy. I have heard a K701 with the "wrong" setup and it was lifeless, sterile and analytical. Yet with the "right" setup it can be vibrant, energetic and alive... even with metal, rock and typically "Grado-centric" genres.

Yeah I am merely speculating though, based on my preferences and experiences with my HD580... You should keep this in mind, and let others chime in/over my opinions.

Note also that I am majorly assuming your Denon sounds similar to mine.

If I can throw one more personal opinion at you.... the biggest difference between the SR60, and higher end Grados IS clarity. The SR60 sounds spitty and a bit splashy compared to the higher end cans, even with bowls. IMHO its a night and day difference between it and the RS1. Furthermore, the K701 is yet a slight step above the RS1, as far as clarity and resolution go IMHO.

 

[Trastan]

Interesting. Thanks for the clarification, stewgriff. Between the Beyer DT990 and the Grado 325i I'm afraid I might have to side with the Grado, as it's over $100 cheaper, much more easily powered, and should suit my warmer sounding Denon receiver well. Thanks for the link too; I've actually been using that pretty heavily lately.

EDIT: Kramer, I'd love to go out and demo headphones, but I'm afraid that I have no such option nearby. If anyone knows of such a place around Stillwater, MN, let me know!

With the high cost of amps, I doubt I'll have the cash to invest in one any time soon, so it's pretty vital that whatever I buy will work well with my receiver.

 

[Sherwood]

It's worthwhile to consider Kramer's question closely: what do you want to improve about your SR-60s? You might find that socket modding them goes a long way towards your desired sound, or you might find that it ruins what you liked about them. As a quick test, pull the pads off your SR60s and listen to them that way -- is the detail more in line with what you're looking for? I don't imagine that, having decided to buy a new pair of headphones, you'll settle for your old ones. However, this test might be useful in helping you understand the (very, very rough) signature of the higher model Grados. If you like it, cut a hole on the center of the pads and get a little more life out of your old cans. You'd be amazed at what difference that little piece of foam makes.

 

[Trastan]

Thanks for the post, Sherwood. I actually quarter-modded (I assume that's what you're referring to?) my SR-60s shortly after I got them. Not only did that help me a good deal, but I've noticed that pulling the sides just slightly off of my ears seems to bring out a little more of the highs that I was looking for. These facts lead me to believe that I do like the Grado sound, and that a higher-end version with added clarity could be just what I'm looking for.

 

[riceboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I can throw one more personal opinion at you.... the biggest difference between the SR60, and higher end Grados IS clarity. The SR60 sounds spitty and a bit splashy compared to the higher end cans, even with bowls. IMHO its a night and day difference between it and the RS1. Furthermore, the K701 is yet a slight step above the RS1, as far as clarity and resolution go IMHO.

Grados were the first thing that came to mine. I agree with Kramer5150 that the SR60s and RS1s are nite and day. I had the HD650s with SD cables, and I have the AKG 701s and the RS1s. For your setup I think you would like the SR325i for detail and having bass. The 325i is very detail oriented and I think it will give you the bass you are looking for. I did try the DT990s and they had the detail and bass, but I liked the Grados for the more upfront presentation and the vocals were a lot more up close and silkier IMHO. I think it would be a good idea to demo a Grado and see if it suits you. Headroom & TTVJ offers 30 day money back guarantee, minus the shipping of course. Good luck on your headphone search.

 

[Trastan]

Ah-ha! I forgot that they offered 30-day guarantee! Well, that pretty much tears it: I'm probably going to be picking up the 325is sometime in the near future. From what you all have explained, along with this review ( http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=237855 ), these seem to be precisely what I was looking for.

If anyone has any more suggestions, by all means let me know. Otherwise it looks like I've found my babies.

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trastan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah-ha! I forgot that they offered 30-day guarantee! Well, that pretty much tears it: I'm probably going to be picking up the 325is sometime in the near future. From what you all have explained, along with this review ( http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=237855 ), these seem to be precisely what I was looking for. If anyone has any more suggestions, by all means let me know. Otherwise it looks like I've found my babies.

Sounds great! Hearing those at a show is what got me into headphones in the first place. They are a truly amazing can, and it seems like they're what you're looking for.