[tokendog]

I have the Ultrasone Pro 900s and love them.  I am looking for a good companion headphone to go with them to make up for their shortcomings.
 
I've owned the Beyer DT770, the Sennheiser PC360, the AD700, and the Denon D7000.
 
The one I miss the most is the D7000 but they are out of my budget at the moment.
 
I use my headphones for dubstep, movies, and games.
 
The headphones I have been considering are:
 
HD598 (for games & soundstage)
Q701 
HD650
Denon D5000
HE-300
 
I guess my main concern is purchasing a headphone that is too similiar to the Pro 900 and doesn't offer anything that they don't.  I want something that is different and makes up for the downsides of the Pro 900s.
 
Any advice or guidance would be appreciate,
Thanks!

 

[WiR3D]

AMP?
 
hifiman HE-400, AKG K242HD aka K240mkII aka K240 Studio with a musical amp. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

HE400. Though I warn you, you may end up loving them so much, that you'll never touch your Pro 900s. That's what happened to me, and had to take them back.

As far as your list, the Q701 would be the perfect compliment.

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

HE400. Though I warn you, you may end up loving them so much, that you'll never touch your Pro 900s. That's what happened to me, and had to take them back.
As far as your list, the Q701 would be the perfect compliment.

ah the bigger prettier slightly bitchy older sister of my K242hd. I agree.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The 242hd is a pretty looking headphone IMHO.

Never heard them though.

 

[tokendog]

My amp is the E9.  I run it out of a Titanium HD.  
 
I appreciate the feedback, if I could ask for a little more... What differences do those cans bring to the table that would be better than the Pro900s or different?
 
The significant differences.
 
Thanks again for the help.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Q701 - A MUCH bigger soundstage (The Pro 900s have a pathetic soundstage), and a lot better balance of the sound overall. Both the HE400 and Q701 have a natural tone to them, making them a lot more realistic. The Q701 has a very airy sound, and the mids are clean and forward, unlike the Pro 900. The HE400 has an even fuller sound than the Q701, and trades off a little bit of the soundstage for more bass. They are both obviously not as aggressive as the Pro 900. The HE400 is very musical, and vocals sound realistic. The Q701 less so, but still a viable alternative to the HE400 if you can't afford them.

The biggest improvement is the better vocals and treble, and air, on both. They also sound fuller than the Pro 900, which sounds quite thin and harsh in comparison.

I'm referring to the HE400 with the Hifiman velours. I don't like them with the stock pleather which makes them warmer, and rolls off the upper range a bit.

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

My amp is the E9.  I run it out of a Titanium HD.  
 
I appreciate the feedback, if I could ask for a little more... What differences do those cans bring to the table that would be better than the Pro900s or different?
 
The significant differences.
 
Thanks again for the help.

Pretty much the same as the Q701, just less soundstage, and a few other things I won't dare speculate on. I don't know well the E9 will pair with the AKGs, the E9 uses the same TPA6120 headphone amp that my STX uses, but with the stock opamps it sounded meh at best.... I don't think it will be amazing for the AKGs, they really need a bit of a musical injection.
 
Quote:

The 242hd is a pretty looking headphone IMHO.

Never heard them though.

You really should, at the current retail price, they are an absolute steal, especially for gaming and music etc if you have an amp. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Ah no... I doubt they can compete with the HE400. I literally have no desire to get any other open can.

 

[tokendog]

I'm spoiled by the 2nd and next day shipping options provided by a certain retailer...I am going to order the HE-400 to check them out but am so spoiled I don't look forward to the usual shipping wait.
 
I'm also considering getting a pair of either HD-598 or AD700 for the soundtage but if the HE-400 compares with those in that aspect, I may not need to.
 
I really miss my D7000s so.  The way they handled music was beautiful.  I used to have access to an accomodation that gave me a great price on them, but no longer.

 

[tokendog]

How will the HE-400 compare to the Pro 900s?  What will I gain and what will I lose?
 
Remember it's for gaming, dubstep, and movies.
 
Thanks again

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Fuller sound, way more natural tone, bigger and airier soundstage, deeper sub bass (a weakness in the Pro 900s), and rich, balanced vocals. You gain a boost in SQ in everything, but lose the super pronounced mid bass, and metallic treble.

The bass in the HE400 is realistic and hits hard when it's called for. I'd say it has a slight emphasis vs a lot of emphasis on the Pro 900. Still, as part basshead, I don't feel the HE400 lacking in bass.

Again, these are impressions with velours. The pleather is different, and inferior in basically every single aspect.

 

[tokendog]

Sounds a lot like the D7000s.
 
Where do I get the velour pads from?  
 
One last request:
 
How do they sound against the D5000s? 
 
With the HE-400, would you still recommend a headphone like the Q701 or is it pretty much applicable for that as well?
 
Thanks!  Really helpful and very much appreciated.

 

[tokendog]

Nevermind, I found the pads.  Still curious about the rest though.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I too had the D7000, and it was tough letting them go, but the pleather was getting on my nerves. I needed velour to convince me to keep them, and velours aren't an option with them.

I'll say that technically, the HE400 is superior to the D7000, as well as sonically. The only thing the D7000 does better is sub bass... which... well, that's Denon's forte.

Don't get me wrong, the D7000 is still my fave sound signature, but the HE400 is better in most regards. The HE400 is more airy than the D7000, and fuller sounding still. The mids are better, and the treble is more natural (the D7000's treble could be harsh at times). Also the mid bass impact on the HE400 is stronger, and well in balance with the sub bass. The D7000 has a lot of sub bass, but reserved mid bass.

As a D7000, I recommend those who love it to try the HE400. Those two are definitely complimentary to one another.