[BrockMcCloud]

Hello,
 
I've been using garbage headphones and other audio equipment for a while now and have decided I want to invest some money into getting something better. I am hoping to spend around $300 for a good pair of head phones. So far it seems it is between the Sennheiser HD 598's and the AKG Q701's. I listen to a lot of hardcore electronic music that usually revolves a lot around percussion(breakcore, jungle, IDM, that sort of stuff) but I'm more interested in an all around sort of sound as opposed to something specifically geared towards that.
 
Between the 598's and the 701's what would people here recommend? I will be using these to listen to music on my computer primarily and I also hear that having an AMP/DAC is quite useful. Would anybody here have any recommendations for a good AMP/DAC that isn't super expensive? I'm just beginning on this "audiophile" (or whatever you want to call it) path so I don't need the utmost unbelievable equipment, just something which beats the crap out of my old $20 headphone days and can give me a new appreciation for the sort of complex design many people put into their music/sound.
 
If anybody has a better reccomendation then the 598 or 701's feel free to let me know about that. I don't know a whole lot about the audio scene so I appreciate anybody's expertise! I'm using these for private listening so it doesn't matter if it is open back (although if there are a wicked closed back pair that's fine too).
 
Thank you very much for your help!

 

[ostewart]

Soundmagic HP100 with a JDS Labs O2 amp would be an excellent first setup

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Hello,
 
I've been using garbage headphones and other audio equipment for a while now and have decided I want to invest some money into getting something better. I am hoping to spend around $300 for a good pair of head phones. So far it seems it is between the Sennheiser HD 598's and the AKG Q701's. I listen to a lot of hardcore electronic music that usually revolves a lot around percussion(breakcore, jungle, IDM, that sort of stuff) but I'm more interested in an all around sort of sound as opposed to something specifically geared towards that.
 
Between the 598's and the 701's what would people here recommend? I will be using these to listen to music on my computer primarily and I also hear that having an AMP/DAC is quite useful. Would anybody here have any recommendations for a good AMP/DAC that isn't super expensive? I'm just beginning on this "audiophile" (or whatever you want to call it) path so I don't need the utmost unbelievable equipment, just something which beats the crap out of my old $20 headphone days and can give me a new appreciation for the sort of complex design many people put into their music/sound.
 
If anybody has a better reccomendation then the 598 or 701's feel free to let me know about that. I don't know a whole lot about the audio scene so I appreciate anybody's expertise! I'm using these for private listening so it doesn't matter if it is open back (although if there are a wicked closed back pair that's fine too).
 
Thank you very much for your help!

 
Heya,
 
I would not get the HD598/Q701 for what you're doing. I would get something with a more visceral low end, while still being relatively balanced.

Suggestions:
 
Beyer DT880 250ohm with a Fiio E10
Hifiman HE-300 revision 2 with same Fiio E10
Ultrasone HFI 2400 with same Fiio E10
 
Very best,

 

[AaronR]

Some people like more bass than the HD 598s offer for their music, especially electronic.
 
I listen to a lot of electronic, classical, gaming music with my HD 598s. In the future, when I upgrade, I want something with a little more bass myself.

 

[Klesk]

I would also recommend the HE-300 and DT880 for open-back. The AKG K550 is a good closed-back choice. On portability, the Sennheiser Amperior or HD25-1 II is also good. All of these headphones are, in my experience, good all-arounders. The HE-300 probably has the most bass out of all of these. I like the Q701 for music with a lot of synth, but it won't have the bass impact of others, though it extends well.

 

[vernz]

I won't consider Q701 and HD598 as well. 
try DT880, and Ultrasone
 
for DAC/AMP, I will recommend Dragonfly.

 

[BrockMcCloud]

Thank you all for your input!
 
I have a friend who has a pair of Q701's I believe so I will borrow those from him to see how I feel about the low end they offer. Just so I know (should they sound adequate to me) what would be a good DAC/AMP for these headphones? I hear that they require a lot of power and something like the Fiio E10 won't cut it if you want a good amount of volume. I was initially looking at a Fiio E9 with a Fiio E7 but the 16-bit 48khz limitation of the E7 is a dealbreaker for me. I've also been looking at the Audioengine D1 24 Bit DAC or the Fiio 9K with the Fiio 17 (or with the Fiio E7K) but either of these arrangements will be difficult to fit inside my budget. So if anybody has any cheaper alternatives that don't take a big hit in quality I would really appreciate your help!