[deleted]
Aug 26, 2015 at 10:46 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 16

433115

100+ Head-Fier
Joined
Aug 24, 2015
Posts
200
Likes
20
After much research, these are my finalists as far as my search for my new headphone is going.
 
Shure SRH 1540
 
Shure SRH 1840
 
HiFiMAN HE400i
 
Oppo PM-3
 
Philips Fidelio X2
 
Audio Technica ATH-AD900x
 
AKG 712 Pro
 
Fischer Audio FA-003 Ti
 
MrSpeakers Alpha Dog
 
NAD Viso HP50
 
 
I appreciate anyone's input of comparing and contrasting between these. Here's what I need from a headphone:
 
  1. Works fine without an amp (straight from an iPhone 5S to be specific).
  2. Is accurate to what the music is supposed to be. Probably the most important to me, I don't want it exaggerating things too much in any area.
  3. Still sounds natural enough, too neutral can be bad sometimes. Unfortunately you can't seem to get get natural and neutral in the same box, so I seek balance. But I think I want mostly neutral reference.
  4. A large enough soundstage. I'd like to far expand on the soundstage my SRH440s gave me. Naturally I want the best soundstage I can get, best being both wide and deep, but I figure there are probably trade-offs for having that.
  5. Fast - A lot of music I listen to is extremely fast and rapid.
  6. The best detail possible. I love detail.
  7. Low distortion.
 
I listen to all genres and need an all purpose headphone, however these are the things I'm heaviest in:
 
  1. Rock
  2. Metal
  3. Classical
  4. Techno/Electronic/Dubstep-ish
  5. Video Games
  6. Movies
  7. Anime
 
 
All input is appreciated. I think this is gonna be my last thread.
 
If there's anything else you think you'd like to throw in that's within my $500 pricepoint, feel free.
 
Thank you.
 
Aug 26, 2015 at 5:16 PM Post #4 of 16
I know how you feel.  When I'm spending this much I want to be sure I'm getting the most I can for the money.  The problem is that unless something is truly terrible (in which case, most will say so), there will almost never be a consensus.  This is particularly true with headphones as they are a very personal thing.
 
I hope you get the answers you need to feel confident in your purchase.  
 
Aug 26, 2015 at 5:27 PM Post #6 of 16
  It's all so subjective and not many people have tried them all. I might just end up having to go with my gut I guess.

 
I started considering the Oppo PM-3 weeks ago, but decided to research before dropping that kind of money.  I've been overwhelmed by the options and varying opinions.  In the end I feel like I'm just going to have to go with my original thought and buy the PM-3 and take my chances.  I have to just accept that I'll never know for sure if something else may have been just a tiny bit better because I could drive myself crazy.
 
Analysis paralysis is real, and it's a beast, haha.
 
Aug 26, 2015 at 6:15 PM Post #7 of 16
Yeah. I want to find somewhere to test drive, but I live in Southern Indiana and it's not easy to find somewhere to do it here. All the stores just carry Beats it seems.
 
Aug 26, 2015 at 6:27 PM Post #8 of 16
  Yeah. I want to find somewhere to test drive, but I live in Southern Indiana and it's not easy to find somewhere to do it here. All the stores just carry Beats it seems.

 
 
I have the same problem.  There is an Apple store an hour away or so that has some B&W phones I believe, though I don't know if any are available to listen to in the store.  Everything else within about two hours is Beats and Bose.​
 
Aug 26, 2015 at 11:57 PM Post #9 of 16
Hey, I'm here from the other thread.
 
Haven't heard the other headphones in your list besides the ones I already mentioned in the PM-3 thread, but I have heard something that is quite close to the AKG K712 Pro - the AKG K7XX, which is exclusive to Massdrop.
 
The K7XX had very detailed and clear mids and highs, though to me they sounded a bit artificial (like a bit "plasticky"). The bass on the K7XX was actually quite nice - I wouldn't say it had the quality that a planar headphone can generate (like in terms of how deep the bass can reach and how solid it sounded), but it was definitely present and well-controlled. The K7XX also has quite a large soundstage (definitely larger than that of the 400i), though this is mostly in terms of width and somewhat in terms of depth. Imaging on the K7XX was quite good too, with no obvious holes.
 
For movies and games and other media, I'd think the K7XX would also be a pretty good choice. Though I still like the 400i and the PM-3 better (I really like my planar magnetic headphones).
 
As for the K712 Pro, to me it would have to be closer to the $200 price that the K7XX sold for in order for it to be worth it. At the prices I regularly see it at ($350 and above), I'd honestly take the PM-3 (which refurbished I believe can be had for a bit over $300) or the 400i (even at its normal price of $500 - to me, it's simply in a different class compared to the AKG).
 
As for your 400i great deal, honestly that's an excellent price. I actually think they're a steal at that price, considering I believe that the 400i is able to compete with much more expensive headphones in terms of sound.
 
As for any of the Shures in your list, sorry, I haven't listened to them.
 
Sep 6, 2015 at 9:49 PM Post #11 of 16
Out of the headphones on your list, I think the Fidelio X2, SRH1840, K712, and HE-400i are the best ones in terms of overall sound quality. The Alpha Dog may be good also, but I haven't tried it so can't say. However, being a closed back headphone, I doubt that it can match the overall sound quality of the open backs on the list. Well, to be fair, I own the SRH1540 and NAD HP50 and both are seriously good sounding headphones, despite being closed back. However, I do think that they are lacking the spaciousness, effortlessness and overall realism of good open back headphones like the ones I mentioned previously.
 
I only tried the SRH1840 briefly at a local audio shop a few years ago, so I honestly can't remember much about how it sounds, but I remember being impressed with the accurate tonal balance, clarity, openness, treble resolution and overall realism of these headphones. The problem is that they don't measure well on paper - if you check out the graphs for them on Inenrfidelity, you will see that the SRH1840 has a lot of distortion in the bass and mids. Personally, I am not sure I found this to be an issue, but I do recall hearing the bass on the SRH1840 as being somewhat weak sounding and lacking extension, which may have to do with the high distortion. However, I do think that it is at least a reasonably technically capable headphone with a very pleasing tonal balance for most instrumental, jazz, vocals and any music that doesn't require a powerful and deep bass response. I can't say how SRH1840 fares in regards to speed and transient response though - it's probably good, but maybe not great. They are easy to drive headphones as well, so they will fit your need in this regard.
 
I really like the Fidelio X2 - I think it's a seamlessly balanced headphone with perfect transitions from bass through mids and treble. It is an exceptional all arounder that can deliver great sound on many different types of music. It's not strictly neutral, as it does have an emphasis on bass and lower midrange and a slightly laid back treble, but I find this balance to be very natural sounding. As the sound quality of the X2 is great at all frequencies, the extra bass emphasis sounds tight and pleasing without muddying up the higher frequencies. I wouldn't call the X2 an exceptionally fast headphone, but a really well controlled and balanced headphone. Whether or not it will suit your need for "fast" music may be just a matter of personal preferences. It is also easy to drive like SRH1840, so it will also suit you in that regard.
 
I haven't heard the HE-400i, but I have owned the HE-500 and based on measurements and other peoples' impressions of the sound of HE-400i, I can safely assume that its sound character and sound quality is somewhere pretty close to that of the HE-500. In that case, I think the HE-400i may suit you quite well, as it should be very fast, with excellent transient response, thanks to those planar drivers, yet also very well balanced tonally with great extension in the bass, as well as treble and great mids. Resolution and clarity should be excellent. The problem is that planars are usually quite hard to drive well, so the HE-400i is unlikely to sound anywhere near its full potential unamped out of a smartphone. In fact, if not proeprly amped, the planars can sound somewhat muddy, veiled and "slow".
 
I haven't tried K712 either, but based on my experience with K612 and Q701, I would say that the K712 will also need a pretty powerful amp to deliver its full sonic potential. A smartphone is unlikely to drive it sufficiently well. The headphones will sound flat and boring when underpowered. The sound quality is really good though - the higher end AKGs are really well balanced tonally, fast, resolving and very spacious sounding headphones. They are probably the most neutral on your list.
 
SRH1540 is an excellent closed back headphone that's easy to drive and very comfy. It sounds spacious for a closed back with good instrument separation and well extended, well resolved treble. It is generally very well balanced, except for the sub bass, which stick out like a sore thumb. The sub bass is really quite emphasized on the SRH1540 and with bass driven music this can lead to some noticeable disbalance with the bass intruding a bit into the lower mids and causing some congestion and loss of finesse.
 
NAD HP50 is balanced very much like the Phillips X2, but I do think that the NADs have somewhat tighter, better extended bass and a cleaner treble. The X2 however, sounds more open, spacious and dynamic. I think X2 is the better sounding headphone overall, but HP50 is a bit more tonally balance, more neutral and cleaner sounding. If I had to choose one, I would get the X2, Both are easy to drive, but do scale very nicely with better amps and DACs as well.
 
I haven't tried the other headphones on your list unfortunately, so can't say anything else about any of those. Based on what I wrote above, I can conclude that out of the headphones I've heard that are on your list, the Fidelio X2 is probably your best bet - it's really well balanced, quite resolving, open, spacious, natural sounding. It's just a great all arounder for a lot of music and is easy to drive, so it can reach much of its potential out of your phone, as long as your recordings and bitrate are sufficient. SRH1540 may be a good option as well, if you don't mind a strong kick in the sub bass. In some ways it sound cleaner and more neutral than the X2 I think, but not quite as well balanced as X2 overall. HP50 is very good and sounds somewhat like a cleaner, but less spacious X2....
 
I can also recommend trying out Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 - it's likely the cleanest, fastest and most resolving headphone I've heard apart from HD800. It's an easy to drive closed back headphone and doesn't sound particularly open and spacious, MSR7 also has some emphasis on the upper mids and treble, so some people may find it too bright and light in the bass, The bass on MSR7 is really tight, but does get overshadowed a bit by the stronger mids and highs. The treble can also get a little harsh and fatiguing at times. The headphones are quite forward sounding and not forgiving of poor quality recordings or low bitrate. MSR7 is certainly not for everyone, but it has transients/speed and resolution that is unparalleled in sub $1k headphones in my opinion, so if you are looking for a headphone that can handle the most complex music without any hint of smearing/grain and with crystal clarity and razor sharp definition, then the MSR7 may work very well for your need. You will likely want another headphone with a more balanced, less aggressive and more forgiving sound to pair with the MSR7 however, as MSR7 is really too forward and unforgiving to be a good all arounder IMO. You may be excited by the forward, aggressive and extremely detailed sound of the MSR7 at first, but it's bound to get fatiguing after a while. However, it's worth getting despite all the flaws because its a superb reference headphone for critical listening.
 
IMO, Fidelio X2 and MSR7 will go very well together. The former for relaxed listening at home and the latter for critical listening and portable use...
smily_headphones1.gif
For portable use, you may want something with better isolation though. HP50 and SRH1540 offer superior isolation to MSR7... That's why I have several headphones - they all have different strengths and weaknesses and having more means that you can cover more of your needs... As people like to say around here, "Wecolme to head-fi and sorry about your wallet." lol Good luck with choosing the right headphones!
smily_headphones1.gif
 
 
Sep 6, 2015 at 11:11 PM Post #13 of 16
  Omg, thanks for this post. Yeah I've been making threads constantly here.
 
Yeah, I think it's all boiling down to PM-3 and X2.

 
No problem. Glad my post was helpful to you.
 
I haven't heard PM-3, but I think it's safe to assume that it won't sound quite as open and spacious as the X2, as the former is a closed back with normal driver placement, while the latter is an open back with angled drivers. I also think so because I haven't heard any closed back headphones that sound as open and spacious as X2 yet. PM-3 will sound more neutral, strictly speaking, but X2's bass and low midrange emphasis give it natural body and realism that headphones with flatter frequency responses, like PM-3, don't have. PM-3 will likely have an edge in the high frequencies - they likely sound cleaner and clearer, because PM-3 uses planar drivers. However, X2 has good treble - I don't have an issue with its quality personally. It is perfectly adequate IMO. Also, I am sure that PM-3 still won't match the clarity and resolution of the MSR7 in the treble. MSR7 should still be the more technically capable headphone, while PM-3 is likely somewhat more tonally balanced, more laid back and easier to listen to. Some claim that PM-3 is too flat and boring, and lacks some treble energy. I would gravitate more towards headphones with fuller bass and lower mids, as well as a more neutral, or even slightly boosted treble for music enjoyment. As Tyll as Innerfidelity wrote in his PM-3 review, it seems to be a good headphone for professional use in the studios due to its flat response in the lows and mids, but it's not very exciting to listen to. I am sure that the NAD HP50, SRH1540 and MSR7 will sound more fun to most people. Of course, I haven't heard the PM-3 so I am not really qualified to make such judgements, but that's what Tyll at Innerfidelity claims in his PM-3 review and I do think that Tyll is quite reputable and I have trust his reviews and opinions a lot.
 
Aug 10, 2016 at 10:10 PM Post #15 of 16
What did you end up going with?
 
I have the 1540's and X2's, and they couldn't be more different. The 1540's are very much a pro tool insofar as they're not tuned for fun, but for extreme accuracy. And in that regard they're amazing. The accuracy and perfect detail of the sound is absolutely incredible. The X2's sound kinda unclear by comparison, which I don't think anyone would say about them. The 1540's are like a precision tool for monitoring. The X2's are fun. They're pretty V shaped, sound wise, but super fun. The impact from percussion is awesome. It's very satisfying. 
 
Anyway hope you're happy with whatever you got.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top