[Audio18]

hey guys,

new here and i'm not sure if this is the right sub-forum but here it goes! i currently own the senn hd497s that i got about 2 months back. sounds great! couple weeks ago i was browsing this forum and came across a review for the Beyerdyanamic DT 231 and claims its superior to the 497s. is this true? if it is maybe i should return my senns and purchase the Beyers?

one more question -- i use a turtle beach santa cruz as the source for my speakers (altec lansing mx5021) and my senns right now. would an upgrade to the emu 0404 card be worth it? thanks!

 

[Asterix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio18 hey guys, new here and i'm not sure if this is the right sub-forum but here it goes! i currently own the senn hd497s that i got about 2 months back. sounds great! couple weeks ago i was browsing this forum and came across a review for the Beyerdyanamic DT 231 and claims its superior to the 497s. is this true? if it is maybe i should return my senns and purchase the Beyers? one more question -- i use a turtle beach santa cruz as the source for my speakers (altec lansing mx5021) and my senns right now. would an upgrade to the emu 0404 card be worth it? thanks!

Hi-fi is a learn as you go/buy thing, unfortunately. I have the 497 and I'm not totally in love with it, but that's probably because I've been using the higher end 580's for years before I bought the 497. They are very clear but the bass isn't satisfying for me I guess, and unfortunately with my big ears that stick out, they end up hurting them after awhile because of how they apply pressure on the ears. In this price range, I've heard the Grado SR60 might be a good (better?) choice. I also use the turtle beach santa cruz, and it's really not very high quality compared to a good cd player like my nad c541i. I don't know about the e-mu cards though.

 

[Audio18]

Thanks for the comment. I get very mixed reviews on the Sr60s. Some say they rock with punchy bass and good mids and highs while others say it has VERY harsh highs and bad midrange(?)

 

[Asterix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio18 Thanks for the comment. I get very mixed reviews on the Sr60s. Some say they rock with punchy bass and good mids and highs while others say it has VERY harsh highs and bad midrange(?)

I have never heard any Grado's so I don't know about the Grado sound. I love my HD580's & HD650's so I went with the HD497's as my portable option... they are really quite good with treble that is almost as good as the higher end models. The bass isn't as deep and rich, and it's a little more punchy. I read many times that the Grado SR60 is more popular in that price range. But the HD497's are newer, so this may be part of the reason. I've never heard the Beyer Dynamics either, but my brother did once and he liked them more than any Sennheisers he had heard. I don't know which model, and he mostly plays video games.
And your sound card is really a huge improvement over most of the Creative cards, especially for music. I got my TBSC for $25 and it was a very wise investment. It's fine for games and music alike. But in no way does it compare to my cd player, (it's a lot more noisy and not as detailed and well-powered.)

I'd say that overall HD497 + TBSC is a good setup and should satisfy you for a long time. If you want to upgrade, upgrade your headphones first, to say, HD580's, then upgrade your sound card.

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio18 Thanks for the comment. I get very mixed reviews on the Sr60s. Some say they rock with punchy bass and good mids and highs while others say it has VERY harsh highs and bad midrange(?)

sorry, i can't comment on the Beyers, if only to say maybe do a search on DT531 instead of DT231 and see if you like what's written about the original "Groovalizer?"

As for the SR60, for the price (around 50-60 bucks) it's going to BLOW everything else away in its price range. Its bass, mids, highs will all combine to destroy your preconceptions of what a headphone should sound like. Especially the mids. It's a vocal can, a rockin' can, a fun can.

That said, once you get into diminishing returns, the nitpickers will point out that, compared to more EXPENSIVE cans, yes the SR60 has harsher highs and not as much detail. IMHO for about 40 bucks more these issues are resolved by getting the Alessandro MS-1. But still, why pay almost twice if your budget is in the 497 range? The SR60 should be fine for a great starting can (and hopefully ending can- buy it and run far away for your own safety!)

Oh, and Welcome to Head-fi, sorry about your wallet!