[eugenius]

Previously I had a Sony P180 (flabby bass, good soundstage, honky but fun), a Grado SR80 (fast bass, detailed, too bright, not circumaural, low comfort), and now I have a Senn HD201, as a stopgap headphone (slower bass than the SR80 - not deep enough, not honky - despite being closed, not that detailed, slightly harsh - I didn't expect that, not that efficient).

I want a large circumaural, cloth pad headphone with the fast sound of a grado or near it, fast good bass - the kind of bass you get from the grado, with good attack, but more of it, a very good soundstage (angled drivers come to mind), and non fatiguing highs - and by this I don't mean a mellow headphone, I want one near the grado, with plenty of detail, but nor so harsh.

Grado is excluded because of the soundstage and because they are not circumaural.

I'm thinking a higher end Sony (like CD3000, but not at that price

), but I doubt they have that fast bass I want, or a Beyer - DTX900, DT931, DT660 come to mind.

I also want a more relaxing headphone, less sibilant. I don't know much about AKG, maybe K240's?

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eugenius Previously I had a Sony P180 (flabby bass, good soundstage, honky but fun), a Grado SR80 (fast bass, detailed, too bright, not circumaural, low comfort), and now I have a Senn HD201, as a stopgap headphone (slower bass than the SR80 - not deep enough, not honky - despite being closed, not that detailed, slightly harsh - I didn't expect that, not that efficient). I want a large circumaural, cloth pad headphone with the fast sound of a grado or near it, fast good bass - the kind of bass you get from the grado, with good attack, but more of it, a very good soundstage (angled drivers come to mind), and non fatiguing highs - and by this I don't mean a mellow headphone, I want one near the grado, with plenty of detail, but nor so harsh. Grado is excluded because of the soundstage and because they are not circumaural. I'm thinking a higher end Sony (like CD3000, but not at that price ), but I doubt they have that fast bass I want, or a Beyer - DTX900, DT931, DT660 come to mind. I also want a more relaxing headphone, less sibilant. I don't know much about AKG, maybe K240's?

From what I've read the AKG K701s might be what you're looking for. I'm getting a pair soon, So I'll let you know if they meet your criteria... But that's a pretty extensive checklist, you may have to settle with a headphone that excells in one or two of those areas but not in all of them (unless you get into the real high end phones).

 

[Jahn]

Please go to www.headphile.com and check out their C-Pads. You put them on your Grado, and hello soundstage and bass while keeping that Grado sound - with a circumaural signature and a VERY comfy DT770 velour pad!

 

[ex0du5]

while reading reviews for the Denon AHD550 they might be it, not sure though. i'm going out later to try them.

 

[eugenius]

The max budget is 200 euro, so k701 is out of the question.

Anyone who has the beyers .. please post some impressions: do they have the fast transients of a Grado or at least close?

 

[redshifter]

seriously consider the beyer dt231 (cloth circumaural) plus a punchy amp like the cmoy or meta. you'll be under your stated budget and get a whole lot of rockin goodness. the dt231 just groove.

 

[eugenius]

Let me try and be short:

I want a (huge) circumaural cloth padded fast transients headphone with a very good soundstage. These are the prerequisites.

So, please tell me what headphone satisfies those criterias. I'll decide after that if I like the sound signature .. by reading different opinions about the headphones here.

 

[ScubaSteve87]

maybe look at some audio technicas, A900? maybe the sound your are looking for is out of your price range...

 

[akwok]

Sennheiser HE60?

 

[sgrossklass]

K501 (might not have enough bass though), K601
DT880 (DT931 might also work, but would probably have to be bought used)
HD590 (maybe HD600, too)

 

[eugenius]

Anyone else?

I doubt hd600's would suit me .. dt880, k501 - need an amp, so they're out of my budget.

 

[Clutz]

HD590.

I've tried the DT880s out of my iPod, and I think they sounded pretty good. Unless they are electrostatics or AKG K1000's, I don't believe that any headphone *needs* an amp. They may make a large improvement, and some headphones may get more of an improvement with a headphone amplifier than others - but you don't need it.

 

[deaconblues]

The Sony SA1000 might be a contender. If I had known about it, I probably would have bought it instead of the Alessandro MS-1 in my earlier days.

edit: It seems to fit most of your criteria
Circumaural, cloth pads, angled drivers, very fast. It definitely has that fast Grado-like bass.

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve87 maybe look at some audio technicas, A900? maybe the sound your are looking for is out of your price range...

Seconding this recommendation. I have heard some say that the bass is "slow," but damned if I can figure out why. Seems like it's just as fast as it was recorded; it's certainly no slower than any other headphone I've tried, Grado included.

They fit your requirements exactly, though they have pleather rather than cloth pad covers. They're the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn.

 

[fjf]

Beyer DT880.