[Doodlekin]

Hello Head-fi
 
I am just getting into this scene after my HD558s gave in on me last month.
 
My primary use for my headphones was gaming, however, now I’m interested in using them for music a lot more.
 
I did quite a bit of research and concluded for my purposes, the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm model was the right choice for me. While I was waiting for them to arrive, I did even more research and was starting to doubt my decision. 
 
Well, they arrived and have had a bit of use and I have found they are great for games, excellent soundstage and really great bass for some nice immersion, love it. For music, they are quite good. I am not running off an amp yet and I think they would get some real benefit from that, I can see what people say about the treble and recessed mids though. I am waiting for the Schiit Show to come around to see if anything shows up as an alternative to the Magni 2 Uber and Modi 2 Uber in the same price range (doubt it).
 
So after my investigations, a few other headphones came into the equation at (kind of) similar price points (Australian Dollars). These are:
 
1.    Philips Fidelio X2 ($318);
2.    AKG 712 Pro ($300); and
3.    Sennheiser HD600 or HD650 ($325 and $425 respectively).
 
For reference, I paid $219 for the DT990s.
 
After constantly reading through these forums and other resources, I can’t specifically conclude which headphones are most suitable for me or even the differences between them. 
 
I have heard that the X2 and the K712s are better than the DT990s for all intents and purposes, that the K712 is better than the X2 when properly set up and a lot of other stuff. Another person advised me he believed it was worth holding onto the DT990s if I purchased the X2.
 
I’m open to getting two pairs, maybe even all four eventually if they are sufficiently different from one another.
 
Now, I would appreciate if anybody who has had experience with any 2 or more of the above headphones to provide me with their opinions on the important practical differences between the two for music purposes and your preferences. What genres do you think each performs well on? I wouldn’t specifically exclude any particular genre from my listening preferences.
 
Also, would the Magni / Modi combo be an adequate pairing for all phones?
 
If I wish to return the DT990s I will incur a restocking fee of $33.
 
If I drive for an hour and a bit, I am able actually to test all except the X2 in store, however, they don't have amps available in store.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks guys

 

[koven]

i owned/own all of these so hope some quick thoughts help you
 
X2 (Sold) - warm airy sound, good bass extension, solid soundstage, lacked resolution/detail for me, fun sound but a bit unrefined compared to the rest
DT990 (Sold/upgraded to T1.2) - sound is a bit thin, sparkly treble, mids not as lush as the rest, did not have them for long, t1.2 much much better overall
K712 Pro (Kept) - slightly on the warm side, very good separation/soundstage, airy bass a bit lighter than x2 but feels cleaner/more accurate, great mid details and high extension, excellent all around 
HD600 (Kept) - very neutral laidback sound, mids not as aggressive/forward as k712/x2 but sounds like butter, slightly rolled off highs, lightest bass compared to the rest but very refined sound and incredibly organic overall presentation
 
i think the Magni/Modi combo is adequate for all these headphones but they would also scale w/ better amplification. I used modi 2u and vali 2 with them for quite a while before upgrading. i tend to grab the hd600 for jazz/pop. t1.2 for hiphop/rnb. k712 for edm. but they all sound great with each genre. 

 

[Doodlekin]

  i owned/own all of these so hope some quick thoughts help you
 
X2 (Sold) - warm airy sound, good bass extension, solid soundstage, lacked resolution/detail for me, fun sound but a bit unrefined compared to the rest
DT990 (Sold/upgraded to T1.2) - sound is a bit thin, sparkly treble, mids not as lush as the rest, did not have them for long, t1.2 much much better overall
K712 Pro (Kept) - slightly on the warm side, very good separation/soundstage, airy bass a bit lighter than x2 but feels cleaner/more accurate, great mid details and high extension, excellent all around 
HD600 (Kept) - very neutral laidback sound, mids not as aggressive/forward as k712/x2 but sounds like butter, slightly rolled off highs, lightest bass compared to the rest but very refined sound and incredibly organic overall presentation
 
i think the Magni/Modi combo is adequate for all these headphones but they would also scale w/ better amplification. I used modi 2u and vali 2 with them for quite a while before upgrading. i tend to grab the hd600 for jazz/pop. t1.2 for hiphop/rnb. k712 for edm. but they all sound great with each genre. 

 
Thanks mate.
 
Would you say besides the detail the X2 is much better than the DT990 overall? I'm trying to decide what to do with them if I change. I want to return them and get an X2 as a replacement and my girlfriend could use them but she says she likes the DT990s.
 
How does the bass on the K712 compare to the DT990s? Everything else sounds really nice. I've heard people saying it's quite analytical or sterile compared to the other 3, would that be accurate?

 

[cel4145]

You might also look into the Massdrop edition AKG K7XX. They are quite good for the money, and I believe that Massdrop can do postal forwarding, so they might be a good deal to you as well. Learn more about them in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/743280/the-akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-thread

 

[Monsterzero]

What kind of music are you into?

Ive owned three of them,each have their strengths and weaknesses.

For gaming all are good choices.

 

[Doodlekin]

You might also look into the Massdrop edition AKG K7XX. They are quite good for the money, and I believe that Massdrop can do postal forwarding, so they might be a good deal to you as well. Learn more about them in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/743280/the-akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-thread

 
The 7XX works out to be the same price as the K712 after shipping. Based on what I have read the K712 would be a better bet.
 
 

  What kind of music are you into?

Ive owned three of them,each have their strengths and weaknesses.

For gaming all are good choices.

 
Honestly a wide variety of music, it's difficult to name a few. So a headphone which covers a broad amount of genres, or two that cover a lot.
 
Would you say the bass on the K712 decent or a bit lacking?

 

[Monsterzero]

   
The 7XX works out to be the same price as the K712 after shipping. Based on what I have read the K712 would be a better bet.
 
 
 
Honestly a wide variety of music, it's difficult to name a few. So a headphone which covers a broad amount of genres, or two that cover a lot.
 
Would you say the bass on the K712 decent or a bit lacking?

Never heard the K712,but the K7XX does most genres pretty well,but the bass isn't accentuated,at least not compared to the X2,which is more fun than HD600,and less bright than the DT990.

 

[Doodlekin]

Does anybody have an opinion on which two headphones contrast nicely to provide good coverage?

 

[Monsterzero]

  Does anybody have an opinion on which two headphones contract nicely to provide good coverage?

im assuming you meant "contrast"

X2 and K7XX have a very different sound signature,X2 bass and soundstage,and K7XX detail and soundstage

I(f you meant clamping force,HD600 has pretty strong clamping.

 

[Doodlekin]

 
im assuming you meant "contrast"

X2 and K7XX have a very different sound signature,X2 bass and soundstage,and K7XX detail and soundstage

I(f you meant clamping force,HD600 has pretty strong clamping.

 
Whoops, I did mean contrast. Thanks for that, I've fixed it up.
 
Hm okay. Well I am going to test out some headphones later this week, I'm really heavily leaning towards the K712 (can't test the K7XX and the price difference is negligible). Perhaps I will get both the X2 and the K712.
 
Is there many important differences between the K712 and the K7XX? If they are basically the same price and I can get the K712 locally, which comes with the benefit of a local warranty, would that be advisable?
 
Thanks for the response