[Shelvo]

Hello all! I am sixteen years old and would really like to get involved in better sound. I don't know much right now, but I do pride myself on being a musician and really enjoy listening to music. I think I'm ready to learn. I do, however, have a small problem: I am not yet employed. I did receive about $250 for Christmas and my birthday (they're less than a month apart) and may or may not receive some money from my dad for some work I did for him concerning Raspberry Pis (I also happen to be a Linux junkie). In addition to some good headphones, I would also like to buy a nice pair of running shoes, and save whatever is left over, so my price range has to remain relatively frugal.
 
I listen to a good variety of musical genres, but I am most fond of film scores, modern instrumental, game scores, classical, choral, and a limited selection of electronic/techno.
 
I've done a bit of searching and I think my best two options are the Grado SR60 or JVC harx700 headphones. If it's relevant, the headset I'm using right now is the cheap Rosewill RHM-556. Do you think that these selections are good for my tastes or do you have another recommendation? I would mostly be driving the headphones with my laptop, a relatively old (c. 2006) Dell XPS M1210 running Arch Linux.
 
I really look forward to becoming a greater part of the head-fi community and hope that someday I can give back to it. May you all be blessed.
 
AMDG

 

[ThickGlasses]

I consider myself a pretty biased person and I've never even tried the HARX700 so feel free to disregard my opinion.
 
It seems that the HARX700 is more of a pair of 'phones for people who never want to have to upgrade, and the SR60's are for people that wouldn't have a problem with something like that. Both of them are in the same price range and both of them are great value for money, but I've used the SR60i extensively, so I prefer that one. I think the SR60i is pretty good for most classical, modern or otherwise, but apart from that and a few game scores I couldn't comment on those genres (It's a very nice piece of audio engineering for most Final Fantasy OST's, especially Final Fantasy X's).

 

[Shelvo]

Thanks for your input. I think one reason why I might go with the SR60 is just because it's so much more widely acclaimed than the harx700. But I'm still open to other suggestions, if anybody else has any.

 

[SilentxStatik24]

  Thanks for your input. I think one reason why I might go with the SR60 is just because it's so much more widely acclaimed than the harx700. But I'm still open to other suggestions, if anybody else has any.

 
The Grado SR-60i were my first pair of "audiophile" headphones, and I still use them today. I mostly use them for rock 'n' roll, classical and soundtracks though, I don't like electronic with them at all.
 
I recommend the Panasonic RP-HTF600s for a great electronic/hip-hop can. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_13/187-7565437-3320426?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=panasonic%20htf600&sprefix=panasonic+htf%2Caps%2C375
 
Yeah, they are pretty cheap; but man you get some good sound out of them. They are bassy, I will warn you.

 

[luberconn]

you can get a pair of harx & a pair of porta pros for the road, for about the same price as the sr60i.  

 

[Shelvo]

That's good to hear, as the times I listen to electronic music are pretty infrequent. I generally don't listen to hip-hop at all.
I just found this thread about the ha-rx 700s:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/542879/jvc-ha-rx700-best-headphones-ever/30
The first page praised them heavily, but later in the thread they were criticized for sounding fuzzy and muddy when poorly driven (which would be my case). I'm starting to lean more and more towards the SR60s. Any more/different suggestions? I would really appreciate it

 

[Me x3]

  Hello all! I am sixteen years old and would really like to get involved in better sound. I don't know much right now, but I do pride myself on being a musician and really enjoy listening to music. I think I'm ready to learn. I do, however, have a small problem: I am not yet employed. I did receive about $250 for Christmas and my birthday (they're less than a month apart) and may or may not receive some money from my dad for some work I did for him concerning Raspberry Pis (I also happen to be a Linux junkie). In addition to some good headphones, I would also like to buy a nice pair of running shoes, and save whatever is left over, so my price range has to remain relatively frugal.
 
I listen to a good variety of musical genres, but I am most fond of film scores, modern instrumental, game scores, classical, choral, and a limited selection of electronic/techno.
 
I've done a bit of searching and I think my best two options are the Grado SR60 or JVC harx700 headphones. If it's relevant, the headset I'm using right now is the cheap Rosewill RHM-556. Do you think that these selections are good for my tastes or do you have another recommendation? I would mostly be driving the headphones with my laptop, a relatively old (c. 2006) Dell XPS M1210 running Arch Linux.
 
I really look forward to becoming a greater part of the head-fi community and hope that someday I can give back to it. May you all be blessed.
 
AMDG

 
Hi,
 
You should consider Gemini HSR-1000 (Takstar Pro 80) and Saucony Triumph definitely =D
 
Here you can read and ask about Gemini HSR-1000s
http://www.head-fi.org/t/585356/the-takstar-technical-pro-gemini-greathon-thread
 
Best Luck!

 

[Shelvo]

I took a look at the thread linked in the previous post and now I'm thinking I'll go with the Takstar HI2050. All of the reviews I've seen have been favorable, and it doesn't quite sound like the Grado SR60i headphones are for everybody. The JVC harx700 was praised on the surface, but when I took a closer look, others seemed to view it as off, fuzzy, or muddy. I really like what others are saying the HI2050 has to offer at its incredible price; they have described it as being relatively flat and a "jack of all trades."
 
The problem now becomes driving it. I got the impression that the HI2050s require a little more power to drive. Am I correct in this assumption? Will I get good sound out of it on my laptop?
There is this review that used an iPhone and an iPod, but didn't state what the difference in the results were when they did or did not use their amp:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/641024/takstar-hi2050-first-impressions
 
I'm thinking I'll really like the HI2050's SQ and sound signature for a first-time headphone, but if I can't drive it properly I feel like I'll being doing myself and these headphones an injustice. Can I drive these with my laptop? If not, is there an affordable amp I can pair with them? Thanks so much!

 

[Me x3]

  I took a look at the thread linked in the previous post and now I'm thinking I'll go with the Takstar HI2050. All of the reviews I've seen have been favorable, and it doesn't quite sound like the Grado SR60i headphones are for everybody. The JVC harx700 was praised on the surface, but when I took a closer look, others seemed to view it as off, fuzzy, or muddy. I really like what others are saying the HI2050 has to offer at its incredible price; they have described it as being relatively flat and a "jack of all trades."
 
The problem now becomes driving it. I got the impression that the HI2050s require a little more power to drive. Am I correct in this assumption? Will I get good sound out of it on my laptop?
There is this review that used an iPhone and an iPod, but didn't state what the difference in the results were when they did or did not use their amp:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/641024/takstar-hi2050-first-impressions
 
I'm thinking I'll really like the HI2050's SQ and sound signature for a first-time headphone, but if I can't drive it properly I feel like I'll being doing myself and these headphones an injustice. Can I drive these with my laptop? If not, is there an affordable amp I can pair with them? Thanks so much!

 
Takstar Hi-2050 are easy to drive, you can drive them with a laptop definitely, but this are not good all rounders in my opinion. The bright sound signature is unforgiving of poorly recorded material, vocals in particular.
 
Hi-2050s shine with well recorded classical and acoustic music, but fail to provide an engaging sound for most modern music, specially EDM and those genres where having punchy bass is a quite important thing.
 
You may find this thread pretty interesting:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/677868/pioneer-se-a1000-vs-takstar-hi-2050-open-headphones
 
I suggested Gemini HSR-1000 (Takstar Pro80) because they are similar to Hi-2050 in terms of sound quality and build quality but being closed back, they provide more isolation and bass (without being bass monsters). Their overall sound signature is a better match for Film Scores and Electronic/Techno while they are still very good for classical music.
 
Best Luck!

 

[Shelvo]

So the Pro 80s and hsr-1000s are essentially the some headphone from a different brand and for different prices, right? That's the impression I've been getting. One review on Amazon called the hsr-1000 a "Pro 80 clone" and they always seem to be put next to each other on the same thread. If so, which one should I buy (in case there are other factors, disregarding price)? Does it matter?

 

[billybob_jcv]

They are the same 'phone, made by the same company. Neither is a "clone" of the other - they are both made by the same OEM. I think there is also the same 'phone sold under the "Technical Pro" brand name.

 

[Shelvo]

So does that mean I will get the same experience no matter which one I buy?

 

[billybob_jcv]

Yes - I think so. I think even the pads are the same - but that's probably the only thing to check. I'm also not sure if the accessories they ship with are the same - they might not be. For example, I don't know if they both come with that metal carrying case.

 

[Shelvo]

OK, good to know. Thanks.

 

[Shelvo]

I would really like to thank everyone that contributed to this thread. I recently received a pair of Gemini hsr-1000s in the mail and music has opened up to me like a book at which I was only staring at the cover before. I have only been listening for about ten minutes, and the experience is already incredible.
Also, the running shoes situation turned out very well. I got a pair of Inov-8 Lites, a very nice minimal shoe.