[cbaty08]

One Call...

 

[Ishcabible]

Hello, I am yet another who just recently started the journey of good audio.
 
Long story short, I was opened to the world of buying audio gear when about a month ago (Black Friday) I purchased the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones, though I eventually found them to be lacking, and my girlfriend spilled Pepsi on them anyway: they are dead now. Charged the $67 I spent to experience, I guess!
 
Since it's Christmas time, I have about $200 to spend for another headphone system for my desktop PC. This budget is flexible, but the ~$200-250 range covers both the cans and perhaps a USB DAC for my PC, since my motherboard has really poor onboard sound.
 
I do not have a sound card and am unsure whether to buy one or a USB DAC. I can hear very annoying static from the PC peripherals when I plug in my CX-200s to the input in the back of my PC, worse even from the headphone port in the front. I can hear a hiss on those CX-200s on my Ipod shuffle too: they were not the best purchase I made, but this is beside the point.
 
I am here, well, because I took one step forward and you know... took two steps backward simultaneously and need some guidance from the ones who have already been down the road I'm on. 

Thanks to you, my eyes (wait... my ears) have been opened: I am conscious of what quality sound is!
I am a music education major and saxophonist, so I often listen to music critically (jazz like Coltrane, classical like Mahler) and can distinguish very subtle timbre differences. I also like to mess around with mixing tracks and mastering, so take a hint of monitoring into consideration as well.
 
As of now, I live in a dorm where it is somewhat noisy, which is why I purchased the closed cans (HD 280 Pro). I really liked the noise isolation, though I have never tried quality open headphones. My dorm life is temporary anyway, and I am thinking of the years to come. I am really unsure if I want to sacrifice the sound quality just for noise isolation for the next couple of years. At home and perhaps 60% of the time I spend in my dorm, it is quiet and I can make some noise with no problem: I don't have to worry about sound leaking through open headphones, as I hear they do sometimes.
 
So far, I've done some research and have come up with the following:
 
1.) Sennheiser HD555, currently $90 on Amazon, with perhaps a cheap DAC to go with it. I know of the FiiO E7 USB DAC, the HeadRoom Total AirHead, and the Bithead, just so I won't hear the static of my PC and perhaps to enliven the already beautiful sounding headphones. I heard from reviews that the HeadRooms do not have good electro-magnetic shielding, so I am unsure if this is a viable option, as the static of my PC is unbearable!
 
2.) I am also considering other Sennheisers around the ~$100 price range, such as the newer HD 518. A little more pricey @ $130, though. Maybe I should audition some at a local store first? 

 
3.) I am completely unfamiliar with other brands other than Sennheiser. Sorry, I'm kinda new here, but am willing to learn, and listen! Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
 
4.) Or, you can ignore all of my recommendations I provided and go with a route you deem as better or more practical for my needs.
 
I really owe the people that reply to this essay. Maybe I'll make you some breakfast in the future or something. 

 
Much appreciated,
Mangoloid

Fellow saxophonist!!!! Okay, so as far as closed goes, the AKG K271 is great for the genres you had in mind. They have great tone and timbre. And I second the Fostex recommendation. And...POST#3000! I am officially a double supremus, but in actuality, probably actually worth a quarter supremus compared to the other supremii.

 

[pampers37]

awesome thread and forum. looking at the AT m50s.

 

[beenie]

Re-posting for advice:
 
Hi,
 
I have looked at many headphones recently, read a number of reviews and looked at many sites.
 
I am down to  a few. Main things to consider are sound quality and how good they sound un amped.
 
I will listen primarily from my laptop and probably phone as well,without an amp.
 
Will use the headphone for music of various genres such as pop, rock , soul , hip hop, etc  also for movies as well. Sound isolation is not too much of a problem.
 
These are the ones that I have decided to pick from, and I really cant decide so any help will be much appreciate.
 
Sennheiser HD 435
 
Sennheiser hD205
 
JVC HA-RX700
 
Goldring DR-150
 
thanks very much for reading my post.

 

[achl354]

Should I get the denon d5k or d7k

Currently I own the um3x and t50p, so should I just get the d5k or go straight to d7k

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Should I get the denon d5k or d7k

Currently I own the um3x and t50p, so should I just get the d5k or go straight to d7k

They are so close in sound that I don't think the D7000 really worth the huge price difference (unless you've got money to burn).  It took a few minutes and very specific tracks for me to even pick out the differences.  D7000 have slightly more defined bass and more forward mids (but still a bit recessed overall), but are brighter and so a little harder to listen to with some albums with lots of treble (e.g. Radiohead's OK Computer).

 

[ANinjaBurrito]

Hello all.
 
I currently own the sr80i +M50S. What is a good logical next step in headphone purchasing? I was thinking a Sennheiser model. I have about 250-300 for the purchase. Thanks. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I choose overall refinement and better look cups in the D7000... though I got them with the Dealzon deal for $585. If they were $750 or so, I wouldn't have. But at least now I know I own the best version of the Denons, and won't have to wonder what's better in the D7000 if I had chosen the D5000.
 
Really, it's about your budget. I'm impulsive, so I'm not the best person to take advice from, lol.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Hello all.
 
I currently own the sr80i +M50S. What is a good logical next step in headphone purchasing? I was thinking a Sennheiser model. I have about 250-300 for the purchase. Thanks. 

I also have Grados (HF-1 & RS-1) and some headphones with a bit of a u-shaped signature (Denons & Shures) and find that my Sennheiser HD600 are the perfect antidote.  No frequency range is overdone or lacking, a surprisingly tall order, and so nothing detracts from the music and they are never tiring.  They also have great soundstage and were among my least expensive headphones.  Other Senns might work well for you, but I haven't heard HD650 or HD800 so can't comment on those.

 

[achl354]

thx for the advice guys
 
i will probably get the d5k for now, cos my gear probably wont get the d7k to its full potential

 
Quote:

Quote:

Should I get the denon d5k or d7k

Currently I own the um3x and t50p, so should I just get the d5k or go straight to d7k

They are so close in sound that I don't think the D7000 really worth the huge price difference (unless you've got money to burn).  It took a few minutes and very specific tracks for me to even pick out the differences.  D7000 have slightly more defined bass and more forward mids (but still a bit recessed overall), but are brighter and so a little harder to listen to with some albums with lots of treble (e.g. Radiohead's OK Computer).

 


Quote:

I choose overall refinement and better look cups in the D7000... though I got them with the Dealzon deal for $585. If they were $750 or so, I wouldn't have. But at least now I know I own the best version of the Denons, and won't have to wonder what's better in the D7000 if I had chosen the D5000.
 
Really, it's about your budget. I'm impulsive, so I'm not the best person to take advice from, lol.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I'm willing to bet that the D5000 and D7000 both benefit from the same exact kind of gear, so in effect, the D7000 would still sound better than the D5000. They are both known to be very easy to drive, and scale with better gear. On the same playing field, the D7000 would still be better, unless someone wants to prove me wrong. I'm only assuming, as I haven't heard the D5000.

 

[LizardKing1]

If you're musical taste is heavier (hi5!) then I don't think you would have much to gain in swapping the SRH750 for the 840

 

[achl354]

yea, i would agree with u that the d7000 would sound better
 
but due to budget constraints, i am currently looking to buy a pair of near new d5000 for around $250usd, whereas brand new d7000 cost as much (as low as) $600usd

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

That's a mighty fine price for the D5000 actually. That's usually D2000 territory. I'd dive right into that myself if I didn't have the $595 needed for the D7000 at this time. It's safe to say, that's one hell of a deal for the D5000.

 

[SoSpecial]

Usually I'd say D2000's+  good amp would sound better then the D5000's for the same money but for $250 if you can manage it don't hesitate.