[KG Jag]

Quote:

hello,
 
a quick backstory before i begin.
(sorry for the long story but i felt it was important to sort of understand my situation for recommendation)
 
first off, i'm not an audiophile purist in that i don't have the greatest musical ear and also don't have a need for the absolute best/perfection... i'm probably somewhere in between the true audiophile and the casual.
this means i don't need a thousand dollar pair of headphones combined with a thousand dollar amp/dac, and then a complete audio setup with speakers/receiver, etc.
as to musical tastes there isn't really a boundary on that, i listen to all forms of sound from the pop song to a natural sound recording of a subway station/the ocean and everything in between.
 
alright to my present situation.
 
i just recently started taking my sound listening serious (on my level aforementioned) and i went ahead and bought the audio-technica ad700 which was about $160 at the time i bought it (maybe 3-4 years ago?) which was the most i'd ever considered spending on headphones as i didn't think it made that much difference in the past.
so... i wasn't blown away or anything but i was happy with the headphones, they were comfortable and gave a very nice sound on the vocals aspect and also worked fairly well with my tv watching.
clearly there was a difference between using this and some $20 dollar walmart headphones but again i wasn't so impacted to where i'd consider going to a more expensive pair.
 
 
ok, so then a week ago the audio-technica a900x went on sale and i had some spare cash and so i went ahead and jumped on the deal.
 
present time, needless to say i'm pretty blown away by these headphones.
 
in the past i've mainly been a vocal fan and i didn't care much about instrumentals, i'd hear people talking about the bass playing on that song was awesome and i'd be thinking "is the instruments that important?" because i was all about the vocals, and now i realize i didn't care much about the instrumentals because i wasn't hearing them properly as i've now started to with these new headphones, i'm sure many people have been in this situation where it's like listening to your collection for the first time again and you're noticing/hearing stuff you didn't even realize.
now i'm not just hearing and appreciating the vocal parts but i'm hearing the bass/the drums along with it, etc.
 
i'm excited about this, as it's sort of rejuvenated my interest in sound and i've been on a tear listening to everything i can get my hands on.
 
however
 
as much as these headphones have been a positive experience, it's not quite there where i'd be completely satisfied.. i just feel like there's another level i can reach with the sound.. and also while the headphones are comfortable they feel somewhat cheap on the ears and the ears make some noise when you move your head a bit or adjust them, etc.
 
so this brings me to a point of wanting to go a level higher, i don't have the money right now but i plan to start saving and using these headphones for right now.
 
my question is what would take me to the next level in the 200-300 dollar range? to where it would be a noticeable increase... or is this the best i'm going to get in that price range?
i'd like something that does a better job overall of really capturing the pureness of the sound on all aspects, the instrumental/vocals with no sort of distortion/buzz/hiss, etc.
 
i don't know if i'm explaining that as best as i can, i just want to bathe in the bliss of sound in every angle... i don't want it to be all bass, or pure vocals but i want it all to come together to where you're right there with the bass, with the vocals, with the guitar and all at once but also separate.
with a variety of music as well, i mainly listen to shoegaze/dreampop/triphop.. 90s alt rock, etc.
stuff like lamb/dot allison/julee cruise/sonic youth/my bloody valentine/cocteau twins/pati yang/smashing pumpkins/this mortal coil/mazzy star... indie stuff, but also pretty much everything else as well from soundtrack music, to breakbeat/drum&bass/dub/folk/singer-songwriter/90s rap/80s, i mean basically everything... the one thing i absolutely don't like is techno music and the various forms of techno like house/instrumental dance/hardcore techno, etc.. anything that has that same beat that every techno song has, and i don't listen to the purist country forms (but i do listen some stuff that has a country vibe to it just not the pure country)
 
haha.
 
if anyone was patient enough to read all of that, then you're the type of person i would respect their opinion so hopefully someone has an idea for me.
appreciate it, thanks.

You currently have a good headphone and have reached the bottom of the "mid-fi" tier, which is which where you get the most quality sound per dollar spent.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that, with a few exceptions like Sonys and Grados, most of the cans above you will need or greatly benefit from an amp.
 
You seem to be seeking a balanced sound signature that will handle multiple music genres.  The classic next step up for you would be to one of former open or semi-open flagships (or their current siblings): the Beyer DT 880, AKG Q701 and the Senn HD 600 or 650.  All three of these require an amp.  All (or at least one of the Senns) are in and do fall within your budget from time to time.
 
I suggest that, absent listening to each of these and other cans, you check out the buyers guides linked in the opening post of this thread and this (which is also linked there), which includes excellent reviews of these cans or at least their close relatives (e.g. AKG K702):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-57-headphones-compared-update-ultimate-ears-uerm-added-4-14-13
 
The closed options are more limited, but there are cans like the Shure SRH 940 (which needs an amp).

 

[KG Jag]

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Quote:

 
I don't remember how the mids are on the M50s, but I preferred the Beyerdynamic DT770s (80 Ohm) when I tried them both side by side.  Very, very comfortable.  V-shaped signature, I think others have said.
 
One thing I would recommend, though, is that you take some of your budget and spend it on some sort of external DAC (with an amp, probably) for your laptop.  Laptops have notoriously bad sound chips.  Something like a Fiio E07K/E17, iBasso D-Zero, or even a Xonar U3 if you didn't want the option of taking it with you for your iPod/MP3 player would benefit you greatly.

 
I understand that these are EXTREMELY base heavy.  Do the mids really suffer that much?  How do they compare with the Audio Technica ATH-ESW9A's I mentioned?

The 770 is bass heavy with recessed mids. 
 
The ATH-ESW9A is a nice portable woody, but overpriced above about $200, where it normally sits.  It's more balanced but not quite neutral, as its mids are dialed back just a notch.

 

[liquidzoo]

Quote:

hello,
 
a quick backstory before i begin.
(sorry for the long story but i felt it was important to sort of understand my situation for recommendation)
 
**snip**
 
my question is what would take me to the next level in the 200-300 dollar range? to where it would be a noticeable increase... or is this the best i'm going to get in that price range?
i'd like something that does a better job overall of really capturing the pureness of the sound on all aspects, the instrumental/vocals with no sort of distortion/buzz/hiss, etc.
 
i don't know if i'm explaining that as best as i can, i just want to bathe in the bliss of sound in every angle... i don't want it to be all bass, or pure vocals but i want it all to come together to where you're right there with the bass, with the vocals, with the guitar and all at once but also separate.
with a variety of music as well, i mainly listen to shoegaze/dreampop/triphop.. 90s alt rock, etc.
stuff like lamb/dot allison/julee cruise/sonic youth/my bloody valentine/cocteau twins/pati yang/smashing pumpkins/this mortal coil/mazzy star... indie stuff, but also pretty much everything else as well from soundtrack music, to breakbeat/drum&bass/dub/folk/singer-songwriter/90s rap/80s, i mean basically everything... the one thing i absolutely don't like is techno music and the various forms of techno like house/instrumental dance/hardcore techno, etc.. anything that has that same beat that every techno song has, and i don't listen to the purist country forms (but i do listen some stuff that has a country vibe to it just not the pure country)
 
haha.
 
if anyone was patient enough to read all of that, then you're the type of person i would respect their opinion so hopefully someone has an idea for me.
appreciate it, thanks.

 
See if there's somewhere around you where you can audition Grado headphones.  The SR225i is $200 and might fulfill everything you want.
 
Quote:

 
I understand that these are EXTREMELY base heavy.  Do the mids really suffer that much?  How do they compare with the Audio Technica ATH-ESW9A's I mentioned?

I wouldn't say extremely, but the bass is more present than other headphones.  The mids are recessed a bit (I didn't really notice it very much until I heard some other cans).
 
I haven't heard those particular AT's, sorry.

 

[KG Jag]

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Quote:

I agree with a selection of the Sony, but would go with either the very efficient MDR-7510 or cheaper but less efficient (test it with your iPod first) MDR-7506.

How different are they to the V6s?

The V6 is a decades old classic, but the truth of the matter is that newer cans in the same price range have edged ahead of it.  Both the 7510 and the 7506 are generally better in most every way than their venerable, but long in the tooth, sibling.

 

[Nowhere]

Quote:

You currently have a good headphone and have reached the bottom of the "mid-fi" tier, which is which where you get the most quality sound per dollar spent.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that, with a few exceptions like Sonys and Grados, most of the cans above you will need or greatly benefit from an amp.
 
You seem to be seeking a balanced sound signature that will handle multiple music genres.  The classic next step up for you would be to one of former open or semi-open flagships (or their current siblings): the Beyer DT 880, AKG Q701 and the Senn HD 600 or 650.  All three of these require an amp.  All (or at least one of the Senns) are in and do fall within your budget from time to time.
 
I suggest that, absent listening to each of these and other cans, you check out the buyers guides linked in the opening post of this thread and this (which is also linked there), which includes excellent reviews of these cans or at least their close relatives (e.g. AKG K702):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-57-headphones-compared-update-ultimate-ears-uerm-added-4-14-13
 
The closed options are more limited, but there are cans like the Shure SRH 940 (which needs an amp).

 
thanks! i apologize as i made an error in my post, i forgot to mention that i really liked the closed aspect of the a900x vs the open air of the ad700.
the open air ad700 gave an airy, sort of acoustic/live performance aspect to them but i didn't feel like it allowed the instrumentals to hit me, maybe it's just that particular headphone and not "open air" headphones in general but if the a900x closed headphone is any indication of what closed headphones sound like i think i definitely prefer the closed.
it might simply be the a900x are just much better headphones in general and not having much to do with the open vs closed, i'm not sure.
 
either way, appreciate your advice.. thanks! i'll check up on what you said.
i didn't really want to get into the whole amp/dac stuff as i've read up on it and it just gave me a headache with all the different options and it started to look real expensive! with say a 300 dollar pair of headphones and then 200-250 more for the amp/dac minimum, that's a bit much hehe.
 
but i guess if that's the next step up, then i might have to start looking into it.
 
 

See if there's somewhere around you where you can audition Grado headphones.  The SR225i is $200 and might fulfill everything you want.

 
thanks, i'll add them to my list of ones to research, etc.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

 

Superlux HD 681 vs Samson SR850 vs Superlux HD 668B

 
I would like to know the differences between these headphones, i'm considering on ordering them tomorrow.
Their differences as in.
 
Soundstage:  largest soundstage and the most accurate sound positioning/separation
. 
 
Base: How Prominent is it, as well as its characteristics, such as Slow and Smooth vs Punchy/Tight and Fast
 
Mids: how pronounced are they, as well as their sound quality
 
Highs: Their sound quality, as well has how prominent they are
 
Clarity and Detail: What more can I say?
 
Supposedly, the mids on  Superlux HD 681 are weak from what I have heard.
However, from searching other threads these headphones somehow have the largest and most accurate soundstage ,
 
I'm really confused on which ones to get, if someone could clear up the differences between them, I would really appreciate it.
 
The purpose of these headphones is gaming, specifically first person shooters (COD and  BF3)

These are all decent cans within about a $40 to $50 price range.  Your questions seem to be better placed with regard to cans 2 or 3 times this price range.  To be blunt: what are you really expecting for $50 or less?!
 
Perhaps the better question, and one you have not asked, is: which will work best from your source which will be driving them?  That is critical if you are using something with very low power, such as on board computer audio.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Quote:

You currently have a good headphone and have reached the bottom of the "mid-fi" tier, which is which where you get the most quality sound per dollar spent.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that, with a few exceptions like Sonys and Grados, most of the cans above you will need or greatly benefit from an amp.
 
You seem to be seeking a balanced sound signature that will handle multiple music genres.  The classic next step up for you would be to one of former open or semi-open flagships (or their current siblings): the Beyer DT 880, AKG Q701 and the Senn HD 600 or 650.  All three of these require an amp.  All (or at least one of the Senns) are in and do fall within your budget from time to time.
 
I suggest that, absent listening to each of these and other cans, you check out the buyers guides linked in the opening post of this thread and this (which is also linked there), which includes excellent reviews of these cans or at least their close relatives (e.g. AKG K702):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-57-headphones-compared-update-ultimate-ears-uerm-added-4-14-13
 
The closed options are more limited, but there are cans like the Shure SRH 940 (which needs an amp).

 
thanks! i apologize as i made an error in my post, i forgot to mention that i really liked the closed aspect of the a900x vs the open air of the ad700.
the open air ad700 gave an airy, sort of acoustic/live performance aspect to them but i didn't feel like it allowed the instrumentals to hit me, maybe it's just that particular headphone and not "open air" headphones in general but if the a900x closed headphone is any indication of what closed headphones sound like i think i definitely prefer the closed.
it might simply be the a900x are just much better headphones in general and not having much to do with the open vs closed, i'm not sure.
 
either way, appreciate your advice.. thanks! i'll check up on what you said.
i didn't really want to get into the whole amp/dac stuff as i've read up on it and it just gave me a headache with all the different options and it started to look real expensive! with say a 300 dollar pair of headphones and then 200-250 more for the amp/dac minimum, that's a bit much hehe.
 
but i guess if that's the next step up, then i might have to start looking into it.

I think that you will see the balance swing in favor of open & semi-open cans in the $200 to $300 price range.  Take away studio cans and the vast majority of neutral-ish cans in that price range (and above) are not closed.

 

[Nowhere]

Quote:

I think that you will see the balance swing in favor of open & semi-open cans in the $200 to $300 price range.  Take away studio cans and the vast majority of neutral-ish cans in that price range (and above) are not closed.

 
oh really!?
i guess that i will keep an open mind to the open headphones then.. i'll just have to make sure they can deliver on the instrumental aspects for sure in my research.. as with the ad700 the instrumentals feel distant/removed and more acoustic.
where the a900x is like being right in the studio, sitting in a chair next to them and feeling the instruments up close.
 
hopefully other open ones can also give that same feel i've experienced on the instruments as the a900x .

 

[AnarchistFish]

The V6 is a decades old classic, but the truth of the matter is that newer cans in the same price range have edged ahead of it.  Both the 7510 and the 7506 are generally better in most every way than their venerable, but long in the tooth, sibling.

Can't find much comparing them all but people generally seem pretty divided between them. I might just play it safe and go V6 cos they're cheaper than the other two by a fair amount.

 

[Nowhere]

whoa! i was reading up on that thread you linked and this really seems like it could be the one i'm looking for:
 
sennheiser hd600
 
i would have to save up a little more but it might be the perfect one i'm seeking.
 
this would be a nice step up from the a900x level, correct?
 
STRENGTHS
EXCELLENT TONE: I adore the tone of the HD600. The bass, mids and treble are beautifully integrated. The tone is very close to neutral, featuring a pinch of extra warmth and body.

MIDS: The HD600 has a slightly forward midrange that adds weight to vocals. There are no odd peaks or dips here. Simply put, the HD600 possesses a very natural midrange.

GENRE MASTER: The HD600 is ready to serve its listener. Whether you like pop, classical, rock, hip hop, r&b, jazz, funk, blues, country, electronic, dance, world, etc. it will be a worthy purchase for you.

TRANSPARENT: While the HD600 lacks the speed and agility of electrostatic headphones, and although the HD600 doesn't offer quite the depth of several top-flight dynamic headphones, the HD600 is still a highly transparent headphone.

BASS: Some people will ultimately prefer the bass response of the HD600 to its younger sibling, the HD650. The HD600 has a leaner, yet more neutral bass response when compared with the HD650. The two headphones are largely similar, but it is in the bass presentation as well as the lower-mids where the two Sennheiser models reveal their most obvious differences.

NOT TOO AMP PICKY: With a nominal impedance rating of 300 ohms, the HD600 really does benefit from amplification. However, I have found that this headphone is not particularly amp picky. It sounds fantastic When paired with most of the amps with which I've used it. Furthermore, it sounds particularly good when connected in balanced mode.

COMFORT: The oval-shaped earpads are made of generously plush velour material. This helps make the HD600 a very comfortable headphone to wear. I prefer an oval shape to a round shape because an oval is more form-fitted to the human ear. I have used the HD600 for several hours without break. I have not a single complaint with regard to its comfort-level.

 

[MyLord]

Ok, I've decided on the Beyerdynamic DT770.  The high resistance ones are cheaper, and I intend to get a DAC/AMP with the rest of my budget anyways.  Should I go with the higher resistance one?  Does higher resistance improve sound quality?

 

[audiojun]

I noticed the amp makes a night and day difference so budget money for the amp too.

whoa! i was reading up on that thread you linked and this really seems like it could be the one i'm looking for:

sennheiser hd600

i would have to save up a little more but it might be the perfect one i'm seeking.

this would be a nice step up from the a900x level, correct?

[COLOR=063]STRENGTHS[/COLOR]
EXCELLENT TONE: I adore the tone of the HD600. The bass, mids and treble are beautifully integrated. The tone is very close to neutral, featuring a pinch of extra warmth and body.

MIDS: The HD600 has a slightly forward midrange that adds weight to vocals. There are no odd peaks or dips here. Simply put, the HD600 possesses a very natural midrange.

GENRE MASTER: The HD600 is ready to serve its listener. Whether you like pop, classical, rock, hip hop, r&b, jazz, funk, blues, country, electronic, dance, world, etc. it will be a worthy purchase for you.

TRANSPARENT: While the HD600 lacks the speed and agility of electrostatic headphones, and although the HD600 doesn't offer quite the depth of several top-flight dynamic headphones, the HD600 is still a highly transparent headphone.

BASS: Some people will ultimately prefer the bass response of the HD600 to its younger sibling, the HD650. The HD600 has a leaner, yet more neutral bass response when compared with the HD650. The two headphones are largely similar, but it is in the bass presentation as well as the lower-mids where the two Sennheiser models reveal their most obvious differences.

NOT TOO AMP PICKY: With a nominal impedance rating of 300 ohms, the HD600 really does benefit from amplification. However, I have found that this headphone is not particularly amp picky. It sounds fantastic When paired with most of the amps with which I've used it. Furthermore, it sounds particularly good when connected in balanced mode.

COMFORT: The oval-shaped earpads are made of generously plush velour material. This helps make the HD600 a very comfortable headphone to wear. I prefer an oval shape to a round shape because an oval is more form-fitted to the human ear. I have used the HD600 for several hours without break. I have not a single complaint with regard to its comfort-level.

 

[Nowhere]

I noticed the amp makes a night and day difference so budget money for the amp too.

 
ok, what i'm going to do is make the sennheiser hd600 my dream goal and then make a secondary option with a less expensive one.
i'll factor in amp for both as well.
 
i'll then start saving up and keep researching and looking for deals along the way and see where things take me.
 
thanks for all the help everyone!!! got a good idea of where i'm going now much quicker than i expected. hehe.
 

 

[colaturka]

It would be great if someone could help me choose my first set of quality headphones. I've heard alot of good things for the ath m50, but here in Europe they cost 130 € so there might be better options for that price. There are so many choises here that it makes for a confusing proces choosing the right one. I would love to hear some advice.
 
Budget:  100€-150€
 
Source:  Laptop, phone , mp4
 
Isolation Requirements:  Mid-high isolation
 
Preferred Type:  Full sized. Would be important to note I have a fairly big head and I don't want headache inducing headphones.
 
Uses:  These headphones will be used equally for gaming and music.
 
-Games:  Battlefield 3 and other fps games and MMO's.  This is less important to me then the music portion.
 
-Music:  Mainly instrumental music. Epic music and instrumental rock, but I listen to other genres such as dubstep and metal aswell. My favourite music is definitly from 2 steps from hell.
 
Here's a list of some epic music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Y_qI-1I6k&list=RD026O6Q1OiF6LI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0zdqeivGaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJWgUUc-oNE
 
Preferred Tonal Balance: No preferences, these will be my first quality headphones. I would like to feel some bass but the focus shouldn't be primarily on it.
 
Past headphones: none
 
Would be great if you guys could recommend 10$ iem's aswell.

 

[Sony Slave]

Quote:

These are all decent cans within about a $40 to $50 price range.  Your questions seem to be better placed with regard to cans 2 or 3 times this price range.  To be blunt: what are you really expecting for $50 or less?!
 
Perhaps the better question, and one you have not asked, is: which will work best from your source which will be driving them?  That is critical if you are using something with very low power, such as on board computer audio.

I'm planning on using them unamped on a tv if possible.