++ FULL-SIZE HEADPHONE RECOMMENDATIONS THREAD++ CLOSED: Please post a thread in the Introductions, Help and Advice forum

[maverickronin]

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Originally Posted by Eric_C /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Stop coming to Head-Fi.

 
Now that's just mean. 

 

[BMBROWN911]

I'm looking to upgrade from my current headphones Koss UR40's which I've lived with for a while now. I've decided that I do not want to spend more then $100 at the moment and I'm very firm on that. I've scoped out 2 different headphones including the Shure SRH440 and the Senn. HD448. I also found some decent deals on the HD555 and was wondering how the 555's compare to these other two headphones? I listen to just about all music so it needs to be able to handle most music at least competently. Which of these headphones would be best for me?

 

[olor1n]

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I think I need some guidance on how to STOP buying new headphones. So much fiscal restraint for so long, all shattered in less than a week. I plan to spend the coming weekend flaggelating myself.

Stop coming to Head-Fi.

This.

 

[144004]

Quote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric_C /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Stop coming to Head-Fi.

 
Now that's just mean. 

Desperate times...
 
I'm attempting the same feat (not buying new gear), but office boredom compels me to stay logged on. I'm coming here at great personal risk.

 

[ValSic]

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I'm getting tired of using IEMs since I really think that full sized cans would actually be better for the price minus the portability.
I 've had alot of experiences with IEMs from my favorite Ortofon EQ-5 , Monster Turbines Pro coppers , Monster Turbines , UE Triple Fi 10 , RE0 and I've only experienced one full sized headphone (which was actually my first mid-fi hps) the Sennheiser HD 555.
 
I'm gonna be honest i forgot how the Sennheiser HD 555 sound , I forgot how I liked them but I can definitely remember how they had full clarity and detail.
 
I listen to all kinds of music from Acoustic , Instrumentals , Classical to Rock , K-Pop/pop , Rap and Hip-hop. I find myself listening to Acoustic Instrumentals more often or Acoustic in general but I also listen to alot of Kpop/Pop from time to time so they're pretty mixed.
 
I CRAVE mid-range , detail and clarity , a little bass for K-Pop/Pop/Hip hop and a little treble to keep them upfront. Soundstage isn't really a priority but a little of it won't hurt.
 
I'm also trying to find an HP that would actually benefit from a FiiO E7/9 Combo
 
I haven't read about alot of HPs yet (as I've been into IEMs for a long time) but here's what I think
 
Sennheiser HD 650 (used)
Sennheiser Hd 600 (used)
Sennheiser HD 595
Beyerdynamic Dt880/990
 
 
 
I'm selling my Orotofon EQ-5 for this so I guess I only have a limited budget which is from $220-230.
 
(Copy pasted from my thread)

 
I'd say either the HD600s or DT880s.  The 650s are probably too dark for you tastes from your brief description.  The 990s have a recessed midrange that you probably wouldn't like either.  The DT880s have a bit of treble sparkle that the HD600s don't, but you might find the 880s midrange tonality lacking as compared to the 600s.  I've never heard a Beyer with mids that sound right to me, but opinions differ.

Can the FiiO E7/9 combo drive them well? I don't really know how impedance work. Which one would sound well driven with the combo?
BTW what's the difference between the versions(250 , 600 and 32 ohms) of the DT880? You said that the 880's midrange was lacking compared to the 600's , is it like a night/day difference?

 

[olor1n]

There are people that enjoy the HD650 with the E7/9 combo so it should be fine for the HD600.

 

[idletime1213]

I'm looking for a nice complement to the HD 650 and DT880/600 for around $600. Using an Asgard amp and a MF V-DAC. Music is as varied as the stars.

 

[maverickronin]

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Can the FiiO E7/9 combo drive them well? I don't really know how impedance work. Which one would sound well driven with the combo?
BTW what's the difference between the versions(250 , 600 and 32 ohms) of the DT880? You said that the 880's midrange was lacking compared to the 600's , is it like a night/day difference?

The E9 should be able to drive them fine FWIR.  The 600 ohm Beyers aren't all that hard to drive.  They just need some decent voltage to get you to your desired listening volume.  I've owned the 770/600s and 990/600s and they were just about the least amp dependent 'phones I've owned.  They sounded very good from anything that had the voltage to get them to a decent listening level.
 
FWIR the differences between the different impedance versions of the 880s are very slight if you buy new and get the latest revision, but were more pronounced in older versions.  (Beyer has a thing for making hardware revisions without telling anyone about it.)  If you're just going to use them with your E9 then you should probably get the 600 ohm version if for no other reason than that it has a higher resale value.  If you ever plan to use it with a portable amp the 250 might be a good choice, and maybe the 32 for unamped portable use.  I've never actually heard the 250 or 32 so you may want to take that with a grain of salt.
 
My HD650s are more amp dependent but they don't need anything to fancy to sound good.  I've heard the 600s at meets but never owned them, so I'm not sure how much of that translates.  They are supposed to be easier to drive than the 650s though.
 
As for the mid-range, its not quite night and day, but it is easily noticeable.  They're both equally clear and detailed, but the tone and timbre are different.  IMO the Senns sound much more natural and have a bit of warmth that I enjoy, while the Beyers sound colder and more clinical.  Its more of a personal preference than any great failing of either one.

 

[valentino02]

Hey, this is my first comment to a thread ---> I'm a noob : (
So, I'm very new to head fi. I've browsed through some threads to look for some interesting head phones and amps but so far I have no clue on what to keep an eye out for. Before entering this website I've been considering purchasing an AKG Q710 or a Beats Pro but I've changed my mind and i'm in need and very very open for suggestions.
Music Type
I usually listen to songs with vocals, mostly rock, pop, hip hop, acoustics (lots of that) and some classical. I have all around ear for music : D. I also love the sound of guitars with abit of bass (not too much). I don't really appreciate metal.
Portability
I travel around in the car from time to time and hate listening to music with the sound of the car's engines. Other than that, I usually just lay myself on my bed and drown myself in the music.
Budget
I'd say 400$ for a headphone but i'm willing to spend more for better quality and also for an amp.
Amp?
I have no idea, please suggest the most suitable amps for the headphones you want to recommend me. : ))
Headphone specs
To conclude, I just really want a decent headphone (with a nice design) which will make me forget the world around me whilst listening to it.
Btw, I'd really appreciate comfortable headphones since I might be sleeping with it. ; )
 
Many thanks in advance.
 
(Please excuse my bad english as I'm Thai)

 

[144004]

 
valentino02: you might want to consider IEMs (in-ear monitors). In general, IEMs offer good noise isolation (like ear plugs, they block out sound), are obviously very portable, and can be comfortably worn to sleep.
 
Start by looking at the Etymotic Research, Westone and Shure. Etymotic is reputed to have the best isolation of any brand, but they are also said to be bass-light. Westone and Shure are well regarded for good isolation and great comfort; at $400 you can definitely afford their dual-driver models, such as the Westone W2.
 
At $400, you could even get custom IEMs. I'm unfamiliar with them however, so I can't recommend you any models.

 

[valentino02]

 
Thanks for the recommendations Eric C, though I've looked into your recommendations, I really prefer head phones over IEMs just because I don't like having IEMs stuck 'into' my ear. : (

 

[whelibob]

How does Beyerdynamic DT770 compare to Sony XB500 bass wise? I know they are in a completely different pricerange, but Ive heard DT770 has an excellent amount of bass and better mids and treble compared to XB500.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

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How does Beyerdynamic DT770 compare to Sony XB500 bass wise? I know they are in a completely different pricerange, but Ive heard DT770 has an excellent amount of bass and better mids and treble compared to XB500.

Do you speak of DT770 Pro/80 ohm perhaps as I think they are the bassiest? I've tested both. They are quite different headphones and in fact DT770 reminds a lot more of XB700, the only thing they share in common with XB500 is that they both deliver strong deep bass output the XB500 significantly stronger still though overall and stronger than most headphones around obviously. OK where to start, the DT770 are a lot more laid-back sounding, maybe even slightly on the laid-back side of neutral opposed to the warm/forward side. The bass is very deep focused, it delivers strong rumbling deep bass but it somewhat lacks proper upper bass punch/impact to it which XB500 has plenty (possibly even a bit too much of as it tends to have a negative impact on the mids). The mids are far more recessed than on the XB500, XB500's mids are actually very or even unusually forward/up front if you will for a headphone in this price category and a bit above even but it tends to get "masked" by the big upper bass emphasize on it unEQ'd, by EQing the XB500 just slightly to remove the upper bass a bit or boosting the other frequencies (mids & highs) this will become very apparent. Highs on the DT770 are far more emphasized and thus a lot more brighter and they were a tad edgy/thin sounding and I'd say it's a bit more emphasized than what I'd call neutral at least, for me the highs on the DT770 are slightly too much as compared to the recessed mids it creates this very V shaped frequency response curve which makes it seem rather "thin" sounding overall. XB500 has far more "weight", the sound is like meatier/fullier or so to speak but the DT770 is definitely A LOT more clear sounding and instrument separation and soundstage is a bit better as the XB500 is very warm/forward sounding. XB500 is also among the easiest driven headphones, while the Beyers rather demanding for a 80 ohm headphone. Since they are so different sounding it's gonna come down to personal taste which would satisfy better, personally I like the warm/forward/smoother presentation of XB500 and since I'm kind of a vocalist type besides being a bit bass-biased I don't like headphones with recessed mids or v-shaped response curves, for me a slightly slanting line that is most emphasized in the low-end and the least in the highs is a more preferable signature to me so then the DT770 won't sound very good at all.

 

[Auderoine]

NFB-12 seems like a bit of a risky investment for a system without any alternatives, given that it's still (virtually) entirely untested on these boards.  I will shift to the DAC boards though, thanks!
 
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Bumping this question
 
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Quick question:
 
Trying to figure out a DAC to fill out the missing link in my first setup which is looking like: Desktop (integrated soundcard, basic but not trash) -> DAC -> Gilmore Lite -> HD600s.
 
Portability is not a concern for me, but price is.  Looking for something under $200, I've heard it's possible to get quality DACs for $50 that would satisfy the above equation, but am at a loss for what to be looking for.  Thanks for the help!

 

I would've suggested the NFB-12 but you already have an amp. Try the Dedicated Source Components forum. You'll get better advice there.

 

[dub Beatz]

Lol. Because my threads are constantly ignored >_>... I would like some HD650 vs HE-4 impressions from some of the veteran fiers out there. I realize the HE-4 are still new, but I'm about to seal the deal.
 
So...
 
HD650
   or
HE-4
 
Musical preference: Instrumental hip hop, drum and bass, electronic dance music, reggae, alternative, rock.