[12345142]

Quote:

Hi!  Looking for some advice on IEMs...
 
I just got into audio last fall, and have since picked up ATH-M50s and Klipsch S4's.  Just FYI, I really like the M50s' sound signature (being somewhat of a fan of strong bass, and the mids and highs are more than adequate for me).  However, I find the S4's to have way too much bass, and harsh highs which are very fatiguing to listen to.  Sometimes they are even harsh and silibant to the point that I turn the volume down, which isn't set that high in the first place.
 
Anyway, could someone recommend some IEMs that have good bass (not cold sound), adequate mids, and adequate highs, without harshness in the treble?  Less than $120 would be ideal, and I'm not interested in a portable amp.  Source is an iPod Nano for on the go, and a HotAudio DAC at the computer (not the best, I know, but it'll have to do for college

).  I listen to mainly rock, alternative, and punk (on my recently played list, Taking Back Sunday, The National, MGMT, Snow Patrol, and Mike Doughty, just to give examples of what I listen to).  Yes, I've checked out comparison threads on IEMs, but I wanted to ask for personalized advice to make a better decision.
 
Thanks in advance!

You should look into the Monster Turbines. Their sound is exactly what you're looking for, and they're quite cheap right now, even without Gold Box discounts.
 

 

[likeylikey]

Hi guys, just got my m50s today, feels good, but i wanna try to compare few more headphones so i know which one is the best for me, i heard since m50s are monitor headphones, they dont color your sound much or at all, thats what my friend said, and then i learned the new word electrostatic headphones, which my friend highly recommended to me b/c he said i am a noob so i should get a headphone that can color your sounds, and i am not a audiophile, i just want good sound, so should i get another pair of electrostatic headphones? if so, what kind should i get> buget less than 250.
btw im buying it for my Cowon J3, and do i need a amp for that?
 

 

[disgruntleddave]

Greetings.
 
I've done a lot of searching on the forums. I'm looking for headphones (sub $300).
 
My favourite music is Jazz. I'm a jazz player, would prefer a rather neutral set. I listen to various types. Sometimes recordings from a small jazz bar, sometimes big band (more new big band rather than count basie or ellington). Plenty of contemporary jazz, and love a good jazz trio (brad mehldau!!!).
 
The problem is that I also will be listening to a lot of radiohead. Some zeppelin, floyd, blues, and a few other current groups like the flaming lips, the shins, etc. Also some classical once in a while. Hip hop, as well.
 
I've gathered that many people like the k701/702 for jazz/classical, although there are plenty of people who don't like them and criticize the midrange. I've also read that the hd600s are liked for jazz. I'm still uncertain on whether something like the akgs would suit radiohead, and also be able to do a decent enough job with the flaming lips or other rock, as well as hip-hop.
 
I'll be buying an amp too, that's a given, but don't know what yet.
 
I'm coming from (woefully) unamped re0s. I think I'm looking for a neutral set. I'm not a basshead. A fair bass representation at normal levels makes me happy. A tiny bit of pop and power, but I definitely don't like an exaggerated representation.
 
Any help is much appreciated. Even some general input. Anyone with similar musical tastes chiming in would be excellent. Thanks.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Greetings.
 
I've done a lot of searching on the forums. I'm looking for headphones (sub $300).
 
My favourite music is Jazz. I'm a jazz player, would prefer a rather neutral set. I listen to various types. Sometimes recordings from a small jazz bar, sometimes big band (more new big band rather than count basie or ellington). Plenty of contemporary jazz, and love a good jazz trio (brad mehldau!!!).
 
The problem is that I also will be listening to a lot of radiohead. Some zeppelin, floyd, blues, and a few other current groups like the flaming lips, the shins, etc. Also some classical once in a while. Hip hop, as well.
 
I've gathered that many people like the k701/702 for jazz/classical, although there are plenty of people who don't like them and criticize the midrange. I've also read that the hd600s are liked for jazz. I'm still uncertain on whether something like the akgs would suit radiohead, and also be able to do a decent enough job with the flaming lips or other rock, as well as hip-hop.
 
I'll be buying an amp too, that's a given, but don't know what yet.
 
I'm coming from (woefully) unamped re0s. I think I'm looking for a neutral set. I'm not a basshead. A fair bass representation at normal levels makes me happy. A tiny bit of pop and power, but I definitely don't like an exaggerated representation.
 
Any help is much appreciated. Even some general input. Anyone with similar musical tastes chiming in would be excellent. Thanks.

 
HD600 are my favorite headphone for jazz & classical and they still do a very, very good job with rock & hip-hop.  Get an amp that is neutral, as they don't need anything warm or they could get syrupy.  Don't own K70x but they have a reputation for sucking with anything non-classical. 

 
 
 

 

[Odrackyir]

guys, would you mind taking a look to my post, right at the end of last page? I feel that if I don't say this no one will give me an answer.
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[Cameronq623]

Hello everyone, I'm new to posting on your forums, but I have been lurking for a while.
 
I come to you now, asking for your opinions on what pair of headphones I should get myself. I have spent countless hours reading and researching many different kinds of headphones in my price range ($100-200) and some reviews on cans outside of that range. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to decide for sure what I want. I know I'm going to get some Over-ear headphones, but I cannot decide on a single pair, and I don't have money to buy more then one right now.
 
 
I'm sure it would help if I told you the kinds of music I listen to. I mostly listen to rock, but I have some metal, electronic, funk, rap, and other sub-genres. So I want a pair of cans that can play all of those well, but won't be better at playing one specific genre.
 
The only other headphones I've owned are cheap pairs that come with my mp3 players, or cheap garbage. I'm sure anything I pick will sound amazing compared to what I'm used to.
 
Thanks in advance for any help you give me.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Hi everybody, I'm here for some advice goodness...
 
So, I currently own a pair of Senn's HD25 1 II, and I mean... they're just perfect. And that's the problem, I DO want to keep getting new headphones, mainly in the mid-range, but these Senns are just so damn good I'm afraid I would send back every single other thing I got.
 
I use the headphones mainly for PC and iPod music listening, and I listen lots of different kinds of music. I'm not really into amps or dacs, I'm mainly looking for some more comfy full sized cans, that sound good enough without amping.
 
I was thinking about some Grado's sr225i or maybe AKG mk271. I even thought about the new Skullcandy Roc Nation Aviator, which are said to be good (I mean it, I just read a topic about them, right here).
 
Thanks pals

SR225 are truly great headphones for their price that do sound good without amplification (get flat pads/comfies if you find them bright).  K271 are nice for music that does not need bass (jazz, classical, some vocals) - with very powerful amplifiers- but don't do a good job with music with a bass or drum foundation (most rock, all hip-hop and electronic) and are much worse without an amp.  Strange that you are considering open & closed headphones as your top picks.   Closed almost never sound as good as open headphones that cost 1/2 the price imo and it seems that you do not need sound isolation.  In your shoes, I'd research open headphones in your budget that don't need amps and take it from there.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Hi everybody, I'm here for some advice goodness...
 
So, I currently own a pair of Senn's HD25 1 II, and I mean... they're just perfect. And that's the problem, I DO want to keep getting new headphones, mainly in the mid-range, but these Senns are just so damn good I'm afraid I would send back every single other thing I got.
 
I use the headphones mainly for PC and iPod music listening, and I listen lots of different kinds of music. I'm not really into amps or dacs, I'm mainly looking for some more comfy full sized cans, that sound good enough without amping.
 
I was thinking about some Grado's sr225i or maybe AKG mk271. I even thought about the new Skullcandy Roc Nation Aviator, which are said to be good (I mean it, I just read a topic about them, right here).
 
Thanks pals

Maybe the HD25-13? It's the 600 ohm version.
 
The most comfy full sized I have are the Phiaton PS 500.
 


Quote:

Well I just posted this as an article/thread but now that I've seen this thread I figured I'd post it here too...
 
 
hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and in all honesty new to headphones in general - I am certainly not an audiophile but my interest and knowledge is growing!
 
basically I am a complete amateur, I've never owned any headphones and the only earphones I've had have been Sennheiser CX 300 II's and 400 II's (only because the 400's were just £13 on Amazon, and the 300 II's broke so I got them as a replacement!) and I've also got a pair of Goldring mx 200's I think they're called, which I actually kind of prefer over the CX 400's.
 
So that should give an idea, nothing remotely high end! I now want to make my first real investment and at first (forgive me) I almost purchased the Dr Dre Studio's... They looked good, and I had heard that they sounded good, but I decided to do some research and basically opened my eyes to the world of headphones.
 
I have a budget of £300 and I honestly don't know what to buy. I want the best possible sound quality, I listen to such a variety of music it makes it difficult to explain just what I am looking for. For example, I listen to Linkin Park and I like a bit of drum and bass like Pendulum... But then I also like Rap!
 
Recently I came across the Ultrasone HFI 2200's which I really like in terms of appearance. They are an open design which means they will leak sound from what I understand, but I don't really listen too loud... On an Iphone I would say I listen with the volume bar at 50%, not very loud. Would they still leak a lot?
 
Then I saw the Ultrasone 2500's which are also under the £300 mark and I believe are better? 
Could you kindly give me the pro's and con's of both these, I just want some good headphones for home use from my iphone and computer, I don't have an amp if that helps, and yeah that's about it!
 
I really like the look of Ultrasone's especially the 2200 but the 2500 apparently are better, and if you can recommend another make I am very flexible and will listen, I',m not only looking for Ultrasone's necessarily although I do like them.
 
Thanks very much in advance guys! (sorry if i've missed something obvious or contradicted myself, I typed this very quicky!)
 
Link to the original if it helps: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/542391/ultrasone-2200-vs-2500#post_7313666

Sennheisers are a pretty safe bet to try out if you don't really know what you're looking for. Ultrasones tend to have polarized opinions; people either love them or hate them.
 
Honestly, just hang around the forums and read some more to get a better feel for the various brands and options out there.
 

 
Quote:

Hi guys, just got my m50s today, feels good, but i wanna try to compare few more headphones so i know which one is the best for me, i heard since m50s are monitor headphones, they dont color your sound much or at all, thats what my friend said, and then i learned the new word electrostatic headphones, which my friend highly recommended to me b/c he said i am a noob so i should get a headphone that can color your sounds, and i am not a audiophile, i just want good sound, so should i get another pair of electrostatic headphones? if so, what kind should i get> buget less than 250.
btw im buying it for my Cowon J3, and do i need a amp for that?
 

In my opinion, the M50 does colour the sound with its emphasized lows and highs. Electrostatics are generally expensive unless you can buy used (and even then it's still quite a bit)... look up Stax Earspeakers.
 
The M50 does not need an amp.
 
Some other headphones to try:
Shure 840 or 750DJ
M-Audio Q40
Phiaton MS 400
Beyer DT770/880/990 (usually needs an amp)
 
 

 
Quote:

Greetings.
 
I've done a lot of searching on the forums. I'm looking for headphones (sub $300).
 
My favourite music is Jazz. I'm a jazz player, would prefer a rather neutral set. I listen to various types. Sometimes recordings from a small jazz bar, sometimes big band (more new big band rather than count basie or ellington). Plenty of contemporary jazz, and love a good jazz trio (brad mehldau!!!).
 
The problem is that I also will be listening to a lot of radiohead. Some zeppelin, floyd, blues, and a few other current groups like the flaming lips, the shins, etc. Also some classical once in a while. Hip hop, as well.
 
I've gathered that many people like the k701/702 for jazz/classical, although there are plenty of people who don't like them and criticize the midrange. I've also read that the hd600s are liked for jazz. I'm still uncertain on whether something like the akgs would suit radiohead, and also be able to do a decent enough job with the flaming lips or other rock, as well as hip-hop.
 
I'll be buying an amp too, that's a given, but don't know what yet.
 
I'm coming from (woefully) unamped re0s. I think I'm looking for a neutral set. I'm not a basshead. A fair bass representation at normal levels makes me happy. A tiny bit of pop and power, but I definitely don't like an exaggerated representation.
 
Any help is much appreciated. Even some general input. Anyone with similar musical tastes chiming in would be excellent. Thanks.

The Sennheiser HD600 is a great all-rounder headphone. For Jazz, the higher end Audio Technicas are also quite popular. Maybe look up the ATH-A900 or AD900, or maybe the ESW9.
 


Quote:

Hello everyone, I'm new to posting on your forums, but I have been lurking for a while.
 
I come to you now, asking for your opinions on what pair of headphones I should get myself. I have spent countless hours reading and researching many different kinds of headphones in my price range ($100-200) and some reviews on cans outside of that range. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to decide for sure what I want. I know I'm going to get some Over-ear headphones, but I cannot decide on a single pair, and I don't have money to buy more then one right now.
 
 
I'm sure it would help if I told you the kinds of music I listen to. I mostly listen to rock, but I have some metal, electronic, funk, rap, and other sub-genres. So I want a pair of cans that can play all of those well, but won't be better at playing one specific genre.
 
The only other headphones I've owned are cheap pairs that come with my mp3 players, or cheap garbage. I'm sure anything I pick will sound amazing compared to what I'm used to.
 
Thanks in advance for any help you give me.

Sennheiser HD438 or 448 or Audio Technica M50 are pretty safe bets.
 
 

 

[keanex]

Quote:

Greetings.
 
I've done a lot of searching on the forums. I'm looking for headphones (sub $300).
 
My favourite music is Jazz. I'm a jazz player, would prefer a rather neutral set. I listen to various types. Sometimes recordings from a small jazz bar, sometimes big band (more new big band rather than count basie or ellington). Plenty of contemporary jazz, and love a good jazz trio (brad mehldau!!!).
 
The problem is that I also will be listening to a lot of radiohead. Some zeppelin, floyd, blues, and a few other current groups like the flaming lips, the shins, etc. Also some classical once in a while. Hip hop, as well.
 
I've gathered that many people like the k701/702 for jazz/classical, although there are plenty of people who don't like them and criticize the midrange. I've also read that the hd600s are liked for jazz. I'm still uncertain on whether something like the akgs would suit radiohead, and also be able to do a decent enough job with the flaming lips or other rock, as well as hip-hop.
 
I'll be buying an amp too, that's a given, but don't know what yet.
 
I'm coming from (woefully) unamped re0s. I think I'm looking for a neutral set. I'm not a basshead. A fair bass representation at normal levels makes me happy. A tiny bit of pop and power, but I definitely don't like an exaggerated representation.
 
Any help is much appreciated. Even some general input. Anyone with similar musical tastes chiming in would be excellent. Thanks.

I feel like you would like Audio Technica Ad900s. They work well for almost every genre, especially the stuff you've listed. They have sufficient bass, a great open sound, balanced, and crystal clear, mids and highs. They also don't need to be amped. As for how I feel about certain bands with them:
 
-Herbie Hancock never sounded so crisp to me. The instrument separation is top notch and the headphones suit the airy sound of jazz in general (I love The Bad Plus on them).
-I'm a pretty big Radiohead fan. These handle the new album to The Bends beautifully. The crunchy guitar in The Bends is very clear while the experimental electronic songs like, Like Spinning Plates also sounds wonderful.
-I preferred these over my 225i for Zeppelin and Pink Floyd by far.
-Fight Test by Flaming Lips has the perfect amount of bass. It's not overemphasized, but it has impact while not interfering with the mids/highs.
-The Ad900's excel, to me, at acoustic guitar compared to the 225i and any other headphone I've tried, so The Shins sound just wonderfully clear.
-While listening to the new Kanye album today the bass certainly was punchy enough to handle any rap. The Streets sounded great on them too.
 
I would go into more detail but I'm a bit drunk. I highly recommend them for you though.

 

[Odrackyir]

thanks eucariote, I'll do that! =D
 
Quote:

SR225 are truly great headphones for their price that do sound good without amplification (get flat pads/comfies if you find them bright).  K271 are nice for music that does not need bass (jazz, classical, some vocals) - with very powerful amplifiers- but don't do a good job with music with a bass or drum foundation (most rock, all hip-hop and electronic) and are much worse without an amp.  Strange that you are considering open & closed headphones as your top picks.   Closed almost never sound as good as open headphones that cost 1/2 the price imo and it seems that you do not need sound isolation.  In your shoes, I'd research open headphones in your budget that don't need amps and take it from there.

 

 

[christos03]

 

[size=1.7em] M-Audio Studiophile Q40  VS Audio technicas M-50. I have the M-50 already but anyone using the M-Audio let me know what you think of them, and if you had both pairs please let me know which ones you like best.  I am thinking of buying the Q40 but you have another pair of headphones in mind let me know.[/size]

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

 

[size=1.7em] M-Audio Studiophile Q40  VS Audio technicas M-50. I have the M-50 already but anyone using the M-Audio let me know what you think of them, and if you had both pairs please let me know which ones you like best.  I am thinking of buying the Q40 but you have another pair of headphones in mind let me know.[/size]

I prefer the Q40 over the M50, but it's honestly more of a sidegrade rather than upgrade. Here are my thoughts plus a few other comparisons: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/512762/review-shure-srh-840-audio-technica-ath-m50-m-audio-studiophile-q40-pioneer-hdj-2000
 
My recommendation is to save your money for a future upgrade. Maybe a Beyer plus amp or something like that.
 

 

[christos03]

Nice review, Gave me a lot of insight on what i'm getting into.   Yeah any headphones you  recommend that would be an upgrade? 150-200 price range.
 
Edit: HDJ-2000 you considered the best in the review.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Nice review, Gave me a lot of insight on what i'm getting into.   Yeah any headphones you  recommend that would be an upgrade? 150-200 price range.

I assume you're still looking at closed bass heavy cans? Phiaton MS400 comes to mind.

 

[christos03]

Yes, I pretty much sold on the Q40, They have good soundstage and some bass which is perfect for what i'm using them for, which is music and very little gaming which I haven't even done in months.  Once I get some money ill probably buy some really nice cans with an amp, ill be in the amp forums look at portable amps in the near future for the Q40  Fiio E7 look good.