[xXsnowXx]

Hey guys.  I'm new here.  I've been browsing around a little bit, but figured this was the best place for me to get started.  I'm in the market for a nice set of headphones (nicer than what I've been using at least).  I've been using an older, cheaper set of Philips noise canceling headphones for a while, and it is time for something newer and better.
 
About me:  I will mainly be using this set of headphones while sitting at a desk, with a little movement.  I'll be listening to music from both an iPod (iPhone 4) and from a PC.  I would not consider myself an "audiophile" at all.  I enjoy music and am definitely looking to get to the next level of listening to music, but I don't have experience with Hi-Fi and won't be able to pick up too many detailed differences in sound like a lot of people here.  I listen to a large variety of music and I am not looking for anything with specific "strengths" (bass for example).
 
Budget:  I had a $0 - $350 budget in mind.  If an amp comes into play, this obviously changes. 
 
After trying out a few sets in a few stores, I've come to really like the look and sound of a few AKG models.  Specifically the K701's, K171's, K271's, and K272's.  This list is primarily based on a few test runs in store and looks.  These are the "style" of headphone I am definitely interested in.  Any opinions on those models would be great.
 
My main question:  Which of the above models need an amp, if any?  Which models are just fine without an amp, if any?  I was close to purchasing a few days ago and then I read something about needing amps (which I knew nothing about) and it stopped me.
 
Forgive me for anything dumb that may be in this message or if I am way out of my league here.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

 

[NimbleRabit]

Quote:

If you have an amp, AKG K601 or Beyer DT880 first your criteria.
 

I do have an amp, but I must admit I'm a bit surprised to hear you mention both of those headphones as matchming my criteria.  Reading about them the AKG K601 seems like a good choice for me as reviews say it's very mid-centric, has a warm sound signature, and are comfortable, but the DT880 are mostly described as having a more V-Shaped sound and definitely not a mid-centric phone.  In fact the sound signatures sound so different from the reviews I've been looking at that it puzzles me they would ever be recommended at the same time.  Am I incorrect here?

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Hey guys.  I'm new here.  I've been browsing around a little bit, but figured this was the best place for me to get started.  I'm in the market for a nice set of headphones (nicer than what I've been using at least).  I've been using an older, cheaper set of Philips noise canceling headphones for a while, and it is time for something newer and better.
 
About me:  I will mainly be using this set of headphones while sitting at a desk, with a little movement.  I'll be listening to music from both an iPod (iPhone 4) and from a PC.  I would not consider myself an "audiophile" at all.  I enjoy music and am definitely looking to get to the next level of listening to music, but I don't have experience with Hi-Fi and won't be able to pick up too many detailed differences in sound like a lot of people here.  I listen to a large variety of music and I am not looking for anything with specific "strengths" (bass for example).
 
Budget:  I had a $0 - $350 budget in mind.  If an amp comes into play, this obviously changes. 
 
After trying out a few sets in a few stores, I've come to really like the look and sound of a few AKG models.  Specifically the K701's, K171's, K271's, and K272's.  This list is primarily based on a few test runs in store and looks.  These are the "style" of headphone I am definitely interested in.  Any opinions on those models would be great.
 
My main question:  Which of the above models need an amp, if any?  Which models are just fine without an amp, if any?  I was close to purchasing a few days ago and then I read something about needing amps (which I knew nothing about) and it stopped me.
 
Forgive me for anything dumb that may be in this message or if I am way out of my league here.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

All of the full sized studio AKGs typically work better with an amp, althogh it isn't strictly necessary unless you just want things *loud*. That said, a typical home receiver is more than enough power for any of them.
 

 
Quote:

I do have an amp, but I must admit I'm a bit surprised to hear you mention both of those headphones as matchming my criteria.  Reading about them the AKG K601 seems like a good choice for me as reviews say it's very mid-centric, has a warm sound signature, and are comfortable, but the DT880 are mostly described as having a more V-Shaped sound and definitely not a mid-centric phone.  In fact the sound signatures sound so different from the reviews I've been looking at that it puzzles me they would ever be recommended at the same time.  Am I incorrect here?

Different people hear things differently... but I do find the 880 mids recessed (the entire 770/880/990 family actually). Choosing between those two, I would definitely go with the K601.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

I think my question got last page'ed into oblivion, so I think I'll post it again if no one minds...
Oh, and I want them to be open backed.  I know I said 250-300, but I'm also kinda tempted by some of those orthos.  
 
 

I answered you earlier... but to reiterate: You already have some rather nice headphones (A900), but it sounds like you've now changed your mind about them because of some reviews and graphs that you've read. Were you happier before you read those reviews?
 
How do you feel about the A900? what do you like/dislike? Are you looking for something that's similar or different sounding?
 

 

[scompton]

Quote:

I do have an amp, but I must admit I'm a bit surprised to hear you mention both of those headphones as matchming my criteria.  Reading about them the AKG K601 seems like a good choice for me as reviews say it's very mid-centric, has a warm sound signature, and are comfortable, but the DT880 are mostly described as having a more V-Shaped sound and definitely not a mid-centric phone.  In fact the sound signatures sound so different from the reviews I've been looking at that it puzzles me they would ever be recommended at the same time.  Am I incorrect here?

 
To my ears, the K601 and DT880 sound very similar.  Younger ears than mine hear spikes in the treble.   Otherwise the FR is very similar with the DT880 more comfortable and the K601 with more sound stage.
 
 

 

[m6asnits]

what would be a good amp, headphone combo to go after? in the 15-250 range for the headphone and the 100-150 amp range? maybe a pair that offers lightwightweight or the velour style ear pads??

 

[m6asnits]

heres more about my situation...
iphone 3gs, help!
i am desperately trying to get this right! i recently purchased ultrassone hfi780 and akg 271the prado 225i. i will return if not right choice... i havent tried the grado's yet they havent arrived.
most of my use will be on my iphone 3gs, and if i need to i have no prob picking up an amp. i listen on a school bus 3x/week, on my tractor, and in bed at night.
i also have a nuforce icon mobile which hasnt really change the sound on the ultrasone at all,
the ultrasone are nice sound and get much more volume, but i love the velour cups and weight of the akg271. the akg is very bulky headband and is awkwad lying back watching or listening at night. I definitelt want the best sound but comfort is equally as important. please help.
 
i have read good things on the beyer dt770(80ohm), audiotech m50(but they have the same leatherette as the ultrasome780, i also read the ultrasone pro650+750 are good. 
id like the pair that sounds best, that i can use velour pads, they really feel great on the akg 271 vs the sticky feel on the ultrasone. most of these are around 200 on amazon except the ultrasone pro 750 which are almost 400. so thats quite a big step, id like to stay at or around 200, but will do whats necessary to get all i want.
thanks m6a 

 

[Dangalf]

Hi all. I have a budget of around £1000 to spend on a complete set up (headphone amp/dac and headphones). The Fubar 4 plus £285 (with power supply another £105) has been recommended to me and having read up on reviews seems like a really good option.
First, is the Fubar 4 plus worth the extra money over the Fubar 4 (almost £100 difference)?
Second, what headphones would work well with the Fubar? I could possibly stretch to the Audeze LCD-2 but am not sure whether the Fubar 4 will do them justice - would I be better looking at slightly cheaper headphones like Grado RS2i, Grado 325i, Bose Quiet Comfort etc or will the Audeze LCD-2 sound good through the Fubar? What would you recommend?
 
I listen to a wide variety of music (classical, blues, rock, metal, soul, pop etc) but my favourite is singer-songwriter (Nick Drake, Jeff/Tim Buckley, Tori Amos etc)
 
Many thanks to all who reply! 

 

[starbux48]

Around $100 best suggestions for open-air headphones for receiver/Mac/iPod use?

 

[scompton]

Quote:

heres more about my situation...
iphone 3gs, help!
i am desperately trying to get this right! i recently purchased ultrassone hfi780 and akg 271the prado 225i. i will return if not right choice... i havent tried the grado's yet they havent arrived.
most of my use will be on my iphone 3gs, and if i need to i have no prob picking up an amp. i listen on a school bus 3x/week, on my tractor, and in bed at night.
i also have a nuforce icon mobile which hasnt really change the sound on the ultrasone at all,
the ultrasone are nice sound and get much more volume, but i love the velour cups and weight of the akg271. the akg is very bulky headband and is awkwad lying back watching or listening at night. I definitelt want the best sound but comfort is equally as important. please help.
 
i have read good things on the beyer dt770(80ohm), audiotech m50(but they have the same leatherette as the ultrasome780, i also read the ultrasone pro650+750 are good. 
id like the pair that sounds best, that i can use velour pads, they really feel great on the akg 271 vs the sticky feel on the ultrasone. most of these are around 200 on amazon except the ultrasone pro 750 which are almost 400. so thats quite a big step, id like to stay at or around 200, but will do whats necessary to get all i want.
thanks m6a 

The problem is that you have situations that have completely different requirements.  For the bus and tractor, you need isolation.  None of the headphones you listed, and IMO, nothing but IEMs isolate well enough, especially for a tractor.  With almost all, if not all, full sized headphones, you'll end up turning the volume up to be louder than the background noise and risk damaging your hearing.  The Grados are completely inappropriate because they're open.  Not only will you have to crank the volume so you can hear the music, but everyone around you will hear your music as well.
 
For laying back at night, the most important things are sound quality and comfort.  IEMs might have the sound quality, but lack the comfort.

I think your best bet would be to split you're budget between an IEM that isolates well and an inexpensive headphone that you can use at night.  I'm not really familiar with the IEMs in the $50 to $75 range so I can't really give a recommendation, but you could look at |joker|'s thread on IEMs to get an idea.  I frequently listen to my PX-100 at night and like it a lot.  It's very comfortable and durable.  I've abused mine frequently with no harm to them.  The Portapro is another option, but I personally like the PX-100 more.  For other options, I'd suggest looking on |joker|'s portable thread.
 
Quote:

Around $100 best suggestions for open-air headphones for receiver/Mac/iPod use?

My favorite headphone in this category would be the PX-100.  A little over budget is the HD595 that has been hovering around $120 on Amazon for a new one and $90 for a refurb.
 

 

[RedSparowes]

Hi, I'm looking for a closed over-ear headphone to use with my laptop. My budget is around 100-150 Euro's. I had the Sennheiser HD201, which I liked a lot but I want something that sounds better.
It has to be really comfortable and I would still like to have a bit of soundstage.
 
Thanks!

 

[Capardio]

Im looking for an upgrade over my Phiaton ms400's. I like them a lot, but the soundstage is really narrow and they are somewhat discomfortable when wearing them for several hours. These headphones are PERFECT for electronic music like house, it really gives you a clubby feeling. The highs are somewhat lacking though, but thats solved through my equalizer app

. For my other music however i'd like a wider soundstage. Could anyone reccomend me headphones that have a (much) wider soundstage then the phiatons, but dont sacrifice much off the phiatons bass? Open or closed doesnt matter. As for amping, soon ill be buying the E11 so if the new headphones could be driven by that amp it would be great

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

what would be a good amp, headphone combo to go after? in the 15-250 range for the headphone and the 100-150 amp range? maybe a pair that offers lightwightweight or the velour style ear pads??

Stye of music? Do you need isolation? portable or not? supra or circumaural?
 
Random Suggestions: Sennheiser HD25-1-ii, iBasso T3/4
 


Quote:

heres more about my situation...
iphone 3gs, help!
i am desperately trying to get this right! i recently purchased ultrassone hfi780 and akg 271the prado 225i. i will return if not right choice... i havent tried the grado's yet they havent arrived.
most of my use will be on my iphone 3gs, and if i need to i have no prob picking up an amp. i listen on a school bus 3x/week, on my tractor, and in bed at night.
i also have a nuforce icon mobile which hasnt really change the sound on the ultrasone at all,
the ultrasone are nice sound and get much more volume, but i love the velour cups and weight of the akg271. the akg is very bulky headband and is awkwad lying back watching or listening at night. I definitelt want the best sound but comfort is equally as important. please help.
 
i have read good things on the beyer dt770(80ohm), audiotech m50(but they have the same leatherette as the ultrasome780, i also read the ultrasone pro650+750 are good. 
id like the pair that sounds best, that i can use velour pads, they really feel great on the akg 271 vs the sticky feel on the ultrasone. most of these are around 200 on amazon except the ultrasone pro 750 which are almost 400. so thats quite a big step, id like to stay at or around 200, but will do whats necessary to get all i want.
thanks m6a 

In those noisy environments, you'll want the best isolation possible. I highly recommend looking into iems. Heck, for tractor use you may look into earmuffs on top of the iems.
 
Sound quality is really tossed out the window when you're fighting external noise as you're just fighting volume with more volume. That said, the best isolation I've heard from headphones would be: Senn HD280, Beyer DT770, Senn HD25, B&W P5.
 

 
Quote:

Hi all. I have a budget of around £1000 to spend on a complete set up (headphone amp/dac and headphones). The Fubar 4 plus £285 (with power supply another £105) has been recommended to me and having read up on reviews seems like a really good option.
First, is the Fubar 4 plus worth the extra money over the Fubar 4 (almost £100 difference)?
Second, what headphones would work well with the Fubar? I could possibly stretch to the Audeze LCD-2 but am not sure whether the Fubar 4 will do them justice - would I be better looking at slightly cheaper headphones like Grado RS2i, Grado 325i, Bose Quiet Comfort etc or will the Audeze LCD-2 sound good through the Fubar? What would you recommend?
 
I listen to a wide variety of music (classical, blues, rock, metal, soul, pop etc) but my favourite is singer-songwriter (Nick Drake, Jeff/Tim Buckley, Tori Amos etc)
 
Many thanks to all who reply! 

If you're considering the LCD-2, then take some time to read through the individual threads. There's one specifically for amping the LCD-2 that you should look into.
 


Quote:

Around $100 best suggestions for open-air headphones for receiver/Mac/iPod use?

Audio Technica AD700
Senheiser HD595 (currently on sale at Amazon for $120)
 

 
Quote:

Hi, I'm looking for a closed over-ear headphone to use with my laptop. My budget is around 100-150 Euro's. I had the Sennheiser HD201, which I liked a lot but I want something that sounds better.
It has to be really comfortable and I would still like to have a bit of soundstage.
 
Thanks!

 
Senn HD448 (or 438 if you want to trade some detail for bass)
Senn HD380
Audio Technica A700
 
 
 
Quote:

Im looking for an upgrade over my Phiaton ms400's. I like them a lot, but the soundstage is really narrow and they are somewhat discomfortable when wearing them for several hours. These headphones are PERFECT for electronic music like house, it really gives you a clubby feeling. The highs are somewhat lacking though, but thats solved through my equalizer app

. For my other music however i'd like a wider soundstage. Could anyone reccomend me headphones that have a (much) wider soundstage then the phiatons, but dont sacrifice much off the phiatons bass? Open or closed doesnt matter. As for amping, soon ill be buying the E11 so if the new headphones could be driven by that amp it would be great

 
Look at the Denon D2000/5000 and M-Audio Q40 which have similar sounds but are full sized and have better soundstage.
 
There's the PS500 that might be to your liking, as well as the Beyer DT770/880/990, but I find their mids to be a bit recessed compared to the richness of the MS400.
 

 

[scompton]

Quote:

 Heck, for tractor use you may look into earmuffs on top of the iems.  

 
That's what I do when cutting the grass, running a vacuum cleaner, or working with power tools.   My Westone 1 and 29dB earmuffs cut the sound of a lawn mower to below the level of a quiet room.  If you go that route, make sure you get IEMs that have a low profile.  My ear muffs are pretty deep, but when I tried to use a Klispch X5 underneath them, it was pretty uncomfortable. 

 

[music is life67]

 
Quote:

 

hey guys i have searched for a good pair of headphones for a very long time. I have narrowed it down to 3 headphones I like the ultrasone pro 550 because it comes with a case and it has a detachable cable. I also like the hfi 780 but it doesnt have a case. How do these headphones sound without an amp with an ipod. I have found them on amazon for the same price except the pro 550 is confusing because when it shows pictures of the product it shows the old blue kind and the new sick silver kind so i dont know which one it is and if i should buy it. The hfi 780 shows the new kind but i dont know which is better. I also am starting to like the sennheiser hd 25-1 II because they are adidas colors and are origonal. which is better over ear or on ear and should i buy new or used? They are about 40 dollars more than they 2 ultrasones used 80 new. Are they worth it? Links: pro 550 new 152 also one used for 144  http://www.amazon.com/Ultrasone-PRO-550-Professional-Headphones/dp/B000YDYEDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1304466079&sr=8-1 hfi 780 new 164 one used is 154 http://www.amazon.com/Ultrasone-HFI-780-Surround-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00101XVH2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1304466079&sr=8-4Sennheiser new $229  http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Adidas-HD-Orginals-Headphones/dp/B0030T0QBG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3DV4MZPCFJ08H&s=merchant-items&qid=1304466452&sr=1-2 Sennheiser used like new only 190? I herd some dont come with anything except the head phones.Are these legit?  http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0030T0QBG/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&qid=1304466224&sr=1-1&condition=used

Also what are some good headphones in the 150 to 250 price range that you could recommend? Thanks for the help

The Ultrasones will be just fine out of an ipod. I would choose the 780 over the 550. The Senn HD25-1-ii is also an incredibly popular headphone, you really can't go wrong with it.
 
There's no point in asking over and over again what is "better". Go to a store and try out some for yourself. If that's not an option, then buy/sell used and go through a bunch of headphones to find what kind of you *you* like. Start with the lower end stuff and filter out which brands and sounds work for you, then slowly move up the ladder.

I dont think i will buy many headphones im trying to get a good one to stick with are there any reasons why you would recomend the 780s over the 550 also i would like to know about over ear vs on ear because the sennheisers are on ear