[t-h-e-p-i-m-p]

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Thanks for the answer!
I was thinking about the D2000 as an alternative, so would it be different enough from the DT880?
Or maybe I should get the Denon and something else instead of the DT880, maybe a Sennheiser HD600?

why don't u not just buy d2000+ fiio e7/e9 first ? and get your other pair later? i got myself a pair of Sennheiser HD800. i had the dt990 before, but i could not stand them! anyway, im going to buy myself a pair of d2000 on monday. between you and me, i would stay away from hd 600/650. they are darker then both dt880 and hd800. i find them boring, they sound "meh" to me. yes the d2000 sound different against the dt880. d2000 has more "meat" and bass. it's a fun phone. but the dt880 would be superior and sounds more natural.
 
 

 

[t-h-e-p-i-m-p]

after carefully reading your post. i would probably say that the dt880 is to bass light for you. dt990 might be your thing, but i find them sounding thin and way 2 much treble with bad mids!. the d2000 is a sealed headphone, the bass from an sealed headphone sounds most of the times different from an open headphone. sealed phones bass is most of the time fatter and much more weight to it, compared to an open phone. and btw, i would NOT suggest you the dt770. the bass is 2 muddy IMHO. 

 

[adriantannerisb]

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[The Dark Shadow]

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after carefully reading your post. i would probably say that the dt880 is to bass light for you. dt990 might be your thing, but i find them sounding thin and way 2 much treble with bad mids!. the d2000 is a sealed headphone, the bass from an sealed headphone sounds most of the times different from an open headphone. sealed phones bass is most of the time fatter and much more weight to it, compared to an open phone. and btw, i would NOT suggest you the dt770. the bass is 2 muddy IMHO.
 

That way I would end up with two bass heavy phones tho?
Considering that it might be worth to get the DT880 for a more balanced open headphone and the D2000 for a more bass oriented closed headphone, they may be different enough to let me understand which of the two signatures I prefer the most.
If that makes any sense!
I was also thinking about some Audio Technica from the AD series to try a wide soundstage and less prominent bass, maybe the AD900 or AD1000.

 

[Armaegis]

 
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How do Grado and Beyerdynamic 'phones in the $300 range compare? What amp would go with each?

 
Very different beasts. Grados are typically mid/midhigh focused, and Beyers are typically stronger in the bass and highs. Grados are totally open, Beyers range from closed to semi-open. Grados prefer a low gain amp, Beyers a high gain. I liked Grados with a solid stamp amp, and I prefer Beyers with tube amps.
 
 

 
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Here's the dilemma. I have these 558 and although they are seriously comfortable and I love the tingly soundstage, I too find them way too dark and laid back. I'm not a particular "laid back" person, so even when it comes to my laid back music I love some sparkle which my 558 fail to deliver. Are they boring? Well, with certain music I'd have to say yes. So maybe I should've thought ahead, but since they are relatively new to the market, maybe you could say I'm the lab mouse here. Back to the sound, the vocals were simply pushed back into the lower mids and not as sparkly as I would like, and though provided they are an open headphone, I did enjoy the bass alongside the low end for a while, but again, too dark for my tastes.
 
Enough with my mistake. What I'm now looking for is a pair that will satisfy that crave for a fun signature. A phone that has a bright, warm sound similar to the M50. I LOVE the bass on the M50. Defined, wholesome, full and fun, but not XBx00 boomy either. For my underground/alternative Hip-Hop its deep bass impact is just splendid. But then my beloved M50 expressed it's signature recessed mids that I didn't really notice before with my onboard sound. With the E7 it's fullness is stunning (BTW the M50 to me, loves amping, but can live without it) but is held back by the mids.
 
A Conclusion... Bottom Line is... I'm looking for a circumaural headphone that is closed (Setup is not in my own room, plus I'm out during the daytime, prefer isolation from the folks at night) has a full, bright but warm midrange, and has a deep tight bass like the M50 but more defined.
 
Durability is not a problem, and... these will be used at home so I'd say style isn't TOO important, especially since I have my M50 for portable use. Comfort however is definitely something important, though a little sweaty ear issue isn't much to me.
 
For those who must know, the genres will consist of mostly (Alternative) Hip Hop (Think Blue Scholars, Macklemore, Common, Del the Funkee Homosapien, Common Market, Talib Kweli, Mos Def) occasional Dream Theater, Muse, Massive Attack, and Buckethead/Joe Satriani masterpieces.
 
Important! Must stay under $350, amplification included. I have the Fiio E7, something to keep in mind.

How about an Ultrasone? The Pro900 probably has too much bass, but the others should present a real lively sound signature and give you that punch and sparkle that you're looking for.
 

 
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First of all thanks for the answer!
 
I forgot to say I'm mostly looking to full size/circumaural headphones (even tho I'd still like to try some over the ear ones like the Grados).
 
I was thinking what if I raised my budget a bit and got the DT880 with e7/e9 combo AND another pair of headphones that are very different maybe even the opposite of the DT880?
 
That way I will have the DT880 and a different phone so I can compare.
 
What would be considered as the opposite or a very different signature?
 
Also one last question, I'm curious about the DT990 because it's regarded as being more "fun", in the DT770-DT880-DT990 range, if I get that instead of the DT880 and find out that the bass and treble are a bit too much will I be able to tone them down with my Pioneer tone control (This is what it can do: Bass: +9dB--8dB (100Hz) / Treble: ±6dB (10kHz) ), or with another future amp?
Wil I lose sound quality doing that?
 
Thanks again for your time!

Opposite from the DT880... I would say one of the full sized Audio Technicas like the AD700 or A700 (or any of the higher models). They are mid dominant headphones with fantastic soundstage. The AD700 can also be found for reasonable cheap if you shop around.
 
Personally I'm just not a fan of the 770/880/990 series, but out of the three the 880 was the most agreeable to me. I found the 990 too shrill in the high end, and the 770 too boomy in the bottom. You can use your receiver's tone control to adjust, but you'd be better suited with a full fledged EQ which will give you better control over the sound. You may be able to use a tone control to reduce the treble harshness, but then you'll also lose the rest of your top end.
 


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Ever since my Denon D2000s broke, I've been looking to get a new set of cans. I've read a lot of reviews, lurked in too many threads, and finally got to these two pairs: Shure SRH-940 or Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80s. Now, I know that these are headphones from two different price points, but that's part of my problem.

My budget is about $300, maybe up to $325.
From that money, I could get the Shures and an okay amp.
Or I could get the Beyerdyanamics and a great amp, like the iBasso D2+ Boa (That's the one I've had my eye on)

So which do you think would be better for me? Would spending the money on a great amp make a big difference?

I listen to an odd variety of music, including classic rock (Led Zep), weird indie/hipster music (FrYars, you've probably never heard of him

) mashups (Girl Talk) and podcasts (The Noisecast), and the occasional mainstream pop.

Thanks for the recommendations.

I say get the Shure and don't worry about amping. It should also be more similar to the sound signature that you're used to.
 
The Beyers typically want a bit more grunt and you'd want something like the D4 or higher for amping.
 

 

[hd558]

Never had a pair of good quality headphones and looking into buying a pair of the Sennheiser HD558.  I would mainly be using them while studying in the library, and they'd be plugged into my older Macbook.  My only issue is that I don't want my music to bother the people around me.  Will that be a problem with the 558?  I don't want to be known as the guy who blasts Justin Bieber in the library.  Also if that would be an issue what's another set of similarly priced headphones that don't leak noise?  Been scoping out the Audio Technica M50's as well

 

[Armaegis]

The 558 are unsuitable for a library environment as they are open headphones and will leak sound. They are also somewhat large and don't collapse, so aren't exactly portable either. The M50 are closed and fold down, making them better for your purposes. For portability purposes, you may want something smaller yet. A Senn PX200-ii or AKG K518 are both significantly smaller and cheaper than the M50, and isolate just as well if not better.

 

[Yuri Ius]

Hi all, 
 
I have, in the page 320 of this thread, asked your help about HD555 for classical music. I said at the time that I had decided on their purchase. However, I manage to find some deals that have put me confused. Shure SRH750DJ, SRH440, AKG K430 W are the offers I ran across, all around the same price tag (90-100€)
 
Also found Sennheiser's HD428 for sale at half the price asked for the models above (it is at 50€). I read many favorable reviews for the HD555, HD428 and Shure 440. Are any of these phones better than the HD555 with classical, movies and games? I'll use then unamped from my mp3 and notebook.
 
Thank you all, sorry for bothering again,
And with the best of compliments
 
Yuri_ius

 

[Kudos]

Quote:

How about an Ultrasone? The Pro900 probably has too much bass, but the others should present a real lively sound signature and give you that punch and sparkle that you're looking for.
 

 
Hmm, divine looks, S-Logic Surround Sound, even portability so I can share them? They seem perfect, thanks! Could you describe the listening experience (assuming you have owned it)? Don't worry, I love large bass presence, it's just that the XB700 hurts and drowns out my mids.

 
 

 

[hello im sean]

what's the best pair of headphones i can find used or for any price for around $350 USD.  I typically eq to more of a U shape so i wouldnt mind a colored pair.  Treble clarity is important but not harsh. Also bass is very important, i listen to a lot of dubstep and metal.  Soundstage is also one of my favorite aspects of a good set of cans.  I'm currently coming from a pair of dt990/600, i have a AGD NFB-12 i use as my dac/amp.  Really i dont like bloated bass but i do like it to have alarge presence.  I've been interested in the ultrasone 900 pro but if there's better for the money im all ears. thanks!

 

[maverickronin]

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what's the best pair of headphones i can find used or for any price for around $350 USD.  I typically eq to more of a U shape so i wouldnt mind a colored pair.  Treble clarity is important but not harsh. Also bass is very important, i listen to a lot of dubstep and metal.  Soundstage is also one of my favorite aspects of a good set of cans.  I'm currently coming from a pair of dt990/600, i have a AGD NFB-12 i use as my dac/amp.  Really i dont like bloated bass but i do like it to have alarge presence.  I've been interested in the ultrasone 900 pro but if there's better for the money im all ears. thanks!

The DT990s are probably already the best for that that price range and sound signature.  I haven't heard the Pro 900s but they're the only other thing I know of of around that price with a similar sound sig.
 
If you can stretch your budget a little the HifiMan HE-4s might be worth a look.  I haven't had a chance to hear them but they're supposed to be like the HE-5 (which I have heard and enjoyed) with a bit more U shaped response.  IIRC, your NFB 12 should be able to power the inefficient HiFiMans just fine.
 

 

[TaskMasterSteve]

Hi I'm about to buy some headphones, I like to listen to classic rock, rap/hip-hop, and mellow soft rock. I found the ultrasone pro 750s and sennheiser pxc 450s for the same price. Which ones should I buy? I don't know how good the 450s are, so if you could help me out it would be amazing

 

[McStuff]

How are the M50s? They seem pretty well recommended around here. I'm looking for an amp and cans for my turntable (SL-Q2) and was looking to spend around 200, maybe 250 for the combo. I mainly listen to rock, indie, or hardcore.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Hi all, 
 
I have, in the page 320 of this thread, asked your help about HD555 for classical music. I said at the time that I had decided on their purchase. However, I manage to find some deals that have put me confused. Shure SRH750DJ, SRH440, AKG K430 W are the offers I ran across, all around the same price tag (90-100€)
 
Also found Sennheiser's HD428 for sale at half the price asked for the models above (it is at 50€). I read many favorable reviews for the HD555, HD428 and Shure 440. Are any of these phones better than the HD555 with classical, movies and games? I'll use then unamped from my mp3 and notebook.
 
Thank you all, sorry for bothering again,
And with the best of compliments
 
Yuri_ius

At those prices, I would still go with the HD555 for classical music. It plays better to the genre and has better soundstage than the other options.
 


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Hmm, divine looks, S-Logic Surround Sound, even portability so I can share them? They seem perfect, thanks! Could you describe the listening experience (assuming you have owned it)? Don't worry, I love large bass presence, it's just that the XB700 hurts and drowns out my mids.

 

My general impression of Ultrasones: the S-Logic tends to have a bit of love-it-or-hate-it reaction, though most people seem to enjoy it. The soundstage comes across fairly large though a bit echoey. Bass tends to come across fairly strong and rumbles deep, highs are strong as well, mids are a bit weak compared to the lows and highs.
 


Quote:

what's the best pair of headphones i can find used or for any price for around $350 USD.  I typically eq to more of a U shape so i wouldnt mind a colored pair.  Treble clarity is important but not harsh. Also bass is very important, i listen to a lot of dubstep and metal.  Soundstage is also one of my favorite aspects of a good set of cans.  I'm currently coming from a pair of dt990/600, i have a AGD NFB-12 i use as my dac/amp.  Really i dont like bloated bass but i do like it to have alarge presence.  I've been interested in the ultrasone 900 pro but if there's better for the money im all ears. thanks!

 
Apart from the Pro900, perhaps the Beyer DT1350 or a used Denon D5000.
 
 


Quote:

Hi I'm about to buy some headphones, I like to listen to classic rock, rap/hip-hop, and mellow soft rock. I found the ultrasone pro 750s and sennheiser pxc 450s for the same price. Which ones should I buy? I don't know how good the 450s are, so if you could help me out it would be amazing

If you don't need the noise cancellation, go with the Pro750.
 


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How are the M50s? They seem pretty well recommended around here. I'm looking for an amp and cans for my turntable (SL-Q2) and was looking to spend around 200, maybe 250 for the combo. I mainly listen to rock, indie, or hardcore.

The M50s are a strong headphone in their price range. Common alternatives to consider would be the Shure 840/750 or Audio Technica Pro700mk2.
 

 

[The Dark Shadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armaegis /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Opposite from the DT880... I would say one of the full sized Audio Technicas like the AD700 or A700 (or any of the higher models). They are mid dominant headphones with fantastic soundstage. The AD700 can also be found for reasonable cheap if you shop around.
 
Personally I'm just not a fan of the 770/880/990 series, but out of the three the 880 was the most agreeable to me. I found the 990 too shrill in the high end, and the 770 too boomy in the bottom. You can use your receiver's tone control to adjust, but you'd be better suited with a full fledged EQ which will give you better control over the sound. You may be able to use a tone control to reduce the treble harshness, but then you'll also lose the rest of your top end.
 

What about getting the Denon D2000 and the AD700 or AD900?
They should be even more apart, one heavy on the bass and with small soundstage the other with huge soundstage and light bass.
If I understand correctly the DT880, especially the 600ohm, should be roughly in between the two with added detail and more emphasis on the treble? So I can get the two extremes first and see if I like them or if I feel the need for something more balanced I will then get the DT880.
Does this make any sense?