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Long time lurker here.
I have been looking around on Head-Fi and a bunch of other audio sites, and still can not make a decision on this matter. Currently I have the M50s, the Koss Portapros, the Klipsch Image S4s, and a Fiio E5 with an L3 LOD. I use all of my headphones and use the E5 when I can. The only time I can use the LOD is when I use my 4GB iPod Nano 2g, which is becoming far too restrictive (I plan on finding a 5th gen Classic, though) and I end up using the E5 straight out of a computer 3.5 mm jack.
Trouble is, I hate IEMs but have to use them anyway. I find them really uncomfortable, they get dirty, people want to put them in their nasty ears, I have to keep my ears super clean, and they break despite the fact that I baby them. They are not for me. However, I use them all the time when I'm outside working, mowing grass, or at school. Some of the time I can use the Portapros, but they are open so mowing the lawn with them is no good. I'm also not a fan of leakage.
For headphones, I'm looking at the Sennheiser HD 25-1 IIs. From what I gather, It's really hard to go wrong with them. Even though there might be no SQ improvement from the M50s to the HD 25s, I think they would be a good buy since they fit my needs. I'm not totally sold on them, so tell me if you have something better in mind for me. I would be willing to spend $175 on headphones, $200 as a stretch.
Here is where I'm stumped, though. I want a portable amp/DAC that will last me a long time. When I can afford them, I plan on getting some HD 650s or Beyerdynamic DT990 600 ohms. I want to be able to use the amp with the LOD when I have to but still be able to use a USB DAC when I listen from a computer. Having the amp and DAC separate, like the iBasso DB2 Boomslang and the PB1 Toucan together, is not a problem.
I've looked at units from RSA, iBasso, Fiio, and a few more I can't remember. I don't want an E7 since the amp is essentially an E5. I hear the DAC is great, but the amp won't be good for when I move on to higher-end cans and want the portability that the E9 add-on does not have. I was seriously considering the iBasso D12 Anaconda or the D2+ Boa, but then I heard they weren't so great in terms of bang-for-buck.
Since my first world problem involves portable cans, full-size cans, and portable amps/DACs, I was unsure where to post this. I think this might be my best bet, though.
Anyone have suggestions for me? Thanks!
Since you need the isolation outside, it's hard to beat thd HD25-1-ii. They're also super rugged which is especially useful. I do consider them a step up from the M50, but then again I'm just not a fan of the M50.
I've always considered iBasso gear pretty good bang for the buck (I have a D10 myself), and they have all sorts of different models to suit different needs.
Do you need the dac to be portable, such as with a laptop? If so, then a portable dac/amp combo makes sense. If the dac is just for a desktop, then get a desktop dac and get a standalone amp, maybe a slim amp just for portability sake. You don't need crazy amounts of power for portable headphones (unless you plan on walking around with DT990/600)
If you want something that'll last a while all in one, then XM6 comes to mind.
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Hello fellow Head-fier's. As a young audio enthusiast with reasonable experience with headphones, I feel the need to move up the scale a bit. The audio store I work at holds many brands and I've had the privilege to try out many headphones such as the whole grado line, as well as sennheiser hd600, hd650, hd25-1 ii and the hd800, and so on.
I absolutely love the grado headphones, they are truly unique and very colorful , but maybe just slightly too much for my tastes at times. (the 325i's, which interested me the most, are a bit too forward with certain music). This is what led me to Alessandro's, I've never had the chance to demo them, but they are tweaked grado phones with a slightly more neutral frequency response. I'm looking for a fun headphone that can also be reasonably analytical and work with more genres, rather than excelling in a couple. It seems the ms2i's would be a great choice. Otherwise, I am opened to recommendations! P.S: Mids and detailing are more important to me than bass frequencies.
I also tried the new Shure srh940's through my amp (brought to work), really enjoyed it, but like the 325i's, it can get very high pitched. But these headphones are very well built, come with accessories and being Shure's, easy to deal with for warranty/issues and concerns and whatnot.
So really, I'm torn between ms2i's, and Srh940's, which are arguably different headphones. I would like a nice soundstage as well. If anyone out there has both these pairs and read this, please help me out!
I am looking to pay between 225-300.
(I've got a feeling of deja vu here)
My vote goes for the Alessandro. I haven't heard the MS2i, but I have owned the MS1i (twice) and the SR60/80/125 and the Alessandro sound is just a bit smoother in the highs. There are also plenty of mod available, which makes it easier to tune the MS2 sound for your preferences. Even just a little blob of putty or felt on the back of the button cuts down on some of the highs.
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Still looking around for an upgrade to my M50s...
How big of a step would the Ultrasone 900 pro be?
And how does that compare to the Shure 940s?
I was told that the Shure 940s would be like somewhat of a better M50, but I'm liking what I'm hearing about the Ultrasone 900s.
Is the isolation decent?
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Pretty much every genre.
I've been enjoying the huge improvement (detail-wise and bass-wise) that the M50s are over my old HD 428s.
I'd like something equally "punchy" (or more), but something that can pick up the details as well.
I'm listening to (mainly) FLACs on a Sansa clip+, but like I said, no genre in particular.
The 940s are generally regarded as very well detailed, but also a bit sharp in the mid/high end and taking down some of the bass oomph found in the 840. If you're looking for a similar sound to the M50, the 940 probably won't do it. Isolation should be better though.
The 900 will take the similar V shape of the M50 and exagerrate it even more. Lots of bass punch, lots of highs, not so much for mids.
In my opinion, a similar-but-improved sound to the M50 would be the Senn HD25-1-ii.
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How do the AKG K 121 Studio compare to the Sennheiser HD280 ?
Well one is a supraaural semi-open can, the other is a full sized closed can... what kind of environment will you be listening in, and do you need the isolation? Is this for casual/portable listening, or studio work?
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Opinions on the best relatively affordable full-size phones for orchestral music and opera?
From what I've read, the Sennheiser 800s are great - but at $1,400 they're simply out of my financial comfort zone, as are the Beyer T-1s (and the various Stax).
I own a circa 1992 pair of Beyerdynamic DT-990s pros, which IMHO are great for pop but too colored for orchestra music. I love the detail and and sparkle of my Etymotic ER-4s - but after 13 years, my left ear canal no longer loves the transducer getting inserted on a regular basis. And even when it did, the Etymotics lacked the low frequency authority and soundstaging I am used to through my big rig loudspeakers (Apogee Duetta Signatures).
I had planned on setting for a pair of DT-880s (with some sort of tube amp) - but after reading positive reviews of the Audio Technica AD-700s with classical music, began to explore reviews of their models much further upstream - like the ATH-5000 (which can had on Amazon for the relatively affordable price of $680).
I'm planning to drop $800-$1,500 on a headphone, amp, DAC combo (to be fed ripped FLAC files by a PC/laptop) at some point in the next couple of months - but am still up in the air on how those funds should be spread around.
So, if you were planning to spend between $200 and $700 on a phone for orchestral music and opera, what would you be considering?
Thanks in advance.
I currently have a Bottlehead Crack tube amp and DT880 which is a very good pairing (and I don't even like Beyers). It also pairs very well with Sennheisers. Bang for the buck, this combo is hard to beat. Personally, I pair it with an AKG K240 Sextett MP.
If you're looking for something to keep up with your big rig though, I'm afraid you may have to jump into the deep end with orthos or stax.
There's something like this... http://head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=93
just add a dac, or use your existing one.
Or perhaps the LCD-2 or HE-500 which don't need quite as much power, so you can explore other amping options.
