[Zioni]

Quote:

 
Hello,
 
I am looking for the best quality sound that can be had for around $100. I say "sound" rather than specify a particular headphone type because I don't care what it is, only that it gets me the best sound quality at my price point. The two decent pairs of headphones I have owned are the portapros and Sennheiser 202's, but I am looking for better.
 
I will be listening primarily to rock, though I also listen to some musical/movie soundtracks, classical, jazz & jazz/rock fusion, etc. I say that my budget is $100 but I would like to spend less if, for example, there is some pair of headphones for $80 that's better than everything available for ~$100.
 
I have seen the typical suggestions, like the ath-m50's, but I am not quite sure which of the good ~$100 buys is best suited for me.
 

 
I recommend Creative's Aurvana Live headphones or Sony MDR ZX700, both around $90. Both have a great sound. I would say the Creatives have slightly deeper bass but the Sonys have better mids. The Sony's also seem more durable. Check them out.

 

[imackler]

HD598 and Fiio E9 would be a fantastic way to start.
 
Quote:

With all this info, what are Head-Fi's thoughts?
 

 

 

[jgray91]

Hello pros, and hopefully, would-be bros.
 
I am finally ready to pull the trigger and enter the wonderful, and wallet-hurting, world of audiophilia.
 
I've done some research and reading around to guess what's the best I can do for a first 'real' headphones I'll ever own.
 
A little background on what I'll intend to do and my environment. I will mainly use it on my laptop for mostly everything remotely possible: about 45% music listening, 30% watching anime/movies/series, and the other is playing PC games. 
 
I mostly listen to whatever is good, except hard hitting, in your face bass, current trend of 'music' and dubstep. I also enjoy the vocals and how it blends together with the instruments in the song, though I have no preferences of either male or female vocals; I love it both. Also I love the OSTs from some of the anime I watch, and from some games too. Some example would be anything from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, the very calming songs from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei; from games, almost all of Assassin's Creed songs and most of Bastion's songs.
 
For games, I mostly only play single-player focused games. The only online multiplayer game I ever play regularly is League of Legends; and even that I seem to be playing less. I still do need positional accuracy, because I can't count for how many times I died to a sabercat or a bear in Skyrim just because I can't discern where it came from. I don't play a lot of FPS, mostly because my twitch is not fast enough, and am bored with the modern shooter theme, TBH.
 
And the environment I live in: a dorm. Simple: this means that an open-backed headphones is out of the question, as I don't want to disturb my slumbering friends with my hacking of bandits in Skyrim.
 
I'm looking for headphones less than 3000 rubles (that's roughly around $96, to be easier lets make it $100). And so far, I have narrow it down to around 4 headphones:

1. AKG K77 (1581 ruble ~ $50) - this caught my eye once while I was in the train to class.
2. Creative Aurvana Live! (2429 rub ~ $78) - this is based on Mad Lust Envy's guide.
3. Steelseries Siberia v2 (2353 rub ~ $76) - this one is mostly based on Steggy's reviews. I find the mic handy as I frequently Skype-call my parents, and less frequently, hook up to TeamSpeak for some LoL games with my friends. 
4. Sony MDR XB500 (1648 rubles ~ $53) - this is the only headphones I have tried personally, and as far as my ears are concerned, they don't sound too bassy, can run at hurtful volume on my now-lost Clip+ and very very comfortable.
5. (These are actually on sale until Dec 14th, just one day before my birthday. This would make a great present for myself lol)

 
Oh and I have a Senn HD 218 as my daily driver of everything. I would like to hear the thoughts and opinions of you guys before I pull the trigger, and if there are better headphones than the ones I listed, I'll consider it too. 
 
Looking forward for the replies.

 

[Setre]

[size=medium]So I received my FiiO E9 and it didn’t really seem to do anything for the bass in the HD 598. They do sound better but nothing mind blowing, wasn’t really expecting that though. I’m going to keep the E9 though because it means I have an amp now.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Anyone have any recommendations for a headphone that sounds similar to the 598 but with a more “punchier” bass?[/size]
 
[size=medium]I owned the Premium DT990 and really liked their sound but the high treble gave me headaches.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Thanks for your help.[/size]

 

[raynorx]

Hello Head-Fi! I'm currently an audiophile newbie as I've been using cheap headphones and headsets for the past years when listening to music on my computer/ipod. I've always been a keyboard fanatic, so I figured I might as well get into headphones as well considering I spend a lot of time on the computer (~12 hours a day) due to work/life style. I'm really interested in an open or closed set of headphones that might align with the following specifications:

1. ~$300
   I have plenty of money to throw around so I don't really have a hard limit set on my budget but 300 is comfortable for me right now.
2. Currently have no amp
   Although I have no amp, I would be interested in getting one now/down the line as I become more learned in the audio trade.
   
3. Primarily listening to electronic, house, trance, alternative, screamo, jpop, kpop
   I do listen to almost all genres, but these are my primaries.
4. Must be very comfortable
   As I mentioned above, I will be wearing these for 12 hours a day so they must be absolutely comfortable.
5. Will be going into the back of a computer with no sound card, or directly into an iPod
   This means I probably won't have a whole lot of power to drive a pair of headphones.
6. No speakers
   Don't know if this is relevant, but I don't own a single speaker.

Some headphones I've presently been reviewing are:
ATH AD900
Sennheiser 558
Sennheiser 598
Sennheiser 600
Sennheiser 650
Grado SR225i
AKG 702/1 (would need to buy an amp as well)
The only amp I've really considered is the Fiio e7 and then the e9 down the road to combine them.
With all this info, what are Head-Fi's thoughts?

Would my post be better suited as a thread?

 

[imackler]

Don't worry. You'll get more responses. Patience, paduan.
 
Quote:

Would my post be better suited as a thread?

 

 

[SkinnyPuppy]

Quote:

Hello Head-Fi! I'm currently an audiophile newbie as I've been using cheap headphones and headsets for the past years when listening to music on my computer/ipod. I've always been a keyboard fanatic, so I figured I might as well get into headphones as well considering I spend a lot of time on the computer (~12 hours a day) due to work/life style. I'm really interested in an open or closed set of headphones that might align with the following specifications:

• ~$300
  I have plenty of money to throw around so I don't really have a hard limit set on my budget but 300 is comfortable for me right now.
• Currently have no amp
  Although I have no amp, I would be interested in getting one now/down the line as I become more learned in the audio trade.
• Primarily listening to electronic, house, trance, alternative, screamo, jpop, kpop
  I do listen to almost all genres, but these are my primaries.
• Must be very comfortable
  As I mentioned above, I will be wearing these for 12 hours a day so they must be absolutely comfortable.
• Will be going into the back of a computer with no sound card, or directly into an iPod
  This means I probably won't have a whole lot of power to drive a pair of headphones.
• No speakers
  Don't know if this is relevant, but I don't own a single speaker.

Some headphones I've presently been reviewing are:
ATH AD900
Sennheiser 558
Sennheiser 598
Sennheiser 600
Sennheiser 650
Grado SR225i
AKG 702/1 (would need to buy an amp as well)
The only amp I've really considered is the Fiio e7 and then the e9 down the road to combine them.
With all this info, what are Head-Fi's thoughts?
 

I've heard the Fischer FA-011 is supposed to be good for your tastes.
 
You'll need an amp, an Objective 2 or FiiO E9 will be fine though. 
Maybe a pair of Beyerdynamics, DT770/880/990 would work.
 

 

[Akabeth]

You'll have more chance for a worthwhile reply on these bigger threads, so no need to create another.
 
I was going to type a very short reply but after seeing your join date, and how head-fi has changed since I became a member here this must be said. Feel free to skip to the tl;dr statement below.
---
Hey reynorx, if you plan on spending some twelve hours listening to your headphone, I suggest sticking with your current pair and plan for an desktop setup preferably with a full-size open headphone in mind.
 
You seem to be early in quest for a better setup, have some spare cash, and clearly a lucrative target for salesmen personality types. I'm here to tell you please go to a head-fi meet, listen to some gear and music there, and get to know members to boot. Once you've sampled enough, I'm sure it'll become quite obvious what 'kind of sound' appeals to your ears and trust your ears as they're your best point of reference for life. You may find investing in headphones a wrong move altogether or like a few of my friends, DIY could be your best solution in certain areas (e.g. DAC & preamp). Don't get suckered into buying gear based on reviews unless you're absolutely convinced and able to afford a bad purchase. You'll save a lot of money this way in the long run and trust me on this, because I've been there and I know.
 
So what I'm saying is don't rush because this hobby will last you a long time. I believe the less you worry about gear and the more quality music you have within your reach, the happier you'll be.
---
 
tl;dr get an open headphone of some sort 

 
And sorry about your wallet.

 

[raynorx]

Thanks for the advice Akabeth. Despite my join date, I have been lurking for a long time as well as being a long time familiar of /g/ where headphones are constantly discussed. All my music is 320 or v0 mp3 encodes (from private trackers) so no need to worry about me being completely unlearned in the land of audio and jumping into headphones while listening to top 10 tracks downloaded from limewire. I can easily afford bad purchases considering my lucrative job as well. I did intend to start out with an open headphone set as I've read that they sound less isolated than a closed set, but thank you for the suggestion. I do agree that I don't have a good understanding of how different types of headphones sound considering I've never gone to a store and physically studied the audio effects, but it seems like there's a good profile setup for most headphones on this website that correlates with genres of music. I'm fine with just purchasing out of the blue based on other people's opinions, so don't worry too much!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hello head-fi! I'm going to buy a new pair of headphones soon. I own a Senn PX200-II and I really enjoy them, especially for classical music and acoustic stuff like Andy McKee and Don Ross, though my main genre is metal, and I'm a bit of a basshead when it comes to that. I listen to bands like Meshuggah, Opeth, Slayer, Symphony X, Nevermore (as you see a quite varied choice of metal) and I want a tight, punchy (and booming) bass, but not at the expense of mids and highs. However I'd gladly accept a low-focused headphone overshadowing the two. My main choices are at the point:
The XB500, The ATH-M50
The HD-25 (http://www.sahibinden.com/ilan/alisveris-muzikal-enstruman-dj-studyo-ekipmanlari-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-profi-dj-kulakligi-63709581/detay/? do the pics look authentical? The price is waaay low compared to others in the site)
And
The XB700 (But for almost twice the money as the XB500)
The SR80i (ONLY if it's a pure golden pick as its open and I'll listen to the cans in public)
The AH-D1100 (HEAVILY overpriced though)
Beyer DT770 Pro (See above)
I'll drive the phones from my iphone through a FiiO e5.
So what would you recommend? These are almost all I have access to actually since I live in Turkey.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you very much!

 
Semi-open headphones
Panasonic RT-HTF600-S, with Beyerdynamic EDT 200 Velour ear pads, price in USA is $55.
 
 

 

[mojoe24]

So I'm looking for some headphones for my friend who's into Hardcore.  I'm looking to spend between $50 and $70.  They need to be over the ear and have good isolation.  I have no idea when it comes to full sized headphones and I can't find anything similar to Joker's review thread, but for headphones.  Any recommendations would be appreciated.  I'd prefer to order through Amazon, but if a deal could be found elsewhere that'd be great.

 

[kingpage]

Quote:

The AH-D1100 (HEAVILY overpriced though)

 
Creative Aurvana Live! is virtually the same as D1001 which is prefered by people to D1100. It's cheaper and "better" than D1001 (in the bass department).

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hello Head-Fi! I'm currently an audiophile newbie as I've been using cheap headphones and headsets for the past years when listening to music on my computer/ipod. I've always been a keyboard fanatic, so I figured I might as well get into headphones as well considering I spend a lot of time on the computer (~12 hours a day) due to work/life style. I'm really interested in an open or closed set of headphones that might align with the following specifications:

• ~$300
  I have plenty of money to throw around so I don't really have a hard limit set on my budget but 300 is comfortable for me right now.
• Currently have no amp
  Although I have no amp, I would be interested in getting one now/down the line as I become more learned in the audio trade.
• Primarily listening to electronic, house, trance, alternative, screamo, jpop, kpop
  I do listen to almost all genres, but these are my primaries.
• Must be very comfortable
  As I mentioned above, I will be wearing these for 12 hours a day so they must be absolutely comfortable.
• Will be going into the back of a computer with no sound card, or directly into an iPod
  This means I probably won't have a whole lot of power to drive a pair of headphones.
• No speakers
  Don't know if this is relevant, but I don't own a single speaker.

Some headphones I've presently been reviewing are:
ATH AD900
Sennheiser 558
Sennheiser 598
Sennheiser 600
Sennheiser 650
Grado SR225i
AKG 702/1 (would need to buy an amp as well)
The only amp I've really considered is the Fiio e7 and then the e9 down the road to combine them.
With all this info, what are Head-Fi's thoughts?



 

ATH-AD900 40-Ohm, Senn HD-558/598 50-Ohm, will work with computer on board sound and iPod.
Senn HD-600/650 300-Ohm, will need a headphone amplifier.
 
 
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Hey everyone :]. New here to head-fi.
 
I'm looking for a pair of headphones that can sound great for music, but can also work for playing games and watching films and such. I've been told by my buddy its better to get headphones that are open, non-isolating, and have a large soundstage. He recommended the Audio Technica ATH-AD700s.
 
Would those be my best choice? I really liked the Audio Technica M50s before his recommendation. I listen to all types of music, so I can't really pinpoint, but when I listen to hip-hop, I like a hard bass and the sounds of the snares and such with rock. I'm just not sure how those would sound with video games.
 
Thanks a ton guys!

If you're a competitive FPS gamer, you will want to lean towards an open headphone with lean bass. If you're a more casual gamer, other choices are fine. If you can find it within budget, I'd suggest the AD900.
 

 
Quote:

Hey,

 

I really need an advice now.

 

I don't know what to choose between Sennheiser HD 25 and Sennheiser PXC 310.

 

I've listened to Senn HD 25 SP and BOSE QC 3 and was pretty surprised by Bose's noise cancelling technology. I didn't have the chance to try Senn's NoiseGuard yet so I can't pronounce myself. I'm going to tell you what I'm looking for and probably you might be able to help me.

 

I want the headphones with the clearest sound (between Senn Hd 25 and PXC 310, obviously), which don't have any distortions at a high volume and which I don't have to press with my hands for a better sound quality.

 

Thanks, I would greatly appreciate if someone could enlighten me.

 

Cheers.

 

P.S. Just wanted to say that I've tried Beats and they are crap.

I generally find Senn's noise cancelling better than Bose's.
 
The HD25-1-ii has very strong passive isolation without needing to use active circuitry which can detract from your sound quality.
 


Quote:

 
I'm gearing towards closed headphones. Which means I may go for the ATH M50. One that particularly caught my intrest, which lies in my price range that's also closed back and if I decide to buy one next year, is the V-Moda Crossfade M-80 but i'm not sure if that suits my type of music I listed in my previous post.

The M80 has mediocre isolation; if you're looking for closed then stick with the M50.
 

 
Quote:

Hey all, I didn't think I would need advice so soon after I bought my AKG 240 stutio, but here I am!!!
 
I bought the K240 a few weeks ago and has been listening to them since then, everyday. I absolutely love them ,the soundstage is really amazing for 100 bucks, and the bass is enough for me. However, due to its semi-open structure and its marketing position, I think i'm ready to go one step above, meaning < $300 pair.
 
My main musics are: hiphop, pop, foreign music, old classic rock, some classical music. However I am really not a bass head and I really feel overwhelming with 2 hours of boom boom paws....
 
I have narrowed down to two choices, if i go closed, it will be DT 1350 (for its portability) , if I go open, it will be AKG K701.
I'm also interested in sennheiser, but don't know how I will like its hd598 (hd 650 and 600 are a bit out of my budget)
 
Any suggestion is welcomed, such as ultrasone, however please elaborate a little since I have very limited knowledge on them.
 
My setup currently is: Sager Notebook, iphone 4, Fiio E10 and Fiio E9, and I don't see upgrading those in the next 6 months
 
 

 
All three of your choices there run fairly neutral in terms of sound. I say go for the DT1350 to have something different and portable.
 
 
Quote:

Quote:

Why are those Ultrasone models particularly recommended? Couldn't find an entry for them on head-fi.
 
I was also looking at the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 - anyone have thoughts on this one for the above criteria?
 

Those Ultrasones are a couple of the non-bassy ones and generally regarded as well balanced or with a strong mid-treble range for good detailing.
 
The M50 is a decent all-rounder, though personally I'm a little tired of all the hype it gets here.

 
Quote:

Hi, I'm looking for a second pair of headphones to accompany my HD-25's. They're a great pair of headphones and are good for rock, but now I'd like something that's almost the opposite. I'd like headphones with a large soundstage and a bit more thump to the bass (but still crisp, and not muddled). So, in list form:
 
- Circumaural
- Closed
- Comfortable for long periods of listening - (I used to have the Beats and (disregarding the music quality) I found the weight of the headphones to become annoying after listening for a while)
- Large soundstage
- Heavy, but crisp bass
- Preferably below $200, but that's up for consideration
 
Thanks for any advice
 
 

Perhaps an Ultrasone? Just not the HFi580 or Pro750/900 as those might be overly bassy and not crisp enough.
 


Quote:

please help me to decide what to buy!!!!!!
 
i listen to metal and dubstep.
 
my headphone choices are:
 
1) Grado sr60i
2) Sony ZX700
3) Philips SHL5800
 
all them have the same price here in the philippines so that's why i chose them.
thanks in advance

The Sony is probably the better all-round choice.
 

 
Quote:

I'm about to purchase the Beats by Dre headphones but so many people claim there are others just as good or better for a cheaper price. Can you guys give me examples to check out?
 
I'm looking for 4 key things:
 
1) Noise cancellation. Since i will be wearing these on the go this is important.
 
2) Bass. 99.99 percent of my music collection is hiphop and downtempo so I'm a big fan of this.
 
3) Nuances and intricate sounds. As mentioned above, I listen to downtempo so i would like headphones that could bring out sounds that I wouldnt notice on average headphones.
 
4) Style. Since I will be wearing these outdoors i'm looking for something that looks good. I'd also prefer something small and not too bulky if possible.

The Beats don't do noise cancellation very well, the bass is strong but sloppy, the detailing is mediocre at best... but hey they've at least one one out of four.
 
Alternatives to look at (without active noise cancellation circuitry, but with good passive isolation):
Audio Technica Pro700mk2 (aka Denon HP1000)
Shure 840
Ultrasone HFi580, Pro700, Pro900
Sony XB500/700

 
Quote:

Looking for closed headphones that excel in mids and trebles with a good soundstage. I do not care about bass at all. Looking for a similar sound signature to CK10 or HD600. Comfort is important and isolation would be nice. I am looking to spend $100-300.
 
The m50 had too much bass and lacked the treble I was looking for. I also found it uncomfortable because i have a big head. HD25-1 had too small of a sound signature for me.
 
I was thinking SRH840 or 940, but it seems like I am looking for the 940 because of its treble. Anyone else have any other suggestions?

 
Indeed, the Shure 940 sounds like a good choice for you. Perhaps also consider the Sony 7509 or 7520
 

 
Quote:

I've tried to figure out more information through the search function but alas;
 
I'm curious on what a good amp/dac would be for a pair of Audio Technica Pro700 MKII's. I wish I had more time to research this personally, as I am quite OCD about my audiophile purchases, I just don't have the time with school and work. This setup will be exclusively used either on my desktop or laptop. I do intentionally want it a bit bass biased (hence the headphones). I am mostly going to be listening to dance/house/downtempo/mashup. Think of stuff along the lines of deadmau5 or Daft Punk. I know the combination of cans+amp/dac is crucial, so if any of you could mention any recommendations, I would love you long time.
 
 
The one I had in mind myself was: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audinst-HUD-mx1-Hi-Fi-USB-Audio-DAC-/170651799290?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27bba3cefa
 
Also contemplated an E10 or 11. What do you guys think? Is this a decent match?
 
 
Ideally anything 200$ or less is what I'd be looking for.

The Pro700mk2 is not a particularly difficult can to drive; just about any half-decent amp/dac should be able to provide enough voltage and current swing. Just choose based on features and budget.
 


Quote:

Hello there, this is my first post here and I can't choose between these headphones:
 
ATH-M50
HD 518
SRH440
 
I have done a lot of research about these and still can't make up my mind.
I listen to almost every genre of music so it needs to be a "jack of all trades" headphone.
I will use them at home most of the time. I also have a fiio e5(if that will help).
The problem is the price of the m50 from where I live is double that of the 440 and the 518 is cheaper by 2000 PHP(about $40) compared to the m50.
 
What should I buy from these?
 
 

 
Since you're at home, you can probably get away with open headphones. Is the 558 available within budget?
 


Quote:

Hello, I'm a huge noob when it comes to these things and I would like to ask for some advise. Pardon me for the long post.
 
 
I want to buy a certain vintage headphone but I was wondering if I can mod it up? I recently fell in love with those Pioneer SE-L40. I like it for the looks and I wouldn't be anal about the sound. Will it be possible to replace certain parts of it in the future if it ever breaks down? I mean it's an old headphone so I doubt it will be rock solid. I also want to know the sound quality of these.
 
 
BTW I listen to  Rap, Hip-hop, Kpop, R&B
 
 
Thank you

That's a pretty niche question about vintage headphones... you're better off doing a separate search or starting your own thread for that one.
 
In general yes you can replace just about anything; it just depends how much work and/or money you're willing to put into it.
 


Quote:

 
Hello,
 
I am looking for the best quality sound that can be had for around $100. I say "sound" rather than specify a particular headphone type because I don't care what it is, only that it gets me the best sound quality at my price point. The two decent pairs of headphones I have owned are the portapros and Sennheiser 202's, but I am looking for better.
 
I will be listening primarily to rock, though I also listen to some musical/movie soundtracks, classical, jazz & jazz/rock fusion, etc. I say that my budget is $100 but I would like to spend less if, for example, there is some pair of headphones for $80 that's better than everything available for ~$100.
 
I have seen the typical suggestions, like the ath-m50's, but I am not quite sure which of the good ~$100 buys is best suited for me.

Sony V6
Shure 440
 
 
Quote:

Hello head-fi! I'm going to buy a new pair of headphones soon. I own a Senn PX200-II and I really enjoy them, especially for classical music and acoustic stuff like Andy McKee and Don Ross, though my main genre is metal, and I'm a bit of a basshead when it comes to that. I listen to bands like Meshuggah, Opeth, Slayer, Symphony X, Nevermore (as you see a quite varied choice of metal) and I want a tight, punchy (and booming) bass, but not at the expense of mids and highs. However I'd gladly accept a low-focused headphone overshadowing the two. My main choices are at the point:

The XB500

The ATH-M50

The HD-25 (http://www.sahibinden.com/ilan/alisveris-muzikal-enstruman-dj-studyo-ekipmanlari-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-profi-dj-kulakligi-63709581/detay/? do the pics look authentical? The price is waaay low compared to others in the site)

And

The XB700 (But for almost twice the money as the XB500)

The SR80i (ONLY if it's a pure golden pick as its open and I'll listen to the cans in public)

The AH-D1100 (HEAVILY overpriced though)

Beyer DT770 Pro (See above)

I'll drive the phones from my iphone through a FiiO e5.

So what would you recommend? These are almost all I have access to actually since I live in Turkey.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you very much!

If the price of the HD25 is too good to be true, it probably is. Given what you're looking for, the M50 is probably the best choice.
 

 
Quote:

Hello Head-Fi! I'm currently an audiophile newbie as I've been using cheap headphones and headsets for the past years when listening to music on my computer/ipod. I've always been a keyboard fanatic, so I figured I might as well get into headphones as well considering I spend a lot of time on the computer (~12 hours a day) due to work/life style. I'm really interested in an open or closed set of headphones that might align with the following specifications:

• ~$300
  I have plenty of money to throw around so I don't really have a hard limit set on my budget but 300 is comfortable for me right now.
• Currently have no amp
  Although I have no amp, I would be interested in getting one now/down the line as I become more learned in the audio trade.
• Primarily listening to electronic, house, trance, alternative, screamo, jpop, kpop
  I do listen to almost all genres, but these are my primaries.
• Must be very comfortable
  As I mentioned above, I will be wearing these for 12 hours a day so they must be absolutely comfortable.
• Will be going into the back of a computer with no sound card, or directly into an iPod
  This means I probably won't have a whole lot of power to drive a pair of headphones.
• No speakers
  Don't know if this is relevant, but I don't own a single speaker.

Some headphones I've presently been reviewing are:
ATH AD900
Sennheiser 558
Sennheiser 598
Sennheiser 600
Sennheiser 650
Grado SR225i
AKG 702/1 (would need to buy an amp as well)
The only amp I've really considered is the Fiio e7 and then the e9 down the road to combine them.
With all this info, what are Head-Fi's thoughts?
 

Audio Technica Pro700mk2
Ultrasone Pro750/900
 

 
Quote:

Hello pros, and hopefully, would-be bros.
 
I am finally ready to pull the trigger and enter the wonderful, and wallet-hurting, world of audiophilia.
 
I've done some research and reading around to guess what's the best I can do for a first 'real' headphones I'll ever own.
 
A little background on what I'll intend to do and my environment. I will mainly use it on my laptop for mostly everything remotely possible: about 45% music listening, 30% watching anime/movies/series, and the other is playing PC games. 
 
I mostly listen to whatever is good, except hard hitting, in your face bass, current trend of 'music' and dubstep. I also enjoy the vocals and how it blends together with the instruments in the song, though I have no preferences of either male or female vocals; I love it both. Also I love the OSTs from some of the anime I watch, and from some games too. Some example would be anything from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, the very calming songs from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei; from games, almost all of Assassin's Creed songs and most of Bastion's songs.
 
For games, I mostly only play single-player focused games. The only online multiplayer game I ever play regularly is League of Legends; and even that I seem to be playing less. I still do need positional accuracy, because I can't count for how many times I died to a sabercat or a bear in Skyrim just because I can't discern where it came from. I don't play a lot of FPS, mostly because my twitch is not fast enough, and am bored with the modern shooter theme, TBH.
 
And the environment I live in: a dorm. Simple: this means that an open-backed headphones is out of the question, as I don't want to disturb my slumbering friends with my hacking of bandits in Skyrim.
 
I'm looking for headphones less than 3000 rubles (that's roughly around $96, to be easier lets make it $100). And so far, I have narrow it down to around 4 headphones:

1. AKG K77 (1581 ruble ~ $50) - this caught my eye once while I was in the train to class.
2. Creative Aurvana Live! (2429 rub ~ $78) - this is based on Mad Lust Envy's guide.
3. Steelseries Siberia v2 (2353 rub ~ $76) - this one is mostly based on Steggy's reviews. I find the mic handy as I frequently Skype-call my parents, and less frequently, hook up to TeamSpeak for some LoL games with my friends. 
4. Sony MDR XB500 (1648 rubles ~ $53) - this is the only headphones I have tried personally, and as far as my ears are concerned, they don't sound too bassy, can run at hurtful volume on my now-lost Clip+ and very very comfortable.
5. (These are actually on sale until Dec 14th, just one day before my birthday. This would make a great present for myself lol)

 
Oh and I have a Senn HD 218 as my daily driver of everything. I would like to hear the thoughts and opinions of you guys before I pull the trigger, and if there are better headphones than the ones I listed, I'll consider it too. 
 
Looking forward for the replies.

Go for the CAL or the XB500. Since you've actually heard the XB500, lean towards that one rather than spend money on an unknown.
 

 
Quote:

[size=medium]So I received my FiiO E9 and it didn’t really seem to do anything for the bass in the HD 598. They do sound better but nothing mind blowing, wasn’t really expecting that though. I’m going to keep the E9 though because it means I have an amp now.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Anyone have any recommendations for a headphone that sounds similar to the 598 but with a more “punchier” bass?[/size]
 
[size=medium]I owned the Premium DT990 and really liked their sound but the high treble gave me headaches.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Thanks for your help.[/size]

Perhaps the Beyer DT880?

 

[raynorx]

Audio Technica Pro700mk2
Ultrasone Pro750/900

I was under the impression closed head phones weren't beneficial comparatively to open if you don't intend to isolate. Is this not true?