[imackler]

If you don't care about portable, I'd nix the portables from your list. There is always a trade off between portable and sound quality; you're performance to price ratio is almost always improved if you're not buying portable. Do you need a close pair of cans or will open work?
Quote:

I'm interested in buying a headphone to listen to electronic music - Hardstyle exclusively. I don't plan to use it outside home, so I don't care about portability. The models I have in mind are: ATH M-50, Sennheiser HD-1 II, Ultrasone PRO 750, Ultrasone HFI-580 and Denon AHD2000. All I care about is sound quality and the price can be from $200 to 400$.

[size=1.7em]  [/size]

 

 

[dougprx128]

It doesn't matter. It can be a open can. And talking about the models I said before, which of them would be the best choice?

 

[Vanya993]

Missed this somehow, perhaps I'll be able to get some attention here...
 
I've had a pair of MDR V6's for about a year and a half now, being my first pair of 'nice' headphones. Now, though, I'm looking to make an upgrade to something more impressive. I've narrowed down my decision more or less I suppose, I'm looking very strongly at getting Grado SR225i's. I've also been eying the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro, Sennheiser 558, Shure 840, and I suppose the ATH M50s although they have a much worse reputation here than I expected.
Basically I'm looking something that will do pretty much everything better than my MDR V6's as I'm spending over twice as much as I originally payed for them. They'll be fed by the line out on an iPod Classic running through a FiiO E7 amp, so I'm not sure but I don't imagine I'll have enough, or at least most of the way enough, power to drive most cans in this range.
Realistically about 60%-70% of what I listen to would fall under an umbrella of 'rock---folk' or somewhere there about, but as I don't listen to that exclusively I'd like to have a bit of versatility, between intimate folky stuff, detail for baroque fugue-y and layered kind of stuff, big sound for more post-rock and sound-scapey stuff. I'd kind of like closed backs but I'd really like an improved soundstage and the other advantages brought to the table by open backs. As you can see I'm pretty up in the air.
The Grados really seem nice but I'm having reservations about comfort. I'd also like headphones with a pretty nice soundstage, and Grados are a bit claustrophobic from what I've read.
Granted, that's in comparison to that price range I would think. Anything with a soundstage a fair bit larger than my V6's would be alright with me. Is that a realistic expectation for the Grados...?
I guess I'm a bit all-over the place with expectations, which is why I say I'm just looking for something better than the V6's primarily. When I first listened to them it was an epiphany, and I want to get as close as I can as possible to that again.

 

 

[Maxvla]

Not really looking for anything that portable. I am also not looking for closed headphones as my m-80s aren't closed headphones. As long as the sound leakage isn't worse than my current headphones it is fine and like I said, the m-80's aren't good so it is very easy to meet that standard.

I don't mind carrying around bigger headphones anyways since I usually just go to places and then setup for listening on my laptop so portability is not a concern unless you are saying that those two headphones are extra large? 

Advice Mr. 50xxxxxxx gave you is good. You want closed headphones or in ear monitors. He's also right that you aren't going to find a whole lot better than the M-80 that are truly sealed but also have better sound, at least from full size headphones. My recommendation would be to look into in ear monitors (IEMs). You can get excellent sound for not a lot of money and they are inherently sealed (or very close to it, to where it doesn't matter) so you won't leak sound at all and you'll get even better isolation from outside noise than with full size sealed headphones.

The customs suggestion might be jumping the gun a bit, there are certainly IEMs at lower prices that sound better than the M-80. I personally made the jump from $150 IEMs to customs so I don't have any experience in between, but I'm sure there are some out there. My $150 IEMs (Hifiman RE-262) I would say are as good or maybe slightly better than the M80s depending on preference. They sound very different, but both great again depending on what you like. There are a TON of IEMs out there so have fun searching and experiencing

 

[TheCheshire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eSMxRya2S8

 

[Maxvla]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eSMxRya2S8

HD598

 

[gunnerwholelife]

Quote:

 

 
Ty for help !!
 
I am going to pass on HFI 780 as the cable is too long + i didnt like the shinny finish.
 
I am fixed about ath m50 and also I am going to get Beyerdynamic DT250/DT280 replacement velour pads to increase comfort level.
 
Now just tell me are the m50 balanced enough ?
See what I want to know is if I burn them with metal songs only like metallica ... their bass wont bloom that much but highs will right ?
 
I want them to be versatile + fun to listen to + not revealing .
^ they satisfy all conditions ?
 
Please help me this last time bro !!
I am so excited now !!

 

[JdmKicks94]

Hi guys, could someone give me some advice? I am new to the whole audiophile and am looking into buying my first set of audiophile headphones. I mostly listen to Rock, Rap, and R&B and my budget is anything under $200. Also it doesn't matter if they are open or closed headphones, as I will only be using them at home. It would also be nice if someone could pair the headphones up with a nice amp to compliment them, and could work well with an iPhone 4s

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Would like to know between m-80 vs crossfade lp.  or should I just wait for the m-100?

Crossfade LPs are muddy and bassier, also over-ear. The M80s are better, if you can deal with the comfort of on-ears, but I have no idea about the M100s.
 


Quote:

Still need help finding a set of PC gaming cans..
http://www.head-fi.org/t/529144/buying-headphones-seeking-guidance-dont-start-a-new-thread-ask-for-advice-here/13035#post_8230208
 
Open or Closed, I'm really just looking for a good balance between bass and soundstage, which seems to be the toughest combo to get just right.
 
My budget is around $300.
 
I value immersive gameplay more than pinpoint sound location accuracy, but would like a good mixture of both.
 
Also willing to get a DAC/Amp if it's necessary/beneficial.
 
Headphones I've been looking at:
 
DT770
DT880
DT990
(pro? premium? 80 ohm? 250 ohm? really don't know the differences here)
 
AKG (701? 702?)
AKG 550
 
Willing to take more advice on different cans..
 
Also, is there a DAC that can be mounted in a PC?
 
Thanks for any help.
 
EDIT:
Would really prefer Circumaural as well..
Also, been looking at ATH-A700 vs A900

Sennheiser HD598?
 


Quote:

I'm interested in buying a headphone to listen to electronic music - Hardstyle exclusively. I don't plan to use it outside home, so I don't care about portability. The models I have in mind are: ATH M-50, Sennheiser HD-1 II, Ultrasone PRO 750, Ultrasone HFI-580 and Denon AHD2000. All I care about is sound quality and the price can be from $200 to 400$.

[size=1.7em]  [/size]

For electronic, I assume you're looking for some bigger bass, so closed seems to be the way to go. All of those are pretty good choices, but as a previous poster mentioned, portables can have some tradeoffs, one of the most noticeable being comfort. So if that's an issue maybe the D2000s would be the best.
 


Quote:

Missed this somehow, perhaps I'll be able to get some attention here...
 
I've had a pair of MDR V6's for about a year and a half now, being my first pair of 'nice' headphones. Now, though, I'm looking to make an upgrade to something more impressive. I've narrowed down my decision more or less I suppose, I'm looking very strongly at getting Grado SR225i's. I've also been eying the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro, Sennheiser 558, Shure 840, and I suppose the ATH M50s although they have a much worse reputation here than I expected.
Basically I'm looking something that will do pretty much everything better than my MDR V6's as I'm spending over twice as much as I originally payed for them. They'll be fed by the line out on an iPod Classic running through a FiiO E7 amp, so I'm not sure but I don't imagine I'll have enough, or at least most of the way enough, power to drive most cans in this range.
Realistically about 60%-70% of what I listen to would fall under an umbrella of 'rock---folk' or somewhere there about, but as I don't listen to that exclusively I'd like to have a bit of versatility, between intimate folky stuff, detail for baroque fugue-y and layered kind of stuff, big sound for more post-rock and sound-scapey stuff. I'd kind of like closed backs but I'd really like an improved soundstage and the other advantages brought to the table by open backs. As you can see I'm pretty up in the air.
The Grados really seem nice but I'm having reservations about comfort. I'd also like headphones with a pretty nice soundstage, and Grados are a bit claustrophobic from what I've read.
Granted, that's in comparison to that price range I would think. Anything with a soundstage a fair bit larger than my V6's would be alright with me. Is that a realistic expectation for the Grados...?
I guess I'm a bit all-over the place with expectations, which is why I say I'm just looking for something better than the V6's primarily. When I first listened to them it was an epiphany, and I want to get as close as I can as possible to that again.

 

Have you heard any Grados? Their sound is very colored, and it generally seems to be a love-it or hate-it thing. So if you haven't heard them, might want to go demo a pair before you drop $200+. From your choices, I think I'd look into the 558s as a good all-around can, but only as long as you don't plan of using them portably.
 


Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnerwholelife 
 
Ty for help !!
 
I am going to pass on HFI 780 as the cable is too long + i didnt like the shinny finish.
 
I am fixed about ath m50 and also I am going to get Beyerdynamic DT250/DT280 replacement velour pads to increase comfort level.
 
Now just tell me are the m50 balanced enough ?
See what I want to know is if I burn them with metal songs only like metallica ... their bass wont bloom that much but highs will right ?
 
I want them to be versatile + fun to listen to + not revealing .
^ they satisfy all conditions ?
 
Please help me this last time bro !!
I am so excited now !!

TBH, I'm not sure you can really change the sound signature that noticeably by burning it in with different music, but maybe that's something for the sound science thread. Also FYI the M50 cable is just as long, though they aren't as shiny. They are pretty versatile, however.
 


Quote:

Hi guys, could someone give me some advice? I am new to the whole audiophile and am looking into buying my first set of audiophile headphones. I mostly listen to Rock, Rap, and R&B and my budget is anything under $200. Also it doesn't matter if they are open or closed headphones, as I will only be using them at home. It would also be nice if someone could pair the headphones up with a nice amp to compliment them, and could work well with an iPhone 4s

Are you looking for big bass, or would you be willing to trade enhanced bass for better soundstaging? Closed headphones will give you the harder-hitting bass, but open ones have the upper hand in soundstage and such. Some to look into for now would be the M50/HFI780/580s, etc, SRH840/HM5, HD558, Grados, etc. They all sound pretty different, so it will come down to personal preference. Fiio makes some nice entry-level portable amps (E7/11/17) that could be worth looking into.
 

 

[Cityscapego]

Hey guys, thought I'd just ask my question here (even though it will be at least half a year before I have the cash to follow up on my burning desires

):
 
I am looking to upgrade from the ATH M50s;
I do not want portability, isolation or domineering (to the detriment of the mids/highs) bass, these shouldn't even factor;
I want to try something very new to me - namely an open back headphone with really quality soundstage both in depth and positioning;
I would appreciate rich detail over impact, especially in mids and highs;
I do not, however, want overly bright headphones (although, if recomended, I suppose I could always just EQ);
I want, above all, clarity and precision;
And, most important of all, I want to spend around $600 (can be more if the value of, say a $680 is sufficient to justify the expense).
 
Don't worry about an amp, I will have to save more for that (hopefully not too long as by then I should be working), but until then I will be running all my phones off the Essence ST's (apparently mediocre) amp.
 
I have been seriously considering the HD650s, but I'm also worried I won't be able to 1) get the Zu cable/cable upgrade, 2) that they are overly bright (I'm quite sensitive) and 3) that they are seriously tough to properly (quality wise) amplify to the point of spending like another $500 simply for the amp/dac. Are these fears legitimized?
 
Any advice is, as always, much appreciated.
 
Best,

 

[Hakone]

OK, so I thought I had it all figured out. What I am looking for is a complimentary set to my Stax 3030II set to (preferably) be driven directly from my Benchmark DAC-1s headphone amp.
 
Based on descriptions I read the D2000s would be a perfect fit, so I brought my laptop and DAC-1 to audition some Denons.
What I found was that the D2000s were nice and had a lot of what I was looking for, but something was very off. The treble was way overpowered. At moderate to high-ish volumes the treble was painfully overpowering.
I believe this is an extreme case of bad synergy as I actually find the K701s very enjoyable directly from the DAC-1, and never experience the same harsh treble with this combo.

 
Still I yearn for a set with more bass than the K701s and the 3030II set and a bit more controlled bass than the DT770s. The set should probably have at least laid-back, maybe even recessed highs to have the  best synergy with the DAC-1s bright amp. Any experience here is greatly appreciated.
The music I will use this for is mostly Trip-hop, downtempo and chillout and the occasional spot of DnB.  Artists include Bonobo, Emancipator, Thievery Corporation, Nujabes, Mr Scruff, Quantic and Kruder & Dorfmeister.
 
I can consider getting a new amp, but I have always found getting new headphones to be more rewarding as this makes the biggest difference.

In advance I thank you for your help in my explorative journey in music and headphones!

 

[DNZGamer]

Quote:

Advice Mr. 50xxxxxxx gave you is good. You want closed headphones or in ear monitors. He's also right that you aren't going to find a whole lot better than the M-80 that are truly sealed but also have better sound, at least from full size headphones. My recommendation would be to look into in ear monitors (IEMs). You can get excellent sound for not a lot of money and they are inherently sealed (or very close to it, to where it doesn't matter) so you won't leak sound at all and you'll get even better isolation from outside noise than with full size sealed headphones.
The customs suggestion might be jumping the gun a bit, there are certainly IEMs at lower prices that sound better than the M-80. I personally made the jump from $150 IEMs to customs so I don't have any experience in between, but I'm sure there are some out there. My $150 IEMs (Hifiman RE-262) I would say are as good or maybe slightly better than the M80s depending on preference. They sound very different, but both great again depending on what you like. There are a TON of IEMs out there so have fun searching and experiencing

When we talk about Noise Isolation, are we talking about me hearing others or other people will hear me with headphones like Grados? 

I guess this will probably not be my portable headset then. I am not a fan of IEMs. I own a klipsch and they hurt my ears after awhile and also I feel like the sound is around me with my m-80s while the IEMs are a little direct. It makes it hard to turn up the volume because I feel like certain properties are drowned out unevenly with my IEMs compared to my m80's. 

Overall, I would love another actual headphone set so if I disregard portability and isolation, what would be a great choice that will outperform my current headphones? I am really leaning towards the Grado RS1i just because people seem to say that it has a unique sound signature to it and if I am gonna get another good headset for just home use, I would love to have something that contrasts my m-80s. The other selections I seem to be leaning towards is the Q701 and the HD650. I want something that will truely give me a different and preferably better experience in most genres except Hip Hop, rap and country, which I don't listen to at all.
 

 

[Maxvla]

Isolation is typically noise from outside trying to get in. Leakage is usually sound your headphone produces going out into the world.

IEMs are really interesting. You've probably seen people talking about all sorts of tips they've tried and it's true, you do have to try out a bunch of tips to see what you need to feel comfortable, but once you find them you are good to go and you can wear them for hours and hours. I personally wear my custom IEMs about 8-10 hours a day with no discomfort at all. Some universals can be even easier to get a comfortable fit than customs, especially if you use the foam tips that you compress then allow to expand and fill your ear gap like a glove.

I haven't heard the RS1, but I have heard the RS2. My comments on those are in the Austin link in my signature. Good cans. Both the Q701 and HD650 will need a beefy amp to not sound dull, but even if you get a great amp the HD650 will still be very dark and the Q701 will be very bright so you've got both ends of the spectrum, with your M80s sitting somewhere in between with a little 'fun' splashed on the frequency response chart.

 

[Peshmerga]

Quote:

Still need help finding a set of PC gaming cans..

Get the premium DT880 250 ohm version.  Plug into the line-out of onboard soundcard.  Go to settings of the Realtek, change line-out to headphone out.
 
I use mines mostly for console gaming.  The soundstage on this is fantastic!  One example that really struck me,  when I was playing Lost Planet 2 on the PS3, and there was this red-alert-alarm sound going off in a space station level. Was so surprised, I actually turn my head around to see where the sound was coming from.  It sounded so real and that it couldn't possibly came from the DT880. 

 
As for the bass, DT880's a neutral pair of cans.  They're not known for its bass.  But for me it's enough, YMMV.

 

[RayleighSilvers]

Can somebody explain this graph to me please.
 

 
The ultrasones are supposed to be bass monsters with a "v" shaped curve but this graph shows the HFI 580 having a very similar frequency response to the shure 940 and the pro 550/780 being mid centric