[Tripod8]

I've been searching for a while now, and while there's a TON of information on this site, there's not necessarily a comparison between these couple of choices that I have in mind. So really I'm just looking for some recommendations / more info.
 
I already have a pair of HD25-II that I use as my portable-on-the-go type headphones and while I enjoy them, they're missing out on certain elements that I'd like to enjoy but have to sacrifice for the mobility/convenience.
Other headphones I've listened to like the ATH-M50 and the ATH-A900, have had a bigger soundstage, so there is a nice level of seperation between the instruments and voice, which I became a bit envious of.
 
So with that being said I'm now looking for a pair at home use. I would assume that an Open Back headphone would naturally have a bigger soundstage then the ones that I have dealt with(and better SQ in general), but I'm just trying to gather what would be best for me.
 
I'm looking to spend anywhere from $100-250ish lol, I currently have Fiio E7 that I use with my Laptop. I mean I wouldn't mind spending some more money for an E9 to pair with but it's all a work in progress. In terms of music choices, I listen to just about everything from Classic, Pop, RnB, Hip Hop, Rock, House - So if it exist, perhaps a good All-Arounder haha
 
From what I gathered these are some solid contenders;
-Sennheiser HD 595
-Sennheiser HD 598 (is it worth it the extra $70? I know they said SQ is BIT better, but comfort is much better)
-Audio Technica AD-900 - enough bass?
-Beyerdynamic DT880(not sure about pro/ohm'age) / Maybe990(?)
-Ultrasone HFI-2400 - on sale at amazon!
-Grado SR225
-Sennheiser HD580/600* - Used/Refurbs?
 
If its any correlation, I live in Canada, so I'd be paying North American prices on most of these.
 
Please let me know if you've been in my shoes and what you went with / the outcome. Or if you have better alternatives - and reasons why.
 
Thank you so much you knowledgeable hifi'ers

!
(sorry I wrote so much!)

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/dealers/Sennheiser_MAP_Policy_2012.pdf
DAFUQ?!?  Grado has done this, but price was a good thing for Sennheiser IMO.

 It's probably too early to tell if this is good or not for Sennheiser.  Of course we would need there internal sales and profit information & projections, which we're just as likley to get from Eric Holder.
 
Grado is a much smaller, family owned fish in the pond with a more limited product line.  Grado relies much more on U.S. sales  They are not comparable to Senn.
 
What we know is that, by all but eliminating price competition, Senn's MAP has not been a good thing for the consumer.  It is also a very risky thing to slap on during bad economic times.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

I've been searching for a while now, and while there's a TON of information on this site, there's not necessarily a comparison between these couple of choices that I have in mind. So really I'm just looking for some recommendations / more info.
 
I already have a pair of HD25-II that I use as my portable-on-the-go type headphones and while I enjoy them, they're missing out on certain elements that I'd like to enjoy but have to sacrifice for the mobility/convenience.
Other headphones I've listened to like the ATH-M50 and the ATH-A900, have had a bigger soundstage, so there is a nice level of seperation between the instruments and voice, which I became a bit envious of.
 
So with that being said I'm now looking for a pair at home use. I would assume that an Open Back headphone would naturally have a bigger soundstage then the ones that I have dealt with(and better SQ in general), but I'm just trying to gather what would be best for me.
 
I'm looking to spend anywhere from $100-250ish lol, I currently have Fiio E7 that I use with my Laptop. I mean I wouldn't mind spending some more money for an E9 to pair with but it's all a work in progress. In terms of music choices, I listen to just about everything from Classic, Pop, RnB, Hip Hop, Rock, House - So if it exist, perhaps a good All-Arounder haha
 
From what I gathered these are some solid contenders;
-Sennheiser HD 595
-Sennheiser HD 598 (is it worth it the extra $70? I know they said SQ is BIT better, but comfort is much better)
-Audio Technica AD-900 - enough bass?
-Beyerdynamic DT880(not sure about pro/ohm'age) / Maybe990(?)
-Ultrasone HFI-2400 - on sale at amazon!
-Grado SR225
-Sennheiser HD580/600* - Used/Refurbs?
 
If its any correlation, I live in Canada, so I'd be paying North American prices on most of these.
 
Please let me know if you've been in my shoes and what you went with / the outcome. Or if you have better alternatives - and reasons why.
 
Thank you so much you knowledgeable hifi'ers

!
(sorry I wrote so much!)

There's one easy way to approach this.  Only 2 1/2 cans on this list were ever the highly regarded flagships of their respective lines and competed at the top of the headphone world with AKG.
 
These are the Beyer DT 880 (the Pros are essentially the same thing for sound purposes) and the Senn HD 580/600 (they are very similar with the 600 being the higher model and the one that is still in production).  All have a good sound stage.  Which do you like better--the Beyer or the Senn?  
 
Unless you get the DT 880 Pro 250 Ohm on a good deal, you will probably have to buy used or refurbished (based on U.S. street prices).

 

[KittyLaBamBam]

Sweet, there is a thread for this...Just hope my query doesn't get lost in amongst it all...
Looking for headphones for daily commute (bus/train) and plane trips:
- Isolation and comfort are two most important factors (block out engines, screaming kids etc.; and to be worn for long durations).
- To be used with iPod and Toshiba laptop.
- Listening preferences are difficult to narrow down (I listen to virtually every genre of music, bar some...like country...:s). I would have to say genres that get most play time are electronic (trance/dubstep/dance/house/DnB/etc), rock, and metal. Love bass, but I don't love it over-powering everything else.
- $300 is absolute limit for budget.
- Hopefully easy to clean (sounds gross, but my ears produce phenomenal amounts of wax, even with daily cleaning).
After hours and hours...and hours....of trawling through threads on here, I managed to (sort of) narrow it down to IEMs...Vsonic, Westone and Etymotics are coming up a fair bit (in my lists and everyone elses recommendations)...But also looking at a few others...
Please help...I've hit a wall in my research and I need to get a hold these babies fast fast fast before my next trip in a week or so...!!!
Cheers!

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Sweet, there is a thread for this...Just hope my query doesn't get lost in amongst it all...
Looking for headphones for daily commute (bus/train) and plane trips:
- Isolation and comfort are two most important factors (block out engines, screaming kids etc.; and to be worn for long durations).
- To be used with iPod and Toshiba laptop.
- Listening preferences are difficult to narrow down (I listen to virtually every genre of music, bar some...like country...:s). I would have to say genres that get most play time are electronic (trance/dubstep/dance/house/DnB/etc), rock, and metal. Love bass, but I don't love it over-powering everything else.
- $300 is absolute limit for budget.
- Hopefully easy to clean (sounds gross, but my ears produce phenomenal amounts of wax, even with daily cleaning).
After hours and hours...and hours....of trawling through threads on here, I managed to (sort of) narrow it down to IEMs...Vsonic, Westone and Etymotics are coming up a fair bit (in my lists and everyone elses recommendations)...But also looking at a few others...
Please help...I've hit a wall in my research and I need to get a hold these babies fast fast fast before my next trip in a week or so...!!!
Cheers!

 If you want IEM's unfortunately you are in the wrong place.  This is the full sized headphone section of the forum.

 

[KittyLaBamBam]

Damnit...My bad, sorry...Long day...

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Damnit...My bad, sorry...Long day...

 NP--good luck at getting some answers with a fresh post.

 

[gchan]

Quote:

Looks good, comfortable and sounds good. I think these will also meet your criteria.
 
http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-On-Ear-Noise-Isolating-Headphone/dp/B007TRUY6C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1340501566&sr=8-3&keywords=v+moda+m+80
 
http://v-moda.com/
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/578207/v-moda-crossfade-m-80-reviews
 
Edit:
Sorry, didn't see full-sized at first. You could wait for the M-100, which are the big brothers of the M-80. They are expected to come out next month. Also, the V-MODA LP2.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Crossfade-Limited-Over-Ear-Noise-Isolating-Headphone/dp/B005HMBQR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1340501747&sr=1-1&keywords=lp2

dam not sure if i can wait that long
 
also the m50s are on sale for 110ish right now not sure if i should just get those or something else

 

[canswe]

Hello! New to this forum and of course like many other newbies looking for a "quick-fix" in terms of info.
Now I was looking at AKG Q701 and Sennheiser HD 598, partially because of the headband (what is that type called? with bows and a 'streched seat').
But most of the info is pointing toward that you really need a good amp with these, so they are not quite what I am looking for.
 
Wants: Good fullsized cans in a 200-300 euro pricerange
Uses: Portable sound for music and desktop, as I don't want to be buying a pair for each.
Gaming
Music (a lot of electronica, not WUB WUB but clear, quality subtones are important)
Highdef movies
Requirements: High quality build
"Bow-type" headband
Low weight and good seating (not falling off when just leaning forward)
 
I'm considering a pair Q701 paired with FiiO E9 + E7 which would give me both portability and a desktop amp!

I'd be very grateful for any advice on the matter.
Cheers, Raoul

 

[ferret141]

Where to start...
I'm 20 years old and have had an interest in technology from as far as I can remember. I've always appreciated quality audio but never had the wallet for it untill I got into my late teens. Back when my knowledge of audio technology was poor (and I still think it is but I'm an eager learner and very interested in how stuff works) I bought a Creative Fatal1ty Analog stereo headset with a Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum Champion Series soundcard which was the best gaming soundcard at the time. I bought it for the X-RAM & 24-bit audio which Battlefield 2 was able to utilize and I played it a lot. When I wasn't listening/playing with my headset I was using a set of Logitech G51 5.1's.
 
Back in October I went to a tech convention where they had computers with the BF3 beta. These had the Creative Soundblaster Arena's. I was amazed at how punchy, light and comfortable they were. That day I went online to look for it's analog sister the Creative Fatal1ty MkII HS-980. Unfortunately most retailers were discontinuing them both but when I think about it now I'm happy because it saved me from a potentially silly purchase (Although my Mark 1's are still plentiful till this day, go figure).
 
After that I felt I needed a new headset/headphone especially since some section of the mic has been broken for over a year (detachable boom still works). That brought me here. I've been meaning to ask for the help of you guys here at Head-Fi for over a year. My trip to America on Tuesday has prompted me to get off my bum and do something.
 
 
Music taste: It varies and I'm diverse. But I tend to cycle through stuff like Linkin Park, System of a Down, Deadmau5, other dubstep, other drum & bass, classic rock, ACDC, J-Pop, J-Rock (Asian Kung-Fu Generation, HIGH AND MIGHTY COLOR), Boom Boom Satellites, Daft Punk.
Current equipment: Creative Fatal1ty Mk1 analog and Logitech G51
Price range: I know you guys apologise to people's wallets beforehand but I hope not to make too big a hole in mine. £100/$200, more if necessary or worthy.
Amp: An amp might not be ideal for me, look below. Nevertheless I would love to be pointed somewhere to learn more about them.
Audio source: At home- Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum Champion Series soundcard
On the go- HTC Desire HD for watching TV shows. Plan to move up to a Samsung Galazy S2/S3.
Track quality: All my music is FLAC where possible otherwise 320Kbps MP3.
Mobility: If size is the question then I have no problem. I ride the train with my current headset (microphone detached) despite the looks I seem get sometimes. But becuase I use it on the train with my phone I don't think an amp will be ideal.
 
I think I would like something with neutral sound. But bass is preferable to treble. If it has a detachable mic then bonus. If not then no mic and I would need advice on a noise-cancelling/directional mic for VOIP. If left to my own devices I think I would have ended up with a gaming headset like the Razer Chacharis but knowing the added hype and price premium on gaming hardware first hand I've come here seeking something better and of more value.
 
Feel free to comment on stuff like my soundcard aswell or tell me for posting in the wrong section if I have.

 

[InRainbows]

dam not sure if i can wait that long

also the m50s are on sale for 110ish right now not sure if i should just get those or something else

just get the m50 man you won't be disappointed I promise

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hello! New to this forum and of course like many other newbies looking for a "quick-fix" in terms of info.
Now I was looking at AKG Q701 and Sennheiser HD 598, partially because of the headband (what is that type called? with bows and a 'streched seat').
But most of the info is pointing toward that you really need a good amp with these, so they are not quite what I am looking for.
 
Wants: Good fullsized cans in a 200-300 euro pricerange
Uses: Portable sound for music and desktop, as I don't want to be buying a pair for each.
Gaming
Music (a lot of electronica, not WUB WUB but clear, quality subtones are important)
Highdef movies
Requirements: High quality build
"Bow-type" headband
Low weight and good seating (not falling off when just leaning forward)
 
I'm considering a pair Q701 paired with FiiO E9 + E7 which would give me both portability and a desktop amp!

I'd be very grateful for any advice on the matter.
Cheers, Raoul

total price around 330 Euros?

 

[cruefan]

I'm looking to get some headphones and finally decided to ask on here. I'd like them to meet the following criteria:

•Preferably on- or around-ear design. Mainly for the next two.
•Somewhat noise-cancelling/isolating.
•Comfortable enough to wear for one or two hours.
•I'd like them to look halfway cool; I'm already asking to be given crap for not getting beats.
• I'm looking to spend no more than $200.
And my most important point:
•They need to sound good with rock music. I listen to a lot of hair metal, alternative, and classic rock. Huge amounts of bass just don't belong.

I know it's a lot to sale for, but you guys know a thing or two more about headphones than I do.

 

[imackler]

Quote:

Hello! New to this forum and of course like many other newbies looking for a "quick-fix" in terms of info.
Now I was looking at AKG Q701 and Sennheiser HD 598, partially because of the headband (what is that type called? with bows and a 'streched seat').
But most of the info is pointing toward that you really need a good amp with these, so they are not quite what I am looking for.
 
Wants: Good fullsized cans in a 200-300 euro pricerange
Uses: Portable sound for music and desktop, as I don't want to be buying a pair for each.
Gaming
Music (a lot of electronica, not WUB WUB but clear, quality subtones are important)
Highdef movies
Requirements: High quality build
"Bow-type" headband
Low weight and good seating (not falling off when just leaning forward)
 
I'm considering a pair Q701 paired with FiiO E9 + E7 which would give me both portability and a desktop amp!

I'd be very grateful for any advice on the matter.
Cheers, Raoul

 
I really wouldn't consider the Q701 portable, unless you mean around the house. You may want to consider closed headphones? 

 

[imackler]

Quote:

I'm looking to get some headphones and finally decided to ask on here. I'd like them to meet the following criteria:
•Preferably on- or around-ear design. Mainly for the next two.
•Somewhat noise-cancelling/isolating.
•Comfortable enough to wear for one or two hours.
•I'd like them to look halfway cool; I'm already asking to be given crap for not getting beats.
• I'm looking to spend no more than $200.
And my most important point:
•They need to sound good with rock music. I listen to a lot of hair metal, alternative, and classic rock. Huge amounts of bass just don't belong.
I know it's a lot to sale for, but you guys know a thing or two more about headphones than I do.

Do they need to be portable?