OK, everyone, here is my situation:
Currently own: AKG K701 + Sennheiser HD650. Using my high-end Onkyo reciever as headphone amp (and its headphone out is very capable, it can drive even the Hifiman HE6s well).
I alternate between the two headphones depending on what style of music I am listening to (701 for classical/acoustic/jazz/experimental, HD650 for rap, electronic, rock, basically anything bass heavy).
I am not happy with either headphone: I mourn the lack of bass impact on the K701, but mourn the HD650's dearth of soundstage, imaging, and top-end clarity that are the K701's strengths.
- Thusly I am in the process of determining a suitable headphone upgrade that combines the strengths of both of these headphones. I am leaning (heavily) towards the Beyerdynamics T1.
-Also considering the Hifiman HE500, but, from what I understand, their soundstage will not be as good as the T1. Is this true???
- Audeze are out of the question (can't afford the LCD3, and the LCD2 do not have the wide open soundstage that I like about the K701s. Furthermore, I am not interested in leather earpads; I prefer velour)
-Sennheiser HD800 don't have the bass that I love about the HD650s, thus they are out of the question. HD 700 don't seem to offer comparable bass performance either.
-Grados are out of the question (I find them overpriced, especially their higher-end models)
-Not interested in Audio-Technica or Denon
To reiterate: are the Beyerdynamic T1 my solution headphone - my ideal replacement for both the 701s AND the HD650s? Or are the Hifiman 500's also a worthy alternative, despite their smaller soundstage? I would also consider the Hifiman HE6's, but I will buying used, and I have not seen too many used HE6's for sale.
Edit: would it be a sin to repost this somewhere on the Summit-Fi board, since it seems that I am mainly considering Summit-fi grade headphones here? If I do not get enough helpful responses on this thread I will repost this on that board.
