[KG Jag]

Quote:

I will definietly get a dac+amp though. I am asking for an upgrade from Shure SRH-840 and not a downgrade (hd518 will probably be a downgrade considering its price).

Are you OK with an open can like the HD 518?

 

[daleb]

Im choosing between the q701s, dt880 250 ohm edition, and the Q701s with the Annie Pads. Which one can be run off an E11 and does best with orchestral, vocal and EDM (mainly dubstep) music, and is also good for music production?

(note, to the kind of EDM I listen to and my ears, uppermids and treble are even more important then bass)

 

[BbOO]

Are you OK with an open can like the HD 518?

Yes.

 

[cel4145]

Im choosing between the q701s, dt880 250 ohm edition, and the Q701s with the Annie Pads. Which one can be run off an E11 and does best with orchestral, vocal and EDM (mainly dubstep) music, and is also good for music production?

(note, to the kind of EDM I listen to and my ears, uppermids and treble are even more important then bass)

For information about how those headphones work with a specific amp, best place to find that out is researching and asking questions in the appreciation/owners threads for those phones:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/582276/q701-appreciation-thread
http://www.head-fi.org/t/429371/the-beyerdynamic-dt880-appreciation-discussion-thread

As far as using these headphones for dubstep and EDM, the DT880s have better sub bass response. Otherwise, their sonic signature is a little different and your personal listening preferences are likely to be the deciding factor over which you like better. But once again, those appreciation threads can give you more specific information about how either of those headphones would work with your specific genre interests.

 

[cel4145]

I'm just making sure he buys neither

Regardless, it's important to try to be accurate as people may take any information given here and use it in other purchasing contexts.

 

[daleb]

Quote:

For information about how those headphones work with a specific amp, best place to find that out is researching and asking questions in the appreciation/owners threads for those phones:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/582276/q701-appreciation-thread
http://www.head-fi.org/t/429371/the-beyerdynamic-dt880-appreciation-discussion-thread

As far as using these headphones for dubstep and EDM, the DT880s have better sub bass response. Otherwise, their sonic signature is a little different and your personal listening preferences are likely to be the deciding factor over which you like better. But once again, those appreciation threads can give you more specific information about how either of those headphones would work with your specific genre interests.

I understand the sound signature of the Q701s, but I don't understand the sound signature of the DT880s or the Annies too well. The Annies don't have any charts or graphs so I can't even figure out if it would work as a production tool, and with the DT880s there are people who say they don't work for music at all - completely sterile and unlively. Of course people have also said this about the Q701s, but I at least have been able to figure out how they should sound to me... I really just want to know if its worth getting the DT880s over the Q701s.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Quote:

Are you OK with an open can like the HD 518?

Yes.

Look into the HD 598 and HD 600.
 
Although not warm in sound signature, you should also consider the DT 880.
 
Having an amp puts the last two into play.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Quote:

For information about how those headphones work with a specific amp, best place to find that out is researching and asking questions in the appreciation/owners threads for those phones:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/582276/q701-appreciation-thread
http://www.head-fi.org/t/429371/the-beyerdynamic-dt880-appreciation-discussion-thread

As far as using these headphones for dubstep and EDM, the DT880s have better sub bass response. Otherwise, their sonic signature is a little different and your personal listening preferences are likely to be the deciding factor over which you like better. But once again, those appreciation threads can give you more specific information about how either of those headphones would work with your specific genre interests.

I understand the sound signature of the Q701s, but I don't understand the sound signature of the DT880s or the Annies too well. The Annies don't have any charts or graphs so I can't even figure out if it would work as a production tool, and with the DT880s there are people who say they don't work for music at all - completely sterile and unlively. Of course people have also said this about the Q701s, but I at least have been able to figure out how they should sound to me... I really just want to know if its worth getting the DT880s over the Q701s.

That's just a bit like asking someone to pick you flavor of ice cream.  It's a call you really need to make yourself, preferably after listening to both.  The Head-Fi meet in Dallas coming up in a few weeks might be just the place to do it and to talk with those who know about both cans.

 

[daleb]

Quote:

That's just a bit like asking someone to pick you flavor of ice cream.  It's a call you really need to make yourself, preferably after listening to both.  The Head-Fi meet in Dallas coming up in a few weeks might be just the place to do it and to talk with those who know about both cans.

THERE'S A HEAD-FI MEET IN DALLAS?!
 
Edit: I really hope I can go to this, that would fix all my problems. Why don't we have any stores where you can audition headphones in Dallas?

 

[radioguy1]

Quote:

Here's the thing.  More modern receivers often have poor headphone out sections.  If your HD 595 clips, I would be concerned about the quality and quantity of amplification that you are gettting from your headphone out jack.
 
Assuming that you can properly amp them, Beyer DT 880 Premium 600 Ohm, AKG K 702 Annies or HD 600 (on a bit of a sale) are great choices.
 
The very efficient (as in don't require an amp at all from most devices) Grado SR 325i and Alessandro MS-2i are excellent, although some have comfort issues with these on ear cans.

KG, you really make sense.  My Denon receiver works just fine pumping excellent sounding music out of my speakers, and I'm guessing the speakers play a big role in that--but the receiver does absolutely nothing for my Sennheiser HD 595 headphones.  Maybe I can keep the Denon, get and plug a headphone amp into it, and get the headphones I want, and I'm guessing it should sound better.  Thanks, daleb and cel for your help too!  I have "homework" to do to read up on options.  

 

[BbOO]

Quote:

Look into the HD 598 and HD 600.
 
Although not warm in sound signature, you should also consider the DT 880.
 
Having an amp puts the last two into play.

I have been considering HD 598 (although i hate how they look) and DT-880. But i have also been looking at Q701 and ATH-AD900X. Would these be good alternatives as well?

 

[teknikal90]

Just to make it clear once and for all, in case people in future ask. Beyerdynamic DT880 or DT990 are both suited for ANY, I repeat, ANY genres of music out there, as well as movies, games, or anything else that produces sound.  They're both well within the margins of what can be considered Hi-Fi, or put simply, highly realistic sound. Despite people saying DT990 have more bass and treble, take that "more" with a grain of salt. The differences between them are MUCH MUCH MUCH smaller than you might think by just reading the comments or peoples reviews on them.

This is what you might think the differences while listening are:


But this graph is closer to what you actually hear, or the scale of the difference between them, we are talking about really small differences.


Human ear can't detect a difference of 3 db. This means if you were listening to some music with your eyes closed, and someone turned the volume up or down 3 db without you knowing, you wouldn't notice. Even if you do it yourself, its very hard  to detect the difference in volume. And that's when increasing or reducing the volume of all the sounds. Now imagine reducing just a certain very narrow band of frequencies by 1 or 2 decibels...are you going to notice that? Yes, after 5 hours of A-B testing, and you still won't be absolutely sure its not placebo.  I'm not saying that DT880 aren't different, it's just that their differences in sound signature mainly are over exaggerated. You'll hear people saying "DT880's are neutral, but DT990 have recessed mids" and similar nonsense. Ignore that. The most difference you'll hear between them is soundstage, which is bigger in the DT990, which makes the sound more spacious and more organic, or "bigger",  "fuller", like you're listening to a larger space, while DT880's are more closed in. Again, small difference.  As far as their sound signatures go, and therefore the genres their suited for, they're in the same bucket.

Same goes for AKG Q701, K701/2, HD600/650's, etc.  All of these headphones will work any genre of music, especially for people who don't have experience with great headphones and are new to the hobby.  If I gave my K701's to someone who's never heard good headphones, and put some hip hop or electronic music trough them, they'd be blown away by their performance, yet, you'll hear people say they're no good with those genres. 

Considering you can only boost up sound on a 24 bit track up by 6db before it clips, yes you can hear 3db...

 

[goleg]

Quote:

Hi, I need some help picking some headphones.
 
I'm very new to the audio-phile scene so my preferences for sound quality aren't as high as they could be, but I'd like something that sounds decent enough to play what I want it to.
Basic wants include: decent isolation, a certain amount of portability and the necessary amount of comfort for multiple hours of listening; a little styling/flair would help to satisfy my "coolness" need, being the teen that I am .   I listen to quite a variety of music except for rock/metal, country or rap (stuff I've been listening to lately: Alt-J, the Neighbourhood, Mumford and sons, Overwerk and other assorted house/electro music from Monstercat, Woodkid, and various genres of Classical music as I'm a Classical musician myself), and I'd like something that has a more overreaching sound signature.
I'll be playing music on my 160GB iPod classic without an amp (partly because I can't afford it, and partly because I'm still not sure what on earth they're for!), and sometimes on a family iMac.
 
The 2 headphones I've set my sights on are the Phiaton ms400's, and the RHA sa950i's.  The RHA's have the advantage of being much cheaper, and even though they're newer, people seem to like them by all accounts.  I'd love to get a pair of V-Moda M-80's or M-100's, but a mix between the expense and the lack of isolation has repelled me a bit.  
 
If you think a different pair of headphones would suit me better, I'd rather not spend more than about $130 at the moment, and preferably less.
 
Thanks!

Hello, my question seems to have been looked over.   Assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[daleb]

Quote:

Hello, my question seems to have been looked over.   Assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 
You see, when you ask for style in these parts, you hit a brick wall XD
I couldn't even begin to suggest what looks good, as I find some of the more popular consumer headphones to be really ugly.
 
Maybe the Philips Citiscape Downtowns? I've heard some good things about them. They have the frequency response chart and the isolation you want. Considered to be pretty good sounding, too.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/philips-citiscape-downtown-page-2
 
They come in more than purple, don't worry

 

[cel4145]

I understand the sound signature of the Q701s, but I don't understand the sound signature of the DT880s or the Annies too well. The Annies don't have any charts or graphs so I can't even figure out if it would work as a production tool, and with the DT880s there are people who say they don't work for music at all - completely sterile and unlively. Of course people have also said this about the Q701s, but I at least have been able to figure out how they should sound to me... I really just want to know if its worth getting the DT880s over the Q701s.

That's just a bit like asking someone to pick you flavor of ice cream.  It's a call you really need to make yourself, preferably after listening to both.  The Head-Fi meet in Dallas coming up in a few weeks might be just the place to do it and to talk with those who know about both cans.

Agreed. You really do need to listen to both.

Testimonials and recommendations from others can only take you about 80% of the way there in making a decision, and it sounds like you have probably reached that point. In addition to attending a meet, you could always order both the DT880s and Q701s via Amazon and keep the pair you like. RMA is easy as long as you (a) keep everything (including packaging) in mint condition and (b) use Amazon or fulfilled by Amazon (not 3rd party vendors who do their own shipping). Typically cost you less than $10 to ship back the one pair. Small price to pay for demo time