Going insane!

[nm2285]

Everytime I think I know which headphone I want, another option comes up!

I own the K501s and love them, but I want a more rock oriented headphone that also excels in transparency and resolution like my AKGs.

As compliments to my 501s:
I considered the HD580s - decided they were too dark and laid back, also not enough resolution

I considered the SR-225 - decided also not enough resolution (although still kind of considering)

Now I'm thinking about replacing them. Should I go with the Beyerdynamic DT880s or the Sony MDR-SA3000? (PS I may also consider the SA3000s as compliments if I find a good price).

Please help me bring some sanity to my life!

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 Please help me bring some sanity to my life!

at head-fi?

choose a headphone, any and run run run run.

(I am thinking about getting the DT-880, but from what I hear proper amplification is need it to make it shine...whatever that means)

I say, go to a meet and try out all kinds of headphones.

 

[nm2285]

hm, well i dont like the idea of needing amplification...that could create this viscious cycle all over again. What about the SA-3000...do they need an amp?

 

[mrarroyo]

The grado sr225 are fantastic for rock. Did you let them burn in for at least 100 hours? By the way what is your source? amp?

 

[Julz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 hm, well i dont like the idea of needing amplification...

Well scrub the DT880's off your list. They NEED a good amp, tubes would be my recommendation to really enhance the low end and bring out the mids.

The Grado's are famously easy to drive so they would be your best bet.

You listen to the K501's unamped ?

 

[ephemere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 I own the K501s and love them, but I want a more rock oriented headphone that also excels in transparency and resolution like my AKGs.

You are looking for the SA5000. Even more resolution and transparency than the K501, and with deep, tight, transparent, impactful bass. Night-and-day better than the K501 for rock. I haven't heard the SA3000 or SA1000, so I'm not sure how they compare with the SA5000. If not the SA5000, the DT880 may in fact be the runner up, but in my opinion it's a distant second for the criteria you described. It's also much harder to drive than the SA5000. I agree with your decision to scratch the SR225 off the list; it is very fun for rock, but quite colored.

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 hm, well i dont like the idea of needing amplification...that could create this viscious cycle all over again. What about the SA-3000...do they need an amp?

wait a sec - you use a K501 and do NOT use an amp? buy an amp ASAP and that will be far better than a new can - it will be like rediscovering a can you liked in middle school after meeting her in college when she's all grown up~! far better than getting a new can~ and get a good amp, the K501 is hard to drive. i can't believe you've enjoyed the unamped K501 for this long, kudos!~

 

[ephemere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn buy an amp ASAP and that will be far better than a new can

No it won't. I own the K501 and have listened to it amped and unamped. The difference an amp makes isn't remotely close to the difference between different headphones. For example, the original poster says that he doesn't like the K501 for rock. Anyone familiar with the K501 knows that one of the main reasons it is unsatisfying for rock is the lack of bass extension and impact. This is a shortcoming of the K501, plain and simple. There is no magical amp that can unlock bass capabilities that aren't there in the first place. But try the SA5000 unamped -- or the SR225 for even more of an eye-blinking contrast -- and you'll hear that bass. Always remember that the distortion imparted by a transducer (headphone or speaker) is orders of magnitude greater than the distortion imparted by an amplifier that isn't clipping. An amplifier cannot change the basic sonic character of a transducer. Running to an expensive amp to solve the shortcomings of your transducer is the road to audio hell paved with placebos.

 

[overlunge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ephemere You are looking for the SA5000. Even more resolution and transparency than the K501, and with deep, tight, transparent, impactful bass. Night-and-day better than the K501 for rock. I haven't heard the SA3000 or SA1000, so I'm not sure how they compare with the SA5000. If not the SA5000, the DT880 may in fact be the runner up, but in my opinion it's a distant second for the criteria you described. It's also much harder to drive than the SA5000. I agree with your decision to scratch the SR225 off the list; it is very fun for rock, but quite colored.

SA5000 seemed to be a candidate but I am unsure it will perform optimally unamplified. You can probably find the some threads comparing the sound signature between each SA models.

I would recommend Grados purely based on the fact that you are going to run them unamplified.


Best of luck,
Overlunge

 

[nm2285]

Well, I do run them from my NAD integrated, which has a decent built-in amp. Certainly it's as good as anything I'd be willing to spend money on. I only run them unamped from my laptop sometimes (until I also get a receiver to run from there).

As a note: I never did try the 225s (although i've tried 60, 80, and 125) nor the 580s (although I did own the 590s and tried the 555s), I just came to my conclusions through research.

The SA5000s are probably a little out of my price range. I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried the 3000s. Also, will they perform as well as the AKGs for classical and jazz?

Thanks for the replies thus far

 

[Ferbose]

K501 has the transparency and resolution that is great for classical.
For rock it is pretty disappointing, and I don't mean to bash K501 because I have had mine for six years.
In a recent meet I listened to about 15 hi-end cans, and IMHO none of them can do full justice to both rock and classical.
I think you will have a heard time finding a full-size headphone that will rock hatrd and still sound transparent.
HD650 with various aftermarket cables sounds, as you pointed out yourself, dark and laid back. Not a great rock headphone but with the slightly boomy bass it is pretty decent.
DT880 does not have enough bass for rock, but it is a great jazz headphone.
SA5k sounds amazing on Pink Floyd's DSOTM. But on every other rock album it sounds too bright for me. It has pretty good bass but I can't stand the shrill, even out of a tube amp.
SR225 rocks hard, but its treble is colored and veiled. Overall tonal balance is far from neutral. I am getting a pair for rock music.
Higher end Grados (RS-1, PS-1) have more correct treble, but still not as neutral as K501. Great for rock, too.
ATH-W1000 is still a bit bass-shy for rock, and I think it is still tuned for classical/jazz.
Some people say DT770 has tons of bass, but I have not heard this headphone.

To get clarity and great bass, I think in-canal headphones may be the only way to go. Shure E5 sounds quite good for me and UE-10 pros are simply amazing. Despite their clarity, I don't particularly like them for classical because of the lack of a coherent soundstage.

 

[ephemere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 Well, I do run them from my NAD integrated, which has a decent built-in amp.

I suggest forgetting about the amp for now. The important thing is to pick the headphones with the right sonic signature for you, regardless of amplification. Chances are >90% that the NAD will turn out just fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 The SA5000s are probably a little out of my price range. I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried the 3000s.

I've searched the forum and the web, and there's no useful information comparing the SA3000 with the SA5000. The SA1000, yes, but not the SA3000. I plan to buy an SA3000 and compare them myself, but that probably won't happen right away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm2285 Also, will they perform as well as the AKGs for classical and jazz?

I would pick the SA5000 over the K501 for any type of music. For classical and jazz I prefer the SA5000 to the K501 by far. Just so you understand my biases, I dislike "musical" or "euphonic" headphones. I prefer to hear the actual music that's on the recording. But some people have different preferences, and the SA5000 may not be for them. If you have a particular comparison you'd like me to do between the K501 and SA5000, let me know. I have around 10,000 classical CDs, so I probably have some that you have.

 

[kramer5150]

Youre not going to like this.... but how about an MS2 + SR71? Not sure how much detail youre looking for, but its plenty of detail for me

Came away from the san jose meet with the SR71 at the top of my wish list... as did a lot of folks.

Garrett

 

[nm2285]

Well here's the thing...I'm not willing to spend well over $200 on the next pair. I mean, if it's something I reaalllly want, I'd consider $250 MAYBE, but unlikely. That's why the MS2 and the SA5000 are unfortunately out of the question. The SA1000 and SA3000 are definately drawing my interest though and if anyone who's used them could comment, I'd appreciate it.

Nick

 

[Jahn]

actually the MS-2 isn't out of the question. there are alot of old school MS-2s around for $200 used, especially since the group buy snagged them for (250? 225?) so you should get a good deal on them. some folks even prefer the MS-2 over the MS-2i (i like both tho!)