[Tarheelvolvo]

I have combed through the past 5+years of Head-fi posts and have found some great suggestions, of course that leads to more questions. I went to the closest Guitar Center to try out a few phones and wanted to elicit opinions and what might be the best option for me since some of the headphones are hard to locate in my area thanks to a scarcity of dealers or lack of inventory.
 
My budget is $300 (ideally $250) and I have a guitar running through a Line 6 HD500 multi-effects pedal that has decent amplification, but could consider a setup like ArcticTaco w/ a Fiio amp post-effects pedal to give some of the headphones a chance. His setup also sounds like one way to definitely go!  Also, I play a variety of stuff from Pearl Jam to 311 to Weezer to Allman Brother and Foghat so I think something with good Mids/Highs & sound tight using distortion (versus fuzzy, broken-up) or other effects would be preferable over some of the bassier headphones out there.
 
Headphones I have been considering:
Grado SR80i
Grado SR225i
KRK KNS 8400
AKG K240 MkII 
AKG K702
AKG K271 Mk II
Alessandro MS1
Gemini HSR-1000 (anyone know anything about these? they were a rec from a local shop)
 
Others I have tried:
Audio Technica ATH-M50s - (too bassy for my needs, but great otherwise and very comfy)
Beye DT770 - (needs proper amp, but most comfortable yet)
Shure 840 - (best sound so far, but a little heavy for extended use...although I could get used to it)
UE Super.fi 5 pro - (first set, loved them till the plastic housing broke..)
UE Triple.fi 10 - (current set...simply amazing, but short chord makes them not worthwhile for Guitar)
Monster iBeats - (came w/ my current phone, not bad and fairly balanced even if a tad bassy)
 
Any other headphones I have missed? I realize that everyone will have an opinion on every headphone I have listed above but hopefully the type of music I play will help guide your advice appropriately as there is no jazz, classical, or pop really being played. 
 
Thanks for all your wisdom
 
-JS

 

[Tarheelvolvo]

Might even consider the Audio Technica AD series like the AD700 if people think that might be a good option as well...
 
-JS

 

[Tarheelvolvo]

Alright, so after doing some more research I found that the most important range for me would be from ~82Hz to ~1350Hz and when I compared a bunch of frequency charts, it looked like the K240MkII was the strongest over that range if it did sacrifice a little bit in the upper range. 
 
Any thoughts on a good headphone that till accomplish that 82-1350 range as well or better than the AKG K240MkII?
 
Thanks!
 
-JS

 

[shadow419]

If the cable for the UE Triple.fi 10 that you own is too short, just get an extension.  If you love the sound out of them, don't let a short cable ruin your experience.

 

[biggbenn74]

The AKG K702's have a 10 foot cable. I play guitar myself. I'd suggest the AD700 if you are looking for a little more bass. But, if you just want a nice, somewhat neutral headphone, get the K702's. In my case, I got the Q701. It's basically the same headphone, but with 2 different cables (one is 10 feet, the other is 20 feet) It also came with a 1/4 inch adapter so I can plug into my guitar amp and jam out. Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[Tarheelvolvo]

Biggben, thanks for the suggestion!

I think I've narrowed it down to 5 now:
AKG K240 II
GRADO Sr80i
AKG Q701
Shure 840
Audio Technica AD700

Looking ar all the frequency charts, those seem to have a good mid section boost with decent looking highs that aren't too bassy.

Out of those 5, since I've only listened to one of those, how do they all compare for strictly Guitar sound? Eg: strong mids with decent enough treble and bass. I feel like they are all good headphones, so comfort is another consideration since u have a pretty big head.

-JS

 

[biggbenn74]

Well, over the past few minutes, Iv'e been listening to some acoustic, electric and bass guitars on my AKG's, and they respond quite well to all of them. The bass doesn't punch you in the face though, so that's something to consider. But, my Telecaster sounds great on these. Even the most high pitched bend I could pull didn't hurt my ears with piercing highs. Overall, they are excellent, and a good buy.

 

[Tarheelvolvo]

Biggben, your advice in this subject has been great! I'm definitely leaning towards the Q701 as the frequency range is very flat till the upper range. Looks like a great headphone!!

Still looking for others to weigh in on the AKG K240 MK II, Audio Technica AD700, Grado SR80/225 and Shure 840 versus the Q701. Anybody?

-HS

 

[biggbenn74]

Quote:

Biggben, your advice in this subject has been great! I'm definitely leaning towards the Q701 as the frequency range is very flat till the upper range. Looks like a great headphone!!
Still looking for others to weigh in on the AKG K240 MK II, Audio Technica AD700, Grado SR80/225 and Shure 840 versus the Q701. Anybody?
-HS

Actually, I have something to say about the AD700's. They are fabulous for watching movies and playing games like Call Of Duty or other shooter games, as they have wonderful wonderful soundstage. Simply meaning that if a rat were to cough in the middle of a song, you would be able to hear it. To be honest though, I don't think that they would be best for guitar as they:
1. Don't have a detachable/ very long cable. (even though it's 10 feet)
2. The sound they produce is not best suited for playing guitar.
3. They are great for action movies with lots of explosions and games with gunfire. That's about it, unfortunately. A gaming headphone.
IMO, the Q701's are a great buy, and have great sound suited for guitar playing. Rock on, and I hope this helps. I always enjoy being a part of someones decision to buy a true set of excellent headphones. 

 

[Tarheelvolvo]

Thanks for the feedback Biggbenn74.
 
I'll knock them off the list and then there were 4 left:
 
AKG Q701
AKG K240Mk II
Grado SR80i
Grado SR225i
 
These seem to have the best response rates in the mid section without too much bass. It appears that the Grado's are almost identical and I wish I could compare them to the MS1's frequency response graph...
 
I know that these four may seem a little redundant (especially the Grado's) so if there are other suggestions then I'm all ears!
 
-JS