JaZZ
Headphoneus Supremus
Bytor...
...all of the mentioned headphones are very good ones. In view of your receiver the K 501 is the most critical one, because its sensitivity is quite low, so the HP out must have a lot of power. Besides, its bass is very lean and could be an issue with your preferred music styles. But if you're lucky, your receiver is a bass monster! (There are such cases.) As already mentioned, its midrange is great – accurate and neutral –, and the treble is extended and detailed, while the bass is very accurate and quite extended, just a bit underrepresented. One of its most outstanding properties is its wide and natural soundstage.
The SR-225 is my preferred Grado model (I don't know the RS series though) – very universal, quite well balanced, with a strong and extended bass, a clean and neutral midrange and articulate and smooth highs (with flat pads). It's commonly called a rock headphone, and it really does this genre justice, but I find it equally appropriate to classical music (it even likes classical!) and jazz because of its neutrality and vividity.
The HD 580/600 is often called «laid back» or «veiled». I can't follow this characterization. At least in my configuration, which includes a special handmade cable and renounces the foam pads. Quite the opposite: my HD 600 is even brighter and more detailed than the SR-225 and clearly betters this one in the midrange resolution. Not to mention the soundstage, one of the HD 580/600's strengths. The bass is less pronounced than the SR-225's, but I like it as it is: fairly detailed, accurate and extended, but not outstanding. The highs are brilliant, but smooth and unostentatious, nevertheless provide a lot of information and shine with cymbals. These strengths may not be brought to bear with mediocre sources and amps, so you'll possibly prefer the SR-225 which is less dependent on electronics. But actually it's the HD 580's fidelity which is just merciless and doesn't do a lot of impressive effects.
...all of the mentioned headphones are very good ones. In view of your receiver the K 501 is the most critical one, because its sensitivity is quite low, so the HP out must have a lot of power. Besides, its bass is very lean and could be an issue with your preferred music styles. But if you're lucky, your receiver is a bass monster! (There are such cases.) As already mentioned, its midrange is great – accurate and neutral –, and the treble is extended and detailed, while the bass is very accurate and quite extended, just a bit underrepresented. One of its most outstanding properties is its wide and natural soundstage.
The SR-225 is my preferred Grado model (I don't know the RS series though) – very universal, quite well balanced, with a strong and extended bass, a clean and neutral midrange and articulate and smooth highs (with flat pads). It's commonly called a rock headphone, and it really does this genre justice, but I find it equally appropriate to classical music (it even likes classical!) and jazz because of its neutrality and vividity.
The HD 580/600 is often called «laid back» or «veiled». I can't follow this characterization. At least in my configuration, which includes a special handmade cable and renounces the foam pads. Quite the opposite: my HD 600 is even brighter and more detailed than the SR-225 and clearly betters this one in the midrange resolution. Not to mention the soundstage, one of the HD 580/600's strengths. The bass is less pronounced than the SR-225's, but I like it as it is: fairly detailed, accurate and extended, but not outstanding. The highs are brilliant, but smooth and unostentatious, nevertheless provide a lot of information and shine with cymbals. These strengths may not be brought to bear with mediocre sources and amps, so you'll possibly prefer the SR-225 which is less dependent on electronics. But actually it's the HD 580's fidelity which is just merciless and doesn't do a lot of impressive effects.
