[lini]

slarti: As you can see above, there's a lot of choice in an around your price range. Apart from the MDR-V6, the SR80, the HP890 and maybe also the HD580, I'd also recommend checking the DT531 and the K240S. And yes, it wouldn't be a bad idea to run your computer sound through your old Marantz. There's lots of charme in these old Marantzes...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

P.S.: Created any Fjords, lately?

 

[markl]

What's your source/amp situation? If you have enough juice (and probably even if you don't), the Senn 580 is by far the best for the dollars. Although "easy" to drive, Grados have their own peculiar sound signature that not everyone likes (I don't, for one).

markl

 

[kerelybonto]

Grados will sound at least as good ampless as any other good headphone. Grados have high sensitivity, and the high-current draw of low impedance cans is usually not as much of an issue as the impedance problems you'll get with headphones like the Sennheiser HD580 -- even portables are primarily designed for use with low impedance headphones.

By the way, the Alessandro-Grado line is very similar to the normal Grado line, but slightly more expensive. I haven't heard them, but the people at Grado told me they're geared for the pro audio community and are thus slightly brighter and more neutral than the standard Grado line up. Roughly, the MS-1 is the equivalent of the SR-80, the MS-2 the SR-325, and the MS-Pro the RS-1.

kerelybonto

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally posted by kerelybonto ...even portables are primarily designed for use with low impedance headphones.

I could show you a lot of frequency responses of portable MP3 players (tested in hi-fi magazines) which bass curves unexceptionally dropped off very early when connected to low-impedance headphones. So the low-impedance friendliness is kind of academic in many cases.

JaZZ

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by JaZZ Grado SR 80 would be o.k., too, but not ideal for classical, and possibly problematic with portable devices due to their low impedance. (This seems to be an antagonism to the fact that most portables don't deliver enough power to drive high-impedance cans. In effect they often don't match with low impedances, whereby they lack bass, while some of them harmonize quite well with the HD 580, e.g.) I use my HD 600 (among other sources/amps) with my SB Platinum HP out and am happy with that (although the SR 80 work fine with it, too), and they sound great on my Archos MP3 Jukebox (while the SR 80 need an impedance matching adapter not to lack bass).

Quote:

I could show you a lot of frequency responses of portable MP3 players (tested in hi-fi magazines) which bass curves unexceptionally dropped off very early when connected to low-impedance headphones. So the low-impedance friendliness is kind of academic in many cases.

No wonder why most very-low-impedance headphones have an unnatural bass boost when they were designed. So you won't have to reach for that Mega-Crappo-Bass button every time you listen to those low-impedance 'phones.

On the other hand, most recent portable CD players - MP3-compatible or regular - can't properly drive the 300-ohm Sennheiser HD 580's; they just can't deliver the voltage swing that's required by the HD 580's. And high-impedance, high-sensitivity headphones practically don't exist. (Note that I'm referring to voltage, not power, when I'm talking about the ability of portables to drive high-impedance headphones.) In my book, the HD 580's (and HD 600's) are of medium sensitivity - which means that they require a bit more voltage swing than what the typical gutless portable can deliver.

 

[Matthew-Spaltro]

I hate hate hate gutless portables. Too bad I have to use them still since my job only pays 8.15 an hour at 36 hours a week

Sorry for the thread crapping but life sucks for me right now.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Matthew-Spaltro I hate hate hate gutless portables. Too bad I have to use them still since my job only pays 8.15 an hour at 36 hours a week

Still better than my craptacular salary of 7.45 an hour at 25 hours a week

 

[slartibadfast]

wow, again thanks for all the input. it's quite invaluble to an ignoramous like myself. i couldn't find the 580s for anything below 150, which would probably be out of my range for now.

i've pretty much given up on the idea of getting the kind of headphones i want that will work with a portable. especially since my sony MZ-R70 is pretty lacking in the gusto dipartment. so without that factor, are the SR80s my best bet?

you into adams lini? did you read all the books in the guide series? which was your favorite?

"we're not going to be great, we're not going to be amazing, we're going to be amazingly amazing!"

 

[Pepsione1]

I have both the MS1 and the V6 with JMT dual 9v amp. I can only say that I enjoy and use my MS1 much more then my V6 after I got my JMT amp. I just think the V6 is a little boring sometimes.