[Midrange Monster]

I'm curious which of these 3 I'll like the most based on my listening tastes.

My experience is mostly with speaker brands and so forth and I know pretty much the type of sound I like.

I love strong midrange, warm, relaxing with good midbass.....rolled off on top and very bottom. My favorite speaker manufacturers are Audio Note, vintage Western Electric, SAP, and ProAc.

I'm not very fond of Focal Utopia and Dynaudio....too bright for me, but certainly the boner for many audio enthusiasts these days. Many speakers these days are too bright, and I would suspect headphone manufacturers are the same way (on average).

I've noticed I'm more of a fan of a mainstream manufacturer's #2 or #3 speaker line than their flagship. So my spidey sense says that I would most likely prefer a Senn HD650 over an 800, a Grado GS1000 (or even RS-1) over the PS1000, etc.

I'm also strictly tube amps (in the home environment) and I prefer vinyl over CD. I already like my DAC and phono amp at home, so I'm all good in that department.

Given all of this, which headphone do you think I would like the most? Keep in mind I would spring for the best cabling if the combo would make a difference...

 

[tdogzthmn]

Given your preference for a strong midrange I would say research the AKG K601. It has an overall neutral sound and is not bass heavy.

 

[sling5s]

Good midbass, midrange and rolled off high is HD650 all the way...very warm headphones.

There is an option to go Grado RS1 with flats...sounds very tubey...but it has to be with flats. You will hate bowls but with flats you may love them.

 

[rhythmdevils]

if you feel that most speakers these days are too bright, I imagine you're going to feel the same way about headphones because 95% of the headphones recommended on here are bright. head-fi loves treble!

I don't think any current AKG will do it for you coming from the balance of speakers- maybe a K501 or K601 if you like very light bass. Most speakers put out much more bass then they do though.

Grados you will find way too much treble.

Your post screams sennheiser, but since not only did you say rolled off on top, you said rolled off on the bottom as well, the HD650 is surely going to have too much bass.

So go for the HD600. Out of all the phones out there, I recently come back to the HD600 because it is just so well balanced. Hard to beat, especially for the price. And since the majority of your post was about balance, and good midrange and tone, (instead of speed and detail which the brighter phones offer) I think you will love them

 

[Midrange Monster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sling5s /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good midbass, midrange and rolled off high is HD650 all the way...very warm headphones. There is an option to go Grado RS1 with flats...sounds very tubey...but it has to be with flats. You will hate bowls but with flats you may love them.

Interesting....I wonder why that is? Which option would have more bass response?

 

[Midrange Monster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogzthmn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Given your preference for a strong midrange I would say research the AKG K601. It has an overall neutral sound and is not bass heavy.

Ok, that's a check. Isn't the K601, the #2 AKG?

 

[mypasswordis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you feel that most speakers these days are too bright, I imagine you're going to feel the same way about headphones because 95% of the headphones recommended on here are bright. head-fi loves treble!

If you think 95% of the headphones we recommend are too bright, have you ever thought maybe it's just you who likes a dark sound?

 

[Midrange Monster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you feel that most speakers these days are too bright, I imagine you're going to feel the same way about headphones because 95% of the headphones recommended on here are bright. head-fi loves treble! I don't think any current AKG will do it for you coming from the balance of speakers- maybe a K501 or K601 if you like very light bass. Most speakers put out much more bass then they do though. Grados you will find way too much treble. Your post screams sennheiser, but since not only did you say rolled off on top, you said rolled off on the bottom as well, the HD650 is surely going to have too much bass. So go for the HD600. Out of all the phones out there, I recently come back to the HD600 because it is just so well balanced. Hard to beat, especially for the price. And since the majority of your post was about balance, and good midrange and tone, (instead of speed and detail which the brighter phones offer) I think you will love them

Wow, didn't know I'd have this the other way around!

Sennheiser in a way I always wanted to have a go at....15 years ago when I first started playing with headphones this was the 1st big name brand I heard of and these sorts of things stick with you. You grow an attachment for no better reason than just because!

I'd like to clarify....when I say rolled off bottom, this was more of an issue with speakers than headphones. When I audition speakers I love midbass....LOTS of it. What I don't like is a TON of subbass without much midbass, it's just not as musical unless all you listen to is heavy synth bass music. 70-150 hz is the key range here for me, not 30-50, hehe...

For headphones, I can't imagine this being an issue. So if the 650s have more low end than the 600s that's probably a good thing because low end means something different here.

I only have significant experience with the Sony MDR-V6s....if any of these phones have comparable low end response to that, then they're plenty.

I'm starting to lean back towards the HD650s now. I'll be going to the nyc meet next month to hear some phones....hopefully these will be there.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mypasswordis /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you think 95% of the headphones we recommend are too bright, have you ever thought maybe it's just you who likes a dark sound?

That's certainly a possibility!

 

[regal]

I was in your shoes a few years ago. Everything I researched said I was a Senn type, then I heard AKG's, then Grados. I fell in love with cheap Grados because to my ears they give the most speaker like presentation. AKG and Senns sound distant to my ears, yours may be different.

What I recommend to all newcomers:

Buy a well used set of Senn 580's, AKG501's, and Grados MS-Pros. That will set you back around $400 tops. Get a decent $100 amp. Spend some time with each of them, you will know what house sound you prefer. You can sell the ones you don't like for nearly what you paid and then buy the better version of your favorite house sound should you want to upgrade. Then go and build your amp/DAC around those phones. I made the mistake of building the best Senn matched type amp and DAC before I even heard a single Grado.

One caveate is that AKG basically turned their house sound upside down recently, you may want to add AKG Sextettes to the list to try if you can find them.

 

[sling5s]

I strongly recommend the hd650. it's warm and dark, the way you described your speakers of preference.

Now about the Grado RS1 with flats. The flats tame the treble and thickens the midrange to a very tube like quality. The flats increase the midbass and makes the midrange even more forward.

But the safest route is the HD650. it's got the midbass you are seeking with warmth and darkness.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I agree on the grados with flat pads and the AKG K240 sextett, which have one of the most beautiful midranges and lower midranges of any dynamic. You could try an allessandro (grado oem) MS1 and get flat pads from TTVJ, Todd The Vinyl Junkie and that would give you an idea whether the RS1 or MS-pro would be worth it, because their sound signature is very similar.


HD650 is probably your safest bet though.

 

[nickchen]

You seem to be an AKG man. Best mids available (appart from Alessandro MS Pro).

I don't agree to the Sextett recommendation, at least the set I tried was awful lo-fi crap. Nice sound, but...

 

[paulb09]

The K601 would be good except it has a relatively flat bass, and mid bass punch is only there if it's there in the recording. Check out some of the Audio Technica models... you might find some of them have more mid bass punch.

 

[VALIENTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have had the pleasure of listening to speaker systems that have cost circa £70,000 and base my headphone sound i look for in what a top pair of speakers sound like (which is magic) and the 702's have similarities in the way it presents itself with it's balance, soundstage, tempo, and accuracy of instruments that can be portrayed to what i have heard in some of the top class speaker systems i have heard...

For your added info. He assumes that AKG K701/702 mimics a speaker system.
You may consider AKG K701 on your list.