[reflex]

Looking for some good headphones to purchase for my music preference. I recently got the ATH-AD700's for gaming, and they work well... but im now looking to get some headphones dedicated to music. Here are some of the artists I listen to -

John Lennon
MGMT
Smashing Pumpkins
Oasis
Filter
NIN
At the Drive In

I will be using these phones Un-amped, running off my x-fi sound card (For now).

These are the headphones I've picked out. I am running about a $300 USD limit, but im also looking for good prices and deals. Also looking for semi/open headphones.

Grado SR225's $150
AKG 701's $230 (Can they still be good un-amped?)
Ultrasone HFI-2200 $249

Those are what i've picked so far. Im open to all suggestions. Also (if applicable since this is not the correct forum), looking for some good sound card suggestions to run the picked headphones.

 

[fraseyboy]

Whats wrong with the AD700's for music?

 

[kansei]

I just went to a local high stereo shop and listened to pretty much the entire Grado line on my iPod. The SR80 blew me away. SR60 was decent. All of the models higher than SR80 were decent but I don't think my iPod could light them up properly and therefore did not sound as good as the SR80s.

Perhaps you could test listen some headphones at the local shop. I went to Sound by Singer on 18 E 16th Street near Union Square in NYC.

 

[reflex]

I would go to a local shop (If I had one) and listen, but im stationed @ Ft.Benning, GA... not much of anything out here...

 

[Rednamalas1]

grado 225. wonderful cans for your type of music

 

[kansei]

Well, I did like the Grados. Very bright and excellent soundstage. The weird: they're very light and feel fragile. They are also susceptible to outside noise so you have to listen in a quiet place.

Worst case - even if you pick up up a pair of Grados and hate them, you can sell them in the classified section in 5 minutes flat at minimum loss (as long as you have 50 posts so you can post there

)

 

[Rednamalas1]

^ um. soundstage? 225s have soundstage equal to small hamster cage.

 

[kansei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rednamalas1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ um. soundstage? 225s have soundstage equal to small hamster cage.

I suppose I'm sheltered. From an absolute newb perspective (mine), the Grado SR80s sounded like heaven compared to the K81DJs I own. I did not like the 225s as much.

 

[scytheavatar]

Yeah what's wrong with the AD700? Have you considered the AD900?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reflex /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here are some of the artists I listen to - John Lennon MGMT Smashing Pumpkins Oasis Filter NIN At the Drive In I will be using these phones Un-amped, running off my x-fi sound card (For now). These are the headphones I've picked out. I am running about a $300 USD limit, but im also looking for good prices and deals. Also looking for semi/open headphones. Grado SR225's $150 AKG 701's $230 (Can they still be good un-amped?) Ultrasone HFI-2200 $249

I think Grado would be a fine choice for your tastes and not having a dedicated headphone amp. The AKG K-701 is pretty awful without an amp, and even then, you probably need to get into four figures or buy a soldering iron to make the K-701 sing.

Don't limit yourself to the SR-225. For $300, you could pick up the SR-325i, the Alessandro MS-2i and maybe find a used RS-2 for a few bucks more. If you can stretch and wait for a RS-2, you should. They're wonderful.

And I haven't heard an Ultrasone.

 

[myinitialsaredac]

Ixnay on the 701 without an amp. They sound quite bad unamped. With your choice of music the grados seem to be the best choice.

Dave

 

[HippieTom]

I will also recommend the 225s. Listening right now and they are awsome for your music. Try them with some Dick Dale tracks .Hot damn that rocks

 

[Acix]

Music Studio...

K702
PRO/PL650
RS-1