Have TakStar Pro80 and Looking for the Next Step Up...Got Bored

[marone]

Exhibiting tremendous restraint and not just leaping to a pair of 800's, I have slowly moved up the value / SQ chain with 20 pairs of cans.

What would be the next good step up from the Pro80's?

Closed or Open is fine. I listen to rock, jazz, current Asian pop, classical, prog, kraut, very little EDM, no rap or hip hop, some old pop, top 40, etc. I like my SuperLux collection and use it, but the Pro80's are getting most of my listening time.

Possible contenders and price in Chinese CNY Yuan:
Sony MDR-ZX700 605
Fischer Audio FA-004 660
Alessandro MS1i 665
Aiaiai TMA-1 688
Skullcandy Roc Nation Aviator 718
Goldring DR150 750
Shure SRH440 759
AKG K240 MKII 780
Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 780
AKG K271 MKII 785
Phiaton MS 300 788
Panasonic RP-HTF600-S 798
Grado SR80i 820
AKG 880 Mk2 880
Audio-Technica ATH M50 880
Fostex T50RP 900
Koss Pro DJ-100 900
KRK KNS 8400  900

Divide by:
5.78 for CAD
5.83 for AUD
6.21 for USD
8.44 for EUR
10.63 for GBP


Suggestions? Thanks!

 

[PurpleAngel]

I do not believe any headphones on your list will make a worthwhile improvement over the Pro 80s.

 

[marone]

Wow. Seems I made a lucky choice.

Then let's step up my game.

From this list which would be a worthwhile improvement?

SOLREPUBLIC Tracks 928 H
NAD VISO HP50 948 H
Brainwavz HM5 960 H
Sennheiser HD380 Pro 960 H
Shure SRH840 960 H
Sony MDR-V6 960 H
Ultrasone HFI-700 960 H
Audio-Technica ATH-M50S 980 H
Ultrasone HFI-700 980 H
Philips SHL5905 Uptowns 988 H
German Maestro Qp 805 1080 H
NVX Audio HPT1000 1080 H
M-AUDIO - Studiophile Q40 1140 H
Sony MA900 1180 H
Sound Magic HP100 1250 H
Logitech Ultimate Ears 6000 1280 H
Sony MDR-1R 1280 H
TOPSONIC/达音科 Dunu DN-1000 DNK 1280 IEM
V-MODA Crossfade M-80 1280 H
PSB M4U 1298 H
AKG K 550 1380 H
Beyerdynamic DT 770 1380 H
Grado SR225i 1380 H
Sennheiser HD580 1380 H
Hifiman HE-300 1480 H
AKG k612pro 1499 H
Shure SRH840 1540 H
Aiaiai TMA-1 1550 H
Sennheiser HD 580 1580 H
Sennheiser HD 598 1580 H
Sound Magic HP200 1599 H
Fischer Audio FA-003 1600 H
AKG Q701 1618 H
Beyer Custom One Pro 1680 H
Beyerdynamic DT-801 1680 H
Shure SRH1440 1680 H
V-MODA Crossfade M-100 1680 H
AKG K240 HD 1688 H
Beyerdynamic DT-880 1780 H
AKG K 702 1800 H
Audio Technica ESW10JPN 1800 H
German Maestro GMP 400 1800 H
NAD Viso HP50 ( $300 ) 1800 H
KEF M500 1850 H
Sennheiser HD600 1880 H
Beyerdynamic DT1350tesla 1900 H
Audio-Technica ATH-A900X 1980 H
Denon AHD-2000 (DISCONTINUED) 1980 H
Shure SRH940 1980 H
AKG 550 1998 H

 

[PurpleAngel]

Exhibiting tremendous restraint and not just leaping to a pair of 800's, I have slowly moved up the value / SQ chain with 20 pairs of cans.
What would be the next good step up from the Pro80's?
Closed or Open is fine. I listen to rock, jazz, current Asian pop, classical, prog, kraut, very little EDM, no rap or hip hop, some old pop, top 40, etc. I like my SuperLux collection and use it, but the Pro80's are getting most of my listening time.

 
Might be help to know what source(s) your plugging you headphones into?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Wow. Seems I made a lucky choice.
Then let's step up my game.
From this list which would be a worthwhile improvement?

 
I own some of these headphones you listed and others I'm just making a guess.
(I have the Beyers DT770 & DT880s, Senn HD558, AKG K550s, ATH-A900X)
 
Some of the headphones you listed might be better then the Takstar Pro 80s,
but I just do not have knowledge about them, so I left them off the list.
Also whatever amplifier you use might have an effect on how well a headphones improves over the Pro 80s
Some models of headphones are listed twice, but with different prices.
 
Shure SRH840 960 H
Sony MA900 1180 H
Sound Magic HP100 1250 H
AKG K 550 1380 H
Beyerdynamic DT 770 1380 H
Sennheiser HD580 1380 H
AKG K612pro 1499 H
Shure SRH840 1540 H
Sennheiser HD 580 1580 H
Sennheiser HD 598 1580 H
Sound Magic HP200 1599 H
AKG Q701 1618 H
Beyer Custom One Pro 1680 H
Shure SRH1440 1680 H
V-MODA Crossfade M-100 1680 H
Beyerdynamic DT-880 1780 H
AKG K 702 1800 H
Sennheiser HD600 1880 H
Beyerdynamic DT1350tesla 1900 H
Audio-Technica ATH-A900X 1980 H
Denon AHD-2000 (DISCONTINUED) 1980 H
Shure SRH940 1980 H
AKG 550 1998 H

 

[marone]

I own some of these headphones you listed and others I'm just making a guess.
(I have the Beyers DT770 & DT880s, Senn HD558, AKG K550s, ATH-A900X)

Yeah, this is my huge spreadsheet Ctrl-V into the post of any can that I read or heard about that seemed promising. Took 18 months to compile.

Chain is PC>USB>DAC>Fibre>DAC Amp

I use a variety of mid-fil tube and DAC gear; headphone amp is a 10 watt
6PN1 x 2, 6P15 x 2 amp.

Many cans but most of the SuperLux family, the CAL classic and the Pro80 are the best of what I bought as I experimented with speculative buys.

It also may be time to upgrade the chain as well and that occurred to me also.

I won't be screaming at any recommendations if they don't turn out to improve, don't worry. I will likely just buy another DAC and or amp to see if they are the weak link.

The ATH-900X looks promising it is on other lists of very good cans.

I have read many lists here:
Best under 300
Best unamped
Best Bass
Tyll's Lists
David Mahler
Imaging
Vocals
Soundstage
and so on.

Cross referenced them all, have those listed.

Those strengths in the same spreadsheet.

Maybe I should just buy the 3-5 midfi stalwarts and then decide how to move up beyond that.

I live in, more or less, Outer Mongolia, so listening at a store is right out of the question. Only option is to order online.

Perhaps time to take another trip to Hong Kong?...

 

[PurpleAngel]

Chain is PC>USB>DAC>Fibre>DAC Amp

The ATH-900X looks promising it is on other lists of very good cans.
I live in, more or less, Outer Mongolia, so listening at a store is right out of the question. Only option is to order online.
Perhaps time to take another trip to Hong Kong?...

 
"DAC>Fibre" does not make sense, as a DAC's output is analog, but you show it going thru Fibre (digital).
 
I use to wear the ATH-A900Xs a lot (add Hifiman HE Velour ear pads), now I use the ATH-W1000Xs.
Sometimes with the A900Xs the sound bleeds a little (over laping sound), but they do great with music and are fine for Blu-ray movies.
Also the A900Xs are very easy to drive.
 
"I live in, more or less, Outer Mongolia"
I really like Mongolian barbecue, but the local Mongolian restaurant charges $12 for the meal (plus the cost of a beverage), so I do not eat there ever often.
Here on Head-Fi we get stories about a lot of fake "name brand" headphones, sold in China, 
Dr Dre was just in the news say there are a lot of fake Beats brand headphones sold in China.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/726400/dr-dre-im-losing-billions-to-fake-beats-from-china#post_10712958

 

[marone]

"DAC>Fibre" does not make sense, as a DAC's output is analog, but you show it going thru Fibre (digital).

I own half a dozen small DAC using their optical output as reclockers that have a USB input and multiple outputs, including fibre and analog audio and SPDIF and USB, to then feed another DAC upstream.

I am using this set up right now. The reclocker DAC has a chip that the second DAC does not and I prefer the sound of both.

 

[marone]

"I live in, more or less, Outer Mongolia"
I really like Mongolian barbecue, but the local Mongolian restaurant charges $12 for the meal (plus the cost of a beverage), so I do not eat there ever often.
Here on Head-Fi we get stories about a lot of fake "name brand" headphones, sold in China,
Dr Dre was just in the news say there are a lot of fake Beats brand headphones sold in China.

Not to derail, but what you think of as ""Mongolian"" food or ""Chinese"" food is anything but.

Chinese food is far far better in China and what you eat are dishes created by various businessmen. None of it is served here, except for the rice and in the south of China the dim sum is slightly the same.

Mongolian bbq does not exist in Mongolia. It is a USA creation.

Dr Dre was just in the news say there are a lot of fake Beats brand headphones sold in China.

So a west coast rapper who uses and used samples in his music to make hundred's of millions of dollars is now whinging that someone is now copying him?

That's ironic and funny...

I use to wear the ATH-A900Xs a lot (add Hifiman HE Velour ear pads), now I use the ATH-W1000Xs.

Sometimes with the A900Xs the sound bleeds a little (over laping sound), but they do great with music and are fine for Blu-ray movies.

Also the A900Xs are very easy to drive.

Thanks for the info. Bleed through is a non issue, but easy to drive is a concern.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I own half a dozen small DAC using their optical output as reclockers that have a USB input and multiple outputs, including fibre and analog audio and SPDIF and USB, to then feed another DAC upstream.

I am using this set up right now. The reclocker DAC has a chip that the second DAC does not and I prefer the sound of both.

 
So your using your USB DAC as a USB/optical converter, but not using it's DAC feature (Digital to Analog Conversion).

 

[marone]

Well it seems as though its time to go midfi. I was enjoying trying out the lower end cans.

Pro80 vs this list which one?:

I am biased against the AKB and Beyer as I owned those years ago and liked them, but want try new lines that did not exist in the 80's.

Shure SRH840
Sound Magic HP200
AKG Q701
V-MODA Crossfade M-100
Beyerdynamic DT-880
Sennheiser HD600
Audio-Technica ATH-A900X
Shure SRH940
Bowers & Wilkins P5
NAD VISO HP50
Philips Fidelio L1
Focal Spirit Professional
Sennheiser Momentum

Looks like it will be the 600 unless someone has other ideas...the SoundMagic or perhaps an Ultrasone or NAD?

 

[xdog]

I would go with HD600 or HD650, both have more openness and bigger neutrality.
The L1 are not an upgrade, however Fidelio X1 are.
I have the K701 but I've listened it much less than Pro80, and if you like Pro80 I would not recomend the K701 or Q701.

 

[xdog]

One more 'sideways' (or little way up but weirder) option would be beyerdynamic DT150 (it got borrowed from me and never came back ),
it kind also is closed, with little and pronounce Vshaped signature.
PS: for rock and pop HD800 is not that good, probably better would be interest yourself in some orthodynamic

 

[marone]

Thanks for the input, it will be the 600 an easy choice considering its popularity and such.

That Pro80 was a very lucky pick and I cannot even recall how I bought that one out of my huge list. Maybe it was on sale that day...I do not recall.

Think it was the Takstar Gemini Greathon Tech Pro Lindy Brainwavz NVX Etc thread and how it punched above and since it was obviously made in China the local price was unbeatable...perhaps someone mentioned that it was like the CAL! classic but more so and the CAL is very likeable.