[wired00]

yay just scored a pair of hd25's from ebay "as new in box" for $219AU

Seems rare to get a decent 2nd hand deal on ebay these days...

 

[jaaba]

I tried HD 25-1 couple years ago due to recommendations I got in this forum. I was immediately impressed by the sound quality and bought them for my iPod. One of the best purchases of HiFi I've ever done.

 

[bensk]

yea, i'm trying to find a used pair of these now.

 

[andru]

Hey guys, is the version everyone is talking about the hd25-SP II?

Cheers

 

[wired00]

Nope SP is the cheaper version

Edit:
here are a couple in NON "SP" models in australia on ebay:
currently $80AU bid:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Sennheiser-HD...QQcmdZViewItem

$259AU + shipping:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SENNHEISER-HD...QQcmdZViewItem

$259AU isn't a bad deal. At DJ shops etc, they are $300-400AU

 

[electropop]

Shuuuuuun did someone say sp? I'll slit thy throat.

Hehe.. but seriously.

My little brother is looking to replace his open grados for closed cans. Now of course i have the hd25s, but i found the AKG 171 to sound rather good.

So my question is: Has anyone compared the legendary hd25s to either AKG 171s or 271s.. I'd really appreciate if someone who's done this took the time to tell his view on things

It's just that.. well we live together, and i'd like reference, new blood in the house

BTW he has glasses, and that's why the 25s are also rather uncomfortable..

Thanks!

 

[mitchb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif Shuuuuuun did someone say sp? I'll slit thy throat. Hehe.. but seriously. My little brother is looking to replace his open grados for closed cans. Now of course i have the hd25s, but i found the AKG 171 to sound rather good. So my question is: Has anyone compared the legendary hd25s to either AKG 171s or 271s.. I'd really appreciate if someone who's done this took the time to tell his view on things It's just that.. well we live together, and i'd like reference, new blood in the house BTW he has glasses, and that's why the 25s are also rather uncomfortable.. Thanks!

Elkectropopp, I had the 271 and sold them because i did not have the paytience to bother to let them slowly burn in. I have a pair of HD-25 No contest, If you want to give your brother the benefit of what you,ve heafrrd musically and read I would get him a pair of the HD-025's with a decent cable. Even the HD650 cable is o=prettry good and it could be found relatively i expensive. Coincu=idently enough I got my Equi now SAA cablemade just for the HD25-11. I don't usually plud cable companies as cabkles are so very subjective and tastes differ but after listening to my HD-25-ii's with my D5000 cable(the only remains of an old pair of denons D5000's which I terminated the headphone end with the connectiors straight of the stock cable of the HD-25-ii stock cable but used as little of the original stock cable as possible and the sound was pretty good. Better than the Cardas which work and are m y preference on my HD-600's. On my HD-650 and HD 580's I have Equinox cables meant for thiose opjhines nbut using the Equinox cable for 6XX the connectors kept falli g off the phones so it was too much to listen to. With my just newly arrived Equinox for the HD-25-ii's the sound (without burn ib ) was so good that I'm listening to the 25's and am staring at a new pair of HD650;s I recenty aquired and I'm thinking I'm having too much fun listening to the 25's to switch to the 650's. The 65o0's and the 600' or the 580;s are bettervphones butr the HD25's add an element of excitement that I've been enjoying regardless the cable but the Equinox (which cost twice as much as the headphones) actuaklly help these phones sound as high end as any of my other phones regardless of price. The HD-25's kind of draw you into the music like the Grados but asre sweet and melodic like the 600/650's. With the proper connectors on the specially made Equinox for the little HD25's one gets a true high end sound which make the phiones sound like $400 phones but the cable does make that much of a difference. Makes me wonder what if I recabled my Grados. Talk about opoening a whole new can of worms. I think I'll enjoy my Grados stock for some time yet but if your a fa of the HD-25;s...... I do not work for Stefan Audio Art. I just love there headphone cables and these new cables really surprise me pleasantly this morning)I was on=bviously moved.
Electropopp, give your brother the HD25's to try woth a HD650 stock cable. That co mbo alone is very nice. I had the 271's. No contest!!

 

[electropop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitchb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Elkectropopp, I had the 271 and sold them because i did not have the paytience to bother to let them slowly burn in. I have a pair of HD-25 No contest, If you want to give your brother the benefit of what you,ve heafrrd musically and read I would get him a pair of the HD-025's with a decent cable. Even the HD650 cable is o=prettry good and it could be found relatively i expensive. Coincu=idently enough I got my Equi now SAA cablemade just for the HD25-11. I don't usually plud cable companies as cabkles are so very subjective and tastes differ but after listening to my HD-25-ii's with my D5000 cable(the only remains of an old pair of denons D5000's which I terminated the headphone end with the connectiors straight of the stock cable of the HD-25-ii stock cable but used as little of the original stock cable as possible and the sound was pretty good. Better than the Cardas which work and are m y preference on my HD-600's. On my HD-650 and HD 580's I have Equinox cables meant for thiose opjhines nbut using the Equinox cable for 6XX the connectors kept falli g off the phones so it was too much to listen to. With my just newly arrived Equinox for the HD-25-ii's the sound (without burn ib ) was so good that I'm listening to the 25's and am staring at a new pair of HD650;s I recenty aquired and I'm thinking I'm having too much fun listening to the 25's to switch to the 650's. The 65o0's and the 600' or the 580;s are bettervphones butr the HD25's add an element of excitement that I've been enjoying regardless the cable but the Equinox (which cost twice as much as the headphones) actuaklly help these phones sound as high end as any of my other phones regardless of price. The HD-25's kind of draw you into the music like the Grados but asre sweet and melodic like the 600/650's. With the proper connectors on the specially made Equinox for the little HD25's one gets a true high end sound which make the phiones sound like $400 phones but the cable does make that much of a difference. Makes me wonder what if I recabled my Grados. Talk about opoening a whole new can of worms. I think I'll enjoy my Grados stock for some time yet but if your a fa of the HD-25;s...... I do not work for Stefan Audio Art. I just love there headphone cables and these new cables really surprise me pleasantly this morning)I was on=bviously moved. Electropopp, give your brother the HD25's to try woth a HD650 stock cable. That co mbo alone is very nice. I had the 271's. No contest!!

Wow thanks for the reply! The funny thing is that my expression of the hd25s is exactly the same.. I too have a pair of 650s and sr325is on my table here.. but something about these phones is just priceless!

Of course when listening to classical i like to switch over to 650s or sometimes the grados. But one thing about the hd25s that attracts me is their forgivingness. I listen to lots of not-so-greatly-mastered 70s progressive fusion tracks and the 25s are just best for that! The kicking and rolling and no fatique!

Thanks for your concern.. But my brother is very far from a headnerd like us.

Good detail, comfort, isolation and a relatively neutral sound is enough. 171s were enough to be honest

We ended up ordering a pair of 272hd's, mainly for their over-ear design and countless praises for their sound quality. I don't think they'll be too bad. Good enough for my brother at least

I think i'll run a proper test though.. Always desperate for new blood

Thanks!

ps. Will have to seriously consider that cable update for the 25s, if what they do to the sound is really true. I've always been sort of a non-believer, but..

-K

 

[wired00]

Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow thanks for the reply! The funny thing is that my expression of the hd25s is exactly the same.. I too have a pair of 650s and sr325is on my table here.. but something about these phones is just priceless! Of course when listening to classical i like to switch over to 650s or sometimes the grados. But one thing about the hd25s that attracts me is their forgivingness. I listen to lots of not-so-greatly-mastered 70s progressive fusion tracks and the 25s are just best for that! The kicking and rolling and no fatique! Thanks for your concern.. But my brother is very far from a headnerd like us. Good detail, comfort, isolation and a relatively neutral sound is enough. 171s were enough to be honest We ended up ordering a pair of 272hd's, mainly for their over-ear design and countless praises for their sound quality. I don't think they'll be too bad. Good enough for my brother at least I think i'll run a proper test though.. Always desperate for new blood Thanks! ps. Will have to seriously consider that cable update for the 25s, if what they do to the sound is really true. I've always been sort of a non-believer, but.. -K

I'm actually shocked how great the hd25's sound with classical, especially strings and piano. Harp sounds fantastic imo

. I have the stock steel cable but get some 650's soon so will try that cable and eventually get the 650s a new one.

I love the isolation, didn't think it would even compare to IEM isolation but they do. can speak with nothing playing and barely hear my own voice Perfect for using at work, can't even hear the phone ringing right in front of me with music playing on a nice volume. thumbs up

 

[XtremeD]

Can anyone recommend upgrading the cable, beyond the HD650 one? BlackMax cables and so forth, or is it not worth it?

I do like the HD650 cable I have at the moment, but upgrades are always fun

 

[mr.khali]

I bought mine with a Moon Audio Blue Dragon v3 cable because I got a great deal here on Head-fi and it sounds so much better than the stock cable. The sound opens right up and becomes smooth throughout. The low reach lower and the highs are clear with their shrill nature toned way down to a minimum. Unfortunately I haven't as yet purchased one of the less expensive cables like the 600/650 stock cable to see how the Blue Dragon compares. I would like an open headphone for home use so I am looking for a good price on a 600/650 so I will compare when I get one. For me, the verdict has yet to be determined.

 

[XtremeD]

Ok thanks for the advice, will look into that cable also.

Finally, what about amps? Any cheap ones that can be recommended? Circa £150 or less.

 

[mr.khali]

I really don't think the HD 25 benefits enough from an amp to justify the cost. If you have other cans as well then fine but if you are just buying one for the HD25 I would be hesitant. The Fiio E3 is a really tiny inexpensive unit ($10) that gives the HD25 a warmer sound with a bit of boost to the bottom end if that suits your taste. That company is supposedly coming out with a new amp shortly which you may want to wait on. If you are not aware of it already there is a huge thread on it easily found if you do a search.

 

[electropop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtremeD /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok thanks for the advice, will look into that cable also. Finally, what about amps? Any cheap ones that can be recommended? Circa £150 or less.

I'm currently listening from my mediaplayers integrated amp. It's a sony 816 or something. It's way better than ipod's internal amp (apple being a bit muffled and damp in my opinion, though a tad less thin). But when i plug the 25s to my t.c. electronic konnekt 6 external dac, it's really quite different

The sound opens, gets more bottom end and the soundstage rises to a different level i've never experienced with the hd25s before. Really!

So now, being so awed by the "new" sound, i am looking for a new portable setup. Possibly a 160gb apple with the short cable from apple's own line out connector to 3,5mm/1/8" plug. I am considering one of meier's portable amps.. probably the one with the dac. Was that 2move? (~200euro) Anyway it's quite an expensive upgrade while the difference may not be that apparent. On the move at least, with all the back round noise etc..
Also the sony is quite handy in terms of portability. Wouldn't be so with this setup..

-K

 

[donunus]

add the relatively new denon d1000/1001s to the mix. how do they compare soundwise vs these hd25s