[Hyjacked]

Okay, so I have been doing some research but I am new to open headphones, so I would love some input. My budget for open headphones is around $300-450. The amp that I plan to use is the O2/ODAC.
 
From my understanding, the HE-400 is a wonderful bang for the buck and also has a "fun" factor in the sense that it has a certain "punch" specifically in the bass and treble that is not natural sounding not to say that it is bad sounding. The HD 600, however, again from my understanding, is quite a bit more natural sounding as well as lighter weight and also more forgiving when it comes to sibilance. Then there is the HD 650 which is a more "refined" signature? Exactly what that means, I'm not sure, hence why I could use some help.
 
So what am I looking for in a pair of open headphones?
 
I enjoy a lot of vocal music, especially female vocals, but also like the occasional electronic genre song, but the thing is, I have PSB M4U 1's that suit my needs, I feel, for electronic music. I really want open headphones to bring out great vocals, but I would like them to remain balanced or neutral like my M4U 1's. Bass is not majorly important to me but it's not that I don't like bass. From what I have read, the HD 600's are a great neutral option.
 
Also, I know "reading" won't give me the experience of actually trying the headphones on, so where can one listen to high end headphones in store?
 
Thank you for helping.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I analyzed the results of head-fi.org folks headphone preferences from the thread "Rank The Headphones That You Own." The link is in my signature line.
 
Here are the nine rank-ordered lists of those people that ranked both the HE-400 and either the HD-600 or the HD-650 (or in some cases, both).  Higher on the list means that headphone was rated higher.
 

 
Hope this helps you.

 

[Hyjacked]

Could use some more opinions.
 
*Bump*

 

[Hyjacked]

*Bump*

 

[jodgey4]

Having heard the HD650's for an audition, and from wearing the HE-400's as I type... I would recommend the HD650's if you really love vocals and listen at lower volumes, or if at relatively higher volumes - the HD600's. The 650's are warmer and a little better extended in the bass.

 

[Hyjacked]

  Having heard the HD650's for an audition, and from wearing the HE-400's as I type... I would recommend the HD650's if you really love vocals and listen at lower volumes, or if at relatively higher volumes - the HD600's. The 650's are warmer and a little better extended in the bass.
 

Thanks, what do you think about the HE-500's though?

 

[jodgey4]

I haven't heard them, nor read up too much on them... but I'd personally probably wait for the new HE-400i.

 

[Hyjacked]

  I haven't heard them, nor read up too much on them... but I'd personally probably wait for the new HE-400i.

Well I would assume the HE-400i is going to be a branch off of the HE-400, meaning it will not be a very neutral headphone but an impressive one nonetheless. Got a good deal on the HE-500's, so that's the route I am taking. Thanks for the help though.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  Well I would assume the HE-400i is going to be a branch off of the HE-400, meaning it will not be a very neutral headphone but an impressive one nonetheless. Got a good deal on the HE-500's, so that's the route I am taking. Thanks for the help though.

head-fi.org user preference data backs up your choice for the HE-500 (this was before there was either an HE-560 or an HE-400i, of course).
 
The plot below shows user preferences of any of the most-frequently-ranked headphone models against any other. Data was taken from the thread "Rank the headphones that you own"  (check the link in my signature for more detail if you want).   Each headphone appears as both a row and a column title.  A colored dot is at the intersection of each cell of two different headphone models.  Dots in the blue family (blue or green) indicate that the headphone in the (blue) row title was preferred; a dot in the red color family (i.e., red or orange) indicates preference for the headphone in the (red) column title.  White dot means essentially equal preference.
 
The HE-500 is strongly preferred over EACH of the other headphones you were considering... the HE-400, the Sennheiser HD 600, and the Sennheiser HD 650.  In fact, the only headphones of the 39 that were preferred to the HE-500 were the super-premium Sennheiser HD 800, Audeze LCD-3, LCD-2.2, LCD-2, and HiFiMAN HE-6, and the Fostex TH900.
 
I have the HE-500s and LOVE 'em!
 

 

[Hyjacked]

  head-fi.org user preference data backs up your choice for the HE-500 (this was before there was either an HE-560 or an HE-400i, of course).
 
The plot below shows user preferences of any of the most-frequently-ranked headphone models against any other. Data was taken from the thread "Rank the headphones that you own"  (check the link in my signature for more detail if you want).   Each headphone appears as both a row and a column title.  A colored dot is at the intersection of each cell of two different headphone models.  Dots in the blue family (blue or green) indicate that the headphone in the (blue) row title was preferred; a dot in the red color family (i.e., red or orange) indicates preference for the headphone in the (red) column title.  White dot means essentially equal preference.
 
The HE-500 is strongly preferred over EACH of the other headphones you were considering... the HE-400, the Sennheiser HD 600, and the Sennheiser HD 650.  In fact, the only headphones of the 39 that were preferred to the HE-500 were the super-premium Sennheiser HD 800, Audeze LCD-3, LCD-2.2, LCD-2, and HiFiMAN HE-6, and the Fostex TH900.
 
I have the HE-500s and LOVE 'em!
 

Thank you very much! This was so joyfully reassuring.