[Techniques]

Hello everyone,
First id like to start by saying I'm really glad I found this site it’s awesome

I've been reading headphone reviews on various sites for some time now but I’ve been seeing allot of mixed reviews, after reading threads for countless hours here I’ve come to respect allot of the reviews coming out of here

Here’s my situation, and I’m sorry in advance for this thread being a redux of every other "please give me suggestions on new headphones" thread but my situation differs from everyone else’s I suppose, so please try not to flame

I listen to music all the time, I constantly have headphones on. I just have those cheap sony "behind the neck ones" right now, but one day it occurred to me that because I use headphones so much I owe it to myself to save up and buy something nice. My budget is around $150 and I will most likely not be buying any kind of headphone amp for these. the headphones would be primarily used at my computer that hosts a SoundBlaster live card, but I will also use these headphones with my MP3 player, my cd player, and my Minidisc player.

I’m looking for cans that give off crisp clear sound obviously, I’m no bass maniac but I like the bass to be there and blend in nice with everything else that’s going on musically, I just don’t want to be hearing pure bass. I don’t care if the headphones are open or closed but I’m kind of leaning towards closed right now. comfort is a MUST though because I will be wearing them for extended periods of time, and I don’t really care how they look as long as they are comfortable and give off good sound

Here’s where I differ from most of the reviews I read, my musical taste. allot of the posts I read were of people listening to techno and jazz and what not. I don’t know how much this makes a difference but I listen to harder rock, mostly metal but I also listen to light rock and even classical. stuff like: tool, mudvayne, slipknot, nine inch nails, white zombie, and pantera to name a few. but I also listen to Mozart, Beethoven, vivaldi, and Bach. also some rap, my musical tastes are very wide but like I said mostly hard rock and metal.

I’ve seen words like "SENNHEISER", "BEYERDYNAMIC", and "Grado" being thrown around allot now every since I’ve started reading these forums, when before all I looked at was sony and other brands you’d see at best buy and stores like that. now my problem is I’ve looked at so many model numbers and brands I donno what’s good for me, and I’m not to inclined on the technical side of headphones and looking at all the numbers and stats of them.

Id like to thank you all for opening up many more options for me and possibly helping guide me to a pair of headphones that will get worked to death

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for your time.

- Techniques

 

[Flasken]

Hi!! Welcome to head-fi, sorry about your wallet...

Hard rock can be very harsh sounding which is why I'd like to recommend the Beyerdýnamic DT250(80 ohm) to you. It is very comfortable, it is small for a circumnaural headphone (circumnaural: goes all the way around the ears), and it has a very nice and buttery sound. I use it mainly for rock which is where it shines. It is also easily driven and has great bass.

depending on your location you should be able to get it for $150.

Thank you for reading,
Flasken

 

[bioxeed]

I've started listening to a bit of metal and the like (mostly some fear factory) and i LOVE the way it sounds on my dt-770's. but these things really need to be amped. Also the bass might be a bit too much for some.

I'd back up Flasken's reccomendation of the DT250-80's or maybe the DT-531's if you don't really need a closed headphone.

 

[setmenu]

I would not worry too much about having different requirements to most here ,plenty of people listen to a wide variety of
music styles on their portable rigs etc,myself included

You will be getting some sound advice.


Good luck on your quest and welcome....too the slippery slope

Setmenu

 

[bangraman]

I would say the most versatile, affordable and good sounding headphone out there is the Sony MDR-7506, AKA the MDR-V6. You can amp it, but you don't have to amp it. It works pretty well with all types of music, althoguh there are occasions on which I would want to use something else with my walkman. It folds for portability, it's compact, reasonably comfortable (although the Beyer pad upgrade makes it more comfortable for some) and it sounds very good. I found it quite hard to get hold of in the UK, so I started looking here and it's the best thing I've bought so far on this board. All in all a better 'beginner's choice' than a Beyer DT250-80 I think, which is an option along with the Sennheiser HD280 Pro. I think also both the Sennheiser and Beyer sound quite a lot quieter with a walkman than the Sony, although that could be my imagination.

 

[Flasken]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman I would say the most versatile, affordable and good sounding headphone out there is the Sony MDR-7506, AKA the MDR-V6. You can amp it, but you don't have to amp it. It works pretty well with all types of music, althoguh there are occasions on which I would want to use something else with my walkman. It folds for portability, it's compact, reasonably comfortable (although the Beyer pad upgrade makes it more comfortable for some) and it sounds very good. I found it quite hard to get hold of in the UK, so I started looking here and it's the best thing I've bought so far on this board. All in all a better 'beginner's choice' than a Beyer DT250-80 I think, which is an option along with the Sennheiser HD280 Pro. I think also both the Sennheiser and Beyer sound quite a lot quieter with a walkman than the Sony, although that could be my imagination.

The V6 is known to have a bit harsh treble - not good for heavy metal.

Also, I have alot of cd's, some recorded with low volume. Still, I haven't been able to listen with volume maxed out on my DT250 with any cd. They are quite efficient and that is a fact.

 

[SumB]

The Alessandro Music Series One (buttonless tweaked Grado SR80/125) is a no brainer at $99 shipped. I must say they outclass the V6/7506 in every conceivable way save for bass extension. For rock/metal there is none better for the money.

 

[Toe]

IMHO, if you've got $150 to spend, you're shooting yourself in the foot if you don't at least consider a cmoy amp. I built my first one for a little over $30. Throw in a Sony V6 (not V600, of course) for around $70 and you've got yourself a terific starter rig for a little over $100!

The plans for the cmoy amp are available here, and Tangent's tutorial for putting one together is available here. Don't fret too much if you've never done something like this before, I'd never touched a soldering iron before I built mine.

 

[Ricky Monk]

My 2 cents would be.... Grado SR60. Well within your budget, and great sounding compared to the junk usually found in stores.

Sennheiser HD570 also nice, extremely comfortable.

The 570 want's an amp in some applications... the Grado will probably serve you better.


Remember, the difference between cheap headphones and starter quality "good" headhpones such as these can be huge.. the difference between these and the ultra high end stuff is not as large (though it's not small either) .

 

[wallijonn]

with a name like Techiques, you'd think the only cans for you would be Audio Technicas. for some strange reason i want to hear philips hp890s - easy to drive - bassy (for rock) - comfortable - you can wear them for hours. a "rich and warmy sound" (http://www.meier-audio.com/) to take off the sharp metallic edge off of rock music. chances are they'll tame flaring & flaming high ends.

one can get used to most headphones - if they have to. or you start a collection

meanwhile my grado sr80's are collecting dust awaiting the mod pads to come in...

as to Sony's - i hate v6's, v700dj, et. al. in fact I loath them. they don't feel right and they don't sound right. in fact i put them right up there with koss hd60's.

anyone own the hp890's? do you use it for metal and rock? what's the headphone that someone said was great with soundblaster (do a search for that word

) ?

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ighlight=hp890

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?
s=&threadid=20466&highlight=hp890

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ighlight=hp890

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ighlight=hp890

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ighlight=hp890


and from the pictures, it would seem that there were two different types of hp890's. look at the bottom of the pads.

 

[Techniques]

Thanks everyone for your great opinions and the links to reviews they have been incredibly helpful.
So I’ve narrowed my options down to a small pool of options:

Grado SR60
Sennheiser HD570
Philips HP890
Sony MDR-7506 (MDR-V6)
Beyerdynamic DT250-80

Now I just need to find the one out of all of those where the pros outweigh the cons for my purposes (see original post)

Here’s my other question as well, after reading your posts I've decided an amp is an option now as well, but not initially. id like to get some good headphones and invest in an amp later on or possibly make it a Christmas present or something

however, I most likely will not be building this amp and would prefer to buy one in a sensible price range (around 100 or something) keep in mind I know NOTHING of amps so I'm relying on all of your wisdom here

but if its going to end up giving me better sound then I want one

Also whatever amp I get will be primarily used at my computer that hosts a SoundBlaster live card, and I have no idea if this will affect the amp in any way or something. but it’ll also be used with my cd player and minidisk player and stuff, just not as much.

Right now I think I'm leaning towards the Phillips HP890's mostly for comfort value, I’ve herd the grado SR60's aren’t that comfortable as well. but the main point is whatever headphone I get will be a very large step up from what I have now (Sony behind the neck headphones)

Once again to everyone reading and responding to this thanks for your knowledge and guidance, it is incredibly valuable to me at this point

- Techniques

 

[wallijonn]

scratch the senn 570 - gargabe.
sony - will end up buying $25 beyer pads to make them more comfortable. why bother.

hp890 - can be found used for about $80
you're not going to like the grados after an hour.

that leaves the hp890 and dt250-80 as viable solutions.

can i interest you in an audio technica Ad55? or a500?

 

[vandit]

whatever you do, you MUST get an amp...

being amped and unamped is like night and day for me...

get a META42 from KurtW or JMT... (Thanks KurtW

)

i know it changed my musical experience!

vandit

 

[Jackangel]

Might as well mention the JVC HA D990, which is being talked about a lot here.

I've never heard them, but some are saying that they are very very good for the price, even better than the V6s according to some.

For only 25-30 bucks shipped, it's worth considering. Of course, there aren't enough opinions yet. However, that should change very soon, as a few dozen Head-freaks on here just purchased these headphones and you should hear a bucketful of opinions within the next 2 weeks.

If most of these people are impressed, that's a good sign. Quality headphones for such a low price are very hard to come by, so I've heard.

 

[Ricky Monk]

Quote:

Originally posted by wallijonn scratch the senn 570 - gargabe.

So far that's 2 posts on the topic and not one with actual input yet other than what you hate, and what is garbage, with little or no actual resons for why you think what you think.

Grado SR60 or 80 may be on the "uncomfortable" side.. but I see several people who wear them all day, every day. So it's obviously a matter of taste. They all say they got more comfortable over time. They can all certainly afford something else if they don't like what they have, yet they don't switch.
The grados are easily driven by common portable devices, unlike many other headphones.


Similarly with the senn 570... the sound is great. It's not a 580/590/600, but it doesn't cost as much either.. go figure.
And if garbage is all this comfortable, I'll take more thanks.