[nothing101]

I dont want to buy one but im interested in knowing what headphones are good at acoustic music. I can guess that the beyer dt880s and etys would be good and also the akg k601 &701. i know that the 501s are really crisp in the highs so they are good. What about grados? never listened to them with acoustic.

 

[F107plus5]

My MS-1s and MS2i both shine with acoustic music, but then again I have nothing to compare them to.

...sounds great to me!

 

[jdimitri]

I think acoustic music is one of those music that shines with anything
It just depends on which presentation you'd prefer..

This is all IMO but:
Grados- more initimate presentation, not as relaxing as most other headphones though
Beyer DT880- ultimate chill (sorry for the lame wording

), but it's just that, you can kick back and relax but it's not really as involving as grados
DT990- a mix between the 2, a bit more involving than the DT880 while still having the chill factor..

I think the senns that i've tried (HD580 and 600) are somewhere between the DT880 and 990

Oh and with female vocals, i prefer DT880>990>grados, in any situation

So up to you, but i find DT990 is involving while keeping clarity and details, so i'm keeping them and selling the grados (sold HD580 and DT880 earlier)

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdimitri I think acoustic music is one of those music that shines with anything It just depends on which presentation you'd prefer.. This is all IMO but: Grados- more initimate presentation, not as relaxing as most other headphones though

Yup! Have to agree to that!

Sometimes sitting with my eyes closed listening to tight little acoustic groups at realistic sound levels on my MS2i, I tend to sit quietly with my elbows tucked in so's not to bump the guitars and other instruments while they're playing!

....and sitting quietly with MS2i is almost imposible!!

 

[nothing101]

i didnt want 2 buy a pair of headphones for this purpose cause im already getting grados but i was curious where headphones stood in terms of acoustic music.

so thanx evry1

 

[MaZa]

Alessandro.

 

[robm321]

X3

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdimitri I think acoustic music is one of those music that shines with anything It just depends on which presentation you'd prefer.. This is all IMO but: Grados- more initimate presentation, not as relaxing as most other headphones though Beyer DT880- ultimate chill (sorry for the lame wording ), but it's just that, you can kick back and relax but it's not really as involving as grados DT990- a mix between the 2, a bit more involving than the DT880 while still having the chill factor.. I think the senns that i've tried (HD580 and 600) are somewhere between the DT880 and 990 Oh and with female vocals, i prefer DT880>990>grados, in any situation So up to you, but i find DT990 is involving while keeping clarity and details, so i'm keeping them and selling the grados (sold HD580 and DT880 earlier)

 

[kramer5150]

RS1/2 are the KINGs of acoustic instrument replication IMHO.

I can't put it into words... They sound like the real instrument. Its not readily obvious until you HEAR a guitar, drum or violin in person. Then go back and hear the same instrument on an HD580, or DT880 (for example). Then you hear it on an RS1 and thats the live tone.

I was at a nephews place over the summer listening to him rehearse, he plays jazz clarinet. I am SHOCKED how inaccurately clarinet tones are replicated through most headphones. Most (IMHO) make clarinets sound too distant and subdued. Live clarinet in person is a VERY dynamic, up-front and boisterous instrument... depending on how its played. I keep coming back to the RS1 as the only can that gets it right. Technically clarinet is not seen as an acoustic instrument... but it has some "woody" throaty tonal character that gets overlooked by many... IMHO

 

[SoundGoon]

I enjoy the HD 590's for acoustic music. They are detailed and have a decent soundstage. They are also extremely comfortbale, which is great if you listen to 50+ minute symphonies

 

[GlendaleViper]

Coming from my limited headphone experience, I can tell you that my Grado SR225 replicates acoustic guitar very, very well. My K701 however, blows the Grado out of the water. I was listening to "Trilogy" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer a few months ago and fell asleep... then track 4 came on: "From the Beginning". A beautiful acoustic guitar track, very mellow and pretty. It sounded so REAL and so spacial that it actually startled me awake and left me disoriented and wondering where I was.

Not my first eargasm, but definitely the first with the K701 and a bonafide one at that.

Interestingly, I do still prefer the intimacy the Grado provides for acoustic guitar, and would love to hear it as presented by the RS-1.

 

[Fitz]

For acoustic music my first choice would be W5000s, with the K501s not far behind in second. Beyond that, it's a tossup.

 

[blessingx]

Acoustic can mean a lot of things, but if talking about folk/bluegrass/jazz vocals, etc. that I'd disagree it shines with everything. IM0 that music could specifically "fail" (or at least not shine) with some Sonys/ATs, the older DT880s, etc. Though like everything it depends on what attracts you to a genre to begin with.

 

[J-Pak]

For acoustic the best I've heard is with the K1000 and RS-1. They present acoustic in different ways, but both are excellent.

 

[Superpredator]

I'm partial to the Headphiled K340 with tube amplification for acoustic. The DT880 didn't fare so bad either, but oddly enough had a tendency to sound great with some music while just okay with other music without any pattern as to genre/style. Although I can't recommend the DT880 wholeheartedly for acoustic, Calexico (which features lots of acoustic guitar) has never sounded better to me.

A pretty simple test as to what a pair of headphones excels at is what you naturally wind up listening to most when you put them on. With the K340, I need a substantial dose of acoustic every day, and I listen to acoustic recordings more than I ever have before.

I haven't heard Grados or a pair of woodied headphones yet, so my experience definitely has a big wide gap in it.

 

[nothing101]

well what are the things that are wanted and not wanted in acousic music. Detail and crisp highs are a must, i thing a rather textured sound is also good. Id say that any boomy cans are out of the question. hmmm the senn 595s are meant to be balanced but the 555s are VERY veiled so i doubt they would do great. The k 601 is very balanced but i see on the frequency response graphs that they and all of the k-X01 series (not as much the 701) are missing some of the highs. If i recall correctly the recession starts somewhere like 14khz.