[mdn2003nNY]

Could someone that owns a Cowon D2 please recommend a set of headphones that would get the most out of this mp3 player under $150

 

[2162]

If you are looking for IEMS, go for the super fi 5

 

[Aimless1]

What are you listening to? Movies? Podcasts? Music? What genres? Amped? Unamped? Portable? Home? etc. Try to give us more information.

 

[mdn2003nNY]

Music only. Mostly rock. The Zutons, Wilco, Sublime...wide variety of rock but no Rap or Reggae. No Amp, straight from the D2. Using it at work so need open ear to hear telephone intercom, but even though I'm a newbie here I'm a musician and want to hear quality sound!
Thanks in advance for any help I can get!

 

[RedSky0]

Get some bass oriented IEMs/phones, the D2 tends to make my analytically oriented iM716s sound very piercing in certain songs and can't pump out the bass like my other DAP can.

 

[4saken]

If you want something open eared, then IEM/canalphones are not for you. You could try Alessandro MS1, which are great for rock.

 

[mdn2003nNY]

I was thinking of the Sennheiser PX 100's. They are $32 at Amazon? What's the skinny on these for quality music sound?

Thanks again

mdn2003nNY

 

[Dublo7]

The Ultimate Ears Super Fi 4's are really solid, if you can't afford the Super Fi 5 pro.

 

[Aimless1]

These are all great suggestions. For open hp, unamped for rock either Grados or Alessandro make alot of sense. I have not heard the MS1s but they are often recommended. The Grado SR60, SR80 or SR125s are good options, but I would suggest looking for a good used pair of SR225s here on head.fi or on Audiogon, which go used for about $150. Most excellent choice for Rock. They will put a smile on your face and joy in your ears.

 

[filipelli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSky0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get some bass oriented IEMs/phones, the D2 tends to make my analytically oriented iM716s sound very piercing in certain songs and can't pump out the bass like my other DAP can.

Wow. I have to really disagree here. Compared to the wealth of other players I have owned, the D2 holds very well in the bass department. This is comparing the bassy UE5c, to the middle ground se530, to the bass shy LW. The D2 is great compared to a lot of the other players I have owned.

I would say if you are going the IEM route, go with the super.fis. If you are going for full size, go for the grado 225s. However, if you want just all around set, the px100 would be nice, as its sig is close to grado.

 

[wavoman]

I use Sennheiser PX 100's all the time, they are terrific, but I don't think you will like them for rock. I was listening to Springsteen on them when a salesman for Shure IEM's pulled me over (I was walking in Newark Airport; there's an electronics kiosk) and made me listen to the 500's (which are what 530's were called when they first came out). The diff was amazing, and I spent $500 for the Shure's immediately.

I am told that certain Audio-Technica open backs have good slam for rock, but I have to leave suggestions to others since I have not heard them, but I do believe the PX 100's will let you down when the music gets going. They're fantastic for pop on airplanes when I just want to be lulled to sleep, although using open backs on planes means keeping the volume down. I also have the Senn PX 200's that are closed, just forget to pack them most of the time since they have no other use in the world and don't sit out on the desk (wife has set strict limits on the number of HP's in the kitchen).

Based on this thread, I am going to check out the Grado and Alessandro models mentioned too.

 

[RedSky0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by filipelli /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow. I have to really disagree here. Compared to the wealth of other players I have owned, the D2 holds very well in the bass department. This is comparing the bassy UE5c, to the middle ground se530, to the bass shy LW. The D2 is great compared to a lot of the other players I have owned. I would say if you are going the IEM route, go with the super.fis. If you are going for full size, go for the grado 225s. However, if you want just all around set, the px100 would be nice, as its sig is close to grado.

May have different definitions of what bass means to us or it may be a particular headphone matchings. To me, the D2 just doesn't go low enough, the fact that the lower bound EQ and the Mach3Bass functions at 80Hz (not 100% whether that applies to Mach3Bass, but I read it somewhere and it sounds right to my ears) and not lower is pretty noticeable, to me at least. Also, if I try to push it up too far, in bass heavy songs it sounds very flabby and starts distorting a tad.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Didn't even mention a budget. :/

Anyway, I'd actually go the Denon's (C551,c700, c751).

 

[Envoy of Light]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinesekiwi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Didn't even mention a budget. :/ Anyway, I'd actually go the Denon's (C551,c700, c751).

He has said under 150$.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Envoy of Light /img/forum/go_quote.gif He has said under 150$.

Then the c551's or c700's.