[520RanchBro]

  Do you guys like the closed headphones for metal better than open cans, or are they generally still just for sound isolation purposes (like at a desk job) or on the go use?  I see a lot of closed HP discussion and it just got me curious.
 
I am considering the idea of buying another set of headphones to complement my AKG K702s, basically just for listening to metal.  I like a lot of the qualities of the K702, but I am finding that the extra large soundstage and the lack of a low end attack make things like doom metal sound much too thin and somewhat boring.  Judging from the general consensus that I see here, I should just get the LCD-2 and bask in the warmth and glory of planar magnetic goodness and be on my way.  I hate to sound frugal, but I dont want to spend ~$1000 on a set of cans, so I am pursuing options instead at the more competitive ~$500 range.
 
I did some research a few years ago, and was just about to purchase the HD650s until I lost my Westone W4s and had to buy a new set of IEMs instead (ER4).  But recently ive also been seeing some really good things about the HE400 line, and now im not so sure which one I should get.  I know that 'best' is subjective, but what do you guys think is the best ~$500 headphone?

 
The 400i is an absolute monster for doom, very focused, thick mids with solid but not overwhelming bass. Distorted guitars sound so good on them. Metal is all about mids and I haven't listened to headphones that do them better than the 400i. Plus you could find a used pair for almost half of your budget.

 

[Hansotek]

  Do you guys like the closed headphones for metal better than open cans, or are they generally still just for sound isolation purposes (like at a desk job) or on the go use?  I see a lot of closed HP discussion and it just got me curious.
 
I am considering the idea of buying another set of headphones to complement my AKG K702s, basically just for listening to metal.  I like a lot of the qualities of the K702, but I am finding that the extra large soundstage and the lack of a low end attack make things like doom metal sound much too thin and somewhat boring.  Judging from the general consensus that I see here, I should just get the LCD-2 and bask in the warmth and glory of planar magnetic goodness and be on my way.  I hate to sound frugal, but I dont want to spend ~$1000 on a set of cans, so I am pursuing options instead at the more competitive ~$500 range.
 
I did some research a few years ago, and was just about to purchase the HD650s until I lost my Westone W4s and had to buy a new set of IEMs instead (ER4).  But recently ive also been seeing some really good things about the HE400 line, and now im not so sure which one I should get.  I know that 'best' is subjective, but what do you guys think is the best ~$500 headphone?

 
You can probably find a used LCD-2 around $600-$650 these days on the for sale forum, if that is the headphone you really want. IMO, the pre-fazor version is better.
 
The aforementioned HE400i is a solid recommendation as well.
 
I don't know what your resources are for demoing different headphones, but if you have the opportunity to give them a whirl, I would imagine the Oppo PM-2 would be well-suited for doom, and can be had via Oppo's refurbished deals for $499, though they don't appear to be in stock at the moment.

 

[bassboysam]

i like the HE500 for a lot of my doom listening. my favorite is still the AD2000X but that won't give you the planar sound.

 

[swspiers]

Do you guys like the closed headphones for metal better than open cans, or are they generally still just for sound isolation purposes (like at a desk job) or on the go use?  I see a lot of closed HP discussion and it just got me curious.

I am considering the idea of buying another set of headphones to complement my AKG K702s, basically just for listening to metal.  I like a lot of the qualities of the K702, but I am finding that the extra large soundstage and the lack of a low end attack make things like doom metal sound much too thin and somewhat boring.  Judging from the general consensus that I see here, I should just get the LCD-2 and bask in the warmth and glory of planar magnetic goodness and be on my way.  I hate to sound frugal, but I dont want to spend ~$1000 on a set of cans, so I am pursuing options instead at the more competitive ~$500 range.

I did some research a few years ago, and was just about to purchase the HD650s until I lost my Westone W4s and had to buy a new set of IEMs instead (ER4).  But recently ive also been seeing some really good things about the HE400 line, and now im not so sure which one I should get.  I know that 'best' is subjective, but what do you guys think is the best ~$500 headphone?

1. Meze Classic 99. Born for Doom/Sludge awesomeness. Ufomammut has never sounded so fun to me. At $309, absolute steal.

2. Hifiman HE-400i. Open, but the mids and guitar attack are to die for.

3. Alpha Dogs. Check the classifieds. Sam, get the dogs and use them as monitor headphones in the studio. The presentation of bass, straight out of the board, will blow your mind.

 

[Hansotek]

1. Meze Classic 99. Born for Doom/Sludge awesomeness. Ufomammut has never sounded so fun to me. At $309, absolute steal.

2. Hifiman HE-400i. Open, but the mids and guitar attack are to die for.

3. Alpha Dogs. Check the classifieds. Sam, get the dogs and use them as monitor headphones in the studio. The presentation of bass, straight out of the board, will blow your mind.

 
The Meze are freakin' awesome. I agree, they are a crazy steal at that price. 

 

[YtseJamer]

My Meze 99 (Siver) should be delivered tomorrow or Wednesday.  Can't wait!

 

[FlyingFungus]

I think I've made my decision. The Meze are my next set of headphones, followed by the Audeze Sine and hopefully the Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart or Mahogany if they do a drop again.

 

[Russian1]

  Do you guys like the closed headphones for metal better than open cans, or are they generally still just for sound isolation purposes (like at a desk job) or on the go use?  I see a lot of closed HP discussion and it just got me curious.
 
I am considering the idea of buying another set of headphones to complement my AKG K702s, basically just for listening to metal.  I like a lot of the qualities of the K702, but I am finding that the extra large soundstage and the lack of a low end attack make things like doom metal sound much too thin and somewhat boring.  Judging from the general consensus that I see here, I should just get the LCD-2 and bask in the warmth and glory of planar magnetic goodness and be on my way.  I hate to sound frugal, but I dont want to spend ~$1000 on a set of cans, so I am pursuing options instead at the more competitive ~$500 range.
 
I did some research a few years ago, and was just about to purchase the HD650s until I lost my Westone W4s and had to buy a new set of IEMs instead (ER4).  But recently ive also been seeing some really good things about the HE400 line, and now im not so sure which one I should get.  I know that 'best' is subjective, but what do you guys think is the best ~$500 headphone?

There are semi-closed cans and you can get best from the both worlds. 
TH600 for example. 
 

   
I'm also old school but I like the new bands like Leprous, Haken, Intronaut, Gojira or Tesseract.
 
I started with Maiden, Scorpions, Ozzy, Slayer and these days I'm more into bands like Opeth, Katatonia, Tool, Enslaved, etc.
 

I started with Judas Priest and Accept good 30 years ago. 
But I do like some young bands as well.

 

[Eternalmetal]

   
The 400i is an absolute monster for doom, very focused, thick mids with solid but not overwhelming bass. Distorted guitars sound so good on them. Metal is all about mids and I haven't listened to headphones that do them better than the 400i. Plus you could find a used pair for almost half of your budget.

 
Sounds very tempting.  I remember seeing high praise of the 400i right after it came out, but im not really into getting 'the flavor of the month' kind of headphone, so I figured id wait a bit and see if opinions changed.  So the 400i is the real deal for metal then?  
 
 

   
You can probably find a used LCD-2 around $600-$650 these days on the for sale forum, if that is the headphone you really want. IMO, the pre-fazor version is better.
 
The aforementioned HE400i is a solid recommendation as well.
 
I don't know what your resources are for demoing different headphones, but if you have the opportunity to give them a whirl, I would imagine the Oppo PM-2 would be well-suited for doom, and can be had via Oppo's refurbished deals for $499, though they don't appear to be in stock at the moment.

 
No, im not sure if the LCD-2 is really the headphone I want, I just see it so often praised as a warm headphone that is really good with metal.  I guess buying used is always a possibility, but im not sure whether I particularly want the LCD-2 over other options just yet.  
 
I live in the country, so demoing anything other than Grados from the local hi-fi store would be really difficult.  I can look around to see if there are any stores in my area that stock some of the less mainstream brands, but I seriously doubt it.  Unfortunately ill probably just have to make a choice based on research/faith, and sell them off for a loss if I dont like them enough.

i like the HE500 for a lot of my doom listening. my favorite is still the AD2000X but that won't give you the planar sound.

 
Is the planar sound somehow more suited to doom than a dynamic driver?  I guess the answer to this question will determine whether I scrap the idea of considering the HD650 or not.  I know the planars are said to have better sub-bass and such, but metal is more than just a good low end I think.  Is the HE500 better than the HE400i?

1. Meze Classic 99. Born for Doom/Sludge awesomeness. Ufomammut has never sounded so fun to me. At $309, absolute steal.

2. Hifiman HE-400i. Open, but the mids and guitar attack are to die for.

3. Alpha Dogs. Check the classifieds. Sam, get the dogs and use them as monitor headphones in the studio. The presentation of bass, straight out of the board, will blow your mind.

 
Im guessing that you prefer the closed headphone sound for doom I take it?  Without having tried the models you are talking about, I fear that closed headphones will be too muffled and the highs will be lacking compared with open cans.  I prefer trad doom like Candlemass, Saint Vitus, Reverend Bizarre, etc over the sludge/stoner doom stuff, so mids are just as important to bass to me, probably more so actually.  

 

[mysticstryk]

Got to try some new headphones at a meet this past weekend.  Due to the nature of a public setting and my limited time with them, these very short impressions are not final, I just wanted to share my experience, as I tested metal music on all of them (except for one).
 
Fostex TH-x00:  Smaller than they look in just about every picture.  Bass extended deep for a dynamic.  Couldn't make up my mind if it was too much bass or not.  
 
LCD-X:  I was slightly disappointed in these.  Sounded rather thin too me.  Not a power issue either, as they were running them balanced out of a LC.  Idk.
 
Ether:  These were very nice.  I was surprised the bass was very good and present.  Didn't find them bright either.  Definitely a candidate for an upgrade.
 
HD800:  Anemic bass?  Not by a longshot.  No mods done on these either.  The only headphone I couldn't test with metal as it was running from a Lyr and turntable.  Closest I got was Fall Out Boy.
 
Stax 007 mk1:  Hnnnnggg.  These were amazing.  That is all.
 
 
I came away with an eye on the hd800 and Ether as possible future upgrades.  The 007 was the best of the bunch, but very far out of my price range.  I imagine the Ether would probably be the best bet for metal, but the hd800 sounded very good.

 

[Hansotek]

  Got to try some new headphones at a meet this past weekend.  Due to the nature of a public setting and my limited time with them, these very short impressions are not final, I just wanted to share my experience, as I tested metal music on all of them (except for one).
 
Fostex TH-x00:  Smaller than they look in just about every picture.  Bass extended deep for a dynamic.  Couldn't make up my mind if it was too much bass or not.  
 
LCD-X:  I was slightly disappointed in these.  Sounded rather thin too me.  Not a power issue either, as they were running them balanced out of a LC.  Idk.
 
Ether:  These were very nice.  I was surprised the bass was very good and present.  Didn't find them bright either.  Definitely a candidate for an upgrade.
 
HD800:  Anemic bass?  Not by a longshot.  No mods done on these either.  The only headphone I couldn't test with metal as it was running from a Lyr and turntable.  Closest I got was Fall Out Boy.
 
Stax 007 mk1:  Hnnnnggg.  These were amazing.  That is all.
 
 
I came away wanting with an eye on the hd800 and Ether as possible future upgrades.  The 007 was the best of the bunch, but very far out of my price range.  I imagine the Ether would probably be the best bet for metal, but the hd800 sounded very good.

 
Awesome impressions. The open Ether is totally awesome with metal and way underrated.
 
On the SR007, I gained a new respect for that headphone at CanJam this year. They are indeed quite amazing.

 

[Hansotek]

   
Sounds very tempting.  I remember seeing high praise of the 400i right after it came out, but im not really into getting 'the flavor of the month' kind of headphone, so I figured id wait a bit and see if opinions changed.  So the 400i is the real deal for metal then?  

 
Yes. It is easily one of the most popular cans in this thread.
 

 
No, im not sure if the LCD-2 is really the headphone I want, I just see it so often praised as a warm headphone that is really good with metal.  I guess buying used is always a possibility, but im not sure whether I particularly want the LCD-2 over other options just yet.  

 
Right on. The praise is well deserved. It would be my drug of choice for stoner/doom stuff, personally (again, the pre-fazor version!). All these other recommendations you've been getting are really good though. 
 

 
Is the planar sound somehow more suited to doom than a dynamic driver?  I guess the answer to this question will determine whether I scrap the idea of considering the HD650 or not.  I know the planars are said to have better sub-bass and such, but metal is more than just a good low end I think.  Is the HE500 better than the HE400i?
 

 
Not necessarily. There just happens to be a lot of planars with a sound that is more conducive to doom. The HD650 is a fine option too for your genre of choice, though I personally would prefer pretty much any headphone recommended above to the HD650 (IMHO, YMMV, etc. Some people love it, and that's totally cool.). I found I preferred the HE500 10 times out of 10 for songs at which the HD650 generally excelled.
 
On the HE400i and HE500 - not as simple as it seems. In stock form, I think the HE400i is the better choice by a very, very slight margin. Modded (fuzzor, grills, pads and new cable), I think the HE500 beats it quite handily and easily rivals the much more expensive Audeze LCD-X & XC in terms of overall sound quality. It takes a little time and TLC, but the work is well worth it, IMO.
 
In terms of sonic differences between the two, the 500 is a bit more laid back with more body and weight, whereas the 400i is more upfront and aggressive sounding. Both great headphones. Slightly different flavors.

 

[swspiers]

Got to try some new headphones at a meet this past weekend.  Due to the nature of a public setting and my limited time with them, these very short impressions are not final, I just wanted to share my experience, as I tested metal music on all of them (except for one).

Fostex TH-x00:  Smaller than they look in just about every picture.  Bass extended deep for a dynamic.  Couldn't make up my mind if it was too much bass or not.  

LCD-X:  I was slightly disappointed in these.  Sounded rather thin too me.  Not a power issue either, as they were running them balanced out of a LC.  Idk.

Ether:  These were very nice.  I was surprised the bass was very good and present.  Didn't find them bright either.  Definitely a candidate for an upgrade.

HD800:  Anemic bass?  Not by a longshot.  No mods done on these either.  The only headphone I couldn't test with metal as it was running from a Lyr and turntable.  Closest I got was Fall Out Boy.

Stax 007 mk1:  Hnnnnggg.  These were amazing.  That is all.


I came away with an eye on the hd800 and Ether as possible future upgrades.  The 007 was the best of the bunch, but very far out of my price range.  I imagine the Ether would probably be the best bet for metal, but the hd800 sounded very good.

I don't have the HD800, but I do have the HD800S. I didn't mention them for Sam, because, I doubt he's looking for an $1800 set of cans. That aside, these are the greatest headphones I have ever heard, and almost the greatest speaker, of any type.

All the headphones you list are awesome in their own way. I've never heard the 007, but as far as I can tell, the HD 800 S are the ones to beat, at least with dynamic drivers.

 

[bassboysam]

I don't have the HD800, but I do have the HD800S. I didn't mention them for Sam, because, I doubt he's looking for an $1800 set of cans. That aside, these are the greatest headphones I have ever heard, and almost the greatest speaker, of any type.

All the headphones you list are awesome in their own way. I've never heard the 007, but as far as I can tell, the HD 800 S are the ones to beat, at least with dynamic drivers.

I'm not in the market for any headphones. toy fund is depleted...

 

[swspiers]

I don't have the HD800, but I do have the HD800S. I didn't mention them for Sam, because, I doubt he's looking for an $1800 set of cans. That aside, these are the greatest headphones I have ever heard, and almost the greatest speaker, of any type.

All the headphones you list are awesome in their own way. I've never heard the 007, but as far as I can tell, the HD 800 S are the ones to beat, at least with dynamic drivers.

I'm not in the market for any headphones. toy fund is depleted...

LOL, that's a good one on me. I guess I read a post of yours, and then assumed you wrote the one I responded to. I guess my brain is still fried from finals