[TMRaven]

V and U shaped are used interchangeably.  

 

[Hansotek]

@hansotek, do you still have your 500? If so you have to pick up a pair of the vegans for it as well, unbelievable transformation!

 
I do. It's my main headphone at work, actually. I will totally try it. Funny story about that though... I actually went through a very in-depth exploration of pads for the HE500 when I got them. I actually posted a walkthrough for the final mod configuration (after several requests from other Head-fi'ers). Unfortunately, the day I posted it was the same day HiFiMan announced the HE-1000. I proudly posted a link to my shiny new thread in the forums where I had been receiving inquiries about it, only to discover the HE-1K announcement was posted at nearly the exact same time. 
 
If I had to sum my reaction up in a gif, it would look like this:

 
Needless to say, nobody even remotely cared about my mod.
 
If you ever want to see what the saddest, loneliest thread on all of Head-fi looks like, here it is: http://www.head-fi.org/t/748467/hansotek-s-focuspad-a-mod

 

[Hansotek]

  V and U shaped are used interchangeably.  

 
Frequently, yes. Though, people seem to refer to headphones like the HE400 (recessed upper mids only), and the TH900 (recessed lower mids only) as V-shaped with remarkable consistency... whereas headphones like the Beyer T1, which has a very mild recession across the entire midrange frequency band are pretty consistently referred to as mildly U-shaped.
 
Nonetheless, I probably was better off not making the distinction at all, since it's not doctrine. That's my bad. I will remove it from the post.

 

[Hansotek]

I really like the brown vintage military vibe of the SR-407.
 
Is the SRM-1/MK2 Pro usually $350? I would have sworn that during my research, most of the links (very few of which were active) were selling it for $450 and up. Some people told me it would be a better choice for the SR-009 than the SRM-323S, but it's harder to find.

 
It's not the easiest amp to find, but I've found it for $350 on at least half a dozen occasions. I've had my finger on the trigger so many times! Occasionally, there will be an additional shipping charge too, though. Or it will be a little less and the shipping will bring it up to around $340/$350. It's definitely gettable at that price, if you have the patience. 
 
Also, the brown looks even better in person. 

 

[Music Alchemist]

  It's not the easiest amp to find, but I've found it for $350 on at least half a dozen occasions. I've had my finger on the trigger so many times! Occasionally, there will be an additional shipping charge too, though. Or it will be a little less and the shipping will bring it up to around $340/$350. It's definitely gettable at that price, if you have the patience. 

 
Good to know! I have two people lined up to buy an SRM-323S from, one for $325 and the other for $450 or so if someone else gets the cheaper one. The SRM-1/MK2 Pro is certainly more versatile, with both Pro and Normal bias outputs. If you can PM me good places to look, it would be appreciated. (ebay.com, hifishark.com, and head-fi.org usually don't have active listings, and I don't want to bother hiring a middle-man for the Japanese Yahoo! Auctions.)

 

[Hansotek]

 
Good to know! I have two people lined up to buy an SRM-323S from, one for $325 and the other for $450 or so if someone else gets the cheaper one. The SRM-1/MK2 Pro is certainly more versatile, with both Pro and Normal bias outputs. If you can PM me good places to look, it would be appreciated. (ebay.com, hifishark.com, and head-fi.org usually don't have active listings, and I don't want to bother hiring a middle-man for the Japanese Yahoo! Auctions.)

 
It pops up from time to time, I usually look on the aforementioned sites. If I see one, I'll give you a holler.

 

[myaman]

Thanks CZ4A!
 
I haven't heard of the NAD Viso HP50 before, but checked them and they seem pretty decent from the reviews.
 
However, with me having no way of trying them on, the comfort issue presents a risk I can't take 

 

[Hansotek]

Thanks CZ4A!

I haven't heard of the NAD Viso HP50 before, but checked them and they seem pretty decent from the reviews.

However, with me having no way of trying them on, the comfort issue presents a risk I can't take 

Based on your earlier input, I don't think you'd like that one very much anyway. It's a good headphone, but it may have a bit too much thickness and congestion for you, based on your comments about the AKGs.

 

[myaman]

Thanks for the input Hansotek

 

[henkie196]

  Yes, I was asking what sound you are looking for.
 
No, it looks like the prices on STAXUSA.com are lower, factoring in the currency conversion.
 
Why not just buy on the Internet and import from whichever country gets you the lowest price?
 
You could easily get an amp that costs less than the headphones. I got an SRM-212 (which has the same specs as the SRM-252S) for $150. That's $400 less than the price you listed. The SRS-2170 (SR-207 + SRM-252S) is under $500 from this link. And here is another link where you can import STAX stuff from Japan for lower prices. You do not need to buy a higher-end amp with the higher-end headphones. You could, for example, get an SR-507 and an SRM-212 or SRM-252S. The SRM-323S (which has more output power) is about $550 here.
 
There is a portable STAX system here, but it's obviously not going to sound as good. Just use portable headphones elsewhere, then the serious headphones for home use.

Soundwise, I prefer a neutral sound signature and lots of detail. And because everybody has different definitions of neutral, I'll just say that I find the HE-560 somewhat V-shaped (recessed mids) and a with bit too much bass to be neutral to my ears. The HD800 by contrast seems a tad bright-ish, mostly due to a small bump in the lower treble (or what I think of as lower treble). Bass on the HD800 is fine for me. I also listen mostly at low volumes, and the HD800 sounds better at low volumes to me, probably because of the more neutral / brighter sound signature than the HE-560. The HD800 is also a bit faster, which I like more than the somewhat slower respons of the HE-560, especially for some of the faster / more aggressive metal types.
 
As for the amp, I'm not sure how the different amps compare, so I'm not sure which one I should be looking for.
 
Buying from price-japan or something similar could be an option, but I'm not going to buy something blind when there's no real return policy for me to rely on.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Soundwise, I prefer a neutral sound signature and lots of detail. And because everybody has different definitions of neutral, I'll just say that I find the HE-560 somewhat V-shaped (recessed mids) and a with bit too much bass to be neutral to my ears. The HD800 by contrast seems a tad bright-ish, mostly due to a small bump in the lower treble (or what I think of as lower treble). Bass on the HD800 is fine for me. I also listen mostly at low volumes, and the HD800 sounds better at low volumes to me, probably because of the more neutral / brighter sound signature than the HE-560. The HD800 is also a bit faster, which I like more than the somewhat slower respons of the HE-560, especially for some of the faster / more aggressive metal types.
 
As for the amp, I'm not sure how the different amps compare, so I'm not sure which one I should be looking for.
 
Buying from price-japan or something similar could be an option, but I'm not going to buy something blind when there's no real return policy for me to rely on.

 
The SR-207 is the most neutral headphone I've heard so far. (Click here and look how closely its measurements align with the compensation curves! The graph is mislabeled, though. Hate having to explain that every time, lol.) Haven't heard higher-end STAX yet. Most of them have similar measurements, but the SR-007 is much less neutral.
 
I don't recall what you said your budget was, but electrostats scale fairly well with better amps.
 
Ah, so you want to buy new with a return policy? Not even STAXUSA.com offers refunds unless the product is unopened and unused, or defective. You may have to buy from a dealer or something.

 

[henkie196]

  The SR-207 is the most neutral headphone I've heard so far. (Click here and look how closely its measurements align with the compensation curves! The graph is mislabeled, though. Hate having to explain that every time, lol.) Haven't heard higher-end STAX yet. Most of them have similar measurements, but the SR-007 is much less neutral.
 
I don't recall what you said your budget was, but electrostats scale fairly well with better amps.
 
Ah, so you want to buy new with a return policy? Not even STAXUSA.com offers refunds unless the product is unopened and unused, or defective. You may have to buy from a dealer or something.

Budget is not strictly defined, but let's say that an SR-007 Mk2 or SR-009 is out of budget. For amps, the budget is a bit lower, as I feel they typically are hit even harder by the diminishing returns than headphones themselves.
 
Shops here have a 7-day return policy, normally (except on hygienic or custom items). Webshops have a mandatory 14-day return policy. I wouldn't have bought the HE-560 blind as I did if the shop didn't have a very generous return policy, either.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Couldn't resist sharing this. Sooo funny!
 

 

  Budget is not strictly defined, but let's say that an SR-007 Mk2 or SR-009 is out of budget. For amps, the budget is a bit lower, as I feel they typically are hit even harder by the diminishing returns than headphones themselves.
 
Shops here have a 7-day return policy, normally (except on hygienic or custom items). Webshops have a mandatory 14-day return policy. I wouldn't have bought the HE-560 blind as I did if the shop didn't have a very generous return policy, either.

 
Electrostats are a different game. Most SR-009 owners say that it's not even worth using an affordable amp with it and that it sounds many times better with the high-end amps. But the lower-end STAX headphones apparently don't scale that much. So I guess you could just get the best amp you can afford or are willing to pay for.
 
That simplifies things, then. I keep forgetting you're in Europe somewhere, since you don't list your location.

 

[myaman]

   
On #2, just so we can be clear:
WARM: Emphasis on the bass and low midrange
COLD: Emphasis on treble and high midrange
V-SHAPED or U-SHAPED: Emphasis on bass and treble
NEUTRAL: No emphasis on any frequency, sometimes combined with one of the above terms if the emphasis is slight
 
Thinking about a good recommendation for you... If you had a bigger budget ($1,200) it sounds like the new Enigma Acoustics Dharma would be right up your alley. I also think you would probably like the Mr. Speakers Ether and the HiFiMan HE-560. All of those are over budget and would require a separate amp... so no go there. Sometimes, it's possible to find an HE-560 right above your budget ($650 or so), if you have flexibility. You'd still need an amp though. :/
 
STAX is another route you could go. Not the biggest soundstage in the world, but separation is off the charts. The 2107 combo is only about $485 new. I know Music Alchemist loves it. Personally, I'd opt to save a little more and upgrade to the SR-407 (about $400) and get a SRM-1 mkii (about $350). If that's not within scope, you could get an SRM212 or the SRD-7 pro with a little tripath speaker amp to hold you over until you can afford to get the SRM-1 mkii or better energizer for the SR-407.
 
I know most of these options are sort of pushing your budget a bit, but you've asked for some pretty specific things, so it is what it is. The AKGs are generally an option to fit your requirements, but since you didn't like those, we have to work around it. Beyerdynamic is an option too, but the soundstage is even smaller than the AKGs. The price on the T1 has dropped quite a bit, but I have a hard time recommending that one because there is a huge treble spike, and I think the separation could be better.
 
FWIW, I like the headphones you mentioned (except the PM-2, which I haven't tried) but all of them will require an amp, and none of them really fit the description of what you were asking for. If you're looking for nice clean bass and warm, lovely lower mids, they're all great.

 
Hello again Hansotek.
 
I appreciate you taking the time to help me out with this
 
Based on your description of "warm" and "cold" sounds, I believe I have misinterpreted what I've read online before. So let's say I want something neutral sounding in that case (a slight deviation towards warm or cold is fine)
 
I have looked at the STAX headphones before but didn't like their aesthetics at all which is why I haven't considered them.
 
As far as the budget goes, the $600 is only for the headphones (amplifier budget is up to $200), so there is some flexibility there as long as the combo doesn't jump over $800. However, I need the amp to be portable, something closer to Fiio's E12 in terms of size and weight.
 
On a separate note, I know the HiFi Man's I've shortlisted are both open back, however, if there are any closed back headphones that provide great sound stage and instrument separation I would love to hear your recommendations.

 

[Hansotek]

 
Hello again Hansotek.
 
I appreciate you taking the time to help me out with this
 
Based on your description of "warm" and "cold" sounds, I believe I have misinterpreted what I've read online before. So let's say I want something neutral sounding in that case (a slight deviation towards warm or cold is fine)
 
I have looked at the STAX headphones before but didn't like their aesthetics at all which is why I haven't considered them.
 
As far as the budget goes, the $600 is only for the headphones (amplifier budget is up to $200), so there is some flexibility there as long as the combo doesn't jump over $800. However, I need the amp to be portable, something closer to Fiio's E12 in terms of size and weight.
 
On a separate note, I know the HiFi Man's I've shortlisted are both open back, however, if there are any closed back headphones that provide great sound stage and instrument separation I would love to hear your recommendations.

 
The HiFiMan phones you listed are very good, indeed. Both fall into the neutral/slightly warm category. I like the HE-500 quite a bit. With the grill mod & fuzzor mod, it improves significantly. I like the HE400i as well. It's relatively similar overall, and given your request for long term wearing comfort and more forward guitars, it might fit the bill a little better. Neither will be as spacious as the AKG, but the separation will be as good or better. AKGs can be a little picky with amps... not sure if you heard it at its best (I don't own the 712, but I have the K7xx, which is similar.) And again, I can't really comment on the PM-2... I know EvShrug just posted a review on it though.
 
I haven't heard it, so maybe someone else can weigh in, but I think lots of folks think the Cayin C5 is a step-up from the Fiio E12 in a similar footprint. I like my X3ii, but overall I think most of Fiio's products are pretty mediocre sounding. YMMV, of course... lot's of folks seem to like the E12. You've named a lot of orthos here, and quite honestly, portable amps are a little shy on power for driving them well. I have heard a few people report that they like the E12 & HE500 pairing... you could always ask in that thread.
 
Spacious closed backs are hard to come by, and given your other requirements, you might be hard-pressed to find something you like. Fostex certainly does the best job. The Fostex TH900 is the most spacious closed back I've heard, but that's v-shaped and over budget for you. The Fostex TH600 is more neutral, but has elevated bass, for sure. You could always attempt to fix this by adding wool to the cup and switching to Lawton pads - this would neutralize the boosted bass somewhat - I don't have any head time with these though, so I can't really recommend it in good conscience. The upcoming Fostex TH-X00 (via Massdrop) is similar to the TH600, but with wood cups. I don't know how it sounds yet, but with any luck, I'll hear it at RMAF next week. I'm sure the bass will still be elevated, but I'm not sure how it will play with the mids. Overall, they give you the soundstage and easy-to-drive factor, but I'm not sure if you will like the frequency response.
 
Other closed back or semi-closed back options would be various TH50RP mods. Overall, the closest match I've heard to your request might be the LFF Paradox. Very, very neutral. Semi-isolated. Decently spacious. And very well separated. That might be a good fit that's worth looking into.
 
I haven't heard the Mr. Speakers Alpha Dog, so I can't really comment other than to say, many of the descriptions I've read sound like they might be in the right neighborhood of what you are looking for. Hard to say without hearing it. You'll have to do your own research.
 
ZMF has some great takes on the T50RP, as well. The Omni is probably over your budget and the Blackwood is probably too bassy for you, but maybe the Vibro would fit. You can always ask Zach915m - he'll totally work with you and customize the sound to your liking. 
 
I'm not sure what your best portable amping option would be with the T50RP mods... I haven't really experimented in that area, so you may want to seek further input on that, too.
 
Good luck. Let us know how things pan out.