Headphones for Zero Amp/DAC

[taso89]

OK, not your typical question: matching headphones for someone who already has an amp on the way! I've owned the sony v6's for a couple of months now and I'm ready to move on.

Max price would be around $300, strongest contender for me right now is D2000, though perhaps some other cans in that price range sound better with an amp. Ideas?

 

[troymadison]

If we're talking about non-discontinued cans here, I'd recommend the AKG K701 or AKG K601. Otherwise, I'd pick some MB Quarts or vintage AKGs such as the K500, K501, K400 or K401. The older AKGs and MB Quarts will save you a bunch of money too.

 

[richierich]

What kind of music do you listen to?

 

[taso89]

Top40, Electronica, Hip-Hop, some live stuff.. Pretty much everything but elevator music

 

[richierich]

Go with the D2000s. They sound good with everything, but excel at electronica and hip hop especially. Top40 stuff sound great too. You won't regret the combination!

 

[No Smoking]

Dont mean to hijack but how do the K501 (2nd generation) compare to the K701 or D2000? In terms of Sound, Build quality, how easy theyre to drive.

 

[glitch39]

D2000 for the zero amp.

yes, I've tried as well.

It can sound better with a better amp, but the OP is what would work well with the zero.

BTW, roll that opamp to something better.

 

[REB]

I've tried Beyerdynamics DT990/DT831/DT150, AKG K340/K500, Ultrasone Proline 2500/HFI680 and Sennheiser PXC450/HD580 on the Zero Dac, both as a Dac (with the Solo amp) and as an amp. except for a slight tendency to produce a slight amount of reverb in my closed cans, it did well with all of these phones, in particular the DT990 and the K500. Can't go wrong with the zero.

 

[taso89]

What about something like the HD580 or 600? Would a Zero drive them properly and how would they match up to the denon D2000?

 

[glitch39]

D2K and HD650 are two different camps. they both would be powered well, but prob neither would sing well

Just plugged my 650 and it is brighter than my woo 3+. then again, it's apples and oranges. so take that with a grain of salt