[lordsegan]

Headphones actually do scale with price.

By "top end" I assuming you are talking HD800s, and not some $15,000 set.

I would say that your best bets are Sennheiser HD595s, Grado S80s and S60s.

They will give you 80%+ of what you can get with top-end cans.

 

[jp_zer0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrolic /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I, as well as multiple others before me, (so don't tell me I'm trying to mount people against you) have stated the opinion that you are wrong. You're certainly entitled to your opinion but I'm just saying you'll find that you are far outnumbered by people who disagree completely. I agree that recessed mids do not belong on high end headphones such as the D5000s, and that is precisely why I am selling mine, but that does not mean that they have "bad" mids, it just means they have recessed mids. If you listen to them with a vocal or acoustic track, you will find that you are horribly wrong if you honestly think that the mids of the D5000 are bad at this point in time. They are far superior to the mids of the AD900s when considering both how engaging they are, as well as how natural and accurate they are.

You don't have privileged perspective there. I have listened to the D5000. My good friend has a pair and didn't like them. Don't like the Denon/Shure/Sennheiser/Grado types. I preferred the AD900 to the D5000 and also to the K701 but it was pretty close.

 

[jp_zer0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsegan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Headphones actually do scale with price. By "top end" I assuming you are talking HD800s, and not some $15,000 set. I would say that your best bets are Sennheiser HD595s, Grado S80s and S60s. They will give you 80%+ of what you can get with top-end cans.

These cans are nothing like the HD800. It's not even just a question of degree but a difference in nature.

(sorry for the double post again.)

 

[Necrolic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsegan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Headphones actually do scale with price. By "top end" I assuming you are talking HD800s, and not some $15,000 set. I would say that your best bets are Sennheiser HD595s, Grado S80s and S60s. They will give you 80%+ of what you can get with top-end cans.

Unfortunately, none of these headphones are anywhere near a high end headphone, even in the $500 range. If we're speaking merely of detail retrieval, they are nowhere near 80% of the HD800s, and soundstaging it's an even larger gap.

They also have a COMPLETELY different sound signature from what would be considered neutral, and cannot be compared to HD800s at all. Even comparing them to similar sounding high end cans, the detail retrieval is again nowhere close.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp_zer0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You don't have privileged perspective there. I have listened to the D5000. My good friend has a pair and didn't like them. Don't like the Denon/Shure/Sennheiser/Grado types. I preferred the AD900 to the D5000 and also to the K701 but it was pretty close.

Again, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, and again, many, MANY people disagree with you completely.

When you say you don't like Denon/Shure/Senn/Grado types and that the decision between the AD900s and K701s was close, I'm assuming you're trying to imply you like neutral headphones, yet AD900s are nowhere NEAR neutral, and have a completely different sound signature from that of the K701s, so I really fail to understand how this all fits together at all.

 

[jp_zer0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrolic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Unfortunately, none of these headphones are anywhere near a high end headphone, even in the $500 range. If we're speaking merely of detail retrieval, they are nowhere near 80% of the HD800s, and soundstaging it's an even larger gap. They also have a COMPLETELY different sound signature from what would be considered neutral, and cannot be compared to HD800s at all. Even comparing them to similar sounding high end cans, the detail retrieval is again nowhere close. Again, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, and again, many, MANY people disagree with you completely. When you say you don't like Denon/Shure/Senn/Grado types and that the decision between the AD900s and K701s was close, I'm assuming you're trying to imply you like neutral headphones, yet AD900s are nowhere NEAR neutral, and have a completely different sound signature from that of the K701s, so I really fail to understand how this all fits together at all.

Never said anything about neutral. I like a balanced FR but neutrality isn't something I lose sleep over.

 

[Necrolic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp_zer0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Never said anything about neutral. I like a balanced FR but neutrality isn't something I lose sleep over.

AD900s aren't all that balanced either :|

Given they're more balanced than Grado/Denon (exception of HF-2s), but certainly not more balanced than HD600s and a lot of other 'phones.

Anyways, this is a pointless argument, you have your opinion, and I can't change it. The only reason I commented on what you said in the first place was to convey an opposing opinion to yours so that the OP wouldn't take your suggestion as the end all be all, especially when the vast majority would disagree.

OP, keep in mind that when I say the AD900s are not your best option and the MS1s are better, I am NOT in any way saying the MS1s are the best in the price range.

 

[SillyHoney]

I agree w/ Necrolic on D5000 mid. It's just recessed, NOT bad. I normally listen to Blues where bass has beautiful style, rich melody (not boom boom boom) and relative low volume compared to other kinda music. That's where the vocal and mid range piano and guitars shine. I mean really really shine

 

[dorkvader]

You can probably make a pretty decent pair of electrostatic headphones for $150, not counting your personal R&D costs. I imagine if you did them right or got lucky, you'd probably be able to be on par with the other top-end ones.

That said, I really like my AD900, though I will agree it's not amazing at all genres.

Other than that, you might be able to get an old orthodynamic headphone to work for you. From what I read in the Orthodynamic topic, some of them are pretty good. I'm not sure about prices.

Finally, look at plasma speakers. Provided you have proper amplification(I didn't see any amplifier included in the price), the headphone itself would be pretty cheap to build. Stay safe!

 

[Mochan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurryup /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was wondering. I know the DT 48 can do it, but I don't like vintage stuff.

None. Period.

 

[wali]

Sennheiser HD580

 

[Mochan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by revolink24 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmmmm.... The only thing that comes to mind immediately is the MS1. Also, ATH M50, AKG K240, AKG K271, HD25-1 II

All of those phones have trouble competing even with $200 phones.

I'm at the stage of my audiophile life cycle where I just "graduated" from the $150 range and am now getting my feet wet in the $250 range. There is really no comparison, the stuff in the $250 is generally just better than the stuff in the $100-$150 range. I can say this with great confidence.

They would get slaughtered by the top end.

 

[stonyboys]

lol @ people who pay upwards of 1000 for headphones.

 

[Necrolic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonyboys /img/forum/go_quote.gif lol @ people who pay upwards of 1000 for headphones.

Lol @ people who lol @ people who pay $1000+ on headphones because they haven't heard the $1000+ headphones to realize just how much better they are, not to mention they can't afford them.

ujealz?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wali /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sennheiser HD580

Not quite. They won't compete with high end cans, and besides, I'm pretty sure they can't be had under $150. Lowest I've seen 'em is $180.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorkvader /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can probably make a pretty decent pair of electrostatic headphones for $150, not counting your personal R&D costs. I imagine if you did them right or got lucky, you'd probably be able to be on par with the other top-end ones. Other than that, you might be able to get an old orthodynamic headphone to work for you. From what I read in the Orthodynamic topic, some of them are pretty good. I'm not sure about prices.

This. DIY or modding existing headphones is your best bet in this price range, but if you do something permanent you don't like you're pretty much screwed in this case so it's a bit of a gamble.

Any electrostats are going to require the appropriate amping for them to work, so that's going to be out of budget.

Orthodynamics are a VERY good option, if you do a bit of reading around in the official ortho thread you can get a general idea of the modding everyone is doing, and over time invest some more money in them. I've heard a lot of people say some orthos they bought used for $100 and then modded sound better than $500+ headphones they own. God knows I'd kill to get my hands on a pair of YH1000s to mod (although they aren't under $150).

Modding dynamic headphones would be another option, just look at markl mods.

Chances are in any of these situations you aren't going to get anything that would compete with high end headphones, but there is always that off chance that you'll strike gold and end up with something that can compete with some of the better headphones out there (although I've never heard of anything like that that can compete with the likes of HD800s). No matter what, this is your best bet for getting something close under $150, but again it's a gamble.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrolic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lol @ people who lol @ people who pay $1000+ on headphones because they haven't heard the $1000+ headphones to realize just how much better they are, not to mention they can't afford them. ujealz? Not quite. They won't compete with high end cans, an I'm pretty sure they can't be had under $150. Lowest I've seen 'em is $180.

I don't laugh at those who pay upwards of $200 000 on speakers. Costs are all relative and I don't concern myself with how others spend their hard earned money.

 

[stonyboys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrolic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lol @ people who lol @ people who pay $1000+ on headphones because they haven't heard the $1000+ headphones to realize just how much better they are, not to mention they can't afford them. ujealz? Not quite. They won't compete with high end cans, an I'm pretty sure they can't be had under $150. Lowest I've seen 'em is $180.

Lol @ people who lol @ people who lol @ people who pay 1000+ on headphones they're gonna use at home because speakers are 10x better and more comfy.

And yes i r jealz