[mynameissang]

Hi. I've recently been considering some headphone upgrades for my current computer audio setup.

My current setup is computer -> FiiO E10 -> NAD 3130 stereo amp -> Infinity P150

I'm pretty satisfied with my speaker setup, but would like some better headphones for more critical music listening. My current desktop headphones include a Koss DJ100 with M50 pads and a Fostex T50RP with basic mods (baffle clay stuffing, cotton ball dampening, bass port). Depending on the day, I'll hook them up to either the headphone out from the E10 or the NAD amp; I couldn't tell a huge difference, really, but I do feel that the NAD does offer a little warmer sound with a clearer separation and soundstage, with an overall more confident presentation (though I'm not convinced that I could tell the two apart in a blind test).
With my sound/music preference, I've practically stopped using my Koss altogether. The sound that I'm really looking for is a neutral sound with smooth mids and a balanced clear sound throughout. The T50RP are pretty good with the smooth mids and the balanced sound, I feel, but just doesn't quite have that clear, transparent "blackness" to it, if you guys know what I'm talking about. The Koss, to this end, just have a metally/tinny sounding mid with too much bass emphasis; the overall sound just sounds metallic and unnatural to me, compared to the T50RP. I will sometimes use the Koss for the occasional hip-hop/bassy music listening, but the majority of my music are usually acoustic ballad styles.
I suppose I just have a preference for planar magnetics and their buttery smooth mids? 

Looking around, the Sennheiser HD600 seemed to be exactly what I need. However, I don't know that either my FiiO or my NAD is sufficient to properly drive them (if anybody happens to know anything about the headphone section on the NAD, I would appreciate any info). I have also considered the HE-400, but it seemed like it will be a little too "exciting" for me. I really am looking for a very laid back and balanced sound with nothing exciting; I suppose that's what some would call "boring," but that's what I am looking for. Perhaps "intimate" would be the best word for the sound that I'm looking for?

I would like to keep the total budget under $350-$400, whether that's just a headphone, or a headphone+headphone amp. What would be the best way to get as close to that sound that I'm looking for?

I apologize if this post is too long for not actually saying much; I am not very good at getting straight to the point

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
The Hifiman HE-400 sounds like what you're looking for actually.
 
Very few headphones are as laid back as you seem to describe. But the beauty of that is that you can simply drop the 5khz~7khz~12khz, etc, a db or two and you instantly get what you're after.
 
Other options perhaps:
 
AKG Q701
AKG K550
Sennheiser HD650
AudioTechnica AD900
 
Very best,

 

[mynameissang]

Thanks for your reply. I never thought of actually EQing my music to preferences... always just kept everything neutral and as untouched as possible through Foobar. But I guess there really would be no harm in a little EQ after thinking about it.
But if I may ask a few questions...

I have looked at the AKG offerings, but ultimately felt that for the sound that I'm looking for, they fall behind the HD600/650. And especially for the K550, the closed-back market in that price range seems like it would lead to other options as Fischer Audio FA-003 and the KRK KNS-8400, all of which seem to emphasize the "neutral and balanced" part but miss the "smooth and laid back" part in comparison, and made me want to steer away from considering that sector altogether...

And in researching between HD600/650, I have read that 650 has a slightly more V-shaped sound compared to the 600, in which case the 600 sounds more for me (not to mention the price savings)?

So that's how it really came down to between the HD600 and the HE-400; I think I would normally have picked the HD600 just on pedigree, but I started thinking that just simply the difference in the nature of the technology will present a similar difference between my Fostex T50RP and Koss DJ100, where I really can't listen to the DJ100 after listening to the T50RP due to how metallic and unnatural they sound to me in comparison.
And somehow, I never got to considering the AD900; what kind of a sound signature would you say they offer compared to the HE-400 or the HD600 in terms of transparency and smoothness?
And I suppose another big worry is... will the HE-400 actually offer a substantial upgrade over my T50RP, or will it really be a pretty darn similar sound as they are both planar magnetics (I think?)?

What I would REALLY like is an excellent deal on something like a used Stax Lambda setup with an SRD-7 (seeing as how I already have an amp) for around $400, but... that seems to be too much of wishful thinking :/