[angevoi]

It's hard to find an ideal gear with lots of criterias and lack of budget. Here is a chart with headphones selection. 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 
HD600 is not really efficient, needs a decent amp but i still preferred them with my 9V
cmoy amp to lots of portable headphones.

 

[angevoi]

I'm leaning towards UE6000 and Beyerdynamic DT 660.
 
Update: several UE6000 faulty reported and needs an amp, off from my wishlisht.

 

[angevoi]

If only really the SQ counts maybe a cheap used HD580 or HD600 a better choice?
 
EDIT: YES

 

[takubi]

bump

 

[anthony81212]

You wanna make sure you get the Beyerdynamic DT-1350 as well. People have been raving about them and you can find some for $220.

 

[angevoi]

I second that but it's uncomfortable. It's my 5th day with my AKG K550 and i just more and more like it.

 

[angevoi]

I compared a few cans at a dealer yesterday.
 
Very short impressions:
AKG Q701 - Airy, bright, still preferred my K550
Harman Kardon BT - a lots of bass and treble, sounded terrible
Sennheiser HD558 - Nice tonal balance but dull sound.
Sennheiser HD598 - Clinical sound for such a headphone, bright but not detailed and layered. Wide but flat, not so impressive soundstage.
Sennheiser HD600 - Now that is a phone. Balanced, detailed. HD600 is a bit more grainy and perhaps more transparent than K550
but from my source i felt just the same level of detail. HD600  is same kind of neutral tonal balance but more forward, more highs
and some hi-fi like sound. It had more body to the mids, but i still liked how restrained, thoughtful the K550 sounds. The sennheiser
must be a better can but it was definetly not worth 2 as much in my portable cmoy setup. I guess the sennheiser does more that that
however i felt plenty of volume and juice with it and my 9V amp. It's even cheaper on ebay then a new K550. I swear i did not ask
for the HD650, my time was over..

 

[WiR3D]

Only issues with the K550 is the lack of bass, and the resonance in the upper mids.

 

[angevoi]

I've read RD's comments about K550 and i don't agree with him. His speech is confident, effective, but his opinion is subjective.
I don't have a doubt about the AKG will sound harsh after those soft orthodynamic sound. AKG is a studio monitor, not a hifi headphone.
Personally i think the bass is enough, i would be bothered if it was more in it.

 

[angevoi]

I don't like when someone serves his opinion with much of heat, a rough way to convince people.

 

[336881]

Quote:

I don't like when someone serves his opinion with much of heat, a rough way to convince people.

 Then get out tha kitchen

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

I don't like when someone serves his opinion with much of heat, a rough way to convince people.

 
Quote:

 Then get out tha kitchen

I agree there.
 
I own the K550 btw, first hand experience, the treble is ridiculous. the bass is lacking - but thats up for personal preference. What is NOT up for debate is the resonance in the upper mids, by all means enjoy them while you don't notice, but when you do its game over. Then they get confined to movie headphones.

 

[angevoi]

antimatter: You'll be loved in the farmhouse topic with that manner but not here.
Back to topic: The bass is lacking compared to bassy Denons, as you mentioned it's just up to personal preference.
Does any frequency graph shows that peak? If not, why?
 
Edit: http://www.head-fi.org/t/616273/akg-k550-unboxing-review-and-measurements-the-holy-trifecta-subjective-and-objective-smack-down

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

 

Actually it is. Purrin did some measurements that confirmed it. Go look it up.
 
FR graph does not tell all the stories.

 

[angevoi]

You should have been point this out in the first round, measurement of the K550: