Help me choose new headphones.

[Guest5]

Hi. I recently got myself a 1616m external audiocard and planning to get new headphones. The audiocard sounds terrific, I'm using it along with PX100 a.t.m. and boy am I impressed, never thought the PX100s can sound so solid, the lower range sounds are material like and vibrating(or almost, nevertheless let alone portables, I never got this type of solid sound from my home audio equipment).

Coming from chaintech AV-710+hp amp(on AD815chip) I was having very good sound before and still is, but with 1616m the sound became so full and solid and well defined, I would have not believed it myself if never experienced, microdinamics that never heard before, bass that never heard before, sound extention like never before and all this coming through PX100- which was a discovery for me. To me the difference between Chaintech AV-710 and 1616m is prominent, a big upgrade for sure.

I also have the HD497 and while the soundstage is good and they sound more like big headphones I do not find them as deeply emotional as PX100s. I've been using the PX100 for 4 years now and with the goldplated plug and a lot of hours of listening I think they sound the best now.

I also got Ety ER4S and AKG 240 DF, both sound very clean, yet again I like the so gentle water pouring alike sound of PX100 and in the end of my day I find them more enjoyable, although I can tell that PX100 sounds a bit muddy and the upper frequencies are not nearly as good and natural as with headphones above, but as a whole package I find them a pleasure to listen to, they're very mellow to me, or some magic going on, or what..

Still PX100 suffer from evident flaws, the soundstage and the highs.

My question is is there a headphone that sounds softly mellow like PX100 and have a well defined soundstage and natural highs, not expensive? Also not hard to drive as I will be listening from 1616m hp out(while it is high quality, the output power is average).

I've looked into some topics and I can get off my list the Sennheiser HD485, HD515, HD555, HD595, I think I will not like them. What do you recommend? I can easely find Sennheiser at my local stores, not so well with other brands.

I listen to Jazz mostly.

 

[nutric08]

Yes there is. The HD600 has the same sound signature but everything else is a HUGE improvement. The soundstage on the PX100 is virtually non-existent. IMHO, for some of us, this headphone is the other word for natural.

 

[Guest5]

I agree on the soundstage. Somehow the sound from PX100s is very soothing, the instruments sound like they should be and the air pressence is very true, I know the source got better, but the headphone can reproduce it and I can feel it, I am not making up, I really can see it. Sometimes when I listen to music I believe PX100 is a "golden" headphone.

I can get a pair of used in good condition HD580 for $120, what do you think? I was seriously considering them to be honest, although I am a bit concerned about 300Ohm impedance and their not very high efficiency.

 

[Guest5]

Today I got a pair of Sennheiser HD215. They were used but not much really(a couple of days he said) and very cheap- $35, so I thought wth and bought them.
They were in very good condition. These are my first closed headphone and I'm not sure I like it, it seems like my years are in vacuum, very unusual.

At first i didn't like the sound much, I thought it has no air like open headphones, but that was because I never had closed big headphone, then I got used to them a bit and I'm liking the sound. The bass is wow-so-deep and clean, the mids are pretty there and the highs are sparkling beautiful without sibilance. I'm not sure why many don't like these headphones, they are a steal at $70-$80 imo.

Then I switched to my portable source which is an mp3 player and the beauty dissapeared, the mp3 player although pretty good in its own is absolutely no comparison to the E-MU 1616m.

If anything the HD 215 sound a bit thin and constipated(the bass for example is deep alright but it's like it has nowhere to extend in the air, there's no air(my ears totally fall into them)) in comparison to open headphones. Also I'm expecting them to open more with burn-in. But even if not they are wonderfull imo, more so for $35 I payed for them.

The Sennheiser HD215's very good, HD497 is much poorer in the bass section(really much) and aslo the highs are not so good and beautiful. I'd like also to say that they are very good looking headphones.

Do they benefit from burn-in?

 

[nutric08]

Well, if u like them WTH! Enjoy your new purchase!

 

[Guest5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nutric08 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, if u like them WTH! Enjoy your new purchase!

No, not really...enjoying. After the HD215 I listened to the AKG 240DFs and chaintech AV-710(amped) which is much worse sounding than the 1616m and I found bliss and freedom of sound that HD215 just can't output. The HD215 sound worse than PX100s as well, although bass is better, but overall they're not touching, some may say it sounds good, well maybe they are looking into it with logics. My truth is the sound of HD215 is not relaxed and emotional, the music is dead. Oh.. well, at least I didn't pay for them a lot, I may just make a present to someone.

 

[RedSky0]

Gah I was going to say for $120 grab the HD580s and run like the wind, but too late I guess.