Help Me - first post for long time reader

[poiuy]

I love this forum - and now I really need your help.

Just for a bit of background - my first major purchase of a headphone was the HD280 a year ago.

I recently (a few weeks ago) bought a pair of Ultrasone 15G for $60 for portability with my 5g Ipod. They have a very upfront sound compared to the 280s and I have a hard time deciding which I prefer at this point - it's like comparing apples and oranges with the 280s being closed and much more detailed, but occasionally I find myself on the lawn at a concert. The 15G can be very fatiguing - but I think, listening to music should be fatiguing - if you are really listening!

I am now looking for a midrange headphone to replace the 280s and I plan on building a chumoy in the future.

So I would like to have opinions on headphones amped and unamped - Being a human being I want everything at the same time - something that will sound great coming out of my ipod - and something that has the potential to sound better when I have more money and time.

Most importantly though - I want something that suits my tastes in music which are unfortunately vary varied - I basically like everything but my favourites are listed below.
Jazz - Miles, MMW, Bela Fleck, Coltrane, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Pat Methany, Ella
Alternative - Radiohead, DMB, Ben Harper, Bjork, Sigur Ros etc.
Rock/Metal - Rage, Incubus, Metallica, Guns n roses, Pink Floyd
Pop - Beatles, Michael Jackson, Simon and Garfunkel
Folk - Joni Mitchell, Kings of Convenience, Bruce Cockburn
Classical
R&B

I think you get the idea - it's hard for me to say this but if I had to choose I'd probably rank them in that same order in terms of importance.

Phones I'm interested in from my reading of the threads in this forum - which I might add is also very fatiguing;

HD - 580, 590, 595, 600
Grado - 125, 225, 325
Beyer - 880
AKG - 501, 701

Thanks,

P.

 

[DevilDog]

If it's to be unamped, you can scratch the 580, 600, and 880 off your list. (Sorry, I don't know anything about the AKGs)
That leaves the 125, 225, 325, 590, & 595. The 590s are very good, and they have their fan base here. I'm not that familiar with them, but when I heard them I thought they were very good. I just don't know how far they'll take you.
I'm a fan of the 595s. I own a pair. I don't think they fit your criteria, though.
So, now we have the Grados. The 125s are a bit harsh for me and the 325s are a bit too bright, for me anyway.
Okay, we've arrived at the SR225s. That's it. That's the one. It works great with your kind of music, it has detail, it works without an amp and ever better with a good one.

 

[Screamager]

How much do you want to spend?

I´m not the best person to answer your question, but for reference, also having the 280 (which I will keep for work), my next planned buy is the HD595 which can be had for €170 at a local store and probably cheaper if I search a bit more.

 

[2426]

Well, all of the headphones you mentioned are good, but most of them aren't fatiguing. IMO the k701's should be the best, although I have not heard them. A simple cmoy probaly wouldn't drive them to there full potential. Have you thought about DIY'ing a different amp? Perhaps a PIMETA? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't the hd590's discontinued? I'm not too sure, how the Grado's do classical, but my guess is not very well. I guess this response isn't much help, but if you can build a better amp, then I would recommend you either the hd600 or the k701. If you really want to build a cmoy, then a hd595 might suit you. Good Luck

 

[vorlon1]

I love the AKG 701's, but you really need to run them amped. Based on what people who own them have to say you might want to look into some of the Alessandro phones, which are similar to Grado's, but appaently not quite as bright on the high end. If you don't mind IEM's consider Westone UM 2's, they can be run unamped very effectively from an IPod, or possibly Etymotic E4P's.
http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

 

[poiuy]

I'm relatively new to this headphone amp thing so I can definitely be swung to build a different amp or possibly buy one in the future. Right now I'm working on a Mullard EL34 tube amp - when that's done I'm going to have to find a good source to go with some mission (hand me down) speakers. Then, I'll start worrying about a headphone amp. I just want something to tide me over till then. I'm willing to spend around $300

The 590s may be discontinued but I may be able to find them in Singapore - which is where I'll be next week

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevilDog If it's to be unamped, you can scratch the 580, 600, and 880 off your list. (Sorry, I don't know anything about the AKGs) That leaves the 125, 225, 325, 590, & 595. The 590s are very good, and they have their fan base here. I'm not that familiar with them, but when I heard them I thought they were very good. I just don't know how far they'll take you. I'm a fan of the 595s. I own a pair. I don't think they fit your criteria, though. So, now we have the Grados. The 125s are a bit harsh for me and the 325s are a bit too bright, for me anyway. Okay, we've arrived at the SR225s. That's it. That's the one. It works great with your kind of music, it has detail, it works without an amp and ever better with a good one.

I was all ready to respond SR-225 all the way but DevilDog already said it best. Unamped, with your music tastes it will do nicely.

 

[2426]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poiuy I'm relatively new to this headphone amp thing so I can definitely be swung to build a different amp or possibly buy one in the future. Right now I'm working on a Mullard EL34 tube amp - when that's done I'm going to have to find a good source to go with some mission (hand me down) speakers. Then, I'll start worrying about a headphone amp. I just want something to tide me over till then. I'm willing to spend around $300 The 590s may be discontinued but I may be able to find them in Singapore - which is where I'll be next week

If you don't plan on having an amp now, I would recommend the MS2's. They can be found from the website in Volron's post. They are $300 shipped to your door. And they will improve with an amp.

 

[poiuy]

I can't believe how fast I got responses!

I'll definitely check out the 225s but I don't know if I'll be able to find the music series down in singapore. What amp would you recommend with the 225s? and at what price?

I don't know too much about IEMs - are they auditionable? I'll try to audition one. How do they compare to open headphones in the same price range?

Thanks guys

 

[vorlon1]

Here is a site that discusses the UM2 and also talks about some reasonably priced amps. http://um2.blogspot.com/ Some internet stores will let you order headphones and amps with a 30 day audition. You might have to go that route as some of these products are hard to find locally.

 

[poiuy]

The search has begun!
I couldn't wait until I was down in singapore so I went to a few shops here in KL which charge exorbatantly higher prices I think due to some electronic tax thingy. My first stop was a place that only had grado headphones. I was forced to try the sr60s first then he gave me the 325is, then the 125s. Unfortunately the only one that was burned in was the sr60 and I think they suffered big time cause of this. I'm going to try and find a shop in Singapore that has specific auditioning models with many hours on them. One thing I should add is that I am a big soundstage listener and the grados don't cut it from this perspective - maybe they open up after burn in.

He hooked me up to a rather out of my budget dedicated source and a tube headphone amp - and I managed to try out my ultrasone 15Gs and the grado sr60s before he started showcasing a "real" customer a home setup - I couldn't compete with either the customer or the noise so I cut my visit short. I actually preferred my ultrasones through the setup - I would have never thought they could sound that good - and they may not ever again!

Then I walked over to a big complex called suria KLCC - just underneath the petronas towers - they are featured in the movie "Entrapment" starring Catherine Zeta Jones - she's probably more of the focus of the feature - anyway I digress...

There was a shop that had the 650s for the cheap price of around 600 US and the 595s for around 300 US. They didn't have the 600s and told me it was cause they weren't pop over here. I tried the 595s and they blew me away - even after I heard my wonderful ultrasones hooked up. I was surprised cause I only had to raise the volume a little on my ipod for the same volume as my 64 ohm ultras. Then I tried the 650s and I had to crank the volume to nearly full. They sounded great - maybe better than the 595s, much darker - but then I swaped them back and forth over various tracks and the 595s would certainly be my pick out of the two with an ipod as a source and no amp

They aren't as smooth - but I feel I'm missing too much when I listen to the 650s out of Ipod. I don't get the same feeling listening to the 595s - although I'm sure I am

According to the lady - the 595s were hardly used - she took them out of their packaging for me to try. Is it possible that Senns sound better out of the box than Grados?

In a week I'll be in Singapore checking out the MS2s, the grados again, the AKGs and anything else I can get my dirty hands on.

Peace,

P.

 

[poiuy]

Has anyone tried the K601s - cause they have the same impedence as the 595s I figure they might be suitable unamped?

 

[manchau]

No audiophile phone can come close to A500 and A900 if you want to drive unamped.

 

[wirbeltier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchau No audiophile phone can come close to A500 and A900 if you want to drive unamped.

I second here... I love my 900s and prefer them over the Senn-sound. Though they are closed, they have soundstage, the bass is deeep, and their looks are great

When you're in asia you might get them for a decent price..

 

[DevilDog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poiuy There was a shop that had the 650s for the cheap price of around 600 US and the 595s for around 300 US. They didn't have the 600s and told me it was cause they weren't pop over here. I tried the 595s and they blew me away - even after I heard my wonderful ultrasones hooked up. I was surprised cause I only had to raise the volume a little on my ipod for the same volume as my 64 ohm ultras. Then I tried the 650s and I had to crank the volume to nearly full. They sounded great - maybe better than the 595s, much darker - but then I swaped them back and forth over various tracks and the 595s would certainly be my pick out of the two with an ipod as a source and no amp They aren't as smooth - but I feel I'm missing too much when I listen to the 650s out of Ipod. I don't get the same feeling listening to the 595s - although I'm sure I am According to the lady - the 595s were hardly used - she took them out of their packaging for me to try. Is it possible that Senns sound better out of the box than Grados? In a week I'll be in Singapore checking out the MS2s, the grados again, the AKGs and anything else I can get my dirty hands on. Peace, P.

To me, the 595s sound better than the 650s unamped out of an ipod mini, so I definitely agree with you. But $600 and $300? Wow. I'd buy used from here, somehow.
Senns sound better out of the box than Grados? I doubt it.
Definitely audition the MS2s. I'm not familiar with the A500s or A900s mentioned above, but I can't agree that no audiophile phone can come close unamped. RS-1?
However if you want huge soundstage I don't think the Grados are for you so the A500 or A900 may be, I have no idea. But try the MS2 and see if it has enough soundstage for you. It just might.