Help Me - first post for long time reader

[poiuy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevilDog But $600 and $300? Wow. I'd buy used from here, somehow.

That's why I'll be going down to singapore where I can get the 595s for 220 I think and the 650s are $430. These prices are probably bargainable - but I think it works out to be cheaper if you add on $40 to $50 for shipping. The 600s can be had for $300.

So - two more phones to add to list - I'll definitely check them out if I can find them. I just read a review which stated that for slower music like - norah jones, the A900s are amazing. This is almost enough for me to buy them if it is indeed true. How do they fit with other styles of music in your opinions? What music do the two of you listen to who recommend the A900s?

Thanks again for all your input. I'm just hoping I can find the perfect phone for my use - and (fingers and toes, and anything else that can be crossed, crossed) I want to buy something that will last a while - cause the resale market is non-existent here.

P.

 

[poiuy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevilDog Senns sound better out of the box than Grados? I doubt it.

I doubt it too - having the 280s which probably still haven't come into their own - There are 2 possible explanations I can think of;
1; The woman lied to me about how much the 595s had been used.
2; I don't like the sound of the grados.

 

[poiuy]

It appears that there is something eveil in the works.

A friend of mine who doesn't listen to his MS1 anymore (he has sensitive ears and apparently they cause him some pain) lent them to me and I am loving it. I can't find a place to audition the MS2 so I'm thinking I may buy these for around $60 (with all the pads), and add the 595, AD900, or UM2 to my collection - which I will be auditioning later today. Does anyone think this is silly? Should I get the 595 with an amp instead? The only prob with this is that I'm not sure the selection of amps over here, or their prices - what's a good amp for the 595 and a decent price for it?

Will I find myself not listening to the MS1s if I do this? They seem to be a more "fun" headphone - so I forsee that I will listen to my chilli peppers, cake, rage, clapton unplugged, live dave matthews (esp Live at Luther COllege), maybe even Martin Medeski and wood, etc. on the MS1s and use the 595s when I'm in a more chill out mood - for classical, slow jazz, pink floyd, norah jones, etc.

What do you guys think? Please help.

 

[F107plus5]

Try as I might; I can't find a bad thing to say about MS-1s!

........especially if they come with a good sellection of pads for that price!!

I really like my MS-1s, and only pads I have besides the original comfies are Senns 414!

 

[DevilDog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poiuy It appears that there is something eveil in the works. A friend of mine who doesn't listen to his MS1 anymore (he has sensitive ears and apparently they cause him some pain) lent them to me and I am loving it. I can't find a place to audition the MS2 so I'm thinking I may buy these for around $60 (with all the pads), and add the 595, AD900, or UM2 to my collection - which I will be auditioning later today. Does anyone think this is silly? Should I get the 595 with an amp instead? The only prob with this is that I'm not sure the selection of amps over here, or their prices - what's a good amp for the 595 and a decent price for it? Will I find myself not listening to the MS1s if I do this? They seem to be a more "fun" headphone - so I forsee that I will listen to my chilli peppers, cake, rage, clapton unplugged, live dave matthews (esp Live at Luther COllege), maybe even Martin Medeski and wood, etc. on the MS1s and use the 595s when I'm in a more chill out mood - for classical, slow jazz, pink floyd, norah jones, etc. What do you guys think? Please help.

If you can get the MS-1s for $60 go for it. You are definitely on the right track with using them with that kind of music.
IME the HD595 is not really picky when it comes to amps, but the better the amp the better it does. A cmoy improves them, it's just a matter of how much you want to spend. I don't think you'll abandon either headphone. You probably will want to relax every so often and the 595s will let you do that.

 

[poiuy]

Great - I'm heading out to audition pretty soon - and unless the Ad900 or UM2, or 225 or anything else blows me away - the next time I post - although I'm going to try to stay away from this place - I should be a happy 595 and MS1 owner - I might even get an amp if their is a good deal - if I don't I'll probably end up building a Pimenta somewhere down the road.

Thanks for you help everyone, esp DevilDog who seemingly put up with some rather persistent pming from a very enthusiastic newbie without getting annoyed.

Enjoy your music everyone! I know I'll be enjoying mine!

 

[DevilDog]

I tell 'ya, you're very wise. Get the HD595s and build the amp and run away from here.
I started out wanting a $60 headphone and the other day I bought one for $600. Get away from here. You're going to have two great cans and be able to enjoy music like you never thought possible.
And I'm always glad to help in any way that I can.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

If you like soundstage, the current offering of stock Grados are simply not for you; that's what I found when I tried my K701s after being unable to listen to my SR-125s for long periods; the comfort and soundstage are a huge factor. If you really like the forward sound signature of the Grados, getting C-pads from Headphile may improve the soundstage and comfort without compromising too much of the Grado sound, but honestly, the HD595s have often been compared as the "most Grado-like Senns," so it seems like that's a great compromise for you. Plus, they are, indeed, known for sounding great unamped. THey'll also save you a considerable amount of money over the HD650s. I'd definitely recommend getting a used pair here on Head-Fi rather than from some ridiculously overpriced store.

 

[poiuy]

It's been roughly a month and I had an amazing experience last night which I thought I would share as you have all been very helpful and to reiterate that these phones need some serious burn-in! I've been enjoying the 595s since I bought them, but found them to be a little muffled in the higher frequencies (compared to the MS1s). That is until last night. It may have been the music I was listening to, Perez Prado, followed by Pearl Jams, "Ten." But man do these these things rock! They have always provided fuller richer sound than the MS1s but I felt they could open up a bit more, and they did last night! I didn't want to stop listening and go to sleep, but I eventually did around 4am. A little tired at work today as a result.

I am going back to Canada for a holiday in a couple of days and I am pretty certain that I am going to order the Total Bithead unless any of you can chime in with other suggestions - the micro stack being out of my budget - and the fact that I need them to be delivered while I am still in Canada.

You can chime in here or in this thread. http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=180929

Thanks,

P.