[chirs]

This is really my first post here on head-fi...and I must say this is a really cool community. I'm about to get sucked into the vortex... 
 
So I'm looking for some headphones...
I've gathered from those wiser than I that it is best to first go for a set of great headphones and then worry about the other stuff. That being said, there's an overwhelming amount of stuff out there and it helps to just have a few experienced head-fiers give me that first push in the right direction.
 
I spend close to 45-55 hours a week at work on a Mac Pro tower. I listen to a lot of krautrock, ambient (Oren Ambarchi, etc), jazz and a healthy dose of weird/lofi/spoken word/drone stuff. I hate the word eclectic...but that's neither here nor there.
 
I spent a day listening to a coworker'd DT770 + mini3 combo. I could not tell the difference amped or unamped. Moreover, I found the mids to be lost in a sandwich of overly stretchy bass and highs that commanded too much attention. Perfect for hip hop...but that's about 1% of what I listen to.
 
My budget is flexible (I'm patient to find used or a deal) but I can't really go over $250.
 
BTW, are there any good threads that cover very basic head-fi nomenclature, theory, circuits, etc. (ie. the differences in major types of headphones, impedences, etc.)?
 
 
 
 
 

 

[chirs]

Just realized that this post answers most of my questions. FWIW, I would like to know what would be a better headphone for me given my relative dislike of the DT770 and the type of music I listen to.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Sounds like you want a more mids-oriented headphone. I'm not a fan of the DT770, either. One pair you should enjoy is the Sennheiser HD-600. It is something of a baseline and a classic around here. I owned a pair for awhile and loved them; they were only sold to fund a HD-800 which I love more. But the HD-600 is affordable and does great with any genre you throw at it. If you buy used, you'll find them around $200-$225. If you don't like them, they'll sell for about the same.

You'll eventually want to run them from an amp. One good point is that, at 300 Ohms, you'll be able to run them from an amp with a high output impedance, like most of the OTL tube amps. You'll have a lot more flexibility because of that.

Anyhow, read the reviews and give the HD-600 some thought. It might be a good fit for you.

 

[chirs]

The HD600 is on my shortlist...but I work in an open office with about 20 people in earshot of my desk (no cubicles, etc.). How bad would the sound leak on these things? Anything I can compare it to (ie. laptop speaker volume set at 3 clicks)?
 
Here's a different angle: I found a pair of used DT770s for cheap ($80) -- are there any amps that have good synergy with this can? Perhaps bringing the mids forward, warming the highs and adding some timbre to the low end? Or will I ultimately still be dissatisfied with the headphone and be left with an amp that only existed to account for the 770's shortcomings?
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

You could try an equalizer with the DT770, but nothing else will change their fundamental nature. Amps won't bring the mids forward unless they're designed to (I haven't seen one) and I wouldn't put much stock in anyone who says that cables will change them. No matter the cable, it'll still throw up the same response curve on an oscilloscope.

The HD-600 does leak sound, and even at moderate levels I can hear them from several feet away. If you want to go closed, there are a few that get recommended. I've listened to the Shure 840 and DT150 and liked them. I own the Sony MDR-7509HD which I enjoy. And have you considered IEMs? There are some good ones in your budget.

 

[chirs]

I have no idea about IEMs. I guess I'm just ruling that out for the time being.
How about the akg k271's ? I've read they are comparable to the HD 600's.

 

[baka1969]

I'll second the Shure 840 closed headphone. They're fairly balanced and have the nice Shure mids. They isolate well but not too extreme. Typical street prices also make them attainable. I wear them while doing chores out of my iPod and although they improve with an amp, they're nice out of the headphone jack also.


The things they are not are svelte nor light. I don't find them too uncomfortable, but they aren't the most comfortable either. For a foldable headphone, they also not what I would say is small either. They're full sized.


All said, they're a great closed headphone for the money.

 

[ThePhoenix924S]

I have the HD650s and personally, I don't find that they leak out too bad. I run them off an Audinst HUD-mx1 DAC/ Amp, which may be something you want to look into with your HD600s (the Audinst runs $180, so you may want to wait to see if you even like the HD600s). For what it's worth, the HD650s (the HD600s are virtually the same design, as far as I'm aware) are extremely comfortable and lightweight, so they would be fine for you to wear all day and then some. The HD650 is good for all types of music as far as I'm concerned, and I've heard similar of the HD600, so that's something I'd definitely look into. I haven't had the opportunity to listen to many other headphones though, so the more experienced members may be of more help...