[Turnyface]

I'm looking at getting my first pair of over-the-ear headphones + amp and am looking for suggestions.
 
I'm a college student and these will mainly be used while walking to class as well on family trips (planes), general listening, etc, so portability would be nice.
 
I am looking to spend about $300 for the combo.  I think that closed headphones would be best, although I'm open for suggestions.
 
I listen to classical, jazz, rap/hip-hop, rock, and vocal.  Lately, my listening preference has had an emphasis on the rap/hip-hop and rock, but occasionally love relaxing to a little Yo-Yo Ma. 
 
I'm using a Cowon J3 with a full FLAC library as my portable media player (no line out

).  Listed below are some headphones and amps I've been eyeballing.
 
Headphones:
HD 25-2 ii
ATH-M50
Grados sr60i
Beyerdynamic DT1350.
Sennheiser 448, 515, 558, 598
 

Amps:
pa2v2
cmoy
mini^3
FiiO E11
 
I'm currently using the Klipsch S4 as my headphones and am hoping for a significant upgrade in sound quality with this purchase.  I'm not a bass head, but like the bass to be there when listening to rap/hip-hop.  Other than that, I'm sure there's nice fidelity with the headphones listed and won't worry much about that. 
 
Thanks for the suggestions!
 
 
 

 

[NinjaSquirt]

Grado SR60i, pretty much the best price to performance ratio you can get. Pair it with the E7 (not on your list but an excellent product) and you've got yourself pretty much the best price to performance ratio around, also a fun presentation for hip-hop/rap and rock.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
AudioTechnica ESW9. Several for sale, used, at lower price in the for sale section. Wood back. Warm and sparkly. One of the better sounding AudioTechnicas before going high-end. Lambskin everything.
 
Very best,

 

[Turnyface]

Quote:

Heya,
 
AudioTechnica ESW9. Several for sale, used, at lower price in the for sale section. Wood back. Warm and sparkly. One of the better sounding AudioTechnicas before going high-end. Lambskin everything.
 
Very best,

Awesome, thanks!  Do these sound better than any of the ones I have listed above?  And what would a good portable headphone amp be to pair with them? 

I appreciate your input!
 


Quote:

Grado SR60i, pretty much the best price to performance ratio you can get. Pair it with the E7 (not on your list but an excellent product) and you've got yourself pretty much the best price to performance ratio around, also a fun presentation for hip-hop/rap and rock.

After some more research (pretty much all I've been doing the past week) I think that I would benefit more from a closed pair of headphones for the isolation and having them on when I walk into class and such.  I'm generally 10-15 mins early and like to listen to my tunes before class starts and don't want to disturb the people around me. 

I'll still consider these though, as sound quality on my budget is all I truly care about. 
 

 

[Gwarmi]

Beyer DT1350 for a small portable closed unit will be very tough to beat in that line-up with an E11.
 
Only problem is that with a price tag of $299USD, you're out of money for an E11!
 
But that would be my pick out of the closed models.
 

 

[macrocheesium]

I'm going to say Ultrasone PRO 750. It's one of the best headphones at its price point. For the amp, consider a Go-Vibe in addition to ones you have listed. I chose it over the PA2V2 and CMOY, and really enjoyed it. I doubt any of those three will be able to match the mini^3 or E11, but if you don't have the money to spend and need a budget amp, they're great.

 

[Turnyface]

Thanks for all the replies.
 
Still mulling over the AudioTechnica ESW9 as well as others.  I guess my main question (and yes, I've watched the head-fi tv show comparing the two headphones) is how much of a difference is there between the DT 1350 and HD 25-1 ii.  I can get the latter for $150 new shipped and just wondering if there is justification in the $150 price difference between the two?  Again, sound quality, sound quality, sound quality.
 
But at the $300 price range for a set of headphones, I'd be inclined to pick up the Sennheiser HD 650s for $50 more and ask for a nice amp for xmas.  I just don't know how much the music will bug others and how good the isolation is whilst walking on campus.
 
So I guess I'm really leaning towards the HD 25-1 ii and a nice amp to pair with it.  I don't know much about cables and how an upgrade would improve sound quality, but I'd be willing to do it if it's more than a pseudo effect. 
 
As far as the Ultrasone goes, haven't heard of it and I guess I'll read up on it right now. 

Do you think I'd be "blown away" in the sound quality difference between the HD 25-1 ii and a nice amp compared to my current Klipsch Image S4s? 

Also, I found an old iPod nano 2G laying around and am currently "rockboxing" it.  Would there be a difference in sound quality with the line out (although not a true line out) of the ipod line out -> amp -> headphones as opposed to the Cowon J3 -> headphone out -> amp -> headphones?
 
 
 
 

 

[Turnyface]

Would it be a bad idea to buy the Sennheiser HD25-1 ii used?

 

[Gwarmi]

Not at all ~ The Sennheiser HD-25 II is one of the most serviceable headphones on the market.
 
Each part can be individually ordered from Sennheiser very easily, it's because of it's ubiquitous
use as a DJ headphone that pads, bands, drivers are all readily available without delay.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
ESW9 does not need an amp. Get a used one in the for sale forum, there's two there right now. They sound great. Plus look great. Again, they sound warm, musical, not overly bright, no fatigue, but very good on mids with smooth treble and they can do bass with authority, while being sexy wood back and lambskin with very nice classy/retro text/markings, and again, no amp required at all. They're excellent.
 

 
(I'm wearing them in my current avatar by the way)
 
$190 here.
 
Very best,

 

[Turnyface]

Quote:

Heya,
 
ESW9 does not need an amp. Get a used one in the for sale forum, there's two there right now. They sound great. Plus look great. Again, they sound warm, musical, not overly bright, no fatigue, but very good on mids with smooth treble and they can do bass with authority, while being sexy wood back and lambskin with very nice classy/retro text/markings, and again, no amp required at all. They're excellent.
 

 
(I'm wearing them in my current avatar by the way)
 
$190 here.
 
Very best,

Ahh!  I've done some reading on these and they sound marvelous.  After all the reviews, I only have one concern - how is the sound quality with classical and jazz? 

I've heard mixed reviews and maybe you could give me your direct input?
 
I'm inclined to just listen to you and buy them, seeing as you're a ""headphoneus supremus" and have a TON of headphones listed in your sig, you probably know a thing or two about headphones and sound quality.
 
If I were going to amp it with any of the amps listed above, would I get improved SQ or is it a lost cause? 
 
Thanks for your help!

 

[macrocheesium]

 
Quote:

Also, I found an old iPod nano 2G laying around and am currently "rockboxing" it.  Would there be a difference in sound quality with the line out (although not a true line out) of the ipod line out -> amp -> headphones as opposed to the Cowon J3 -> headphone out -> amp -> headphones?
 
 

Why would you even consider the iPod? The J3 has MUCH better sound quality, especially if you use the EQ.
 
 
Quote:

 
But at the $300 price range for a set of headphones, I'd be inclined to pick up the Sennheiser HD 650s for $50 more and ask for a nice amp for xmas.  I just don't know how much the music will bug others and how good the isolation is whilst walking on campus.

 
If you're concerned with isolation at all, don't even think about open cans. There is absolutely zero isolation. It's like you don't even have headphones on.

 

[Turnyface]

Quote:

 
Quote:

Also, I found an old iPod nano 2G laying around and am currently "rockboxing" it.  Would there be a difference in sound quality with the line out (although not a true line out) of the ipod line out -> amp -> headphones as opposed to the Cowon J3 -> headphone out -> amp -> headphones?
 
 

Why would you even consider the iPod? The J3 has MUCH better sound quality, especially if you use the EQ.
 
 

I had one too many beers last night and dug in though my old electronics collection.  There is no way in h*ll I'd use that iPod; the J3 is far superior all around.
 
I also ordered the Audio-Technica ESW9.  I'll get them Monday and will share my experience after some listening.