[sennheiserfan1]

Again I'm going off topic, and I regret that, but man Duggeh just wanted to say you have a sweet avatar! Otherwise, keep up the info everyone this is an interesting post.

 

[Zorander]

Got a few vintage AKGs already. Got further recommendations for me?

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Got a few vintage AKGs already. Got further recommendations for me?

Try a 1980 Beyerdynamic DT880 or DT880-S (same thing near as i can tell).

Yes, they're a bit criminal as they represent Beyer's failure to keep up with the electrostatic pack, but they also demonstrate how far the headphone industry hasn't come in the last 27 years.

The design is significantly different from the current DT880 because it's a fully open headphone with very limited mechanical damping. It's far more open than the current DT990, let alone the "semi-open" DT880.

 

[jack1960]

Until just a few years ago I was still using Stax SR-3 cans with the SRD-7 adaptor which I purchased in the mid 70's. I wish I still had them.

 

[BIGHMW]

A pair of vintage Sennheiser HD420 cans I have had since 1983, I got them from a co-worker of my father's, he never asked for them back, so I kept them in storage after the cord broke and the pads deteriorated and they have been in storage since about 1986.

Then I discovered Head-Fi, and since signing up for this great site, I have obtained a new cord, new pads (originally for an HD435 which work perfectly in the HD420), and a new headband as well, and they sound great. Now I know what I was missing for over 20 years, it's just too bad that today's PMP's don'y have enough audio power in them to drive them (after all they are 600 ohms), that also lead to the purchase of a Meier Headsix, to go along with my Boostaroo Revolution.

 

[BrokenEmpires]

These are the oldest canisters I have. I made a thread about them before reading this thread.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/pio...-405-a-284907/

 

[Tenchi211]

I have a pair of Koss PortaPro 2000's (circa 1989 or 1990 I think).

 

[jrosenth]

AKG Sextett and AKG 500

 

[nikongod]

old headphones worth the search (IMNSHO):

for us with "larger budgets":

grado RS-1 with brown headband. nice. the grain in the trebble of newer units is gone, the midrange magic remains! sweet.

sony R10 like i need to say it.

in the mid-price-bracket
stax gama pro: a HIGHLY underrated headphone. well worth the effort to find and some cash to buy. despite selling my electrostatic amp & other electrostatic headphones (to buy an r10) i kept this one. i keep looking at ebay for an amp for this heapdhone...

medium to low price:
AKG k240 sextet. i want to have sextet with this headphone. i'l post pictures, 6 coppies each

one for each passive radiator. somewhat power hungry, i am convinced this headphone is the reason my SUPRA has more than 3 clicks on the stepped attenuator. everything else plays in the first 1/3 of travel, this wants the middle third.

senheisser hd-414, 410, 420, 424. better in HIGH impedance variants (2000ohm) when you can find them. the group here is NOTHING like current senheissers. more like a cross between a stereotypical new grado and AKG. the **** stock cables can (and should) be replaced with an hd-650 cable at the minimum. cardas, zu, etc are also nice (obviously.)

 

[Fungi]

Supposedly the K240 Sextett is better than the K240DF, but for how much easaier it is now to get a good priced DF, I'd say that's a good mid-low option as well.

 

[-=Germania=-]

1976 - Audio Technica 701

 

[jellojoe]

Picked up spritzer's Aurex HP1000 system a few weeks ago. I'm not sure how old they are though.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -=Germania=- /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1976 - Audio Technica 701

How are the 701s. I have a pair of 714s that are from the same era, I think. It's hard to find any information on vintage ATs. The 714s are a head vise. They're closed and isolate very well.

Of all of the headphones I own, only 2 are in current production. Most of what I listen to is from the 70s and 80s. The newest headphones I listen to on a regular basis are K400 and MB Quart QP85, which are both from the 90s.

 

[edstrelow]

One notable change since this thread was started a few years ago has been a marked increase in the price of vintage stats. It used to be that you could get into electrostatics with an old set for 1/3 or less the price of a new set, but that is more difficult now. And some of the rarer old Stax such as the Sigma pro command serious sums. I suspect that the even rarer Stax SRX pro would also sell for a lot of money. Actually I have never even seen one for sale.

Unfortunately this is happening as the US dollar is plummeting and raising the price of new Stax bought direct from Japan.

 

[-=Germania=-]

^ I heart the k400.

The 701's are just supraaural and not vice like at all. My fav can for old recordings.

I just did a repair to the k400 (wire slipped in the jumper). and thought about a recable. Then, it would take away from its minty condition.