[Boothead]

Howdy, I am 16 years old, and I have been reading around here for a few weeks. I've never really had that great of headphones, with my main acquisitions being Bose Triports and Sony EX71SLs. Since, of course, the Triports broke and the EX71s don't sound very good, that places me in the market for some new cans.

Being a youngin as I am, I don't have much money to spare. I'm able to spend between $100-$180 to get my fix. Mostly I have been looking at the Sennheiser HD580 and 595s. I like how some reviews say that the 595s will be good for a variety of music, and they have more of an 'upfront' soundstage. Unfortunately, I'm not very sure what a soundstage is, and I'm not sure what the difference between it being 'upfront' and 'distant' is.

I guess knowing the music that I listen to would help a lot, so I'll list some of it. I mostly listen to classic rock such as Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and occasionaly some Simon and Garfunkel. Lately, though, I have been listening to a lot of Tool and A Perfect Circle.

Because of my preference in music, I think I would be better off buying some Grados. For some reason, though, I just don't like the look of them. I am a superficial person.

As of now, I am definitely leaning towards buying the 595s. Hopefully I can get some justification to spending all that money on them, but other recommendations are definitely welcome.

Thanks a lot in advance

 

[redshifter]

get the grado sr60 and an inexpensive amp. looks don't matter.

 

[granodemostasa]

soundstage: the size of the imagined area where the sound is comming from: say if you stand with an orchestra there are 50 musicians around you....the larger/better soundstages will tell you more about where each insturment is located.... closer or further refer to how far away you are standing from that group of players. for this music...it's not all that important.
I think the 595 will be fine for this.

 

[K2Grey]

Soundstage is where the sound is coming from. Whether it is coming from a spot at the center of your head, or if you perceive it coming from the sides of your head. Whether you can perceive depth, with some instruments further away and some closer, or not.

With the SR-60, I would opin that comfort would be a problem as well. Also, the build quality of Grados has been complained about in the past.

 

[Boothead]

So, I assume with rock music that soundstage will not be that large of an issue, as it would be with classical music. Thank you for the clarification on that.

I was hoping that the 595s would be decent for rock music, but if not, I guess I'll have to turn to the Grado line.

 

[rhythmicmoose]

I didn't think Grados were that good looking until I saw a pair in person. They're definitely much cooler than they seem in the pictures, and comfier than they look too.

 

[F107plus5]

Hi Boothead; and Welcome!!

When you ask about upfront or distant, or "foreward" or "laid-back" you can almost look at it as where YOU are seated during a concert.

For a "Laid-back" presentation you feel as though you are back a few rows in the audience.

In a foreward presentation; such as with Grados(or my Alessandro MS-1s), you are on stage with the performers!

(....I sat in with the Beatles for a recording session the other night, it was groovie)

 

[dave al'orange]

AKG K81DJ

Rock sounds great, they're built like tanks, they don't need an amp, and you'll have $30-$110 left over

 

[ghopper]

Saving my 100th post to greet a new-timer. being 16 myself, the look definitely matters. both grado and the 595s are open, meaning they'll leak sound in and your music will leak out. i'm not sure what enviornment you use your headphones in, but just keep that in mind. if you're going for portability, then you might want to get a closed headphone.
sorry about your wallet.

 

[analog'd]

g

 

[Boothead]

Thanks very much for the advice so far, everyone.

In reference to open and closed headphones, how much sound is leaked out in open ones? Is it truly bad in that peolpe around you can hear the music almost half as loud as you are?

I guess I will start looking at the Grado line a little more since most people are saying they are better than rock. I must say, though, that I was a little dissapointed that I didn't hear better things about the 595s since I love the way those look. Is there anything other than the SR60s that would be good in the Grado line that could fit my price range? ($100-180). Or are the SR60s a unique sound among Grados that I must have?

Thanks again, everyone, you've been great.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analog'd the better the soundstage the better for all music. zep and pink floyd will sound way more amazing as will tool and arctic monkeys.

I fully agree with this statement.
Quote:

get yourself a pair of grado sr 60's for under 70 bucks. they look very cool on cause they look unique and they look like they dont care how they look. grado's will rock your world better than ANYTHING else, which is what matters. anybody says otherwise thinks barry manilow rocks. dunno the AKG K81DJ but i have akg's 2 best phones and they are amazing, including with rock n roll, but they do not rock out like grados.

Grados are great for rock, but calling them the end-all-be-all is a bit unfair; their soundstage is rather weak, and I actually prefer my AKG K701s to my SR-125s on 95% of recordings, including rock.

 

[nsjong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave al'orange AKG K81DJ Rock sounds great, they're built like tanks, they don't need an amp, and you'll have $30-$110 left over

You forget that plastic part which attaches the drrivers to the headband. That part built like a straw.

I think Redshifter's advice is the best.

 

[trevor1189]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmicmoose I didn't think Grados were that good looking until I saw a pair in person. They're definitely much cooler than they seem in the pictures, and comfier than they look too.

That is exactly what I think. They look much different in real life than they do on the internet. I think they are much smaller and very comfortable. I don't know where all these complaints about comfort are coming from, I consider my self to have a large head and I didn't have to bend the headband or anything. Highly recommend the Grado SR-60

 

[dhp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn I fully agree with this statement. Grados are great for rock, but calling them the end-all-be-all is a bit unfair; their soundstage is rather weak, and I actually prefer my AKG K701s to my SR-125s on 95% of recordings, including rock.

well, to be fair, you're comparing a 400 dollar headphone to a 150 dollar headphone