[cummje]

Hello all. I know this has all be covered a million times with this pair of headphones, but I've been reading for two weeks and have no idea what to get.

The skinny is that I'm getting a new Dell laptop. I recently purchased a Nuforce Icon Mobile amp to use with my computer as a DAC and for use with my Sony NWZ-A728 and maybe my iPhone. Though I might send the Nuforce back. It seems really bright to me.

What I don't like about the 280 Pro's:
1. I have to turn it up to a very loud level to hear the level of detail I want to hear. When that happens the Highs are very, very fatiguing and feel like it's gotta be bad for my ears. (I think the 208 Pro's are awesome for Bass Drums, but blow with other percussion like Tympany drums.)

2: Everything in between the bass and things like soprano voices, symbols and whatnot feel like they're being muffled. This thing sucks with choral voices (Carmina Burana). I can't hear Trombone's and Trumpet's very clearly as well as alto voices.

3: It feels like someone is pumping sound directly into my ears. Very tiring for me. (my Victor IEM's make it feel like the bass is hitting me just between my eyes--I can feel it. Good stuff)

Among other things. I'm in Japan and thus have access to Audio Technica's and Denon's for pretty reasonable prices. My budget is around $200 give or take. I can get D2000's for about $220 or ATH-AD900's for about $180. For example. But there are so many options.

Open cans I've looked at: Beyer DT860 Ed. 2007, DT990 PRO, K601, K240 MKII, ATH-AD900. Those are all in the $200 range.

Closed cans: D2000, Beyer DT770 PRO (250 or 80ohm), AKG 271 MKII and 272 HD, Ultrasone HFI-580 (780's run around $250...really stretching the limit.)

Open or closed doesn't really matter much since they will be used mainly while sitting at my computer listening to Music and Movies. I know the advantage of Open over Closed is the soundstage, but as long as it doesn't feel like it's going directly into my ears I don't really care. I am looking for a well rounded can. Sharp highs kill my ears. I listen mainly to rock--everything from fast metal (I like Dragonforce stuff) to popular rock (if any of you know Shiina Ringo, I love that stuff). I also listen to Classical--Carmina Burana is my piece of choice...With low bass drums and lots of cymbol crashes, I imagine it's challenging for any set of headphones.

Last thing--I keep reading that the D2000's are great all-rounder's...but I'm not interested in modding anything. I read that the D2000's sound great with my amp, but those were heavily modified (wood cups and all). I keep reading that the AD900's are good, too. Oh yeah, Sennheisers...yeah, I don't know what to think. 595's are around $200. 600/650 are nearly $400--out of my price range.

I hope someone can help! I know it's a tall order. What I want the most is a good phone for Rock and some Classical. Clear Mids and highs with accurate bass, I guess. If I need slow decaying bass I'll listen to my IEM's. Thanks all!

 

[yklee118]

That is a problem with the Sennheiser HD280 Professional series when they are brand new. The headphones require a minimum of 120-hours of burn-in before the settling phase (that jargon for when the drivers begin to relax for normal listening). I have the HD280 Pro since its inception in 2002 and have put over 15000-hours on (too much time on my hands - been taking notes) and I have to say, connected directly to my computer and amping them up have different effects to the quality of the sound. When connected to my computer (macbook pro 17" unibody), I only need a 1/4 volume to hear every detail and tone with good bass response and very clear deep notes (LFE).

When these headphones were new, I had the same thoughts as you have. Harsh, cold, and bright upper frequencies with non-existent bass. That changed once I exceeded the 120-hour, 300-hr, and 600-hour marks where all of those disgusting traits started to evaporate (this is for the longest time connected to three generations of VAIO PC and five generations of Apple laptops - on and off with Apple since I purchased headphone amps for better imaging). I think the final settling period for these headphones hovers somewhere around the 6000-hour mark where the only room for improvement will be to use a headphone amp and an upgraded interconnect.

This is my experience with these headphones. Spatial imaging, soundstage, and sonic qualities are much more refined when fully settled as opposed to new. Give it a try before burying down the hole. Most headphones need to go through a burn-in phase before reaching a settling period where the drivers perform their best. This is again based on my experience.

Take care, have a great week, and god bless.

 

[Acix]

1. GMP 8.35 D Monitor
2. M-50
3. Ultrasone Pro-550 and up...

 

[cummje]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yklee118 /img/forum/go_quote.gif When these headphones were new, I had the same thoughts as you have. Harsh, cold, and bright upper frequencies with non-existent bass. That changed once I exceeded the 120-hour, 300-hr, and 600-hour marks where all of those disgusting traits started to evaporate (this is for the longest time connected to three generations of VAIO PC and five generations of Apple laptops - on and off with Apple since I purchased headphone amps for better imaging). I think the final settling period for these headphones hovers somewhere around the 6000-hour mark where the only room for improvement will be to use a headphone amp and an upgraded interconnect.

This is really interesting. I appreciate your detailed response. So maybe it would be a good idea to let them burn in more. I've had the phones around 3 years and I let them burn in for maybe 150 hours when I first got them. But I never liked them and haven't used them all that much since then. Mainly off and on when my other headphones have bit the dust.

What I found with them recently (more critical listening) is that the bass is really quite good (to my inexperienced ears). If it's there in the recording, it's there in the headphones. If it's not in the recording, it's not there in the headphones. It's just the highs and lack of mids that get me. Especially the piercing highs. Perhaps I should hold out and let them burn in for another couple hundred hours. It wouldn't really take that long if I just set them up and let them run.

I see, "I hate the 280 Pro's" all over the place, but maybe people just need to work with them a lot more. I'm gonna continue the search, but while I do so I'll burn these baby's in. I'm still open to suggestions and appreciate them. Thanks!

 

[yklee118]

I found that with the HD280-Pros, the spatial imaging and overall sonic representation to be better when through an amplifier. Nothing fancy I would say since the first significant change in sound quality (toward the better - no harsh or brittle overtones) was when I purchased the Little Dot MKI (before the opamp upgrade). Amplifying these headphones do help since most computers and laptops have very low current drive. Voltage and power drive also play a critical part with any speaker and headphone driver. In the case of the HD280, it would be a bit better when amplified.

A simple CMOY amp will do wonders with the sound stage and tones so that may be a good idea and a very cheap investment.

Hope this helps. Have great week .