[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif If anyone suggests a headphone other than one of the three above, STROKE.

I'll induce a stroke for you by suggesting the Audio-Technica ATH-AD2000. The first, last, and only headphone you'll ever need, and it'll probably work great with that GCHA!

Though I don't understand why you can't downsize to two headphones. One is just way too limiting!

 

[buddhashenglong]

How many strokes have been caused so far?

 

[nickrobotron]

650

 

[daltonlanny]

650 with an upgrade cable.
I also feel that the 650's have virtually unlimited sonic potential, that is limited only by your wallet.
If someone told me I had to get rid of all my 'phones except one, the 650's would be the ones to stay.

 

[Leoseller7]

greggf

(I'd like to settle on one headphone. Help. Any advice?)
(I listen to all kinds of music, except, perhaps, country & western.)
(If anyone suggests two headphones, I swear I'll have a stroke)
(If anyone suggests a headphone other than one of the three above, STROKE)
(If anyone says that I need a tube amp, hehhehheh, STROKE, plus I come find you and slash your tires)
(I guess what I'm asking is, what is your gut reaction to the question, "Which will cause the least regret over the long term)


I can't believe you guys, greggf has already had a stroke and is partially paralyzed and is not able to listen to any music with all of your other recommendations. He did say don't recommend any other headphones or amps just (really simple the Sen HD600, Sen HD650 or the AKG K701's) NOTHING ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So greggf here goes, you said that you have tried all of these headphones over the years, but do you actually own all three?

If so stick with the AKG K701's and get the cable changed by headfi member "KT88" with his pure copper wire and you can look back on this ordeal and laugh and go back to just listening to music.

Remember that's what it's all about (Listening to the music)!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[greggf]

I've owned all three at various times in the past. At the moment, I own all three at the same time.

If I had to decide today, I'd probably - - - keep two pair, not one.

I'd probably keep the HD 600 and the HD650.

I think it's getting to be past time for Sennhieser to come up with a more neutral headphone in this class. I think the 595 may be their attempt, but as good as it is - I like it - it doesn't strike me as being as good as the others mentioned.

And the K701 baffles me. No matter what, it doesn't quite work for me, even when fully burned in. It's as if, despite how perfect it is, it's still like a man with low blood sugar running down the strike all wobbly, with legs akimbo - the sound is somehow not organic, the parts are too distinct from one another, too detailed. More so than reality. I think.

I could live with the 650 forever, and might, but no matter how you cut it, it is more colored than the 600. That coloration, the warm bass blanket, works great with X music, but fogs up Y music.

The HD600 is probably the best compromise, but the 650 is clearly a more refined can.

So there you have it. STROKE.

 

[daltonlanny]

greggf,
I agree with you and your hearing abilities totally.
On some far and very few in between days, I love them, and I can actually tolerate the K701 for a while, but then I hate them. Sometimes they sound very open, extended, and detailed, but on other days they sound sterile, thin, lack natural warmth, and are simply too detailed and revealing. Its not a burn-in issue, amp issue, source issue, or recording issue either. I have several friends who have tried them in my system and in theirs, and they also agree with my conclusions.
The 600's are balanced great and everything, but there is a certain slight, unrefined, grainy texture to their sound, and a slight bass hump in the mid/upper bass thats hard for me to put my finger on.
The 600's and the 650's are alittle more laid back and reserved than the 701's, but that is mostly a good thing.
The 650's are more refined than the 600's without a doubt, and have a very organic sound, with lots of voice and instrumental body, and on most material a very involving and slightly romantic sound. But as you said they can sound sort of foggy on certain material. Never-the-less, I would rather live with them than the other two, and I feel they are more tolerable of poorer recorded material than the other two.
The 650's can also be upgraded, to heaven knows how good, with better sources, amps [read balanced], and upgrade plug and play cables, both single-ended and balanced.
I would love to hear them fully balanced from source all the way to headphone!

 

[neilvg]

There is no best headphone! My HE90's have driven me to depression. Compared to the K1000 the the headphones sound like they are being dampened through cotton swabs! After taking off the L3000 the bass doesn't impact me at all, rendering almost all music flat and lifeless. After a sesh with the Omega II's, the HE90 midrange seems to be lacking and overly velvety with a rounded 'pseudo intimate' feel. The transients can be too fast, and the treble can be too strident. The bass does not go low enough and it is not even-keeled in the lower octaves with some tones being emphasized in the bass over others. To really shine, it needs to be driven hard, harder than its matching amp can provide.

The amp which can drive it properly has had me waiting over a year and it is still MIA. The headphone fits looser than I prefer and the pads flake after extended use.

STROKE STROKE STROKE, SLASH SLASH SLASH.

===

God I love the HE90. I really do. My fave.

Neil

 

[NoPants]

k701 + GCHA is a good setup but I can see how you would tire of the neutral, discrete sound quickly...

probably need to get outside the senn/akg sphere

I've been using AD2000s now (not much other choices lol) almost exclusively with the gcha... smaller soundstage but you get deep rumbling bass and smooth band transitions

now that I think about it I've probably been getting a lot more headaches just because the bass is so powerful haha

 

[buddhashenglong]

STROKE!

 

[grawk]

Let me get this straight: You've settled on a bad amp, and you want people to convince you that one of 3 bad headphone choices for that amp is a good choice. Got it.

Go for the grado 225s, stax omega 1s, the stax 007t amp, and an earmax pro tube amp.

 

[greggf]

grawk,

After a dozen amps, the one thing that I can safely say is that the GCHA is NOT a bad amp, hehhehheh.

Grados? I've owned one and heard many. They cause me distress after only a few minutes. And it isn't an issue of how they're amped. It's an issue of TREBLE.

Actually, I think you and a few other posters (not all) may be missing the irony of my original post.

Please don't take it literally, the way a scientist would. Take it imaginitively, the way a lover, a music lover, would.

I don't literally hate the K701, HD 600, or HD650. I hate that when I listen to any one of the three, I prefer one of the other two. The irony is that ample headphone choices, when all of the headphones are basically good headphones, ironically produces discontent.

Now, what do we do with that ironic discontent? How do we treat it?

And, specifically, what should I pair with my GCHA to lessen the anguish of what is clearly, if you happen to wallow in owning many amps or headphones simultaneously, a sign of some kind of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and not a sign of a love of an art form, music?

 

[porschemad911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschemad911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My HD-650 arrived today. I love them, and that's just with my (dying) LDII+, when my Graham Slee Solo arrives I've got a feeling I'm going to be very, very happy! Sorry K-501 and MS-1, you just got whupped. So yeah, go with HD-650!

Sorry, OT, but actually, I'm unsure now, with my LDII+ anyway. My K-501 has been getting more playtime than HD-650. It's clearer to my ears. But I'm underamping the HD-650 so it's in no way fair. Haha, I'm probably also underamping the K-501 in that case!

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've owned all three at various times in the past. At the moment, I own all three at the same time. If I had to decide today, I'd probably - - - keep two pair, not one. I'd probably keep the HD 600 and the HD650. I think it's getting to be past time for Sennhieser to come up with a more neutral headphone in this class. I think the 595 may be their attempt, but as good as it is - I like it - it doesn't strike me as being as good as the others mentioned. And the K701 baffles me. No matter what, it doesn't quite work for me, even when fully burned in. It's as if, despite how perfect it is, it's still like a man with low blood sugar running down the strike all wobbly, with legs akimbo - the sound is somehow not organic, the parts are too distinct from one another, too detailed. More so than reality. I think. I could live with the 650 forever, and might, but no matter how you cut it, it is more colored than the 600. That coloration, the warm bass blanket, works great with X music, but fogs up Y music. The HD600 is probably the best compromise, but the 650 is clearly a more refined can. So there you have it. STROKE.

Well, if you could live with the HD-650 forever, and you want to pick one, then go with the that. It's only when ABing that you are discontent right? The HD-650 are great 'phones, and your brain will get used to their sound perfectly well if they're your only 'phone.

I mean, for a year I had my K-501 as my only home 'phone, and I was perfectly content! After hearing the difference in the bass between that and HD-650 I can only assume that my brain did a *lot* of very good adjusting! Perhaps the other strengths temporarily paralysed the 'low bass level warning' part of my brain.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif grawk, After a dozen amps, the one thing that I can safely say is that the GCHA is NOT a bad amp, hehhehheh. Grados? I've owned one and heard many. They cause me distress after only a few minutes. And it isn't an issue of how they're amped. It's an issue of TREBLE. Actually, I think you and a few other posters (not all) may be missing the irony of my original post. Please don't take it literally, the way a scientist would. Take it imaginitively, the way a lover, a music lover, would. I don't literally hate the K701, HD 600, or HD650. I hate that when I listen to any one of the three, I prefer one of the other two. The irony is that ample headphone choices, when all of the headphones are basically good headphones, ironically produces discontent. Now, what do we do with that ironic discontent? How do we treat it? ...

I think that you are treating 'ironic discontent', as you term it. I admire you for standing up and making a decision that you intend to stick with. Well, at the moment it's 'attempting to' make the decision, but I like the intent.

I believe the only cure for discontent is being content. Sounds stupid I know, but I also belive we can be content in *all* circumstances. It comes from within, but is not of our doing. But that's getting OT.

Perhaps evaluate the strengths and weakness of each 'phone to your ears, and decide which strengths are most valuable to you, and which weaknesses you are best able to live with?

 

[greggf]

Thanks, porschemad, for your response. And thanks for "getting it."

Wow, yes, the only way to be contented is to be contented. Wish it was easy. Head-Fi both makes it both easier and much, much harder to be contented.

 

[virusvoodoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbonner1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 701 has driven me to drink. It has deep bass but lacks mid bass fullness and can sound shrill if your source is not rich. HD650 is what I reach for more often.

I agree with you man!

Although the K701's are more neutral sounding and look & sound good as a reference headphones, I often reach for the HD650's. I don't know how to explain it but there's just something about its [the HD650's] luscious, smooth, and orgasmic (or should I say eargasmic) sound that always draw me back to it.

I think part of it is because most of my music is R&B, hip-hop, rap. I do have rock, alternative, punk and other mainstream stuff but my roommate also prefers the HD650's over the K701's. The other is the conform, as the HD650's fit my oval head better.

My HD650's are currently running on stock cables and Chu-Moy portable headphone amplifier / Denon AVR-681 receiver. I can't imagine how it would sound with a real dedicated headphone amplifier such as the Heed CanAmp or Musical Fidelity X Can V3.