[Sanxiao]

hi,

thank you for head-fi. i read good advice and buy the sennheiser mx500. so much better than my sharp MD headphones.

now i got koss ksc35 headphone. fantastic!

www.headphone.com says grado sr60 is entry to audiophile world. is this headphone twice as good as ksc35? (costs twice as much)

if not what should i buy next? i want a definite step up in sound quality.

how much do i have to pay to notice difference and say WOW all over again?

i am 156cm tall girl and headroom headphones look so big and ugly for me. please advise me a nice one (but sound good)

 

[Tangofire]

If you like KOSS,choose A250.

 

[RMSzero]

What kind of music do you listen to? Do you listen only to your MD player? What kind of budget you got?

Quote:

i am 156cm tall girl

Hooray! A girl at head-fi!

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: Welcome to head-fi
How about the philips 890s $105.00 shipped. But the 890s are very big but very confty. Great for at home listening.

 

[Sanxiao]

hello Tangofire, RMSzero, LTUCCI1924 and everybody.

i listen to baroque, classical, romantic and impressionists. i listen to walkman mainly, but i have new md player now. i like jazz too, but know more about classical music because i am studying music (piano) majoring in performance.

i can't believe headphones costs can cost this much money. but i will buy more if good value for money. (but not 200usd headphones!)

hp890 look bigger than my head.

grado look like donut glued to my ears.

 

[jpelg]

Sanxiao -

The Koss KSC35 (and other Koss models with the same drivers) present one of the best, if not THE best value, in the headphone world. Getting something that sounds better will require a bit of an investment. The Grado 60, while something I would recommend without hesitation for a new purchase, it does not present a significant enough jump in sound quality from the Koss' if you already have them.

Unamped, something like the Philips line (890 or 910) would be good choices. Keep in mind they will sound DIFFERENT than the Koss'. This may take getting used to, but from what you have described as your taste in music, I think that you will like them if you give them a chance.

Going upward, the Grado 125 provides that "present" sound that is more similiar to the Koss', if you prefer to stay with that style of sound. They can be run without an amp, and sound even better with one.

 

[Blighty]

Stay away from Grados if you listen to Classical only. They really do this genre no justice due to their lack of soundstage width and of neutrality. Go for the HP890, you will be impressed by its presentation for your tastes.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

Sanxiao
I think that the 890s might put that WOW in your music. The sound stage is huge and they are great for clasical music. Top right of screen is a search engine. Hit it and put is box 890s and see what other members have said about the 890s.

 

[MacDEF]

Sanxiao:

I agree with jpelg that while good, the SR60 do not provide a big enough jump in quality from the KSC-35 to justify their cost.

As for the HP890, where are you located? If you're in one of those places where you can get them for $40-$50 US, then they might be a good next step. But for $100 I (the price they go for many other places) I don't think they're as good a deal. I would save up an extra $20-$30 and try the Etymotic ER6, especially given your music preferences. HeadRoom's 30-day return policy makes it a no brainer to try them

 

[Snufkin]

Quote:

i am 156cm tall girl and headroom headphones look so big and ugly for me. please advise me a nice one (but sound good)

That pretty much rules out the HP890s, they put the "biggest headphones ever" into the term "biggest headphones ever"

Grados probably won't suit your tastes in music, perhaps it's worth considering Beyer 250-80s, my girlfriend is around 157cm tall and she loves the 250-80s. They're comfortable, not too big and sound great.

Another alternative would perhaps be the Beyer DT531s, they're a medium size headphone and they sound VERY nice, although they're 250ohm headphones, they sound pretty good unamped IMHO.

And of course the Etys would be a good choice as well, unless you're uncomfortable with sticking things in your ears.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sanxiao if not what should i buy next? i want a definite step up in sound quality. how much do i have to pay to notice difference and say WOW all over again?

Here's the best piece of advice anyone on this board will ever give you...

Stop now. Be happy with what you have. If you don't, the price you will have to pay to notice a difference and say WOW all over again is your soul.

 

[tktran]

Hello,

I'm still looking for a nice pair of headphones suitable for my girlfriend. She uses a tape walkman (!!!) and will never lug around a headphone amp.

I agree with Snufkin- Philips SBC-HP890 are MASSIVE!
My head is perhaps on the big side and these headphones are still too big.

It seems like all the good sounding headphones are too big and utilitarian looking. Where are all the attractive/elegant headphones?

IMHO the Sennheiser HD495 looks quite pretty but unfortunately they're not very easy to drive (ie. you will need a dedicated headphone amplifier)

Will you be happy spending hundreds of dollars on earbuds? (eg. Ety ER-6)

My girlfriend wouldn't.
Boys' toys she calls it.

 

[Moonwalker]

Hi, Sanxiao!

Unless you want to spend much more (150 USD), there will be no big jump in quality. And for your MD portable, only Etymotics (ER4/ER6) can satisfy you. I mean, there are many other better sounding phones, but almost all are full-sized circumaurals (the good ones).

My advice: you say headphones are expensive, so stay with your KSC-35 like me and be happy. For home use, sometimes later, you can buy really big, great sounding cans, maybe something like Sennheiser HD600 +amplifier, but that starts another chase: more and more money to spend!

PS: I'm happy girl entered our world!!!

Your
Moonwalker

 

[radrd]

Be happy with what you have. The KSC35s kick ass and they are inexpensive. If you want anything significantly better, you will probably end up spending at least a hundred dollars.

For your MD portable, enjoy the KSC35s. The next step is probably Etymotics or something with an amp and either option means lots of $$.

 

[millerdog]

I agree with the last two posts. Stay with the ksc35s. They are good phones. You next step in audio quality will be a small one(except in price), but from then on it will never end. I started with the 35s and gave them to a friend and bought the sr60s. Missed the ksc35s so much I bought another pair. They are great portables and almost sr60 quality. I am about to upgrade again.
Jeff Guidry said it best!
Stay satisfied now or you never will be!
md