[tsugimono]

I'm gonna make this short and simple:

1. Don't care for noise cancellation and such. I'll be using these almost 100% in my quiet house
2. <$100 is best. I'm not an audiophile so I don't want to get sucked into the money-melting audiophile world quite yet.
3. Music I listen to: Orchestral, Jpop(J anything really), vocal-heavy singers, and in-game stuffs.
4. I'll be using this with my PC, iphone 5, 3DS XL, and PS VITA
5. I don't care much for bass since my music doesn't have too much of it.
6. Clarity is my biggest concern.

 

[GaryPham]

Audio Technica AD700s.  Amazing soundstage and mids.  Biggest complaint is that it's very light on bass, but shouldn't be a problem for you as you stated.

 

[AHorseNamedJeff]

Stay away from Grados. They are incredibly clear, but will make anything orchestral sound awful. I hate putting down Grado, because I absolutley ADORE my SR80i's, but for classical, stay waaaay away.
 
If you can go up to $130, or wait for a deal, the Sennheiser HD518's would be my pick. They kick butt for classical, and J-pop actually is a bass kick-y genre, but only by the right cans (these being one)
 
For strict price/clarity, the Sony MDR-V6's are nigh impossible to beat. Very much recommend those.

 

[Biscuitz]

SR60i ($80) with L-Cush pads ($20) = $100.
 
Very open, airy sound with a nice, tight bass presentation, fantastic mids that make for involving vocals, and slightly elevated treble for a greater sense of clarity. The AD700's have a more spacious soundstage, but a far less involving sound overall.

 

[tsugimono]

Are the SR60i's very different than the SR80i's?

Stay away from Grados. They are incredibly clear, but will make anything orchestral sound awful. I hate putting down Grado, because I absolutley ADORE my SR80i's, but for classical, stay waaaay away.
 

 

[Biscuitz]

Quote:

Are the SR60i's very different than the SR80i's?

No. SR80i is just slightly more aggressive sounding, having just a touch more bass and more aggressive treble. So if you wan't the more aggressive headphone, spend $20 more for the SR80i. But, L-Cush pads are a mandatory upgrade in my opinion, for $20.
 
Quote:

Stay away from Grados. They are incredibly clear, but will make anything orchestral sound awful. I hate putting down Grado, because I absolutley ADORE my SR80i's, but for classical, stay waaaay away.
 
If you can go up to $130, or wait for a deal, the Sennheiser HD518's would be my pick. They kick butt for classical, and J-pop actually is a bass kick-y genre, but only by the right cans (these being one)
 
For strict price/clarity, the Sony MDR-V6's are nigh impossible to beat. Very much recommend those.

Ah, I don't listen to orchestral, so I guess I can't speak to Grados on orchestral. My bet is if you changed the stock SR80i pads to the L-Cush pads, then Classical wouldn't sound "awful". The L-Cush pads do the SR60i and SR80i a great service in the area of soundstage presentation, among other things.

 

[BearWant]

You need an ety...the hf5 is an iem but it offers everything you ask for

 

[AHorseNamedJeff]

I have an SR80i with L-Cush pads, and no matter what you do to a Grado, it will never make classical sound as good as other full sized cans like Sennheiser. The SR80i has a better driver than the SR60i. Cleaner response. I'm still gonna recommend the HD518's. VERY involving headphones, clean throughout the spectrum, and smooth like butter. Classical sounds absolutely epic on Sennheiser open-backs.

 

[tsugimono]

Okay, I've narrowed it down to the A-T AD700 and Sennheiser HD518.
 
Anyone want to take sides? I've heard that the A-T has less bass-strength, but so much less that it's a problem. But some have also said that they have a better sound stage than the Sennheisers. 

 

[AHorseNamedJeff]

More reasons for the 518=
Comfort=Ace. Never wore a more comfortable pair of headphones. Velour doesnt get hot, might feel a bit scratchy at first, but it wears down after about a week (im also hyper sensitive).
Can easily be driven by a portable device. Although amping only makes them better
Biggest downside with these is the cable, 10 feet of it. It's a very nicely built cable, will last for years, but its a bit encumbering. I heard that Sennheiser released a smaller one, but I cant find it.

 

[tsugimono]

Will the A-T's work just as fine without an amp? I don't have one and am not planning to buy one anytime soon.
 
And if are you saying that the cord is detachable from the headphones? Is that why you're looking for a smaller one?

 

[AHorseNamedJeff]

From the specs, I'd say yes. They're more sensitive, but MUCH lower impedance than the HD518's. And yes, the cord on the Senns is detachable, but I don't think it is on the ATH-700's.

 

[tsugimono]

hmm, I was reading the reviews on here for the Sennheiser HD518 and a lot of people mentioned the bass, and how great it was. And even the packaging box itself says "deep, rich, bass sound". Do you think it'll be too much for my needs? That's my biggest concern now. If the bass doesn't overpower the vocals and other sounds, then I'm sold on the HD518.

 

[AHorseNamedJeff]

Oh, haha, the bass is not too powerful at all. It really adds that deep feeling of an organ, or string bass, and that slam of a bass drum hit (large orchestral drum), and timpani rolls sound majestic. It goes deep, and adds a nice presence, but it is by no means overpowering at all. I'm listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon right now, and the vocals shine very clearly, with the bass guitar being heard presently in the back of my head, the snare rolls are clean and crisp, and the electric guitar is just magical. I think i've found a new love for my 518's
 
in a short comparison, the bass is like the deep rolling ocean. present, deep, but not too much at all.

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

Stay away from Grados. They are incredibly clear, but will make anything orchestral sound awful. I hate putting down Grado, because I absolutley ADORE my SR80i's, but for classical, stay waaaay away.
 
If you can go up to $130, or wait for a deal, the Sennheiser HD518's would be my pick. They kick butt for classical, and J-pop actually is a bass kick-y genre, but only by the right cans (these being one)
 
For strict price/clarity, the Sony MDR-V6's are nigh impossible to beat. Very much recommend those.

 
''Awful'' seriously?, don't you think that it's a bit too strong a word?, i'll give you, not as good as..., but awful, i have to disagree with you, i don't know what you're upstream equpment is, but i use mine straight from an old 1975 Marantz 2220B, that for all i know, still has the orginal caps, and they sound very nice, now, they don't sound as nice as my GS/PS1000 with orchestral music, but even compared to it's more expensive siblings, i'd never use awful to describe how they sound.