[Errymoose]

Two Steps from Hell are the main reason i kind of liked the HE-400.  Not necessarily the absolute best choice for separation you could make, but fantastic bass and highs, and they really work with that kind of energetic recording.  Get a nice amp and some HE-400's imo.

 

[MrViolin]

Quote:

 
Oh I think so far the answers have been spot-on and very helpful. Would like to chase down that HD700+PHA-1 now though, just in case.
 
This whole audiophile business just takes a lot of time to research eh?

ah, great to hear
Yes indeed 

 

[B M Tarr]

Quote:

Two Steps from Hell are the main reason i kind of liked the HE-400.  Not necessarily the absolute best choice for separation you could make, but fantastic bass and highs, and they really work with that kind of energetic recording.  Get a nice amp and some HE-400's imo.

 
You say that like you no longer have HE-400s? Any particular reason that might be pertinent here? I mean... why did you get rid of them?

 

[Errymoose]

Quote:

 
You say that like you no longer have HE-400s? Any particular reason that might be pertinent here? I mean... why did you get rid of them?

I haven't, but I haven't been using them much and have been thinking about moving them on.  I really like them for some music (like two steps from hell) but I just don't want to listen to them overall very much.   I'm just not a fan of such forward bass/treble compared to mids.   Great headphones, I've just come to realise they aren't really for me....

 

[B M Tarr]

Quote:

I haven't, but I haven't been using them much and have been thinking about moving them on.  I really like them for some music (like two steps from hell) but I just don't want to listen to them overall very much.   I'm just not a fan of such forward bass/treble compared to mids.   Great headphones, I've just come to realise they aren't really for me....

That is the part that scares me about getting my first pair of orthos...
 
The unknown factor.
 
Hrmm.
 
Edit: based on what you said, it almost sounds like (from my research) the HE-500 would be better for you?

 

[Errymoose]

Quote:

That is the part that scares me about getting my first pair of orthos...
 
The unknown factor.
 
Hrmm.
 
Edit: based on what you said, it almost sounds like (from my research) the HE-500 would be better for you?

Well, yeah... I decided to stop messing around with more and more headphones I hadn't heard and bit on a pair of T1's as I've heard a pair at a local meet and love the sound and the comfort...

 

[Mani ATH 87]

The HD800 is out of your price range.

 

[B M Tarr]

Quote:

The HD800 is out of your price range.

 ?
 
I said I'd be willing to spend the money IF the sound was that much better. (first post)

 

[B M Tarr]

Not to ignore some of the great posts here, but I read up some more on the Dragonfly and HD700, and some Head-Fi folks have said it works pretty darn well actually.
 
At the least, I decided the HD700 probably would sound more like what I'm looking for (compared to the orthos and the HD800).
 
So I got the HD700 and the Dragonfly - ordered! Should be at the house by Monday, and I'll be sure to write back with my impressions.
 
If the Dragonfly just doesn't drive them well (I'll also compare the HD650 with Dragonfly) then I will likely look at some other Schiit.
 
Thanks everyone, will report back later!

 

[pbal]

I agree, seeing the song in person is always a special treat its great to feel the music with your whole body instead of just on your ears/head for a change.

 

[oblique63]

Quote:

Not to ignore some of the great posts here, but I read up some more on the Dragonfly and HD700, and some Head-Fi folks have said it works pretty darn well actually.
 
At the least, I decided the HD700 probably would sound more like what I'm looking for (compared to the orthos and the HD800).
 
So I got the HD700 and the Dragonfly - ordered! Should be at the house by Monday, and I'll be sure to write back with my impressions.
 
If the Dragonfly just doesn't drive them well (I'll also compare the HD650 with Dragonfly) then I will likely look at some other Schiit.
 
Thanks everyone, will report back later!

Considering that you had mentioned the HD700's a few times in this thread up until now, I'm a bit surprised no one chimed in here comparing them to the HD800's.  I genuinely hope you like them, as there's nothing more frustrating that going on an endless audiophile-goose-chase, but if you don't for whatever reason, be sure not to throw the HD800's out of your consideration along with them, as they sound rather different. For me personally, I didn't really feel the HD700's were worth the price tag to be honest, yet I practically didn't hesitate at all to pull the trigger on the 1.5x more expensive HD800's once I demoed them... But if you find yourself to be more than adequately happy with the HD700's once you get them, then that's awesome! Don't let my silly internet opinion get in the way of your enjoyment 

 

[B M Tarr]

Quote:

Considering that you had mentioned the HD700's a few in this thread up until now, I'm a bit surprised no one chimed in here comparing them to the HD800's.  I genuinely hope you like them, as there's nothing more frustrating that going on an endless audiophile-goose-chase, but if you don't for whatever reason, be sure not to throw the HD800's out of your consideration along with them, as they sound rather different. For me personally, I didn't really feel the HD700's were worth the price tag to be honest, yet I practically didn't hesitate at all to pull the trigger on the 1.5x more expensive HD800's once I demoed them... But if you find yourself to be more than adequately happy with the HD700's once you get them, then that's awesome! Don't let my silly internet opinion get in the way of your enjoyment 

 
Thank you. BTW, here is why I landed at HD700, even despite some negative reviews:
 
- While I could have afforded the HD800, driving them well is (supposedly) significantly harder. I wanted to be able to get a semi-portable setup that I can bring to work and back.
- I've heard some really great things about the HiFiMan HE-400 and 500, but also seen enough people who don't find the ortho sound to their liking. If I am going to buy orthos, I want to hear them first.

 

[beaver316]

Hope you enjoy those HD700s. Personally if I had the money I wouldn't have picked them, after having a taste for the ortho sound I wouldn't settle for anything else

 

[B M Tarr]

Quote:

Hope you enjoy those HD700s. Personally if I had the money I wouldn't have picked them, after having a taste for the ortho sound I wouldn't settle for anything else

 
Thanks -- once I get a chance to try the orthos I might sell the HD700s. Gonna have to see if any shops in Anchorage, AK actually have any orthos (doubt it). Or may just pick up some HE-400/500 down the road.

 

[oblique63]

Quote:

 
- While I could have afforded the HD800, driving them well is (supposedly) significantly harder. I wanted to be able to get a semi-portable setup that I can bring to work and back.

 
I'd say to not worry about this too much. Even my cheap O2 can drive them as well as $1k solid state amps, and should be more than enough to give you a good idea of what the headphones can do. If you want to add some of that tube sound to your rig later, you can always do that too; but don't feel pressured to go get a fancy $3k amp right off the bat just cause people here think that's what they sound 'best' with.
 
Quote:

- I've heard some really great things about the HiFiMan HE-400 and 500, but also seen enough people who don't find the ortho sound to their liking. If I am going to buy orthos, I want to hear them first.

 
 
Quote:

 
Thanks -- once I get a chance to try the orthos I might sell the HD700s. Gonna have to see if any shops in Anchorage, AK actually have any orthos (doubt it). Or may just pick up some HE-400/500 down the road.

Orthos really don't really have that much of a distinct 'sound' when compared to traditional dynamics. Maybe in terms of transient response they're a bit unique, but the HD800's/700's manage to achieve that just as well as many orthos. I personally find my HD800's to be a step up from my HE-5LE's in every way (so much so, that I'm looking to trade them out soon), but are they $800 better? who knows. Point is, not all orthos are gonna have a similar sound, and they're not always gonna sound totally different from a good dynamic can either. Seeing as how you enjoyed the HD650's, I would've actually suggested you try out some LCD-2's at some point. But yeah, I don't blame you about wanting to try them out locally first; just remember that they're really not that 'unique' sounding compared to other headphone types; and at the end of the day, they're all still going to be trying to reproduce the same frequencies in your music.