[TheMuffinMan_01]

Hello people who remember me, and new people who I don't know, my name is TheMuffinMan and I used to be an avid Head-Fi'er. For the past year or so, I've given up headphones, and moved to speakers.

Unfortunately, my speakers arent getting the job done, and a better set up means about 6 grand, which I dont have

I want to go a bit cheaper for now, and a bit more considerate for my family, and go back to headphones.

My problem is, I don't know anything about headphones any more

For some time, my set up was a CE7775>Perreaux SHX1>CD3000's. I loved it, but it just wasnt good enough. I've heard super high end stereo systems and I want something closer to that especially in terms of clarity, and power.

The speaker systems I have heard allowed me to hear all the information that was on the CD, and not have to worry about things getting muddled or humps in any part of the sound. I could listen to jazz and female vocals on it and really enjoy it, and then put in a metallica cd and have it rock hard.

My CD3k's never gave me any of that. They were like a huge compromise that allowed me to kind of enjoy a whole bunch of different things. So what I need is advice on what I should get.

Right now I am thinking about a few different things. I don't think I want to get the CD3k's back because they feel like a compromise and not real high fi. I am thinking about this: Naim CD5(also to use in a future speaker set up) or Something used of high quality (under $1k)>PPX3 or Emmeline HR-2 or Emmeline II "The Raptor">HD650's

What I need help on is those "or"s, and if I look like im on the right track to something that might fit my needs. Also, I used to run HD580's through a Denon 5 disk changer and a Gilmore Lite, I really didn't like this set up and found the 580's to be pretty disappointing in terms of excitement, and how much I enjoyed my music. Any and all help is extremely appreciated, thanks all!

 

[Zommaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMuffinMan_01 found the 580's to be pretty disappointing in terms of excitement

I find this for my 600's, and have decided to try out AKG and Grado in search of that excitement, and keep the 600's for mellow, slow, calm music, for which they are excellent.

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

Even through a decent system 650's wont be able to rock out? I do want them for the calmer more laid back music as well, stuff like Air, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Feist, Bjork and lots more, but in addition to be able to totally relax me when listening to that, I need to be able to pop in my Smashing Pumpkins, Rage, and Tool and really feel it...

 

[arnesto]

If you didn't like the HD580 sound, you should probably try another brand.
I would try either an Audio Techinca w1000,w5000, or AKG701, or Grado RS1.

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

The w5000 interests me, but I dont know, I'm really starting to think that since i was feeding such BS into the 580's that thats why they weren't that good, I'm getting really interested in the "raptor">650/zu though... will that satisfy my audio needs? Or must I move to something like the w5000? I don't know anything at all about the AKG701, and have never really heard any AKG's, I find Grado's to be really uncomfortable too... and in terms of amps I know they are crazy picky too...

 

[Jahn]

Welcome back! They always come back...

Here's what I suggest based on your OP, and just recommending new gear.
Grado GS1000.
Lush that baby up with an Earmax Pro.
Apogee MiniDAC to hook into any old transport you have around the house (coming from a speaker system, just recycle some units). Plus, now you have the option for a computer-as-source as well.
For a change of pace, stick the Grado into the Apogee's dedicated headphone amp instead of the Earmax - still nice and warm for a solid state.

Total cost? Under $3k. How's them apples?

 

[TiTaN]

Do you know the Muffin Man...

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn Welcome back! They always come back... Here's what I suggest based on your OP, and just recommending new gear. Grado GS1000. Lush that baby up with an Earmax Pro. Apogee MiniDAC to hook into any old transport you have around the house (coming from a speaker system, just recycle some units). Plus, now you have the option for a computer-as-source as well. For a change of pace, stick the Grado into the Apogee's dedicated headphone amp instead of the Earmax - still nice and warm for a solid state. Total cost? Under $3k. How's them apples?

I really have no idea what this Apogee stuff is (do you have any links for me?) I'm pretty dead set against the whole transport>DAC thing... I'm almost definately going to pick up a Naim CD5(i) because i want to put that into a speaker set up in the future, but it would save me time and money to put it into a headphone setup as well. I also don't know anything about the GS1000's, I've been reading about the raptor and the hd650s and people seem to like that combo for the kind of stuff that i do, like alternative and calmer vocals/jazz, I'll read up on the GS1k's now though do you have any other suggestions for something to go between them and the CD5? im hoping to spend about 2500 or less, that would be about what a CD5, a raptor, and 650/zu's would cost me and thats about as far as i could go.

 

[Jahn]

here's a head-fi link

http://166.90.205.111/forums/showthr...apogee+minidac

google probably has a commercial review somewhere. but no worries, a standalone player is just fine. I'd still recommend an Earmax Pro between your source and cans tho.

If you love Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, you'll love the GS1000. If you love Diana Krall, Ella Fitzgerald, and the like, Senns aren't a bad idea. If you like Coltrane, you need Grados. Freddie Hubbard? Senns. The Decemberists? GS1000. Iron and Wine? Senns. But I chose GS1000s over the RS-1 because coming from wanting Senns, the GS1K will be a nice compromise, putting you back a few rows unlike any other Grado (which puts you on stage).

uh, imho of course.

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

Ok im going to make my master list of bands and see what you think:

Extremely important:
Bjork
The Smashing Pumpkins
Tegan and Sara
Death Cab for Cutie
Metric
Bif Naked

Slightly less important:
Joe Hisaishi soundtracks
Yeah Yeah Yeah's
Feist
Sarah McLachlan
Rilo Kiley
Rage Against the Machine
Tool
Air
Ani Difranco

Slightly more less important
The Subways
Sigur Ros
Arctic Monkeys
No Doubt
Radiohead
Nelly Furtado
My Bloody Valentine
Beck
Melissa Auf Der Maur
M83
Fiona Apple
The Postal Service
Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Broken Social Scene
R.E.M.
Diana Krall


Yeah thats all I can think of right now, does this give you a better idea?

oh and to reiterate, the main things i want in my cans is clarity seperation and power, can you relate your comments about various phones to these criteria?

 

[Jahn]

Here we go! "NR" means "I'm ignorant and haven't heard these guys through either type of can."

Extremely important:
Bjork - both Grados and Senns will do right by her. Hard to mess her up.
The Smashing Pumpkins - Grados. DEFINITELY.
Tegan and Sara - NR
Death Cab for Cutie - Grad-Emo.
Metric - NR
Bif Naked - GRRados.

Slightly less important:
Joe Hisaishi soundtracks - Senns, GS1K will do right by em too.
Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Grados!
Feist - NR
Sarah McLachlan - Grados, unless Senns if you want her to lull you to sleep.
Rilo Kiley - NR
Rage Against the Machine - omg no contest. GRADO.
Tool - Gradoooooo(insert more meandering here)
Air - Grados and Senns equally.
Ani Difranco - Grado. Nothing like close miked acoustic folk rock for the win.

Slightly more less important
The Subways - Grado.
Sigur Ros - Senns, then Grados in a pinch.
Arctic Monkeys - Grados, baby!
No Doubt - Grados, no doubt. "Don't Speak" through a Grado, whoowhee.
Radiohead - GRADO. I can't emphasize this enough.
Nelly Furtado - I'm like a Grado.
My Bloody Valentine - Grado, no alternative.
Beck - I'm a Grado baby, Sennheisers kill me.
Melissa Auf Der Maur - NR
M83 - NR
Fiona Apple - Senns, unless you want Grados to wake you up.
The Postal Service - NR
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Grados, unless you can't stand the horrible mastering, then Senns.
Broken Social Scene - Grados.
R.E.M. - Definitely Grados.
Diana Krall - Senns *yawn*


clarity seperation and power. grados for the win on clarity and power, senns win on separation, but GS1K will pull equal in that regard as well, and in the instrument placement category as well.

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

I'm off to work ill respond better when i get back in 5 hours thanks!

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Oiy I'm not going to give you any more recommendations because you ended up doing the opposite of what I suggested last time and now look...

Still I wouldn't recommend senns as they will bore you to death and the raptor has some 'heat' issues you wouldn't want to deal with I'm sure.

Biggie.

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotoriousBIG_PJ Oiy I'm not going to give you any more recommendations because you ended up doing the opposite of what I suggested last time and now look... Still I wouldn't recommend senns as they will bore you to death and the raptor has some 'heat' issues you wouldn't want to deal with I'm sure. Biggie.

I'm always open to suggestion, but it's true that im biased against grado's, I'd need to hear them first, which I dont know how I would do... I just read some things about the Grado's that werent exactly glowing, and I've seen a few things about the sens with the raptor that are glowing and include music that I like, and since im biased, I tend to assume that people think Senns are dull they are listening on something not that great (because of the raptor reviews basically) I need to be dissuaded and informed! And remember, the one thing i want to hear is that something doesnt sound muddled, that is the number one complaint ive had with most of my hifi stuff.

 

[Zommaz]

Interesting read, that list of compatibility

My two cents:

My senn setup do Smashing Pumpkins with "clarity separation and power" only when there is not much going on, like in the slow parts of the "mellon collie..." album, and does it beautifully. But they lose control when the going gets tough.

Björk might benefit from a faster 'phone with her harder stuff, but I like her calm stuff with my senns.