[Forward7]

Hello,
 
I am listening to Rock and Metal Music for 25 years. I got a very good loudspeaker but I had to sell them because of job-related reasons.
 
Now I looking for the a headphone showing me Rock (Hard Rock, Classic Rock, AOR, Stoner Rock, etc.) and Metal (Heavy Metal, True Metal, Speed Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, etc.) in perfektion respectively nearby perfection.
 
I have found some premium manufactures like Stax, Grado, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, AKG, Ultrasone, Alessandro, Audeze and more.
 
The price is equal but they shouldn't cost 2.500 $ and more.
 
 
Is there a recommendable headphone (or more) ?
 
 
 
Thanks for your help!

 

[blur510]

the $2500 budget include amp and DAC?

 

[Megalomaniac]

Grado. You can't beat them for rock/metal.

 

[Ra97oR]

I beg to differ. If you don't mind the small soundstage, the LCD2 is extremely fun and packs a punch. Audio-Technica AD2000 is another good choice for rock and metal, it does well on other genre too.

 

[Vikingatheart]

X2 on the Grado. 

 

[Forward7]

Thanks men!
 
Which which of the following Grados would be recommendable??
 
- SR225i
 
- SR325is
 
- RS2i
 
- RS1i
 
- GS1000i
 
- PS1000

 

[wind016]

Everything is sub par compared to electrostatics. You can get a Stax O2 system for about $2500 and it will match or beat any other system out there.
 
The problem is finding the equipment at a good price, but with the new Stax 009 coming out, I expect the used market will have more 007s popping up for sale at good prices. I got my O2 MK1 for $1600. I'm still waiting on my DIY KGSS amp which I paid $1250 which is probably the most difficult part of getting an O2 system.

 

[Forward7]

Quote:

Everything is sub par compared to electrostatics. You can get a Stax O2 system for $2500 and it will match or beat any other system out there.

 
Okay, but 2.500 $ are still too much for a headphone.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

 
Okay, but 2.500 $ are still too much for a headphone.

I said system
 

 

[Teejaay]

buy lcd-2 and a udac and call it done.

 

[Forward7]

These would be my first headphone, so I think for a start I should take conventional headphones thus non-electrostatic ones.

 

[imadome]

But since you said you wanted "perfect". If you want to pop your headphone cherry, go buy a $20 pair and there its popped.

 
 
 

 

[wind016]

Quote:

These would be my first headphone, so I think for a start I should take conventional headphones thus non-electrostatic ones.

Got it. You had the Stax on your list so I had to say. If you're getting a powerful enough amplifier for orthodynamics, you're running close to the price of electrostatics or over for other electrostatic systems. Though there is the Schiit Lyr that is interesting me with it's low price. The used prices of the orthodynamics have not dropped substantially. You still have to pay around $900 for the LCD 2 used when they costed around $1000. The Stax O2s can be had around $1700 when new is around $2200.
 
BTW, I find the treble on LCD2 a bit too rolled off for rock and they lack any sound stage. Their soundstage is similar to closed headphones. I didn't get a chance to hear the HE6 properly amped, but I have a feeling that I would prefer the HE6.

 

[Ra97oR]

Everything is sub par compared to electrostatics. You can get a Stax O2 system for about $2500 and it will match or beat any other system out there.
 
The problem is finding the equipment at a good price, but with the new Stax 009 coming out, I expect the used market will have more 007s popping up for sale at good prices. I got my O2 MK1 for $1600. I'm still waiting on my DIY KGSS amp which I paid $1250 which is probably the most difficult part of getting an O2 system.

IMO a 404LE is a far better choice for rock and metal than the O2. I love the O2's smoothness, but metal does need the "grunt" that the 404LE does better than O2.

 

[Markj]

Ultrasone Edition8 are top contender for Rock/Metal and are not amp dependent as other headphones.