[jonathanjong]

Inspired by GBerg's thread asking for the best cans at ~$300. It occurs to me that $300 is where a lot of us will stop. Think HD600, K701, D2000. However, many will point out that these cans really should be amped. Sure, they might be fine without, but it'd be a waste not to amp them. So, I was wondering: What are the best headphones that don't require amping? Off the top of my head, I'm thinking AD700 (again, from GBerg's post) and D1001s. Can we go any higher without an amp? Rack the brain!

 

[chinesekiwi]

D2000's (they don't need to be amped), AD2000, MDR-F1 .....

 

[crzystng]

Love my D2000's, even though they sound even better amped, but its not an absolute necessity.

 

[Trav]

I love my 1001's unamped and travel with them every month. I just bought my absolute favs of all time today..AKG K240 Studios..listening to Robert Lockwood JR, "Train My Baby" form his Delta Crossroads CD and i swear he is right next to me...they are IMEO (in my ears's opinion) better than the 1001 and my SR 60's and i haven't even amped them yet. Funny $100 is all it took to satisfy me after an exhaustive search!

 

[Rednamalas1]

ESW10. Yes, I'm going out on a limb to say these are best headphones that doesn't require an amp, along with AD2000, of course. But I haven't listened to AD2000 unamped in so long...

 

[Brighten]

I just received my pair of Grado rs-1 and they sound ridiculous out of my iPod. Compared to my Denon c751 iem's the sound is much fuller, airy and richer. The bass is much tighter and the soundstage is deepened (where the Denon sounds closed and congested). I haven't listened to many other headphones but I'd say the rs-1 Grados sound great even without an amp.

 

[DunninLA]

I haven't tried the others mentioned above.

Sennheiser HD 580 sounds much better to me straight out of an ipod Touch or Sansa Clip than does the Sennheiser PX 100.

A little shy on bass vs. being amped, but open and airy and relaxed in a way cheaper phones aren't. This is with volume all the way up on these devices which is just the right listening level for me (mostly jazz, classical, some pop/folk/classic rock)

 

[Duggeh]

Ergo 2
Goldring DR-series

 

[kansei]

Sony MDR-V6, MDR-7506 work well with my ipod. Also, AKG K81DJ, although they're not really full-sized.

 

[jonathanjong]

Jeepers, Red. How do you afford this hobby? You must have one helluva stipend. How much are the ESW10s anyway? They're limited, right?

 

[Rednamalas1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathanjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jeepers, Red. How do you afford this hobby? You must have one helluva stipend. How much are the ESW10s anyway? They're limited, right?

I sell various organ parts that I found in my lab. I also take lunch munnies from children.

 

[jonathanjong]

Brains and undergrads, eh? I wish I could extort undergrads...prolly could get sexual favours, but that's it.

 

[Rednamalas1]

^ ugh.

I did manage to get a gf from one of my tutorials though.

 

[Pneumaniatic]

Senn HD 595?

 

[jonathanjong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rednamalas1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ ugh. I did manage to get a gf from one of my tutorials though.

Your current she-who-must-be-obeyed?

I tell my students that there are only four ways to do well in my class: Brilliance, hard work, bribery, or flirtation.