[Hifihedgehog]

Christmas time is here, and I've got a $250 budget (~$350 if I can get my SR225i sold off). Okay, I've told you cash limit, but what do I want? A headphone, with:
+Great Soundstaging
+Sharp Transient
+Fluid Midrange

Specifically, I want cymbals to float, and have that uppermost sizzle--very alive yet airy and quick. A better midrange than my HD555's would also be nice, but I'll live with whatever fills my top two requirements. Headphone type preference:
Circumaural>Supra-aural>IEM

If the headphone you suggest needs an amp, slap in a decent affordable portable amp in your recommendation as well. It might helpful for you to know that I do not like the SR225i... at all. It was too colored in the upper mids, and lacked treble extension. I do want a solid mid response, though. The mids are a bit boring on my HD555, though I do find them much more neutral than my Grado. Again, I do not have an amp. Thanks to all that help me out!!!

This might also help:

I was able to pinpoint a decent audiophile headphone shop--in an airport of all places! I tried all the top products. They had the complete Shure line--I liked the SRH840 the best for its resolving bass and mid detail. Its only con was being a little dull on the top, but still more sharp than my HD555, and surely more extended than my Grado. The only other Shure I cared for was the SE530. It seemed more detailed the SRH840. Yet, the SE530's treble was even less assertive than my HD555, and I know I want more treble.

I was also able to get a listen to the Klipsch Image X10. I liked this! Unlike the ER-6i I had tried a few months back, the X10 had bass. What more, this IEM's bass was very fluid and solid. Obviously not as good as the SRH840, but much better than my HD555. It was near colorless in the bass, yet full of life. The mids seemed just as detailed, and the treble integrated very well with the mids. But... the X10 seemed to be devoid of the uppermost treble sparkle I was after. I like a crispy response in the tippy-top, which maybe incorrect, but that's how I like to hear my music.

I also tried the Super.Fi 5 Pro, and it wasn't nearly as refined as the X10. I can't really remember Super.Fi. Yes, it was good, but nothing spectular. Average mids, average bass, average treble. The Ultimate Ears were basically less than or equal to my current Senns. This might have been from the UEs being a tad big for my ears, but I really didn't want IEMs in the first place.

 

[gurubhai]

I would suggest beyerdynamic DT880 to you. Listened to them recently at a friend's place & they sound like the cans that you would like. I felt, though, that mid range was bit recessed.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Thanks!

What amp would match up well with the DT880s? I tried the DT880s without an amp at a Guitar Center a while back, and they sounded very blah.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Bump...

So would the DT880 be very crispy sounding--sufficiently amped, that is? I'm after a certain sound, not necessarily reference. This may help... this is how I EQ my modded HD555s.

Attachment 23451

 

[Acix]

You can try GMP 8.35, or some Ultrasones. For more balanced with a great mids try the K-271MKll.

 

[dweaver]

The AD900 would be very nice for everything in the mids and treble and has huge soundstage but the bass may be light for you. Hard to tell though as it does have bass, it's just very tight and controlled.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

I wouldn't mind a less bass, actually. When I listened to the DT880s--albeit unamped--its bass was slow. It was deep, but seemed almost purposely plushy. It certainly didn't jive that well for me. Plus, without taking the sound quality/dynamics into account, the Beyers seemed very 2D-headphoney to me. Yes, the stage was wide, but also lacked depth.

That said, I think the AD900 might be my ticket to audio nirvana, especially if the soundstage is wider and deeper than the HD555 and drastically fixes the treble extension and midrange color. But, I certainly don't want the kiddish John Grado midrange sound. It works somewhat ok for guitars, but I actually hear more much fret reverb with my HD555s than any Grados. Plus, the mids in the SR125 and SR325i were crazy colored when I tried them a month or so ago, and I thought my SR225is were colored!

EDIT: Question: are there any "amp required" headphones that build off the strengths of the AD900?

 

[Ra97oR]

SA5000 used or K701 as well? But both are a bit lacking bass (I do not agree myself though)

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Thanks! I think I'll be going with the AD900s.

 

[dion2k]

You can't go wrong with the AD900, they sound like just what you're looking for. Although they will certainly lack low-end tightness when running un-amped.

 

[dweaver]

The AD900 do improve with an amp, if you don't have an amp yet and you decide to get one, I would recommend focusing on a warm sounding amp as it will help with the bass and add a bit more warmth for sure stay away from a cold analytical amp as it will make the phones to cold sounding.

 

[Catharsis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonichedgehog360 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't mind a less bass, actually. When I listened to the DT880s--albeit unamped--its bass was slow. It was deep, but seemed almost purposely plushy. It certainly didn't jive that well for me. Plus, without taking the sound quality/dynamics into account, the Beyers seemed very 2D-headphoney to me. Yes, the stage was wide, but also lacked depth. That said, I think the AD900 might be my ticket to audio nirvana, especially if the soundstage is wider and deeper than the HD555 and drastically fixes the treble extension and midrange color. But, I certainly don't want the kiddish John Grado midrange sound. It works somewhat ok for guitars, but I actually hear more much fret reverb with my HD555s than any Grados. Plus, the mids in the SR125 and SR325i were crazy colored when I tried them a month or so ago, and I thought my SR225is were colored! EDIT: Question: are there any "amp required" headphones that build off the strengths of the AD900?

Get yourself a decent solid state amplifier with a good amount of voltage, and you'll regret calling the DT880's bass "slow". IMO the DT880 is pretty close in transient response to the SA5000, but in my setup, a SS amp made all the difference.

 

[Nubster]

I have the Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro's and I think they have fantastic sound stage but probably not the other stuff you are looking for. But my point is...alone they were decent but not great. I added an amp, Little Dot I hybrid, and they just came alive. Went a step further and added the Keces DA-151 digital to analog converter and it was almost magic how they opened up. To add icing to an already delicious cake, swapped stock tubes out for a set of Sylvania GB 408A and it was heaven. This all being IMO of course.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catharsis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Get yourself a decent solid state amplifier with a good amount of voltage, and you'll regret calling the DT880's bass "slow". IMO the DT880 is pretty close in transient response to the SA5000, but in my setup, a SS amp made all the difference.

I see you have the Presonus HP4. So does that work magic with the DT880? Maybe it'd do some magic with my HD555s, and SR225is even. Do you have any experience with Meier Audio amps? I was initial thinking of getting a Corda Headsix. I mean, I read so many good reviews about the Meier audio amps that it makes me want to actually get an amplifier just for the sake of trying that brand.

If I do need to get an DAC, I'd really prefer an all-in-one solution. Plus portable. If that would work the magic as everyone says, I'm ready to dive head first!

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Bump... I read this comment:

"The 202 is dark sounding. Darker than my hd600/equinox.

As for the sparkle on the ad900s, I would say its more bright than sparkly. The hd580s are an example of what I'd call slightly sparkly because since the lower treble(5-8khz) is recessed, the upper treble(12-16khz) gets more emphasized. I would say that the mid treble around 8 to 12khz is whats bright on the ad900 by ear. I didn't measure it though so its all by my ears estimation

"

I really want treble sparkle, even if it's a bit out of place. I really want the rev of race cars to excite me... and even though my HD555s extend better than my Grados, they just don't do it good enough. (By the way, the Grado SR225i just mess such sounds up... very messy and incoherent from the overbright mids and unextended treble.) I really want zing and zap in my audio... I get "better" from my x-530 Logitechs...

So, what's the best in treble quickness? Possibly some DT860s? The things I've heard about them make me want to try 'em out...