[Change is Good]

Ordered the Alpha Dogs today... can't wait 

Wool woop!

What color?

 

[jdubsss]

Had to go with the Claret.  Thought about the black, but that shiny apple looked too good to pass up. 

 

[AvroArrow]

  Hello guys!
 
I'm a owner of a Sennheiser HD 598, which I use ONLY for gaming, and my soundcard is a Creative X-FI Titanium HD. Well, I'm pretty satisfied with my Sennheiser HD 598, actually, I love it.
However, I want to upgrade my headphone, but I don't know which one I should buy (I'm looking for more sound details/definition and more bass).
Looking at the Tier A, which should have the best models (and my hd598 is tier b), I realized that the two best options are the AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition and AKG K712 Pro.

 
I've got the HD598 and K702 65th Annies.  Comparing them side-by-side with music, the HD598 is more V-shaped (more bass & treble, less mids) sounding than the K702.65.  Also, I think the bass on the HD598 is looser than the AKGs because sounds kinda distorted compared to the AKG.  At least I think that's what looser vs controlled bass means.  The HD598 has more bass quantity but it doesn't sound as clear.  The AKGs sound more even across the entire range of bass, mids, and treble compared to the HD598 so don't expect more bass from the AKGs.  I personally prefer more neutral/even sounding headphones so I much prefer the K702.65.  Also you won't be able to properly drive the AKGs off the X-Fi Ti HD, you will need a decently power amp to drive them, a JDS O2, Schiit Magni, Vali, Fiio E09k and up.  I don't mean loud either, I mean fuller sounding.  The HD598 doesn't scale up as much as the AKGs do when you get more powerful amps.
 
Speaking of Alpha Dogs I got to try them at the store last week.  I was listening to them with unfamiliar music and it was driven with a Schiit Lyr 2.  Man do they sound nice.  Extremely spacious sounding for a closed headphone and super comfy even on my big head.  I was expecting them to have more bass but actually, they sounded almost like a closed version of my K702.65, very neutral sounding.  Still on the fence about getting them since they're like almost 2x the price of my Annies for a closed version of my Annies.  I was expecting them to sound more different.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Your hearing is like the complete opposite of my hearing. The 598 is anything but recessed in the mids. It's know for its forward mids, actually. So kind of confused by your impression.

That and saying the Annie and Alpha Dog sound similar. That's... far from my impression. The Alpha Dog is considerably more neutrally balanced with a clear treble tilt, while the Annie is quite warm, though it is linear in its balance, just warm.

I dunno.

 

[kman1211]

Your hearing is like the complete opposite of my hearing. The 598 is anything but recessed in the mids. It's know for its forward mids, actually. So kind of confused by your impression.

That and saying the Annie and Alpha Dog sound similar. That's... far from my impression. The Alpha Dog is considerably more neutrally balanced with a clear treble tilt, while the Annie is quite warm, though it is linear in its balance, just warm.

I dunno.

The reason it is likely so different than your impressions is most likely system differences moreso than hearing differences. My K712 became a completely different animal on the Schiit Lyr 2 and I found it changed noticeably when I switch from the E12 to the EF2A, swapping tubes made a big difference too, then there are many other amps both SS and tube I heard on the K712. Some systems it's dark and bassy and other systems I found the headphone bright and on the thinner side, and some systems the midrange is quite forward. On the Lyr 2 the treble is smooth and non-fatiguing with great extension and no grain, the midrange is on the forward side, and the bass is solid, impactful, and has a lot of authority. The soundstage, clarity, and imaging all improved, its more of a solid sound with plenty of authority now than airy.

   
I've got the HD598 and K702 65th Annies.  Comparing them side-by-side with music, the HD598 is more V-shaped (more bass & treble, less mids) sounding than the K702.65.  Also, I think the bass on the HD598 is looser than the AKGs because sounds kinda distorted compared to the AKG.  At least I think that's what looser vs controlled bass means.  The HD598 has more bass quantity but it doesn't sound as clear.  The AKGs sound more even across the entire range of bass, mids, and treble compared to the HD598 so don't expect more bass from the AKGs.  I personally prefer more neutral/even sounding headphones so I much prefer the K702.65.  Also you won't be able to properly drive the AKGs off the X-Fi Ti HD, you will need a decently power amp to drive them, a JDS O2, Schiit Magni, Vali, Fiio E09k and up.  I don't mean loud either, I mean fuller sounding.  The HD598 doesn't scale up as much as the AKGs do when you get more powerful amps.
 
Speaking of Alpha Dogs I got to try them at the store last week.  I was listening to them with unfamiliar music and it was driven with a Schiit Lyr 2.  Man do they sound nice.  Extremely spacious sounding for a closed headphone and super comfy even on my big head.  I was expecting them to have more bass but actually, they sounded almost like a closed version of my K702.65, very neutral sounding.  Still on the fence about getting them since they're like almost 2x the price of my Annies for a closed version of my Annies.  I was expecting them to sound more different.

What is the main system you used when comparing both of these headphones? I found the K712 more forward or rather fuller in the mids than the HD 598 considering both have beefy systems behind them. The Lyr 2 is a really nice amp, I just got one. I need to listen to the Alpha Dogs on it if I ever have the chance, the K712 sounds great on the amp that's for sure.

 

[AvroArrow]

Your hearing is like the complete opposite of my hearing. The 598 is anything but recessed in the mids. It's know for its forward mids, actually. So kind of confused by your impression.

That and saying the Annie and Alpha Dog sound similar. That's... far from my impression. The Alpha Dog is considerably more neutrally balanced with a clear treble tilt, while the Annie is quite warm, though it is linear in its balance, just warm.

I dunno.

 
The HD598 by themselves may not have recessed mids but comparing them side-by-side with the Annies (via Y-spitter cable on Asgard 2 with AudioEngine D1 as DAC, and flipping the volume up and down to level the volume while switching back and forth for comparison as best I could) they sound more V-shaped compared to the Annies.  That's all I was trying to get across to the other guy, don't expect the Annies to have more bass than the HD598 because that's one of the things he wanted to know.
 
I did write "unfamiliar music, different amp, in the store, (15-20 minute audition I didn't write)", not 12 hours of super critical listening on the Alpha Dogs.  My hearing may be the complete opposite of yours because I have nowhere near even 1% of your listening experience nor do I have perfect hearing nor encyclopedic tomes of audiophile knowledge and I don't think I've made any claims to that effect. 
 
In my opinion and from my limited listening experience with maybe a dozen different mid-fi headphones at best, my Annies are the most neutral/even/flat response curve sounding headphones that I've heard and that was the best comparison and impressions that I could make with the Alpha Dogs.  And isn't it an almost unwritten rule here to not make any claims about headphones that you haven't personally heard?  I have not heard stuff like the Mad Dogs, HD650 (tried them on, hurt my head & ears too much to even bother plugging them in), HD800, LCD-2, Hifiman HE-400, etc, etc, so I could not make any comparisons with any of those.  I just wrote my amateurish impressions (and obviously my opinions) on what I think the Alpha Dogs sound like compared to the best headphones that I have heard, which are my Annies.

 

[MichaelJames99]

All,
 
Looking for the best headphones under $500 for movies.    I am also looking for matching amps you might have under $200
 
My thought is you guys might have some good suggestions here since..in theory, surround gaming and surround movies probably have a lot in common?
 
I am using the Recon3D as the surround processor.  Laptop and DirectTV for sources.I am looking at the HE-400, HE-400i, Denon AH-D600 and any others you may suggest.  On the amp side.. choices from Musical Fidelity, FiiO, Schiit, etc...
 
Please let me know your thoughts!!!

 

[Yethal]

  All,
 
Looking for the best headphones under $500 for movies.    I am also looking for matching amps you might have under $200
 
My thought is you guys might have some good suggestions here since..in theory, surround gaming and surround movies probably have a lot in common?
 
I am using the Recon3D as the surround processor.  Laptop and DirectTV for sources.I am looking at the HE-400, HE-400i, Denon AH-D600 and any others you may suggest.  On the amp side.. choices from Musical Fidelity, FiiO, Schiit, etc...
 
Please let me know your thoughts!!!

Try the first post of this thread

 

[conquerator2]

I am getting pops running the U3 optical out via an external DAC [and amp] every 3 seconds. Sound - pop - pop, sound - pop - pop... Any ideas?

 

[Stillhart]

  All,
 
Looking for the best headphones under $500 for movies.    I am also looking for matching amps you might have under $200
 
My thought is you guys might have some good suggestions here since..in theory, surround gaming and surround movies probably have a lot in common?
 
I am using the Recon3D as the surround processor.  Laptop and DirectTV for sources.I am looking at the HE-400, HE-400i, Denon AH-D600 and any others you may suggest.  On the amp side.. choices from Musical Fidelity, FiiO, Schiit, etc...
 
Please let me know your thoughts!!!

Anything on the first post that's highly rated for "fun" will be what you want.  Personally, I'd suggest the X1 and a cheap amp like the Magni or O2.  You'd don't need to spend $400 on headphones for movies over DirecTV.

 

[Stillhart]

  I am getting pops running the U3 optical out via an external DAC [and amp] every 3 seconds. Sound - pop - pop, sound - pop - pop... Any ideas?

When I had issues with popping on my HRT Microstreamer, the first thing everyone said to check was the buffer size.  Overruns and underruns can cause popping.  Of course, this is assuming you're talking about music.  Not sure about games...

 

[conquerator2]

  When I had issues with popping on my HRT Microstreamer, the first thing everyone said to check was the buffer size.  Overruns and underruns can cause popping.  Of course, this is assuming you're talking about music.  Not sure about games...

Sorry, it's silence not popping, like music cuts. Those intervals are fixed. Music - pause/skip/silence - pause/skip/silence

 

[Yethal]

  Sorry, it's silence not popping, like music cuts. Those intervals are fixed. Music - pause/skip/silence - pause/skip/silence

My first bet would be USB power problem, try different port preferrably on the back of the case

 

[conquerator2]

  My first bet would be USB power problem, try different port preferrably on the back of the case

Did not help...
I am thinking it has to be some sort of reclocking issue. I am using an Audio-GD DAC, I might add...

 

[Yethal]

  Did not help...
I am thinking it has to be some sort of reclocking issue. I am using an Audio-GD DAC, I might add...

Does it occur between the songs or within them too? If between the songs only might be clock reset