Mid-centric headphones besides Grado/Alessandro?
Feb 24, 2012 at 1:51 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 19
Brandon7s

Brandon7s

100+ Head-Fier
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Posts
453
Likes
91
I'm looking for headphones that have forward mids without bass that is too lacking in quantity; I also enjoy a fair amount of detail. I love listening to lush vocals that are up-front in the mix.
  I listen to mostly poprock/rock and folkish stuff, like Death Cab for Cutie, Mae, Longwave, Nickel Creek, Allison Krauss, Kings of Convenience, James Taylor. I also have like a lot of ambient electronic music like Solar Fields and Carbon Based Lifeforms.
 
I currently own these: K701, DT990Pro/250, Alessandro MS2, ATH-M50S. Have owned AD700 and A900 in the past. I love the mids on my MS2; upfront and prominent, but I find the low end to be a little on the lacking of quantity and a bit muddy as well, though not nearly as lacking as they are on my K701.
The DT990 Pro has lovely lows that are slightly more overpowering than I'd like, and recessed mids. The K701 has fairly nice mids except for the fact that everything on these headphones sound like you're listening from the very back of a room and the bass is too anemic, especially with my amp (SS M-Stage).
 
I've been recommended to step up to a used RS-1, which I'd love to do except it's just too far outside of my budget to be justifiable. I'm looking for something under 350$, as I'd be using the money I get from selling my current headphones to buy new ones.
 
My first guess is try an ATH0-AD900, but I'm worried about the bass being every bit as anemic as my K701. Any recommendations?
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 3:40 AM Post #4 of 19
Sony perhaps; MDR-F1 and/or MDR-SA5000. Good soundstage, comfortable (compared to a Grado I would say "night and day"), wonderful vocal/midrange qualities, good treble, good bass. The F1 does something with vocals that I've never heard another 'phone do (it's *very* revealing with vocals), the SA5000 almost gets that, but has better extension in both directions and seems better damped (it's "faster" and/or "dryer" - it does justify it's extra price over the F1). Neither is a Grado, for better or for worse.
 
If you really like the Grado sound, get a better Grado. Maybe the RS2? Both Sonys will likely be "cold" or "dry" compared to the Grado sound. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 5:55 AM Post #5 of 19
i would recommend the rs1 if you wanted more bass and a warmer sound.
 
and I just LOVE solar fields! <3
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 11:44 AM Post #8 of 19
I've been very tempted to try a Sennheiser, as I've never actually tried any of theirs except for the HD280, which I hated. That thing clamped like a snapping turtle. Would that be a problem with any of their open-back cans? Also, since the HD600 is within my price range would it be a worthy leap over the HD595 or H598?

Very interesting Sony headphones, oboboskivich. The F1 is also pretty tempting; especially with it's under 200USD price tag. I'm a bit worried that these and the SA5000 will be a bit too clinical and dry; I've had enough of clinical and dry with the K701.

I've been hearing that Fischer Audio has a generally mid-emphasis with a lot of their headphones, particularly the FA-011. Any idea how true that would be?
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 11:49 AM Post #9 of 19

IMO, no on the 600. They sound pretty different from the 598 and aren't what I'd call mid centric. Same with the 650. You get more impressive bass, but the 598 is the real king of mids around this price.
 
Also no on the clamping. The 598 (and most of the similar Senn cans) are very comfortable. Velour pads, low clamp, really nicely padded headband. More comfortable than my LCD 2 by a long shot. Sure it's not a DX000 series, but comfy.
 
Quote:
brandon7s said:
I've been very tempted to try a Sennheiser, as I've never actually tried any of theirs except for the HD280, which I hated. That thing clamped like a snapping turtle. Would that be a problem with any of their open-back cans? Also, since the HD600 is within my price range would it be a worthy leap over the HD595 or H598?
Click to expand...

 
 
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 12:02 PM Post #10 of 19
The ATH-AD2000 usually goes for around $400 used on the forums, but yes indeed they don't come up too often. The Sennheiser HD-600 might be an option, though be sure to have an amp that can drive them right. The pair I had sounded a bit slow and syrupy out of an X-Can v8 (which was better suited for lower impedance headphones). Don't worry about clamping with those, they are pretty comfortable. My good man you haven't heard clinical and dry until you have heard the Beyer DT-880. For me they made the k701 sound warm and silky. Another headphone worth considering, and one that I think every head-fier should hear are the AKG Sextetts, theres always a pair floating around in the FS forums, very nice well rounded sound. Though perhaps not as extended in the top end as some modern headphones. But for around $100 you can't go wrong, also easily resold for little to no loss.
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 4:29 PM Post #12 of 19


Quote:
arteom said:
The ATH-AD2000 usually goes for around $400 used on the forums, but yes indeed they don't come up too often. The Sennheiser HD-600 might be an option, though be sure to have an amp that can drive them right. The pair I had sounded a bit slow and syrupy out of an X-Can v8 (which was better suited for lower impedance headphones). Don't worry about clamping with those, they are pretty comfortable. My good man you haven't heard clinical and dry until you have heard the Beyer DT-880. For me they made the k701 sound warm and silky. Another headphone worth considering, and one that I think every head-fier should hear are the AKG Sextetts, theres always a pair floating around in the FS forums, very nice well rounded sound. Though perhaps not as extended in the top end as some modern headphones. But for around $100 you can't go wrong, also easily resold for little to no loss.
Click to expand...



Oh, I owned the DT880s for a few weeks. Didn't like them at all, but i had traded something for them and then I went right back and traded the DT880s for my Alessandro MS2s, which I like a lot. Worked out for me in the end, haha. Definitely too cold for me, and not comfortable either.
 
 So fellas, I just ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD598s. After doing some research, they sound like pretty dang good all-round headphones. Comfortable, good with practically all styles of music, forward vocals, and pretty easy to drive to boot. My only qualm is whether or not they have enough bass.. as long as they have more than my K701 I should be happy. I ordered them from Darkmart for 177USD after shipping, I know they don't have the best reviews as a merchant but I figured for that price I'd take a leap anyways. If I don't like them then I'll try to send them back, if I can't.. then oh well. I should be able to sell them to some lucky guy here for most of the cost.
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 4:37 PM Post #13 of 19
You may like Superlux HD681, don't let the price put you off as they are worth allot more than their price suggests, I've tried M50s etc and I find the HD681's to be better personally. Check my personal findings here:
 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/597755/beyerdymanic-dt990-pro-superlux-hd681-akg-240s-my-personal-experiences-review#post_8174374
 
 
Feb 24, 2012 at 5:14 PM Post #14 of 19

They have a lot more bass than your 701, so you should be pretty satisfied. They're honestly my favorite headphone under $500.
 
Quote:
brandon7s said:
Oh, I owned the DT880s for a few weeks. Didn't like them at all, but i had traded something for them and then I went right back and traded the DT880s for my Alessandro MS2s, which I like a lot. Worked out for me in the end, haha. Definitely too cold for me, and not comfortable either.
 
 So fellas, I just ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD598s. After doing some research, they sound like pretty dang good all-round headphones. Comfortable, good with practically all styles of music, forward vocals, and pretty easy to drive to boot. My only qualm is whether or not they have enough bass.. as long as they have more than my K701 I should be happy. I ordered them from Darkmart for 177USD after shipping, I know they don't have the best reviews as a merchant but I figured for that price I'd take a leap anyways. If I don't like them then I'll try to send them back, if I can't.. then oh well. I should be able to sell them to some lucky guy here for most of the cost.
Click to expand...



 
 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top