[buz]

I am considering buying an open headphone to go in my permanent collection (would be the first). So far I am looking at the K701, HD600 or the FA-003 (not technically open, but supposedly sounds like it, also a fair bit cheaper than the other two). My M-Stage should easily be able to drive anyone of them. I would look at the HE-5LE but it is rather more expensive and the M-Stage likely ain't got what it takes. I would also consider the LCD-2 but it like three times the price of a HD600 which I doubt it to be worth. OTOH, I might kill the upgrade bug at which point the investment may make sense
 
Edit: GMP 250 or 4XX might also be in the running as buying from Germany is quite easy for me.
 
As for my preferences, I like punchy but controlled bass (for reference, I consider the RE0 be seriously bass deficient whereas my D2000 with J$ are about the right amount of bass but could be more transparent, I probably am a bass head therefore).
 
I would very much any suggestions (also for other gear in the same overall price range). Thanks!

 

[Graphicism]

A bass head won't be happy with K701, HD600 or any open/semi-open headphone for that matter. I can't stand the bass in the D2000 yet at the same time I wished the HD600 had a little more, both depth and impact.

 

[buz]

Huh that's bad. So I'm stuck with closed HP soundstage?

 

[rhythmdevils]

you should say more about what sound you want.  use your denons as an example.  what do you like/dislike about them.  just talking about bass response isn't enough.  Clearly you have more in mind since you are looking at open phones.
 
I haven't heard the LCD2, but I guarantee it sounds substantially better than all the cans you mentioned, especially bass response.  But that doesn't mean it's worth the money for you

 

[buz]

Mainly I want more detail and transparency/instrument separation. Bigger soundstage (although with the J$ pads the D2000 ain't that bad, certainly better than my IEMs) wouldn't hurt, either.

 

[rhythmdevils]

how about treble and midrange/vocals?  More or less?  Some say the mids are a bit recessed in the Denons, other don't have that problem.  Some say the treble is too much, others like it. 

 

[buz]

I don't find the mids to be particularly recessed, but they certainly aren't forward in the D2000. Treble is more than enough in my view, although I do love the sparkle of the RE0 - about the only thing besides the super isolation I like about them.
 
I get the feeling that the D2000 aren't particularly fast (which is possible why some claim the bass is too much) and maybe I want to address that, not sure though. Maybe it's just I want a new toy

 

[rhythmdevils]

well then I'd say DT880 -600ohm  It has a similar amount of treble to the denons from my memory of them, mids are slightly back in a similar way, but it doesn't have the closed colorations of the denons at all. 
 
you may also like the HD600, but since you like the denon's treble and bass, I think you'd find the HD600 to have too little bass and not enough treble sparkle, as you put it. 
 
The K701 might be nice for you except you would surely want much much more bass than they provide- they have much less bass than the REO
 
the FA003 could be a contender, but I haven't heard them.  But since LFF described them as neutral, they may not have the ooomph you seem to be looking for.  I say that because if you like the Denons, you probably don't want a neutral sound. 

 

[buz]

How does the K701 respond to eqing? I am not set against it (in fact I do it with some of my IEMs om the Clip) and maybe another sound signature would actually be interesting, hard to say really . I need to find a place to try them...

 

[rhythmdevils]

you certainly can't eq bass into them.  but if you're looking for something different than the Denons, the K701 is the way to go.  light, airy with big soundstage, as opposed to the heavy dynamics of the denons