[nanahachi]

I've read in more than one instance that Head-fiers are giving up their speaker systems for their headphones.

Right now, as I listen to my home system (im my bedroom), I'm realizing what great detail and fidelity I'm getting out of my 2 yr old system. I can't imagine my headphones coming anywhere close to this level, despite sitting on or around my ears.

The problem is this: my headphone system is inadequate. i know that of course it's no where near where I want it, and it may be difficult and expensive to acheive in headphones what I'm hearing from my DynAudios (audience 80) and Marantz Int. amp (PM-17).

I'm slowing saving up for far better headphones that I can use at work, which means CLOSED phones. The Beyer 831 are reported to be bright (altho that can be countered it seems). The new ATs hold promise, but who knows until our Head-fiers receive theirs.
Any suggestions on others? Budget is around $300 (incl the W1000s at $339.)

My rig at work is part of the problem, but I must work with it for now. But, is it a lost cause? (rude remarks are not necessary)
Sony D-303
JMT built META42 (maxed out, i can paste details as needed)
a DIY mini-RCA from Puppyslug.

I am definitely considering a PS/power conditioner, etc...

As for what I listen to:
A whole lot of Rock (mainly Nirvana, also No Doubt, Jimi Hendrix, Smashing Pumpkins...)
Lately, a TON of electronica/trip-hop (Dj Krush, Massive Attack, DJ Shadow, LTJ Bukem...)
Hip-hop (Jurassic 5, the Roots)
and I'm trying to get into Classical. I know nothing, but love the few CDs i own, esp Yo Yo Ma's double Bach CD.

I gotta get back to my apps, but this should be a start. I've wasted enough money on 3 or 4 different pairs of headphones, trying things out. now i just want to work up to a higher pedigree. I know it wont end there, but I wanna have eargasms at work, like i do at home.

thanks

 

[Flasken]

rock, electronica, hiphop...

You're looking for the dt770 dude!

Though I'm not so sure about their performance for classical music...

 

[Aong]

ill be keeping an eye on this thread. Nanahachi, the music you listen to is pretty much identicle to my music of choice...

 

[DarkWolf]

If you're trying to get into classical and you like Yo-Yo Ma, then I reccomend "Appalaghia Waltz" with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor. It's got a cello and I think two violins, perhaps one is a viola, I'm not sure, but the cello really drives in most of the songs and that's cool by me! You probably will like it too given your choices in music, I listen to a lot of stuff like that also.

 

[pigmode]

You're just looking for a headphone right? I'd say start with the Senn HD600/ 580 or the one of the wood A-Ts. This should get you in the sonic ballpark, and from there you can plan future equipment upgrades with the aid of the massive archives here at H-F.

 

[ablaze]

Quote:

Originally posted by Aong ill be keeping an eye on this thread. Nanahachi, the music you listen to is pretty much identicle to my music of choice...

its funny you bold that one word in your message thats misspelled

 

[wallijonn]

having heard the dt831's i can honestly say that they are very SWEET sounding. don't believe the 'brightness' hype. they're not. i just spent the day with greG doing some testing on gradoes (with and without a mod i'm working on - this was a base line test) and while there we compared dt831's, akg k501's, ath ad10's, sony v6's, senn600 and akg1000's. i found the senns drawn like a thin wire, the ad10's were a tight power cable (with the pad mod), the gradoes (unmodded) tinny / floppy wire, gradoes with the mod (much fuller midrange, thinniness gone, bass was there but uneven. more work to do on the grado pad mod), the dt831's were sweet - like a cable that's not too tight nor too loose, neither too thin nor too fat. we threw some sibilant horns at it, Mission Impossible's "Jim On The Move". three phones didn't lose the scrapper in the cacaphony - dt831's, akg 501's and akg 1000's. "detail". trombones were seeet. the bass was tight; not muddy, not bloated, not exaggerated. and everybody is gonna get rid of them when everyone starts buying the dt880's. so you'll probably be seeing a lot of them for sale in the for sale section. when gerG said that i had to remove the ad10's from his house ortherwise he was gonna make me an offer - i immediately thought of trading straight up for the dt831's. maybe i should've taken him up on his offer. as it is, i think i just bought a pair of akg k1000's...

 

[nanahachi]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwww man...wallijonn, how i wish you posted that about 30 mins earlier...i just turned down a pair of 831s since i havent made my mind up yet.

ok, after searching and reading threads...im somewhat confused.

I am considering the ATH W100 and A100ti....which of these would be better for my musical tastes?

it seems like the w100 does well in the midrange, while the A100ti lacks midrange? but A100ti is supposed to be better for rock? i need some help...

darkwolf, thanks for the suggestion, ill add that to my list!!

thanks everybody

 

[ablaze]

I think I decided against the woodies in the first place, cos they're widely reported to be coloured, even the top end 2002s. I mean one guy may say it sounds more "musical" to his ears, with the wood, but isn't that a lil subjective? I'd rather something more neutral, so it'd sound better with a wider range of music. just my 2c

 

[wallijonn]

instead of spending $300 on a new set of cans, buy a used philips sbc hp890 (last one went for $80), a new senn 580 (about $135), and a used beyer dt831 or dt770. 3 differnt sounds for 3 different types of music with 3 different impedences. you got all bases covered.

gerG plugged his agk k1000's and dt831's (and my akg k501's) into a harmon kardon amp headphone jack!. both sounded fine. (not as good as his AKG SAC 1000mw@120 ohm class A amp, but...)

and i can almost guarantee you that if you leave the a100ti's at work they're gonna get stolen. they're too much like a beautiful woman or car - everybody wants to steal her from you. and you wouldn't want to be schlepping the a100ti's around - they are a piece of ART. too beautiful to even take out of the case.

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by nanahachi I've read in more than one instance that Head-fiers are giving up their speaker systems for their headphones. Right now, as I listen to my home system (im my bedroom), I'm realizing what great detail and fidelity I'm getting out of my 2 yr old system. I can't imagine my headphones coming anywhere close to this level, despite sitting on or around my ears. The problem is this: my headphone system is inadequate. i know that of course it's no where near where I want it, and it may be difficult and expensive to acheive in headphones what I'm hearing from my DynAudios (audience 80) and Marantz Int. amp (PM-17).

Whoops, did I influence you a bit too much there?

 

[nanahachi]

hahahahhahaha

V-1:
well, maybe a bit. thats what you get for knowing your stuff.

but seriously, my home speakers may not be the best ever (theyre not) but they sound sooooo good in my room. i marvel at their Dutch craftmanship. i just want to hear this level of quality at work...

in any case, after spending a few bucks on an amp and custom cable, my Beyer 231s and HP890s (which get basically no use) at work just arent cutting it. since i need closed phones, my akg 501s and grado 125s stay at home.

ATs certainly arent the final answer. they look great, do seem to fit the niche im trying to fill, but have their probs.

the Beyer 831 seems a real contender, but so many have said they dislike it. i need to listen to somebodys (anyone in the bay area have any? lobster? kin3tix? JMT?) in order to make that call for myself i think. unless anyone further away wants to loan me theirs, i may or may not take a gamble with these.

I am going to look into the 770s, i need to do some reading.

senn's unfortunately are out of the question, since the 580s/600s are open. i dont want to consider anything beneath that level of quality.

i dont wanna just throw money away, but i want a pair of phones that will somewhat satisfy ungraditis.

sigh, im starting to think Ety's really are the answer.
but the woody ATs.....why must they be so pretty....

 

[Vertigo-1]

If you want 100% sonic satisfaction and not end up having to if, but, or else over it, Etys are the way to go. Short of them being uncomfortable for some or some basshead not knowing what they were getting themselves into, I have yet to read a single negative review on them. And Etys are something that I think scale really well...if I had not pursued Staxs, my next all out system would've been arranged around Etys. It's not speaker-like in any way, but it is one of the most competitive 'phones there are at any price level.

 

[LobsterSan]

Quote:

Originally posted by nanahachi the Beyer 831 seems a real contender, but so many have said they dislike it. i need to listen to somebodys (anyone in the bay area have any? lobster? kin3tix? JMT?) in order to make that call for myself i think. unless anyone further away wants to loan me theirs, i may or may not take a gamble with these.

Sorry nana, I don't have any Beyer's yet. This will change over the holiday season, but I doubt you will want to wait that long. Also, if you still want to try out my HD600's, you'll have to do so sometime pretty soon. I know you are not considering them for your office, but I know you wanted to try them out. I have a new headphone gameplan in my lap, and it does not include the HD600's. They will probably be sold before the end of the year (pending positive w1000 reviews).

My new gameplan is sort of like what Walljohn recommended... 'cept my big 3 headphones are (tentatively) going to be:

ATH-W1000 ... my HD600 replacement (acoustic, jazz & classical)
DT-770 (electronica & hip-hop)
Grado SR-325 (rock)

 

[halcyon]

My recommendations:

1) Don't just go out and buy what people tell you

2) Listen, Listen, Listen. Then take a week off and listen again. At least if the $300 is important to you

3) Your gear (Dynaudio and Marantz, both of them) is neutral, forgiving, non-fatiguing and not highly analytical. As it seems you like that sound a lot, be weary of things that come in 'bright', 'lively', 'aggressive' or 'accurate' packages. Listen to them first. Don't buy the 'it will mellow out with break-in' mantra, if it sounds significantly irritating to you.

Break-in will not completely transform the phone, more likely just round some edges here and there.

My recommendation would be to listen to a diffuse field equalized headphone, unless you want to jump straight into something completely different from your speaker setup.

Consider also how much of noise blocking you need. If you need a lot, then DT 831 may not be enough for you. Otherwise it would be at the top of my list, if I were you.

regards,
Halcyon

PS You will notice that most everybody will recommend the phone they own themself and tell it's the best for you