[taz]

What are the most musical headphones that work well with a tube amp (specifically Little Dot MKIII if possible)? I currently have a pair of Sennheiser HD595s and these are extremely accurate, non-fatiguing and easy-to-listen-to headphones. I can listen to them for hours on end.

But, I wouldn't really class them as musical. My Sennheiser PX100s unamped and plugged directly into my iPod Classic sound unbelievable! They have a warm, gushing sound that envelopes you. The bass is rich and enticing with lots of body. The sound is pretty much perfect. Not bad for headphones that cost just 15GBP here in the UK.

Having spent a small fortune on the purchase of the Sennheiser HD595s and the LD MKIII, i'm struggling to enjoy the sound. I keep going back to my PX100s plugged into the iPod.

I'd be happy to sell the HD595s as I got them at a bargain price. However, I want to make good use of the LD MKIII amp. My source is an iPod Classic with lossless audio.

So, which headphones can provide a sound that betters the incredible musicality of the Sennheiser PX100-iPod combination? I'm after a pair of seriously musical headphones with deep, accurate bass, warm tones, lots of body in the sound and a richness that is emotionally appealing. They need to be able to make full use of the LD MKIII amp.

 

[majkel]

For this specific reason, source, amp, etc. I'd recommend the Sennheiser HD650.

 

[Currawong]

The most musical headphones I've heard so far are Denons. I had wanted for ages to try a re-cabled HD650, but when I went for a pair, my first impression after having used my MD5000s for so long was that the HD650s were utterly boring! They Denons are probably more agreeable to a powerful solid-state amp though. I'm currently curious to try re-cabled Ultrasone HFI-780s as they are supposedly not dissimilar.

 

[taz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by majkel /img/forum/go_quote.gif For this specific reason, source, amp, etc. I'd recommend the Sennheiser HD650.

How much of an improvement are the HD650s over the HD595s? They are more than twice the price so would a significant outlay for me! Do they provide more life and warnth to music and improve the bass response significantly?

 

[EnOYiN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by taz /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much of an improvement are the HD650s over the HD595s? They are more than twice the price so would a significant outlay for me! Do they provide more life and warnth to music and improve the bass response significantly?

It's a clear improvement for sure. Whether you think it's worth it is up to you of course. I suggest you try them first though. They shouldn't be too hard to find in a store nearby.