[MaloS]

The question is fairly simple, and for a reason. I am less worried about other aspects, all I want from the headphone is neutral sound in order to have accurate timbre.

Here are the limits:
Price: $700.
No electrostatics, for reasons not to be disclosed.
No out of production headphones, for reasons also not to be disclosed.

Primary candidates at the moment, but need more information:
Sennheiser HD600 (I am familiar with this one, I wish it had better leading edge to the sound).
AKG K271s (have never heard it).
MD5000 (markl D5000 mod, reaches the price cap, lacks warranty I can take advantage of, but supposedly very very good. I am afraid of it being too finnicky of my equipment since I won't have good source/amp for a while, but if it is decent without them I can be patient).

Add more please, give me more suggestions. I would like to abstain from using expensive sources/amplification, partly because as an economist I just cannot bear dealing with diminishing returns.

 

[Currawong]

The problem with your goals is that you're going to end up with a very good pair of headphones which reveal how crap the rest of your system is, or you are simply not going to get the potential out of.

I went from buying an amp, to buying new phones, to realising that even after spending $1k that I still wasn't satisfied because I needed a much better DAC, as my set-up was revealing how relatively bad the audio coming out of my computer is.

 

[donunus]

recabled hd600 hehehe

 

[MaloS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif The problem with your goals is that you're going to end up with a very good pair of headphones which reveal how crap the rest of your system is, or you are simply not going to get the potential out of. I went from buying an amp, to buying new phones, to realising that even after spending $1k that I still wasn't satisfied because I needed a much better DAC, as my set-up was revealing how relatively bad the audio coming out of my computer is.

I very well know the impact of having revealing equipment, and it does not scare me actually. I have my plans on handling that (and I have tried building the system starting with source already, not the way I want to approach things ideally). I want to start again, with headphones first because I need them to have potential to sound correctly.

What worries me is a headphone that won't sound the way I want to at all (that puts things like HD650 out of the way simply for the reason that it can sound very very good, but achieving neutrality with it seems to be impossible from what I heard so far, which includes very expensive balanced rigs).

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif recabled hd600 hehehe

That is probably the top of the list right now. The difficulty would be choosing the right cable, but I guess that is much more minor adjustment.

Actually I thought of one more contender, Allesandro MS2i has been brought up as a contender in some discussions, but I need more opinions. I know SACD_Lover is a fan of that can...if I can get it to sound like HP2, that would be the best.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The Beyerdynamic DT48 is still in production; B&H's e-mailed price is $305. Very accurate, very revealing, very neutral. You will hear all the flaws in a recording, as well as any issues with your source or amp.

The bass is similar to the K-501 - do not order it if you're planning to rock out. If you like vocals, acoustic instruments, piano, and similar, it should be what you're looking for.

 

[ex0du5]

Aren't the AKG K-701 usually the pair to get for a very accurate and neutral sound?

As for the source + amp...honestly, 80% of the sound is going to be headphones anyways. I've listened to headphones on my Audigy 2 ZS and on an $8000 CD-Player + $2000 Pre-Amp. While the difference was definitely there, it was not mind blowing by any means. The base noise level difference was pretty drastic (completely inaudible through the expensive setup), the sound quality was not completely night and day, and certainly not worth cheaping on headphones for wanting a better source. Though, my headphones are very easy to drive (Ultrasone HFI-580), so YMMV.

Do the headphones first, then get a source + amp down the road. If you have a moderately decent source atm (decent PC sound card or better), then you should be okay for most headphones.

If anything, saving cash for an amp and upgrading down the road will let you appreciate your headphones even more. I mean, in the end, what's the alternative? Get cheaper components overall? I think great headphones with a moderate source is a better buy than good headphones with a good source. At least if you get the headphones you really want, you only need to upgrade part of your setup down the road.

 

[catscratch]

I somehow doubt that there is a single phone out there that a) you haven't heard and that b) fulfills your criteria AND your overall sonic expectations without going over budget. I think you probably know quite a bit better than just about anyone what you want or need to get.

But, HD600, and DIY a balanced M^3 or something similar. I don't think a SE HD600 will be good enough for you, but even cheap balanced drive should bring it up to a level you won't find offensive. Or, just drive it straight from XLR outputs of a good DAC.

Otherwise, just keep up saving and get the 4070 or HP-1. I somehow doubt anything less will be enough for you in the long run.

 

[donunus]

About the cables,
Ive heard cardas is great for the hd600s. supposedly more harmonically rich than the equinox and the stock cable while having brighter leading edges than stock but maybe less than the equinox.

By the way, Fld777 is selling his hd600 and equinox separately. I think its in mint condition. He just burned the cans in and didnt like them. Try sending him a PM

 

[Jussei]

I can make a couple of comments here.
From what I've listened to (haven't got into the super expensive cans like L3000, PS-1, etc), the K701 was the most neutral that I've heard. My DT880's seemed pretty neutral too, more so than my HD600s or HD650's.

As for the HD600's and recabling... I've got 600's and 650's and Cardas and Equinox cables.
To me, the HD600 sounds considerably better with the Cardas than Equinox. I prefer the Equinox for the HD650.

 

[bjarnetv]

from what i have heard, the dt48 should be the best choice

 

[wfranklin]

With that budget, APS V3-recabled AKG K701's (HP's about 250 off ebay, plus about another 250 for the recable). ALO recables good also, but outside your budget.

 

[pataburd]

HD600 with Headphile or RAL re-cable. : ) The Headphile BlackMaxx that I auditioned sounded a bit boring compared to the RAL, IMHO.

MS2i were tipped appreciably to the warm and wayward side of neutral, IMHE.

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex0du5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aren't the AKG K-701 usually the pair to get for a very accurate and neutral sound?

Yep, those are the most neutral headphones I've ever heard. They get my vote.

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jussei /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for the HD600's and recabling... I've got 600's and 650's and Cardas and Equinox cables. To me, the HD600 sounds considerably better with the Cardas than Equinox. I prefer the Equinox for the HD650.

Can't speak for the Equinoxe, but IMHE I vastly preferred the RAL Paradise cable to the Cardas on both the HD600 and the HD650. But I'm willing to bet that you and I are after "different things" from the same set(s) of headphones. : )

 

[Kees]

AKG K701