[smeggy]

You know what's coming now... hehe

Well we're back to why I switched to the SR-X and K1000 from the 404. It's not that they are weighty or bassy but that they sound solid. When a drum or cymbal is struck it has real substance behind it and doesn' sound whispy or thin. It is tangible not etherial. They drop off in the bass like smaller speakers too which can be problematic for some and both can be driven nicely by a small amp like the Firestone Big Joe.

I really think that if you can swing it, the K1000 with a Big Joe will fit the bill. I understand your finances are very limited but if it means selling your body on street corners, go for it. It's worth it

The SR-X is less brash, less open and it's bass goes slightly deeper but is well within your range. You well know my feelings on the SR-X. Yes I am biased, but with good reason. It sounds quite similar to the K1000 in many areas and I place it well above the 404 in most respects.

Of course I cannot say whether you'd love either one but I have a sneaking suspicion you would. For the money there's little better than either one... as long as you really are NOT a closet basshead

 

[Azure]

I just sold my SRM-313, so no SR-X unless I want to get my 3rd SRM-313.

I'm entertaining the thought of the K1000s. The only problem is of course amplification. If I get them, I'll have no money left for amplification and will have to use my old stereo's amp. I could drive them like this and then in a few months get a Pass Labs Aleph 3 or something along those lines.

 

[Jussei]

I consider my GS-1000's fairly 'speakery' since the drivers sit so far from my ears. I'm sure it's a seperate sensation than the K1000's, but I guess they are the most like speakers of the headphones I've heard.

 

[humanflyz]

I'd say go with the GS1000s: tons of bass and highs, has an expansive soundstage, a lot of details, and since you don't seem to care about the midrange, it wouldn't really bother me. They are easy to get since they are in production, but you need good amps and sources, as the same with every other high-end headphone (and by high-end I mean headphones that are one level above the HD650/DT880/K701s and other midrange cans).

Although I must say that if you are expecting the same kind of chest-pounding bass feeling you get from speakers, then the GS1000s still won't do. They'll shake your head, but not your chest.

 

[Shahrose]

sounds a lot like you want the beyer dt990, everything u said and for only 250 USD...leaves you enough for a good amp.

 

[Azure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by humanflyz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Although I must say that if you are expecting the same kind of chest-pounding bass feeling you get from speakers, then the GS1000s still won't do. They'll shake your head, but not your chest.

Nope, not looking for that chest-pounding type of bass. I'm not even listening to my speakers loud enough to feel any sort of vibration due to bass, but I'm still really impressed with the weight and authority behind the music.

I'll look more into the DT990s. Which version are you guys talking about? I'm also looking at Ultrasones, but I don't know exactly which ones I should look into. Sovkiller, which ones do you recommend that I look into?

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good luck man. Personally, my bets are that whatever you buy next, after 4 months, you'll be selling it and buying something else.

Now that's just Head-Fi cruelty!!

 

[smeggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now that's just Head-Fi cruelty!!

....unless he gets the K1000

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nope, not looking for that chest-pounding type of bass. I'm not even listening to my speakers loud enough to feel any sort of vibration due to bass, but I'm still really impressed with the weight and authority behind the music. I'll look more into the DT990s. Which version are you guys talking about? I'm also looking at Ultrasones, but I don't know exactly which ones I should look into. Sovkiller, which ones do you recommend that I look into?

I have both the DT-990s and Ultrasone PROline 2500s. I'd say the 2500s have a more speaker-like presentation. The DT 990s have great soundstage, but the 2500s present the music in a way that I can only call more "natural". It depends on the recording, but oftentimes you get the feeling that the sound is coming from somewhere in front of you as opposed to radiating from your skull. This is what Ultrasone calls S-Logic (their marketing name for "natural surround sound"). But don't let the marketing scare you; it doesn't sound like a 5.1 speaker system, but it does work in that you don't quite feel like you're listening to headphones (very cool).

Other than that, I'd say the DT-990s and 2500s are *very* different in frequency balance. The 2500s definitely have more balls, and their bass is incredible. In contrast, swapping them for the DT-990s you get a certain feeling of clarity or shimmer (e.g. in the cymbals), but unfortunately they feel very thin in comparison. I do think this isn't as bad as it sounds, in the sense that it's only very noticeable when coming from the 2500s. If you've listened to the DT-990s exclusively, then your brain sort of adapts and they don't feel so thin/hollow.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep the 2500s and sell the DT-990s. However, in your case I'm not sure what would work better. You specifically said that you don't want dark headphones, and the 2500s certainly sound dark when coming from the DT-990s.

These two headphones have made me realize that there is a huge amount of "brain burn-in" that tends to adjust to whatever pair of cans you've been listening to for an extended period of time. When switching to a very different can, the differences tend to become amplified in the short term, but after some acclimation they're not so jarring.

 

[Gaso]

The qualities you seek match closely what I was seeking. I found the answer in AKG K701. Very speaker like, airy, slams & punches, definately not distant. One warning though, the bass is not excessive, so extreme bassheads beware.

 

[UezeU]

I've read about your AT troubles, but why not the a900?

 

[Azure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UezeU /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've read about your AT troubles, but why not the a900?

What I disliked about the A500s was a lack of refinement and an overall obese and voluptuous sound that smothered all the detail. If the A900s are anything like the A500s (Which I suspect they are), then I don't think I will quite like them.

Zoide - Thanks for the comparison. What other Ultrasone headphones have you tried that may be brighter than the 2500s? Do you think that a bright source or amp can tweak the 2500s enough that the darkness isn't as problematic? What amps do you use with the DT990s and 2500s?

P.S. I hope your newly created FS thread for the DT990s has not influenced your impressions of the DT990s that you gave me

 

[J-Pak]

Quote:

(They were driven using my receiver's headphone out...so one could argue that they were under-driven, but I could barely discern a difference between my receiver's headphone out and an SFT Audio M3).

Just to clarify was this with the K340? I remember you tried the M3 with the SA5000...

And I said this in your K340 impressions thread but most receivers are able to drive low impedence headphones fine but fail at driving high impedance, due to output mismatch. Thus your receiver must have been doing a really nice job driving the SA5000.

I compared my Yamaha's home theater receiver (about 6 or 7 years ago this was the top of the line $900 model) with my Lavry DA10's headphone amp, and honestly the Yamaha sounded god awful. It couldn't drive the HD650 either, did not make them sound like a hifi headphone. And they sound great on my DA10.

You don't want a K1000. It has really nice bass slam on a proper amp, but like the SR-404 it does not add any bass to a recording; just whats there.

 

[Azure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Pak /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just to clarify was this with the K340? I remember you tried the M3 with the SA5000... And I said this in your K340 impressions thread but most receivers are able to drive low impedence headphones fine but fail at driving high impedance, due to output mismatch. Thus your receiver must have been doing a really nice job driving the SA5000. I compared my Yamaha's home theater receiver (about 6 or 7 years ago this was the top of the line $900 model) with my Lavry DA10's headphone amp, and honestly the Yamaha sounded god awful. It couldn't drive the HD650 either, did not make them sound like a hifi headphone. And they sound great on my DA10. You don't want a K1000. It has really nice bass slam on a proper amp, but like the SR-404 it does not add any bass to a recording; just whats there.

The K340 was just with the receiver; I've never heard it with a dedicated headphone amplifier. I now have the funds for an amp, so if one pops up I may consider getting it with the Darkvoice. I could certainly live with the K340 as it was being driven with my receiver, so I'm considering it. However, I think it may be more fun to try a new headphone (DT990 or an Ultrasone).

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure /img/forum/go_quote.gif Zoide - Thanks for the comparison. What other Ultrasone headphones have you tried that may be brighter than the 2500s?

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to listen to any other Ultrasones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you think that a bright source or amp can tweak the 2500s enough that the darkness isn't as problematic?

Hmm... To start with, I'm not sure that changing sources would influence darkness/brightness very much. Once you start comparing among good enough sources, they're all pretty similar. I'm generalizing, and of course there are all sorts of subtle differences that lead people to buy this or that source, but I doubt that changing sources would make a can that is too dark for you into a can that isn't. On the other hand, I think amps make a bigger difference when it comes to brightness, fullness, etc. For example when you compare tubes vs. solid-state, or when you swap opamps in a solid-state amp (e.g. AD8620 is brighter/thinner than OPA627).

That said, I can't tell you whether the 2500s would be too dark for you. I can certainly say that the DT-990s sound too thin/bright to me after listening to the 2500s for an extended period of time. And yet, they were very enjoyable when I used to listen to them exclusively. (that sort of goes back to the "brain burn-in" I mentioned in a previous post)

I do think the 2500s are brighter than, for example, the Sennheiser HD580/HD650, though it's been a long time since I listened to those. At the very least, I am *sure* that they are much more engaging than the HD580s, which I loved at first but then found to be lacking for rock.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure /img/forum/go_quote.gif What amps do you use with the DT990s and 2500s?

I'm using a Stello HP100, which I got while waiting to get my SuperMacro-IV back, and it's a very nice amp. Before I got the Stello, I ran the DT-990s out of my Pioneer A35R receiver, and they sounded surprisingly good. While of course it wasn't as "audiophile", I think the receiver synergized well with the Beyers because it did have a warmer sound than the Stello, which is a discrete amp (usually regarded as "clean" sounding).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure /img/forum/go_quote.gif P.S. I hope your newly created FS thread for the DT990s has not influenced your impressions of the DT990s that you gave me

I think I've actually said quite a few negative things about the DT-990s?

I actually hope these posts don't backfire on my sale!