[vega670]

I have been shopping around for a set of open phones for ~$100 and I have narrowed it down to a few top choices. These will not replace my Shures for mobile/unamped listening, but since I do the majority of extended listening in front of my desk, I am looking for something targeted at home listening... and something a little more decoupled from my eardrums than IEMs.

The music I listen to is composed of rock, mostly of the alternative, grunge and classic variety, electronica/trance, and some swing/jazz.

The phones that I initially intended to buy were Grado SR80's. I had read a number of comparisons to the Sennheiser HD555's and decided that the SR80's would probably be a better fit to my music taste. However, after reading JenL's interesting "Fairly huge comparison," I started looking at the Beyerdynamic DTX900. And then there are those ever-present messianic recommendations for the Goldring DR150. I am going to buy a tin box CMoy to drive whatever phones I get (pending further upgrades, of course). Of these phones, which do you think is best suited for the aforementioned music and represents the best overall value?

Also, does anyone have experience moving from IEMs to open phones and want to share the pros/cons in the sound they noticed?

 

[glac1er]

Hi, welcome to head-fi. Sorry about your wallet!

All of the headphones you mentioned have pretty good reputation around here. The DTX900 is actually pretty intriguing, at least from what I've heard from JenSL. I've yet to find them for a reasonable price in the U.S. though.

I used headphones first before moving to IEMs. I think with open headphones except Grados, you'll get a much larger soundstage and the sound is more around your head as opposed to in your head with the IEMs. Open headphones will also sound much airy and ultimately more natural than IEMs. Bass is fuller and better defined too. Where IEMs like the E4c shine beside portability is probably how easy you can pick up details in the sound. Headphones can do the same or better but in my experience, needs to be properly driven or amped.

SR80 (w/bowls) has a very fun sound, but for me, they are a little too aggressive for some of the peaky or bright recordings. I much prefer the MS1 for that reason and it works best for me with the quarter modded HD414 pads.

The DR150 is IMO better than the MS1 but off course more expensive too. I think its bass is stronger and it has soundstage as opposed to almost none on the Grados and MS1. More comfy too.

You can't go wrong with any of those, just think about how much you want to spend and what kind of sound you want from your headphones.