[bee4]

I would like to have more musical and warmer and easier to drive alternative to my K701. My first choice would be JVC DX1000, but the price and built quality issue (fragility of hinge) is discouraging. Is there alternative to it at +/- 600USD level?
 
I pre-selected DX700 and W1000X. How they compare? Is DX700 much worse than DX1000? Has DX700 fragile hinges too?
 
My priorities are: timbre -  saturated rich tone with density and fullness - weight and warmth; harmonic richness; impact and dynamics. Good bass and mids and non-irritating highs. Details are nice too, but more important is to keep the music alive and flowing.
 
Listening effect I am after: relaxing/smoothing or exciting/dynamic when music calls for it. Non-fatiguing. More emotional than analytical. 
 
I want a lot, I know – but for these money less is not enough…
 
Amplification I use: Blue Circle SBH-based solid state.
 
Skylab, I think you used to have all gear I mentioned, so if you hear me, your input will be very appreciated.
 
Music I listen to: everything good, from string quartets to jazz and rock and experimental music with a bit of hard-core here and there, so sometimes recording quality is not ideal. Basically I need universal HP which will let me appreciate good recording and will not hurt my ears and exaggerate flaws in less than perfect recording.
Is there such a thing?
 
It is impossible to hear these cans here, so I will appreciate any help.
I am open to other suggestions too.
 
Thanks guys

 

[oqvist]

Think you are on the right track with these two. I own the DX 1000 and had the W-1000x for a weak. the W-1000x for it´s price is a real bargain no doubt.
 
I didn´t end up buying one but it was very enjoying and nothing fatiguing at all. DX 1000 do really a lot of what you are after and maybe more. It depends though both have their character. I do preferr the GHP solid state amp over my tube amp (Head One) for the DX 1000 more times then not. It´s a bit to much on the lush and muddy side on the tube and not quite as transparent though it´s even more on the forgiving side there.

 

[bee4]

oqvist,
 
thanks for your helpful response. DX1000 looks really good to me, even better now, when you confirmed that it works well with solid state, but I am not that comfortable at USD1000+ level right now. If I would go there, I would probably buy LCD-2.
 
So I will probably go for W1000X, or maybe DX700. Gotta find out more about DX700 – these are less known cans.
 
I found 2 opposite opinions here comparing DX700 and DX1000, so I am still not sure if they are close enough to DX1000.
 
Two more questions about W1000X: can it be well driven by solid state too?
Will it keep its sound even without a little help from tubes? (My Blue Circle SBH is neutral amp.) I really only want to add some warmer and fuller sounding alternative to K701.

 

[ZARIM]

Grado RS1i, D5000.

 

[bee4]

Hmmm...
 
RS1: attracted me long enough, so I should at least try them. And I will one day.
They are supposed to be astonishing rock cans, but not that good with classical I have heard.
 
I love to do some headbanging from time too time (good fit is important here I have found out), but I am not ready to buy too much too specialized cans right now.
 
D5000: I was thinking about them too, but I have seen W1000X compared quite favourably to D7000, so I concluded, that W1000X are better value than D5000.
 
Sometimes it is necessary to do triangulation such as this one when it is difficult to get real experience. But maybe I will check out Denons too, maybe my SBH will be able to tame its bass...
 
Thanks Zarim.

 

[BournePerfect]

Bee4:
 
     Have you looked into the AD2000s? They sound to me like exactly what you want-a warmer, more musical sounding K702 with much better timbre. They often considered the next jump up from the AKGs-and I completely concur. They are the one headphone I finally found that allowed me to sell the K702s, as I felt the AD2000s retained all of it's strengths-and improved it in many ways. Classical, however, would probably be suited more for the AKGs. The AT's are definitely the more musical, and a great all-rounder to boot! My understanding is that they are very similar to the RS1 as well, which you seem interested in. My .02
 
-Daniel

 

[Clownzor]

I use the W1000x off a solid state amp, the Audio-GD NFB-12, which has quite a warm sound with rolled off highs. I prefer it to the Fiio E9 which is more neutral, but the difference is not huge (it's not a picky headphone). I have not heard it off a tube amp.
 
It does acoustic and jazz very well, but is a very revealing headphone (I actually modded mine to reduce the resonance and decay for rock and it became even more revealing!). I can't make any comparisons to the JVCs as I have never heard one.

 

[BrucYSN]

Quote:

oqvist,
 
thanks for your helpful response. DX1000 looks really good to me, even better now, when you confirmed that it works well with solid state, but I am not that comfortable at USD1000+ level right now. If I would go there, I would probably buy LCD-2.
 
So I will probably go for W1000X, or maybe DX700. Gotta find out more about DX700 – these are less known cans.
 
I found 2 opposite opinions here comparing DX700 and DX1000, so I am still not sure if they are close enough to DX1000.
 
Two more questions about W1000X: can it be well driven by solid state too?
Will it keep its sound even without a little help from tubes? (My Blue Circle SBH is neutral amp.) I really only want to add some warmer and fuller sounding alternative to K701.

If you wanna bang for the buck, go for the w1000x, they really excel at vocal, or you can wait around till their new product come out about end of this year, 
and for DX1000? just go for LCD-2 once you upgrade ur amp a bit lol, you can save the money for now with the w1000x and get your self a lyr or something 

 

[nanaholic]

Quote:

D5000.

I did an AB at the shop when looking at the closed headphones and the shop assistant gave me the D5000 to try as well.  D5000 is more "fun" with a bass emphasis but it's a bit too much, the bass isn't very clean and it intrudes on the mids and vocals.  Not a good all rounder like the W1000x IMO.  
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

And not one mention of the Sennheiser HD-650?

That is precisely the headphone you want. Read the reviews and don't get hung up on spending a few hundred less than the others. The HD-650 used to be considered one of the finest before the super-expensive headphones rolled out.

If you want additional ease and warmth, run it off an OTL tube amp. Something like a Bottlehead Crack would be an excellent fit.

 

[BrucYSN]

Quote:

And not one mention of the Sennheiser HD-650?

That is precisely the headphone you want. Read the reviews and don't get hung up on spending a few hundred less than the others. The HD-650 used to be considered one of the finest before the super-expensive headphones rolled out.

If you want additional ease and warmth, run it off an OTL tube amp. Something like a Bottlehead Crack would be an excellent fit.

I thought the op just wanna make a decision within the two, but hell ye the HD650, you'd love the way it presents vocal, best bang for the buck among three lol 

 

[BournePerfect]

You guys did see his "easier to drive" comment, right?
 
-Daniel

 

[mclldavidson]

edit:wrong thread

 

[Uncle Erik]

You guys did see his "easier to drive" comment, right?
 
-Daniel

Yes, but it's important to consider other options, especially when you can have precisely what you're asking for.

A quick search showed the DX700 around $650 plus shipping, so let's call it $700.

The HD-650 runs around $325, last time I checked. Add something like a Bottlehead Crack for $200, and you'll come out over $100 ahead while getting exactly what is desired. There are other good amps in the ballpark, like the new Schiit offerings and the Dynalo.

The OP could even go for something like a used Sennheiser HD-600 for $200 (not as laid back as the HD-650, but still awfully good and the better value of the two) and a Woo 3 tube amp for $500. That would make a fine setup.

Since these are close to, or under, the budget, I think they're worth considering. Especially since the HD-650 nails what the OP is asking for.

 

[BournePerfect]

C'mon UE, you KNOW no one's heard an HD 650 til they heard it from a Zana Deux! 

 I guess there's a difference between being driven 'well' and being driven to the point of squeezing out every last bit of potential lol...
 
-Daniel