jsaliga
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2007
- Posts
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Interesting that the suggestions seem to be running the full gammut. That's not a critcism of the folks making the suggestions. I made some too.
I am in a similar situation, though in my case I am still looking for my ideal jazz headphone. No suggestions please, this is Jay's topic, and I already have a running thread about jazz cans. I think the problem for both of us is the same. I won't speak for Jay, but for myself the issue is not really spending money on a headphone setup that I will find satisfying. The issue is really not knowing whether or not I will be satisfied until I own it and have been listening to it for a week. I wish I could attend meets but every time one comes up it seems that work pulls me away. And, as someone pointed out in another thread, listening to a headphone rig at a meet for 15 to 30 minutes doesn't necessarily translate into long-term listening satisfaction -- though I personally think it would be strong indicator that you are heading in the right or wrong direction.
I have had Stax on my brain on and off for the last four months. And every time I start thinking about it I conclude that several thousand dollars is simply too much to risk on owner endorsements alone. I have to hear these buggers before I will think seriously about it and the only way that is going to happen is for me to get to a meet.
Sometimes hearing one headphone will change your opinion about another. Last year I sold my Sennheiser HD650s. I liked them quite a bit actually, but found myself listening to my AKG K701s more because I preferred them for jazz. The HD650 wasn't getting much use. A few months ago I decided to get another pair, as I was missing not having them around. Then a few weeks later I bought the Audio Technica ATH-W5000. After listening to the W5000 for a few days I could no longer stand the sound of the HD650. I knew they had veiled upper mids and treble, but after hearing the W5000 the veil seemed so much more pronounced that I just could not listen to them any longer, and I sold them last week.
Given the phones that I own...I don't think any of them are ideal for classical music. The W5000 has spectacular midrange performance but has slightly recessed treble with a bass response that is not particularly satisfying. So instrumements like tuba, cello, double bass, bass and timpani drum do not come across very convincingly. However, violin, viola, piano (all but the lowest register), harpsichord, harp, trumpet, trombone, French horn, and woodwinds are quite impressive. The GS-1000 is almost the polar opposite of the W5000. Instruments that bring the thunder to music sound far more appealing on the Grados. Much of the core essence of the music is lacking somewhat, however, because of the mids. I agree with Jay about the treble on the Grados, but I probably don't find it as bothersome as he does. I notice it in certain passages (the opening minutes of the fourth movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, for example) and it can cause the sound to loose coherency. The midrange is probably the larger issue with the GS-1000s for classical music.
--Jerome
I am in a similar situation, though in my case I am still looking for my ideal jazz headphone. No suggestions please, this is Jay's topic, and I already have a running thread about jazz cans. I think the problem for both of us is the same. I won't speak for Jay, but for myself the issue is not really spending money on a headphone setup that I will find satisfying. The issue is really not knowing whether or not I will be satisfied until I own it and have been listening to it for a week. I wish I could attend meets but every time one comes up it seems that work pulls me away. And, as someone pointed out in another thread, listening to a headphone rig at a meet for 15 to 30 minutes doesn't necessarily translate into long-term listening satisfaction -- though I personally think it would be strong indicator that you are heading in the right or wrong direction.
I have had Stax on my brain on and off for the last four months. And every time I start thinking about it I conclude that several thousand dollars is simply too much to risk on owner endorsements alone. I have to hear these buggers before I will think seriously about it and the only way that is going to happen is for me to get to a meet.
Sometimes hearing one headphone will change your opinion about another. Last year I sold my Sennheiser HD650s. I liked them quite a bit actually, but found myself listening to my AKG K701s more because I preferred them for jazz. The HD650 wasn't getting much use. A few months ago I decided to get another pair, as I was missing not having them around. Then a few weeks later I bought the Audio Technica ATH-W5000. After listening to the W5000 for a few days I could no longer stand the sound of the HD650. I knew they had veiled upper mids and treble, but after hearing the W5000 the veil seemed so much more pronounced that I just could not listen to them any longer, and I sold them last week.
Given the phones that I own...I don't think any of them are ideal for classical music. The W5000 has spectacular midrange performance but has slightly recessed treble with a bass response that is not particularly satisfying. So instrumements like tuba, cello, double bass, bass and timpani drum do not come across very convincingly. However, violin, viola, piano (all but the lowest register), harpsichord, harp, trumpet, trombone, French horn, and woodwinds are quite impressive. The GS-1000 is almost the polar opposite of the W5000. Instruments that bring the thunder to music sound far more appealing on the Grados. Much of the core essence of the music is lacking somewhat, however, because of the mids. I agree with Jay about the treble on the Grados, but I probably don't find it as bothersome as he does. I notice it in certain passages (the opening minutes of the fourth movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, for example) and it can cause the sound to loose coherency. The midrange is probably the larger issue with the GS-1000s for classical music.
--Jerome
