My next pair of mid to high end full headphones - pick for me!

[negatron81]

Hi All,


I've been on a bit of gear journey lately and am looking for an end game closed back that is a good all rounder , your feed back and guidance is much appreciated!

I listen to a mix bag

Ranging from pop (Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Sting), classical (yoyoma and string quartet stuff), female jazz singers (Diana Krall/Eva cassidy) and rock (ac/dc, queen)


I have the current gear:

My current source /amps
Dussun T2i
Pioneer a-a6
Fiio e07k
Pioneer xpa-700

My current headphones are:
Hifiman he 400
Grado ms1 drivers in Alu cups
Fischer audio fa-002w
Panasonic htx7

And I just sold my fostex th-x00 to a friend as I felt their mids seemed a bit recessed and he offered me a good price.

I currently have the opportunity to buy the following
- brand new fostex th900 - usd 700
- 6 mths old Beyer t1 gen 1 - usd 410
- 6 mths of Beyer t70p - usd 195
- 4 year old denon d7000 - usd 550
- 1 year old audeze lcd xc - usd 1100

What would you all pick for a do it all phone to complement my existing lot (though I suspect I will sell the fischer soon after this purchase)

 

[Youth]

TH900 has recessed mids and is semi-open, T1 is semi-open as well. I haven't heard the other ones on your list so can't comment on them.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Hi All,


I've been on a bit of gear journey lately and am looking for an end game closed back that is a good all rounder , your feed back and guidance is much appreciated!

I listen to a mix bag

Ranging from pop (Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Sting), classical (yoyoma and string quartet stuff), female jazz singers (Diana Krall/Eva cassidy) and rock (ac/dc, queen)


I have the current gear:

My current source /amps
Dussun T2i
Pioneer a-a6
Fiio e07k
Pioneer xpa-700

My current headphones are:
Hifiman he 400
Grado ms1 drivers in Alu cups
Fischer audio fa-002w
Panasonic htx7

And I just sold my fostex th-x00 to a friend as I felt their mids seemed a bit recessed and he offered me a good price.

I currently have the opportunity to buy the following
- brand new fostex th900 - usd 700
- 6 mths old Beyer t1 gen 1 - usd 410
- 6 mths of Beyer t70p - usd 195
- 4 year old denon d7000 - usd 550
- 1 year old audeze lcd xc - usd 1100

What would you all pick for a do it all phone to complement my existing lot (though I suspect I will sell the fischer soon after this purchase)

 

 

Only heard two headphones on your list, AH-D7000 and Beyer t70p.
 
Still being semi-open and all from the same design ideas, I think your going to find both the AH-D 7000s and the Fostex TH-900s are going to sound the same, like your old Fostex TH-X00?
 
The Denon is a headphone I like and it does everything well in my view. My favorite headphone.

 

[negatron81]

Thanks guys!
 
I like the idea of the Denons (given they are an extinct breed)  but given they are 4 years old and some people have had issues with the band, I figured a little bit more for the brand new Fostex might be a better option.
 
Do you all think / know if they sound leak from the T1's are bad? these need to be "lie in bed next to sleeping partner" quiet and my hifiman and grados certainly fail that test.
 
And what do you think of the prices i've found? good buys? pricey?

 

[Redcarmoose]

  Thanks guys!
 
I like the Denons as well but given they are 4 years old and some people have had issues with the band, I figured a little bit more for the brand new Fostex might be a better option.
 
Do you all think / know if they sound leak from the T1's are bad? these need to be "lie in bed next to sleeping partner" quiet and my hifiman and grados certainly fail that test.
 
And what do you think of the prices i've found? good buys? pricey?

 
 
Still I think the new Fostex TH-900s are going to sound just like the headphones you just sold, same sig.
 
Also they don't keep any sound in, so no good for sleeping friends.

 

[negatron81]

:edited my post above for more accuracy.
 
Hmm, you know the Th-X00s I found to pass the sleeping next to test, and i had them up rather loud too!
 
Maybe i'm just liking the idea of the TH-900s being a current gen flagship at a IMO reasonable price, whilst the rest are either older gear or not top of the line (the audeze lcd xc don't count, those are exxy as!)

 

[329161]

I don't have any experience with the headphones you listed, but I can wholeheartedly recommend the B&W P7, or Oppo Pm3.

 

[Youth]

  Thanks guys!
 
Do you all think / know if they sound leak from the T1's are bad? these need to be "lie in bed next to sleeping partner" quiet and my hifiman and grados certainly fail that test.
 

 
It depends on your listening level I guess but personally I would not use them next to a sleeping partner.

 

[negatron81]

Interesting! Do you guys know if my amps are powerful enough to run the beyers or the audeze (or any of the other suggestions like the p7s or the oppo?) the worst will be to squeeze the funds for the phones only to find I don't have enough juice to run them!

 

[deividi]

How about the Alpha Prime? The seal is really good, have a pretty neutral signature and you can get those at a reasonable price.

 

[negatron81]

I was literally just reading a review on those! 
 
Then I checked what they sell for here (Australia) and its $790 usd equivalent... I'll see if there's somewhere I can audition these, because thats big bucks for what I thought were modded T50p!

 

[329161]

Interesting! Do you guys know if my amps are powerful enough to run the beyers or the audeze (or any of the other suggestions like the p7s or the oppo?) the worst will be to squeeze the funds for the phones only to find I don't have enough juice to run them!

Try the B&W P5 Series 2 as well.

 

[RepairSharks]

The D7000 are a great set. Had the opportunity to listen to them about a year ago and the bass sounded terrific and the highs were distinct. For the price you have listed I think it's a great deal, I know they usually go for a lot more than that.

 

[Music Path]

Isn't TH900 a closed HP? Seen from the pictures i always thought it was a closed HP.

Anyway i would go for the audeze or the fostex. Beyers have enhanced treble, which make the mids sound recessed for some. ( Not that they don't have good mids )

Edit: The TH900 is closed, it just has bad isolation. But certainly not semi-open.

 

[milosingh]

If I were you I'd go with Mr Speakers.