Need advice, please

[Livslufs]

Hi, I'm new both to the boards and headphones. I have Koss PortaPro, and I like the bass but not the lack of clarity. So I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD555 but missed the bass and they sound a bit "empty" to me. I don't want to lug around an amp. Main use is with computer where I listen to all my music (all genres). Price is not an issue.

What should I get???

Thanks a bunch in advance.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[ex0du5]

Many, many options here.

Are you only going to use them for listening at home, or do they need to be used in a portable environment? Do you need to use em on public transit?

If you can answer those questions, that will help narrow things down.

And really, you should set a price limit...as we can easily come up with $2000 setups.

 

[Livslufs]

Thanks for the quick reply. As for portability, no, not really. I basically only use them in home environments. And I don't need to use them in public so I don't need closed headphones. In fact I prefer open ones so I can hear what's going on (ie with my daughter).

Regarding the price, I just assumed that not wanting an amp takes quite a few of the expensive headphones of the list, but point well taken. Let's say max 400 USD.

Also, comfort is important, and I don't want any of those small ones you squeeze into your ears...

I listen on my mac if that matters. mp3s and lossless.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[umcloud]

May I be the first to suggest ... Alessandro MS-1? Don't need to be amped, solid bass (especially w/ the stock comfys), great clarity (especially with bowls ...lol), good for a wide range of musical genres. It's a winner.

Edit: ah, the price range is a bit larger than I'm familiar with. MS-2i is also great from what I understand, but doesn't quite have the bang/buck ratio of the MS-1. I'm sure people with more experience will chime in, but you're right, not wanting an amp does eliminate many higher-end headphones.

 

[Livslufs]

Yeah, I've been reading on these boards and I understand those Alesandro MS-1 are good. I'm just a bit concerned about the bass. I read some thought the bass on HD555 was solid, I did not. Can you compare the Alessandros with the HD555s or Koss PortaPros's?

And thanks for your suggestion - much appreciated.

 

[Livslufs]

About the price - I really don't care what they cost, if it's a good brand or anything like that. I just want a pair of headphones with PortaPro bass and more clarity without an amp. If they're 20 USD - great! If not, that's fine too.

 

[ex0du5]

Not sure about the HD555, but the Alessandros should destroy the PortaPros.

For your price range, I'm sure you'll hear lots about Alessandro MS2i, Grado SR225, Grado SR325i, Sennheiser HD580/600/650, AKG K701.

Only the Alessandro and Grado lineup do remarkably well without an amp though. You should find a local audio dealer and go have a listen to any Grados they might have, so you have an idea what they sound like.

A lot of people like the Senn 580/600/650, they are darker than the Grado and have a heavier bass, but they are reputed for being very hard to drive, so amping might be required then.

So go have a listen to the Grados, if you like what you hear, pick up a pair, or order some Alessandro MS2i (better than SR225, and more balanced).

edit: Also, if bass is your thing, you might want to check out Beyerdynamics.
AKG K701 are supposed to be a very neutral and balanced phone, albeit boring. They also seem to require proper ampage.

 

[GlendaleViper]

If you're going to be running without an amp, then Grado, Audio-Technica and Sony will give you the most options to choose from. Sennheiser, Beyer and AKG are notorious for building inefficient cans at the higher end (although bear in mind that Beyer does high efficiency versions of its top headphones).

With that said, here is a list of popular options within your range (I will make no specific recommendations, just food for thought):

Grado: SR225, SR325i, RS-2 (used)
Alessandro: MS1, MS2i
Audio-Technica: ATH-A900, ATH-ES7, ATH-W1000, ATH-AD2000 (just out of pricerange new and the only open chamber option here.)
Sony: MDR-7506 (Closed), MDR-SA3000, MDR-SA5000 (possible in your range used)

Go nuts, and good luck!

 

[nickchen]

The MS1 was also my first impression when reading this thread. That would be reasonable and simply --good.

But as you wrote something about 400 bucks the nerds here will surely try to drive you towards some extreme thingies. I regard highend gear for newbees as questionable, as the ears have to learn how to listen, and that simply takes time.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

MS2i should fit the bill as well.

 

[uraflit]

portapro bass? clarity? i think all you need is a pair of beyerdynamic dt770pro (80 ohm)... found on eBay and sold by guitar insider for ~$153 shipped.

i dont really think you need an amp, but i'm not sure how the apple will drive these headphones. i know an x-fi is sufficient tho.

 

[ex0du5]

MS1 wouldn't be a bad start at all. Considering he's coming from PortaPros thats a pretty nice improvement.

I haven't heard the Audio Technicas, but I think they might have some increased bass that you're looking for too.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Ok, let me get this out there, seriously.

First, perspective. The K701 is almost universally understood to have a weak bass response. While I can't say they're bass heavy, I still maintain the the headphone has some of the best bass (punch, texture, balance) out of all the headphones I have yet tried.

Now, we have someone who loves the bass from his Portapros, and we're getting multiple recommendations for the MS1??? I'm sorry but, while the MS1 has very nicely extended and refined bass, in quantity it is far too thin and is a textbook example of a "bass-light" headphone.

See what happened there? If you find the 555 weak in the low end, you will be disappointed with the MS1.

 

[Livslufs]

Hi all,
And thank you very much for you interest, help and effort. But while very helpful, I'm still not there.

GlendaleViper's last comment definately put the MS-1 off the list (along with Grados). I understand that all of this is highly subjective and that's why I included my references to Koss PortaPro and HD555.

That leaves me with BeyerDynamic, Audio-Technica and Sony. And since I'm certainly new in all this, I'm taking nickchen's comment regarding high-quiality headphones, to heart. That leaves me in the lower price span of these three brands.

My BIGGEST issue is that there's no store around where I live to test listen. It obviously makes this very difficult and your input invaluable. So if I might ask you for a little bit more help:

What headphones, not top line, of Sony, Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica, that does not need an amp, and is open, do you recommend?

Again, I really do appreciate all this help. And as I said, it's invaluable in my situation.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Mortsnets]

Don't rule out Grado. Try a Grado SR-60 for $69 or less. Lots of bass, more refined than a Portapro. I would advise against Sony MDR-7506 not as much bass as the SR-60.