[MrFriday]

Hello everyone,
 
I've spent a fair bit of time on Head-Fi trying to narrow down which cans to buy as my first foray into 'serious' headphones. Unfortunately, the more I read, the more indecisive and confused I get so please forgive me if I am making yet-another-help-please thread. I also apologize in advance for my tendency to be overly verbose.
 
With that out of the way, I understand that I won't get very good help without giving a little bit of background of what I have and what I'm looking for:
 
Background & 'Listener Profile':
 
It would be a lie to say that I am anything short of a music addict. If music was a substitute for sleep, I would never feel tired: Unless I'm out with friends or at work doing something that requires even the slightest bit of communication with other human beings, I'm always listening to music: at home, at work and in the car.
 
The music I listen to is extremely varied as well although if I had to narrow it down a little I would specify rock, metal, jazz and electronic (both chillout/ambient and trance/house) although as a guitarist, I tend to listen to more rock and metal than the others, particularly progressive rock and metal. I love complex arrangements with a lush, melodic soundscape but I also don't mind a healthy dose of heaviness either. Example artists/bands would be: Porcupine Tree, Sithu Aye, Plini, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Iron Maiden, Minus the Bear and so on.
 
I usually listen to music at moderate or moderate-low volume because I still need to hear if someone is calling me around the house or such. I also find it less fatiguing on the ears and probably better for my long-term hearing given that I am usually on extended listening sessions. I also never use the EQ to modify my listening experiencing; I prefer to listen to music 'as it was intended' by the artist.
 
Current Gear:
 
As my main can, I have a Turtle Beach P11 headset which I use on my PC. I believe it's an around-the-ear, closed headphone? I'm rather fond of it as the muteable microphone and separate voice chat/music volume controls are great when I game or chat with friends, but I don't consider them a priority or essentials per-se. I bought this set for ~$45 about 4 years back and they were my first experience into pure audio bliss, at least compared to mass-market cheapo speakers and headsets. It also plays nice with my slightly-bigger-than-average head. Overall, I'm happy with it but I think it's time for a long-overdue upgrade.
 
I'm not sure about the tonality of this headset but I'm guessing it's fairly balanced? A lot of headphones/headsets I tried out in stores seemed to push ridiculous amounts of bass that killed everything else in the music. The P11 seems to have enough bass to enjoy delicious bass grooves without going overboard while everything else sounds clear and nice.
 
For on-the-go listening, I have a Bose MIE2i which I got three years back or so for ~$140. I love their portability, durability and built in controls but the sound quality leaves something to be desired at times as it sounds generally less 'rich' in comparison to my P11 but overall it does the job. Just threw that out there though, since I'm not planning to get an on-the-go set.
 
What I'm looking for:
 
Based on the above, I'd like to buy headphones that fit the following criteria:
1. Within the $150-$300 range. A little over 300 wouldn't be an issue though.
2. Are comfortable for extended periods of listening: 2, 3 or even 4 hours. Uncomfortable cans are a no-go.
3. Versatile enough to play well with various styles and genres.
4. Are not a pain to get working with a PC. Bonus points if they're easy to plug into a guitar amplifier/amp modeling unit but not necessary whatsoever.
 
I would also say that I'd like tonally balanced/neutral headphones, but since I don't know what way my P11 actually leans into, that point can probably be overlooked. The main idea is that I'd like to hear enough bass in my music without it overpowering other instruments or vocals.
 
Durability is also probably a good trait to have, but that's mostly because I have shipping concerns in mind. I'm gentle and neat enough with my equipment that they don't break or get roughed, so long as the build quality is not atrocious.
 
I don't care much for portability as these will stay home for sure.
 
Currently eyeing:
 
1. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Headphones.
2. Grado SR225e or SR325e.
3. Shure SRH940.
4. AKG K451.
5. AKG K550.
6. Sennheiser HD 598
7. Focal Spirit One.
 
The list keeps growing, but my end goal is that I want to land a set that will really stay with me for the next 4 or 5 years and I'm willing to spend what I can within my budget. +$400 headsets look tempting, but I can't really afford them (or want to) with my current financials.
 
Thanks for reading this far and yeah.. a little help please?

 

[judgmentday]

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x got great reviews, I want to get a pair.  People say they sound very good, very easy to drive, they are closed so you don't disturb people around you, are portable and they don't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[1haxor]

If you don't mind open headphones i recommend the K612 pro over ANY other in the sub 170$ price range

 

[1haxor]

If you can spend a little more than 300 then the HD 600s would be ideal if you have an amp.

 

[superjawes]

They are a little more, but the Sennheiser HD600's are pretty great. I am not sure how much they compare to the 598's, but I imagine that they will be similar.

You're also right at the range to take advantage of the HE-400's. These headphones might be a little heavier (planar magnetic), and they might play better with an amp, but they can be had for ~$250 for an open box version, $300 for new.

Oh, and what do you have on the PC? Motherboard audio? Sound card? A dedicated sound card will have separate DAC and amp parts, so it will make any pair of (analog) headphones sound better (and you don't have to mess with USB audio).

 

[MrFriday]

I'm using built in motherboard audio - it has 6 3.5mm output jacks for surround and a SPDIF digital output. I'm guessing this won't quite cut it to get the full sound of higher-end headphones?
 
Mind you, I'm somewhat new at this: would I have to get an amp on top of the headphones? I'm reading up on amps at the moment but it would be nice if someone with experience clarifies how essential they are or not. I'm reading decent things about the Schiit Magni/Modi in case I should pick up an amp.

 

[1haxor]

I'm using built in motherboard audio - it has 6 3.5mm output jacks for surround and a SPDIF digital output. I'm guessing this won't quite cut it to get the full sound of higher-end headphones?


 


Mind you, I'm somewhat new at this: would I have to get an amp on top of the headphones? I'm reading up on amps at the moment but it would be nice if someone with experience clarifies how essential they are or not. I'm reading decent things about the Schiit Magni/Modi in case I should pick up an amp.

 


Get the AKG K612 Pros if you don't want to use an amp. You motherboard has to be pretty recent (z77 $200 and up, z87 $160$ up, z97 130$ up, depends on mobo ofc) otherwise you'll have issues powering it. If you want a cheap dac get the syba dac.

 

[superjawes]

All right, I'll lay out the amp talk.

You ALWAYS need an amp. Listening to Apple earbuds on your iDevice? You're using an amplifier. The amplifier is basically the component that puts power into the signal to drive speakers or headphones. Your iDevice just has a simple integrated amp. Oh, and these integrated components also have digital-to-analog functions (because your music is usually a digital file and has to be turned into an analog signal before it is audible).

The problem with integrated parts is that they don't perform as well as dedicated stuff. Getting a sound card is usually a big improvement over motherboard audio because--in addition to isolating the analog components from digital noise--you get more standalone components to do the analog jobs. Getting an external amp and/or DAC is usually even better (because more isolation and components).

Now as a consumer, when does it make sense to buy dedicated gear? That really depends on the headphones you have and/or want. Getting a better pair of headphones is going to give you the greatest SQ delta. You could get an improvement from a DAC and/or amp, but spending $200 on an amp and DAC is not going to make your $100 headphones sound like $300 headphones.

For your particular case, I would suggest sitting in the ~$200 range and going with something like the HD598's. You shouldn't need an amp for most headphones in this price range. Once you've gotten used to them, then you can look at something like a Magni/Modi stack with the intent of adding a newer, higher-tier headphone later.

If you want to spend more than that, start looking at something like the HE-400 ($300 new) and plan on getting a simple amp (like the $99 Magni) to make sure that you can drive them well. You might even step up higher to something like the HD600 ($400 new/$330 on Amazon right now). Magni would still do okay with the 600's, but they'd probably play nicer with a tube amp (like Schiit's Vali).

Last note: I am only making suggestions based on what I've listened to. You will have other options in each price range, so listen to other users for other suggestions.

 

[MrFriday]

Thanks 1haxor and superjawes. The HD 598 and K612 look pretty sweet.
 
In case I decide to shell out for a Magni/Modi stack, what would be great options other than the HE-400?
 
So far I'm slightly torn whether to get a 598, wait, add the magni/modi then upgrade in the future or jump straight ahead: HE-400 + magni/modi.

 

[barid]

My typical recommendation...a used set of HD600.  Can be found for $200-$300 range.

 

[MrFriday]

Bump:
 
I've managed to scrounge together approximately $620.
 
Now I'm thinking of going with:
 
Sennheiser HD 600
Schiit Modi/Magni Stack.
 
Are there better options for the price and what I listen to (see first post)? I've seen some praise for the Philips Fidelio X1. Moreover, some posts claim the HD600 is too slow for fast-paced music (?) / can be fatiguing / has terrible bass (?_?). Naturally, this worries me since I want to buy a pair that's a real keeper.
 
Moreover Is it worth upgrading to Vali from Magni and if so, do I have to replace tubes every now and then? I know that guitar tube amps need tube replacements every year or two but given that I live in the Middle East and how it's not easy to get replacements, I feel discouraged by this.
 
A little help, please?
 
Edit: After more reading, the Beyerdynamic DT 880 sounds like a good choice too. Thoughts?

 

[cel4145]

You could start with the HE-400 + the Magni then add the Modi later.

I prefer to listen to music 'as it was intended' by the artist.

I would also recommend the Soundmagic HP150 to you. It is more of a neutral class of phone with a slight rise in the bass and treble:



This might be a better choice for you than the HE-400's response given the dip in the upper mids:



The DT880 is a good semi-open headphone that is also considered to be more more of a netural class of phone: