[Monsterzero]

Planar HPs like the HE-500s are really good for metal,excellent mids,fast transients,decent mid-bass slam...but they love juice!!!! If you cannot provide them with good amping,dont bother.

The first four headphones in my signature are excellent for metal,as is the new ZMF Atticus,Grados to an extent.

A lot of this hobby is subjective...one mans trash is another mans gold...So if you like the HD650s for metal(and many do)dont let my ears tell your ears otherwise. 

 

[kbien13]

Excellent advice.  I plan on trying to travel around to some of the shows to try some of these out before dropping serious cash on them but given where I live a lot of this will be trial and error based on people's reco's.  I'll research the ones you mentioned and see what I can find.  I really appreciate you taking the time to school me on some of this.

 

[Monsterzero]

Much of this hobby is trial and error,lots of hyperbole on the forums,and then in another spot you read the exact opposite...so it adds to the confusion.

I started in this hobby with a Beyer T1 paired with a WA2 OTL tube amp,and a pair of HD600s(very similar to your 650s) It took me awhile to figure out different technical issues,as well as what sound signature I prefer from headphones.

For me personally I like a HP with aggressive,forward mids,non peaky highs and good bass slam,without them being slow and/or muddy....What I just typed is a tall order to find in one headphone...and I def didnt find that sound in either my HD600s or T1.

 

 I plan on trying to travel around to some of the shows

Dont know how far you can travel,but CanJam SoCal is coming up...Canjams are epic!

http://www.head-fi.org/t/822835/canjam-socal-2017-april-8-9-2017/195#post_13347132

 

[kbien13]

Let me ask you another random question.  I picked up the turntable because I was told that, at least in some cases, the recordings could be the best source you will find for high resolution music.  If not that, where is the best place to find the best sound?  Would it be CD or is there another lossless source that I'm unaware of?

 

[Monsterzero]

again,pros and cons when comparing vinyl vs digital...Yes vinyl sounds more organic and warm vs. digital,but you have issues of finding vinyl of certain recordings,scratching and imperfections,cost and practicality.

CD is more convenient,typically cheaper,most if not all albums are by now available.

Digital files decoded in 16/44.1 is CD quality aka "redbook"...You can find certain albums in 24/96 or 24/192 that are above CD quality,but the differences are kind of pointless unless you have the right gear to hear it.

320kbs mp3 vs 192mp3 (or lower) is a big difference

 

[gerryS]

You said you just wanted to know what else you need to connect your headphones/speakers to the turntable and that you weren't planning on using the usb output at the moment, correct? Not sure why DACs are being discussed. A DAC takes digital signal and converts it to analog, the signal that comes through the RCA is already analog. The only reason you would need a DAC is if you wanted to use the usb output, and unless you want to hook it up to your computer I see no reason to use it. All you need to hook up headphones to the turntable through RCA is a phono preamp (which is already built in to your turntable) and a headphone amp. My setup is u-turn orbit turntable -> pluto preamp -> Darkvoice 336SE headphone amp -> HD650. Works great.

 

[kbien13]

Didn't even dawn on me that the RCA's are an analog output but you're right.  Not sure how I got that confused.  Thanks for bringing it to my attention and  also for posting your setup.  What kind of music do you listen to?  Just wondering if it mirrors mine at all.

 

[kbien13]

I've been reading more reviews of amps as we've been talking which has brought up another question.  I originally thought that I really wanted to look into getting a tube amp, but the more I'm reading it sounds like a solid state amp would work better for my taste in music (double bass and such).  Anyone care to weigh in?

 

[Monsterzero]

  I've been reading more reviews of amps as we've been talking which has brought up another question.  I originally thought that I really wanted to look into getting a tube amp, but the more I'm reading it sounds like a solid state amp would work better for my taste in music (double bass and such).  Anyone care to weigh in?

You dont need a DAC at all as the other poster said,unless ,as he/she said,youre planning on computer use....Dunno why you have a USB TT if analog is your only planned usage,but thats a different thread.

Tubes~ some tube amps(and tubes themselves)sound more "tube-like"than others. If you like clean tight,fast precision in your sound,you'd probably be best to stay away from tubes in general.

 

[kbien13]

The turntable was picked up at a fairly severe discount and the usb wasn't the original purpose.  Just an added bonus.  I think I am starting to lean more towards solid state amps for my needs.