New here, looking for some guidance(upgrading)
Jan 2, 2013 at 9:47 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 14

Abeltbuckle

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Hey guys, thank you for this wonderful opportunity to post in this great community 
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I have many questions, no knowledge, an eagerness to learn, and a paycheck to spend.  To be honest, I hardly know what to ask, it only seems natural though that I become more informed on the subject of high end audio considering I'm looking to spend a considerable amount of money on headphones and various equipment.  I am no fool, I will not be sold on Beats due to clever marketing.
 
I suppose the first step would be to ask where I should go from where I am(seems legit).  Right now my audio system consists of ath700 + asus dg soundcard.  I find myself listening to around 2-3hours of trance+light dubstep+hip hop(spose that mostly electronic(I wouldnt know)) a day.  I can see myself spending anywhere from 200-500$(I do enjoy music that much) on my next setup, though I have know clue what that kind of money would get me or where it would go.  I enjoy the convience of a soundcard+headphones setup, though EMI from my graphics cards is a concern.  The highlight of my listening experience is usually the vocals.
 
I think that's a start, I don't want to frighten anyone away from posting though I have much more to say and many more questions to ask.
 
Jan 2, 2013 at 11:36 PM Post #2 of 14
I love my Amperiors coupled with the E17 for EDM / Dubstep or similar and my Momentum's for when I'm working with some lighter music. It'll all depend on the type of sound signature you like. Oh and my IE80's are just fantastic with Swedish House Mafia...:)
 
Jan 3, 2013 at 1:28 AM Post #3 of 14
Hi Abeltbuckle!  Welcome to Head-Fi.  Sorry about your wallet...
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If I may ask, are you looking for a new rig exclusive for in-home listening?  It makes a difference in terms of choosing between open and closed cans.
 
 
Jan 3, 2013 at 4:51 PM Post #4 of 14
Quote:
Hi Abeltbuckle!  Welcome to Head-Fi.  Sorry about your wallet...
redface.gif

 
If I may ask, are you looking for a new rig exclusive for in-home listening?  It makes a difference in terms of choosing between open and closed cans.
 

Just looking at home use.  Prolly looking for open construction; I really enjoy the "airy-ness" of my current setup and def would support my music tastes.
 
Jan 5, 2013 at 6:42 PM Post #5 of 14
First, I'd like to echo GSA's recommendation.  If you're looking for a pair of versatile closed cans for electronic genres, honestly the Amperior is going to be hard to beat.  I'd loved them ever since I auditioned them, and once the price drops down to a reasonable level, I'll probably pick up a pair.
 
Having said that, I was doing a bit of listening on a pair DT-770/80 yesterday.  Running some chill-out (Chicane, Yuri Kane, etc.) through an HRT HeadStreamer into the DT-770 and it sounded mighty fine.  There was certainly enough bass response.  And while it was a tad bit warm and thick in the low end, there was still enough detail elsewhere that I wasn't put off by it.  The DT-770/80 is closed back, so there was a little less airyness and spaciousness than I would typically go for.
 
As for an open-backed solution, one possible rig that I'm looking at for the near future (so I don't have any of the following gear just yet) is an Audioengine D1 and HifiMan HE-400 pairing.  I think that would at least hold it's own for pretty much any genre out there.  That suits me as I listen to almost everything.  If I pick this up relatively soon (before you've made a decision), I'll shoot you some impressions.
 
Also wanted to mention that I also put in some listening time on an HD 650 and a Q701 yesterday.  I would NOT recommend either of those two for the genres that you like.  Perhaps a bit reminiscent of Goldilocks, but one's too warm and one's cold.
 
Jan 5, 2013 at 8:35 PM Post #6 of 14
HE-400 and ****t lyr it is then
 
Jan 5, 2013 at 11:28 PM Post #7 of 14
Quote:
HE-400 and ****t lyr it is then

 
First of all, lol at your avatar m8! 
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Secondly, I think a Schiit Lyr - although nice - might be a bit out of his price range atm. 
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Jan 6, 2013 at 4:02 AM Post #8 of 14
the modi/magni stack it is then :) or perhaps the o2/odac   1.5w should be more than enough to power that bad boy. the HE-400 isn't a picky thing like a HD800.
 
BTW warrenpchi, are u aware?
 
Jan 6, 2013 at 6:26 AM Post #9 of 14
Yeah, either the Schiit stack or the ODAC/O2 stack should work for him just fine then.
 
@abeltbuckle, if you want to save that little extra bit of money, you can self-build your O2 and omit the batteries (assuming that you never intend on running it portably).
 
Jan 6, 2013 at 9:20 PM Post #10 of 14
I've been doing alot of research lately and I think I've finally boiled down all the possibilities into a couple price ranges, I suppose at this point all that's left is finding how much I'm willing to pay and how much I'll get out of it.
 
Q701+audioengine d1=410$
 
HE 400+audioengine d1=570$
 
HE400+o2+odac=685$
 
HE500+o2+odac=985$
 
HE500+asgaurd+bifrost=1400$
 
Just don't know how much I can spend atm.  The ultra high end is so horribly tantalizing its making it hard to decide.
 
Anybody know where I can get a military discount on hifi audio equipment?  Might make a new thread for that question.
 
Jan 6, 2013 at 10:04 PM Post #11 of 14
another possibility is HD650+bottlehead crack + budget dac. would end up being less than 1k and can comfortably compete with he-500 setups
 
Jan 6, 2013 at 10:07 PM Post #12 of 14
Quote:
another possibility is HD650+bottlehead crack + budget dac. would end up being less than 1k and can comfortably compete with he-500 setups

I put alot of considerations into the hd650, prolly should be up their in my ranges (along with the ad900) though i hear they are very picky with amps and being as i'm new to the scene, i didnt want something that didnt sound perfect with a sketchy match.
 
Jan 6, 2013 at 10:51 PM Post #13 of 14
Quote:
 
Q701+audioengine d1=410$

 
Hmm, I'd advise against this pairing for EDM, Trance, Hip Hop.  I've been putting a pair of Q701s through it's paces, and so far the bass has yet to show up to the party.
 
If you don't mind putting in a little DIY elbow grease in, one cheap (and fun) way of exploring what you might like is to mod stuff.  For example, you can pick up a Fostex T50RP (cheap orthodynamic drivers) and then check out this thread:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/618659/fostex-t50rp-incremental-mods-and-measurements
 
You could then experiment to see what kind of signature you like best.  Once you've got it narrowed down, then you can start looking at cans with similar signatures.
 
Also, as mentioned before, you can self-build your own ODAC and O2 to save on costs.
 
Fostex T50RP = $100
Modding stuff = $50
Self-Built O2 = $90 (IIRC)
ODAC Add-on = $100
 
So about $350 for a bunch of fun.
 
As for military discounts, sorry but I'm drawing a blank there.  I suppose it would be too much to hope that AAFES has any of this stuff right?
 
Jan 7, 2013 at 12:05 AM Post #14 of 14
Quote:
I put alot of considerations into the hd650, prolly should be up their in my ranges (along with the ad900) though i hear they are very picky with amps and being as i'm new to the scene, i didnt want something that didnt sound perfect with a sketchy match.

rest assured, the DIY Bottlehead crack pairs beautifully with the HD650 and the HD800 for that matter
 

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