[Lippy]

I'm currently diggin' the Grado SR-225. They're great for rock (as many here know well). However, I'd like to complement the 225s with an HP that offers more detail without being strident in the high end (making my ears bleed) or demanding much without a dedicated hp amp (which I will plan to add some day).

Thus far, I've been thinking about the following, and while I've certainly found plenty of opinions here about the various phones, I'd love to have some collected advice on this group here in this thread. Thanks for any advice:

Sony CD3000
Alessandro MS-2
Grado SR-325
Grado RS-1
Grado RS-2
AT A900
AT W1000

 

[VanTheMan]

Go Senn

I have bought the 595s and with my current equipment, they sound ...... PERFECT, very good mids ... the bass for my taste lacks a little bit ( well im running them on an old and bad philips minihi-fi system ) but the highs are clear, the voices sound crisp and clear, not strident. I find them very mussical and when i get a headphones amp im sure the bass will go better ...

May be you should go for the HD650 ...

Highly recommended

 

[blessingx]

More detail, less brightness...
I'd go Etymotic.

 

[lizzardfire]

I'd go Ety too. Most everything you listed needs an amp to bring out its full potential, or so I hear.

 

[Chefguru]

Sony CD3000- no no no
Alessandro MS-2- yes
Grado SR-325- hell no
Grado RS-1- no
Grado RS-2- no
AT A900 - would work
AT W1000 - maybe

 

[3lusiv3]

Without an amp it would have to be the Alessandro MS-2 or AT A900 and since you already have open headphones I would say go for the A900's.

 

[md01]

Since you already have a pair of Grados, I would get something else to experiment with different sound. You can cross CD3k off your list. They need a good amp and a matching source to take the brightness away. A900 might be a good pair to go with. Another idea is to get an amp instead of another pair of cans.

 

[ayt999]

get an amp first... gives you more time to decide on what sound you want from your next headphone.

nevermind that you will have more of a selection later on due to being able to get cans that require amps to sound nice.

 

[slug]

I myself have SR225s and have no complaints about them. I decided to get a closed can to complement them and chose the A900's after much research around here.

 

[commando]

To my ears, the A900 is a baby CD3K. The CD3Ks are good, but they're probably overpriced for what they are. A900s are 90-95% as good for 30-50% the price.

I don't agree with the suggestion of get an amp and choose your cans later. Choose your cans, and if you need one get an amp. For senn 650s you need a big, powerful amp, for A900s/CD3Ks you don't need a powerful one at all, and it'd be cheaper. For example I can't hear a difference between my pimeta and my ppa.

Do you want open, or closed? If you want open the 595s would probably be good. If you want closed try A900s. A900s will run fine without an amp, or at most with a small one. 595s I think get better with an amp, but don't require one. Disclaimer - not tried 595s myself, just 570s, and I was reasonably impressed.

 

[bakhtiar]

Why no-no-no for CD3Ks? Let him try and decide

. CD3Ks can be listened sufficiently without any amps, but, it still needs GOOD SOURCEs and amps, if you want full advantage of the cans.

 

[Chefguru]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakhtiar Why no-no-no for CD3Ks? Let him try and decide . CD3Ks can be listened sufficiently without any amps, but, it still needs GOOD SOURCEs and amps, if you want full advantage of the cans.

I wasn't saying no to the cd3k because it needs an amp. I was saying no to the cd3k because it's a over priced pos bright as hell headphone with no mid range.

 

[hop ham]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chefguru I wasn't saying no to the cd3k because it needs an amp. I was saying no to the cd3k because it's a over priced pos bright as hell headphone with no mid range.

uh oh......

 

[Jahn]

yah really. according to my Head-fi Newbie Handbook, sovkiller should be in here soon flaming the troll post...*takes notes*

 

[md01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chefguru I wasn't saying no to the cd3k because it needs an amp. I was saying no to the cd3k because it's a over priced pos bright as hell headphone with no mid range.

That's often the case if you have an inadequate or badly paired system. To say that cd3k are overpriced is simply not true considering that the top of grado is much more expensive. Senns are also more expensive considering that most who have them spend additional ~ $200 on replacement cable.