[elvis_presley]

Hi all!

Recently moved from home to an apartment. My old man had a sweet setup comprising of Vandersteen 2ce signatures, a modded Marsh amp, a Plinus pre and ... I forget the source ... Ah, it was music to my ears!

The Vandersteen's have crystalline, airy, highs with clear and liquild mids and a decent bottom end ... supposedly down to 27Hz ... the presentation was very neutral, detailed and slightly forward or front row.

I've also spent some time with Silverline Sonatina III's but I thought they were too dry and uninvolving with the same sources outlined above.

Basically I'm looking for some cans that can replicate that Vandersteen sound as close as possible ...

The headphone world is new to me and I recently had to opportunity to briefly audition some Sennheiser hd600's which were too dark for my tastes. Definitely a back row sound.

I guess they seemed very veiled to me as well, as mentioned in a couple of threads.

Based on budget I was looking at the HD595's or the ATH-A900's, however I will not get the opportunity to audition either

before ordering.

Any recommendations based on my audio preferences?

Thanks in advance ...

 

[elrod-tom]

I've heard the VanDerSteens, and IMHO they remind me more of the AKG house sound. I'm thinking that K-701's would be good, but maybe a bit unfriendly budget-wise.

 

[BushGuy]

I've had Vandersteen 2C's since they came out in the 70's..................not replicating the their sound, but consonant with them is Beyer dt990/600.......

 

[elvis_presley]

Wow quick responses!

Thanks guys ... Any other opinions?

Other than the K701's or DT990/600's?

I think one of those might be my next set of phones as I'd like to start with something 'small' that didn't necessarily necessitate an amp ...

So I'm looking for something close as possible to that sound without breaking the budget ...

Thanks again ...

 

[BushGuy]

Elvis,........beware, there is an amp in your future........."resistance is futile".

Now, if your old man had powered those 'steens with th P.S. Audio Integrated Elite amp (way back when, co. is a bit different these days), the phoneout was pretty decent - you wouldn't have really needed another amp
(and if he had added a good subwoofer to his setup ........really, really g-o-o-o-o-d).
If you go with dt990 - think of amping with a Corda.

 

[elvis_presley]

Update ... Got my Dt990/250's that's what was the closest to my preference that was available here in Trinidad ...

Nice but not quite what I was looking for. Mids slightly recessed and bass a touch boomy but setting down well after about 30hours of playtime ...

I'd have preferred more forward mids and tighter bass, but I'm currently running the DT's out of the headphone out on my Rotel RSX-965 receiver.

Would a nice used Corda amp provide a significat upgrade in sound over the Rotel??

Maybe an ATH-AD2000 should be my next buy?? Perhaps some Grados?

Damn ... I've only been here a month and money spending like water (local expression)