[Christian Boysen]

Hi, so this is my very first post in here, though I have been searching your forum for answers for a few days.

My problem is a little tricky. I need some new headphones, but I have a max budget around 360$ (Around 2000 danish kr) although I will be pretty broke if I spend all 360$.

I need some headphones for my Desktop computer mostly, which is using a Sound blaster X-Fi extreme gamer sound card. Even though I really like music, I'm a complete audiophile noob compared to most of you guys in here. So a little help will be much appreciated.

I mostly listen to rock/progressive metal but also enjoy classical acoustic music through my 70$ sennheiser PC 161 phones, but I want to push it a bit (a lot) further

I have been looking at headphones like Grado Sr225 = 1999kr and Senn HD 600 / 650 = 1550/1999kr also some Beyerdynamic DT 990 pro = 1000kr and then in the end the little misplaced Creative Aurvana X-Fi = 1330kr.

So what should I buy? Getting an amp will pretty much blow budget, unless you have recommendations? - I tend also to use my iPod a bit when traveling, but it's not a big issue. I'm leaning a bit over to the sr225 unamped, even though they will kill me, but I may be wrong.

Any Ideas?

Kind regards - Christian

ps. Appologize for my poor english

 

[KONAKONA]

Well from what I've read the senns and the beyers will need a good amp with them, which will most likely set you out of budget.

If the 225s are going to be bad for your wallet (Which, might I add, most things in head-fi are.) Then you might want to look at getting at SR-80s or 60s instead. I've read that a good amp can bring out some bass on these as well.

I'm afraid I haven't heard any of these though, so you're gonna want to wait for someone who has to chime in. Shouldn't be too long I suspect.

 

[lutwey]

ill go w/ ms2. free shipping world 300 usd shipped. + 15-25 usd for the 1/4 to 1/8 adapter

 

[Busta9iron]

I have to recommend the Audio Technica AD700's. These cans are amazing for the $100 price tag (in the USA). Don't know the price in Europe. Like posted above, if you are going for the Sennheiser 600, 650, and while these are well respected cans here, they will need an amp. I listen to rock, some metal, alternative rock, recently have gotten into instrumental jazz, and the AD700's do them all well. They are even better with an amp, but work fine without an amp. Hope this helps instead of confuses.

 

[Christian Boysen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busta9iron /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have to recommend the Audio Technica AD700's. These cans are amazing for the $100 price tag (in the USA). Don't know the price in Europe. Like posted above, if you are going for the Sennheiser 600, 650, and while these are well respected cans here, they will need an amp. I listen to rock, some metal, alternative rock, recently have gotten into instrumental jazz, and the AD700's do them all well. They are even better with an amp, but work fine without an amp. Hope this helps instead of confuses.

Thanks and thanks to the others too so far, incredibly fast reply, I will look at the AD700 as recommended, hope there will be a little more suggestions

- still thanks so far

 

[tom_3_21]

I second the AD700 here is a review - Headphonic - Australian Headphone Forums :: View topic - Review: Audio Technica ATH-AD700

 

[Christian Boysen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom_3_21 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I second the AD700 here is a review - Headphonic - Australian Headphone Forums :: View topic - Review: Audio Technica ATH-AD700

Hmm.. Yeah.. After I got the AD700 recommended I started googling them, and it seems like a really nice pair of head phones for my standards. In the end of the review you linked, he says that the AD900 is even better - But is that still without the amp? - If nothing else I'm really gonna buy the AD700 at Thorman.de

 

[Christian Boysen]

Btw.. I searched for the MS2's but they don't seem to ship to europe, I might be wrong, but I simply couldnt find anything on them. - Still going with the AD700s ..

 

[tom_3_21]

I would recommend an amp with the AD700's. I just have a small Hotaudio Hot usb1 DAC which I use with my laptop and the difference is huge. althouth they do sound great unamped.

 

[Christian Boysen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom_3_21 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would recommend an amp with the AD700's. I just have a small Hotaudio Hot usb1 DAC which I use with my laptop and the difference is huge. althouth they do sound great unamped.

Well Yes, AD700 is about half the price as the sr225 or senn HD650, but the dac you are refering to might be an issue now that i have a sound card with no usb-connection, so I don't think its possible. Still interested in the AD900, as they mentioned on the review. Only that I don't know if they are easy driven.

 

[QQQ]

Grado

 

[tom_3_21]

I have heard the AD900's are in the same boat as the 700's, they certianly dont require an amp but and amp will make a difference.

 

[Christian Boysen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom_3_21 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have heard the AD900's are in the same boat as the 700's, they certianly dont require an amp but and amp will make a difference.

Well after a bit of searching on google, it seems that shipping a couple of AD900 to denmark from the US will cost me around 2300kr - Yes, way over my budget.

So I think I'll stick with the AD700 and maybe buy an amp (USB dac?) later on - The AD700 'only' cost around 1000kr (170$ orso)

Dunno what amp / dac though - but thanks for the fast replays and help!

really greatful

 

[yashicaman]

Thinking it over, my favourite cans for rock are Grado 325i's. For the lolly, the 225's are probably a better deal (lighter, some say it has a sweeter sound--not as seemingly strident as the 325i's). If you want to cheap out, one other member suggested the SR-60 or the SR-80. I have a pair of the SR-60's and they are amazing for the price. I'd just buy the 60's anyway for the Grado sound (which is delightful in its immediacy) and something else like the AD700. You can get by sans amp for Grado (or try a modest amp like a FiiO E5).

Enjoy your new cans.

Cheers!

 

[glac1er]

The Grado seems very expensive over there. I second the Alessandros recommendation; they're basically Grados with slightly different sound. You can buy them from their website with free shipping worldwide. Very nice headphones for rock/metal but the small soundstage can be problematic for classical.

As for the AD700, great headphones but I prefer a little bit more bite for metal.