[SunByrne]

OK, so a while back I posted a thread about best closed cans, where it was determined that I should get BOTH the HD280 and the V6.

Well, I'm back with another one, which is open cans in the same price range. I've heard good things on these boards about both the Senn HD497 and the Grado SR60. Anything else I should consider in this range? How do those two compare?

As I said in the other thread, my primary criterion is accuracy--flattest response for the dollar, as it were. These will be for mixed home/portable (iPod) use, mostly home. Mix of rock, electronica, classical. (For those also from the speaker world, I'm a PSB fan...)

While I've heard a lot of good things about the SR60s, the HD497's are more accurate, yes? Or no?

Thanks for helping out a newbie!

 

[blessingx]

SR80's and Alessandro MS1's being obvious companions to the SR80's (and still under $100).

What's the home setup. What kind of power are you sending to these?

I like the 497's a lot (and its cord is more suited for port use than Grados), but without knowing anything else, I think the MS1's are probably the best bang for your buck. Some, as I'm sure you've heard, have issues with Grados & comfort.

As for flat being the desired goal, maybe forget everything I just said. It's never been a target for me and I'm not sure any of the above works if that's your primary concern. Mayby 497's are slightly more neutral... but "accurate" is a different thing.

 

[hero zero]

AKG K141S, K240S......

 

[pbirkett]

Having owned both the 497's and SR80's and having similar tastes in music to you, I'd say that the SR60's, if they are anything like as good as the 80's, are clearly a better choice for your type of music. I just couldnt get on with their brightness and lack of comfort, but the 497's werent all that comfy either, and were plain boring to listen to IMO. Good headphones to fall asleep to though...

 

[appar111]

Well, I own the SR80's and for rock and electronica they would get my vote, but as blessingx said, if accuracy is your goal, then they wouldn't fit the bill-- they have a boosted high end and slightly boosted low end, but it just so happens that this works really well with those types of music.

maybe Sony V6/7506, since they are used for studio monitoring? But they seem to have a peak in the lower treble that would be fatiguing with classical...

Either one of those choices would be in the $50-100 mark...

appar111

 

[sephka]

S E A R C H

 

[Geek]

Grados are a very good sound but unfortunately I find it to be colored and not accurate at all. May I suggest the HD497; it is more accurate but it has a wolly bass which is a bit bumped up in the upper bass/lower mids section but otherwise pretty natural.

The PX100 is really tiny but seems to have a good accurate sound, although it lacks in very bottom end bass.

Other than that I have not really heard the Koss models (most people say they have too strong a mid/upper bass to be accurate), beyer's budget cans (very few people seem to own DT231s or DT331s), etc.

Those are your options. In a nutshell, 497s are more accuate, but SR60s are more fun

Cheers,
Geek

 

[SunByrne]

Quote:

Originally posted by blessingx What's the home setup. What kind of power are you sending to these?

Currently powered by my NAD C740 receiver, which has better headphone amplification that your standard consumer-grade receiver, but not as good as a dedicated headphone amp--that'll come later, once my wallet has recovered from my current headphone binge...

Quote:

Originally posted by sephka S E A R C H

Yeah, thanks, I've done that, but not everyone has the same criteria that I do. Trust me, there's a huge host of other questions I haven't asked beacause of the search function.

Quote:

Originally posted by appar111 maybe Sony V6/7506, since they are used for studio monitoring? But they seem to have a peak in the lower treble that would be fatiguing with classical...

I have some V6's on order, but I'm looking for open phones. Gotta have a set of open, a set of closed, a portable set, a set of buds... See, I've caught the Dreaded Head-Fi Disease!