[Aar0n]

Since I got my Vibes back in January, my inner audiophile has been wanting a little more. I'm mostly stuck with 128 and 192 kbps MP3s and AACs on my iPod, and I'm definitely ready for more.
My upgrade plan is a trifecta; I'm planning to get a new sound card for my computer, a new set of headphones for gaming, music and VoIP, and to also build/buy an amp to push the whole setup a bit farther.
This thread is about the second of those three goals: What set of full-sized headphones is a real workhorse? Something balanced, but with plenty of personality, and a bit of a punch. My musical tastes are mainly heavy metal, but they may wander to other genres at times, so I wouldn't want anything too specialized. I'd also be playing first person shooters and RPGs on these, so a decent amount of "oomph" would be great. Price range is yet to be determined. Ideally, I'd want something under $150, but I'll see what you guys come up with.

 

[Aar0n]

Bumped for great justice?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aar0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif What set of full-sized headphones is a real workhorse? Something balanced, but with plenty of personality, and a bit of a punch. My musical tastes are mainly heavy metal, but they may wander to other genres at times, so I wouldn't want anything too specialized. I'd also be playing first person shooters and RPGs on these, so a decent amount of "oomph" would be great. Price range is yet to be determined. Ideally, I'd want something under $150, but I'll see what you guys come up with.

Personality, punch, heavy metal. Sounds like the Grado SR-225 to me. They run $200, but you can find them used here and there for less. You might want to look at the rest of the lineup, too. The SR-125, SR-80, SR-60, and the Alessandro MS-1 might also fit the bill. Then again, if you want something balanced, the MS-1 might be the best overall choice. It's only $99, too. Further, all of the Grado/Alessandro headphones work well without an amp, so you wouldn't need to buy one.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aar0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Since I got my Vibes back in January, my inner audiophile has been wanting a little more. I'm mostly stuck with 128 and 192 kbps MP3s and AACs on my iPod, and I'm definitely ready for more. My upgrade plan is a trifecta; I'm planning to get a new sound card for my computer, a new set of headphones for gaming, music and VoIP, and to also build/buy an amp to push the whole setup a bit farther. This thread is about the second of those three goals: What set of full-sized headphones is a real workhorse? Something balanced, but with plenty of personality, and a bit of a punch. My musical tastes are mainly heavy metal, but they may wander to other genres at times, so I wouldn't want anything too specialized. I'd also be playing first person shooters and RPGs on these, so a decent amount of "oomph" would be great. Price range is yet to be determined. Ideally, I'd want something under $150, but I'll see what you guys come up with.

I think you're describing the HD595. It is often mentioned as a preferred HP among gamers. You also might want to consider the Ultrasone HFI-700; contact Northern Sound and Light directly for pricing.

 

[MaloS]

Grado lacks soundstage - thats a big thumbs down for games.
HD595 is excellent, it is not as bright as grado, but certainly got punchy flavor and good for gaming. Just make sure that the amp you provide it with gives good bass/current. (I am not quite certain on which budget amps do that, but c&c box seems to be mentioned to do that by another user in a separate thread).
<< Personally I don't like Grados for metal, there is not enough low chug...while my hd595 + dv 332 combo got that down quite well.