[NallyFace]

Hello all,

I am using a Denon PMA 720ae amp with some AKG K52 headphones right now. I am looking to upgrade and get some good headphones now I have the right space to sit and listen.

I listen to an eclectic mix but love detail, I want all the twinkles to shine and love hearing the stuff I get through my Shure SE425s and bookshelf Monitor Audio speakers.

Music taste, Radiohead to Pink Floyd to Bowie to Nick Cave to Brian Eno to Carbon Based Lifeforms. So eclectic but nothing described as pop or mainstream.

Bass is no huge thing for me but when it comes, for example I like some electronic music, I want it to work and punch. I suppose I can up the dial if needed.

I always use Reckoner by Radiohead as my go-to test song for these things, the symbols, the vocal at 1:33 goes so far back on my Shure's with a lossless file - it's what I crave and don't often hear, especially with crap Spotify sound.

Can anyone recommend the right cans for me? Or should I stop typing at get the HD600's?

Price range - up to £350 -£400

I did originally hope to have something beautiful looking as well as sounding, wooden or similar but sound is the most important thing.

Cheers all

 

[krenky]

What headphones did you get? I have the Denon D7200 with PMA720 and the results are great. Also got the Denon shelf speakers and the sound is fantastic for my smaller room. All headphones I have sounds really great with PMA720 the adding some extra punch to it. Looking for upgrade to PMA800 now.

 

[silent-circuit]

Don't know if the Denon AH-D7200 are the sound you're looking for (or in budget - I typically see them around the $500 USD mark used) but they're definitely the look. If you prefer a warmer sound without too much loss of detail, though? They're great. And as mentioned, beautiful.

The Focal Elegia would also be an option, depending on what they cost for you locally. Regularly on sale for $400 USD new here, and probably the best closed back option at that price point. Also very pretty in their own way, though no wood. Not as warm a sound, so they may actually suit your tastes better.

In the same "ugly but analytical" camp as the Sennheiser HD-600 there's the Audio Technica ATH-R70X, and I generally prefer them to the more popular Senns. They're vastly more comfortable and have a more natural bass response to my ear. 470 ohm, but reasonably sensitive, I still recommend a fairly stout amp to get the best out of them, especially if you intend to use EQ. Running them off the front panel out of your integrated probably won't go well - that said, I doubt it will do well with the HD-600 either. These high ohm load analytical headphones are typically more "picky" about amp choice.

 

[NallyFace]

What headphones did you get? I have the Denon D7200 with PMA720 and the results are great. Also got the Denon shelf speakers and the sound is fantastic for my smaller room. All headphones I have sounds really great with PMA720 the adding some extra punch to it. Looking for upgrade to PMA800 now.

I have this setup now and not too expensive:

HiFiMan Sundara, powered via a Topping DX3 Pro headphone amp. Playing files direct from my Mac. With hires files, it’s the best sound I have and just wonderful.

For the room I have the Denon PMA720 with the CD player and Monitor Audio BX2 speakers, a nice clean sound. I love the speakers so much and very happy with the setup.

Topping DAC/AMP can be used a preamp but have not tried that yet.

 

[silent-circuit]

I have this setup now and not too expensive:

HiFiMan Sundara, powered via a Topping DX3 Pro headphone amp. Playing files direct from my Mac. With hires files, it’s the best sound I have and just wonderful.

For the room I have the Denon PMA720 with the CD player and Monitor Audio BX2 speakers, a nice clean sound. I love the speakers so much and very happy with the setup.

Topping DAC/AMP can be used a preamp but have not tried that yet.

The Topping DX3 Pro is likely a much better headphone amp than the Denon (its headphone output is more an afterthought than anything).

 

[NallyFace]

The Topping DX3 Pro is likely a much better headphone amp than the Denon (its headphone output is more an afterthought than anything).

The conclusion nicks too, headphone amp is made for it right? It’s a great piece of kit.

 

[krenky]

I have this setup now and not too expensive:

HiFiMan Sundara, powered via a Topping DX3 Pro headphone amp. Playing files direct from my Mac. With hires files, it’s the best sound I have and just wonderful.

For the room I have the Denon PMA720 with the CD player and Monitor Audio BX2 speakers, a nice clean sound. I love the speakers so much and very happy with the setup.

Topping DAC/AMP can be used a preamp but have not tried that yet.

Very nice setup indeed. I use the FiiO K5Pro and it sound really good, well happy with the sound quality. They can handle my headphones just fine but when I pair it with PMA720 i could feel a bit more power in that sound, somehow my headphones sounded a bit wider and had great bass impact.
You should try to use it as a preamp and compare the sound. Especially if you try Source Direct on/off.

The Denon D7200 are amazing headphones but only after I adjusted them a bit with EQ. I have actually posted my EQ settings on this website. As default they are a bit darker, with EQ they open amazingly and the sound is just fantastic. I have good collection of Denon headphones but I still looking to extend it for the Kennerton Magni (great headphones on budget) and my end game is going to be the D9200. I have gone over 200 pages for the D9200 on this website and its just very interesting reading... for many audiophiles here they are one of the best closed headphones out there. They are bloody expensive but I think they will be worth it.

Thats why I am looking to upgrade the current PMA-720ae amp to the PMA-800ne as I have very good experience with the Denon brand plus as far as I have read they replaced most of the components with higher quality and have upgraded their sound engineers to work on that. Anyway, I will be posting my comparison and thoughts soon on this website.

Its nice to see there are users here enjoying great sound without spending a fortune.

 

[NallyFace]

Very nice setup indeed. I use the FiiO K5Pro and it sound really good, well happy with the sound quality. They can handle my headphones just fine but when I pair it with PMA720 i could feel a bit more power in that sound, somehow my headphones sounded a bit wider and had great bass impact.
You should try to use it as a preamp and compare the sound. Especially if you try Source Direct on/off.

The Denon D7200 are amazing headphones but only after I adjusted them a bit with EQ. I have actually posted my EQ settings on this website. As default they are a bit darker, with EQ they open amazingly and the sound is just fantastic. I have good collection of Denon headphones but I still looking to extend it for the Kennerton Magni (great headphones on budget) and my end game is going to be the D9200. I have gone over 200 pages for the D9200 on this website and its just very interesting reading... for many audiophiles here they are one of the best closed headphones out there. They are bloody expensive but I think they will be worth it.

Thats why I am looking to upgrade the current PMA-720ae amp to the PMA-800ne as I have very good experience with the Denon brand plus as far as I have read they replaced most of the components with higher quality and have upgraded their sound engineers to work on that. Anyway, I will be posting my comparison and thoughts soon on this website.

Its nice to see there are users here enjoying great sound without spending a fortune.

I’ve been fortunate price wise. The amp 2nd hand but almost new was £100, the speakers returns at Richersounds as apparently the guys wife did not like the colour - £170. Topping was a voucher via work and so were the headphones. Bargains. Friend just got a great amp off eBay for £100.