[a32e5s7]

Hello, I would really appreciate your input regarding this matter. I don't have much experience with quality headphones but I have listened to my brother's AKG K701 or 702 headphones and that's all the experience I have.
 
My budget is $300. I've been reading many threads and one of them stated that Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro would be the best of the money open style headphone. On Amazon, there is also a bundle you can get with a Creative Sound Blaster E5 DAC. Would that be a good combo?
 
I also see that there are many for sale threads here, perhaps there's a good deal someone could point me to?
 
I do listen to a wide variety of music and I really value clarity above all. Perhaps this is not a good comparison, but my stock iphone earbuds have clean sound, and of course, so do my brother's AKG.
 
Thank you in advance.  

 

[KG Jag]

I don't believe that you are yet ready to make a good choice with your $300--and we will need more information in order to help you.
 
What equipment will be feeding and powering these cans?  Will you be using an amp?
 
What is the format of your music and other sounds will you be putting into these cans?
 
The Creative Sound Blaster E5 DAC appears to be a combo amp/DAC.  Other than being part of bundle, why did you select it?
 
Describe the sound signature that you are seeking.  If you can't answer this question with a high degree of certainty, then you are not ready to buy. This is very important, as the sound signature of the AKG K701/702 (neutralish--but somewhat bright and a bit bass light) is quit different than that of the Beyer DT 990 ("V" shaped sound signature with recessed mids).  There are cans in your price range with other sound signatures as well.

 

[jodgey4]

The K702s are pretty neutral, maybe a bit lean on bass and high in treble. Is that sound okay to you?

 

[a32e5s7]

You may be right. Let me provide a bit more information.
 
Most of the time, I will be using an iphone to listen to my music. Most music is in 320 mp3 format, some are in FLAC.
 
I dont know anything about that combo I was describing, just chose it purely because it came as a combo.
 
About sound signature, you are right, I can not answer this with a certainty yet. I really don't have much experience yet. I did think that my brother's AKG's lacked bass.
 
With all of this information, maybe you could point me in the right direction. 

 

[Rhamnetin]

I'm not sure if you can even use an external DAC with an iPhone.  This needs to be confirmed before buying one.  As for your brother's AKG, so you want more bass but what did you think about the rest of the sound signature (mids, highs)?  The DT 990 certainly has more bass and is easy to drive, but also has accentuated treble and recessed mids.

 

[KG Jag]

  You may be right. Let me provide a bit more information.
 
Most of the time, I will be using an iphone to listen to my music. Most music is in 320 mp3 format, some are in FLAC.
 
I dont know anything about that combo I was describing, just chose it purely because it came as a combo.
 
About sound signature, you are right, I can not answer this with a certainty yet. I really don't have much experience yet. I did think that my brother's AKG's lacked bass.
 
With all of this information, maybe you could point me in the right direction. 

 
I'm not even sure that an iPhone (a low powered device that will not properly drive all headphones) will play the formats of music that you have.
 
You need to determine the sound signature that you prefer.  I suggest that you go to a store and audition quality headphones to determine what you like and what you don't.  You also might want to do some research on line about the different sound signatures of headphones (and speakers), and check out the Buying Guide:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide

 

[PurpleAngel]

  You may be right. Let me provide a bit more information.
Most of the time, I will be using an iPhone to listen to my music. Most music is in 320 mp3 format, some are in FLAC.
I don't know anything about that combo I was describing, just chose it purely because it came as a combo.
About sound signature, you are right, I can not answer this with a certainty yet. I really don't have much experience yet. I did think that my brother's AKG's lacked bass.
With all of this information, maybe you could point me in the right direction. 

 
The AKG series like a fair amount of juice to sound their best, so if your brother does not use a decent amplifier with them, they will not sound their best.
 
Philips Fidelio X2 are only 30-Ohms, should easy for your iPhone to drive them.
 
Another option is to get AKG K7XX headphone (only available used, $200?) and A FiiO A3 headphone amplifier ($60).
 
For something cheaper but still good (at least to me) Audio Technica ATH-AD900X ($150-$170), easy for the iPhone to drive.

 

[a32e5s7]

Well, maybe someone can point me to a budget setup that will be able to handle music, instead of my iphone. No more than $300.
 
I'll start going to local stores and trying out different headphones out and see what will become of that experience. 

 

[a32e5s7]

I think that maybe I need to buy a dedicated player like FiiO X3 2nd gen and then pair that with whatever headphones I'll find. Would I need an amp or dac if I used this player with HD650 for example. Not saying I'll get those but anything with similar power consumption?

 

[jodgey4]

The X3 would be a good DAC, with a good enough amp for use in a pinch with harder to drive cans like the HD650. You could always add something like the Fiio E12 or Cayin C5 for loads of power.

 

[a32e5s7]

Great. I appreciate all the help I got from you guys!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I'm not sure if you can even use an external DAC with an iPhone.  This needs to be confirmed before buying one. 

 
iPhone 5S and newer running iOS7 and up will run with the Lightning to USB Camera Connection Kit.
 

  Hello, I would really appreciate your input regarding this matter. I don't have much experience with quality headphones but I have listened to my brother's AKG K701 or 702 headphones and that's all the experience I have.
 
My budget is $300. I've been reading many threads and one of them stated that Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro would be the best of the money open style headphone. On Amazon, there is also a bundle you can get with a Creative Sound Blaster E5 DAC. Would that be a good combo?
 
I also see that there are many for sale threads here, perhaps there's a good deal someone could point me to?
 
I do listen to a wide variety of music and I really value clarity above all. Perhaps this is not a good comparison, but my stock iphone earbuds have clean sound, and of course, so do my brother's AKG.

 

I'd say that's a great price considering that the E5 alone is worth $199; that's like getting $80 off on the headphone. Plus the E5 has a line out port so you can upgrade to a bigger headphone amp later if you hear one that sounds better with the DT990 at your listening levels; and also it has BT, so you can get powered speakers (like studio monitors that take unbalanced inputs), and the E5 can act as a BT receiver.

 

The question here though is whether you'll like the DT990.

 

 

I think that maybe I need to buy a dedicated player like FiiO X3 2nd gen and then pair that with whatever headphones I'll find. Would I need an amp or dac if I used this player with HD650 for example. Not saying I'll get those but anything with similar power consumption?

 

The X3 can function as a DAC+HPamp when hooked up to a PC via USB. If anything you'll probably get a bit more "oomph" out of the HD600s if you drive them with a powerful desktop amp, but you can just save up for that later. Personally though if it'll mostly be for home use I'd skip the portable player and just put the money towards a DAC+HPamp. I use my Android phone as a music server using USB audio via an OTG adapter

 (and before that an iPad2 using the CCK).

 

 

 

[a32e5s7]

I have decided on HD650 and ordered those. Also decided to change my budget for the whole setup a bit.

Do want to use hd650's for home use, so I'll wait on the portable setup for a little while. What DAC/ AMP would be a good option for these headphones, I would prefer it to be portable if needed, if that's possible.

 

[a32e5s7]

And what is the difference between amp/dac vs desktop amp vs portable amp? I am trying to read as much as possible, maybe I missed that part?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Do want to use hd650's for home use, so I'll wait on the portable setup for a little while. What DAC/ AMP would be a good option for these headphones, I would prefer it to be portable if needed, if that's possible.

 

Get an inexpensive portable DAC+HPamp like the Ibasso D-Zero MkII. If you really want to then just add maybe a cleaner and more powerful desktop amp later on, but at least the D-Zero is already great on its own with those Sennheisers and fantastic on the road. I liked the original D-Zero over the old but more powerful D2 and even the D4 (these sound a little warmer with these headphones, but it could be their DAC's output stage rather than their amps).