[Willarman]

Gday Guys,
 
First of all, I've been a long time lurker here, and used these forums as a main source of information regarding headphones that I have purchased in the past. I have owned a fair few headphones, from the cheap $50 headsets you pick up from EB Games, to "gaming headsets" and to low to mid fi Audio Technica AD700s, Sennheiser 555s, and now the Beyer DT-990/600s.
 
I've had the Beyer's for a year and a half now, from which I used info to base on my purchase right here, including my headphone amp (LD MK V). I've enjoyed this setup very much with my vinyl rig, and I've decided to keep up with my rig, I really want some higher end cans, and I'm hoping that Head-Fi can lend me a hand one more time, and I thank this site and it's users for all the audio pleasure I've had over the years.
 
Ok, the dillema;
 
I've had my eye on the HiFiMan HE-500s for a while, based on a thread here which I can't find right now. A bloke stated that he wanted some headphones that were balanced, but still had great bass prescence, he recommended the Denon D5000, and then the HE-500s, for which he said these are the only phones I know of from personal experience that can do the bass the Denon's can do, but you can't exactly compare them as the are a lot higher end. From here I discovered Orthodynamic headphones, and naturally I discovered the LCD-2's. Some people say these are the dog's bollox, so to speak, with great flat bass response.
 
Orthodynamics seem to have everything I want, great clarity and sound stage, with great bass. However, from reading and reading, some people say the LCD-2's do not have that great bass, and some say it is the best they've heard.
 
My dilemma is that, I find the DT-990's bass to be very good, and also the notes have a lot of weight to them that I can hear / feel in my ears, and I love that. I really want to keep this aspect but have an even clearer pair of cans that will last me years to come and I'm hoping the the LCD-2's or the HE-500s can provide me with that. My only problem is I'm unable the actually listen to and test the HE-500s currently, and I will be auditioning the LCD-2s in about a week.
 
Should I be expecting the bass "weight" (as I describe it) to be present in the LCD-2's or even the HE-500s and how would the HE-500s compare to the LCD-2s in terms of bass "weight"?
 
If it helps at all, I do listen to quite a wide range of genres, from the sub bass driven styles of dubstep, drum and bass, dub, reggae, ska, older thrash metal and hip hop.
Any insight and info that any of you can provide would be greatly appreciated and highly anticipated, and I hope some of my ranting can be over looked... 

 
Cheers guys,
 
Sam

 

[NinjaSquirt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willarman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Should I be expecting the bass "weight" (as I describe it) to be present in the
LCD-2's or even the HE-500s and how would the HE-500s compare to the LCD-2s in terms of bass "weight"?
 
If it helps at all, I do listen to quite a wide range of genres, from the sub bass driven styles of dubstep, drum and bass, dub, reggae, ska, older thrash metal and hip hop.
Any insight and info that any of you can provide would be greatly appreciated and highly anticipated, and I hope some of my ranting can be over looked... 

 
Cheers guys,
 
Sam

Weight yes, natural yes, great sounding bass,yes. What you're looking for in "clearer" sound is probably better mids since the DT990 are mid-recessed. You'll definitely find that in the LCD-2. Never heard the HE-500.
 
 

 

[Willarman]

Quote:

Weight yes, natural yes, great sounding bass,yes. What you're looking for in "clearer" sound is probably better mids since the DT990 are mid-recessed. You'll definitely find that in the LCD-2. Never heard the HE-500.
 
 

Thanks for the insight mate, really can't wait to listen to the LCD-2's, I have a feeling these will be the cans that I buy as soon as I hear them. I have a feeling that some people say they lack in bass due to source and also quite possibly the amps they are using to drive them.
 
I really would like to know how they compare to the HE-500s however, as I'm not in a place where the HE-500s are available for audition (Perth, Australia) unfortunately, and I have had a look on the Head Direct website if they offer some kind of 30 day trial to no success. I will perhaps send them an email asking them this to see what they think. 
 
Cheers,
 
Sam
 

 

[Willarman]

Gday Guys,
 
Well I headed off into the city today to audition the LCD-2s, and to my huge surprise, they had the HE-500s there, which arrived last Friday, very lucky. So I ended up being able to compare the two cans with music that I am very familiar with... What an experience this was. I spent about an hour and a half in there just listening to music on these two absolutely brilliant cans, with about $300 difference, I had a very hard decision to make about which cans I preferred. Perhaps one of the hardest decisions I've made since having to choose my first motor bike.
 
I eventually decided on the LCD-2s, based on the fact I personally thought they had the better defined bass, for the first time I actually noticed the different tones on the bass notes, I chose the LCD-2s. My ears were not pierced by the highs (as apposed to my DT-990s), the bass did not sound "fake", it was weighty and very impacting, yet not overwhelming. I found this in the HE-500s also, but I thought that I could hear more of the track, it sounded so open, so wide, yet in my face with the LCD-2s, I described it as a hug of sound, a warm coffee on a winter's morning .. It was amazing, the best audio experience of my life, and now I'm enjoying it in the comfort of my home, spinning LPs for the past 5 hours, with a couple of cold beers on a cool summer's day.
 
I now know what people mean by when they say they've found audio bliss, and I thank the creators of the LCD-2s for the feeling they have given me.
 
Cheers,
 
Sam