[Proglover]

I want to buy a pair of headphones, specially to use with progressive music, symphonic music.
I own the Beyers DT770's, but I'm really missing something with this kind of music. I love them, but tend to use them for other kinds of music. Now I want a pair to rock....or to say: to rock multi-layered style
 
Some examples of the music I'm going to listen to:
Porcupine Tree, Rush, Dream Theater/Liquid Tension, Spock's Beard, Neal Morse, IQ, Ayreon, Pain of Salvation, Riverside, Symphony X, VandenPlas, Flower King...
 
This is usually very multi layered music where there's much happening. I would really like to easily hear all the different sounds etc.
 
I'm a musician, a drummer, I want to hear as much detail as possible in what the musicians are doing. Don't exactly know how to call that, but to hear not only the sum of thing, but I want to hear all the parts.
 
Now comes the catch: I'm not going to spend 300 euros on Sennheiser HD650's of AKG 702's. I read a lot in other threads about multi-layered prog music and these cans, but it's just to much for me.
 
I was thinking about some models:
 
- Grado's SR225 (great rock, but also 'the multi layered experience'?)
- AKG's 601 (how are these with this kind of music?)
- Allessandro's MS-1 (obviously very cheap, but I hear some good thing about them)
 
I would really like some help, especially from people who listen to the music mentioned above. At this moment I tend to lean to the 601's, but I couldn't find much about them pairing with this kind of music.
 

 

[Proglover]

ps. ampification is not an issue

 

[Tanjent]

Grado, if you can afford them
Alessandro, if you cant.
Both wicked for rockin out...
I listen to same music as you do, you wont regret it.

 

[Proglover]

thanks
 
Well, 200 dollars / 150 euro's is near the top of what I want to spend.
 
I know Grado's will rock bigtime, but do they also have the detail I want, I guess that's the core question. Do I need AKG for that or Grado also going to give me that.
 
I own some AKG 450's that I actually prefer over Beyers DT770's with this kind of music. 

 

[winzzz]

"This is usually very multi layered music where there's much happening. I would really like to easily hear all the different sounds etc"

id go for akg

 

[Proglover]

Quote:

"This is usually very multi layered music where there's much happening. I would really like to easily hear all the different sounds etc"

id go for akg

ok, but within that price range, you have 601, 271 mkII, 272HD...(at least with the store I'm going to buy) 

 

[Proglover]

Anybody?
 
Come on, fellow prog.heads, I know you're here at this great head-fi community

 

[VulgarDisplay]

If you're not turned off by a little DIY check out the Fostex t50rp.  I find them to be an amazing rock headphone after they are modded a little bit.  

 

[Proglover]

Quote:

If you're not turned off by a little DIY check out the Fostex t50rp.  I find them to be an amazing rock headphone after they are modded a little bit.  

 Damn no, sorry, I'm definitely not handy with that kind of stuff. DIY amps, headphone modification, not for me

 

[Ouspensky]

you really want to hear every little thing?? get your hands on the sony mdr-v6 / mdr-7506 and you will hear Gilmore stepping up to the mic sighing, take a small breath and start singing "whish you were here" as if he was there in the room with you....those headphones are a scalpel, you will hear every single thing there is in a recording, plus doing the beyer velour pad mod only ads to the pleasure. cheers

 

[tdogzthmn]

I listen to alot of progressive rock and some metal.  My vote would go towards the K601 which is a great all-rounder and has some fantastic mids.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Proglover invited me over from another thread. 

 
OK ...  What I listen to that you listen to, the bolded ones:
 
Quote:

  Porcupine Tree, Rush, Dream Theater/Liquid Tension, Spock's Beard, Neal Morse, IQ, Ayreon, Pain of Salvation, Riverside, Symphony X, VandenPlas, Flower King...
 

 
Riverside ... I tried man, I really tried.  Just didn't do much for me. 

 
I have (had) all of the AKG 501, 601, and 701 at one time.  (Still have the 501's.)  I didn't much like the K701.  I know there's a lot of love here, but I don't really understand the treble emphasis of these.  Great mids, boosted treble, and not much bass, IMO.  Not an amp issue: I have 2 amps that can drive the K240DF's which are much harder to drive.  I did like the K601 more, but I like the K501 more than the 601.  There is a progression there of more mellow treble and more bass from the 701 to the 601 to the 501, but the 501 still isn't quite there for me.  (There is an old thread here about 501 versions, and I have the "least bassy" version.  Theoretically, I have ordered the parts from AKG to convert them to the "more bassy" version.  We'll see.)
 
Incidentally, I like the K240S (or Mk II) more than any of these.  They don't sound so great out of the box, but after only 15 to 20 hrs of burn in, they settle down real nicely.  Me myself and I?  I don't care about price.  I just care about sound quality that I like.
 
Do you have any local places where you can try some of these out?
 
I'd still suggest you try the SR225i 1st.  You can always sell them if you don't like them.  'Course, I can say the same thing about any of the headphones mentioned here.  Buy them new or even better, used.  Try them out, live with them for a week or 2.  If they float your boat, keep them, if not, sell them here, on eBay, or on Amazon's Marketplace, and try a different pair.  You can see from my signature that this is a great way to zero in on what you like or not like !!
 
 

 

[Proglover]

thanks Kevin!
 
Think I'm going to order 225 and 601, maybe 240, and just send back the one(s) I don't want. Will be night burning in with that 240 especially then.
 
The 240 studio and MKII differ 25% in price, have you experienced differences in permance between them? Plus do you know how those relato to 270/271?
 
Thanks for your posts man!

 

[ConGrUenCy]

 
I'd still suggest you try the SR225i 1st.  You can always sell them if you don't like them.  'Course, I can say the same thing about any of the headphones mentioned here.  Buy them new or even better, used.  Try them out, live with them for a week or 2.  If they float your boat, keep them, if not, sell them here, on eBay, or on Amazon's Marketplace, and try a different pair.  You can see from my signature that this is a great way to zero in on what you like or not like !!
 
 

+1
I listen to similar music and I love my 225i's with prog/psychedelic rock.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Quote:

The 240 studio and MKII differ 25% in price, have you experienced differences in permance between them? Plus do you know how those relato to 270/271?
 
Thanks for your posts man!

OK, I believe that the K240 Mk II is the K240S, but they also include an additional set of velours pads, straight and coiled cables.  So getting the K240S would be the cheaper way to go just to check them out.  But I kind of like the feel of the velour pads vs the pleather pads.  But, the sound quality doesn't change much.
 
If you do go ahead and get all those headphones, please report back with what you think of each and comparing them.  I'd be curious.