[asianafrican]

Sorry for starting a new thread for all of you that don't exactly like newbies  (such as myself) starting new threads that to you seem all the same. But here goes 

 
As mentioned, I'm a complete newbie when it comes to this. The best I've ever had is a Sony MDR-ZX600 and i messed up the wires those in less than a month by mistake. Now I'm tired of breaking earphones and headphones that just waste my money and barely last a year. My budget is around $300 ($350 max) and I'm planning on buying over the summer. The thing is, if I was dedicated to one genre I'd just read the other reviews and pick a pair, but I'm not xP I like music a various genres (reason is too long and bothersome to put into words and type

). Just fyi if it helps, I listen to Korean and English music
My Genres:
RnB (mostly Korean like K.Will but definitely some english ones)
Soul
Rock (metal, grunge, post-grunge, pop, alternative, punk, indie)
Hiphop/Rap
House
Dubstep (not too much)
Jazz
Blues
Pop
Classic (mostly Piano or guitar)
 
So far I'm thinking of:
AKG: K551, K267
Audio-Technica: ATH-WS99, ATH-M50, ATH-ANC9, ATH-ES700
Sennheiser: RS170, RS 180, HD 438, Momentum (Black)
Denon: AH-D340, AH-D2000 (if i can find any), AH-D320, AH-D1100
Ultrasone: HFI-2400
V-MODA: Crossfade M-100, Crossfade LP2
 
Its not limited to that list. Those are the ones I know of. Feel free to reccomend any others.
 
I use my Samsung Galaxy S2 as my device, and I agree with many others that it could've been A LOT better.. but Im stuck with it until next year or so. I also have an iPad (4th gen, 64gb) but I mostly use my phone since the iPad isnt the most portable. So Im thinking of purchasing a portable DAC&Amp combo if I can manage within my budget. Should I start using my iPad more? If I do, should I try the Icon iDo from Nu Force?
 
Any advice would be much appreciated as I need as much of it as possible
 
Thanks in advance!! 

 

[asianafrican]

The Sony MDR-1R also seems nice!

 

[DigitalFreak]

OK, I'm here. First off I really can't tell what you want by what you've provided. Are you the kind of person who likes a balanced sounding headphone or a bass heavy headphone? Are you touchy over the treble? Are you the kind of person who lives and breaths in the mids meaning you love guitars and vocals that stand out above the treble and bass? Nobody knows this info but you therefore nobody can recommend something unless they know this kind of info. Something else I should mention, you got different kinds of headphones from all over the map. The K551 for example is more of a bass light headphone that boarder line treble heads prefer while the V-MODA M-100 is a bass heavy headphone that bass heads prefer. The only way I can give you a recommendation that might work out for you would be to play it safe meaning give you a few models that are known for being good all arounders. That means they don't stand out in any particular area but in the same token they don't do anything wrong enough to offend and are good to go for all genres. The downside is if you're either a treble head or a bass head they won't be to your liking.
 
The Momentum in my opinion is an alright headphone but I'm not particularly fond of the price tag. If money is no object well then that's fine go for it.
 
Personally, I think the Sennheiser HD25 is a better cheaper option. It's not what I would class as a top tier hi-fi headphone but by the same token it can play any genre acceptably well enough to satisfy most people. The sig is U shaped and it has a slight mid bass hump. What that means is the mid frequencies are slightly recessed and sound slightly laid back and the bass will give you a more pleasing hit due to the peak in it's mid bass. It's also built like a tank so it's great for on the go.
 
Stay away from the LP2's. V-MODA is a good company but I'm not fond of the LP2's. They were designed more for the bass head crowd. If you want to go with V-MODA the M-80 isn't a bad headphone to look into. It has a very slight bass emphasis but it's very tastefully done. What I don't like about the M-80 is the treble, it's quite smoothed over and rolled off. If you're touchy about overly aggressive treble though then the M-80's might be to your liking. Overall the sig is a very smooth and fluid kind of sig that's non fatiguing. If you do like a more bass centric sound then go for the M-100 over the LP2. They're a better bass head headphone.
 
I can't recommend the M-50's because I've never heard them. Others on here seem to love them, especially the newbie crowd, so ask them if they're worth it. Considering so many people like what they have heard they might be worth looking into.
 
All the other stuff you have listed, the Sennheiser's, Technica's AKG's and Denon's, I can't comment on because I haven't heard them so you'll need to get info from other people who have.
 
Good luck hope this was useful.

 

[Tman5293]

I'll throw my vote in for the v-moda Crossfade M-100. It's a great set of cans and and fits your budget perfectly. Since I own them, I've written up a description of how they sound:
 
 
[size=small] The overall sound leans to the bass side of the spectrum. Lows are boosted decently but not enough to drown out the mids or the highs. The highs are clear and distinct and not muddied in any way by the increased bass frequencies. Also, there are no sharp ear piercing trebles to be heard. The overall tone of the headphones is very soft sounding. Makes for a pleasant listening experience. I would say that both the lows and the highs do take precedence over the mids. They are quieter than the highs and lows but they are there. I would not say they are drowned out.[/size]

[size=small] So in short, they are very dynamic headphones with a slight bias towards the low end. I have tried them with a variety of music so far. Sounds good with everything from guitar heavy classic rock to chillstep with reverberating bass. I've tried them with various forms of electronic music along with different kinds of rock. I haven't listening to anything yet that has made me say, "these headphones were obviously not made for this kind of music."[/size]

[size=small]  [/size]

[size=small] That being said, I believe that these are probably the headphones for you unless you prefer open back headphones or more neutral headphones that don't color the sound as much. As I said in my description, they are very dynamic headphones and they sound good with everything I've played through them so far. [/size]

[size=small]  [/size]

[size=small] Also, I highly recommend that you pick up a DAC/AMP combo to drive them. Although they only have an impedance of 32Ω, they benefit from being run through an amp.[/size]

 

[asianafrican]

Quote:

1. OK, I'm here. First off I really can't tell what you want by what you've provided.
Are you the kind of person who likes a balanced sounding headphone or a bass heavy headphone? Are you touchy over the treble?. Are you the kind of person who lives and breaths in the mids meaning you love guitars and vocals that stand out above the treble and bass? 

1. Right. My apologies for that.
2. I wouldnt call myself a basshead or a treblehead. Which is what makes the picking of headphones slightly harder. 
The RnB, pop (I think its pop?

)and ballads that I listen to hits quite a lot of high notes. And since I listen to rock I think the mids matter as well. Honestly although I like bass, I dont mind having average bass and better vocals. Sure Id love some good bass but great bass isnt a priority as much as listening to clean vocals. So if I had to ratio the importance of Bass:Mid:Treble itd be like a 2:2:3
 
Id say I prefer balanced over bass heavy, although I do have some moments where I go crazy on Swedish House Mafia and Calvin Harris where the bass matters. As I said, bass isnt a priority and Id be satisfied with slightly above average.
And yes I am kinda touchy with the treble (I just went through my music, and a good chunk of them have some sweet high notes)
This is really killing me! xD I dont live and breathe in the mids, but heck I love some good mids and guitar solos.
 
Would you mind listening to a few songs and tell me what they are mostly? And what they would work with (like bass, treble or mid)
If yes: Greyhound - Swedish House Mafia, Marry Me - K.Will, Riot - Three Days Grace, Faint - Linkin Park
I think K.Will is more treble, but hey Im new to this and could be wayyyy wrong 

Thanks a bunch!

 

[asianafrican]

Quote:

I'll throw my vote in for the v-moda Crossfade M-100. It's a great set of cans and and fits your budget perfectly. Since I own them, I've written up a description of how they sound:
 
 
[size=small] The overall sound leans to the bass side of the spectrum. Lows are boosted decently but not enough to drown out the mids or the highs. The highs are clear and distinct and not muddied in any way by the increased bass frequencies. Also, there are no sharp ear piercing trebles to be heard. The overall tone of the headphones is very soft sounding. Makes for a pleasant listening experience. I would say that both the lows and the highs do take precedence over the mids. They are quieter than the highs and lows but they are there. I would not say they are drowned out.[/size]

[size=small] So in short, they are very dynamic headphones with a slight bias towards the low end. I have tried them with a variety of music so far. Sounds good with everything from guitar heavy classic rock to chillstep with reverberating bass. I've tried them with various forms of electronic music along with different kinds of rock. I haven't listening to anything yet that has made me say, "these headphones were obviously not made for this kind of music."[/size]

[size=small]  [/size]

[size=small] That being said, I believe that these are probably the headphones for you unless you prefer open back headphones or more neutral headphones that don't color the sound as much. As I said in my description, they are very dynamic headphones and they sound good with everything I've played through them so far. [/size]

[size=small]  [/size]

[size=small] Also, I highly recommend that you pick up a DAC/AMP combo to drive them. Although they only have an impedance of 32Ω, they benefit from being run through an amp.[/size]

So youre saying the Crossfade M-100 isnt that bad all around right? Granted a bit of bass emphasis, but it can do the rest rather well. Thanks for the vote! 

 
So for the DAC&amp what would you reccomend? My budget is $300 and with that I think Im even pushing it, so if I do buy the M-100 I dont have much for DAC&amps. But lets say i did. What would you recommend in the price range of sub $150? Since I listen from my iPad and phone, I may have to give up listening from one using the DAC&amp. Im thinking of the NuForce iDo quite seriously though. although itd wouldve been been awesome if it worked with my phone. Which is why im thinking of alternatives

 

[DigitalFreak]

I personally like Leckerton Audio as far as amps are concerned but that's just me. The UHA-4 might be up your alley. If you do buy an amp you'll also have to budget for a LOD (line out dock) for your iDevice. Fiio makes a nice LOD for around 25 to 30 bones depending where you buy online. As for the M-100, it isn't a little bassy it's a lot bassy. We're talking about a 8 db boost in the lows which means with rock the bass guitarist will sound like he's sitting in your lap. The M-100 will excel with most of your genres, especially the electro and pop genres, and it will sound fine with old school death metal but I personally don't like it with rock or other metal. again that's just me. I'm thinking the Sennhesier HD25 or the M50 might be your best bet right now. The other option would be the Momentums which have a warm full bass but are a tad dark sounding but nothing over the top. If you prize clarity detail and accuracy over everything else you'll have to pick out something completely different from whats being discussed here. The Mr Speakers Mad Dog thread might yield information that's more to your liking. Why don't you go have a look there and weigh your options. If you go the Mad Dog route you should still have enough, or close to it, for a decent entry level amp. If not you may have to save up because a modded T50rp will sound it's best when amped.

 

[Tman5293]

Quote:

So youre saying the Crossfade M-100 isnt that bad all around right? Granted a bit of bass emphasis, but it can do the rest rather well. Thanks for the vote! 

 
So for the DAC&amp what would you reccomend? My budget is $300 and with that I think Im even pushing it, so if I do buy the M-100 I dont have much for DAC&amps. But lets say i did. What would you recommend in the price range of sub $150? Since I listen from my iPad and phone, I may have to give up listening from one using the DAC&amp. Im thinking of the NuForce iDo quite seriously though. although itd wouldve been been awesome if it worked with my phone. Which is why im thinking of alternatives

 
In that price range I think the FiiO E17 is your best choice. However, if you want spent a little less money you can pick up its little brother, the E07K. I use the E07K with my M-100s and it powers them just fine. 
 
Now as far as your phone goes, the only way it will work is with the AUX input on the amp if you get one of the FiiOs. You will have to run a line from the headphone jack on your phone to the AUX in on the FiiO. Unfortunately the S2 doesn't work with USB DACs. I have the S3 and it can output audio over USB to my E07K and I get the same audio experience on phone that I get on my computer. It's too bad the S2 doesn't do this because it's a great feature.

 

[asianafrican]

Quote:

I personally like Leckerton Audio as far as amps are concerned but that's just me. The UHA-4 might be up your alley. If you do buy an amp you'll also have to budget for a LOD (line out dock) for your iDevice. Fiio makes a nice LOD for around 25 to 30 bones depending where you buy online. As for the M-100, it isn't a little bassy it's a lot bassy. We're talking about a 8 db boost in the lows which means with rock the bass guitarist will sound like he's sitting in your lap. The M-100 will excel with most of your genres, especially the electro and pop genres, and it will sound fine with old school death metal but I personally don't like it with rock or other metal. again that's just me. I'm thinking the Sennhesier HD25 or the M50 might be your best bet right now. The other option would be the Momentums which have a warm full bass but are a tad dark sounding but nothing over the top. If you prize clarity detail and accuracy over everything else you'll have to pick out something completely different from whats being discussed here. The Mr Speakers Mad Dog thread might yield information that's more to your liking. Why don't you go have a look there and weigh your options. If you go the Mad Dog route you should still have enough, or close to it, for a decent entry level amp.

But Id also like to have a DAC not only an amp. Riiiiight. Thats too much bass for me. The Mr Speakers Mad Dog thread. I searched that and got a looooot of results. Which one is it? Is it the review or is it a comparison? I dont prize clarity and detail, its just that I want to make the most of the music I listen to and just hear it at its best.

 

[asianafrican]

Quote:

 
In that price range I think the FiiO E17 is your best choice. However, if you want spent a little less money you can pick up its little brother, the E07K. I use the E07K with my M-100s and it powers them just fine. 
 
Now as far as your phone goes, the only way it will work is with the AUX input on the amp if you get one of the FiiOs. You will have to run a line from the headphone jack on your phone to the AUX in on the FiiO. Unfortunately the S2 doesn't work with USB DACs. I have the S3 and it can output audio over USB to my E07K and I get the same audio experience on phone that I get on my computer. It's too bad the S2 doesn't do this because it's a great feature.

So youre saying the FiiO E17 is better than the NuForce iDo? Right so I guess until I get a new phone Ill make due with my iPad. 

 

[Tman5293]

Quote:

So youre saying the FiiO E17 is better than the NuForce iDo? Right so I guess until I get a new phone Ill make due with my iPad. 

 
I won't say that it is better because I've never heard the NuForce DAC. However, it does cost less. I was pointing it out as an alternative. 

 

[asianafrican]

Alright then. Well from what I've read they seem like a nice choice. Can the FiiO E17 bypass the iPads DAC?

 

[DigitalFreak]

The problem with trying to use a DAC with your S2 is your S2, to my knowledge, won't support USB audio out nor does the older version of Android your running on your handset. To go the DAC/amp route on a Google handset you'll need to do it USB out. I know the latest version of Android does allow USB audio out and that's on the S4 handset and Note II handset. With the iPad you can go with a mobile DAC using the CCK adapter or using a Apple approved amp/DAC combo. The problem with that is now you're stepping into the Fostex HPP1 and CLAS (Cypher Labs Algorithm Solo) rig territories which costs big money. I should know I roll with a CLAS rig on my Classic. Most people who run in those circles are driving more serious gear then whats being discussed here.
 
Here's the Mr speakers review thread. That's the thread you want to look in and ask other people on there questions. As far as amps are concerned, you're starting off as a newbie. embrace that. Everyone on here was crawling before they began to walk and there's nothing wrong with using a onboard handset DAC on a entry level rig with a good mobile amp behind it. I did it long enough, and still do it, so I should no. Get what you can afford for now, enjoy it for what it is, a step up from what you're used to, do your research in the meantime and in between time and when you've saved up enough bones then take a step forward. Just my two cents on the matter. Above all, don't get caught up in the hype. There's to much of that around here.

---

Update:
The E17 will not bypass the iPad's DAC, it's not Apple certified.

 

[asianafrican]

Quote:

The problem with trying to use a DAC with your S2 is your S2, to my knowledge, won't support USB audio out nor does the older version of Android your running on your handset. To go the DAC/amp route on a Google handset you'll need to do it USB out. I know the latest version of Android does allow USB audio out and that's on the S4 handset and Note II handset. With the iPad you can go with a mobile DAC using the CCK adapter or using a Apple approved amp/DAC combo. The problem with that is now you're stepping into the Fostex HPP1 and CLAS (Cypher Labs Algorithm Solo) rig territories which costs big money. I should know I roll with a CLAS rig on my Classic. Most people who run in those circles are driving more serious gear then whats being discussed here.
 
Here's the Mr speakers review thread. That's the thread you want to look in and ask other people on there questions. As far as amps are concerned, you're starting off as a newbie. embrace that. Everyone on here was crawling before they began to walk and there's nothing wrong with using a onboard handset DAC on a entry level rig with a good mobile amp behind it. I did it long enough, and still do it, so I should no. Get what you can afford for now, enjoy it for what it is, a step up from what you're used to, do your research in the meantime and in between time and when you've saved up enough bones then take a step forward. Just my two cents on the matter. Above all, don't get caught up in the hype. There's to much of that around here.

If you dont mind me correcting you a wee bit, the S4 runs Jelly Bean (4.2.2) while the Note 2 as far as I know is still on Jelly Bean (4.1.2) which is what my phone is also on. 
So as youve said, the Apple approved DACs that can bypass the iDevices DAC are expensive because of licensing, but I gotta bring the NuForce iDo up again. Its a $150 DAC&amp that can bypass the iDevices DAC as far as I know.
 
Thanks for the link. Yeah I agree with you, I should be content with my starting rig 

. But if im spending that much money, Id rather spend on something thats worth it if you know what I mean. The hype.. dangerous stuff that xP

 

[DigitalFreak]

Well alright then, you seem to have it all well in hand. Sorry for bothering you. Enjoy the iDo.