adhoc
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- May 26, 2003
- Posts
- 3,065
- Likes
- 129
Hello all,
I've been around here for a long time, but I don't think that I've ever started a thread asking for a headphone recommendation before. Well, there's a first for everyone I guess.
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My headphone journey started about 3 years ago, with the DT-880 ('old' version). This headphone had an incredibly deep and liquid bass, but to my ears had an unfortunate tendency to sound metallic and perhaps a little tinny at times. It was sadly destroyed in an unfortunate attempt at DIY modding. No biggie, though, I wanted to move on to other things.
I moved onto the AKG k240s - and promptly dropped it after giving it a chance to burn in. Immense, flabby bass that got everywhere like a fat kid's ice cream. An insubstantial sound that had no real 'weight' to it, it sounded 'plastic-ky' and 'fake' to my ears.
Then I picked up the AKG k501. This one was a keeper. While it had (let's face it, it does) an anemic bass, the mids on this 'phone shone. They were clear, and had the ability to reproduce nearly all stringed instruments with uncanny ease. Female vocals are positively ear-gasmic on this phone. Bass aside, slight complaints would be 1. the 'shallow' headstage thrown up by this phone. Breadth is fine, but - oh, if only the depth could go a little deeper! My second niggle would be the tendency for this phone to sound a tiny bit too 'hard' at times. There is a brilliance to the middle-upper registers that I wish I could somehow eradicate. This 'phone is my 'classical and jazz' headphone.
The Alessandro MS-2 came next. It was a keeper, but was eventually sold in favour of...
...the Grado RS-1. This headphone is the last word in fun. Sure, I gave up some things - like a headstage for example, but the massive bass and the fulsome mids more than compensated. Highs are fine, but could use a tad bit of taming. Other complaints would be 1. comfort and 2. the fatiguing-ness of this phone, which I attribute to the energetic highs. It's like a hot redhead - hot, but sometimes just a little too hot for extended 'sessions'! This 'phone is my 'everything else' headphone.
...And that was a summary of all the higher-end full sized headphones I've owned. It's been just over a year since I last got a new headphone - the itch has come back. Which is why I'm here.
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My source is a modded ZL (CS4398) and a soon-to-be-built non-OS TDA1541A DAC. Amplification is provided by 3 amps - a M^3, a Eddie Current HD-25 (transformer coupled, 25ohm output) and a Corda HeadFive.
I have heard but not owned the following headphones and decided that they were not for me:
hf-1, hp890, e3, ath-f55, w100, w1000, dt-231, k271s, sr-60, sr-125, sr-225, sr-325, rs-2, px100, ex51.
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What I'm looking for is something between the 2 phones I've kept - I want a less fatiguing RS-1 with a bit more headstage, or a more 'fun' k501 with more bass. Open headphones are strongly preferred, and recommendations for full-sized headphones only please.
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I only have one special request: please do not recommend headphones that are out-of-production or non-stock. That means no HP-series headphones, PS-1s, or any of Larry's work, for example.
Thanks everyone!
I've been around here for a long time, but I don't think that I've ever started a thread asking for a headphone recommendation before. Well, there's a first for everyone I guess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
My headphone journey started about 3 years ago, with the DT-880 ('old' version). This headphone had an incredibly deep and liquid bass, but to my ears had an unfortunate tendency to sound metallic and perhaps a little tinny at times. It was sadly destroyed in an unfortunate attempt at DIY modding. No biggie, though, I wanted to move on to other things.
I moved onto the AKG k240s - and promptly dropped it after giving it a chance to burn in. Immense, flabby bass that got everywhere like a fat kid's ice cream. An insubstantial sound that had no real 'weight' to it, it sounded 'plastic-ky' and 'fake' to my ears.
Then I picked up the AKG k501. This one was a keeper. While it had (let's face it, it does) an anemic bass, the mids on this 'phone shone. They were clear, and had the ability to reproduce nearly all stringed instruments with uncanny ease. Female vocals are positively ear-gasmic on this phone. Bass aside, slight complaints would be 1. the 'shallow' headstage thrown up by this phone. Breadth is fine, but - oh, if only the depth could go a little deeper! My second niggle would be the tendency for this phone to sound a tiny bit too 'hard' at times. There is a brilliance to the middle-upper registers that I wish I could somehow eradicate. This 'phone is my 'classical and jazz' headphone.
The Alessandro MS-2 came next. It was a keeper, but was eventually sold in favour of...
...the Grado RS-1. This headphone is the last word in fun. Sure, I gave up some things - like a headstage for example, but the massive bass and the fulsome mids more than compensated. Highs are fine, but could use a tad bit of taming. Other complaints would be 1. comfort and 2. the fatiguing-ness of this phone, which I attribute to the energetic highs. It's like a hot redhead - hot, but sometimes just a little too hot for extended 'sessions'! This 'phone is my 'everything else' headphone.
...And that was a summary of all the higher-end full sized headphones I've owned. It's been just over a year since I last got a new headphone - the itch has come back. Which is why I'm here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
My source is a modded ZL (CS4398) and a soon-to-be-built non-OS TDA1541A DAC. Amplification is provided by 3 amps - a M^3, a Eddie Current HD-25 (transformer coupled, 25ohm output) and a Corda HeadFive.
I have heard but not owned the following headphones and decided that they were not for me:
hf-1, hp890, e3, ath-f55, w100, w1000, dt-231, k271s, sr-60, sr-125, sr-225, sr-325, rs-2, px100, ex51.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
What I'm looking for is something between the 2 phones I've kept - I want a less fatiguing RS-1 with a bit more headstage, or a more 'fun' k501 with more bass. Open headphones are strongly preferred, and recommendations for full-sized headphones only please.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I only have one special request: please do not recommend headphones that are out-of-production or non-stock. That means no HP-series headphones, PS-1s, or any of Larry's work, for example.
Thanks everyone!
