[SolidVictory]

Hello everyone,
 
I'm looking to purchase my first "real" full-size headphone. I spend a lot of time on the portable headphones/IEM section of the forums. Here is what I am looking for:
 

1. Very accurate in terms of being able to hear all the details in the music.
2. Transparency; I do not like it when certain sections of the audio spectrum (such as bass) overtakes other sections.
3. Expansive soundstage. Instruments should be placed where they were intended to be in the recording. The headphone should not sound crowded with instruments playing at the same place.
4. Speed; I would prefer if the headphone sounds rather effortless...and not like it's trying to catch up with the audio signal.
5. Realistic mids; not necessarily super-clean and "in-your-face" like Shure's midrange, not laid back either, but something that sounds rich and realistic, not plasticy.
6. Good bass impact and texture; bass should be able to extend down and impact when needed. The bass should not smear the music nor interfere with other parts of the spectrum.
7. Clarity; simply put, I wish the headphone doesn't sound "muffled" or like there's a veil around it. Most importantly, the bass impact should not affect the clarity of the headphone.

 
Music that I listen to: lots of j-pop, k-pop, classical, some R&B and a little bit of rock.
 
That's pretty much the main attributes that I am looking for.
 
Keep in mind that I will be pairing this headphone with an RSA Hornet Portable Amplifier, so I can run 300 ohm+ headphones if necessary.
 
And if it helps any, I like the sound signature of the EarSonics SM3, and did not appreciate the exagerrated bass (and lack of some bass detail) of the Sennheiser IE8 (though the impact was rather luring).
 
So what full-size headphone will be good for me given these attributes, and a $300+ budget (I am willing to pay slightly past 350 if necessary)? I will not be using the headphones outside my home and do not mind if they are open headphones.
 
Thank you!

 

[SolidVictory]

No recommendations from anyone?

 

[Mr Joboto]

DT48?

 

[classakg]

The Shure SRH840's are good in almost every aspect you mention, but the soundstage is narrow. You better try them. 

 

[NapalmK]

DT880/600 gets a lot of praise as a fairly balanced can. I don't have any personal experience with it but FWIR it seems to tick a lot of your boxes. FWIR same type of deal with the AKG K701/702.

 

[Ypoknons]

hmmm.... I was going to say ESW10JPN, but the soundstage isn't great, plus it's out of production and out of your price range. The other problem is that your criteria is actually pretty demanding, you could spend thousands expanding the soundstage or getting a more transparent headphone... 
 
If anyone suggests Denons unmodded/unEQ'ed I'll give them a big glare, they have terribly recessed mids. DT880's might do the job, they're nice, extended and punchy enough for pop, but I haven't owned a pair LT... HD600's would be an interesting choice but probably not enough 'punch' or 'speed' ... If you want to try the bright side of things SA5K might be a worth a test or two. 

 

[SolidVictory]

Quote:

DT880/600 gets a lot of praise as a fairly balanced can. I don't have any personal experience with it but FWIR it seems to tick a lot of your boxes. FWIR same type of deal with the AKG K701/702.

Thanks. I had an eye on the K701/K702 for a while now, and they seem quite nice for what I am looking for. Is there anything in particular that most people agree is something that can be improved on the headphone or is a weakness on the headphone?
 
Quote:

hmmm.... I was going to say ESW10JPN, but the soundstage isn't great, plus it's out of production and out of your price range. The other problem is that your criteria is actually pretty demanding, you could spend thousands expanding the soundstage or getting a more transparent headphone... 
 
If anyone suggests Denons unmodded/unEQ'ed I'll give them a big glare, they have terribly recessed mids. DT880's might do the job, they're nice, extended and punchy enough for pop, but I haven't owned a pair LT... HD600's would be an interesting choice but probably not enough 'punch' or 'speed' ... If you want to try the bright side of things SA5K might be a worth a test or two. 

Yeah, ESW10JPN is a bit out of my price range, though they look nice as well. The SA5K is the Sony SA5000 you are talking about? Does not really seem appealing to me for some reason...maybe it's the design of the headphone, haha.

 

[Ypoknons]

No to K701. Too lacking in bass punch for pop. Last time I heard them side by side (Denon CD player -> Burson HA160 or Meier Concerto) I know I'd take DT880 for pop instead, for classical there's a lot of arguments about this, see the past threads, I'm not really a classical expert. They're not exactly horrible, I would say you can do better for your purposes. 

 

[happyxix]

Probably the DT880. I haven't liked a headphone since I sold my D7000s and these fit my needs greatly. Fits everything except bass. It is very punchy when music needs it but it doesn't go as low effortlessly. But with the type of music you listen to, I doubt they will need to go to that low either since asian pop is mainly dominated by the vocals.

 

[Acix]

 
Quote:

Thanks. I had an eye on the K701/K702 for a while now, and they seem quite nice for what I am looking for. Is there anything in particular that most people agree is something that can be improved on the headphone or is a weakness on the headphone?

 

The K702 have a good sound balanced, as well great sound stage and easy to spot details in the music.

 

[joelpearce]

If you can handle a bit of a sacrifice in soundstage (while still being able to clearly locate where everything is coming from, you may want to check out the Fostex T50RP.  They are still a bit unpopular because of the old pads, but the pair I just got are astounding, especially for the price.
 
Otherwise, it's German Maestros that you want.  Great balance, awesome soundstage, wonderful clarity... they wipe the floor with the Shures for your needs.

 

[hedmaster]

Having had both the Shure 840s and the DT880s, I would highly recommend the 880s.  But, remember he is using the RSA Hornet portable amp to drive the phones.  So, the AKG 701s would be a no no.  They are known to be difficult to drive.  The DT880s, on the other hand, are fairly easy to drive by comparison.  I would say that you could do well with the DT880 250 ohm, or maybe the 600 ohm, I don't have experience with the 600 ohm version.  They may be a little hard for your amp to drive to their full potential, or maybe not. I am sure others can comment on that.
 
Anyone have any thoughts on the Senn 600s?  Just wanted to put it out there.
 
I was also wondering about grados, but they may be very hard for the Hornet to drive.  You could do a little research on the grados, but for rock, they are known to be very good.  They are hard to drive, with their low impedence, but perhaps the Hornet is up to the task.  I would say do yourself a favor, and get to a meet, or possibly find a way to audition some of these cans. 
 
In the end, it all comes down to what you like personally.  You have given us a good idea of where to start, but it would really be great if you could audition some cans for yourself with your music and your amp.
 
Good phone hunting, and keep on asking questions.  You will find a wealth of info under both your amp, and your potential phones within these forums. 
 
Happy listening,
Matt
 

 

[AmanGeorge]

I think the HD600 is a good bet for you - it's well balanced with no really glaring weaknesses. Stay away from the K701 - they will be very poorly suited to your musical tastes and to your rig.

 

[SolidVictory]

The DT880 sounds really great for me based off of some of the posts here. I realize that there is a 32 ohm, 250 ohm, and a 600 ohm version (available only through Beyerdynamic). I read that the 600 ohm version performs the best out of the three, with a better soundstage and more clarity. Will my RSA Hornet be able to drive a 600 ohm headphone? It is said to be able to easily handle an HD 650/600 which is 300 ohms. Did anyone try a 600 ohm headphone with the RSA Hornet? How did it drive the headphones?
 
Edit: After searching through head-fi, it seems that the RSA Hornet can handle the 600 ohm DT880 version well. I would still like some opinions on this from anyone who has tried to amp a 600 ohm headphone on the Hornet.

 

[shane55]

I got my DT880 / 600 through Amazon. Check B&H also.
 
I would not say they have 'bass impact' as is one of your requests, but they have great extension. Their overwhelming characteristic is their clarity. The highs are brilliant but not as extreme as the 250 ohm version.
 
The DT880's have soundstage in spades. Very big and spacious.
 
The HD600 is a wonderful can. If you are playing MP3's this may be a better choice. The sound is more rich and lush than the DT880, but their highs do not compare. Clarity is good and the overall tonality is very natural but on the warm side.
 
If your source files are good and you listen to well-recorded music, I'd go for the Beyers. If you are pushing MP3's or have some low quality tunes, I'd opt for the HD600 (or like).
 
Good hunting.
 
shane