[stars1]

Goldring dr150 is good

 

[holylucifer]

Mine would be the dt 48 out of every single headphone.

 

[Brrrapyuh]

hello.. new here. Im wondering if someone can give me some information regarding a comparison of HD555 vs Sr80 (or even give me a reason to shell out for sr125)

the music i listen to most is a lot of post-rock and electronic stuff(trip-hop, and experimental stuff)

I also some older death metal and heavy bands like Isis and electric wizard..

can anyone suggest something for this?

It would also help that I want something that is immersive.. like it feels like the music is around me.. kindof like a live feel

edit: also I don't really want a lot of leaking in terms of the noise. I'd rather not bother people with my sound

 

[threi]

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the old Sennheiser HDR 6-9. I posted my wireless/wired conversion in the other subforum but nobody cared i guess lol. I wanted to know what is the modern equivalent of them.

To my untrained ears (best I've heard is a Koss KSC75) they sound a bit worse than them, which is apparently where the HD201/202 stands.

 

[Neuromantic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brrrapyuh /img/forum/go_quote.gif hello.. new here. Im wondering if someone can give me some information regarding a comparison of HD555 vs Sr80 (or even give me a reason to shell out for sr125) the music i listen to most is a lot of post-rock and electronic stuff(trip-hop, and experimental stuff) I also some older death metal and heavy bands like Isis and electric wizard.. can anyone suggest something for this? It would also help that I want something that is immersive.. like it feels like the music is around me.. kindof like a live feel edit: also I don't really want a lot of leaking in terms of the noise. I'd rather not bother people with my sound

Porta Pros fit the bill for this, for me it sounds great at any genre without EQ except maybe classical. Generally with any headphone, you become more immersed the louder it gets until you reach your comfort level. They are not closed, but I can't hear sound leak from them unless they are blasting much louder than any sane person would listen to them.

However, either of those headphones you listed would probably be good with those types of genres as long as you like the way they sound. Based on the graphs of the two, I would probably prefer the SR80 with those genres, but at the risk of saying something pointless it could end up making metal too "fatiguing" for me since I am not used to the headphone's signature.

 

[yliu]

I mostly listen to rock: the best earphones i've tried and own, are the:
- Klipsch Image X10 (great bass which I like, good mids, very nice smooth highs)

- Etymotic hf5 (bass is just enough for rock, mids are superb, and nice highs with almost no sibilance)

 

[AOS-]

I've had the Sony XB300's for about a week now, they aren't bad in sound, but the fact that the cushion isn't cup but one giant piece of foam it presses on my left ear and it begins to hurt after a while of wearing it. I think I might return it but I don't know what other cans @ Future Shop or Best Buy I should invest into that is an around-ear deign and not on-ear. Any recommendations?

 

[bdbjr]

Hey guys, I am looking for a pair of headphones (no buds or in-ear please) $300 and under. I listen to most types of music frequently (hit me up bdbjr’s Music Profile – Users at Last.fm ) so I need something fairly flexible. I won't be able to get an amp right away, but an amp recommendation to pair with the headphone for my future reference would be great.

I was looking at K701 and HD600. Would these suit me? If so, which would be the better choice? Let me know if I haven't been specific enough.

 

[lazure]

I just got a pair of HD600 a week ago and I've been extremely impressed. Never heard the AKG. I've been using my HD600 with the Meier Corda Headsix and been getting good results. However, from what I've read and my little experience from plugging the HD600 directly into sources, you're not going to get much from the HD600 until you get an amp...

 

[alex30]

Hi bdbjr,
I don't have personal experience of the 600's but have owned the 650's and currently have the AKG K 702 with the Denon AH D 2000 on the way.
For me the Senn 650's were too coloured and muddy, especially on acoustic tracks. They positively ruined some of my Jack Johnson stuff and by the side of the AKG K 702 they could seem muffled. I was so upset at their rendering of Jack that I sold them on.
In contrast the AKG's are fantastically clear and detailed with fabulous mids and highs.
They also have enough bass. You will often read that they are bass shy but in my opinion that is written by folks used to artificial lumps of bass added. The AKG has enough but not extra bass unlike the muddy Senns. The problem with extra bass is that it smears the whole sound stage and leads to an unsatisfying lack of detail.
Having said all this I believe the Senn 600 is better than the 650 in this respect.
The AKG are a joy to wear and I can have them on for hours with no discomfort.
At first I found there was some sibilance with the AKG which I hated but it has now gone after several months usage . Up until this point I was a burn in/break in sceptic but the AKG's have defiantly mellowed a little . Not in spades but just enough to ease the harshness of the high uppers. The sound now seems perfect.
One negative is the sound leakage both ways, out into the room from the headphone and into your ears from the room. Hence I have bought a set of Denon AH D 2000 closed back phones for when my wife is watching TV or just wishing to nag me !
I love my AKG's and they were the right price, £185 including delivery , insurance and import tax from Proaudio star in the states. They may be more than that now but you could always make them an offer. And I ordered them on Sunday evening and had them first thing Wednesday.
In my opinion you can't go wrong with the AKG K 702 but give them time to mature and for you to get to appreciate their razor sharp clarity and detail, especially if you have used a more coloured headphone. You will change more than the AKG !
Hope this helps Alex
PS I am in the UK. Proaudio star are in Brooklyn
Unless you can get the AKG K 701 cheaper then go for the 702 as the detachable cable is an asset in times of trouble, easy and inexpensive to replace. Sonically they are the same I believe.

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex30 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi bdbjr, I don't have personal experience of the 600's but have owned the 650's and currently have the AKG K 702 with the Denon AH D 2000 on the way. For me the Senn 650's were too coloured and muddy, especially on acoustic tracks. They positively ruined some of my Jack Johnson stuff and by the side of the AKG K 702 they could seem muffled. I was so upset at their rendering of Jack that I sold them on. In contrast the AKG's are fantastically clear and detailed with fabulous mids and highs. They also have enough bass. You will often read that they are bass shy but in my opinion that is written by folks used to artificial lumps of bass added. The AKG has enough but not extra bass unlike the muddy Senns. The problem with extra bass is that it smears the whole sound stage and leads to an unsatisfying lack of detail. Having said all this I believe the Senn 600 is better than the 650 in this respect. The AKG are a joy to wear and I can have them on for hours with no discomfort. At first I found there was some sibilance with the AKG which I hated but it has now gone after several months usage . Up until this point I was a burn in/break in sceptic but the AKG's have defiantly mellowed a little . Not in spades but just enough to ease the harshness of the high uppers. The sound now seems perfect. One negative is the sound leakage both ways, out into the room from the headphone and into your ears from the room. Hence I have bought a set of Denon AH D 2000 closed back phones for when my wife is watching TV or just wishing to nag me ! I love my AKG's and they were the right price, £185 including delivery , insurance and import tax from Proaudio star in the states. They may be more than that now but you could always make them an offer. And I ordered them on Sunday evening and had them first thing Wednesday. In my opinion you can't go wrong with the AKG K 702 but give them time to mature and for you to get to appreciate their razor sharp clarity and detail, especially if you have used a more coloured headphone. You will change more than the AKG ! Hope this helps Alex PS I am in the UK. Proaudio star are in Brooklyn Unless you can get the AKG K 701 cheaper then go for the 702 as the detachable cable is an asset in times of trouble, easy and inexpensive to replace. Sonically they are the same I believe.

That "problem" only occurs if your amp is not up tot he task. My amp is able to drive the 650's with authority and the bass is deep but very, very detailed. Not smearing at all.

All is in the right combo of amp and headphone, this goes for any setup!

 

[Woody469]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazure /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just got a pair of HD600 a week ago and I've been extremely impressed. Never heard the AKG. I've been using my HD600 with the Meier Corda Headsix and been getting good results. However, from what I've read and my little experience from plugging the HD600 directly into sources, you're not going to get much from the HD600 until you get an amp...

Right, the HD600 unquestionably need an amp. Only then will you hear what they can do.

 

[bdbjr]

Guys, thanks for all of the responses, they are helping me a lot.

I have read on other threads that the 702s don't fair too well with hip-hop and other bass-heavy genres. I don't really want brain shaking bass, but a strong low-end is important to me. Can this be remedied by a good amp, or is it even as bad as people like to make it seem?

Thanks


also, are the 702s fairly easy to drive? how about Denon AH-D5000? I ask because I have a fairly limited budget and since I will be listening on my computer I will need to get a DAC before I get an amp.

 

[alex30]

Hi Tourmaline,
My Yulong Dah Dac Mark 2 headphone amp has no difficulty whatsoever in driving the Senn 650's nor does my friends Graham Slee.There is loads to spare. I listen to headphones ALL the time so was particularly careful to get an amp that would handle all electro dynamic headphones. The AKG are also known as being difficult to drive . Seriously, get Jack Johnson Bushfire Fairytales and do a critical listening test. The Senns muddy the acoustics and in comparison to the AKG lack detail and clarity.The Guys over at Good Cans seem to agree with me, describing the AKG K 701 as more detailed than the equivalent priced Senns. I did a week long side by side test and rejected the Senns on that basis. Also in the user notes Sennheiser say the 650 has been tweaked for today's listener ie more bass. However it is at the expense of clarity. If you search the net you will see that I am not alone in noticing this smearing. Some recording techs have commented on it too . I asume they would also be amping the Senns correctly ,as did my friend who auditioned them on his Graham Slee solo. We both said the same and he didn't order the Senns as a result. I can only assume that , unlike me , you have never done a relaxed prolonged comparison between these two. If you did you would appreciate a significant difference with the AKG just so much better on some genres.
To get back to the AKG they have enough, just not extra, bass and I would buy them above the Senns every time.
I have now started using the Denon AH D 2000 and found ,like the Senns , the extra bass comes at a price ie light acoustic work is spoiled. Like the Senns, they are great on heavier music and do produce a more detailed but richly textured sound stage with rock etc. I will be keeping them as they do some genres really very well and are closed back. But if I had to have only one headphone it would be the AKG K 702 without a shadow of a doubt as unlike the Senn or Denon they will handle ALL music with aplomb. Whilst not as bass heavy as some, they are not deficient in that area. Their clarity and detail is razor, unlike the slightly blunted Senn and Denon.
I also auditioned the Grado range and although I loved the sound, very clear and detailed , I just didn't find them comfortable. As I wear my phones for hours on end they just didn't match the Senns, Denons and AKG in that respect. All these three can be worn for hours.
If you want a good Dac look at the Yulong dah dac mark 2 headphone amp which produces a very neutral but punchy sound and will not break the bank. And rest assured, it will drive the Senns with ease if that's where you decide to go.
I have just orderd a Decco 2 dac / headphone amp for the other room but that is a bit pricier. I will report on it when it arrives.
One last thing , I also considered the Denon 5000 but read , more than once , that it had even more colouration [+ bass] than the 2000 so rejected it for the slightly more neutral and half the cost 2000. I am very glad I did as the 2000 has all the bass [ and more ] than I will ever need. Apart from that they are said to be very similer but I confess that I have not heard the 5000.

 

[alex30]

Hi again bdbjr,
If you listen mostly to hip hop then perhaps the Senn 650 or the Denon 2000 / 5000 would be a better choice for you than the AKG. I do believe though that the AKG is a better all round headphone if other genres are important. I listen to a wide range and find the AKG never lets me down although the Senns and Denon have the edge on heavier stuff where detail may not be so important.
If you are on a budget then definitely look at the Yulong Dah1 mark 2 Dac/headphone amp which will do two jobs very well for a great price.