[003]

Lets say I wanted to buy a new headphone/amp combo with a $450 budget (mabey a little higher if the improvement is justifiable). It's main use would be a healthy mix of music, gaming, and some dvd watching. I do like bass, and I also love great mids. I also need a big sound stage. Highs are not as important, I don't want anything with BAD (or even mediocre) highs, but they are not as important as the mids and bass. What would you guys recommend for me?

 

[jagorev]

That would be just enough to get a HD 580 and a Headroom Micro Amp. I think the 580 is an excellent value for an all-round headphone, and does well with just about anything. It was once Sennheiser's flagship, and can still match headphones that are twice as expensive. Plenty of impactful bass, and very nice mids (the highs are a bit recessed, but still quite smooth and detailed).

The Micro (with Desktop Module) is most probably the best amp you can get for the 580 with the money left over.

 

[003]

I don't know much about good amps. Now, if there is anything I have learned, it is that price is not always everything. HOWEVER, I can get the HD580 for as low as $145 shipped. My current all-around headphone, the A900LTD, is more than double the price. Would I be losing anything with the 580 that I had with the LTD?

 

[manchau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 I don't know much about good amps. Now, if there is anything I have learned, it is that price is not always everything. HOWEVER, I can get the HD580 for as low as $145 shipped. My current all-around headphone, the A900LTD, is more than double the price. Would I be losing anything with the 580 that I had with the LTD?

If you still don't have plan to improve your source then I think it's better to be with ATH-A500 or HD580. And yes... A500 can work better with PA2V2. coz as per my experience they don't change the sound signature with any source while A900LTD's are changing and can be worst with aggressive sources.

PIMETA amp. with OPA627 opamps should work better with your A900LTD if you want low cost better setup.

Also there is too much HD580 and HD650 debate are going on time by time. coz you can't justify big difference between low end and high end cans without proper source.

 

[003]

I do play a lot of games, I really can't change the source. Also, I can't use the $450 to upgrade my existing setup, because the money would come from selling what I have now (plus some money stashed away in my paypal account). I've got a question about the HD580 bass. Is it "thumping" bass, or more where you can hear all the frequencys clearly, but there is no "thump"? I like a mix between the two. I find while the A900LTD has very detailed bass, it lacks a nice "thump" to it. I don't want the kind of bass that overpowers the rest of the audio, but I also don't want anything that has little to no "thump". And good mids are a requirement, so I think that takes the DT770 off the list.

 

[manchau]

Agreed.... It's not recommended to invest as much on A900LTD for gamings. And I am also thinking that you should jump on DT770 for better bass thump then LTD's. But I am not sure anyway. Let me know when you get it.

As a returning user from A900LTD's, You'll get nothing but dissapointment if you go with HD*** for gaming IMO.

 

[003]

I don't want the DT770 because it has recessed mids. What is wrong with the HD580 for gaming? I read the review in the review section, it says they have a huge soundstage. How is the bass and mids on them? It seems all the cans that shine for gaming have recessed mids, which I don't want.

 

[manchau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 I don't want the DT770 because it has recessed mids. What is wrong with the HD580 for gaming? I read the review in the review section, it says they have a huge soundstage. How is the bass and mids on them? It seems all the cans that shine for gaming have recessed mids, which I don't want.

Atleast HD580's are not reported to lack at mids. Also sell your all gear and try HD650 with any $200 amp. I think you should get what you are looking for. It haves thumping bass as well. You may get used HD650 in $250 here.

 

[003]

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchau Atleast HD580's are not reported to lack at mids. Also sell your all gear and try HD650 with any $200 amp. I think you should get what you are looking for. It haves thumping bass as well. You may get used HD650 in $250 here.

Yeesh -- thats a little steep. I've heard that people go bankrupt getting an amp and source worthy of the HD650. What type of amp goes well with it? My X-fi isn't even the one with the nicer opamps and dacs, it's just the fatal1ty. Wouldn't you say the 650 is overkill?

 

[manchau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 Yeesh -- thats a little steep. I've heard that people go bankrupt getting an amp and source worthy of the HD650. What type of amp goes well with it? My X-fi isn't even the one with the nicer opamps and dacs, it's just the fatal1ty. Wouldn't you say the 650 is overkill?

I am very doubtfull that HD580 will give you the bass better then A900LTD.

And this Bankruptcy term applies for all high-end phones.

IMO you have killer phone. And it's not demanding very high end source till you bankrupt. I saw that all AT high end cans limit are just $1.5K max. (RME Digipad with Lavry DA10) After that they stopped to improve OR very little whether you feed them Dynahi OR other costly sources. And they stand competetive with their competetors with limiless expenses. So, atleast it's not going to bankrupt you.

BTW. why don't step back to A900 or A500 ?

 

[catsoup]

personally i would suggest hiding it from yourself, along with head-fi. Im beginning to see the inherent problem of head-fi and a limited wallet.

 

[incognitoedleon]

Just to throw out a couple ideas if you want to max out that budget: HD580 with an M3 amp, or HD650 (if you can find it for 250) and a Portaphile V2^2. Though I think a very reasonable setup would be an HD580 and a maxed out go-vibe for around $100.

Edit: I think your source is ok, don't fret about an upgrade just yet.

 

[jagorev]

Personally, I would take 580 + $300 amp over 650 + $100-200 amp

 

[003]

How would the HD580 & HeadRoom micro with desktop module be? I really want to know about the bass and midrange on a setup like this. Would the bass have any "thump"? Would it be better than the A900LTD (in terms of thump)? Whats an M3 amp, and how does it compare to the headroom micro?

 

[manchau]

I thought about SA5000. Fast thumping bass. But you need better amp for them also

And I don't know how they are in gaming.