stageon
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 8, 2012
- Posts
- 2
- Likes
- 10
Sorry, I'm new at this...
Hi! I need some nice headphones ($200 to $400 range) and I'm hoping someone here can help. I've been lurking here for years, but am just now posting... Just for some background, I'm very much into music; I have very good ears and use both speaker setups and cans a LOT during my day. I don't create music (well, no more than just noodling around), so I'm not looking for perfectly transparent reference headphones... but I'm not just a basshead either, and definitely don't want anything too boomy. I listen to all kinds of music, think Pink Floyd and Radiohead if you want a few examples (though I like classical to rap and most genres in between). What I'm trying to say is I'm after a nice, "shaped" sound with tight, hard, low bass, well-defined midrange, good soundstage, and clear sibilance-free highs. I know, what everyone wants, right?
I've tried and found Grados to be a bit bright for my taste if that's any help... I've mostly enjoyed Sennheiser's more 'musical' sound over the years, so my inclination is to stick with them.
I've owned the HD 570s, HD 580s, HD 600s, and HD 650s. For various reasons these cans are all gone at this point (sold them, had one pair crushed! etc…) so I'm back to looking for a pair that I can plug into my computer, sit on my cushy recliner, and either listen to lossless (FLAC or ALAC) audio in the dark or watch hi-def movies (w/hi-def sound) on my 27" screen. I should mention I have a mid-2001 Core i7-powered iMac connected via USB to an Audioengine D1 DAC: From there the sound goes to a pair of Audioengine A5+ powered speakers and an Audioengine S8 powered sub. It's probably more than I need for the size of my room but it sounds awesome and I love it. Conveniently, the DAC also serves as a nifty headphone amp, with a convenient plug on the front which will mute the speakers when I plug in. But I need some cans to plug into it for those "quiet" times at night when the speaker setup isn't an option, or when I just want to really enjoy the detail of whatever I'm listening to.
So… all that being said, I've done a lot of reading over the past few weeks and I'm intrigued the most by the HD 598s, with their velour earcups, open back, and lower price, and also with the newer Momentum model, with its awesome looks, leather earcups, and closed backs with perhaps a bit more oomph on the low end. The 598s are a bargain right now at about $225 on Amazon (USA), while the Momentums seem a bit steep at $350, though I would pay the extra if I thought it was worth it. I know it has a cool box, etc., but what I'm most concerned with is SOUND and COMFORT.
I don't plan on plugging these into an iPod or taking them around town. They're gonna live on my desk and be used in the privacy of my studio/office. And impedance isn't an issue since I'm going to run them off a nice 24/96 DAC (AKM AK4396 chip).
Sorry for being so long-winded, but I want this purchase to be my last for awhile, as I've just moved into a new home and have other things besides *ahem* toys I need to spend money on (booo….). So I'd like to get it right. Like I said, I love the Sennheiser sound, but I'm not married to it; for example, I found the 600s and even the 650s a bit sterile sounding, preferring the much cheaper 580s to them for longer listening sessions. Though the cheaper cans were less transparent, they just had a warmer sound without being muddy in the least. I've listened to lower-end models like the 280s and I realize I can't ever go back to something like that.
I'm open-minded toward something like the V-MODA Crossfade m-100, or maybe an AKG or Denon model, though I don't have much experience with any of those brands (except that I have some really nice V-MODA earbuds for my iPod Nano that I love). I don't like the Sony or Grado (sorry) offerings at the price I can afford. Nor obviously consumer-oriented models from KOSS, JVC, et al... I'm too spoiled for anything that (I have the disease). And no overpriced crap like Dr Dre Monster Beats. Style is nice, sure, but great sound and luxurious comfort over an extended period of time (both physically and in terms of ear fatigue) are really all that is important to me. Build quality, too, and warranty/customer support – I mean, I'm not hard on my equipment, but it's always nice to have good support just in case.
So, what would YOU get if you were in my shoes, looking for that one pair of headphones you'll have to (and want to) live with for a number of years? HD 598? Momentum? Or something else? Thank you in advance for your advice and I'll check back frequently and answer any questions you may have. I really appreciate the help!!!
-Stageon-
p.s. Before anyone accuses me of being crazy, there were aspects of both the 600s and the 650s that I really loved. I'm not saying they weren't better headphones than my 570s or 580s, just different, and more demanding on my ears. That's why I often would switch to the 580s for extended listening sessions... they seem more mellow (but not slow or muddy) and less harsh. I do know that accurate highs often demand a bit more from the ear... I guess I'm after a good midpoint, if that makes sense. Not brassy, not boomy. Just nicely EQ'd... Sorry for the length of this post.
Hi! I need some nice headphones ($200 to $400 range) and I'm hoping someone here can help. I've been lurking here for years, but am just now posting... Just for some background, I'm very much into music; I have very good ears and use both speaker setups and cans a LOT during my day. I don't create music (well, no more than just noodling around), so I'm not looking for perfectly transparent reference headphones... but I'm not just a basshead either, and definitely don't want anything too boomy. I listen to all kinds of music, think Pink Floyd and Radiohead if you want a few examples (though I like classical to rap and most genres in between). What I'm trying to say is I'm after a nice, "shaped" sound with tight, hard, low bass, well-defined midrange, good soundstage, and clear sibilance-free highs. I know, what everyone wants, right?
I've tried and found Grados to be a bit bright for my taste if that's any help... I've mostly enjoyed Sennheiser's more 'musical' sound over the years, so my inclination is to stick with them.
I've owned the HD 570s, HD 580s, HD 600s, and HD 650s. For various reasons these cans are all gone at this point (sold them, had one pair crushed! etc…) so I'm back to looking for a pair that I can plug into my computer, sit on my cushy recliner, and either listen to lossless (FLAC or ALAC) audio in the dark or watch hi-def movies (w/hi-def sound) on my 27" screen. I should mention I have a mid-2001 Core i7-powered iMac connected via USB to an Audioengine D1 DAC: From there the sound goes to a pair of Audioengine A5+ powered speakers and an Audioengine S8 powered sub. It's probably more than I need for the size of my room but it sounds awesome and I love it. Conveniently, the DAC also serves as a nifty headphone amp, with a convenient plug on the front which will mute the speakers when I plug in. But I need some cans to plug into it for those "quiet" times at night when the speaker setup isn't an option, or when I just want to really enjoy the detail of whatever I'm listening to.
So… all that being said, I've done a lot of reading over the past few weeks and I'm intrigued the most by the HD 598s, with their velour earcups, open back, and lower price, and also with the newer Momentum model, with its awesome looks, leather earcups, and closed backs with perhaps a bit more oomph on the low end. The 598s are a bargain right now at about $225 on Amazon (USA), while the Momentums seem a bit steep at $350, though I would pay the extra if I thought it was worth it. I know it has a cool box, etc., but what I'm most concerned with is SOUND and COMFORT.
I don't plan on plugging these into an iPod or taking them around town. They're gonna live on my desk and be used in the privacy of my studio/office. And impedance isn't an issue since I'm going to run them off a nice 24/96 DAC (AKM AK4396 chip).
Sorry for being so long-winded, but I want this purchase to be my last for awhile, as I've just moved into a new home and have other things besides *ahem* toys I need to spend money on (booo….). So I'd like to get it right. Like I said, I love the Sennheiser sound, but I'm not married to it; for example, I found the 600s and even the 650s a bit sterile sounding, preferring the much cheaper 580s to them for longer listening sessions. Though the cheaper cans were less transparent, they just had a warmer sound without being muddy in the least. I've listened to lower-end models like the 280s and I realize I can't ever go back to something like that.
I'm open-minded toward something like the V-MODA Crossfade m-100, or maybe an AKG or Denon model, though I don't have much experience with any of those brands (except that I have some really nice V-MODA earbuds for my iPod Nano that I love). I don't like the Sony or Grado (sorry) offerings at the price I can afford. Nor obviously consumer-oriented models from KOSS, JVC, et al... I'm too spoiled for anything that (I have the disease). And no overpriced crap like Dr Dre Monster Beats. Style is nice, sure, but great sound and luxurious comfort over an extended period of time (both physically and in terms of ear fatigue) are really all that is important to me. Build quality, too, and warranty/customer support – I mean, I'm not hard on my equipment, but it's always nice to have good support just in case.
So, what would YOU get if you were in my shoes, looking for that one pair of headphones you'll have to (and want to) live with for a number of years? HD 598? Momentum? Or something else? Thank you in advance for your advice and I'll check back frequently and answer any questions you may have. I really appreciate the help!!!
-Stageon-
p.s. Before anyone accuses me of being crazy, there were aspects of both the 600s and the 650s that I really loved. I'm not saying they weren't better headphones than my 570s or 580s, just different, and more demanding on my ears. That's why I often would switch to the 580s for extended listening sessions... they seem more mellow (but not slow or muddy) and less harsh. I do know that accurate highs often demand a bit more from the ear... I guess I'm after a good midpoint, if that makes sense. Not brassy, not boomy. Just nicely EQ'd... Sorry for the length of this post.
