[nizzki]

I'm new-ish to headphones, and after lurking for a while i'm thinking of getting a pair of good headphones.
First of, I mostly listen to rock of various forms and classical.
I own a set of Shure SE420, and after listening to a friend's Senn HD580s i'm hugely disappointed in them. They sound extremely muddled in comparison, and i'm interested in moving onto big headphones.

Based on the reading I did on the site, I'm quite fond of Grado rs-2 and Sennheiser HD650. Recently I also read up on the Denon D2000, which have the benefit of being closed, which could be handy at work but isn't a deal breaker.

Either way, I keep reading that the HD650s need a good amp to work well, which i'd rather not invest in just yet.
The Grados are great according to most reviews, and no amp needed, but it seems that replacing cables is difficult which could be a bummer. They're also more expensive, and not quite as good for classical.
Finally, the D2000 are supposed to be a good sounding set of headphones, but some say that they have too much bass and aren't as precise as the HD650s.

I'm open to other headphones, these three just seem to really pop up more often than others.
Finally, I'd rather not spend >$350-400 max, which means that i'd have to look for used Grados to begin with.


Thanks for any suggestions

 

[BobbyChicken]

For rock and classical, I doubt you'll beat a grado.

 

[1Time]

Welcome.

What sound card or other equipment will you be plugging these headphones into?

Is your stated budget only for headphones, or to include a source and/or amp?

 

[nizzki]

I would mostly use it with a MacBook Pro, possibly infrequent use with an iPhone.

The budget is for the headphones, i don't want to overly complicate my setup just yet.

Thanks for the warm welcome and surprising swift replies.

 

[Uncle Erik]

If you like the Grado RS-2, there's one at Audiogon for $250 right now. Please buy it before I do.

 

[JayB18]

Since you didn't like the HD580 maybe you shouldn't bother with he HD650. Also they need a good amp and are not the best for rock music. They would probably be good for classical though. Grados on the other hand will be great for rock but not the best for classical. However, Id rather listen to classical on Grados than rock on Sennheisers from my experience with the HD555. Also why do you need to replace cables?

Also look into the AD900 which is easy to drive and good for rock and classical music. They may not fit properly if you have a smaller head though. The DT250-80 or ESW9 would be a good choice if you want a closed phone.

 

[nizzki]

Sorry for the confusion Jay, i meant i was sorely disappointed with the Shures after trying the HD580's.

As for replacing cables, things happen. I managed to destroy cables of all kinds of things, and buying a brand new set of headphones is a bit steep as a solution.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nizzki /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would mostly use it with a MacBook Pro, possibly infrequent use with an iPhone.

OK. So do you want closed headphones that are good for not leaking sound out that might bother others, or good at blocking external sounds that might bother you? Or, do you prefer open headphones like Grados?

 

[JayB18]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nizzki /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry for the confusion Jay, i meant i was sorely disappointed with the Shures after trying the HD580's. As for replacing cables, things happen. I managed to destroy cables of all kinds of things, and buying a brand new set of headphones is a bit steep as a solution.

Oops. lol. Im tired too which probably didn't help. The Senns will still need an amp though (and a better source than a macbook)

 

[nizzki]

1Time, more concerned about leaking out, but it's not a huge factor overall. Besides, based on the reviews of the D2000 that i've read here, it leaks out quite badly anyway.

 

[JayB18]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nizzki /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1Time, more concerned about leaking out, but it's not a huge factor overall. Besides, based on the reviews of the D2000 that i've read here, it leaks out quite badly anyway.

Ive read they don't isolate well but I don't recall reading they leak. Any open phone is going to leak (grados, AD900, etc.) In your price range,Grados/Alessandros and the AD900 are the easiest to drive open phones that I know of. The Denons need an amp from what ive read (or at least really benefit from one).

 

[nizzki]

Well, not leaking a whole lot would be nice, but i'm more concerned about the sound quality than leaking.
Any idea how the Denons sound compared to the Grados?

 

[JayB18]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nizzki /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, not leaking a whole lot would be nice, but i'm more concerned about the sound quality than leaking. Any idea how the Denons sound compared to the Grados?

Not really. They would have more bass impact but not be as forward/energetic in the midrange. Probably not as "fun" for rock music as Grados. Can't say for sure though.

 

[paaj]

what setup does your friend have? If he's just using those 580's with a simple source/amp you'll get an idea of how the 600/650 will do and if that's good enough. Amp and source is very important with those, but it is not unlistenable without...

The SR325i fits into your budget and is a very nice headphone. Not as amp dependent and a very detailed sound with a good deep bass. Will work just fine out of an iPod, but listening to it on an 0404USB (not so expensive either) yesterday made me remember how much I actually like these.
A good source is important to consider in the near future.

 

[nizzki]

The HD580s were plugged straight into my macbook, so the same setup i would be using.