[drez]

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In my experience, the difference between solid mid fi headphones (headphones that 'punch' worth $200-300) and a higher end headphone (HE-500, Miracle) is actually quite dramatic. Mid fi headphones sound great, but hifi headphones really emphasize the little things, which together, make the experience so much more enjoyable. Obviously there are very heavy diminishing returns, but in my opinion, it is totally worth it. Of course, one would prefer a mid-fi headphone that is more in line with their personal listening preferences over just any high end phone, but a high end HP in-line with your listening preferences is truly a spectacular thing to behold. 

Depends what you listen to.  If you listen to really dull recordings they will sound their best with a lot of coloration - headphones such as Grado, Beats, Sony XB, Ultrasone, Dennon etc etc
 
For good classical recordings though you really do want high performance, neutral gear - the more insight and connection you have with the music - as from AKG K701, Beyer DT880 etc.
 
For this reason a headphone that is the optimum for badly recorded pop and rock music will not be the optimum for classical music.
 
HD515 however is able to make anything sound dull and lifeless [yes I own a pair somewhere, or maybe threw them out] - bad luck to the OP for trusting CNET.  
 
Compared to HD515 Beats will sound much better.  Some Beats models are actually not that bad, just they are overpriced and worn by a million noobs.
 
Another terrible headphone you see everywhere is the Sony MDR-V700DJ, which I have offloaded to a friend who couldn't care less what they sound like.
 
Something to consider though is just because HD515 sounds dull, not all non-bass-boost headphones will sound bad.  HD515 are dull AND low resolution.
 
In the end though it is best to try headphones - musical instrument stores are good places to test non-beats headphones.  A Nuforce UDAC will probably help too - they often come up for sale second hand.
 
Oh and welcome to Head-Fi - sorry about your wallet.  I blame CNET.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Nuforce uDAC2 ($130) + Denon D2000 ($240).

 
I would recommend the FiiO E10 over the uDAC2. It is cheaper by ~$50, and is better overall.
 

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

 
I would recommend the FiiO E10 over the uDAC2. It is cheaper by ~$50, and is better overall.
 

 Ahh but who is the blingier of the two now! This limited gold edition is hilarious
 
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

That looks pretty sweet... the gold isn't treading on the gaudy gold (even better if it was brushed aluminum). Too bad UDAC2 is such a polarizing piece of equipment.

 

[thund3rstruck]

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If the beats blew you away, get them. Its common sense.
 

 
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Why don't you just get the headphones that blew you away?

I wouldn't say its common sense because the beats headphones where in a protected retail display. I didn't get to pick the music it played (random bass CD music) and I have no idea how much the conditions orcomponents were manipulated to benefit the sound. Those headphones are over $300 and once I reach the $300 mark if I'm still not satisfied then this will be the last set of headphones I ever buy.
 
$300 may not sound like much but I have a wife and kids and for me this is serious money.

 
 

 

[forsberg]

Buy the beats. Most big retailers has a return policy on headphones. If you don't like it, return it.

 

[thund3rstruck]

Quote:

Honestly, don't get sucked into the head-fi state of mind. Buy some adequate headphones like the XB500s, buy any good mp3 player, and download more music. Some people here will act like the most minute change in sound signature has changed their whole outlook on music. Overreaction over the smallest thing is pretty common here, and many are convinced that almost inaudible details are worth a $200 upgrade. Truth is, the biggest step up is the step from crappy earbuds to headphones of decent quality (around the $100 range). Diminishing returns is very much in effect in these forums. Reality is, you really don't notice the difference unless you are constantly A/Bing. But what kind of normal human being really does that? Spend less time A/Bing, and spend more time listening to music. Just being real.

I agree but I have always had a decent sound system in my cars. For example, here's a system I built for my wife's care in 2010 (http://www.caraudio.com/forums/car-audio-build-logs-cars-trucks-suvs/487039-2005-hyundai-accent-gt-system-old-lady.html). I'm not an audiophile but I have been listening to music seriously for decades and sound quality is very important to me.
 
I plugged my HD 515s into my Harmon Kardon AVR 135 and listened to FLAC recordings of Bone Thugs n Harmony - Tha Crossroads, Megadeth - Tornado of Souls, and the Beatles - Bungalo Bill. These tracks played on my home system and in the car are very well rounded with depth and in some cases booming, skull shattering bass. Yet my HD 515s sounded like the removed the entire bass tracks! No bass what so ever. The other sound was tight and clean but how can you enjoy music when its missing all the low tones?
 
 
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Also check the quality of the files you are listening to. If they are low rez (<128K) mp3 then you are not going to hear the full range of your headphones. Try listening to a flac version (or higher rez mp3 (320)) of the same tunes see if that makes a difference.

Thanks. Yea, several years ago I re-ripped my entire CD collection to 320KBps FLAC. They used to be VBR from 96KBps - 128 KBps MP3 files but that bitrate sounds awful even on headphones that are already awful to begin with!
  
 

 

[thund3rstruck]

 
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I really don't understand why everyone gets carried away with recommending new headphones, when the correct order to proceed is to get the source up to standard. Sure the OP could use better headphones, and I recommend getting better ones too, but I stand by my guns that different models of DAC/headphone amp combos are what should be recommended in the first instance.
Garbage in = garbage out.

Maybe for most people this might be true, but my sources are not garbage. All the audio recordings are 320KBps and my home theatre is outstanding. I should be able to plug in my headphones into my home theatre receiver/amp and hear the best sound my headphones are capable of producing. I've done that serveral times and the HD 515 sound terrible (in the sense that they remove all low bass tones --and I mean all of them. Might as well be listening to an ipod or a factory car stereo or something).
 
Buying a headphone amp without a new set of phones is probably the worst thing I can do since I already know what these phones are capable of (not much)
 

 

[BleaK]

Quote:

 


Maybe for most people this might be true, but my sources are not garbage. All the audio recordings are 320KBps and my home theatre is outstanding. I should be able to plug in my headphones into my home theatre receiver/amp and hear the best sound my headphones are capable of producing. I've done that serveral times and the HD 515 sound terrible (in the sense that they remove all low bass tones --and I mean all of them. Might as well be listening to an ipod or a factory car stereo or something).
 
Buying a headphone amp without a new set of phones is probably the worst thing I can do since I already know what these phones are capable of (not much)
 

 
This is certainly not true, unless your receiver/amp have a dedicated headphone output (ex. with impedance lower than 2ohm), which most receivers don't have.
One of the things that an amp most often screw up is the bass. In most cases even the fiio e11 would be better than most speaker amps driving lower impedance headphones.
 
 

 

[LithoJazoSphere]

I'll chime in to echo the recommendation for the D2000.  It will be the well-rounded, but bassy headphone you're looking for.  I've heard the HD-515s and I agree that they're not very good, far worse even than the HD-555s.

 

[thund3rstruck]

Lots of recommendations for the Denon AHD2000s. At this point it's between
 
the Denon AHD2000
(http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=denon+d20000 and the
 
Sony MDR-XB1000 (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-XB1000-Extra-Bass-Headphones/dp/B005FVDTA2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1WKQJWMAQRK43&colid=32LUEN4NVELDC)
 
 

 

[the wizard of oz]

 
Quote:

 


Maybe for most people this might be true, but my sources are not garbage. All the audio recordings are 320KBps and my home theatre is outstanding. I should be able to plug in my headphones into my home theatre receiver/amp and hear the best sound my headphones are capable of producing. I've done that several times and the HD515 sound terrible (in the sense that they remove all low bass tones --and I mean all of them. Might as well be listening to an iPod or a factory car stereo or something).
 
Buying a headphone amp without a new set of phones is probably the worst thing I can do since I already know what these phones are capable of (not much)
 

I wasn't talking about the quality of your files, but while we're at it I wouldn't go below FLAC; no what I meant was the headphone output of the laptop you mentioned. The DAC on-board the laptop, and all the components and circuitry from there to the
headphone output, op-amp, capacitors, etc.
 
Like has been said, I wouldn't consider the headphone output of your home theatre receiver/amp a good way to judge headphones. My Onkyo A-905FX Stereo amp, otherwise very capable amp for driving my speakers, is pathetic at its headphone output.
Headphone outputs on stereo and multichannel amps are often more an afterthought than a serious engineering endeavour.
 
So, again, even if it would be probably recommended to upgrade headphones -can't comment, never heard those Sennheiser's, only the HD650- I wouldn't dismiss the DAC + Headphone amp combo as a first investigation, before you end up being disappointed once again.
 
 

 

[RexAeterna]

If the beats blew you away, get them. Its common sense.

pretty much this. who cares what people a reviewers say. they can talk all they want till pigs fly but in the end it's up to ''you'' to decide what's best for you and what you like. disagreements and opinions are just a learning process and learning experience, nothing else. that's why you always need to take reviews and opinions with a grain of salt and not seriously cause if you do, then you will always end up disappointed.

if you like the beats then by all means,get them and enjoy your music. is there better out there possibly? most likely yes, but that of course is all up to you on what would be considered better or worst. no one else.

 

[Lorspeaker]

cheap solution...just plug the TDK ST-700 into the laptop and go hang out in the library with your fav music n chill out.zzz.  This portable has great isolation and sounds great without additional gears...i use this directly on my handfone. nothing fancy.

 
or grab a centrance dacport LX, and a KRK KNS8400 combo, ( around 300+bucks combo ) and rock away.
( i am tuning in the ITUNEs jazz radio channels right this moment, there is clarity n tighttt basss..FUN! )

 
 

 

[gokica]

If you would like to be blown away by bass and good clarity I would also like to recommend Sennheiser HD 485.
 
You do not need amp for those and even in your laptop they will sound powerful with very low deep sub-woofer bass. They are discontinued but can still be bought for about $ 100 or less. Amazing deal for the money.