[Peoples]

Topic says it all. I have used Sennheiser HD595 for quite some time now, bit over two years. Now I consider buying HD650 or DT880, I am going to test them both. But I was wondering is there any other possible rivals to these two? Grados are highly priced here in europe, so they don't give the same value for money here. HD650 is around 200e and DT880 is bit over. Sony SA3000 / SA5000 - what do they go for in europe? Any recommendations on places from where to get them? Denon D2000/D5000? These last four headphones I can't really test by myself, since they aren't carried by any of the retailers here in Finland - or am I mistaken?

- Currently pretty good pimeta maxed + EMU 0404 is my source, but I could squeeze some minor changes here too... maybe
- I am not a big basshead, but I'd like to have bass too so

- I listen mostly hard rock, metal, progressive rock/metal (Pantera, Exhorder, Exodus, Testament, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Down, Rush... and so on) but I enjoy almost every genre, but no rap or hiphop
- Male vocals are dominant 3/4 of the time
- I'd like to hear instruments quite naturally

Just give some advices / recommendations if you have some idea on the music I listen to, the genres give a pretty good picture.

 

[Chrysoberyl]

Hi there! I have exactly the same setup as you,but this week i'm getting a brand new hd 600,which in my opinion are better balanced and more natural sounding than the hd 650.Cheaper,too.Give them a try!
If you live in Helsinki there's a big hifi shop in Eerikinkatu,number 17 if I remember well,that has them in stock and plugged to the same system along with a lot other headphone models(akg k701 and hd 650 among them) so you can make fast comparisons.

 

[greggf]

I agree, try the HD600. A great headphone, a must-try!

 

[F107plus5]

One thought; and this is basically if you think you are hooked on this hobby for the long haul....and that can happen oh so very easily.....is to consider what has happened to so many of us: The "complementary Phone" syndrome.

Yup; one set just won't do it all.

Speaking of the HD600. That's a goodie alright. And in my experience, the MS2i complements it quite nicely. What one won't do beautifully; the other one will!

 

[MaZa]

DT880 is excellent can for pretty much everything except for boomy bassheads. If you think HD595 had enough bass for your tastes, DT880 wont dissapoint you in that aspect.

 

[HFat]

Senn and Beyer would be the main German players but there may be others with comparable (but more obscure) offerings. If you look south a bit, you got AKG and Precide. I hear Philips has a good model too. Comparable Japanese and American products might be too expensive if you stick to the normal channels but there are other ways such as Alessandro, pricejapan and ebay.

 

[Peoples]

Yeah, I was wondering Sony SA3000 or SA5000(which seems to go way beyond my budget). Denon D2000 has gotten quite good reviews here. The last Philips headphone I've listened to, where some HP830? Can't remember precisely, they were decent for that price they had, but I think my HD595 excelled those in every aspect.

Bass, HD595 aren't perfect on that region in my opinion, but decent. I don't like boomy over saturated bass that for example KOSS Porta Pro's offer, that ruins it totally for me. Tight, controlled, the music I listen to rarely has really, really low bass. THE MOST dissappointing thing on the HD595 is the build quality.. fake leather, cheap plastic which heavily relates to "cheap" plasticy feel. If one wouldn't know better, these could be priced around 30$

I will check that shop(HIFI STUDIO 17?) when I visit Helsinki next time. Mr.Hifi seems to have a decent selection of phones too. But none of these shops have Denons. HIFI STUDIO 17 has Sony, or at least that one model.

HD600, why that over HD650?

When I bought the HD595, I convinced my self that these are sufficient for many years, and they have been, but somehow one always look for something better. That's why I upped to CMOY, then that to PIMETA. I had integrated card, then bought Audigy 2 and then EMU0404. Which all have been really solid steps forward, that I can say that "A is better than B".

I am bit skeptic about the K701, since they haven't really been praised about their fit for rock/metal. But I will give them a listen too

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

HD600, why that over HD650?

Because HD650 has quite elevated bass compared to highs. Might be too bass heavy and warm for your liking. HD600 is more neutral one. For rock and metal, I would take Beyerdynamics over any Sennheiser any day though. Much more liveliness than smooth Sennheisers. But try to listen them all, everyones ears are different.

 

[F107plus5]

Yup; I think one of the reasons why HD600 may be mentioned more often in some respects than HD650 has more to do with the feeling that the HD600 is a more neutral sounding phone than HD650 and is far less demanding on the remainder of the system. The HD650 is felt to be the better phone than HD600, and the bass is also more prominent and some folks tend to believe that it may be a minus in that regard.

The HD650 is the more popular of the two. When looking at user polls, for every ten listeners that prefer HD650, there are between 4 and 6 who prefer HD600. The really serious listeners with more interest in over-all system synergy(synergy: Spelled "$ynergy"

)will usually gravitate toward the HD650.

On a different subject; the Alessandros are also Grados, but have a different pricing structure. They sell for the same price all over the planet. The Alessandros are Grados with some of the excitement removed and replaced with a more neutral and analytical nature. They're still great for rock, but they can more easily slide into other forms of music.

 

[HFat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peoples /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am bit skeptic about the K701, since they haven't really been praised about their fit for rock/metal.

Why go for the K701? AKG makes other good headphones. Even if the top models were always the best going by some objective criteria, they still wouldn't necessarily be the best for you.
And don't forget Precide.

 

[HFat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif For rock and metal, I would take Beyerdynamics over any Sennheiser any day though. Much more liveliness than smooth Sennheisers. But try to listen them all, everyones ears are different.

And everyone's music's different too. In general, I agree. But there are kinds of "rock" that are lively enough on Senns and there also genres plagued by recordings bad enough to sound better on Senns than on DT880s. I think we already had a scuffle of sorts about that a year ago or so.

EDIT: oh, and one thing the DT880s are definitely not excellent for (re: post #5) is impact. Not that most Senns are any better but if that's what you want, look elsewhere.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFat /img/forum/go_quote.gif And everyone's music's different too. In general, I agree. But there are kinds of "rock" that are lively enough on Senns and there also genres plagued by recordings bad enough to sound better on Senns than on DT880s. I think we already had a scuffle of sorts about that a year ago or so. EDIT: oh, and one thing the DT880s are definitely not excellent for (re: post #5) is impact. Not that most Senns are any better but if that's what you want, look elsewhere.

Yeah, but OP mentioned hard rock and metal and progressive rock/metal as his fav. Those genres generally sound better on DT880 than Senns. Yes, DT880 lacks some impact in bass, but if HD595 was good enough in that regard, DT880 is also definetly enough. (cuz IMO its even better than HD595 in that regard) And midrange and highs, where guitars really reign, is simply outstanding with its clarity.

 

[HFat]

You have the benefit of having heard both and I'd trust your judgment on this.

Still, don't you think the OP might do well to try Grados for example, if only once? There's good enough and then there's really rood...

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFat /img/forum/go_quote.gif You have the benefit of having heard both and I'd trust your judgment on this. Still, don't you think the OP might do well to try Grados for example, if only once? There's good enough and then there's really rood...

Oh definetly yes! But not with Finnish prices. Though he should make a trip to hifi shop and listen, and if he finds them to be his liking, add WTB from US thread for Grados here. Alessandros are good too, but downside is that listening them before buying is pretty difficult.

 

[Peoples]

Yes, that I would have to rely solely on what I heard from Grados and translate that in some weird way how Alessandros might sound. I will test all of these phones. One day might not be enough though