[TK31]

Hi Guys!

Been reading a lot of reviews and recommendation posts

Ive come across either the DT 990 Pro, Grado SR125E or the Fostex T50RP.

I've been running a pair of Sennheiser 4.20s off an X1ii docked to a K5 amp, and recently bought the Fiio F9 Pro for portable listening and the 4.20s didnt quite cut it anymore.

Anyone with experience of the F9 Pro's recommend any of the 3 above that would have a similar signature?

Thanks

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hi Guys!

Been reading a lot of reviews and recommendation posts

Ive come across either the DT 990 Pro, Grado SR125E or the Fostex T50RP.

I've been running a pair of Sennheiser 4.20s off an X1ii docked to a K5 amp, and recently bought the Fiio F9 Pro for portable listening and the 4.20s didnt quite cut it anymore.

Anyone with experience of the F9 Pro's recommend any of the 3 above that would have a similar signature?

Thanks

Maybe the Sennheiser HD600. However below 50hz it's a different story - it rolls off more and it's open back, so the bass you'll be able to hear in anything short of an acoustically dead room will be noticeably weaker. Same problem with the HiFiMan HE400S.

There's the AKG K712, you just have to gamble that all the additional bass will be offset by the same qualities as above.

 

[serman005]

If you are open to a closed option, the Meze 99 Classics is pretty darn good at its price.

 

[TK31]

Thanks guys.

I’ll give the HD600 a look and see if I can find a place that has the meze on display for a test.

It’s mainly home listening and there isn’t much ambient noise where I listen so wanted the extra benefit of potential wider soundstage an open back would have offered, but who knows! I might like how the closed back sounds more than anything.

I listen to a variety from electro styles like trance and house, with a complete 180 flip to Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, so I hope the HD600 and/or the meze might give me a good all rounder

 

[ProtegeManiac]

It’s mainly home listening and there isn’t much ambient noise where I listen so wanted the extra benefit of potential wider soundstage an open back would have offered, but who knows! I might like how the closed back sounds more than anything.

The problem is how people underestimate ambient noise. Most people think its absence is "can't hear anything" when in reality it's more of "can't hear anything distinct out of all that mash of noise sources; or that what is silent like with a computer is actually more like "can't hear the computer over this ambient noise (that I think isn't even there)."

Run a dB meter in a room and the ambient noise can be as high as 30dB, if not 40dB. The only reason why for example a PC with a large CPU cooler running at anywhere over 25% (or a crap stock cooler at default motherboard fan profile) or a GPU cooler when a game is running is easily audible is not simply because they're running above the ambient noise, they're also running at a different frequency range.

Now, that doesn't make open headphones useless in anything but a lab, but if you're comparing it to an IEM where the IEM not only seals off the ear canal but already has a stronger response in controlled conditions, in practice with less than ideal conditions it will be a double whammy on the open back headphone if you compare it to the IEM.

 

[TK31]

Definitely. Sounds like closed back might actually be the path im going for not open back.

Thanks guys!

 

[Monsterzero]

t’s mainly home listening and there isn’t much ambient noise where I listen so wanted the extra benefit of potential wider soundstage an open back would have offered, but who knows! I might like how the closed back sounds more than anything.

I listen to a variety from electro styles like trance and house, with a complete 180 flip to Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, so I hope the HD600 and/or the meze might give me a good all rounder

I found the soundstage on the HD600 to be pretty narrow. Additionally IMO its not dynamic enough to sound good with trance/electro. For Jeff Buckley it will sound really good,but not exciting.

Havent heard the Meze,but lots of folks like it,but the same can be said about the HD600 as well.

 

[Me x3]

I listen to a variety from electro styles like trance and house, with a complete 180 flip to Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, so I hope the HD600 and/or the meze might give me a good all rounder

I would personally stay away from HD600 for those genres. I'm in the same boat as @Monsterzero the Senn HD600 is not knwon for being very dynamic or spacious sounding.
Since you own and enjoy the FiiO F9 PRO which is fast and lively I suggest the Beyer route. Ideally you should stretch to a Beyerdynamic DT1990 PRO, but maybe you can find a good deal on a T90.
DT880 600 Ohm is also a great headphone, but more along the lines of the FiiO F9 instead of FiiO F9 PRO (a tad cooler sounding overall).

AKG K712 is also a very nice pick for those genres, but in this case you're getting soundstage over treble speed/extension.
Treble in the K712 is quite sparkly anyway, but doesn'y have the ease of the Beyers here.

1) DT1990 PRO
2) Tesla T90
3) DT880 (600 Ohm) - keep in mind this is not as warm -
4) K712 PRO

 

[TK31]

Hey guys!

Thanks for all your input!

Had a test listen to a few things at my local store, and these came on top: