[Johnnyde94]

The title kinda says it all, what is a good sub 500 closed back and balanced headphone for the Jotunheim OG with a AKM Dac (may upgrade to the ESS.) I'm upgrading from the Jot OG to Jot 2 for my main system and I am planning on bringing the Jot OG to work to have on my desk. From what I understand, Dynamic driver headphones are best for the Jot. I have already all open backed headphones (HD650, HD 58x and Hifiman 400i) and i figured it would be good to have a pair of closed back anyway.

My office can get kinda noisy with AC system and stuff on so something with good noise isolation would be a nice touch. Just to be clear I mean the volume of the room not AC electrical noise lol. I work in a school so I assume the AC electrical noise of the building is great or crappy idk what one though.

 

[msing539]

What type of sound signature do you like, or what genres do you listen to?

 

[Johnnyde94]

I guess thinking more on it the closed back is not an absolute necessary I just don't have any good closed backed. I listen mostly to rock bands like Seether, Korn, RHCP (not in a while though now i think of it), REM, evanescence, Metallica, the stones, cranberries to name a few. I'm a big fan of acoustic rock versions of rock songs as well. I like alt music as well such as goo goo dolls, manson (if im in that kind of mood), nirvana, weezer and greenday.

I signature wise I am a fan of things on the warmer side. Nice tight bass, wide soundstage ect. I wouldn't be opposed to these pair of cans being on the fun site. Im a big sennies fan but that may just be bias them being my first pair or "real" headphones. I love my 650s. People would think I am insane but i use my main rig of Jot, bifrost 2 and 650 to game with LMAO. I had the time to really enjoy my stack with real music.

Really the only must architecture wise is XLR balanced.

 

[Johnnyde94]

off topic from here how do you like your denafrips? Im a shiit head (again probably bias) but i do like the idea behind R2R, multibit dacs over delta sigmas. Its really funny In my main set up I was playing a game (total overkill) and i realized idk how that I had my set up wrong. I was using the USB for the jot akm card not the bifrost for whatever reason. Before that i tried playing my game with my hifiman and i was like wow this sounds like crap. I as soon as plugged in to the bifrost with the 650 i was blown away by the diffrence, mostly dark/warmness of the multibit vers the akm card. I felt like a fool because i had that set up like that for a long time. The combo of the unison usb and the multibit made a gigantic difference. I was really questioning for a long time if dacs made a difference..... they do it was crazy how much better my GAME sounded with the bifrost. Tried my hifiman again (in a different game) and i enjoyed the sound of it again.

Tangent aside the arch of the denafrips seems interesting and would be cuprous to hear that dac specifically with the jot as i know how that amp sounds like.

 

[msing539]

I like the Denafrips a lot. Though I haven't owned numerous chip DACs, I've heard a bunch, and the R2R sound is on another level for me.

The Ares is great, most people could stop there. The Pontus just adds more detail and nuance, just more of everything the Ares does.

If you'd like a fun sound signature and aren't opposed to used, look into the Emu Teak. It's a Fostex driver but not as mids recessed as other Fostex headphones. I've seen people use them for gaming, too.

 

[Johnnyde94]

Those seem pretty interesting have to look into them. I have heard nothing but great things from fostex drivers have been interested in getting a pair of them. I love how modable they are.

 

[msing539]

The Emu Teak is well liked for a closed back. If you wanted something more neutral with less low end, the TR-X00 Ebony or Fostex TH610. And somewhat of a sidestep from Fostex, my favorite of those closed backs, the Denon D5200. Used should be around $300 for that one.

Another option is the Meze 99, but the bass is pretty bloated and the highs are somewhat recessed for what you listen to.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

DT 1770 250 ohm

 

[Johnnyde94]

DT 1770 250 ohm

Was looking at DT's as well, that would work out well because i have professional Sennheiser mini xlr to xlr cables I have at work anyway.

Off topic question, why don't you have any 650/660s/6xx sennies? Kinda curious given your a self professed Sennheiser guy lol. I ended up going with the 650 over the 600, 6xx or 660s because i didn't like the lower impedance of the 660s, 6xx I heard the clamping force was higher and I assumed i would like the 650 sound over the 600. Would it be worth adding the 600 to my collection or are they too similar to the 650 to be worth it? Would possibly get a pair of 660s eventually if they were honestly better than the 650, plus the lower impedance would make them easer to drive.

 

[msing539]

Was looking at DT's as well, that would work out well because i have professional Sennheiser mini xlr to xlr cables I have at work anyway.

Off topic question, why don't you have any 650/660s/6xx sennies? Kinda curious given your a self professed Sennheiser guy lol. I ended up going with the 650 over the 600, 6xx or 660s because i didn't like the lower impedance of the 660s, 6xx I heard the clamping force was higher and I assumed i would like the 650 sound over the 600. Would it be worth adding the 600 to my collection or are they too similar to the 650 to be worth it? Would possibly get a pair of 660s eventually if they were honestly better than the 650, plus the lower impedance would make them easer to drive.

Pretty sure @gimmeheadroom owns the HD600. That is the one that most prefer from the 6 series.

 

[Johnnyde94]

No technical reason just pure preference, again im pretty new to the audio game lol.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Off topic question, why don't you have any 650/660s/6xx sennies?

Have you stopped beating your wife?

 

[Johnnyde94]

LMAO!