[Zoysa]

Hello!
 
Firstly, let me just say what a great community we've got here! I have been doing research for the past week about what kind of headphone is right for me, and Head-Fi has always provided me with the best insight! I've read so much stuff about each of the headphones I am about to list, but I'm at that point where it's just information overload for me, and I'd like to be able to tailor that information im gathering to my specific needs!
 
My budget is approx $400
 
being more specific, I will be using these headphones for producing, mixing, and mastering EDM such as drum and bass, chillstep, and trance. I will also be using it for general listening to jazz, ambient, funk, hip-hop, and all kinds of EDM. BUT at the same time, these headphones will occasionally need to be used for audio mixing corporate videos and short films. I
 
I'm after a headphone that has the accuracy and wide sound stage needed to mix and master soundtracks from EDM to short films, but also with the energy and excitement of general listening that, for example, the v-moda m100 would provide. For $400 I'm hoping that a headphone is out there that is both a "fun" listen, with crisp and punchy bass that doesnt bleed into the mids, but that can also be used as a reference headphone with accurate instrument separation.

My shortlist is:
sennheiser momentum
akg k702
akg k550
hifiman he-400
shure srh840
beyerdynamic dt880
charterOak sp-1
german maestro gmp250
sennheiser hd650
sennheiser hd-598
audiotechnica ath-m50S
 
I am also happy to buy an amp to help the headphone reach its fullest potential, but I have reservations about spending any more than $450 for an amp/headphone combination.
 
Thank you so much in advance for your help!

 

[GSARider]

I'd say the HD650 fits the bill...with an inexpensive amp, you should be good to go...

 

[Zoysa]

Quote:

I'd say the HD650 fits the bill...with an inexpensive amp, you should be good to go...

I've read about the 'veil' that can be heard, and the fact that the headphone needs some seriously good amping to get the most out of it (around the $400/500 amp price range)... would you please be able to shed some light on whether this is true or not?

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

I've read about the 'veil' that can be heard, and the fact that the headphone needs some seriously good amping to get the most out of it (around the $400/500 amp price range)... would you please be able to shed some light on whether this is true or not?

Take that everything with a grain of salt. I've had people mention my headphones should need $1k+ amps but in all honesty they sound just fine out of a crappy laptop sound card. Not to say that the amp wouldn't help. (don't ask which ones, they don't have good soundstage anyway)
 
And when they say "get the most out of it"... what does that really mean anyway, if you get what I mean

 

[Zoysa]

True...

just read TMRaven's review of the HE-400 (http://www.head-fi.org/t/605929/review-comparison-he-400-vs-d2000-with-snippets-of-hd650-thrown-in). Combined with a few other tidbits read here and there, Sennheiser 650 is now off the table...
 
Now if the HE-400 just had the same bass extension as a D2k, then we'd have completed the quest

 

[Scyy]

Good choice, for the genres you listed those would be my top pick.  I haven't heard 650's for long but while they are good I think the he-400's are a real step up in hip-hop, and EMD and I would say at least equal in most all other aspects aside from comfort.  While it doesn't effect me I could see others with weaker necks not being able to handle them for long.

 

[Zoysa]

my neck is ready...

haha. Thanks very much for your input Scyy... all of my reading today is definitely leading me down the he-400 path
 

 

[obobskivich]

The Sennheisers are not a bad choice honestly - years ago Sennheiser actually championed them for mastering (just as Shure does today with the 1840 (which I haven't heard, and which blows your budget anyways)) - I think the "veil" is yet another hold-over from the time of faeries.

Anyways, I'm not going to suggest the Senns. Instead, I'm going to suggest a headphone that isn't on your list at all: the Kenwood KH-K1000. They check every box on your list to the max, are comfortable, and are more easily driven than most of the typical audiophile fare you'll be suggested - really I can't think of a better match for everything you've listed. The other pair of cans I'd suggest would be the AKG K701, which are less sensitive than much of the rest of your list, and may or may not require additional amplification as a result (the FiiO E9 would be a fine candidate here - costs around $90). I'd put the HD 600 as a runner-up if you don't like the Kenwood or AKG for whatever reason. The HD 600 I like less because they're more reactive, higher Z, and fairly clampy out of the box (this *does* improve with time though).

I would take the AT M50 and K550 off your list - the M50 have no soundstage to speak of (and boom-boom bass that frames recessed mids), and the K550 have limited bass impact and are tough to get a seal with (which further complicates that issue); the K550 are fine sounding and well built, I'm just not sure they check all of your boxes perfectly (although you can usually demo them at Best Buy, so go ahead and try them out and see what you think - maybe they do have enough bass for you (personally I think they have a fine amount of bass, but I generally like bass-light headphones)).

 

[Zoysa]

Quote:

The Sennheisers are not a bad choice honestly - years ago Sennheiser actually championed them for mastering (just as Shure does today with the 1840 (which I haven't heard, and which blows your budget anyways)) - I think the "veil" is yet another hold-over from the time of faeries.
Anyways, I'm not going to suggest the Senns. Instead, I'm going to suggest a headphone that isn't on your list at all: the Kenwood KH-K1000. They check every box on your list to the max, are comfortable, and are more easily driven than most of the typical audiophile fare you'll be suggested - really I can't think of a better match for everything you've listed. The other pair of cans I'd suggest would be the AKG K701, which are less sensitive than much of the rest of your list, and may or may not require additional amplification as a result (the FiiO E9 would be a fine candidate here - costs around $90). I'd put the HD 600 as a runner-up if you don't like the Kenwood or AKG for whatever reason. The HD 600 I like less because they're more reactive, higher Z, and fairly clampy out of the box (this *does* improve with time though).
I would take the AT M50 and K550 off your list - the M50 have no soundstage to speak of (and boom-boom bass that frames recessed mids), and the K550 have limited bass impact and are tough to get a seal with (which further complicates that issue); the K550 are fine sounding and well built, I'm just not sure they check all of your boxes perfectly (although you can usually demo them at Best Buy, so go ahead and try them out and see what you think - maybe they do have enough bass for you (personally I think they have a fine amount of bass, but I generally like bass-light headphones)).

 
interesting response, and i thank you for taking time out to write that! I'm not sure whether you'll be able to answer this question, but my shortlist has now become:
 
KH-K1000
K701 (or even 702)
HE-400
germanMAESTRO gmp 8.35 d (another that has come up today as a decent-sounding candidate)
 
my reading has informed me that the HE-400 is renowned for not needing high-cost amping to produce a wide soundstage with high-quality extended bass (not on the same level as denon d2000, but supposedly more than the senns that have been thrown around here so far). I'm just wondering if that also describes the bass on the other 3 headphones listed there? This is a very important point for me... the EDM I produce features deep base lines with sweeping treble effects, so a wide and accurate soundstage with punchy base is crucial!!
 
I'm getting closer, guys thank you for all your help so far!

 

[Zoysa]

when i say "punchy" bass, i want to be able to feel it making its crisp presence known, but not feel it overtaking the rest of the layers that exist in the wide soundstage, if that makes sense

 

[obobskivich]

interesting response, and i thank you for taking time out to write that! I'm not sure whether you'll be able to answer this question, but my shortlist has now become:

KH-K1000
K701 (or even 702)
HE-400
germanMAESTRO gmp 8.35 d (another that has come up today as a decent-sounding candidate)

my reading has informed me that the HE-400 is renowned for not needing high-cost amping to produce a wide soundstage with high-quality extended bass (not on the same level as denon d2000, but supposedly more than the senns that have been thrown around here so far). I'm just wondering if that also describes the bass on the other 3 headphones listed there? This is a very important point for me... the EDM I produce features deep base lines with sweeping treble effects, so a wide and accurate soundstage with punchy base is crucial!!

I'm getting closer, guys thank you for all your help so far!

I don't know the GMPs or HE-400 - I'd take the K1000 over the K701 though, especially with the interest on bass. The K1000 have tighter and more controlled bass than the D2000. Great staging too.

 

[Zoysa]

Okay, great! Thank you very much for your input, I'll try to find a place in Queensland, Australia where I can demo both haha!