[Abstraction]

I see that I have now asked enough questions to be advanced from Junior Head-fier to Head-fier.

I have been doing fairly serious audio for a long time. I always have some cans around--SR-80 at present--but I have never really taken them seriously as a way to listen to music. But I have gotten into portable audio. Ipod Classic + Westone 3 makes it a viable way to listen to music seriously, not just cover up the noise on the subway. So I am thinking about getting some good cans for home use.

In my listening room I have a dedicated Mac G5 + Amarra + Empirical Audio Off-Ramp + Timbre tt-1 with balanced outs. The Timbre is old, but haven't found anything that I can afford that beats it. (The Benchmark isn't in the ball park).

That is my source. But I have no amp or good cans.

I listen to jazz (late Coltrane and so forth, not soft jazz) and classical most, but also blues, classic rock, soul, RnB, strange world music, avant-garde electronic, and a lot of other stuff. I like music and am lucky to be able to hear a lot of great live music (I have no interest in audiogear per se at all. I think audiogear should be heard but little seen and thought about only if it is interfering with the music. But trying to find out what gear to get, so I can forget about it, takes a lot of effort. )

I have been asking a lot of questions about amps, but I know there is something on this board called TEAM TRANSDUCER FIRST. I always advise people to buy speakers first and to spend a little more than they think they should. So, in keeping with that, I am thinking of buying HD-800. What do you think? Thanks.

 

[cswann1]

The HD800 is a pretty polarizing product so I don't recommend jumping into something like it unless you know it's what you want and will make you happy. It's reported to be an extremely transparent and resolving headphone so it may be exactly what you're after.

If the asking price won't cause you to make sacrifices elsewhere, by all means give it a try.

 

[anetode]

Speaking of transducers, HD800's are the state of the art. They're huge, detailed home-listening-only 'phones.

Grados are a bit uneven, tipping toward brightness, but they fit your preference in music very well. You won't get the ambiance of a large auditorium with Grados, instruments will seem very close to you, more like an on-stage presentation. Try picking up a cheap pair and see if you like the sound signature (SR80 & up). Keep in mind that the Grado high end does everything their lower end models do, just much better.