[Ymer]

The W1000s much inferior to the W100s?

 

[Tomcat]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ymer The W1000s much inferior to the W100s?

Ymer,

This is entirely a matter of preference, it seems. Two reviewers who have similar sonic impressions can come to quite different conclusions.

Blighty prefers the W1000: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...0&pagenumber=1

elnero prefers the W100: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=35263

But both reviews should give you an equally reliable idea what kind of sound to expect from each headphone.

 

[elnero]

I'll add my vote for the W100's.

I have only heard HD280, HD580, W1000, CD1700 and W100's but the W100's are by far the best I've heard for vocals (the best for pretty much everything actually

). The HD280's were rather dry and a bit spitty on vocals. The HD580's could be magic with some vocals but fail horribly with others, there wasn't much rhyme nor reason to them. The link Tomcat included explains my feelings on the W1000's, in summary though I found the W1000's were decent but overall I preferred the richer sounding W100's. The CD1700's also do an admirable job at vocals but are still not in the same league as the W100's.


P.S. Contrary to Dave's assertion I think the do fine on rock as well but I'm sure if rock is your primary concern there may be better choices

 

[hempcamp]

Based on your current amp, I'd say staying with the HD580 is a good idea. The K501 is very good with vocals groups, but not so much solo pieces. The Creek is an OK amp, but it will be the weakest link with better headphones.

--Chris

 

[Schizorabbit]

I'm not a huge fan of the RS-1's primarily b/c of their price to quality ratio, but I have to admit vocals sound absolutley amazing on them, listening to Maynard and Zach de la Rocha on the RS-1's is an absolutley breath taking experience, its not as if their yelling into a mic, its like their yelling into your ear.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by elnero The HD580's could be magic with some vocals but fail horribly with others, there wasn't much rhyme nor reason to them.

Very interesting how the sound of the HD580s reflects the recording itself, isn't it? No rhyme nor reason to the quality of a recording.

When someone asks for a headphone "good with vocals" I have to wonder what vocals these are. What recordings? Many just are not recorded well, and it would take either a miracle or some very heavily colored cans to make all vocal recordings sound good.

Please, give me a headphone that plays what's on the recording and doesn't try to make garbage into gold.

 

[elnero]

Quote:

Originally posted by fewtch Very interesting how the sound of the HD580s reflects the recording itself, isn't it? No rhyme nor reason to the quality of a recording. When someone asks for a headphone "good with vocals" I have to wonder what vocals these are. What recordings? Many just are not recorded well, and it would take either a miracle or some very heavily colored cans to make all vocal recordings sound good. Please, give me a headphone that plays what's on the recording and doesn't try to make garbage into gold.

Sad to say your mistaken on that one. That's not what I meant at all. The quality of the recording had nothing do with it whatsoever hence the no rhyme nor reason.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by elnero Sad to say your mistaken on that one. That's not what I meant at all. The quality of the recording had nothing do with it whatsoever hence the no rhyme nor reason.

Errm... it makes no sense that a headphone would randomly decide to sound good on some vocal recordings, and to sound bad on others. If it's not the recording quality, what would you say is causing it?

 

[TimSchirmer]

Honestly, the SR200's I currently use are the best for voices i've heard.

I'm guessing it is because Joseph Grado is an opera singer.

 

[sacd lover]

Fewtch, could it be frequency response abberations of the given headphone that show up on some music when it is the range where the headphone has trouble. While conversely, the headphone sounds fine with other music that doesnt hit or linger at the problem frequencies.

Back to the topic, I find the beyer dt880 to have excellent vocals. I like the new hd650 for vocals as well, but I am not sure its the equal of the dt880; especially with female vocals. Sibilance is detectable at times with the dt880, while its not as noticeable with the 650. The sibilance could just be on the recording though; its hard to tell.

 

[Geek]

HD650s sound great with female vocals, the bass shift which is sometimes perceptable with female vocals on the 600s is gone. The DT880 is strikingly intimate and powerful with female vocals. What sacd lover said, although it really boils down to where you want your sound (closer or farther away would mean a DT880 or HD650, respectively).

These two headphones are sonically identical, even the frequency graphs, except the HD650's highs are shifted down a bit while the DT880s are shifted up a bit. They have almost exactly the same bumps and dips, especially that 15khz dip.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[sacd lover]

Originally posted by Geek
HD650s sound great with female vocals, the bass shift which is sometimes perceptable with female vocals on the 600s is gone. The DT880 is strikingly intimate and powerful with female vocals. What sacd lover said, although it really boils down to where you want your sound (closer or farther away would mean a DT880 or HD650, respectively).

I like both. Sometimes closer is best and more intimate; but farther away is more relaxing and natural.

These two headphones are sonically identical, even the frequency graphs, except the HD650's highs are shifted down a bit while the DT880s are shifted up a bit. They have almost exactly the same bumps and dips, especially that 15khz dip.

The dt 880's have a little more lively sound but the senns are less fatiguing. They are not really twins but definitely brothers, IMO.