[dbzmaniac1000]

So I am having a lot of trouble deciding on which pair of over-ear headphones I should buy. I recently purchased a pair of ATHAD700s, but after using them a little while, I couldn't take the excessive leaking and lack of isolation, since I'm using them in college (I know, open-air, bad choice). So now that I've sent them back for a refund, I've been checking out these two pairs.
 
I listen to a lot of metal, post-hardcore, and various rock-related genres, with some hip-hop, dubstep, and other bass-heavy music. So obviously, bass is very important, I want something to really rattle my brain. However, I don't want it to totally overwhelm the highs and mids, which is what I'm unsure about regarding these 2 models. Soundstage is also fairly important, however not a deal-breaker, since I'm mostly just using these for pleasure listening.
 
Another question I have is how well both of these work with and without an amp. The only amp I have is a FiiO E5, and I also have an LOD cable that I can pair it with. With this rig, can you guys help me find my best choice?

 

[dbzmaniac1000]

Bump?
 

 

[wind016]

I bought the HFI 580 a while back. I liked it for its bass impact, but it wasn't enough for me. I craved the PRO550 that I heard, so I bought that one too. It doesn't have as much bass as the HFI 580, but its soundstage is MUCH bigger. They're great low budget closed headphones IMO. Not neutral, but still detailed and fun.

 

[dbzmaniac1000]

When you say that there is less bass, do you mean like, much less, or that it's just slightly less, but the soundstage makes up for it? I wanna be able to really enjoy my hip-hop and metal especially. And do you think that the pro 550 could be properly enough driven with an E5?

 

[wind016]

If you have a mp3 player like a Cowon J3 or Samsung P3, you shouldn't have any trouble with powering it or having enough bass for either of them since they both have a good potential for bass impact. If you don't have those players, they are still relatively easy to drive, but not sure if you'll get the bass impact you'll want without those players' EQ. There's a ZO amp/bass booster that might fit the bill.

 

[koolkat]

You don't want to get a ZO to pair with the Ultrasone.
If you need to turn your DAP up high to get something good out of your Ultrasones, get a proper amp.
It'll also be a good investment for your future headphones.
 
sub-150 dollar amps - Fiio E6/7/9 or even the Objective2.
 
 
 

 

[dbzmaniac1000]

So out of those, I guess E6 would be my only option, money's kinda tight now.
 
I guess it comes down to pro 550 with an E6, or the HFI 580 with E5 or ampless.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

You don't want to get a ZO to pair with the Ultrasone.

Why not?
 

 
The E5 is almost useless, honestly. Not sure about the E6. If you'd like there to be any improvement with the E5, which would be almost negligible with Ultrasones anyways, you'll have to make sure you're using a line-out and not just any ol' headphone out. I've used other portable amplifiers like the Ibasso D10 and Nuforce Mobile Icon, but they make almost zero difference in sound. You'll be splitting microscopic hairs unless you need more volume.

 

[DestinyBear]

The Pro 550 will do fine without an amp. If you must get one then I'd suggest the e11. It's pretty portable and only costs 30-40$ more. The price justifies the performance