Upgrade from Philips Shp9500?

[Mik James]

Looking for an upgrade.
 
What I like about the Philips Shp9500:
 
Mellow sound, detailed highs but not piercing like the Superlux evo's.
Intimate soundstage, open when content allows (not artificially wide).
 
 
What i don't like:
 
Midbass is slightly overpowered, and no lower bass to speak of. Bass performance is easily outclassed by Superlux Evo's.
I feel like some of the frequency range from mid to high is somewhat veiled (unbalanced) even though they are relatively detailed.
 
Not as forward as I might like, would be neat to hear sound slightly in front of the listener without compromising the 3d dimensional sound sourcing headphones tend to excel at.
 
 
I'm willing to try just about anything in the $200-$400 range. All the better if they are on a good sale or cheap on the used market (replaceable pads).
 
Sennheiser hd 600's or Philips Fidelio X2's sound like a good place to start.
I have the Shp9500's modded with brainwavz hm5 pads, so comfort is a must.

 

[PurpleAngel]

The 300-Ohm Sennheiser HD600 needs to be used with a decent headphone amplifier.
The 30-Ohm Fidelio X2 is easier to drive.

 

[marts30]

  Looking for an upgrade.
 
What I like about the Philips Shp9500:
 
Mellow sound, detailed highs but not piercing like the Superlux evo's.
Intimate soundstage, open when content allows (not artificially wide).
 
 
What i don't like:
 
Midbass is slightly overpowered, and no lower bass to speak of. Bass performance is easily outclassed by Superlux Evo's.
I feel like some of the frequency range from mid to high is somewhat veiled (unbalanced) even though they are relatively detailed.
 
Not as forward as I might like, would be neat to hear sound slightly in front of the listener without compromising the 3d dimensional sound sourcing headphones tend to excel at.
 
 
I'm willing to try just about anything in the $200-$400 range. All the better if they are on a good sale or cheap on the used market (replaceable pads).
 
Sennheiser hd 600's or Philips Fidelio X2's sound like a good place to start.
I have the Shp9500's modded with brainwavz hm5 pads, so comfort is a must.

 
The X2 aren't really an upgrade unless you want more bass and soundstage, but heaps of bass means they don't have the clarity of the 9500.
 
Personally having owned all of those, something like the Audio Technica AD1000x (previously owned and now have the 2000x) is probably closer to being a direct upgrade to the SHP9500's sound, rather than the X2 or HD600.

 

[Mik James]

   
The X2 aren't really an upgrade unless you want more bass and soundstage, but heaps of bass means they don't have the clarity of the 9500.
 
Personally having owned all of those, something like the Audio Technica AD1000x (previously owned and now have the 2000x) is probably closer to being a direct upgrade to the SHP9500's sound, rather than the X2 or HD600.

Forgot about this thread, and still haven't upgraded yet. I am still in the market for an overall upgrade, with an emphasis on better bass performance. 
 
I was hoping to compensate for the shp9500's poor bass performance with a bass shaker, but it just didn't work nearly as well as I thought.
 
The AD700 is often brought up in that line as being fantastic with horrible bass performance, is the AD1000x better in that area? Does the Ad2000x improve everything further as you would expect? Still open to any other suggestions as well bass is kind of important to me but I do like the smooth midrange and high end detail of the Shp9500. I wish the Shp9500 wasn't such a good value, I feel like I'm going to end up spending 3 times as much for a 20% upgrade

 

[HipHopScribe]

Have you considered modding your SHP9500s with 3d printed cups?
 
http://www.modhouseaudio.com/shp9500-3d-cups/philips-shp9500-3d-printed-cups
 
Combined with angled Brainwavz pads I've found that they greatly improve the bass performance and bring the mids forward a bit. I think it might be the sound you're looking for and for much less money than a new pair of headphones. I honestly can't think of a better value

 

[pbeg7]

Depends what you want.

The HD600 has a very similar sound signature - but does every frequency better. Also, the HD600 offers much more texture to the music.

The AD900x or 1000x are not as clear, but are more euphonic.

The DT 880/990 are clearer, less grainy, more sub-bass, but a more elevated treble response.

Some examples that Ive heard/own

 

[Mik James]

Yeah, I'm definitely not doing that mod based on the reviews, sounds like it's targeted at the MOARRRR BASS!!! crowd and messes with the balance, thanks for mentioning it though.
Euphonic, that's a fancy word Though I'm not sure how less clear necessarily is more pleasing to the ear?
 
I want quality sound, I want the clarity of the shp9500's (or even more clarity as long as it isn't achieved via boosted treble/faked, I want the bass to dig deeper by a good 20-40hz, not necessarily louder bass than the shp9500, I hear there are headphones out there with even better sound staging than the shp9500's, the 9500's were already a big step up from the Superlux Evos and Beyer Dtx710's in this regard.
 
I just want better, and I'm willing to shell out a reasonable amount for it, but not the ungodly amount for Hd 600's and an amp to power them. I'm just gaming with the 70$ (CAD$) Shp9500's, driven via onboard sound. I'm not really interested in spending 500-600$ for a 20-30% increase in overall sound quality (mostly in the bass department). 
 
What else is there that excels at pc gaming without the need for an expensive headphone amp? Any cheap headphone amps worth looking at? 
Anything interesting from other brands? Hifiman, Akg, Shure, Denon, Sony?
Do the higher end Beyers have the same midrange scoop and disproportionately wide soundstage as the Dtx710's? I'm never going back to that sound signature for sure, regardless of the depth of bass. 
 
Anything interesting on the used market? Actually, now that I think about it, I probably would be willing to dish out 300-400 dollars for used cans, as long as I'm buying reliable equipment and I could get most of it back on resale.

 

[Mik James]

I appreciate everyone's input. I remember when I bought the Shp9500 that it was like a poor man's Hd 600.
It also seems as though either the Hd 600 or the Hd 650 is the reference for neutrality and quality.
 
I can fathom investing in a good amp and the Hd 600's or Hd 650's on the used market. Seems like I'd be in at ~400$ Cad for that setup.
I can live with that investment, but I really need to no that it is worth it.
 
The Beyer Dt 880's and the Dt 990's in particular seem to be described as artificially bright, and scooped in the midrange, higher quality sound than the Dtx 710's but a similar signature sound none the less.
 
This has been my go to guide so far: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-3-18-2016-mrspeakers-ether-c-1-1-added
I really wish he had also reviewed the hd 600, rather than just the hd 650. It the Hd 600 considered brighter than the Hd 650?
It sounds like I also need to put some serious consideration into Akg's as well. 

 

[FindingNewSound]

As a previous owner of the SHP9500 (currently using a ZMF Omni), music lover and somewhat competitive gamer (MOBA mostly), I thought I might as well chime in and help OP out:
 
1. Go for the AKG K7xx, best imaging and soundstage at this price range while maintaining good tonality, you will need a proper amp (magni 2 uber for example) but the total set-up doesn't cost much even when bought new. There is a guy selling his K7xx in the for sale/trade forums IIRC.
 
2. If tonality is concerned and you want a very well-rounded pair of cans that lasts you for years, look up the Hifiman HE-400i (very cheap on the used market). It is like the planar version of HD600/650 with better sub-bass and can be driven out of your phone, sound quality won't be optimal though. Remember to buy the new version that has 2.5mm connectors instead of screw-in ones as it has better soundstage. This is my personal pick.
 
3. A cheaper alternative to no.2 is the HE-400s with HFM Focus (default pads for 400i) or Focus-A (some like this better), I haven't personally listened to the HE-400s but people have said it has more soundstage, it is also easy to drive.
 
I have a few more recommendations on my mind but the above are the best I could think of.
 
Hope this helps.

 

[Mik James]

Yes, this is to be my end game, gaming headphone setup. From what I hear there is little point in going above the 300-400$ price point for gaming.
 
Why is the He400i 200$ more expensive than the He400? Is it worth it, you would think that if Hifiman had confidence in the difference they would have at least used 2 different model numbers...
 
I think I'm going to go with Akg's on the used market, along with a used headphone amp. The only problem is finding them here in Canada, import fees absolutely murder any value in shipping them across the border.
 
I know people say just go right for the high end to save money in the long run, but the only way you lose money is if you buy brand new at msrp prices. Smart buyers can try a dozen different cans and only lose a few dollars on resale, and variety is the spice of life

 

[Music Alchemist]

Thought I'd stop by and share my subjective rankings of a few open headphones I have owned. Perhaps it will help a few people out. All of these are available for under $400, but some may not always be under $400, in which case you may need to get lucky on the used market.
 
1. SR-207
2. HE400i
3. HD 650
4. HD 700
5. DT 880
6. SHP9500
7. AD700
 
This is based on sound quality for music, though, not gaming. I indeed would not recommend spending a whole lot if you are only going to use them for gaming.
 
You don't need to spend much on an amp either. Even a $79 Schiit Fulla DAC/amp (or even cheaper options) should be more than sufficient most of the time.
 
Before spending more money on another headphone, you might want to try out the Magick Man mod on your SHP9500.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/600088/an-audiophile-and-petrolheads-journal-buckle-up/7770#post_11121790
 
EQ is also always a great idea. You may very well be perfectly satisfied with your current headphones after you effectively equalize them.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/796791/the-most-reliable-easiest-way-to-eq-headphones-properly-to-achieve-the-most-ideal-sound-for-non-professionals
http://www.head-fi.org/t/794467/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-2016-update
http://www.head-fi.org/t/615417/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-advanced-tutorial-in-progress
http://www.head-fi.org/t/587703/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial-part-2
http://www.head-fi.org/t/413900/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial

 

[FindingNewSound]

@Mik James You need to distinguish between the HE-400 (last gen, terrible comfort) and the HE-400s/i (current gen, awesome comfort). As I've said, I haven't listened to the 400s so I cannot comment on why the 400i is $200 more expensive, my guess is that the i is more tonally balanced. That said, right off the bat if you look at their pictures the i appears better built.
 
I agree you should buy used to try out different cans, but imho once you know what you really love, it's totally worth it to buy new and have that sense of ownership.
 
@Music Alchemist Great to see another HE-400i owner  

 

[Music Alchemist]

Great to see another HE-400i owner  

 
Former owner, at least.

 

[Mik James]

Applied some parametric eq to the Philips and I think I'll stick with them for awhile. 
Eventually I'll want something a little cleaner overall, and thanks to the suggestions here I will know what to look for
 
Prices are just way to high in Canada right now, I'll wait until something goes on sale.
The Philips seem to take the eq quite well at the volumes I game at, of course I do understand that they will never be as clean in the bass as something that produces those frequencies without "help" from eq, always a compromise.

 

[Mik James]

 
I agree you should buy used to try out different cans, but imho once you know what you really love, it's totally worth it to buy new and have that sense of ownership.

I get that, totally worth supporting a favored company directly as well