Pibborando
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2006
- Posts
- 728
- Likes
- 10
So I've had my Audio-Technica ATH-A700s for a couple years now, and they're great. Granted, I haven't been using them a whole lot lately because of my speaker rig (Energy C-9s), but I think a nice little upgrade will get me back into the fun and crazy world of headphone listening.
Here's what I like about the A700s, ordered by most important:
1) Very detailed
2) Go quite deep and have good bass impact
3) Lively 'front-row' presentation
4) Very comfortable
Here's what I don't like so much:
1) Overly bright to me (especially after listening to speakers for a while)
2) Highs can be slightly fatiguing after a while
3) Small sound-stage (sounds in my head)
4) Very bulky (moves around on my head if I lean forward/back etc)
Here's the short list of what I'm looking at:
1) Beyerdynamic DT880 (2006 model) $300
2) Sennheiser HD-595 $200-$250
3) AKG K601 $250-$300
4) Denon AHD2000 $250-$300
5) Audio-Technica ATH-AD900 $200-$250
I want to try headphones with a more laid back sound (compared with the A700s), as long as it's musical and not boring. A wider, deeper, more speaker-like presentation would be great. Super detail resolution is good but as long as it doesn't sound grainy or "etched". An all around life-like sound is more important. Bass impact is nice but not the most crucial factor. I guess what I'm basically looking for is the most "real" sound, and NOT sounding like it's in my head with highs that won't burn a hole in my brain.
e: By laid back I guess I mean less "IN YOUR FACE" and more like I'm listening from a little ways back
I'm also considering finally getting some amplification. I'm looking at the Zhaolu D2.5, Little Dot 2++, Gilmore Lite and Corda Arrieta for example. Also looking for a DAC unless I get a DAC+headphone amp in one.
Any ideas?
Here's what I like about the A700s, ordered by most important:
1) Very detailed
2) Go quite deep and have good bass impact
3) Lively 'front-row' presentation
4) Very comfortable
Here's what I don't like so much:
1) Overly bright to me (especially after listening to speakers for a while)
2) Highs can be slightly fatiguing after a while
3) Small sound-stage (sounds in my head)
4) Very bulky (moves around on my head if I lean forward/back etc)
Here's the short list of what I'm looking at:
1) Beyerdynamic DT880 (2006 model) $300
2) Sennheiser HD-595 $200-$250
3) AKG K601 $250-$300
4) Denon AHD2000 $250-$300
5) Audio-Technica ATH-AD900 $200-$250
I want to try headphones with a more laid back sound (compared with the A700s), as long as it's musical and not boring. A wider, deeper, more speaker-like presentation would be great. Super detail resolution is good but as long as it doesn't sound grainy or "etched". An all around life-like sound is more important. Bass impact is nice but not the most crucial factor. I guess what I'm basically looking for is the most "real" sound, and NOT sounding like it's in my head with highs that won't burn a hole in my brain.
e: By laid back I guess I mean less "IN YOUR FACE" and more like I'm listening from a little ways back
I'm also considering finally getting some amplification. I'm looking at the Zhaolu D2.5, Little Dot 2++, Gilmore Lite and Corda Arrieta for example. Also looking for a DAC unless I get a DAC+headphone amp in one.
Any ideas?