[mrAdrian]

Quote:

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I'm thinking the Ultrasone DJ1 or HFI-580 (135ish on Amazon) would be a great set for your j-pop and mainstream music. The bass is fantastic for the price, and since it's a closed-back design, you can use them whenever you require some noise isolation.
 
For a complimentary set, I'd recommend either the Audio-Technica AD700 (95-ish on Amazon) or Grado SR60/SR80 (79 or 99). Both are open-backed so you'll get a more airy sound. The AD700 will have a laid-back signature and expansive soundstage. The Grados will be engaging and in-your-face with lots of treble and detail. 
 
Just my two cents. 

Ha! I own the Alessandro ms1 and am about to get a second hand pair of DJ1 from a friend (who is sadly quitting this hobby slowly). Great minds think alike!
 

 

[boirefish]

Quote:

For your music genres I would probably cross off the ad700s even though they are a great headphone their bass impact is quite low and it is more analytical than you would like with mainstream music.
Are you looking for portability or where are you going to be using these? In a dorm with someone you don't want to disturb, a library or at home where it doesn't matter if others can hear you?
I currently have the 880s 600 ohm version and they need an amp even the 32 ohm version need an amp because of very low sensitivity.
Is the sony HiFi system you are talking about a receiver? If it is then it should power the dt880s as I just plugged mine into a 15 year old crappy receiver and it powered them better than my Fiio e7.
Sennheisers would probably do pretty well for your genres although someone who has used them more than I have can probably help with that.
Another headphone that you should most definately consider are the Shure 840s they are a closed headphone and would sound great with the mainstream music. Also they are 140 at amazon right now compared to their normal 200.
I am absolutely loving my dt880s right now and compared to the 990s the dt880s/770s would be a much better choice for your music preferences as the 990s are really not that great.
Whatever you do be happy with your choice and make sure you search around on the FS/FT forum before buying new and post a wanted thread, as buying your headphones used can save you quite a bit of money and they will come burnt in!
Good Luck,
Lane

Bought the DT880's and just waiting for my bottlehead crack to arrive  
they sound pretty darn good out of my E5, albeit the treble is slightly too much.
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

Non-audiophile headphones? Don't worry about it.

I keep the middling stock Pioneer system in my car. 95% of listening is to NPR. The Pioneer system is just fine.

If cheap headphones fit your needs, then use them. No need to spend money you don't have to.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I had such a great time in my youth using lots of old gear. I'm mainly into rock so the end goal was for the sound to be clear and loud. It may be that thereis a different sound end-goal for other styles of Head-Fi members?
 
When I say old gear, I'm talking about vintage supertuners. I had a field day buying old thrift shop units and playing headphones through them. Each one has a different sound. I would pay $10.00 to $20.00 for them. You may be able to even find them at garage sales. I had a big collection at one point and sold them all on E-bay for a profit when I moved on to other stuff. There are even great turntables out there too. All the supertuners have turntable preamps in them if you look.
 
So after you go through different new stuff, you may like the sound of this almost free area of electronics.

 

[crinacle]

Somehow, I always get a tinge of nostalgia whenever I listen to my old Sony cheapies. I lay back and enjoy the muddiness of the music, sigh and put on my real headphones.

Weird I know, but I'm a sensitive and sentimental guy; even in this hobby

 

[boirefish]

Quote:

Non-audiophile headphones? Don't worry about it.

I keep the middling stock Pioneer system in my car. 95% of listening is to NPR. The Pioneer system is just fine.

If cheap headphones fit your needs, then use them. No need to spend money you don't have to.

 


Quote:

I had such a great time in my youth using lots of old gear. I'm mainly into rock so the end goal was for the sound to be clear and loud. It may be that thereis a different sound end-goal for other styles of Head-Fi members?
 
When I say old gear, I'm talking about vintage supertuners. I had a field day buying old thrift shop units and playing headphones through them. Each one has a different sound. I would pay $10.00 to $20.00 for them. You may be able to even find them at garage sales. I had a big collection at one point and sold them all on E-bay for a profit when I moved on to other stuff. There are even great turntables out there too. All the supertuners have turntable preamps in them if you look.
 
So after you go through different new stuff, you may like the sound of this almost free area of electronics.

 


Quote:

Somehow, I always get a tinge of nostalgia whenever I listen to my old Sony cheapies. I lay back and enjoy the muddiness of the music, sigh and put on my real headphones.

Weird I know, but I'm a sensitive and sentimental guy; even in this hobby

After getting some decent headphones, I've come to realise that the difference is very much palpable. It's now impossible for me to turn back. On tuesday I also auditioned some hd800's...
 
in short, my wallet will soon be waiting for my insincerest apologies =)

 

[Uncle Erik]

I don't know, slumming it has value, too.

I'm a bit particular about beer and food. But I make it out to the ballpark a few times each summer. A Budweiser and a Dodger Dog always make me happy.

A song I like, played on crappy speakers, is still enjoyable. Lighten up, enjoy yourself.

Sure, I love listening to a good setup at home when it's dark, quiet, cool, and Mai Tai is upside down, stretched across my lap. But that's not necessary to enjoy music.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Good choice on the DT880's and the crackhead. Excellent setup. I was reading through thinking "Dear lord don't buy absolute entry level, you'll be wanting something different right after you get your first setup." Most people go for that entry level price tag because the idea of a couple hundred dollars is scary if you're not already into it or have listened to them, etc. But really, people do end up buying something else after their first choice and it's usually more expensive. You're better off going for that mid-tier setup and get something really comfortable to you that has a relatively broad sound. The BeyerDynamics are super comfortable. Few headphones are as comfy. They're also fairly neutral. Anything that doesn't suit your ears can be tweaked with tubes (since you're getting that kind of amp) and with simple EQ adjustments. Take your treble down a dB for example if it's too much at the volume you listen at.

Let us know how you like your setup once you're up and running and have given them a prolonged listening session.
 
That said, it's not a sin to use junk headphones/IEMs. Not everyone wants a certain level of quality. For example, I drive a 1994 Jeep because I don't see a reason to get something else. Why should I shell out for a higher quality vehicle that costs 10 times as much? Yet, I'll spend thousands on audio gear and computer equipment without even blinking. Everyone has their thing. Can't blame someone for not caring too much about audio quality (and even if they heard their variable bitrate 128kbps MP3 rips on some serious hifi they'd sound truly awful compared to their iBuds as they realize so much is missing and go "this sounds bad, you spent what??").
 
Very best,

 

[Redcarmoose]

One of my guilty pleasures is I love my pair of Skullcandy Inked IEMS. They have this dirty bass which goes good with metal. They really have a very limited mid and no detail in the treble area. No sound stage at the mids or hi treble areas. It is kinda like doing something around the house with the TV on in the back ground. You can pay notice but you don't have to and it doesn't take a lot of effort to listen to em. Cost $10.80 USD.