What is the best Can for...

[Fizzmix]

I'm new here at Head-Fi, and don't know much about hi-fi stuff. I was wondering what kind of headphones YOU would suggest for punk music/rock music/metal music. Beyers? AKG? Grado? Sennheiser? Etymotics? Sony? I am planning on getting Grado 60s, for my portable, but does anyone have any other suggestions? I am looking for a headphone that can handle fast, hard music. Bass isn't really important to me. I have enough money to afford most headphones, but a good value headphone would be best. I wouldn't mind carrying around a portable amp with me. Well that's about it, so please give me some suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

 

[gloco]

Fizzmix, let me add to that before you buy the Grados:

A lot of folks here will tell you buy the Grados since their sound is aimed more towards rock/metal. I personally listen to Metallica (old stuff), Fear Factory, Danzig, Helloween (time of the oath), Iron Maiden (live after death), Linkin Park, misfits, etc. I have the Grado Sr60's and they sound nice, but the Sony Mdr7506's sound much cleaner and just kick ass. The Grado's and Sony's both work well with a portable unit (i use a Sony Minidisc player). Since you state you are willing to use a portable amp, then i can only suggest the (slightly large) Sony's. Also, the V6 model (NOT V600) is identical and can be purchased here:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/hogwildstore/mdrv6.html

Thanks to Desben for the above link!!


Check out for the Grado's here:

www.headphone.com

Simple comparison between the two (in my opinion):

Grado's: decent bass and crystal clear highs, slightly muddled midrange. Cumbersome (very thick) cord, open cans so you hear everything around you (dont even bother using these on a train) and everyone can hear what your listening to. Use these at home most of the time. Overall i was/am very happy with these.

Sony's: Excellent highs and deep lumbering bass (not over powering). I have no arguments about the sound quality, they are superb for their price easily beating out the Grado's in my opinion. Also a lot of folks say these cans are analytical, which i must agree. If a recording sound bad, there just going to sound worse since these have a lot of detail in them (and if a recording sound great, its going to really shine on these cans). The only complaint i have is that the cord is coiled. Also, these are closed cans so they block out some sound to a degree. I use these outside everyday. I suggest these cans over the Grados.

As for a more expensive pair of headphones, lots of folks will probably say get the Grado Sr225's for your genre of music. I havent heard these myself, but i'm very curious to hear them. Check out www.headphone.com for a list of grados.

I hope this helps a bit and i wish you the best of luck! Please post reviews of whichever cans you purchase.

George

 

[Fizzmix]

Hmmmmmmmmm...
Those Sonys are looking pretty good right now. I think I'll get both probably! The only part of what you said that kind of worries me is the fact that the Sonys are revealing. About 1/3 of my cds that I listen to regularly, are punk cds from the 80s, which have horrible recording quality. I see that they about the same price, so that's good! I don't have much trust in Sony though, they have screwed me many a time in the past!

I think i'll go to a hi-fi store and see if I can audition them both! If anyone else has any suggestions, they would be much appreciated! Thanks a lot gloco!

 

[Xevion]

Sony has been making the V6/7506 for well over a decade, and they aren't stopping anytime soon. Forget everything you know about them because the V6 represents what they are actually capable of making

.

The Phillips HP890s might be worth a look, some people here seem to be impressed with them, and I don't think they are very expensive.

 

[Russ Arcuri]

You say bass isn't really that important to you, and that a really analytical headphone probably isn't a great idea because of the type of music you listen to. So you should scratch the Sonys right off the list. They're slightly bass-heavy and analytical...

I like the Grado SR-80s a lot better than the SR-60s. The SR-60s are a little bit anemic, IMO. Sure, maybe bass isn't that important to you but it should be there in the right amounts anyway. If you get a pair of Grados, get the SR-80s. Well worth it (and yes, they can be driven just fine by a portable player.)

I'll also recommend you get a pair of Koss KSC-35s. They're only $29, and you may find that you actually prefer them for some of your discs over the Grados. Why? They're less revealing of source imprefections, and have a nice, balanced sound. Plus, the Grado cord is annoying in portable applications -- it twists up easily and is something like 10 feet long. Where you gonna stow that cord when you're walking around? Use the Grados at home and KSC-35s when you're mobile.

Russ

 

[gloco]

Fizzmix,

I listen to the misfits and samhain among other not so high quality cds and they sound fine to me. I mean your gonna hear things you've never heard before with the Sony's, like a singer wetting his/her lips and guitar strings being plucked and so on. For me they reveal what the recording should sound like. If a headphone does the opposite, i would feel that they would be inferior because they are distortng "the truth," i just feel like the grado's disguise the recording too much. As for the Koss line i haven't tried them but a lot of folks seem to like them. However i doubt you'll hear anything if you use these on a train. I think the only time you would be better of without the Sony's is if you listen to bootlegs (like i do) from terrible sources (like 4 track recorders and audience recordings). I haven't heard the Sr80's, best thing to do is test em out at a shop i guess. I picked up both the grado sr60's and sony's without testing them and i'm very happy with both. lastly, theres folks here that have owned the Sony's for over a decade and they still work fine, so i have a lot of confidence in these. Best of luck!

George

 

[KR...]

What type of Metal do you listen to?

 

[r3cc0s]

get at least the grado sr-80 and you won't be disappointed

V6 are very good as well... but I feel it doesn't have the soundstage nearly of the grado's or even sennheiser

I'd say spend the cash and get the sr-325's they are perfect for metal, rock... even dancy/trance techno stuff and hip hop

it just give you very good bass, and very good details


I would say for less money... um either the sennheiser 495 or the Sr-80-125

 

[Fizzmix]

Oh headphone.com, they said that the 225s were "the best rock and roll headphones". I know that is only their opinion, but they seem to know what they're talking about. Would the 325s be better than the 225s for the kind of music I listen to? So Grado is for rock and roll mostly? And Sennheiser is for classical mostly? What are AKG and Beyers best for?

Thanks a lot!

 

[r3cc0s]

no Sr-325 is the ultimate for rock and roll, yet I think it still plays classical just as good and more detailed than even the sennheisers, and it's good because you won't need an amp.


However the Rs-2 plays classical even better because the instruments sound even more natural.... (i would say the sound is nicer for classical/jazz ambiant stuff than even the 580/600)

 

[KR...]

Again it depends on what type of metal you like, there are like 50 different styles, many of which would sound better on something like the 580 or 600.

 

[gloco]

Apparently everyone has their own opinion. I'll reiterate what i've said before, consider it one metal guy to another. You cant go wrong with the Sony's or the Grados, if you get both, you will like both, but dont be surprised if you like the Sony's more. I tend to use these more than the grado's now. People here use much higher quality cans than myself so i cant speculate if you will be happy with them, but to start off you may not want to go crazy, just in case your disappointed. Best of luck.

George

 

[Possum]

Ack, bass isn't important to you?

I'd offer my opinion since I listen to similar music (but just a very little metal), but the sound you're looking for is going to be different from what I like, if you don't care about bass.

 

[Odin]

Get the etys!!! It's small, it's isolated, and it sounds awesome!!!!

 

[Fizzmix]

Well bass is important to me, I just don't need really loud deep bass. Are the 325s significantly better than the 225s? I mostly listen to punk, and the only metal I listen to is Sucidal Tendencies because it's almost punk!

Would the 325s and 225s sound MUCH better with an amp?
Thanks alot