What open-over ear headphones do you all use? and why?
Mar 16, 2014 at 11:36 AM Post #16 of 19
my first pair of 'real' headphones were Senn 380 Pros. at first i thought they were great, but maybe it was because i hadn't tried any other headphones yet.
 
when i made the jump to Beyer DT770s, i realized i loved the 'fun' sound stage on headphones rather than the neutral sound stage of most Sennheiser cans. since then i haven't been interested in any Senn cans.
 
Mar 16, 2014 at 11:54 AM Post #17 of 19
I don't actually have the pair yet, but the HD650s are looking to be my next pair (coming from the VMODA M100s). I auditioned a set at AC Gears in NYC and was really, REALLY impressed. 
 
Mar 16, 2014 at 12:43 PM Post #18 of 19
OK... brace yourselves for audio-snob-magazine meaningless jibberish. 
wink.gif
 
 
 
K701:  Overall accuracy, imaging, soundstage.  Love its clean, accurate, textured and revealing bass.  Its bass is a "dry" presentation that is a nice contrast to my RS1(dynamic/impactful/fast) and HD650(slobbery/smothering/syruppy) bass.  At 65 ohms its not too high or too low, its a good  Z-match for a lot of different amps... although its not sensitive so it needs more power than any of my other cans to either play loud or reach its dynamic potential.  Amp / source properly and its weird upper midrange resonance/harmonic content will reward you. 
 
HD650: For its overall warmth, relaxed non-fatigue-ing presentation.  A good complimentary can to Grados and AKGs.  Good image / soundstage, but not quite as layered as the K701. The RS1 puts you on stage infront of your guitar cabinet, or sitting on the drum-throne behind the kit.  The K701, you're the lead singer front and center stage.  Guitar cab on the right, bass cab on the left, Keyboard PA right next to bass cab.  Drum kit fills the venue with natural acoustic reverberation and note decay.  Crowd is cheering and chanting in front of you.  The HD650 is vintage 2CH stereo at its best.  Kick back in a leather recliner with McIntosh tubes and vintage Marantz filling the room with Alan Parsons, Pink Floyd and Jethro tull.
 
Koss A250:Love its brightness, upper midrange/treble boost.  Good for revealing details in vocals and solo instrumentation.  Nails on chalkboard punishing/brutal though with poorly recorded material.  It also has a slight deep bass boost, by about ~2 db only around ~50 Hz.  Decent imaging and soundstage, although a step down from the HD650 in this regard.  As its brighter presentation gives it a more closed in image.  My brightest sounding headphone by far.  Awesome synnergy with my Earmax tube amp.  At 65 ohms and high sensitivity, its a good match for a lot of different amps, and unlike the K701 does not need a lot of wattage to play loud or dynamic.
 
K240s-55:  Overall solid-affordable performer.  Warm-ish semi bass heavy, with some great sounding midrange tones.  Very good soundstage image for this price range.  Still my go-to can for DVD movies straight out of the Denon home theater receiver.  For decades an industry standard in recording studios around the world.  So the sounds you are hearing are the same ones the musicians and engineers heard in the mastering sessions... particularly the 600 ohm model.
 
Mar 16, 2014 at 7:42 PM Post #19 of 19
HD800- with the right source/amp they are simply put, magical. I absolutely hated them on first listen(different amp/source), I was wrong. 
 
HD650- every time I go a few weeks listing to another head phone I put them back on and it is three hours later. Nothing sweeps me away like them.
 
HE-500- just an addictive sound, meaty and full
 
Q701- I just rediscovered these. I bought them when they were cheap on Amazon, tried them , dismissed them into my "lost closet of audio", and recently pulled them back out. They are accurate crisp and natural.  
 
Pretty much in that order.
 

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