[Terdinus Asus]

I'm relatively new and inexperienced in the world of headphones..but I have a great deal of experience with many types of....well... biblical speakers, and that very profoundly shifts my attitude when it comes to headphones that I like. At the same time, you just need the headphones sometime.

Currently I'm....sort of pleased with the Sennheiser HD280s that I have, but at the same time, they....are well...very German. They are quite clinical, and while the precision and detail can be appreciated, it's no fun to listen to, even attached to amps.

Now there are a lot of people that say....oh classical! Oh soundtracks! You won't need bass! But anyone who's sat in a concert hall with real orchestral bass drums, knows that's not true.

And the bass simply doesn't exist...it kicks in every now and then, but it's very unrewarding.

I find the HD280's to sound decent in the mids and highs after burn in...but it still could be more lively, you know....like during the squeaky violin bits of Schindler's List. Another thing I've noticed...is that the headphones still give out. There's a lot of orchestral bits that you can hear the Senn's just giving out...and going "I can't handle those!" It's not often, but it should not happen! It's especially apparent in the lower ends.

My last complain with them, being a speaker man and going to HD-280s....is literally like going from a concert hall to sitting in a closet with an orchestra. And that's not just aurally, but also physically, my poor ears hurt after a couple of hours from these headphones and their tight fit!

So now I'm looking to move up, and I'd like to know where to go given my complaints/likes dislikes. In a nutshell....good for orchestral music....it has to have ample but precise bass , and it has to be fun and exciting....LIVELY! The soundstage should be wide, not cramped.

In terms of price....let's shoot for "biggest bang for the buck."

Thanks! And remember go lossless!

 

[Duggeh]

The HD280 is a dreadful headphone, almost anything is better. Most important thing you havent given us for your recommendations is a budget. Having a figure to work with would be very helpful.

 

[Terdinus Asus]

~$150-250. I can go more or less if there is enough value for money.

 

[compuryan]

People say that Sennheiser is the best for classical, but that is for you to decide. I think you should find a place where you can listen to some HD650's. They have more bass than other Sennheisers in their price range so it might be the perfect phone for you. Another possibility might be the upcoming Sennheiser HD380, but nobody has heard it yet so I can't say for sure.

 

[Terdinus Asus]

I'm looking at the HD650's specs...and good god, this thing sounds like it needs to be shipped with an amp in order to even qualify for half the manufacturers claims!

So I'm also seeing the AKG K701's for about...well ~$200 less than than the HD650 and they seem to be competitors. It seems if I have to get a monster amp for either of these, the 701's are the better investment, seeing as they afford me $200 to spend on good amps....no?

 

[japc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD280 is a dreadful headphone, almost anything is better.

No it is not.

 

[1Time]

What source / amp will you be plugging these headphones into?

What is your budget for headphones or headphones + amp or headphones + amp + source?

 

[Terdinus Asus]

Honestly, the only times I've found myself using headphones has been on computers, and I also have an iBasso D2 at the moment. Though that seems as though it wouldn't cut it for the K701. I honestly don't know.

As for the budget...I probably don't want go over $350 in the immediate term, but I also would be willing to make gradual ugprades in amps/cables if there are quantifiable differences in quality.

Though I still can't shake the feeling that the K701 is overkill. The problem is that the K701 seems to be rated as high-end by most people, yet it is priced competitively with mid-ranged headphones.

So here's a question, how would the K701 compare with, say an HD595 both driven by a portable iBasso? I'd imagine the HD595 would win, due to lower power requirements?

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by japc /img/forum/go_quote.gif No it is not.

Yes it is so.


Your move.

 

[japc]

You made the extraordinary claim, not me.

 

[Duggeh]

I made no claim, extraordinary, ordinary, normal, abnormal or paranormal. I stated my opinion based upon my ownership of said headphones and my evaluation of their merits in comparison to others I have owned and heard.

Stupid and infuriating coiled cord, bad ergonomics, clamp like a motherhumper, pads that make your skin sweaty and itchy and dont breathe, headband prone to wear and breakage circa triports, muffled bass, confused mids, dithering furry treble, a talent for utterly ruining the tone of any resonant note particularly on string instruments, some of the very worst in plasticy closed back sound, inaccurate timbre, hollow dead dynamics on percussion and a complete inability to render any kind of decay with any kind of accuracy. Add onto that they are expensive and ugly and you've got some combination of winning characteristics. Unless you absolutely totally must have closed back headphones, buy a set of MS-1 or Goldring DR-series or a set of something you can bung a pair of SFI drivers into and if you've got to have something closed back then get a set of worksite ear defenders and pop a pair of KSC-75 underneith.

 

[japc]

Fair enough. A consubstantiated opinion is way better. You could put that on a hd280 review thread and link to there everytime you bash it.

 

[Duggeh]

That would take the fun out of the unsubstantiated ranting.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Track down a pair of AKG K-501s and the amp of your choice. You should be able to fit that into your budget.

I always reach for the K-501 for movies, soundtracks, etc. It has the soundstage you're looking for and the bass is there. Deep, clean and tight. It won't do rap or electric bass, but timpanis sound just right. The DT48 does the same, but without the soundstage and they're considerably heavier. So does the K-1000, but those are outside your budget.

And don't let anyone tell you the K-701 is better than the K-501; it isn't.