[Zemo]

Well, Here's the story. I've had several good pairs of headphones, and developed the sound I'm looking for. I sold all of my fullsized cans to get some canal phones and a good mp3 player, but I realize that's just not my style! What cans do I get now?

Cans I've tried:

senn HD600 -meh. It was alright, but the soundstage was too narrow, and the detail felt muffled.

senn HD580 - see above.

Beyer DT880 - pretty good. Warm sound, lots of detail, decent soundstaging....I liked 'em!

AKG K501 - like the DT880, but with more detail, more soundstage, and better midrange. a bit lacking on the bass, but definetly one of my top picks

AT A900s - warm, inviting, intimate...all in all a very good pair of headphones, if not a little bit dark.

Cans I don't want to try:

Grado anything - I tried 'em once, not comfy, doesn't sound good. no thanks.

Sony CD3k - I've been told by people with similar tastes how that they are overly bright and harsh. not for me.

Alright people, suggestions? open or closed is fine, and I can build whatever amp I need to power them. As far as cost, lets TRY to keep it under $500.

-Z

 

[Zemo]

AT w1000? a1000? I honestly wouldn't feel bad about going back to my A900/K501 combo.

-Z

 

[wolfen68]

Depending on your music interests. Don't write Grados off. The upper models with the leather headbands are a big help. You also have a couple of types of pads to experiment with (Senns, Comfies, Bowls, Flats, Radio Shacks).

 

[Thaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 Depending on your music interests. Don't write Grados off. The upper models with the leather headbands are a big help. You also have a couple of types of pads to experiment with (Senns, Comfies, Bowls, Flats, Radio Shacks).

Knowing Zemo, that is an incredibly steep uphill battle

I'm the type that sticks with what I like, whether it be running shoes, cologne, or headphones. I say you go back to the K501/A900 combo, and maybe recable the K501's in hopes of adding some balls to the lower end?

 

[Helter Skelter]

I'd give the HD595 a try. They're certainly a departure from the usual Sennheiser "house sound". I'd liken them to the K501, but easier to drive and a bit warmer, perhaps a touch darker, with more emphasis on the bass. Certainly none of that muffled sound as with the HD600 or HD580.

Don't let anyone tell you the HD595 is boring, because they most certainly are anything but, in my opinion. Do make sure they get a lot of time to burn in, though.

 

[Aman]

The HD595s are boring. How are you going to get me from saying that?

They really are. Not even ToddTheVinylJunkie himself likes them. Not Guru...

Anywho.. I recommend that you stay FAR away from the HD595s. What are they?

They are a headphone that is too forward for its own good, too balanced, too neutral, and too easy to drive, and they have very questionable build qualities. The result is a really crappy-sounding headphone in anything but poorly-mastered classical albums with a bass hum or movies with big explosions.

Their soundstage is too good - meaning it's so wide that it's almost three-dimensional and unrealistic. Detail is okay, but Grados, AKGs, and Beyers are all just as detailed, if not more.

They have a very grainy midrange, which is the thing I could remember best about them... these may be a good monitoring headphone, but they definitely do not stand out in the "fun to listen to" category.

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

I don't know how you found the ATH-A900s "dark." I can completely relate to your remark on the Senns...

Why didn't you just keep the DT-880/AKG501 if you liked them? There isn't anything quite like them.

You seem to like bright/brighter headphones. I'd look into something like an upper-level Grado or Sony MDR-CD3000, if the DT880/AKG501 aren't an option.

 

[Helter Skelter]

Well, I know I'm not going to change your mind, Aman. And I'm not going to try to keep you from saying anything. Personally, I don't care for Grados all that much, but I don't go and crap on every suggestion for them. You seemed to go from loving the HD595 to hating them within a 6 month period, which I find very odd, to say the least. From what I can tell, you didn't even give them a chance to fully burn in (mine took upwards of 300 hours to fully round out their sound), as you sold them at around 100 hours of listening time (your numbers from the sale thread), yet you later mention that you were "sadly dissapointed after the 200-hour burn in period". You seem to contradict yourself a bit, and that makes me curious. What do you REALLY think?

As for Todd and company, while they're great folks, there is no one "I'm it and that's the end of it" authority on headphones, and they're no exception. That's part of why we're here. To find people who share our tastes in order to find yet other things that we may like and to offer our opinions on the things that we have tried to provide others with a point of reference. Everybody is going to be a bit biased, but maybe we can find a few people who we share our biases with and get exposed to new things. For you, that may mean bashing the HD595 at every turn and plugging other brands like Grado and Allesandro instead. Nothing wrong with that (though I may question your reasoning). For me, it means plugging the stuff I like (which happens to include the HD595), and wondering what the hell those headphones ever did to you to make you so bitter.

 

[Natsuiro]

Based on reviews I'd thought the 595s would be just terrible, but during my brief experience with them, I didn't find that to be the case.

I think if you don't enjoy lower end grados, you won't enjoy any of them.

Just as one can put down the 595s, one can easily say Grados have too much colouration and are painful to listen (the highs). They lack a soundstage of any sort (how can "in your face be a good thing?"). They may suffer from apparent build quality and QC problems (based on all I read).

I have not heard the sr225s, but every grado I've heard as been a painful experience except the HP2's.

I just have this feeling that you either love grados or hate them, but I think if you dislike some grados, you dislike them all.

Anyways back OT, although I've never heard them, you may want to try the K1000s. TO be honest, that's one of the things I'd like to try most after hearing Larry's K1000 drivers in cd-3k housings, and I seem to somewhat have similar preferences to you.

 

[Zemo]

Ah, that's another thing...K1000's wouldn't be that practicle for one of my uses....demos. I build amps for a living, and when presenting amps at a trade show or to investors and the like, K1000's would offer a very poor pair of headphones to demo with. Too much ambient sound, strange enough design.....

I think I'll start looking for A900/K501 fs threads!

Oh, for what it's worth, I sold them because I was trying to recoup some funding, and get a solid portable rig.

-Z

 

[acs236]

Zemo,

I agree with all your comments until the A900 and the "don't want to try section". I only listened to the A900 briefly. I liked them, but I'm just didn't listen enough to make those sorts of comments.

That being said, I think you should give the CD3000s a listen. While some certainly consider them overly bright, there are many of us who don't, and given the comments you made about the other headphones, I think you'll like them.

As for Grados -- which models did you listen to? The comfort thing is an issue, and it kept me from using them for a while, but then I heard a model I like so I made myself give them an extended audition and was able to get used to them.

Beyond that, the 880s and 501s are excellent choices as well.

 

[Leporello]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zemo As far as cost, lets TRY to keep it under $500.

But if we fail, I'd suggest listening to a pair of Stax Lambdas.

. You might find them interesting.


Regards,


L.

 

[Enverxis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natsuiro Just as one can put down the 595s, one can easily say Grados have too much colouration and are painful to listen (the highs). They lack a soundstage of any sort (how can "in your face be a good thing?"). They may suffer from apparent build quality and QC problems (based on all I read).

Interesting, I can easily see where you would get such an opinion from - if you listen to them on a Pimeta with AD8620 opamp I wouldnt be surprised.

I hate the sound of the MS-2s when coming from my Headsave Maxed out Pimeta with the 8620 opamp

and i love the sound of them coming from my Creek OBH-11SE

 

[Zemo]

I've been reading up, and have almost decided on my next cans...

Audiotechnica W1000's

or

Sony MDR SA5000....

seems like they'd both make me happy, in a different way...but dang, they arn't cheap....opinions?

-Z

 

[Zemo]

anyone?

-Z