[mmmau]

Hello everyone

I've decided to buy my first 'real' headphone so to speak. After months of reading this forum I was thinking of Grado SR-60 or AKG K501.

The music I will be listening is instrumental/indie rock, experimental, ambient and soundscapes. I almost never listen to anything with vocals. I suspect that I like a sound that is bright, clear, deep or slowly decaying(?) and less bass-driven. Maybe I don't know what I'm meaning but anyway I hope you get some picture

I don't have an amp, nor will I buy one in the near future. So the question is which one would produce better sound without an amp? Or can someone recommend any better headphones to suit my needs? SR-60 here costs ~100 euros and K501 ~160euros, so the price difference isn't so big of a deal..

 

[padi89]

I think you may find the AKG501 a bit hard to drive without an amp.The SR60 will be great for instrumental/indie but might be a bit lacking for ambient and soundscape but as a first real headphone its an excellent choice.Personally i think a Sennheiser Hd555 or Hd595 may suit better but it would be best if you could go somewhere to try them out and see if its what you are looking for.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by padi89 I think you may find the AKG501 a bit hard to drive without an amp.The SR60 will be great for instrumental/indie but might be a bit lacking for ambient and soundscape but as a first real headphone its an excellent choice.Personally i think a Sennheiser Hd555 or Hd595 may suit better but it would be best if you could go somewhere to try them out and see if its what you are looking for.

I have my 595's unamped on my m-audio rev 7.1 (bleh) and they sound pretty damn good, I'm going to buy an x-fi soon I think to get some better sound.

 

[Nomad]

SR-60

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

SR-60 for sure. But if you're using a portable music player, either way your volume will be close to maximum at all times. It's always wanting more power. However if it's for portable use then the K501s are better because the 60s leak like crazy.

 

[Meyvn]

Grados are rock cans, so I'd say go with them, unless, as the above poster said, you're going portable. If you want something more portable, I would just get closed headphones. Also, given that the K501 is more expensive than the SR-60, for that price range, you may want to consider a pair of Alessandro/Grado MS-1s instead.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn Grados are rock cans, so I'd say go with them, unless, as the above poster said, you're going portable. If you want something more portable, I would just get closed headphones.

Aren't the grados some of the most portable if not most portable sets of open headphones available? I don't think it's a probably less your worried about leaking sound, which shouldn't matter on the subway or outside, just if your in a work environment or something.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmau I don't have an amp, nor will I buy one in the near future.

I wouldn't bother with the K501 without an amp, period. They're medium impedance (120 ohms) but the sensitivity is low, and they'll sound rather bassless and boring unamped or underamped.

 

[mmmau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch I wouldn't bother with the K501 without an amp, period. They're medium impedance (120 ohms) but the sensitivity is low, and they'll sound rather bassless and boring unamped or underamped.

What about the version of K501 that has brown rings under the pads and is supposed to have much better bass? I'm referring to this thread http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=96582


As for sound leaking I'm only going to use them at home so that won't matter.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmau What about the version of K501 that has brown rings under the pads and is supposed to have much better bass? I'm referring to this thread http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=96582

Still gonna need amping to sound very good (just my opinion).

 

[mmmau]

I just came across Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro ( http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/prod...roducthome.asp ), it is supposed to have a built-in headphone amplifier. I know it isn't high powered, but could it have enough juice to drive K501s decently?

 

[Zorander]

The SR-60 is far easier to drive than the K501. On this regard alone, I would take the Grado for unamped listening.

 

[Coffeegeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli SR-60 for sure. But if you're using a portable music player, either way your volume will be close to maximum at all times. It's always wanting more power. However if it's for portable use then the K501s are better because the 60s leak like crazy.

When I was burning in K501's at slightly higher than listening level, I could hear them when they were closed in a cabinet 35 feet away, and through my room door. It's safe to say that the K501's leak A LOT.

Chris

 

[Arnoldhasmail]

60's

 

[seantx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmau I just came across Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro ( http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/prod...roducthome.asp ), it is supposed to have a built-in headphone amplifier. I know it isn't high powered, but could it have enough juice to drive K501s decently?

I'm listening to Senn 580s (noted for being power hungry) right now with the TBAAM. They sound fantastic. I'm most pleased with this device for a mere $30 US.