[Jazz9]

Hi,

I have HD555s (took the foams out so maybe it's closer to HD595s now) and I just don't find anything great about them, they sound...well...slow and dull.
Now I'm not saying they're bad, I can hear that they're decent "all around" headphones but it's like they try to do nothing wrong and fail at really doing anything right...
I can put them on and listen to music while browsing the net on my computer and literally forget that I'm listening to music, they just don't draw me or get my toe tapping.
I got cheap ksc-75 that I krammer-modded (but without cutting the hole in the pad in fear of them becoming too bright and I was wise not to) to get a taste of a different sound sig and I like them, they have some punch, more sparkle but they can get tiring after a while so I wouldn't want something aggressive or harsh sounding.

Maybe something along those lines:
Bass: deep, extended punchy bass but not bloated or overbearing (but not anemic either, I do want some bass).
Mids: clear mids (not recessed)
Highs: detailed and extended enough while not being aggressive or sibilant, I don't want details to be "forced" on me

I'd like something fast enough with good instrument separation as I noted my HD555s would easily get "muddy" with fast, complex music (not that I listen to a lot of "complex" music, but the little I listen to leaves a lot to be desired with the HD555).

Of course I know I'm not going to get headphones that will exhibit all those qualities in my budget but the closer the better.

Closed or open doesn't matter as I'll be using them at home but comfort is a must.

Some of the music I listen to (a sample really):
Keane, Bloc party, Tv on the radio, kings of leon, noisettes, the notwist, Belle & Sebastian, The Killers, The Servant, The Prodigy, Pendulum, Daft Punk, Massive Attack... and some other things (acoustic music) but it's mainly 70% indie/poprock, 30% anything else.

Budget: 100-200€ (new or used).

They'd be used with a Zero dac/amp (opa627/lt1364) (and maybe with my fuze too while in bed if some efficient headphones are recommended to me).
I know it's not exactly state of the art but it's what I'll be using and I don't plan to change it in the near future (down the line, sure...but that could be 2 years from now for all I know...).

To be honest I was gonna get an HD580/600 but got cold feet at the last minute thinking that it might not be the wisest move in regards to my experience with my Senns.
But then again they're one of the few "hifi" headphones that aren't overpriced where I live compared to US prices.
I also read a lot about the DT880 but I'm afraid of the said "peaky" highs...
I then looked at the Denon D2000 as well but this time the bass seems to be the issue and I wouldn't markl mod them (I suck at modding, the KSC75 "mod" was me at my best

), and they're kinda pricey too.
Then the DT48e (maybe too neutral and transparent, too analytical, not enough bass) and DT150 (not comfortable, too bassy?, HD580/600 said to be technically better cans, but does it matter?...)
I even looked at iems (to be honest I find iems more comfortable than headphones) as I'm not bothered by the "in the head" experience, in fact I like the way they portray music, the intimacy but everyone seems to agree on the fact that at the same price you'd be crazy to go for an iem if portability is not an issue...

Or maybe I should just take the plunge, buy the HD600 and live with the consequences as it seems I might be looking for some kind of "holy grail" that doesn't exist in my budget.

I read a lot, and then some more and feeling that there was no answer for my preferences/budget I made this thread as a last resort thinking that maybe I overlooked some options.

So if a kind soul has an answer, advice for me do not hesitate!
Thanks!

 

[Zsev]

You basically want the warm comfort of HD555 + the bass punch & full sound of KSC75. Give me 5 !

Now if my porta pros is as comfortable as my HD555, i'd bin that sennheiser for good. Unfortunately I've not found a pair of cans like that but I'm eyeing on the Denon AHD1001 or D2000 which seems to be the best compromise of comfort and sound. The Koss UR40 seems interesting too and is cheap enough to experiment with.

 

[Jazz9]

No I don't think I'd want something like that...
Like I said I just bought the KSC-75 to try something else and they're pretty fun headphones with awesome value (albeit somewhat aggressive when krammer modded).
I'd want something that would be a big upgrade compared to my HD555.
I've also been looking at the ADTH-AD900 in the mean time and they seem pretty good, maybe an alternative to HD600.
I also looked at the new UM3X (iems I know) and they seem to be what I look for (detailed not overblown bass, clear smooth transparent mids with good details, extended highs but not harsh, great instrument separation and speed) but they're too "new" to really know if they're really that good and too expensive anyway

.
I'll keep looking!

 

[Almoxil]

Although you stated that you don't like an aggressive sound sig, I've got to say that I have a Zero with the same opamps as yours, and the HFI-780s sound amazing paired with that little DAC/amp. Together with an iRiver PCDP, they're my home listening rig.

 

[cswann1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz9 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, Or maybe I should just take the plunge, buy the HD600 and live with the consequences as it seems I might be looking for some kind of "holy grail" that doesn't exist in my budget.

You got your answer right there. (Hd580's can be picked up used and as far as I'm concerned are one of the best deals in headphone audio.)

 

[smallcaps]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cswann1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You got your answer right there. (Hd580's can be picked up used and as far as I'm concerned are one of the best deals in headphone audio.)

x2

hd580's and hd600's used are inexpensive if you can find them and are definitely worth a look as they are excellent headphones when used with an amp and are still decent without one.

 

[Deftoned]

Hello Jazz9,

I have tried all of the headphones that you are considering except the DT48e, although admittedly not under the best conditions always.

We also seem to have quite similar taste in music.

To me the HD600 is the clear best choice. I do not think that the HD555 and HD600 sound anything alike. The HD600 are better in all respects by a good margin.

But I have no experince with IEMs what so ever, I would personally not get an IEM to listen at home.

 

[Jazz9]

Thanks for the answers everyone!
THe HD600 was already the favorite but I'm just afraid of how it's gonna behave with my Zero...
Anyone has experience with both?
At the very least I know I'll have a scalable headphone should I buy a better amp in the future if I go the HD600 way.

 

[Deftoned]

Hi Jazz9!

If I remember correctly several of the early posters in the Zero-thread used their HD600 together with the zero and reported excellent results.