[moorax]

Hi,
 
I want to get my first pair of real headphones. For now, I only have 100 $ to spend, but maybe in the next days I have 80 $ more. So I divided my choices to two categories. Please choose one from each of the categories that you think is a better choice for me.
 
Music genres:Ambient & Black metal
Soundcard:M-Audio 2496
I want a headphone that is: Detailed, Accurate, Neutral and with a good soundstage and bass response.
 
 
$100
Sony MDR-V6
AKG K240 Studio
Creative Aurvana Live!
 
$180
KRK KNS 8400
Brainwavz HM5
Shure SRH840
Sennheiser HD 518
Sennheiser HD 558
 
 
Thanks

 

[valerianaoff]

I'd go for...
 
KRK KNS 8400 are gr8 for details and clarity...quality bass
 
CAL - pretty good for the $

 

[tzjin]

The CAL are nice. My first pick among the list would probably be the HM5.

Is there any reason you have neglected the popular M50? Ditto with the HFI580. Both of those are quite bassy.

 

[moorax]

Quote:

I'd go for...
 
KRK KNS 8400 are gr8 for details and clarity...quality bass
 
CAL - pretty good for the $

Thanks.
 
What makes me worry about KNS 8400 is that some guys here say they are bass light and treble happy and also they don't have a good soundstage at all. Is it true?

 

[UCLA 15]

Quote:

Thanks.
 
What makes me worry about KNS 8400 is that some guys here say they are bass light and treble happy and also they don't have a good soundstage at all. Is it true?

8400 owner here. They are definitely bass light. Lacking in impact. Treble happy? Not really. Soundstage? I think they have a good soundstage. They are neutral detail monsters that lack bass.
 
This guy likes the HM5 for metal: http://www.head-fi.org/t/585281/review-brainwavz-hm5-a-new-neutral-champ/1275#post_8479372

 

[moorax]

Quote:

The CAL are nice. My first pick among the list would probably be the HM5.

Is there any reason you have neglected the popular M50? Ditto with the HFI580. Both of those are quite bassy.

Thanks.
 
I've heard M50 some months ago and as I remember I didn't liked it's bass. It had too much of it. and about HFI580, from what I've read I don't think I like them so much. I need a more neutral headphone.
 
 
Quote:

8400 owner here. They are definitely bass light. Lacking in impact. Treble happy? Not really. Soundstage? I think they have a good soundstage. They are neutral detail monsters that lack bass.
 
This guy likes the HM5 for metal: http://www.head-fi.org/t/585281/review-brainwavz-hm5-a-new-neutral-champ/1275#post_8479372
 

Thanks.
 
I wish I could find something with neutrality and clarity of 8400 but with a tad more bass.

 

[valerianaoff]

Quote:

Thanks.
 
What makes me worry about KNS 8400 is that some guys here say they are bass light and treble happy and also they don't have a good soundstage at all. Is it true?

 
For me, i felt that the bass was just right and warm. It has competent bass...More bass will make them bass heavy. ...  Here is a graph for you to see the lows. They respond pretty well.
But thats just my opinion.
 
 
 

 

[moorax]

Quote:

 
For me, i felt that the bass was just right and warm. It has competent bass...More bass will make them bass heavy. ...  Here is a graph for you to see the lows. They respond pretty well.
But thats just my opinion.
 
 
 

Thank you.

 

[WiR3D]

the AKG K240 and its variants lack a bit in subbass, and really really need an amp.

 

[liamstrain]

Quote:

the AKG K240 and its variants lack a bit in subbass, and really really need an amp.

 
Not the 240. It drives just fine from most portable devices, and computers (unless you get a Monitor series) and carries a lot of bass and sub bass information - it just avoids the boomy hump of the KRK and M50.  The 500/600/700 yes. 
 

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

 
Not the 240. It drives just fine from most portable devices, and computers (unless you get a Monitor series) and carries a lot of bass and sub bass information - it just avoids the boomy hump of the KRK and M50.  The 500/600/700 yes. 
 

Ah no. I have the K242HD (aka K240mkII or K240 Studio with velour pads) and all are 55ohm variants, it barely gets any volume and is definitely far far far far from driven properly off of any phone, the iPhone does a bit better then most, but still not great. 
 
It needs an amp. I stick by that, and most of the owners will agree, go check the appreciation thread. The VAMP is a good pairing, and ironically the combo sounds like a full rig of the equivalent price. 
 
It really does carry the information yes, but it depends on the amp if it will add quantity, since they tend to take on many of the sonic characteristics of the amp it plugs into, I'm guessing partly due to their analytical nature. Makes them very useful for opamp rolling IME.

 

[liamstrain]

huh - that has not been my experience. *shrug* No problems getting enough volume an performance from my iPod Classic, or my android phone (HTC/Google G2) unamped. 

 

[WiR3D]

huh - that has not been my experience. *shrug* No problems getting enough volume an performance from my iPod Classic, or my android phone (HTC/Google G2) unamped. 

 
Only just enough volume and mostly too little for me and most others, but the clarity takes a hammering when its not driven properly.

 

[moorax]

Thanks liamstrain & WiR3D for your ideas about K240.

 

[AxelCloris]

You can get the HM5 from Jaycar in Australia for $50+shipping. It's the same headphone, just without the Fischer/Brainwavz badge. Shipping to the US was about $20 last I saw, so you can still classify it under the $100 mark, assuming you're in the US that is.
 
They're $79 this moment, but they were $50 last night. The price fluctuates, but watch them for a bit and you'll get them at the $50 point.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=AA2065