[Tagjazz]

I love my NAD's so much that I have sold all other portable headphones. I also got the ALO The Island DAC/amp which is sweet. Now looking to add my first open headphones to the mix. Would appreciate any suggestions for a pair which would compliment the NADs. The Philips Fidelio X2 have had a good review from Innerfidelity - would these be a good contrast? Any thoughts welcome.

 

[KG Jag]

Budget?
 
The HP 50 is on the warm side of neutral.  In which direction to you want to go?

 

[Me x3]

  Budget?
 
The HP 50 is on the warm side of neutral.  In which direction to you want to go?

+1

 

[Tagjazz]

Looking at around $500 max so mid range. I listen to a lot of acoustic, jazz and classical so would like something with a great soundstage that is well balanced and immersive - any suggestions very welcome.

 

[Me x3]

  Looking at around $500 max so mid range. I listen to a lot of acoustic, jazz and classical so would like something with a great soundstage that is well balanced and immersive - any suggestions very welcome.

What about Hifiman HE400i?

 

[Tagjazz]

Heard the sound staging is not so good on HiFiMan HE-400i but will def give them a listen at the local store. Thanks.

 

[KG Jag]

  Looking at around $500 max so mid range. I listen to a lot of acoustic, jazz and classical so would like something with a great soundstage that is well balanced and immersive - any suggestions very welcome.

I'm hesitant to recommend any can that needs an amp without knowing the cans (Ohms and sensitivity rating) that you amp can properly drive.
 
Without an amp--or with one that is not very powerful--I recommend the Sony MDR-MA900 and Audio Technica Audiophile ATH-AD2000X.

 

[Me x3]

 
Heard the sound staging is not so good on HiFiMan HE-400i but will def give them a listen at the local store. Thanks.

Well, if you are looking for wide soundstage, full of space between sounds, you can't go wrong with AKG K701/2 specially for the genres you've listed. With some binaural recordings K70x are simply stunning.
AKGs are definitely harder to drive than HE400, and slighlty easier to drive than HE500.
 
I didn't suggested K70x before because these are very neutral -studio like- headphones, so if you reall enjoy the warm sound signature of your NADs, you could find the AKG bass light, too forward in the lower treble, unforgiving, etc. Try them if you have a chance, but when your ears have spent many hours with a warm sounding headphone, it often takes a lot of hours to get comfortable with a very different sound signature.
 
The newer K702 Annie and K712 should provide more bass quantity but less soundstage, so there's a trade off.
 
You could also consider Senns HD598 which is an easy to drive, softer and more forgiving headphone with wide soundstage.
 
Soundstage through headphones is a pretty complex term indeed, where subjective perception is an intrinsic characteristic. There's a really interesting article around here somewhere, made by someone reviewing some very nice Stax headphones with an extensive take on how the terms 'headstage' and 'soundstage' could be defined.
 
In just a few words, when comparing high quality open back headphones there are some with slightly wider and/or deeper headstage (slightly farther sounds around your head). But this is not necessarily better to give your brain the clues of where the instruments where really placed, and thus not necessarily better to recreate the soundstage.
 
I appreciate open sounding headphones very much, so I really like my K702s but I also enjoy my DT880s very much despite having smaller headstage, because their headstage is pretty coherent and tricks the mind in a very good way, so you can feel the atmosphere on good recordings and the experience is still very good.
 
I haven't tried HE400i yet, but yes, maybe they don't have the widest soundstage, but give them a chance because their soundstage effect should be very nice anyway while retaining the warm sound signature that you may appreciate.
 
 

 

[Tagjazz]

Wow, thanks so much for the detailed reply and info, really appreciate it and will definitely be paying a visit to my local store for a big listening session to try these suggestions out. Thanks again for helping out a relative beginner, it is certainly and addictive (and expensive) hobby : )