[insearchofsound]

Edit: I know how boring a wall of text can be in a thread, so I cut some things out and bolded the important parts just to make it a little easier. Also I changed the title to hopefully make it a little more interesting. Thanks! 
 
Hi, all,
    First of all, this is a really informative forum! I've searched and read up on a lot of things, but I had a few questions I couldn't really find answers for in other threads so I thought I'd post here. I am looking to buy 2 pair of headphones-- one as a gift and one for myself. 
 
Gift pair edited out-- ordered the m50s!
 
Second pair:
    This is the pair I am more conflicted on... I see myself having a few options but the main things are they can't leak a lot of sound and they shouldn't need a big or expensive amplifier. I was thinking either getting a pair to replace my Bose for all purposes. I should note I think my Bose sound fine especially for streamed and youtube'd sources etc. I am saying that because I think if I think they sound good/fine, I will really be blown away by a good set of headphones. So the first idea (the replacement all-purpose headphones) would be something akin to the M50s above. I would just use them all the time. If the best headphones for me aren't very "throw in a case in my bag" durable then I'd be fine with moving on to another option. Which is keeping my Bose for airplanes, tossing in my bag, and taking places and this pair for use at my desk.
   I will be using them mainly for music (and movies/tv) at my desk and my laptop will be my only source for them. I have an iPod but I am guessing that the nicer the phones, the less likely they are to work with my iPod. So the second option is something just for my desk. I will be in a room by myself, but there is noise from outside my apartment etc and through the window so the issue is more sound getting in than sound getting out. This category is basically nicer phones that don't need an amp/dac to work well for me (and it doesn't matter if they work with my ipod etc or are portable).
   The last category I was thinking of was a very nice set of headphones that probably needs to be amped. Again these would be only for use at my desk. I am worried that here I would need an expensive amp and possibly a DAC to get good sound from my headphones. I was looking at the DT880s (any ohm version at this point). They are semi-open which I think could be fine. I just don't want them to sound like a set of speakers in my room. I've never heard a set of open headphones so I'm unsure of what the leakage is like with them. But as I said it probably is more an issue of sound getting in than sound getting out for me. Also as for the amp, since I relocate somewhat frequently, a smaller amp that isn't super heavy is better (and more durable is better too). For instance if something like the DT880s (250 or 600ohm) and a headstage arrow or similar would work well, this might be a good route.
 
I listen to all sorts of music, but the music I really listen to to enjoy is acoustic, classical, and vocal heavy music. I would love to hear more detail in the voice and instruments. I listen to pop and rock and hiphop etc too but as long as they work as well as my Bose (which I am assuming they will) the sound there isn't too critical.
 
Lastly, budget! I purposefully left this until the end so you would have all of these ideas floating through your head and think of them now. Ideal price is under $300. If headphones and a amp/dac I would need for option 3 can come in under around $600, I could go that high. But at least right now, that's a somewhat firm upper limit.
 
So I know this was very long and for that I apologize, but to sum it up:
1) portable all-purpose headphones that are good unamped (M50s?)
2) non-portable headphones good unamped
3) good headphones that need an amp/dac (DT880s?)
 
I've read all about Sennheisers and Denons and ATs and Beyerdynamics and I am very interested in seeing what you guys have to recommend as far as headphones and (potentially) an amp or dac to go with them. Also remember my comparison set of headphones is Bose QC2 so I am sure most everything would be a step up!
 
Thanks again

 

[TheWuss]

the gift - you are right on with the ath-m50.
the ear cups do rotate, and the headband folds as well.
 
headphones for yourself -
don't try to buy something to replace the bose.  let them be your stow and go headphones.
buy something that will be dedicated at home listening.
 
your budget really opens up tons of options...
 
i personally would go for something like a beyer dt880 600 ohms.  and then spend the rest on a decent OTL (output transformer-less) amp for them.
(like a little dot or dark voice or woo audio wa3)
 
and then get the dac later as a separate component.
the beyers will sound better and better as you upgrade amp and source, and are very good all-round cans.
 
i can't really think of a combo dac/amp that will give the 600 ohm beyers enough juice.
which is why i would urge you to get separate components.
besides, you get more options, better sound, and it makes it easier to upgrade later...
 
 

 

[insearchofsound]

Hi and thanks for the reply. The more I read about the m50s, the more I think they are the right choice. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. 
 
As for the headphones for myself, I think you are right. I just wasn't sure whether just headphones + amp straight from my laptop without a DAC would be a good enough source to get all of the benefit of a setup like the 880s and a little dot or dark voice. Also I wasn't quite sure which amps would help me come in at or under budget (a lot of people mentioned the wa3 which is close to my whole budget just for the amp!). The amps are a bit bigger (and possible more fragile being tube amps) than I think would be ideal, but I am sure I can just set it on my desk and leave it be, putting it back in its box when I have to move.
 
Thanks again for the suggestions!

 

[headbob]

Remember that the M50s are a little bass heavy, though that shouldn't be a problem.
 
As for you, consider a usb DAC if you are streaming from your laptop.  The uDAC is only $100 but still quality, IIRC.  That leaves you $200. 
 
Hmmm...Going through some brands of phones...
Possibly the HD595s, if you want to go the sennheiser route.
DT880, as you mentioned.
I wouldn't think about Grados, they won't suit you tastes perfectly.
That's all I can think of now.
 
Also, do you have an iPod?
You could possibly go LOD->Portable amp->phones, there are so many options.
 
Hope this helped.

 

[insearchofsound]

Thanks for the tip on the uDAC. I could get a uDAC, little dot and the 880s for only a little over my budget. Also the 250ohm 880s are much less than the 600ohm most places I saw. Is the 600ohm that much better?
 
I do have an iPod but I honestly haven't used it in maybe a year. I almost strictly listen to music from my computer. That's why it isn't a big deal to me if my new headphones won't run off of my ipod (at least without being hooked up to an amp) and why I was wondering if I needed a DAC also.

 

[insearchofsound]

I am reading the 880/600 thread with interest. I am now thinking these could be a very good set of headphones for me and am considering the rest of the setup. So if I got the 880/600 which I've found for $300-$350 (depending on how sketchy the source is), I have $250-$300 for an amp or amp and DAC. Doesn't look like I can really get an amp good enough to drive the 880s plus a DAC for that so for the time being it looks like it'll probably be an amp like the little dot mk iii or similar (as Wuss suggested).
 
But I am still very open to ideas about what others would deem the 'best' setup for me for this kind of money.
 
Thanks!

 

[Bombarde]

I'll second Wuss's DT880/600 recommendation. I got a pair recently and find them amazing, especially for the types of music you describe.

One of the things I like best about them is that they make all my music sound good - not just certain types. The only area I sometimes wish for a little improvement is the bass for organ music. But then I question that wish, because on most other music, and especially symphonic music, the 880's bass just sounds so "right" to me.

The DT990/600 are supposed to have a bit more bass, but I've never heard them. But they're also said to have a hotter treble, which I don't think I'd care for. (The Wuss has both - perhaps he'd like to comment?)

 

[n3rdling]

IMO DT880 seemed to suck the life out of music a bit.  Have you considered a Stax setup?  If you don't mind buying vintage headphones, these can't be beat for the price really.  You could get a vintage Lambda system for $250-$750 and I would very easily take this over the popular mid tier dynamic offerings (DT880/K702/HD650/RS325).  I had the DT880 and thought it was alright, got a used Stax Lambda Signature and SRM-1 and listened to the DT880 for maybe 15 minutes total over the next year and a half.  The difference was that big to me.  If you want to buy new, you can also get a Stax 2020 system which should come in around $500 and it comes with both the headphone and amp.  Do some research on Stax and electrostats.

 

[xxhaxx]

DT800/600 are going for 290 on amazon

 

[stang]

I love my DT880 600ohm. They are great for most genres and I love how comfy they are, how they look and especially their overall sound signature. I use mine with a Zero DAC and M^3 amp. All up I paid $750aud for DT880, Zero and M^3. Great combo. I prefer solid state amps I think (well, from comparing MAD Ear+ HD to my M^3, I prefer the treble and speed my M^3 provides).

 

[insearchofsound]

Bombarde, it is good to hear such positive things about the 880s. I've definitely read people calling them flat and fatiguing on the forums(or 'life sucking' in this thread), which would be a tremendous disappointment!
 
n3rdling, I looked into electrostats after I saw your reply. I am afraid they wouldn't offer any isolation at all, plus I am sure my friends would look at me like i'm nuts with a pair on. I think I'd be more comfortable buying a pair of dynamic headphones for my first "real" pair, although I am keeping them in mind definitely. I will continue to look into them and research them and see where I am after learning more.
 
Stang, interesting that you said that you prefer solid state-- almost everything I have read said tubes drive them better (both because of their high impedence and also their sound signature. I will keep that in mind since solid state is likely cheaper, too.
 
I am now looking more into amps since the consensus seems to be that the 880/600s would be good for me. The little dot, darkvoice and wa3 are three "budget" amps I've seen mentioned, with the wa3 markedly more expensive than the other two. I haven't been able to find out much in terms of comparing the three (especially the little dot and wa3). The wa3 would put me over budget by quite a bit, but I am pretty sure the de facto motto of this forum is "budgets are made to be broken"...

 
I also saw the $290 price on amazon which puts a little dot (III or IV non-SE) within my price range, but obviously I am wondering about the one amp that isn't (wa3)!
 
Edit: I also just saw some info on the Schiit Valhalla. Looks very interesting for $350

 

[insearchofsound]

The one and only bump, to bring this back from the third page and hopefully get a few more decisions before I empty my wallet I just saw the thread for 600ohm 880s for $250 at B&H and jumped on it-- $40 less than amazon and I don't know when the price will go back up. So now I'm just looking for an amp!

 

[TheWuss]

that's just a no-brainer in my book. go for the 880s. i paid $319 plus shipping for mine.

 

[insearchofsound]

Yep-- it was too good to pass up. Now I just need to find an amp. Little Dots and Woos are all making a strong argument for themselves. And when has a budget ever been firm on here? 

 
I posted a thread trying to get some more information on Woos in the full-size amp section, so hopefully I can get some help for if I decide to spend more and get a Woo vs a Little Dot.

 

[TheWuss]

Quote:

And when has a budget ever been firm on here?

 

ROFL!!!
 
wish i could help w/ the woo vs. little dot.  (and don't forget about dark voice / la figaro)
 
i went straight for the WA6, and i love it.