[jcdamascenojr]

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How about Grado's PS500, surely they can't be accused of sounding too bright, i'm not sure if the headband is covered in leather tough

 
I've ruled Grados out due to the reasons on my previous posts, but thanks for the suggestion anyway. (maybe I should edit my first post)
 
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Yea I do mean hate. It's the combination of slow + laid back + the romantic presentation of the Hd650 that I dislike. The Hd650 has no veil, unless you power it with a cmoy or an ipod, then the sounds turn into a muddy pile - I guess that's what people mean by veil. The 600 is still slow, but it's more neutral than the 650; also a very realistic timbre + seductive mid = wins. 
 
Bear in mind that 80% of my listening is Metal + Classic/Prog Rock, and the rest is Baroque and piano stuff (Chopin + Liszt). I could see how people with different taste in music love the Hd650 (jazz, vocal ... yada yada).
 
//back to the music, I don't really like Brothers in Arms, the only track from that album that I listen to is Your lastest trick.

 
For some reason I find quite interesting people's tastes, like mainly listening to metal and also liking classical stuff! ;P
 
Brothers in Arms (the track) is in my opinion one of the best guitar ever recorded, it's just plain beautiful. Something simple and so complex at the same time. After that, it's impossible not to like the rest of the album. And yes, the sax on YLT... ok, I'm going to listen to it now! 

 
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The Headfonia article you mention is just a view of one person.
My own view for the cans I have experience with:
HD-650 is comfortable, forgiving to bad recordings and the most euphonic (also the most colored of the cans I currently own) can I have heard. Not veiled, just with treble roll off.
K-701 is more neutral and with bigger soundstage. Less bass (the only significant flaw for me), about equal mids, more treble than the HD-650.
I hasten to add that the differences are NOT big (for me).
HD-650 would be my 1st recommendation for the genres you are interested, but not independedly of price difference (double price from K-701 would bother me).
HE-500 is for me just a little better overall than the other two, definitely in the diminishing returns area you mention.

 
Thanks! I'm probably set at either HD600 or HD650 now. I'll wait for Tyll's article about them before make my mind, and will try to find some way to listen to them, there must be someone willing to help me around here!
 
I've found HD600 for $300 and HD650 for $400 at AccessoryJack, so it's not that difference from the K701 (specially the HD600). I know they're grey imports, but even buying from an authorized reseller I won't have any warranty anyway... My only concern is about fakes, but the store seems legit (if anyone has experience with them please comment).

 

[jcdamascenojr]

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To the OP...
 
Have you tried the Apogee Duet 2 with other headphones?
A lot of people have chimed in to suggest the Senns HD600/650 (BTW, I also prefer the HD600s over the HD598 and HD650s -- I sold all of them because I rarely use open headphones anymore...) BUT they haven't addressed the amp/DAC situation. If the DUET 2 doesn't have enough to push the Sennheisers, I'm pretty sure you will NOT like them as much as everyone says... I also have a "recording interface" (old Lexicon Omega) and it's headphone output COULD NOT push the HD600s as clearly/cleanly as my dedicated amp (Lehman BCL). I don't think the DUET specs are similar, but just something to call to your attention.!
 
Why not get first a cheaper pair of headphones (such as the Shure SRH840s which perform well with Rock, are comfortable enough and provide good "all-around" sound quality -- and you mentioned that these are easily accessible to you??)?

 
No, I haven't tested any full-size cans, just a couple IEMs. About the DAC, I'm pretty set on the Duet, since it should be at the same level as the ADC part, which I found amazing while recording. Also sounds good with my SHE-9850, better than my iPhone and pc at least.
 
As an amp, I'm not that sure it will be good (since I've never tried), but the guy that did the in-depth measurements I mentioned on my first post (which seems to know what he's doing) says:

"Did I mention it sounds fantastic? Plugging my 600 Ω Beyer DT 880s into it sounded incredible, much better than some of the audiophile attempts that have been here lately. (...) The headphone amp has no noise, and plays at any level up to and including deafening, even with 600 Ω headphones like the Beyer DT 880."

 
The measurements show no objective reason why it shouldn't work either. If for some reason I'm not satisfied with it I may consider an external amp (O2 or Magni, maybe), but I hope I will 

 
Regarding the SRH840, I see people saying about lacking bass or too analytical, and no one else mentioned them yet, so I never really though about until now. Maybe in the end I'll order HD650, K701 and SRH840 (thank god nobody mentioned Beyer!) at the same time, so I can compare them side-by-side! 

 
Do you have them (840)? What can you say about the other things besides sound (confort, build quality, etc)?
 
Thanks!

 

[stacker45]

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I'm pretty sure those break $300-$400 budget, especially outside of the US.

Fairly sure it's a leather headband, the SR-325 is, and the RS-2 is, so I don't see why the PS-500 shouldn't be.

 
I know, but since the OP is considering the HD650 i figured that he might be willing to stretch his budget a bit more, anyway, like you've said, the PS500's headband is covered in real leather so that pretty much rules them out.

 

[barid]

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Regarding the SRH840, I see people saying about lacking bass or too analytical, and no one else mentioned them yet, so I never really though about until now. Maybe in the end I'll order HD650, K701 and SRH840 (thank god nobody mentioned Beyer!) at the same time, so I can compare them side-by-side! 

 
Do you have them (840)? What can you say about the other things besides sound (confort, build quality, etc)?
 
Thanks!

 
The 840's are nice.  To me the sound is flatter (less depth, maybe more neutral)  than the hd650's.  My complaint about them is not the sound though, but the comfort.  They sit on your ears and I cannot wear them for very long periods.  Perhaps if this had not been an issue I would not own many of the headphones I have now....lol.
 
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Thanks! I'm probably set at either HD600 or HD650 now. I'll wait for Tyll's article about them before make my mind, and will try to find some way to listen to them, there must be someone willing to help me around here!
 
I've found HD600 for $300 and HD650 for $400 at AccessoryJack, so it's not that difference from the K701 (specially the HD600). I know they're grey imports, but even buying from an authorized reseller I won't have any warranty anyway... My only concern is about fakes, but the store seems legit (if anyone has experience with them please comment).

 If you don't mind used, you can definitely find them cheaper on the FS section here.  I recently sold my pair of HD650's for $275, if you were so inclined to hunt around for a deal.

 

[DavidMahler]

Hey there

I know you're already leaning in the direction of the HD650, and I really think those will be ones you'll enjoy very much! So I say go for those!