[sling5s]

For me it's the Grado RS1.  I have tried almost every high end headphone (except Stax) but have always come back to Grado RS1.  I guess I want to feel the music more than listen to it. 
 

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Ad2000's are pretty amazing all around. I can't think of a single thing they do wrong.

i'm a little surprised that you feel that way seeing that you too love the grado hp2. the AT is a very colored, if somewhat fun, can (i sold mine a while back after comparing it to my vintage alessandro pros, which is far more tonally correct). the hp2 is one of the least colored, and greatest phones ever made, they are tonally superb and have wonderful bass, much better than a beyer T1.
 


Quote:

I can relate to the fact that some headphones just seem to do "it" for you, whatever "it" happens to be. For me it is the K1000. Not the AKG mind you, but the highly overlooked Kenwood KH-K1000. Skylab enjoyed it but didn't seem to love it.... but somehow I keep going back to it. It doesn't do a lot of things that my other headphones can do, yet I really enjoy it, and I can't exactly explain why. 
 
Also, AD2000 added to my list of "try someday" headphones. Thanks a lot Amos, the list was too big already!

the kenwood can draw you in. unlike so many cans, the bass has impact that propels the music along. they are also one of the most comfortable cans i've ever donned. it seems to have been forgotten after that long and enthusiastic thread (was this the one?: http://www.head-fi.org/t/344543/kenwood-kh-k1000).
 


Quote:

I have to agree, too. My first good pair of headphones was the HD-650. I could have bought a better amp and been happy with them.
My journey took me a bit further, but I wonder if I could have checked out with the HD-650 and been happy with it.

a well amped, well sourced hd650 rig could be a very happy end point for a good chunk of us. it may not be the ultimate in everything can but it can sound very right, while being very relaxed. a sweet and easy, well balanced listen.
 

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

I have to agree, too. My first good pair of headphones was the HD-650. I could have bought a better amp and been happy with them.
My journey took me a bit further, but I wonder if I could have checked out with the HD-650 and been happy with it.

You can. When I auditioned the HD650 something about it sounded very right. 
 
I think I will hang on to the DF, K500, K400 and Monitor 10 for home listening. I am not sure about the DT48.
 
 

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

i'm a little surprised that you feel that way seeing that you too love the grado hp2. the AT is a very colored, if somewhat fun, can (i sold mine a while back after comparing it to my vintage alessandro pros, which is far more tonally correct). the hp2 is one of the least colored, and greatest phones ever made, they are tonally superb and have wonderful bass, much better than a beyer T1.
 

 

 
Can you tell us what you mean by "tonally correct"? And how you have assessed that.

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Can you tell us what you mean by "tonally correct"? And how you have assessed that.

what i mean by 'tonally correct' is that a violin sounds like a violin, a piano sounds like a piano, a trumpet sounds like a trumpet, etc etc. the timbre is correct for instruments. this is particularly true for a (joe) grado hp2, and it's far more true for an alessandro pro compared to it's cousin, the grado rs-1. in my experience ATs are more skewed tonally than (john) grado cans. when i was younger i played trumpet in a band and an orchestra for a number of years, and i've attended many live performances of different types of music. i assess it by how it sounds to my ears having listened to a lot of music both live and reproduced. as always, ymmv.....
 

 

[Elysian]

Quote:

I have to agree, too. My first good pair of headphones was the HD-650. I could have bought a better amp and been happy with them.
My journey took me a bit further, but I wonder if I could have checked out with the HD-650 and been happy with it.

If my living situation could accommodate it, I would've stopped at the SR225i or HD650 and GS-1 and been done with it.  The rest of my budget would've gone to Emerald Physics, Geddes, or some other similarly performing speakers, and 300B monoblocks.  Unfortunately, since that's still far away, my disposable income went to 'stats instead.
 
I really like the detail retrieval in electrostats, but if it came down to high-end headphones vs speakers, I'd go with speakers in a heartbeat.

 

[Currawong]

I listening with a pair of Airmotiv 4 at the moment actually and I ended up loading the AD2000s to a friend who I think will like them. I do think they did the Grado-like intensity without the discomfort though. Compared to orthos and the like though, as someone else put it, they are a bit grainy. I still wish I'd bought them first before everything else though.

 

[crumpler]

Quote:

I listening with a pair of Airmotiv 4 at the moment actually and I ended up loading the AD2000s to a friend who I think will like them. I do think they did the Grado-like intensity without the discomfort though. Compared to orthos and the like though, as someone else put it, they are a bit grainy. I still wish I'd bought them first before everything else though.

Wow, did you mean you ended up loaning these to a friend? I sure as hell would like to be your friend! 

 
For me tho, i love these too much and they are my everyday listening cans, so suffice to say, they aren't going anywhere for a very long time. 

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

what i mean by 'tonally correct' is that a violin sounds like a violin, a piano sounds like a piano, a trumpet sounds like a trumpet, etc etc. the timbre is correct for instruments. this is particularly true for a (joe) grado hp2, and it's far more true for an alessandro pro compared to it's cousin, the grado rs-1. in my experience ATs are more skewed tonally than (john) grado cans. when i was younger i played trumpet in a band and an orchestra for a number of years, and i've attended many live performances of different types of music. i assess it by how it sounds to my ears having listened to a lot of music both live and reproduced. as always, ymmv.....
 

 
Thank you for your response.

 

[Armaegis]

A year ago I had a fellow offer me a practically new AD2000 for $400 shipped. I passed on it back then, but I kinda wish I jumped on it.

 

[Currawong]

I saw some in Tokyo second-hand for less than $400. Was very tempting just to get a pair for that price, even though I have a pair already.

 

[Armaegis]

I would be tempted too... were it not for the shipping and taxes to get it over here 

 

[ericfarrell85]

What do you think of $500 new? What do these go for used on the forums? (I don't know that I've seen an AD2000 more than once or twice)

 

[Currawong]

They are about $300 second-hand in Japan I've discovered, which is quite reasonable.

 

[Armaegis]

And shipping from Japan to the US/Canada is... $100?