[Norman314]

I've had a pair of Denon AH-D1001 for almost three years now. They are my first pair of headphones costing more than about $20. I've been using them without an amp. They've revolutionized the way I listen to and appreciate music. However, they have taken some bumps over the years, due in part to their lack of a hard-sided carrying case, and I've had to glue the earpieces back on a couple of times. I don't have any particular problems with their sound quality, but I understand that better headphones exist, and the Denons have given me so much pleasure that I'm willing to pay more money to upgrade to an even better pair of headphones. I am not ready yet to spend over $1000 for a flagship model that I'd be nervous to wear out of the house and would require a better source than my mp3s anyway, But it seems that for around $500 or less, I could get a great pair of headphones along with a good portable amp, so that's my target budget.
 
I listen to music outside of my home a lot, so I'd like something that can be powered effectively with a portable amp (or no amp at all). I often listen to music in settings with background noise (i.e. on the subway or walking on a busy street) or where it's important not to leak sound (i.e. in a library), so I need a closed ear headphone.
 
I listen to a wide variety of music, almost exclusively on mp3 via an iPod, mostly at a bitrate of 200-250 kbps, but with some 128 kbps and some 320 kbps, often at a high volume, though sometimes at a low volume. The top 4 genres where the sound quality is most important to me are full orchestra classical (i.e.Beethoven symphonies, Orff:Carmina Burana, Holst: The Planets), electronic trance (i.e. Infected Mushroom, Tangerine Dream), percussion-y instrumental (i.e. Evelyn Glennie, Myo Kyo), and heavy metal (i.e. Sepultura, Manowar). I also listen to a fair amount of alternative rock (i.e. Offspring, Cake), classical piano (Chopin), and rock and roll oldies, as well as the occasional jazz, bluegrass, dance, and hip-hop, 
 
Some of what I appreciate most with my Denons is hearing lots of details and having a large soundstage, so it would be great to get a new headphone that does even better in those areas. I'm not sure what I want in terms of the sound frequency profile. Secondary important considerations are sound isolation and ruggedness of the headphone (a sturdy carrying case would be a great bonus) and comfort.
 
I am considering the following models and would welcome additional suggestions, too.
 
Beyerdynamic DT 1350
Beyerdynamic DT 770 
Shure SRH-940
Sony Z1000
Denon AHD5000
 
I like the Beyerdynamics because of their sturdy carrying cases and excellent sound isolation. 
The 770 got rave reviews on Amazon, with one person even comparing it to a Stax that he previously owned. It comes in many different submodels that I would have to choose among.
 
The Shure also has a sturdy carrying case, and has been compared to the much pricier open-ear Sennheiser HD800 on Amazon and headfonia. But I'm afraid that it might be too detailed for 200-250 kbps mp3s.
 
The Sony is supposed to have great sound, and I'd guess it would be more forgiving since it's not a monitoring headphone. But it lacks a hard carrying case.
 
Upgrading to a higher-end Denon seems like it might not be a good idea because it would be better to have a wider variety of headphones. I've also read that the higher-end denons have too much bass. But at the same time it seems that another Denon would make sense since I like my current Denon a lot. 
 
So, which headphones would you recommend for me (either among the ones I mentioned above or others), and which amps should I consider pairing them with?
 
Thanks.
 
 

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
BeyerDynamic DT770 PRO with a portable amp.
Denon D5000 with or without a portable amp.
AudioTechnica A900X with or without a portable amp.
Fischer Audio FA-003 with a portable amp.
Ultrasone PRO 650 with or without a portable amp.
 
As for which portable setup, I'd suggest the iBasso D-Zero.
 
Very best,

 

[Norman314]

Thanks for your suggestions, Malveaux. It would be nice to have some reasons why along with the suggestions. Do you consider the DT1350,  Z1000, and SRH940  to be inferior for my needs, or are you just less familiar with them? Of the five that you listed, what are some of the strengths and weaknesses of each?

 

[IIIIIIIIIIIIIII]

Quote:

Thanks for your suggestions, Malveaux. It would be nice to have some reasons why along with the suggestions. Do you consider the DT1350,  Z1000, and SRH940  to be inferior for my needs, or are you just less familiar with them? Of the five that you listed, what are some of the strengths and weaknesses of each?

Although I have never tried the DT1350 I have heard there sound signature can be a hit or miss with people, some love them others can't stand them. 
 
Another can to consider would be the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II at $200. They are usually regarded as the "Overlord King" when it comes to noise isolation and portability due to their smaller supra-aural (on ear) design, indestructibility, ability to replace every single part, and great sound quality. Although like the DT1350 they do clamp alot, but will adjust and be more fitting over time. Compared to the DT1350 they tend to do all genres well but don't really excel in a few genres like the DT1350. 
 
The HD 25-1 II FWIR do not need an amp although I have seen some setups that use one. 
 
Anyways there are so many threads on both cans and a bunch comparing the two that a simple search will offer you more info then I can offer since I am only going off what I have read. 
 
Here's a video comparing the two cans (DT1350 vs Sennheiser HD-25-1 II) *note: the Sennheiser headphone is the blue adidas version of the same headphone; the regular model is an all black design (both are available for sale at HUGE variety of retailers)*
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aahpv0_DDFE
 

 

[Norman314]

A lot of reviews for the Sennheiser HD 25-1 say that it has a small soundstage. My impression is that the Beyerdynamic 770 has a substantially larger soundstage. Is that correct?
 
I should also clarify that I don't necessarily need physically small headphones. I will be carrying them around, but I usually carry a big backpack, so a little bit of extra volume is not a big deal.
 
The overall impression that I'm getting from what I've read is that I'm likely not to notice a big difference between a great $200 headphone like the HD 25-1 and a $400 headphone -- is that correct? Would it maybe be a good plan to get two $200 headphones rather than one $400 one? 

 

[Norman314]

For the benefit of people reading this thread wondering what I decided on -- I decided that it makes sense to get a few cheaper headphones rather than one $500 headphone. That's what headfonia.com suggests in the buyers' guide. That way I can try a few different styles with different strengths and weaknesses. The first two listed here have arrived, the third I'm in the process of buying. None are fully burned in yet, so I'm giving brief impressions. Later, I might post a more in-depth comparison.
 
I got an Audiotechnica AD-900 (open headphone, amazing soundstage size and separation, great treble detail, weak bass, great for vocal, pop-type music and electronic music without much bass like Tangerine Dream),
Sennheiser HD-25 (very good isolation, punchy and well-extended bass, very portable, great for metal, hard rock, small soundstage, kind of uncomfortable),
and a  Fischer FA-003 (In the process of buying from Mal, looking forward to it -- supposed to be very neutral and detailed with great soundstage for a closed phone)
 
Decided against the Beyerdynamic dt770 because it's supposed to have a V-shaped sound signature, and against the dt1350 because it's pretty comparable to HD25 but costs much more. 
 
Still deciding on an amp -- planning to start a new thread in the amps section to ask about that.