[richie22182]

After lurking here on and off for about five years and making most of my purchasing decisions based off of existing threads, I have finally come to a decision that I may need some help with.  
 
 I am a pretty big metalhead and listen to basically everything everything except nu metal and black metal(though there's always sepultura and a few other exceptions), but I for the most part prefer prog metal and some thrash ie porcupine tree, meshuggah, lamb of god mastodon etc.  I do also listen to some  folk ( bjork to dylan) and classic rock. 
 
Right now I am using an 02 amp/dac with my mmx 300 that I have had for a few years as I am also a pretty heavy gamer when I have time, and have only recently gotten to become more into music in the last couple of years. For portable use I have an hm603 and a dt 1350.  My mmx 300 is pretty good for music and great for gaming, but I have been having the urge to upgrade for a while now tbh. And the mmx being a full can, it  is kind of outshined by my dt1350 (which i find really amazing for prog metal  for an on ear btw). 
 
I am looking to spend in the 600-700 dollar range, and am currently very torn between a t90 and a ps500. I am obviously a fan of beyerdynamic and their sound, but I don't have access to many other high quality headphones and really only have access to  $200 sennheisers or beats to compare them with. I know that grados are usually love them or hate them, but I can't try them first. I would also probably put g cush pads on them for comfort. The he500s seem interesting as well but something about hem doesn't wow me from reviews I have read. I would appreciate any input from you guys as there aren't a whole lot of metal threads on here or reviews on the t90 yet. And it would be kind of weird to have only 3 pairs of headphones all by the same company as I am not really a fanboy but I'd rather the best for what I like in my price range.

 

[SilverSharpie]

Looking for a starter set.  Currently only have Bower & Wilkins C5  but more interested in a home headphone something that I could take out of the home on occassion, long car rides and what not.
 
Budget:  $300
 
Music Preferences :  Vocal trance (definitely what I listen to most), then all things EDM, jazz, classic, throw in the occasional rock or hip hop classic.
 
What I'm looking for :  The world wrapped up in a little package and priced at around or under $300, if that's not available a nice mix between good sound (sorry for my inability to elaborate here I have little to no musical training or background so still learning), comfort (gonna probably be using these fairly often while studying so I'll be keeping them on for a few hours at a time), decent sound isolation (don't know what its really called but I will be bringing them are a bit so don't want to disturb others too much) & finally style (good looking set if possible).
 
So I started browsing the plethora of resources available here and wow its overwhelming.  I took an interest in a few sets but welcome any and all opinions. 
 
Beyerdynamic DT 770s, 880s
Denon AH-D 2000s - Discontinued?
Audio-Technica ATH-A700
Denon DN-HP700
AKG K701,2 - Bit outside my original range but if they are that good I could stretch a bit and love the way these look
Sennheiser HD-598
 
What amp, if any, should I start with?

 

[cel4145]

Quote:

Looking for a starter set.  Currently only have Bower & Wilkins C5  but more interested in a home headphone something that I could take out of the home on occassion, long car rides and what not.
 
Budget:  $300
 
Music Preferences :  Vocal trance (definitely what I listen to most), then all things EDM, jazz, classic, throw in the occasional rock or hip hop classic.
 
What I'm looking for :  The world wrapped up in a little package and priced at around or under $300, if that's not available a nice mix between good sound (sorry for my inability to elaborate here I have little to no musical training or background so still learning), comfort (gonna probably be using these fairly often while studying so I'll be keeping them on for a few hours at a time), decent sound isolation (don't know what its really called but I will be bringing them are a bit so don't want to disturb others too much) & finally style (good looking set if possible).
 
So I started browsing the plethora of resources available here and wow its overwhelming.  I took an interest in a few sets but welcome any and all opinions. 
 
Beyerdynamic DT 770s, 880s
Denon AH-D 2000s - Discontinued?
Audio-Technica ATH-A700
Denon DN-HP700
AKG K701,2 - Bit outside my original range but if they are that good I could stretch a bit and love the way these look
Sennheiser HD-598
 
What amp, if any, should I start with?

 
Since isolation is a priority, best to avoid the open headphones in your list. You'll be able to hear your environment more, and people around you will be able to hear what you are listening to.  

 

[gdelnegro]

Hi guys, and girls, i'm new to the forum, this is my firts post, but i'm always reading the topics here. I want to buy an headphone to use with my ipod Classic. I listen to every kind of music. I had a Sennheiser HD205, and use a Turttle Beach X12 on Xbox.
 
I want your advice on which headphone to buy. I live in Brazil, so headphones are a little salty here (a beat's pro for example, cost around 1.1K U$D). I want something in the price range of 100-200 U$D. My thoughts so far are:
 
Audio Technica ATHM50
Shure SRH840
Shure SRH750DJ
 
Thanks

Can anyone help me?

 

[Priptonite]

Hi all,

Here's a run down of my situation:

Right now I own a pair of ATH-700Pro MK2s. They were attractive to me because of the portability (college student) and I've really enjoyed them thus far. The one problem I have is that they clamp really hard, and listening for over an hour tends to hurt my head. I've tried a lot of stretching and nothing seems to solve the problem permanently, though I can get some momentary relief.  

However, I'm going to be graduating in December and going to work in an office/cubicle environment and I'm thinking about buying a new pair of cans for work. The MK2s just don't seem like they'll be comfortable enough for longer listening times. So here's what I'm looking for:

Closed back
Around or under $300 (cans alone or cans + amp)
COMFORTABLE

In terms of my music tastes, most of my listening at work will probably by electronic music, though some hip hop and indie rock will find it's way in there as well. So I guess while I'd like the cans to be on the bassier side, I definitely don't wanna sacrifice too much in the mids and highs. Let me know what you think!

Thanks in advance. 

Edit: Right now the DT770s are looking like front runners. At the $200 price point I can get them and a solid amp (from what I know, my knowledge of amps is quite limited) for under $300 total. 

Any other suggestions?
Trying to find a store I can test out the 770s.

 

[jiaemo]

Thanks a lot for the reply cel4145, I read a bunch of stuff about the Grado model you recommended (about 1-2 hours worth of research) and I definitely can see how it might be very promising in terms of what I'm looking for, especially that it's strong with metal genres and performs well.  I have a few additional questions if anyone could answer, that would be great.
 
1. For my genres and needs, is there any reason to consider the  225i?
 
2. I've read good things about the Alessandro MS1i (sorry if the model is wrong) headphones and that they're a better deal for the price than the 80i and more comparable to the higher priced 125i, is there any truth to this and are they worse for metal or better in terms of the differences?
 
3. I would say I have headphones on up to 6-8 hours a day, would these be comfortable with the cush pads you recommended for long durations?
 
4. Do I need an amplifier to enjoy them for mixing or would my external interface on my Sound Blaster be good enough?  If I do need an amplifier, is there a good low priced one that you could recommend?
 
5. Other models I'm possibly considering (would appreciate comparisons/comments from people who have listened to metal or tracked metal guitars with any of these models):
 
* Beyerdynamics DT770 Pro:
 
* Audio Technica ATH-M50: 
 
* Beyerdynamics DT150 (If I can find a good sale around 200ish):
 
*Ultrasone HFI-780:
 
*Alessandro MS1i: 
 
 Do people have any recommendations in terms of any of these models vs the SR80i or Allesandro MS1i?  I'm really leaning toward the Grados because everyone seems to rave about how they handle progressive and death metal, AND they seem to be excellent for mixing guitars.  If anyone has any input about these models in their regards to metal music and mixing guitars, please chime in and let me know.  I realize maybe I'm being a bit anal, but 200 dollars is a lot for me and I want to make the best possible investment I can for my needs and it seems like there's no better resource out there than this site to find out this information.  
 
Like I said, I'm leaning toward the 80i or the Alessandro but am very much curious about these other models I've posted and how they would work for my needs in terms of listening to metal, mixing metal guitars, and occasionally watching movies.
 
Regards,
J.

 

[cel4145]

Quote:

Thanks a lot for the reply cel4145, I read a bunch of stuff about the Grado model you recommended (about 1-2 hours worth of research) and I definitely can see how it might be very promising in terms of what I'm looking for, especially that it's strong with metal genres and performs well.  I have a few additional questions if anyone could answer, that would be great.
 
1. For my genres and needs, is there any reason to consider the  225i?
 
2. I've read good things about the Alessandro MS1i (sorry if the model is wrong) headphones and that they're a better deal for the price than the 80i and more comparable to the higher priced 125i, is there any truth to this and are they worse for metal or better in terms of the differences?
 
3. I would say I have headphones on up to 6-8 hours a day, would these be comfortable with the cush pads you recommended for long durations?
 
4. Do I need an amplifier to enjoy them for mixing or would my external interface on my Sound Blaster be good enough?  If I do need an amplifier, is there a good low priced one that you could recommend?

 
Best place to get detailed info about Grados is in the Grado fan club thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/530965/grado-fan-club/5400#post_8836418
 
That being said, many people do find the Grados uncomfortable. I don't know if would want to wear the L-cush pads for 6 - 8 hours a day. 

 

[Uzaar]

Ok, I didn't get any replies from my post earlier, but I can see why as so many people have questions. Anyways I've been looking around at different cans I might like and I've found a few... But FIRST off, I should probably state my budget... About ~$415 or so and I'm looking to buy a Fiio E10 or something along the lines of that for listening with my iPod Touch. Anyways, the cans I looked at =p:
Denon D2K, Denon D600, Beyerdynamic DT-880, AKG 55(0/1), and Sennheiser Momentum.
Denon D2000: I'd love this guy, but I can't find it at any major E-tailers for less than ~$500 so that's more out of my budget than when it wasn't discontinued (

)
Denon D600: Supposedly Denon's successor to the D2K, but it looks more plasticky and slightly cheaper. I actually kind of think it looks cool (imo), but as it's $400 on Amazon currently, it'd mean I would have to wait a while to get a cheap DAC/amp. 
Beyerdynamic DT-880: If I purchased these, it'd be the 250Ohms version, because the 600Ohms version would be hard to power without a serious amp. Apparently the treble is this phone's weakspot described as "brittle" but in the same sentence also described as "extending nicely" (weird). Another troubling thing is the mids being described as recessed, but then again I've seen many shining reviews of these on the internet so I don't know... (The 250Ohms version on Amazon right now is only $278 though, so it easily fits in my budget.)
AKG 550/551: Described as having a very sturdy body which definitely shows good signs but it also has been described as being slightly too bright. Besides that though the reviews I've read have been pretty positive. (I added /551 on this because AKG is going to release the AKG K551 fairly soon and is expected to be fairly identical to the 550) Also, I know it's vain, but I think these look sexy :3
Sennheiser Momentum: I only put this in here because I was kind of interested in it, but from what I've read this phone's strength is that it's relaxing and warm. Praise was directed at its clean sound (compared to the grainy sound of some of Senn's other options) but I guess the bass could be better. Plus imho, the Momentum looks terrible...
Those are the headphones I mostly looked at, but I'm open to more suggestions as well. 
Final Verdict: Leaning towards the AKG K550 right now, my only question about them is whether I should wait for teh AKG K551 or not...

 

[Doc-holliday]

Ok, I didn't get any replies from my post earlier, but I can see why as so many people have questions. Anyways I've been looking around at different cans I might like and I've found a few... But FIRST off, I should probably state my budget... About ~$415 or so and I'm looking to buy a Fiio E10 or something along the lines of that for listening with my iPod Touch. Anyways, the cans I looked at =p:
Denon D2K, Denon D600, Beyerdynamic DT-880, AKG 55(0/1), and Sennheiser Momentum.
Denon D2000: I'd love this guy, but I can't find it at any major E-tailers for less than ~$500 so that's more out of my budget than when it wasn't discontinued ( )
Denon D600: Supposedly Denon's successor to the D2K, but it looks more plasticky and slightly cheaper. I actually kind of think it looks cool (imo), but as it's $400 on Amazon currently, it'd mean I would have to wait a while to get a cheap DAC/amp. 
Beyerdynamic DT-880: If I purchased these, it'd be the 250Ohms version, because the 600Ohms version would be hard to power without a serious amp. Apparently the treble is this phone's weakspot described as "brittle" but in the same sentence also described as "extending nicely" (weird). Another troubling thing is the mids being described as recessed, but then again I've seen many shining reviews of these on the internet so I don't know... (The 250Ohms version on Amazon right now is only $278 though, so it easily fits in my budget.)
AKG 550/551: Described as having a very sturdy body which definitely shows good signs but it also has been described as being slightly too bright. Besides that though the reviews I've read have been pretty positive. (I added /551 on this because AKG is going to release the AKG K551 fairly soon and is expected to be fairly identical to the 550) Also, I know it's vain, but I think these look sexy :3
Sennheiser Momentum: I only put this in here because I was kind of interested in it, but from what I've read this phone's strength is that it's relaxing and warm. Praise was directed at its clean sound (compared to the grainy sound of some of Senn's other options) but I guess the bass could be better. Plus imho, the Momentum looks terrible...
Those are the headphones I mostly looked at, but I'm open to more suggestions as well. 
Final Verdict: Leaning towards the AKG K550 right now, my only question about them is whether I should wait for teh AKG K551 or not...

I don't think the AKG is too bright AT ALL. The DT770 is bright, The DT990 is bright, the AKG is far from it to my ears. The only thing you should be concerned about is that if you wear glasses or have a small head you might not be able to get a good seal and the bass evaporates. I get a fine seal and have no problem at all and they are atop my list of favorites. Only real reason to wait is if you want controls in the cable.

Also on the 880 I saw a post from MalVeaux that he uses the E10 with 600ohm Beyers all the time. Beyers are pretty easy to run. My "80 ohm" dt1350 runs find direct from an ipod touch or sansa clip for example. The 880 is more neutral than the other beyers I mentioned. I didn't think the mids were recessed.

As a note the Fiio E10 is a USB Dac/AMP. It will not work with you ipod. You will need to get something like the E6, E11 or E17. Be sure to get an LOD cable if you are using an ipod.

 

[fuerchter]

(barely got any replies on this in my thread, so i'm posting it here )
 
I've had a Sennheiser PC166 for quite some time now and typically used it with its USB soundcard as I only have onboard yet.
 
I'm thinking about upgrading my equipment but I'm not sure whether the stuff i've sought out is superior to what I'm currently using.
 
I'm not planning on going for a full scale upgrade (which as i've been reading would be something like the xonar essence stx with like 300€+ headphones? ^^). I'd prefer to instead go from somewhere between like 85-200€ total?
 
So I found from Mad Lust Envy's gaming guide that the Creative Aurvana Live apparently rules for the price it's worth (and it's currently only 52€ where I'm at?). Did anyone here use the PC166 before and/or can anybody compare the two?
 
Besides that I'm also considering getting a soundcard but again rather low or mid-end. I've seen the xonar dg get a lot of praise (and it would only cost me 35€), but it seems the dx is very good as well (costing twice the price though!)? How do they differ (except one being PCI and one being PCI-e)? Would an upgrade from my onboard Realtek chip make a difference?
 
Also please try not to answer in a too technical fashion (or if you use certain terms try to explain them ^^) as I am basically a noob on this terrain, I would just like to improve my gaming experience a bit (as far as directional hearing and such goes)

 

[Uzaar]

Quote:

I don't think the AKG is too bright AT ALL. The DT770 is bright, The DT990 is bright, the AKG is far from it to my ears. The only thing you should be concerned about is that if you wear glasses or have a small head you might not be able to get a good seal and the bass evaporates. I get a fine seal and have no problem at all and they are atop my list of favorites. Only real reason to wait is if you want controls in the cable.
Also on the 880 I saw a post from MalVeaux that he uses the E10 with 600ohm Beyers all the time. Beyers are pretty easy to run. My "80 ohm" dt1350 runs find direct from an ipod touch or sansa clip for example. The 880 is more neutral than the other beyers I mentioned. I didn't think the mids were recessed.
As a note the Fiio E10 is a USB Dac/AMP. It will not work with you ipod. You will need to get something like the E6, E11 or E17. Be sure to get an LOD cable if you are using an ipod.

Thanks a lot for your input, I actually have a (pretty sure) larger than average head by a little. I forgot to mention it, but I was planning on getting http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-L9-L-Shaped-Cable-iPhone/dp/B004QVNNI0/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_y for the E10 and connecting it through the 3.5MM jack on it. Would that not work or am I mistaken? That's good info about the Beyers, but I think I may go for the K550s, might be a little until I buy them though since I want to be very sure I want them =p

 

[Uzaar]

Quote:

(barely got any replies on this in my thread, so i'm posting it here )
 
I've had a Sennheiser PC166 for quite some time now and typically used it with its USB soundcard as I only have onboard yet.
 
I'm thinking about upgrading my equipment but I'm not sure whether the stuff i've sought out is superior to what I'm currently using.
 
I'm not planning on going for a full scale upgrade (which as i've been reading would be something like the xonar essence stx with like 300€+ headphones? ^^). I'd prefer to instead go from somewhere between like 85-200€ total?
 
So I found from Mad Lust Envy's gaming guide that the Creative Aurvana Live apparently rules for the price it's worth (and it's currently only 52€ where I'm at?). Did anyone here use the PC166 before and/or can anybody compare the two?
 
Besides that I'm also considering getting a soundcard but again rather low or mid-end. I've seen the xonar dg get a lot of praise (and it would only cost me 35€), but it seems the dx is very good as well (costing twice the price though!)? How do they differ (except one being PCI and one being PCI-e)? Would an upgrade from my onboard Realtek chip make a difference?
 
Also please try not to answer in a too technical fashion (or if you use certain terms try to explain them ^^) as I am basically a noob on this terrain, I would just like to improve my gaming experience a bit (as far as directional hearing and such goes)

I currently use the Xonar DG and when I moved up from crappy earbuds and stock motherboard sound I was really blown away. Now it just seems like the new normal to me and my ears want to  bleed when I hear music from the integrated motherboard sound xD Can't speak for the DX however, DG is my first sound card. 

 

[Doc-holliday]

Thanks a lot for your input, I actually have a (pretty sure) larger than average head by a little. I forgot to mention it, but I was planning on getting http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-L9-L-Shaped-Cable-iPhone/dp/B004QVNNI0/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_y

 for the E10 and connecting it through the 3.5MM jack on it. Would that not work or am I mistaken? That's good info about the Beyers, but I think I may go for the K550s, might be a little until I buy them though since I want to be very sure I want them =p

The E10 requires a computer for its power (through USB) and digital audio input. It only has the headphone OUT on the front, the coxial OUT on the back, and a 3.5mm line OUT, on the back. You can think of it kinda like an external sound card.

You could get an E11. The L9 cable will plug into the bottom of your ipod then straight into the E11 amp. Then you plug your 550's into the amp.

Also of note is I run my 550 with ease directly from my sansa clip. My ipod touch can also run them but I prefer the sound when I use my E11 amp instead. IMO the apple amp circuit on that particular device is no good, seems make the headphone sound "slow" to my ears.

 

[Uzaar]

Quote:

The E10 requires a computer for its power (through USB) and digital audio input. It only has the headphone OUT on the front, the coxial OUT on the back, and a 3.5mm line OUT, on the back. You can think of it kinda like an external sound card.
You could get an E11. The L9 cable will plug into the bottom of your ipod then straight into the E11 amp. Then you plug your 550's into the amp.
Also of note is I run my 550 with ease directly from my sansa clip. My ipod touch can also run them but I prefer the sound when I use my E11 amp instead. IMO the apple amp circuit on that particular device is no good, seems make the headphone sound "slow" to my ears.

Oh ok, I guess I was just mistaken about it then fail. A quick google search reveals you're right, but would an E7 work? Also feel free to suggest a different option if you have something in mind haha
Edit: Nvm, think I'm going to just get the Fiio E11 + AKG K550's.

 

[Angular Mo]

I am looking for:

best mids for under $300, Open, over-the-ear full size headphone - to use at basement home office.
 
I have not yet experienced bass detail - curious about it.
 
I thought I had wanted treble detail, but the KRK 8400's hurt (even after burn-in)
 
> many years ago, I owned Grado 125, and enjoyed them.... but, that was before I got into portable amps, I forget their sound..
> AKG's seem interesting, I recall thinking they had refined power, maybe less raw punch, maybe less of a monitor than I have been accustomed to, I don't know enough...
> Classic rock, (Zep), Jazz, Zappa, Steely Dan, Vocalists (Lambert Hendricks Ross, Ella, Tony Bennet) and some stupid disco.  I like separation and soundstage.
 
 
I own:
DT 770 Pro 80s - recessed mids
KRK KNS 8400 - treble is piercing, hurts my ears, harsh monitor.
ATH-50m - out at Jay's to be re-cabled for the past month...so, I kinda forget what they sound like.
JVC-S500 - my portable commuter cans.
 
At home I use either:
 
MBP > Schiit BiFrost > Denon CD Receiver UD-M31 > headphone
or
iPhone or iPad or iTouch  > HRT iStreamer > iBasso Warbler P4 > Headphone