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Filterlab
24-11-2008, 23:00
Well, I'm sitting listening to some music at exceptionally high levels, it's 22:58 and I'm disturbing nobody. :)

For some reason I'd never thought about using headphones with my system, but tonight I've plugged my Sennheiser cans into my DAC and I'm happily tapping my feet whilst I type. However, my headphones are only £30 jobs which I bought to go with my iPod - light enough to run with, large enough to provide decent enough sound (given the source).

What headphones do you recommend / use?

Steve Toy
24-11-2008, 23:51
Something supra-aural, padded and open-backed. Sennheiser HD600s or 650s spring to mind but I found my HD600s to be rather uninvolving compared to my amp/speaker kit, so I sold them on.

I guess something by STAX or Grado might do the trick through a decent valve headphone amp.

Filterlab
25-11-2008, 09:50
Cheers Steve, I've been looking at the HD650s and they seem very lovely. I think I'll scan through my HFC issues and see what they say. :)

Steve Toy
25-11-2008, 10:05
You could ask Anthony to build you a valve headphone amp. I still think Senns lack punch.

Steve Toy
25-11-2008, 10:16
Alternatively I have a Rega Ear amp. I still have all the packaging for it but I don't use it. Many of the decent large cans don't go very loud straight off an ipod but they do off this baby. £40 plus postage and I will throw in an interconnect.

Filterlab
25-11-2008, 11:09
I'm not using headphones with the iPod, I'm using them from my DAC which has a separate headphone amp built in, quite powerful too at 300mw into 30ohms.

Steve Toy
25-11-2008, 12:54
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8720/aosstuff251108001ya9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Filterlab
25-11-2008, 14:33
That's way more than necessary though, even 300mw into 30ohms reaches ear bleeding levels with my current Sennheisers. However I know that larger headphones require more drive and of course excess power equals ample to cover demand. I'll get some decent phones first and then try a separate headphone amp if I need one. Cheers!

:)

StanleyB
25-11-2008, 14:46
If you ever pass my way, just pop in for a few minutes and try my HD650 on my 7510+ DAC. Or you can try my K701 as well. I am saying no more;).

Filterlab
25-11-2008, 14:55
If you ever pass my way, just pop in for a few minutes and try my HD650 on my 7510+ DAC. Or you can try my K701 as well. I am saying no more;).

LOL! Thanks matey!

John
25-11-2008, 15:22
The AKG 701 is pretty special with the 650 and 600 you need to get a really good headphone amp to get the best out of them and worth upgrading the leads as well. If you just want a good headphone to go with the IPOD then HD595 is great. My advice with the 650 is try them first they are a bit to laid back for me I actually downgraded from the 600 with Cardas cables and no regrets so make sure you happy with them first

Steve Toy
25-11-2008, 15:26
My advice with the 650 is try them first they are a bit to laid back for me


This is what I thought too (re. 600s).

Filterlab
25-11-2008, 16:41
Do the cables unplug or is a solder job?

Steve Toy
25-11-2008, 16:49
The cables unplug. Everything on Sennheisers can be replaced individually including, cables, earpads etc.

Filterlab
25-11-2008, 19:49
Cool, they look nice and get some great reviews. I'll also have a listen to the Beyerdynamic DT880 which seem to get similarly favourable reviews. :)

By the way...


Something supra-aural, padded and open-backed. Sennheiser HD600s or 650s spring to mind...

Don't you mean circumaural? Supra-aural sits on the ears and circumaural sits around the ears (like the HD600s / HD650s)

Ali Tait
25-11-2008, 20:05
I had some Senn HD580's,which I thought were pretty good but again,a little laid-back,until I bought a WAD HD-83 to drive them with.This I think made me realise that the whole impedance-matching chestnut is just as important with cans as it is with everything else(The WAD has adjustable impedance matching,depending on how it's wired).Cans do vary hugely in their impedance characteristics,so IMHO it would be a good idea to have a headphone amp that can be adjusted to your cans.Haven't heard any other headphone amps,but I would recommend the WAD.It's excellent.Certainly transformed the sound of my cans.And it has valves in it of course! :)

Steve Toy
28-11-2008, 03:30
Don't you mean circumaural? Supra-aural sits on the ears and circumaural sits around the ears (like the HD600s / HD650s)


Indeed. However, when your ears are as large as mine, all headphones are supra-aural.

Filterlab
28-11-2008, 10:26
Indeed. However, when your ears are as large as mine, all headphones are supra-aural.

LOL! :lol:

Well if it's any consolation mate, I don't remember your ears being particularly big.

Marco
28-11-2008, 20:28
What? How could you miss his big floppy lugs and pish catchers? :lolsign:

Marco.

Filterlab
28-11-2008, 22:01
What? How could you miss his big floppy lugs and pish catchers? :lolsign:

Marco.

I've no idea, it was a long time ago. :scratch:

Marco
28-11-2008, 22:22
Hehe...only kidding. I didn't realise the Toyster had Dumbo lugs either until he mentioned it!

Marco.