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View Full Version : I'm in the Market for a Decent Pair of Headphones



Beechwoods
24-10-2010, 09:12
I do a lot of my listening on headphones now, and I figure it's time to invest in a new 'higher end' pair. My current headphones are Sennheiser HD202's and I've had a few pairs of them over time - I think they were around £50 when I first got a pair, but you can buy then new for anything over £20 now, and as entry level phones go they are really very good value.

But I want a pair of really excellent full-size headphones, ones that I can partner with a decent headphone amp at some later point.

Musically it has to cope with everything.

My budget is £200 tops and at the moment I'm likeing what I've read about the AKG K701 (eg. Stereophile's take (http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/806akg/)) and it's at the right price. I've thought about the merits of older electrostatics, like the Stax earspeakers, but don't want to take a risk in terms of 'age related illness' and I'm a bit cautious that electrostatics may not give me the full lower end I need. The old Yamaha orthodynamic heaphones (ie. their HP-1 or HP-2 cans) also look good from a 'vintage' angle, but again I'm concerned that age may have diminished their talents, and don't want to risk a bad deal second hand.

Ideally I'd like to try before I buy. I'm not even sure which brick and mortar stores stock decent headphones these days.

I'd be interested in the experiences of other forum members before I commit myself... I know we have a few Headphone disciples on here :)

YNWaN
24-10-2010, 09:29
I bought my Grado SR325iS' for £220.00 second hand (though only a few weeks old) and I don't regret it at all.

John
24-10-2010, 09:39
The 701 need plenty of drive to get the best out of them
I think headphones are so personal my best advice would be to hear as many different ones as you can
I thought the 701 were ok I liked them more than HD600 with cardas wiring (really holographic just did not boggie for me) but in the end I got rid of mine as wanted something that was more flexiable
Sorry not really helping

DSJR
24-10-2010, 19:26
I had Hd600's for a while and thought them terrible at the time. The intervening years have shown that it wasn't really the headphones, more likely the headphone amp driving them. In the same way, my standard Sennheiser HD25-SP's have got better and better and, apart from a mid treble rise which is tamed of not removed by the modified Quad 33, the dynamics and sheer "verve" in the music is great for me.

So, if the headphone amp can deliver plenty, the K701's may be fine, as well as the HD600's, which sound bland without real dynamic range of you get it wrong.

As for vintage Stax electrostatics, some of them were rather tinselly and thin-toned, selling on the cachet more than anything else.

For cheaper, sub £200 headphones, see of a local Sevenoaks or Audio T style chain still has a "headphone bar".....

jandl100
25-10-2010, 07:24
I'm a STAX man, myself. The clarity and sheer hear thru transparency is what I enjoy. But skull-cracking bass? Errr, no, they don't do that.

Grado are fine sounding things, I've enjoyed listening at dems but have never owned any - the cheaper ones have a rep for not being cumfy in the long term. Probably the best non-stat phones I have heard are Grado GS1000. My jaw literally dropped when I first heard one ... "Yeah" said the sales guy on the Grado show stand "a lot of people have that reaction." But sadly, they cost 1000, as well. :(

A really excellent dynamic 'phone at a more sensible price is the Sony MDR-CD1700 - a real earopener. Got a total rave review by Paul Messenger (I think) way back when, and I can understand why. I got an as-new pair on eBay for £85.

Headphones have as much variation in sound between makes and models as speakers, perhaps more. You really do need to try them for your self.

technobear
25-10-2010, 19:37
Why not hold a headphone bake-off? :bulb:

I can bring a Burson HA-160, Beyerdynamic DT531 and Audio-Technica ATH-M50.

Would be great if we could find some guys to bring AKG K701, Sennheiser HD600 and HD650, Denon D2000, HifiMAN HE-5LE, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro, Audio-Technica W1000, Grado SR225i and probably a few others I've forgotten.

Beechwoods
25-10-2010, 20:03
That would be a fantastic idea Chris!

StanleyB
26-10-2010, 06:13
For £200 I would suggest that you consider the Denon D2000.
The K701 cost a lot more than that and is highly overrated. Drop by any time to try out my stash of headphones:), including the K701.

Beechwoods
26-10-2010, 06:40
That's a great offer Stan, thank you. What would you say are the merits of the D2000 versus the K701? I think Hamish has a pair of D2000's...

StanleyB
26-10-2010, 07:13
The K701 has a cone design that is a bit too stiff. So it can't portray depth in the music that accurately. Bass also needs a lot of work doing to it before the K701 is willing to respond in kind. The tops can be full of sibilance when paired with a harsh headamp.
The D2000 is a lot more responsive to bass, unfurnished mids, pleasing tops and has fabulous depth. Because of the results with the D2000, I ended up getting the D7000 in order to see how much more I could get out of the latter.

One headphone to also consider is the Sony MDR-F1 if you like spacious music playback. The bass won't rock your skull but everything else is just fab. It's also the only headphone I use with my laptop as well as with my DAC.

Joe
26-10-2010, 09:50
A really excellent dynamic 'phone at a more sensible price is the Sony MDR-CD1700 - a real earopener. Got a total rave review by Paul Messenger (I think) way back when, and I can understand why. I got an as-new pair on eBay for £85.



I can endorse that recommendation. I bought an ex-dem pair about ten years ago, and have never felt the need to upgrade or replace them. In addition to excellent sound quality, they're very solidly built, and comfortable to wear over extended listening sessions.

Alex_UK
26-10-2010, 12:41
I'd certainly urge you to try and listen to a few pairs as headphones can be such personal things. I absolutely love the Grado sound (I have the base SR60, which is fab for under a ton, and would love to upgrade to the SR325is at some point) Re. the comfort factor of them mentioned by Jerry, I've never personally had an issue with them (the igrado is a different matter, but they're a portable neckband design) - but you do look a bit daft with their "Second World War radio operator" aesthetics... :)

Rabid1981
26-10-2010, 13:54
If I can add that if extended listening is in order, comfort is a key issue as well, especailly if like me you wear glasses.

In this case senn hd600 are very very comfortable, all the grados i have tried which go upto 325is, i found my ears began to ache with my glasses on.

i dont want to seem like a an advert here, but if you could possible stretch your budget another 30 pounds or so you could get HD650.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/sennheiser_hd650_hifi_kopfhoerer.htm

at that price they are a must buy, i would get them if i didnt own some hd600s already. thomann also give a 3 year warranty.

liam

technobear
26-10-2010, 14:28
i dont want to seem like a an advert here, but if you could possible stretch your budget another 30 pounds or so you could get HD650.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/sennheiser_hd650_hifi_kopfhoerer.htm

at that price they are a must buy, i would get them if i didnt own some hd600s already. thomann also give a 3 year warranty.

liam

I would say they are a must try.

They all sound different. It is quite impossible to say which is best. It will be a personal choice. It's even possible to end up with several pairs and want to keep them all for different reasons. I'm up to 2 so far :lol:

Rabid1981
26-10-2010, 14:33
I would say they are a must try.

They all sound different. It is quite impossible to say which is best. It will be a personal choice. It's even possible to end up with several pairs and want to keep them all for different reasons. I'm up to 2 so far :lol:

ok I will give you that, they are not perfect, but considering they used to retail at 350, they are worth a looksie.

technobear
26-10-2010, 16:07
ok I will give you that, they are not perfect, but considering they used to retail at 350, they are worth a looksie.

Yep, it's definitely a good price.

A quick Google search shows that the K701 can be had for £199 at the moment too.

From what Nick said about bass, I'm thinking he might choose a closed back or semi-open 'phone. We won't know (and neither will Nick) until he tries some. Much will depend on his choice of music too.

I liked the D2000's (£210 at Peter Tyson) that I heard at Whittlebury Hall. Needless to say the pricier D5000 and D7000 do sound better still.

I really like my ATH-M50's (£115). It's like wearing a subwoofer on your head. They lack ultimate resolution but otherwise don't do anything wrong when driven by a decent amp. They might be uncomfortable for long sessions if you have big lugs like mine. I have to fiddle with them for a bit to get them comfortable.

I still like my DT531s (£125 a long time ago) for some types of music though. Stuff where strong bass is less a requirement or is already quite strong on the CD. You can hear the bass with the DT531 but it has a lighter touch where the M50 is full on, more like listening to speakers. The DT531 sounds more open and airy and is more resolving of detail. It can be a little prone to sibilance and really appreciates a good amp to keep this under control. In fact my experience so far suggests to me that it's the amps more than the 'phones that are prone to sibilance.

Other closed back contenders include:

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (£130)

Sennheiser HD380 (£90)

Audio-Technica ATH-W1000 (£300 from HeadphoneWorld)

Jason P
26-10-2010, 18:48
OK here's a left field suggestion - quite tempted myself with these, though they aren't as cheap anymore. Worth a punt for the money?

http://rockgrotto.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=review&action=print&thread=4559

Beechwoods
07-11-2010, 07:46
Thanks you everyone for your suggestions, I hope no one minds it's taken me a few days to reply :) It seems very clear to me that there are no simple truths when it comes to headphones, and at a certain price point there's a lot of choice, and a lot of people with their own favourites. It sounds like there is no alternative but to audition extensively. I can't afford to take a chance on something without having been able to compare it with it's competition. I'm going to have a look around the local hi-fi stores and see if I can line up a listen. I definitely want to hear the following:

AKG K701
Denon D2000

I'm intrigued to hear some ATH-M50's after Chris's comments. I'm not looking for subwoofer levels of bass, but the comparison to listening with speakers is an interesting one, and if they're good enough to appear in your sig then they must be worth hearing! I would also have some money left over towards a headphone amp as well.

It's going to take me a while to find the time to get to listen to anything now, so don't expect any speedy updates from me on this thread, but I will post back when I have made some progress!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to my original post :)

Marco
07-11-2010, 10:32
Hi Nick,

I'd also consider the Audio Technica AD-1000s (if they fit your budget) or the AD900, also shown on the AT website:

http://www.audiotechnicashop.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36_44&product_id=92

I heard the former recently and in my view they're better overall than either the AKGs (which I currently own) or the Denons, that is if you like open-backed headphones.

The best ones, such as the AD-1000s, have an almost electrostatic-like 'hear through' quality and clarity in the midrange, although losing out slightly in ultimate bass 'heft' compared to the best closed-back designs.

For me, this type of presentation is preferable with headphones, as it gives truly microscopic insight into programme material, without in any way being harsh or fatiguing. They are also super comfy!

Just another option to add to your shortlist, dude :)

Marco.

Welder
07-11-2010, 11:46
I would suggest you try the beyerdynamic 880's.
When i bought my current phones it was a toss up between the Senns and the 880's. The only reason i bought the Senns instead of the 880's was at that price range the Senns were slightly more comfortable.

jantheman
07-11-2010, 14:07
I'm unable to offer any insight into most of the models listed here however, I use Senn 650, great sounding but not very comfortable for extended use. The headband squeezes even my pea sized brain box a little too hard. Not a particularly constructive post, just a snapshot of how they work for me. HTH.

StanleyB
07-11-2010, 15:10
The most comfortable and spectacular sounding headphones that I own are the Sony MDR-F1. But they can only be ordered from Japan, which is why I left them off my list of recommendation.

Rare Bird
07-11-2010, 15:49
I'm desperate for some brilliant sealed headphones so i can blow my brains up without outsiders realising.. any reccomendations?

technobear
07-11-2010, 16:05
I'm desperate for some brilliant sealed headphones so i can blow my brains up without outsiders realising.. any reccomendations?

If you play loud enough to blow your brains up, most closed back headphones will leak enough sound to annoy those around you. The M50's can leak quite a bit in a quiet room. Others may be better but I don't know which ones to recommend as I have only heard them at shows.

The only guaranteed way not to disturb those around you is to use in-ear monitors, some of which are amazingly good but quite pricey.

Stratmangler
07-11-2010, 16:29
I'm desperate for some brilliant sealed headphones so i can blow my brains up without outsiders realising.. any reccomendations?

Denon D7000.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/denon2/7000.html

Pete The Cat
14-11-2010, 17:20
There's a definite "house sound" to most Sennheisers and to most Grados. Senns are laid back, like you're at the rear of an auditorium, whereas Grados are very up front. The Grados that I've tried thrive on hard rock, on which the Senns sound too polite, but to my ears the Senns are a little stronger across a wider range of genres. I began on 2-- series Senns and am on HD600s now. They're so comfortable that they float over your head, and the sound isn't at all fatiguing over a long session.

The piece that doesn't get enough attention IMHO is the headphone amp. I went for a Creek OBH11 over the Musical Fidelity X-Can, but one day aspire to a Graham Slee... :youtheman:

Pete