[viggen]

Question for those who are vested in both headphone and hifi, which "pushes your buttons" more?

I moved into a new condo half a year ago.  When I am playing music with so so to bad recording quality, I just want to get out of the room.  My new stereo room is quite small only about 10'x10'.  The room is pretty sparse too.  When playing well recorded music, I don't have this problem but the hifi am still lacking boogie factor. 

I am almost motivated to getting into some decent headphone and headphone amp set ups.  Although I used to be quite the heaphone expert during my teenage years as I've owned countless walkmans and discmans and went through a plethora of fonotopia and lower mid end Sennheiser headphones, I never really stepped up to big boy earcans. 

My favorite combo was the Aiwa HS-T900 walkman with Sony MDRV6.  Turn up the BBE, instant boogie factorrrrrrr.  The Sony D-25 discman with the top of the line fonotopia at the time was a killer combo too.  Oh the '80s...

As I am typing, I am listening to music on a Sony A818 flash music player and listening via a JVC HAS900 headphone that I got gratis from work.  And, I seem to be boogying down to the music in a way I haven't boogied down since I moved in to the condo.

Maybe I should just sell all my stereo equipment until I buy a bigger house.  Just bought some new 2nd hand speaker cables from an audiogon seller.  Hope that remedies my issues.

[NagysAudio]

Get some Stax headphones. They're pretty amazing.

[jtwrace]

Get some Stax headphones. They're pretty amazing.

Holy $hit!  I'm going to agree with you.   

Although I"ve heard some others are really great as well.  I'm biased as I own Stax though.

I still prefer a 2 ch system though. 

[NagysAudio]

Stax is the best by a wide margin. I've listened to them all.

[NagysAudio]

jtwrace - Since you're a Stax fan, imagine that type of sound from a 2ch system and you'll have a fair idea of what Goldmund sounds like.

[jtwrace]

jtwrace - Since you're a Stax fan, imagine that type of sound from a 2ch system and you'll have a fair idea of what Goldmund sounds like.

 

There aren't many places to listen to it though.     I will soon though.  Maybe in the fall when I'm in NYC again.

[saisunil]

Headphone listening - is a very personal thing - more so than 2 channel ... comfort, fit and head acoustics are some variables in addition to tone and other preferences ...
 
I have had my share of top headphones ...
 
Some people "rock" with Grados while others find it too peaky
Some like Senn's smoothness while others find them too dull
AKGs are neutral - may be too boring for some
I have heard Beyers but never owned them - but there is a following for them too - they are sooo comfortable
Stax - either you get them or you don't - they are luxurious but they sure do have their house sound - if you do go that route - I'd highly recommend going for an amp not made by Stax - unless you are going entry level
 
Senn have come up with their 800 model that is so "un-senn" like - they are amazing ...
Grado have their GS1000 and PS1000 - they have huuuge soundstage - "un-grado" ish type
 
Then there are new kid on the block - HE-5 from head-direct, does nothing wrong and easily sings with the big boys, does things better than some ...
 
You can get some serious sound if you go down "Custom In Ear Monitors" route.  JE13Pros have reached the summit for some head-fiers ...
 
I highly recommend that you call head-room headphone.com they carry most of these brands and have excellent customer service -- they have 30 day return policy, so you can always return / exchange if something does not float your boat.
 
If you have too much time, you can always head to head-fi
 
Have fun!

[Noseyears]

Im a hifi and headphone lover as well. Headphones are usually my way to listen high quality music when im not home, but like said before. Every headphone is for every music genre, also you need to know if they sound better amped or not.

[viggen]

Thank you for everyone's feedback.

Definitely have been intrigued by Stax in the past.  Might be too much money for me though.  I buy quite a bit of stereo equipment used.  I don't feel comfortable buying used headphones though.  I don't want to partake in other people's hair gel, sweat or whatever else might rub onto the headphones.. heh.  I think if I were to devle into headphones, $600 would be my limit on both amp and cans.  Obviously, I would buy amp used.

I do frequent head-fi quite a bit.  However, these people at head-fi are obviously vested in headphones but hard to differentiate which they favor more either ear-fi or hifi.  I don't know whether they prefer headphones over stereos because of sonics or ergonomics.  It's also hard to discern what they post there as the variety of people who visit that site seem to swing both ultra high and ultra low in terms of ear-can budget and priorities.

There are a few times when I read reviews by people who write very well and detailed about a certain headphone amp only to later learn what they used for reference is either something completely esoteric or just some iPod with an aftermarket cans.  This leaves me wondering since I have very little reference regarding what they are writing about.

So, I guess further emphasizes that headphones is much more of a personal thing.

In the mean time, I did change the room a bit, and the acoustics improved to a degree.  I also invested in a new chair that will be delivered in two weeks time.  It has cushions, something my room is missing as everything is either wood or metal other than the carpets on the floor.

Hopefully, I can start living harmoniously with my stereo (pun intended). 

Lastly, I don't travel much, so there's less utility for me in investing in headphones...

[Noseyears]

Headfi guys are very knowledgeable in headphones, thats my favorite place to get advices. Since you dont travel often, why you dont get a pair of cheap headphones? Maybe iems.