[mcrespo71]

I keep looking at head-fi and rationalizing why I should switch headphones, etc.  I thought traditional audiophiles were bad with switching, but flipping gear in the headphone world seems even more prevalent.  Head-fi is gonna cost me some serious $$$ if I keep reading it on a daily basis.

[randytsuch]

The one good thing about head fi is their for sale section.
It is pretty easy to find used gear there, and turn around and sell it if you don't like it.  
If you get decent deals, it should cost very little to audition some different cans or amps.

BTW, I have a pair of AKG 1000's, AKG 340, Beyerdynamics dt880, stax sr-1 and superfi 5 pro's.  Last two are canalphones, although the stax are a unique type of canalphone.

Randy

[mcrespo71]

Nice cans!!!  I've heard those AKG's are great.  I'm thinking I need two amps and two cans to cover the type of music I like.  I want Grado's for rock-n-roll- I have a Rega EAR with an SR 60 for rock right now.  What's a great can for jazz/classical?  I also have a Sennheiser HD580 and it seems to have a great soundstage and is very detailed, but comes off as slightly thin in the midrange.  Are AKG's better- I've read about the $200 and maybe this would be better than my Senns.  Any ideas?

Michael

[randytsuch]

Hi Michael
Hard question to answer, as I have not heard other cans, in a way I can compare them.  I heard the Senn 600's once, but they were brand new, so I don't know how they really sound.

I had a pair of grado 200's, but I ended up selling them.  They were nice cans, just not what I wanted.

I think the AKG 1000's are good for jazz and classical, but they are expensive now.  I bought them at a killer sale headroom had a few years ago.  AKG has some new cans coming out, I saw a few posts about them that sounded promising, but you won't find them used for a while.

The 340's are nice too, but really hard to find these days.

I like my beyer's, but I think the pimeta amp I am driving them with now is not cutting it.  I need to finish the Dynahi I have in my garage.

Stax would also do a good job, I think, but they are not cheap either.

Some people like the sony's, but I have heard they can sound thin, so they may not be your cup of tea.

What's your budget?

Randy

[mcrespo71]

The rock n roll Grado headphone my budget is up to $500, so maybe a pair of used RS-1's or RS-2's.

The jazz/classical cans can't go over $300, so maybe AKG's would be more maximized for this kind of music.  

I'm using the Rega EAR as a headamp and would only change it later to a Naim Headline, but the REGA is going to stay put for awhile.

[lonewolfny42]

Mike...You wanna try a pair of Beyerdynamics 990's ? Let me know...I can loan them to you at Phil's Rave.

Chris[/list:u]

[mcrespo71]

Of course I will take them!     It's about time I took advantage of your loan program

Michael

[lonewolfny42]

Of course I will take them!     It's about time I took advantage of your loan program

Michael

You got it man.... ....sorry their not Harbeth's..... ....I'll bring them to Phil's.

[djbnh]

The rock n roll Grado headphone my budget is up to $500, so maybe a pair of used RS-1's or RS-2's.

The jazz/classical cans can't go over $300, so maybe AKG's would be more maximized for this kind of music.  

I'm using the Rega EAR as a headamp and would only change it later to a Naim Headline, but the REGA is going to stay put for awhile.

The highest I've gone up the Grado chain is the 325i. Yes, they are definitely heavier than other cans - they don't seem to heavy to me - and they truly rock out - guess I share your like for the Grado sound. Also, I have no problem with the comfort of the 325i with the bowl pads. Then again, re: weight/bowl pads, I wore a Kevlar helmet for almost 5 years in the Army so perhaps my idea of comfort has been modified over those years.   One of my pet peeves about Head-Fi (it can be addictive reading over there) is the whining about Grado comfort/fit/build quality - get a life.

I think you can find 325i phones now for less than $200 used on Head-Fi. The Allesandro MS2i is comparable to the 325i, if you don't like the gold Grado bling cups. Recstar over at Head-Fi (he also writes for 6moons) is using the RS-1s, you might want to pm him about how they "rock out".

[ooheadsoo]

Hey now, some people just can't take things touching their ears.  I'm one of them.  With sennheiser plush, I get a rash, and with grados, it feels like sandpaper.  Sandpaper scrubbing my ears, not just resting on my ears.  Then again, mere contact with my skin makes me start to sweat like heck.  People have different skin.  Seriously, between wearing a helmet and staying alive and taking it off for a breather every 20 minutes, I'd have to think about it.  No problem with things on top of my head, just not against my ears.

[mcrespo71]

Of course I will take them!     It's about time I took advantage of your loan program

Michael

You got it man.... ....sorry their not Harbeth's..... ....I'll bring them to Phil's.

Remember the Harbeths have a home when you buy them

Michael

[randytsuch]

The rock n roll Grado headphone my budget is up to $500, so maybe a pair of used RS-1's or RS-2's.

The jazz/classical cans can't go over $300, so maybe AKG's would be more maximized for this kind of music.  

I'm using the Rega EAR as a headamp and would only change it later to a Naim Headline, but the REGA is going to stay put for awhile.

If it was me, I would buy a lesser Grado so I could use more money for the jazz cans, but these days I listen to more jazz than rock.  Must be getting old


Randy

[mcrespo71]

I'm still a big time rocker, so the rock phones have to get more $$$ than the jazz phones.  

I'm considering the Senn HD 650, AKG 501, 601, and 701 for jazz/classical.  

Then we get to test out what the loanwolf has for me  

Michael

[Val]

I'm considering the Senn HD 650, AKG 501, 601, and 701 for jazz/classical.

I also know the danger of reading Head-Fi. I am not a headphone fanatic and I still purchased Etymotics ER-4S and AKG K501 about two years ago; since I couldn't leave it well enough alone, I just received a PPA amp custom made by JMT, with switchable bass boost for my K501s.

[randytsuch]

I'm still a big time rocker, so the rock phones have to get more $$$ than the jazz phones.  

I'm considering the Senn HD 650, AKG 501, 601, and 701 for jazz/classical.  

Then we get to test out what the loanwolf has for me  

Michael

I was just there reading aobut the 701, and that sounds like the can of the month at the moment.  If it were $300 instead of $400, I would be tempted to sell my 880's, and add the rest to try it out.  Problem with a brand new can is that it may be a while before you see it used for a reasonable price.

Randy

[lonewolfny42]

I'm still a big time rocker, so the rock phones have to get more $$$ than the jazz phones.  

I'm considering the Senn HD 650, AKG 501, 601, and 701 for jazz/classical.  

Then we get to test out what the loanwolf has for me  

Michael

Mike...How goes the listening with the Beyerdynamics 990's ? Any comments ?

Chris[/list:u]

[Folsom]

I keep looking at head-fi and rationalizing why I should switch headphones, etc.  I thought traditional audiophiles were bad with switching, but flipping gear in the headphone world seems even more prevalent.  Head-fi is gonna cost me some serious $$$ if I keep reading it on a daily basis.

Here is an idea... Do not buy so many freaking CDs and LPs! Then you will have some more $$$$.  

[mcrespo71]

I keep looking at head-fi and rationalizing why I should switch headphones, etc.  I thought traditional audiophiles were bad with switching, but flipping gear in the headphone world seems even more prevalent.  Head-fi is gonna cost me some serious $$$ if I keep reading it on a daily basis.

Here is an idea... Do not buy so many freaking CDs and LPs! Then you will have some more $$$$.  

I can't ever do that.  I've always been in this game for the music and listen to it constantly, though not that much on my big rig.  Hell, I'd rather sell my entire stereo system than give up my wonderful LP/CD collection.  Gear is just a means to an end for me, which is why I like my slimmed down system more than any other I've owned, but thanks for the thought.

Michael

[mcrespo71]

OK, the danger of head-fi definitely got to me.  Since I started this post, I have done this, which has been a significant outlay of cash for cans.

Sold- Grado SR 60 and Sennheiser HD 580
Acquired- Grado HF-1 , AKG 701, Koss KSC75, and Shure E4c IEM.
Borrowed- Beyerdynamic DT990 -older 600ohm version- from loanwolf .

Impressions:  Grado HF-1 is a true rockers phone with excellent speed and involvement and a definite spike in treble energy, which if you can handle it, imbues the phones with unbelievable clarity and snap.  The Grado line is the line if you listen to rock.  Upfront presentation, impactful, but a small soundstage.

AKG 701- best headphone I've heard.  Kills my Sennheiser HD580 and is better than a HD650 I tried.  Not as good as the Grado's at rock, but is so transparent and pretty flat sounding.  Really has a large soundstage and has good texture/tonal color.  A jack of all trades phone and a master at transparency.

Beyerdynamic DT990's I borrowed from lonewolf:  Older version of these, but supposedly more refined than the newer version.  Nice balance- kind of in between the Grado (lively) and Sennheiser (smooth) sound.  Has the most impactful and deep bass I've heard in a headphone and has a very good soundstage.  I think these are really, really good and are definitely slammin enough for rock.  In fact, for those that get fatigued by Grado's, these are a viable alternative and are more versatile.  I've heard the newer version has even bigger bass, but is not as versatile as the cans lonewolf lent me, which was at home with classical and even rap.

Sennheiser HD 580's- so smooth and has a nice midrange, but just too damn boring for me, so I had to sell them, especially after getting the AKG 701, which is better for classical, vocals, and acoustic instruments, which is what I used the Senns for to begin with.  Can be found really cheap and are a legitimate hi-end headphone, but they didn't move me at all, though they have many good "hi-fi" attributes and get good reviews.  The entire Sennheiser line just sounds too smooth and artificial to me, though I'll admit the HD 650's have huge bass and sound great on hip hop/rap.

Koss KSC 75- $13 through amazon and so much better than the crappy earbuds that IPODs come with.  IMO, anyone who has a portable should have these.  They sound quite similar to the Grado SR60's I sold.

Shure E4c- In ear monitor for flights and on the subway.  Very snappy sound with tight, extended bass, but many complain they don't have enough bass.  I don't hear that, though I like a tight bottom end on audio and women .  I think these are quite good and I like them better than the Ety E4's or the Shure E5's.  They have the exact, quick sound I like and sound fine out of an IPOD or PCDP.  However, they really come alive when amped.

I used a REGA EAR head amp for all the hard to drive headphones- Sennheiser, AKG, and especially the Beyerdynamics from lonewolf!

As one head-fi poster has said, "DAMN YOU HEAD-FI!"

Michael

[mcrespo71]

I'm still a big time rocker, so the rock phones have to get more $$$ than the jazz phones.  

I'm considering the Senn HD 650, AKG 501, 601, and 701 for jazz/classical.  

Then we get to test out what the loanwolf has for me  

Michael

I was just there reading aobut the 701, and that sounds like the can of the month at the moment.  If it were $300 instead of $400, I would be tempted to sell my 880's, and add the rest to try it out.  Problem with a brand new can is that it may be a while before you see it used for a reasonable price.

Randy

By the way, contact TTVJ and ask him to match B & H's $280 price for the AKG 701.  I've not heard the Beyer DT880's, but the AKG 701 is really good to my ears, so you may be able to flip and add a little cash to try out the new king of the headphone mountain (at least for the moment).

Michael