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Post by mepositive on Dec 7, 2016 17:30:47 GMT -5
Decided to buy another pair of headphones - yippee ! And this time I have a 1000$ budget. Question is simple - which brand/model would you recommend.
I did have a HE-400 till a year ago and liked it but did not thoroughly enjoy it. A combination of too bulky and not enough bass. Mid and highs were pretty cool though. Gave it away as a gift to friend.
My music tends to be more 80's pop, rock and blues/funk with lots of percussion/bass guitars or else very complex instrumentals like Al Dimeola, Paul Mauriat etc Also, for now it will be plugged to my XSP-1. Not looking for any thing on-the-go but 'get onto a comfy couch and listen'.
Thanks.
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klinemj
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Honorary Emofest Scribe
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Post by klinemj on Dec 7, 2016 17:34:00 GMT -5
Give me the $1000, I'll try out some options and send you the best one after my extensive trials. That should not take any more than 2 years.
Mark
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Post by monkumonku on Dec 7, 2016 17:54:47 GMT -5
Decided to buy another pair of headphones - yippee ! And this time I have a 1000$ budget. Question is simple - which brand/model would you recommend. I did have a HE-400 till a year ago and liked it but did not thoroughly enjoy it. A combination of too bulky and not enough bass. Mid and highs were pretty cool though. Gave it away as a gift to friend. My music tends to be more 80's pop, rock and blues/funk with lots of percussion/bass guitars or else very complex instrumentals like Al Dimeola, Paul Mauriat etc Also, for now it will be plugged to my XSP-1. Not looking for any thing on-the-go but 'get onto a comfy couch and listen'. Thanks. Don't HE-400's need enormous amounts of power? I don't think the XSP-1 is the best device to be driving those - you should probably have been using a dedicated headphone amp. That should be a consideration when choosing your $1,000 next pair, too.
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LCSeminole
Global Moderator
Res firma mitescere nescit.
Posts: 20,473
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Post by LCSeminole on Dec 7, 2016 19:10:52 GMT -5
Decided to buy another pair of headphones - yippee ! And this time I have a 1000$ budget. Question is simple - which brand/model would you recommend. I did have a HE-400 till a year ago and liked it but did not thoroughly enjoy it. A combination of too bulky and not enough bass. Mid and highs were pretty cool though. Gave it away as a gift to friend. My music tends to be more 80's pop, rock and blues/funk with lots of percussion/bass guitars or else very complex instrumentals like Al Dimeola, Paul Mauriat etc Also, for now it will be plugged to my XSP-1. Not looking for any thing on-the-go but 'get onto a comfy couch and listen'. Thanks. Don't HE-400's need enormous amounts of power? I don't think the XSP-1 is the best device to be driving those - you should probably have been using a dedicated headphone amp. That should be a consideration when choosing your $1,000 next pair, too. Nothing that an on-sale A-100 couldn't handle!
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Post by deltadube on Dec 7, 2016 19:54:48 GMT -5
ive seen a lot of foot ball players on TV with bose !!
Russel Wilson!!
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Post by garbulky on Dec 7, 2016 20:28:54 GMT -5
I would budget a good portion of that toward a headphone amplifier. A mini-x sounds like a good candidate from reports!
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Post by brutiarti on Dec 7, 2016 20:42:54 GMT -5
T1 + A-100
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Post by creimes on Dec 7, 2016 22:05:51 GMT -5
ive seen a lot of foot ball players on TV with bose !! Russel Wilson!! Don't you mean "Beats" or did bose buy them or wait did Apple buy Bose who bought beats... I'm confused now
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Post by vcautokid on Dec 8, 2016 2:23:52 GMT -5
Hmmm, that was Apple buying Beats. Bose is always Bose. As in QC35, the travelers Headphone.
However for the couch listener, please consider amplification from here at Emotiva, or Schiit Audio for instance. Then invest the rest in your headphones. You may go a bit over budget, but the difference will be worth it. I like the well rounded performance of the Sennheiser headphones allot. The AKGs would be my second choice based on your specifics.
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Post by kewlmunky on Dec 8, 2016 8:15:44 GMT -5
Not enough bass? Other than the Fidelio X1 and X2, I can't think of any open headphone that would have more bass. The X1 is supposed to have more bass than the X2, but a lot sloppier. I've heard the X2 and the HE-400. I personally would prefer the X2; treble is a little grainy, but much better than the HE-400's piercing treble. It also has a better midrange. The X2 is also lighter and much more comfy than the HE-400.
If you really want more bass, you might want to go to a closed back option, such as the Massdrop runs of Fostex TH-X00.
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Post by vneal on Dec 8, 2016 8:21:14 GMT -5
Audeze Oppo Sennheiser
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Post by sahmen on Dec 8, 2016 8:47:12 GMT -5
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Post by kewlmunky on Dec 8, 2016 9:56:33 GMT -5
Somehow, I forgot about Audeze. Depending on the revision, the LCD-2 would have more bass than the HE-400, and not have the grainy treble of the Fidelio X2. I had the LCD-2.2 briefly, and the bass is very impacting without sounding bloated. I heard the newer fazor version has less bass than the previous versions, but I don't know if it's more than the HE-400. Perhaps what you were actually missing with the HE-400 was bass extension, and not quantity of the bass that was there? The He-400 does lack in the extension, as does the Fidelio X2. The LCD-2 has amazing bass impact and extension.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 9,902
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Post by KeithL on Dec 8, 2016 10:26:45 GMT -5
Personally, in terms of sound quality, if you're looking for the best sound, I wouldn't even consider anything except electrostatics..... They are absolutely more detailed than ANYTHING else, at any price. However, they tend to be very flat, and super low distortion, and go VERY low VERY flat, but not produce a LOT of bass. They can play very loud, but you don't notice it, because they basically don't distort at all. Electrostatic headphones basically have all the benefits of electrostatic speakers , but (almost) none of the drawbacks. Note that ALL electrostatic headphones require a special amplifier or converter - they do NOT work with ordinary headphone amps or headphone outputs. Some come together as a set; but, if not, electrostatic headphone amplifiers get very pricey (and I don't say that lightly). I have a pair of Koss ESP/950's - which I would highly recommend. They list for $1k (they go on sale for as low as $600 sometimes) - and they come WITH their own amplifier. They are somewhat mechanically bulky - but are actually also very light. (In my opinion) they are a tie for the best sounding headphones I've ever heard (which would be a $5000 pair of Stax 009's). To me, none of the planars even comes close (not even the $3k ones)..... they have more solid bass but can't match the detail of electrostatics. Stax also has lots of excellent models - and some of their cheaper ones start well below $1k. For anyone seriously considering them, I would note that the Koss phones, while expensive, come with a lifetime warranty, and things like extension cables and ear pads for them are quite cheap. (The Koss phones are definitely not the most solidly built or most reliably headphones I've owned... but they have that lifetime warranty... and they are surprisingly comfortable.) In contrast, Stax headphones are difficult to get in the US, the Japanese models don't have a US warranty at all, and they charge a lot for cables and replacement ear pads. Also note that you will see lots of electrostatic headphones on eBay - many vintage - and some for quite low prices. Do a lot of research before even considering buying any of the vintage ones..... Some older models weren't all that good... and the older Koss models (like the ESP/6 and ESP/9) are known for seriously deteriorating with age. (If you're really into it, Head-Fi has lots of threads about specific models, how well they hold up, and how to restore them.) Decided to buy another pair of headphones - yippee ! And this time I have a 1000$ budget. Question is simple - which brand/model would you recommend. I did have a HE-400 till a year ago and liked it but did not thoroughly enjoy it. A combination of too bulky and not enough bass. Mid and highs were pretty cool though. Gave it away as a gift to friend. My music tends to be more 80's pop, rock and blues/funk with lots of percussion/bass guitars or else very complex instrumentals like Al Dimeola, Paul Mauriat etc Also, for now it will be plugged to my XSP-1. Not looking for any thing on-the-go but 'get onto a comfy couch and listen'. Thanks.
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KeithL
Administrator
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Post by KeithL on Dec 8, 2016 11:05:04 GMT -5
Indeed....... The A-100 will do a really excellent job of driving any planars or regular headphones. Also, if you were to consider electrostatic headphones that use a transformer-based energizer/converter (which many do), they require connection to a "speaker amplifier", and the A-100 will also do a superb job of driving them as well. Something like that: wooaudio.com/products/wee.html I would budget a good portion of that toward a headphone amplifier. A mini-x sounds like a good candidate from reports!
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Post by mepositive on Dec 9, 2016 9:35:29 GMT -5
Thanks Keith, always value your details and inputs. Many of my gear at home has been on inputs from forum members without a listen and they have always sounded excellent. This time too I am going to do the same - shall pick up the Koss ESP 950 and pair it with a Schiit Bifrost. Waiting ..... !! Indeed....... The A-100 will do a really excellent job of driving any planars or regular headphones. Also, if you were to consider electrostatic headphones that use a transformer-based energizer/converter (which many do), they require connection to a "speaker amplifier", and the A-100 will also do a superb job of driving them as well. Something like that: wooaudio.com/products/wee.html I would budget a good portion of that toward a headphone amplifier. A mini-x sounds like a good candidate from reports!
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 9,902
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Post by KeithL on Dec 9, 2016 9:54:37 GMT -5
That combination should work well. Thanks Keith, always value your details and inputs. Many of my gear at home has been on inputs from forum members without a listen and they have always sounded excellent. This time too I am going to do the same - shall pick up the Koss ESP 950 and pair it with a Schiit Bifrost. Waiting ..... !! Indeed....... The A-100 will do a really excellent job of driving any planars or regular headphones. Also, if you were to consider electrostatic headphones that use a transformer-based energizer/converter (which many do), they require connection to a "speaker amplifier", and the A-100 will also do a superb job of driving them as well. Something like that: wooaudio.com/products/wee.html
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Post by gld3gld3 on Dec 9, 2016 13:17:26 GMT -5
Take a look at the new Focal Elear headphones. Based on the reviews thus far these are an excellent pair of cans and right at your price point. Just my suggestion...
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Post by gzubeck on Dec 14, 2016 13:05:55 GMT -5
Decided to buy another pair of headphones - yippee ! And this time I have a 1000$ budget. Question is simple - which brand/model would you recommend. I did have a HE-400 till a year ago and liked it but did not thoroughly enjoy it. A combination of too bulky and not enough bass. Mid and highs were pretty cool though. Gave it away as a gift to friend. My music tends to be more 80's pop, rock and blues/funk with lots of percussion/bass guitars or else very complex instrumentals like Al Dimeola, Paul Mauriat etc Also, for now it will be plugged to my XSP-1. Not looking for any thing on-the-go but 'get onto a comfy couch and listen'. Thanks. head-fi.org, go to forums and read up. seems alot of people use seinheiser 800s and get them on sale for about $1000. like keith said electrostatics are the best including stax.
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Post by mepositive on Dec 14, 2016 14:19:37 GMT -5
Thanks. These definitely are interesting. I have a pair of Focal desktop speakers and they are amazing. I have also heard the Grand Utopias and they can make you cry with joy - something they do is incredible. Take a look at the new Focal Elear headphones. Based on the reviews thus far these are an excellent pair of cans and right at your price point. Just my suggestion...
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