$300 Headphones for speaker lover

[ted_b]

As me and the wife get ready to list the Ohio home and move West (Parker, CO) I am slowly coming to the realization that I must disassemble my beloved music room soon.  I love the slightly nearfield presentation of my Aerial Acoustics 20T V2's.  However, for a completely different reason I am enjoying my portable Zero Audio Carbo Basso IEMs (especially now that Roon makes my iPad mini a zone) and am heartened that I can find headphones that will carry me over until I build the new music room out West (talking months here).  I mean, I have a really good (supposedly) headphone amp that doubles as my current preamp, the Linear Audio MicroZotl MZ2.

 

However, when I recently tried on both sets of my home headphones, both older models (Sennheiser HD580s and Audio Technica ATH-A900s) into the MZ2 they sounded quite distant and veiled compared to my $35 IEMS.  ??  So I began the daunted task of reading headfi reviews, etc, etc.   Oh, and I don't want to spend much more than $300 (used is fine and in some ways preferable as they are broken in) as I believe this will be a sort of temporary solution to my music listening needs.

 

A couple I have come up with on paper (not listened to) are the HifiMan HE-400is, sold on Amazon for $219, and the also inexpensive AKG K7XX Massdrops.  No idea if they would handle my eclectic needs that range from smokey jazz, some classical, female vocals like Cassandra Wilson and Rickie Lee Jones, and all the way to Califone, Radiohead and Beck.  With a little Miles Gurtu and Nils Peter Molvaer thrown in.  Argh! 

 

Any ideas?  Thanks

[kumakuma]

17 minutes ago, ted_b said:

As me and the wife get ready to list the Ohio home and move West (Parker, CO) I am slowly coming to the realization that I must disassemble my beloved music room soon.  I love the slightly nearfield presentation of my Aerial Acoustics 20T V2's.  However, for a completely different reason I am enjoying my portable Zero Audio Carbo Basso IEMs (especially now that Roon makes my iPad mini a zone) and am heartened that I can find headphones that will carry me over until I build the new music room out West (talking months here).  I mean, I have a really good (supposedly) headphone amp that doubles as my current preamp, the Linear Audio MicroZotl MZ2.

 

However, when I recently tried on both sets of my home headphones, both older models (Sennheiser HD580s and Audio Technica ATH-A900s) into the MZ2 they sounded quite distant and veiled compared to my $35 IEMS.  ??  So I began the daunted task of reading headfi reviews, etc, etc.   Oh, and I don't want to spend much more than $300 (used is fine and in some ways preferable as they are broken in) as I believe this will be a sort of temporary solution to my music listening needs.

 

A couple I have come up with on paper (not listened to) are the HifiMan HE-400is, sold on Amazon for $219, and the also inexpensive AKG K7XX Massdrops.  No idea if they would handle my eclectic needs that range from smokey jazz, some classical, female vocals like Cassandra Wilson and Rickie Lee Jones, and all the way to Califone, Radiohead and Beck.  With a little Milkes Gurtu and Nils Peter Molvaer thrown in.  Argh! 

 

Any ideas?  Thanks

 

I'm pretty happy with my new Massdrop x HIFIMAN HE4XX headphones ($170). More fun to listen to than the AKG K7XX and HD6XX Massdrop phones.

 

 

[mourip]

I have bought ..and sold...a lot of headphones but have always kept my Sennheiser HD650's.

[ted_b]

I know this is a totally unfair question, but I'll ask it anyway 

 

How much better is the HD650 (or Massdrop HD6xx) than my HD580s (with its stock 50 ft cord...jk).

[AMR/iFi audio]

25 minutes ago, mourip said:

I have bought ..and sold...a lot of headphones but have always kept my Sennheiser HD650's.

 

For me HD 600 is timeless. But yes, these old Senns are special on many levels.

[pkane2001]

As a long time speaker-only user, I recently acquired a used pair of HD650s. Out of the box these sounded OK, but no comparison to speakers. Bass was lacking, there was a bit too much in midbass causing congestion in vocals and midrange, while also being a bit bright at the top end.

 

After proper EQ/DSP with added crossfeed, I now use headphones more than I do speakers. I made my own balanced 20’ cable and I don’t use a head amp. Sounds great, although I can’t compare HD650s to any other headphones.

[AMR/iFi audio]

15 minutes ago, pkane2001 said:

As a long time speaker-only user, I recently acquired a used pair of HD650s. Out of the box these sounded OK, but no comparison to speakers. Bass was lacking, there was a bit too much in midbass causing congestion in vocals and midrange, while also being a bit bright at the top end.

 

After proper EQ/DSP with added crossfeed, I now use headphones more than I do speakers. I made my own balanced 20’ cable and I don’t use a head amp. Sounds great, although I can’t compare HD650s to any other headphones.

 

Senns HD 650 are great for what they are. Enjoy!

[mourip]

20 minutes ago, pkane2001 said:

As a long time speaker-only user, I recently acquired a used pair of HD650s. Out of the box these sounded OK, but no comparison to speakers. Bass was lacking, there was a bit too much in midbass causing congestion in vocals and midrange, while also being a bit bright at the top end.

 

After proper EQ/DSP with added crossfeed, I now use headphones more than I do speakers. I made my own balanced 20’ cable and I don’t use a head amp. Sounds great, although I can’t compare HD650s to any other headphones.

  

As an added note I do have an after-market cable. It made a huge difference. I also enjoy listening to speakers much more than HP's.

 

HP's are great for quiet listening, folks with hearing issues, and those with limited space or funds.

[davide256]

If you attend audio shows, you will notice that Linear Tube Audio demos the Microzotl 2 mostly with Audeze headphones. Unfortunately these are more than $300. At that price point the Sennheisers are hard to beat. If you can push closer to $500, HifiMan is nice but doesn't have the bass of the Audeze phones. I prefer the Audeze Sine to the Hifiman HE400i, richer tone colors, but its closed back is a compromise in listening comfort, the Hifiman 400 series is more comfortable for extended listening sessions. But either one will give you that transparency that conventional diaphragm headphones struggle to convey, something the Microzotl 2 can deliver in spades. In full disclosure, I tend to dislike cone diaphragm speaker/headphones as I can hear the resonance of the driver materials and its enclosure, gravitating to electrostatics and planars. Others may not hear this difference.

 

[TubeLover]

Ted, just sent you a pm on this topic.

 

JC

[Kelly]

Meze99 is the best right now at $300 of what I have heard. They have a nice spacious sound even tho they are closed.

[AMR/iFi audio]

1 hour ago, Kelly said:

Meze99 is the best right now at $300 of what I have heard. They have a nice spacious sound even tho they are closed.

 

For the price they are great indeed.

[GUTB]

A high end planar is the closest you’re going to get to a speaker experience — but those need quality amping so your total cost is going to be much higher than $300.

[CatManDo]

I recently bought headphones in that price range, to use with my bedroom system and for movie watching. My main headphones are the AKG K1000, but they are not suited for these situations.

 

I still had an old Sennheiser HD580, which has intermittent connection problems and that I hadn't used in a long time. I fixed the cable and tried them on my system. After years spent with the AKG K1000, I found the HD580 incredibly veiled and much too warm sounding.

 

After reading some online reviews, I opted for the AKG K712, and I have not been disappointed. Very balanced frequency response, detailed and precise. Very comfortable too. I sometimes wear them for 3 hours, without any fatigue in the ears or on the head.

[ted_b]

Great post, CatManDo.  I have ordered, from The Cable Company, two cans from their lending library (i.e used and broken in).  They are the HifiMan HE-400i and the Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon (a chance to hear the Nighthawks).  However, a real possibility on my list is the AKG K7xx line, either Massdrop K7xx or your K712s.  Cans should be here any day.

 

Question: I assume the K712s deliver a decent enough low end for some elctronica or rock-electronica stuff?  I don't listen to much, but the occasional James Blake, etc are fun.

[ted_b]

GUTB not sure why you think I don't have "quality amping".

[davide256]

7 minutes ago, ted_b said:

GUTB not sure why you think I don't have "quality amping".

Ted_b, a question. Did you get the upgraded power supply or a third party upgrade to power your MZ2?  I found that with the stock SMPS power supply, the MZ2 ran out of gas at around 12 oclock on the volume dial. Not an issue with Grado's but definitely a need for more current with planars.

[CatManDo]

13 minutes ago, ted_b said:

Question: I assume the K712s deliver a decent enough low end for some elctronica or rock-electronica stuff?

 

Good enough for me. I also listen to pop and ambient music with sometimes very prominent bass.

 

The AKG K701 and K702 are often criticized for lacking bass, and the K712 is supposed to have fixed that..

[ted_b]

59 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Ted_b, a question. Did you get the upgraded power supply or a third party upgrade to power your MZ2?  I found that with the stock SMPS power supply, the MZ2 ran out of gas at around 12 oclock on the volume dial. Not an issue with Grado's but definitely a need for more current with planars.

My MZ is powered by the upgraded linear, and I am also going to try my Hynes SR7-EH (dialed into 12V; it's internal pot can do from 9.5V to 19V).  Both are a large step up from the included stock SMPS.

[TubeLover]

Agreed on the 712's being a good option.

 

https://www.headphone.com/products/akg-k712-pro

 

 

JC

[TubeLover]

Ted,

 

Those Nighthawk Carbons that you have on the way go for $550.00, well above your price point. I had linked you to the original Nighthawks.

 

Jeff

[TubeLover]

1 hour ago, ted_b said:

GUTB not sure why you think I don't have "quality amping".

 

Ted,

 

I "could" be wrong here, but, though you have excellent quality amplification, what GUTB "might" have been referencing is the fact that some planars require a great deal more power than the average headphone amp offers. Early on in planar development, many amps simply could not fully drive the inefficient power demands of certain planar headphones. Most newer planars are better, and the ones you are considering should be fine.

 

Jeff

[davide256]

21 minutes ago, ted_b said:

My MZ is powered by the upgraded linear, and I am also going to try my Hynes SR7-EH (dialed into 12V; it's internal pot can do from 9.5V to 19V).  Both are a large step up from the included stock SMPS.

Well worth it. A good power supply makes all the difference between lean vs muscular for sound.

[ted_b]

50 minutes ago, TubeLover said:

Ted,

 

Those Nighthawk Carbons that you have on the way go for $550.00, well above your price point. I had linked you to the original Nighthawks.

 

Jeff

Yep, and as I stated, they are my only way to hear the Nighthawks right now.  Understood, thx.

[GUTB]

You'll like the 400i. The Nighthawks use the Fostex biocellulars which are also very nice. Both of these are well-respected mid-fi headphones. When I first started checking out headphone listening I tried the 400S, liked it a lot, and then dipped my toes into hi-fi with an HE-6 (when those were still being made) and I knew right off the bat I'd never go back to mid-fi.

 

Also, try connecting your headphones directly up to the speaker taps of a power amp. You'll be surprised how good they sound.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Balanced-XLR-to-Speaker-Taps-PINS-Hifiman-HE4-HE5-HE6-HE5LE-HE500-cable-adapter/172733755771?hash=item2837bbf17b:m:mWLPr3D5iLFMYAYo16bL5_g

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Dyson-Audio-Gotham-Hifiman-HE-6-HE-5LE-HE-4-Headphone-Cable-2M-Bananas/112462350403?hash=item1a2f474843:g:TFEAAOSwkRhZVfMa

 

If you have a tube amp you can use the HE-Adapter to impedance match with the 8 Ohm taps.