Looking at Higher-End Headphones

[desmoface]

Hey gang, looking to upgrade to a new set of headphones. I currently have:
Koss KSC-75
Hifiman RE-0
Grado SR60

Im using an Ipod classic and Headstage Arrow 12he amplifier.

I am particularly fond of Indie stuff, such as The Smiths, Morrissey, Elliott Smith, as well as Jazz, Punk, and even some old school rap. So, in a nutshell, just about everything, LOL.

I really like a nice low end with sizzling highs, although I wouldn't consider myself a "Basshead." But, I love when I can really hear me some nice, sizzling, crisp cymbal action.

So, the contenders are:
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/akg-k-702-black.php
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/akg-q701-quincy-jones.php
The AKG's are said to be a bit light on the bass, but otherwise outstanding.
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/beyerdynamic-dt-880.php
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/beyerdynamic-dt-990.php
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/ultrasone-hfi-780.php
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/sennheiser-hd-650.php a bit costly, but I may be able to swing a deal if I shop.
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/sennheiser-hd-598.php
http://www.headphone.com/headphones/audio-technica-ath-m50.php

So, as you can see, quite a job selecting the right set of cans. The problem I have is, I'm going off of what I read, as there is no place in the Cleveland, Ohio area where I can sample these. I'm hoping someone here can offer some valuable advice. Thanks in advance!

Steve

[rob_NH]

Spend some time at head-fi.org forums. You will get all the info you want and more.

I have the Grado 225i, a pair of Etymotic ER4 with custom molded ear pieces and a pair of sony MDR-F1, and a Xin Supermacro 3 amp. All mid range stuff. I am looking at going custom IEMs for my next set. I am researching custom IEMs right now.

[Griffo]

I've got Sennheiser HD600 - not a huge difference between them and 650 as far as I am aware. Very comfortable but they are open so people can hear what you are hearing but they give a great sound.

If you really want nobody to hear what you are playing and want quality sounds then another shout for the Etymotics.

[Wingnut]

FWIW, I used to work as a film editor, and AKG headphones were the standard of the industry... but that was about 20 years ago.

[Galhatz]

I own the grado sr80, er4p, hd580 and the koss 75.
they are all very good. when i am at work the koss is my favorite as i find it the least fatiguing.
i once tried the grado rs1 and was very impressed. My brother has the akg k240 which i didnt like much. my biggest let down was the 880dt which i bought and returned to amazon.

it is all very subjective and there is no replacement to try it out yourself. if you dont have a local store just buy it online from a store with a good return policy.

Head-fi is the biggest time waste on the web in my opinion.

[rob_NH]

BTW - Based on your preferences, I don't reccomend the etymotics. Paired with the amp I have, which is designed for the lack of low end in the ER4p, they are great, without it, meh. Not enough bass for sure for most listeners.

As for head-fi being a time waste, it is true, but it is the only place to get a source of reviews of CIEMs form someone who has heard a lot of them. And if you're interested in that form factor, I think it can be helpful. The OP was not necessarily into CIEMs, but might be open to the idea.

[duotone]

Came across this guys site after seeing him review on youtube the B&W P5 and Quincy Jones headphones you mentioned.

If you search for " inner fidelity Quincy jones 701 " on YouTube you should have no problems finding it.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphonereviews - here's his website. Take everything with a pinch of salt until you get to try them, but you may find some useful information from them.

[smalltank]

Skullcandy earbuds work and sound good..I always use mine with my ipod nano

[rassage]

the ps1000 are my favorite headphones and i have stuff like the he90. one thing though they are very fragile. at a lower price the dt880 and k701 are very competent. more clinical than musical though. please let it be known that the quincy jones is the k701 in a different color. in that range i might pick the 650 but you will need a very good amp.

[commanderkeen]

Skullcandy earbuds work and sound good..I always use mine with my ipod nano

No offense meant, but, skullcandy are mid-tear, while I have not listened to those particular earbuds I bet they are heavy on the low end and thin on either the mid-highs or highs. High-end earbuds such as the Etymotics feature a neutral response. That means they do not favor any frequency band as that choice is left to the user and his/her preamp. There is nothing wrong with liking the skullcandy sound but the OP is asking for something more 'accurate'.

I'm rocking the AKG-501s, they lack a little in the low-end department but with a nice preamp, you can get that compensated for and you will be rocking with one of the best. The mids and highs are really accurate and crisp. Not suitable for portable use as these are, as are the 601 and 701, open cans. You could go 'preloved' and grab some of these or other fantastic cans. If you are looking for portability as well, nothing beats Etymotic for the price.

[eelhc]

Like the selection of Music. You've already a pretty good collection of cans so let me propose two things to try:

A question that's bound to open up a can of worms. On your iPod classic, what is the format/compression you use? I have my 4000+ CD collection all ripped to Apple Lossless (actually to FLAC for archival and converted to ALAC). I don't consider myself to have "golden ears" but I can tell the difference between a 320KB MP3 and FLAC/ALAC (also have some HDTracks stuff too). Particularly on music I know well. You might do try and do a simple A/B test... $0 cost other than some of your time.

The second item takes a little more work and $. I can write volumes here about computer audio but the net is to play from the computer directly through an external USB DAC feeding your headphone amp. If there's a weak point in your system it's the iPod, not the amp or the headphones. I can provide some additional detail on this if you're interested in pursuing.

[Unkas]

The Audio technica M50's are a great bang for the buck. For you I would recommend a pair of Sennheiser HD-25-1 II's as they have very good details with some nice treble but still keeping impressive lows. Most Grado's have great highs but awful lows so the Senns I recommend have a somewhat Grado-ish sound but with more bass.

[smalltank]

from what I heard..lol..no 2 ears on folks sound alike..what one person hears..may not be how the 2nd guy interprets as well..but if your active..SkullCandy does a great job of keeping lightweight IMO

[blary54]

Just bought a pair of Audio technica M50's. Very impressive for $130.00.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344305031&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+ath-m50