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Upgrade from HD280

T

Teecee

Gawd
2FA
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
948
I purchased the HD280s a few months ago and they sound great but are not too comfortable and was looking at upgrading. I am going to be buying a X-Fi card anyway so I figured I would invest into some new headphones. I watch movies, listen to a little music but not a lot, and play games. I also have a pair of PC-150's that I use when I use Teamspeak. I am not an audio junky but I do enjoy quality products. I was thinking about maybe the HD497s or the HD595s but I havent actually tried them so was wondering what you guys thought. Any suggestions?


Budget is well, under $300. If I can buy a pair of $50 cans then I would love too, but if there will be a world of difference from the $50 cans to the $150-$200 cans then of course I would choose the more $$$ ones.
 
Mister X said:
open or closed is not a concern?
Click to expand...

No concern. The noise cancelation is not a must. No kids. Just my wife and she is usually asleep when I use them. If there is more comfort in open then I would prefer that but I am not partial to either. My pc is water cooled so makes almost no noise and all my computers are in my office with no outside noise. Comfort is more important then silencing all outside sounds.

Thanks for the quick reply.
 
I love my audio-techinca a900s to death, I can keep them on my ears for hours upon hours and never notice them there. I've kept them on without music a few times because i just forgot they were on my head :p . They have amazing depth to the music, and their little brother the a500 apparently has very close sq for less money. They're big tho.

Edit: They can also be driven very easily without an amp, almost unbelievable so.. X-fi would be nice.
 
serbiaNem said:
I love my audio-techinca a900s to death, I can keep them on my ears for hours upon hours and never notice them there. I've kept them on without music a few times because i just forgot they were on my head :p . They have amazing depth to the music, and their little brother the a500 apparently has very close sq for less money. They're big tho.

Edit: They can also be driven very easily without an amp, almost unbelievable so.. X-fi would be nice.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the reply. I will look into those as well. Have you heard about the a700s?
 
Teecee said:
Thanks for the reply. I will look into those as well. Have you heard about the a700s?
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I haven't really heard much about them, but I suppose they're in between the 500s and 900s. They have a plastic casing as opposed to metal also.
 
Either or....
I would take the ATH A900s over the HD595s but I think you would be very happy with either ones of them so.......... :)
 
Mister X said:
Either or....
I would take the ATH A900s over the HD595s but I think you would be very happy with either ones of them so.......... :)
Click to expand...


Any legit retailers that have some decent pricing?
 
Went ahead and got the HD595s. Thanks for the advice guys. Would you suggest an amp if it is going to be plugged into a X-FI?
 
I would have suggested just getting better headphones outright instead of splitting up the budget for headphone/amp.

Oh well, I was going to suggest you look at the HD650 or DT880, but if you already bought the HD595.......

After you get used to them for about a month, I would really like to hear how you like them, especially compared to the HD280pro.

~Enjoy
 
Did you get the 50ohm version of the HD595? If so you don't really need an amp, although one will help regardless. If you got the older high ohm model you'll want an amp.
 
towert7 said:
I would have suggested just getting better headphones outright instead of splitting up the budget for headphone/amp.

Oh well, I was going to suggest you look at the HD650 or DT880, but if you already bought the HD595.......

After you get used to them for about a month, I would really like to hear how you like them, especially compared to the HD280pro.

~Enjoy
Click to expand...


I will get back with you guys. The HD650's are almost double the price of the HD595's. I mainly just use these for playing games and want comfort. If I want great sound then I will go into my bonus room and listen to my 7.1 system. Love my Paradigms.

I do appreciate the advice as always.
 
towert7 said:
I would have suggested just getting better headphones outright instead of splitting up the budget for headphone/amp.

Oh well, I was going to suggest you look at the HD650 or DT880, but if you already bought the HD595.......
Click to expand...

What are the best Sennheiser cans you've listened to? Have you heard anything other than your HD 590? You tell him not to split his budget between headphones and amp, then suggest a set of headphones that by almost anyone's opinion REQUIRES an amp...
 
boeseschwarzefee said:
What are the best Sennheiser cans you've listened to? Have you heard anything other than your HD 590? You tell him not to split his budget between headphones and amp, then suggest a set of headphones that by almost anyone's opinion REQUIRES an amp...
Click to expand...

Heh, thats a good point. Now to my search for a decent desktop mic. I have the Senn PC150 which work great but I want to use my new HD595. I have tried the logitech USB mic and I sound like I am in a tunnel. I have tried to put the pc150 around my neck but that is a crap solution.
 
I'd go with hd580's($125-150)

Was not too fond of the 590 series soundwise, look nice and are comfortable though.

Then spend $150 on a pimeta.

Nice and balanced system with much better performance than 595s plugged directly into the soundcard..
 
boeseschwarzefee said:
What are the best Sennheiser cans you've listened to? Have you heard anything other than your HD 590? You tell him not to split his budget between headphones and amp, then suggest a set of headphones that by almost anyone's opinion REQUIRES an amp...
Click to expand...
You remind me of a person named strider around here.

If i'm not mistaken, a famous person once said "you can eaither accept what I'm about to tell you or not", which goes for my recommendations. Anways, when it comes to headphones, I have a slightly biased opinion, and thus I would recommend good headphones first, and then if not satisfied get an amplification device.

Teecee, the reason I listed too 200$+ headphones, is because it sounds like you already have it in your mind that you won't be satisfied with the HD595's

Quote=Teecee
"Would you suggest an amp if it is going to be plugged into a X-FI?"

So instead of this "oh, i'm not happy, if only I got the better ones to begin with, and that way would have saved money in the long run.... and been able to enjoy them right from the beginning.", you would have just ended up with good ones from the start.

~Hope this helps
 
towert7 said:
You remind me of a person named strider around here.

If i'm not mistaken, a famous person once said "you can eaither accept what I'm about to tell you or not", which goes for my recommendations. Anways, when it comes to headphones, I have a slightly biased opinion, and thus I would recommend good headphones first, and then if not satisfied get an amplification device.

Teecee, the reason I listed too 200$+ headphones, is because it sounds like you already have it in your mind that you won't be satisfied with the HD595's

Quote=Teecee
"Would you suggest an amp if it is going to be plugged into a X-FI?"

So instead of this "oh, i'm not happy, if only I got the better ones to begin with, and that way would have saved money in the long run.... and been able to enjoy them right from the beginning.", you would have just ended up with good ones from the start.

~Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Well, I was going to stay out of this one, but since you called me out, looks like I'm going to have to say something now...

Where do I even start. Let's take this little quote from you roughly about a month ago (from here: http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1028206116&postcount=6):

towert said:
strid3r, your right. I have never used a headphone amp in my whole life (and any past lives that I know of).
Click to expand...

Unless you've actually tried out a headphone amp in the past month, I'm not sure why anyone would take your ignorant opinions about amps seriously.

Let's take this scenario for instance, HD595s with or w/o an amp. Have you listened to the HD595s in either situation? I have actually listened to it in both situations, but in a very limited time period, so I didn't want to give some half-assed 5 minute impressions.

Will an amp better his listening experience? Ime, an amp has always improved the sound. He can get a decent amp with the money he has leftover.

It's kind of funny in every thread about headphone and/or amp recommendations, you always suggest looking at the same headphones. For awhile, it was the DT990 and HD590, and now you've moved onto the DT880 and HD650 (have you listened to either?). I mean, it probably doesn't matter to you if you've listened to it or whether they match the OP's requirements or music tastes.

towert7 said:
Anways, when it comes to headphones, I have a slightly biased opinion, and thus I would recommend good headphones first, and then if not satisfied get an amplification device.
Click to expand...

Care to share what your slightly biased opinion is? What else would anyone recommend but good headphones first? I'm not sure what you're even trying to say in the last part. If I'm not satisfied with my headphones, I should get an amp? Ever think its cause I don't particularly like the house sound from a headphone? (Grado vs Sennheiser anyone?)

You're probably about to reply, "Oh well if you pick apart my posts like that, it's not going to make sense." You're right, they never make sense.

~Hope this helps
 
Nice to see such heated opinions...

Anyway, I was just stopping in to recommend some ATH-AD700s. I have a pair and these are my favorites so far. Now, I have had some limited experience with headphones and amps. What I have currently: Alessandro MS1, ATH-AD700, Headroom Total Airhead these connect to a Chaintech AV-710. Now I've owned Grado SR80, Alessandro MS1, AudioTechnica ATH-AD700, Beyerdynamic DT770-80, and AKG K271S connected to one of three amps; PreSonus HP4, Headroom Total Airhead, or a single-ended homebrew tube amp using 6BM8/ECL82 tubes. I have to say the most satisfying headphones I've had are the ATH-AD700s for their sheer versatility but I do find my Alessandro MS1s to be very fun. Anyway, I hope you don't get upgraditis.

-Edit: Definitely a difference betweem AKG K270S and K271S.
 
towert7 said:
Teecee, the reason I listed too 200$+ headphones, is because it sounds like you already have it in your mind that you won't be satisfied with the HD595's
Click to expand...


That is not true. I have no clue. Why I am asking here.
 
Oct 10, 2005 7:39 AM

On FedEx vehicle for delivery


Fedex guy should be here any minute. I cannot wait to get them home to try them on my X-FI.
 
Teecee said:
Oct 10, 2005 7:39 AM

On FedEx vehicle for delivery


Fedex guy should be here any minute. I cannot wait to get them home to try them on my X-FI.
Click to expand...
Remember, give em a few weeks. That way you get to know them though and through. ^_^

I wonder how they compare to the older HD590's.
 
Wow. Very comfortable. I can hear things outside of the headphones too which I like. Gotta hear if the wife is yelling for me. The sound is amazing. I will never use my 5.1 logitech system now. Just enough bass. Crips highs. I am going to give it a few days but I might have to buy a pair for work too. They are very good.
 
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