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Really Good Headphones

I have found the 800's really need solid state to drive em to really get the bass to shine at some expense of midrange "magic" if you use valves.
I have many head amps and like my headphone music quite loudish.

With my 800's first prize was a dual mono class A fully discrete component home built amp , then the Graham Slee solo (an exceptional all rounder) , then my Burson HA160.
I'm using a squeezebox touch with either an Emotiva XDA-1 dac or a Cullen modded PS Audio link III dac in my headphone system. I have an Audiolab M DAC but that's in my main system , will try it sometime in the headphone system.

The best commercial valve amp I had with my 600/650's was the Woo Audio WA2 with the valve upgrade. As to Solid state , best is a Graham Slee solo.
 
The HD800 properly amp'd and re-cabled is a thing of sonic beauty (...well maybe not "beautiful" sounding per say as it is rather truthfull in its presentation).

If you like an honest sound with a huge sound stage presentation, the HD800 is the way to go.


The Audeze LCD2/3 are good choices if you want a lusher more cozy/warm-ish tone to your sound. They have bigger bass (very good quality bass though) compared to the HD800, with lusher mids and slightly rolled off highs. The LCD3 is the more open sounding of the two Audeze models with a bit more upper midrange/treble energy. I also find its bass presentation to be a little more controlled and extended.
The LCD2 works well with many headphone amps, whereas the LCD3 tends to be more picky, but find the right paring and it's headphone heaven!


I could mention the Stax SR-009, but unless your willing to drop around ten grand on a setup... let's not even go there ;)




Just my $0.02 :)
 
had HD800 myself re-cabled with top drawer valve head amp did everything to them
still did not give the sound i wanted , changed them to Taket H2+
these Made my HD800 sound like the phones you get with a Ipod
 
Just googled them as had not heard of them. Odd looking things aren't they

daytona600 said:
had HD800 myself re-cabled with top drawer valve head amp did everything to them
still did not give the sound i wanted , changed them to Taket H2+
these Made my HD800 sound like the phones you get with a Ipod
Click to expand...
 
Don't be silly. Nothing will make HD800s sound like iPod phones. That's just crazy hyperbole. Unless, no, surely not, you weren't actually using them with an iPod perchance?
 
Given the measured performance of the HD800s I find it hard to believe that another set of cans would (a) measure significantly better and (b) that the improvement would translate into something that's hugely audible.

But if you prefer different cans with a different flavour, that's cool by me.

Joe
 
sold my HD800 recently these Takets are in a different league sound quality wise
HD800 where a £1000 plus £300 for cardas cable rewire with a £1000 valve head amp actually cost more than the H2+
Truly staggering sound Unlike any headphones I,ve ever tried before heard worse £100k speakers than these headphones
Bass & Dynamics unlike any headphones on the market Midrange/vocals you can almost touch with staggering detail and long term comfort
Unique drivers and hand made in japan Not a production model like sennheisers HD800 should be called Earspeakers A complete Game changer
www.taket.jp
 
johnfromnorwich said:
Leakage wouldn't be a concern. We don't have a TV and I'm really only thinking out loud here but I was actually f*****' cheeky tonight listening to Kraftwerk on the cans whilst she got the same over the crappy speakers. I'm not sure who'll be gladder when the ESLs come back from Quad tbh... However, it's nice to be able to listen late and loud. My main concern with Stax was the heavy cabling though. Issue?
Click to expand...

I use Stax Lambda Nova Signatures/SRM3 and they sound sublime and so much better in almost every way than my previous HD650s. I know what you mean regarding the cable weight but until you've mentioned it above I never even considered it an issue at all. That may be because I have it trailing over the floor so the weight is taken up, so to speak.

I get the feeling you should have a listen to a pair of Stax, if you were closer to Derby I'd let you have a loan.

My reason for thinking this way? Well I also use ESl63s and Tannoy Turnberry SEs.:D:D

Good luck with your search.

Cheers.....Dave
 
Another vote for the Grado SR125s. I bought a pair last weekend and I'm delighted with them. Mine are being run through an old QED headphone amplifier which may get upgraded/replaced later on.
 
grado Sr125 are rather bass shy and have little scratchy midrange with tipped up sound. They are rather spatial and open sounding and better with pop music than with anything else. I heard that Sr225i are sweet spot in whole grado headphone line. Senheiser hd650 are very smooth and even sounding canes. The best for me and for classical music are $40 Audio Technica AT40Mf (and old panasonic discman) -actually the best sound I heard to date from any audio system ;)
 
I dont like my stax omega IIs at all. or any stax, for that matter. havent used them in a long time. not a fan of 'stat cans
 
I've got a pair of AKG702 which I use with a Schiit Lyr headphone amp (bought from alanbeeb off the PFM classifieds - hi Alan). The 702s took a good while to loosen up soundwise but are now fantastic. I never had good headphones before & these are a revelation.
 
They're all pretty good, really. It all boils down to preference and comfort at the end of the day. I find the HD800s about as comfortable as I've tried (Orpheus aside) but I am sure they can be improved, and I have done the melamine foam insert mod to my HD800s to subjectively increase the bass response (which, for a total cost of maybe a quid is well worth trying, HD800 owners, and totally reversible).
 
jamiee said:
The HD800 properly amp'd and re-cabled is a thing of sonic beauty (...well maybe not "beautiful" sounding per say as it is rather truthfull in its presentation).

If you like an honest sound with a huge sound stage presentation, the HD800 is the way to go.

The Audeze LCD2/3 are good choices if you want a lusher more cozy/warm-ish tone to your sound. They have bigger bass (very good quality bass though) compared to the HD800, with lusher mids and slightly rolled off highs. The LCD3 is the more open sounding of the two Audeze models with a bit more upper midrange/treble energy. I also find its bass presentation to be a little more controlled and extended.
The LCD2 works well with many headphone amps, whereas the LCD3 tends to be more picky, but find the right paring and it's headphone heaven!

I could mention the Stax SR-009, but unless your willing to drop around ten grand on a setup... let's not even go there ;)
Click to expand...

Seems like a fair assessment of today's hot-ticket 'best of breed' cans. The LCD2/3 is a much more rewarding phone for extended listening, but the HD800 is slightly better at capturing a room acoustic.

Not yet mentioned, but combining aspects of the best of both, is the new Fostex TH-900 . . .
 
JTC said:
They're all pretty good, really. It all boils down to preference and comfort at the end of the day. I find the HD800s about as comfortable as I've tried (Orpheus aside) but I am sure they can be improved, and I have done the melamine foam insert mod to my HD800s to subjectively increase the bass response (which, for a total cost of maybe a quid is well worth trying, HD800 owners, and totally reversible).
Click to expand...

I am going to give it a try, bit of fun for a couple of quid - Cheers. My top tip is don't drop the buggers - the connection between the metal plug and plastic cuff at the earpiece end of the cable is very weak and mine is now held together with a bit of black plastic tape. About £150 for a replacement cable from Sennheiser!
 
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