Headphones

Hello friends. I would like to know a good headphones recommendations to listen to my vinyl. I already have the Panasonics RP-HTX7. Can I improve them? I do not look for something that is excessively expensive but that has good audio fidelity. I'm not interested in being wireless or anything like that. I have read good things about the AKG.

I have a Nad 316-Bee amplifier and i love to listen to my Beatles, The Who and rock from the 60s and 70s.

My wife is pregnant so i’m listening music through headphones.

 

Budget?

 

The Sennheiser HD 600's are one of the best all around. They are high impedance so I good headphone amp would really help as well. All depends on the budget. Check out the headphone output spec in the manual for the Nad and see what the specs are.

 

I own Grado headphones; SR325 and PS500. I feel they work great for rock. But headphones, like speakers, are highly personal. Best to check out a local retailer and try several different brands and models. What I like, you may hate!

 

beatleswho, I second mveveux's Sennheiser HD600 suggestion. The HD600 is in it's 22nd year of production and is still one of the best selling headphone on the market. The HD600's midrange is amongst the very best of any headphone no matter what the price. I've had mine since 2003 and have owned and sold much more expensive and highly rated headphones. Pound for pound it's as good as any headphone on the market IMHO.

 

Thanks to all of you. Everything you said is interesting! Anyway, the Panasonic RP-HTX7 are well regarded?
I bought the red ones 10 years ago.

 

I use a set of Audio-Technica ATH-M40x's and they're pretty phenomenal for the price ($99.) I've heard headphones that cost 3x the amount and sound far worse. The Sony MDR-7506 headphones are also pretty good. They're $20 less but they are on the bright side. If you like bright sounding headphones, those would be a good option.
Also, neither one is particularly hard to run. Even the crappy amp inside an iphone can drive them!

 

Check out Massdrop. It's a site that sells gear specially manufactured for them. They have headphones from Sennheiser and other manufacturers.

 

Been using some Grado SR80e for a couple of months now and I've fell in love with the Grado sound.

 

Hear, hear! (¡Oiga, oiga!)

 

Congratulations to you and your wife on her pregnancy. Why not buy a stethoscope to hear the music of a new life!

I can only echo what has been said above. Headphones are about sound but also comfort. If they sound good but make your ears hurt you won't use them. That's why auditioning them is essential. Having said that, I've always found Sennheiser headphones comfortable.

You may find, again as has been suggested, that buying a separate headphone amp and using your current headphones might also give you a sonic improvement. Amps (like your NAD) are built to a budget so it maybe be that not much has been spent of the headphone amp inside it. Set yourself a budget then google 'Best headphone amps under $XXX' and see what comes up. Then try them out.

 

Akg k551 are good headphones, these are the newer version of the award winning K550 mk2, my Girlfriend has these and they sound great
I think they are 32 Ohms so will be easy to drive, but i would use your amp as they will be current hungry, plus AKG headphones can be awkward to drive
Akg headphones take time to burn in, leave them plugged in to a radio 24/7 for 3 weeks and they will sound more relaxed and smoother
You will get them a lot cheaper than the link
AKG K551 review

 

Sennheiser are good headphones but sometimes sound like they have a "veil" over the sound
Grado are good for guitar music but can sound a bit aggressive and in your face and lack detail
I like the vintage AKG sound, i have, AKG K240 sextetts (later version), AKG K140 from the 1970,s i completely renovated, i also have a pair of K240 mk2 with kimber kable
Akg are more neutral sounding and dont exaggerate bass like some headphones
Vintage stax headphones are great for listening to vinyl, i have a pair of Stax SR5N with a matching energiser from 1985, these are in a different league all together

 

Add me to the group of HD600 fanboys. I run them with the HD650 cable, which is a bit more robust and doesn't need an adapter for the standard phone jack.

 

Senn HD600's are good.
Beyerdynamic and Grado also make some great sounding cans around or under $300

 

Great! Thank you. What about the new AKG K240? Good?

 

I'm looking (finally) for a good pair of headphones.
They are going to be run primarily from the computer, through a Dragonfly DAC. Most likely... And off a Samsung S9 and Samsung S3 Tablet.
I'm looking at a Sennheiser HD 600 or HD 650.

Mostly music, podcasts and stuff, but also Skype, etc....

To the headphone professionals, do you really need a headphone amp to run the Sennheisers properly or can you just plug them in?
Will they work fine with the Dragonfly?
There is also a Dragonfly Headphone amp: USB DAC + Preamp + Headphone Amp
Has anyone had any experience with this combination?

Any recommendations on good headphones, up to around $500.???

 

Elusive Disc has the Audioquest NightOwl Carbon Headphones on at 40% off.
Anyone know how the Audioquests compare with the Sennheisers?

 

HD 600 if you want neutral, nothing added to the music. I'm not sure what the veil comment made earlier is in reference too, perhaps a less than compatible amp. If anything the 600's are just the opposite. A clear picture window into whatever is on your source.

 

I vote HD 600's

 

HD 600 over the HD650?

 

These or these.

Both discontinued. Both may or may not be more or less readily available in your geographic area.

(I recommended the first in a thread a few months ago and the OP did not jump on them. But I'll repeat the recommendation even though they're now at a higher price.)

They both easily pass the test.

Jeff

 

A) Go listen at a store if you can.
B) Make a decision if you want to be able to hear outside noises easily (and have your music bleed into the room) or to have most outside noises blocked (and people around you not hear the music at all). Closed or open backed is an important decision, but I can see both having pluses and minuses with a new child.

 

They have a nice safe sound that are not as open as the 600 ohm sextett k240,s, i like them
I upgraded mine with kimber cable that plugs in to the k240 mk11 via a mini XLR connector, sounds nice without revealing any nasties that some headphones do
If you ever buy a top notch headphone amp the Beyer DT880 600 ohm headphones are great
Is there a hifi store local that does different brands of headphones, what music do you listen to and what type of sound are you looking for

 

All day, everyday. The 650's are colored for a more warmer presentation according to everything I have read about them. That said I have not heard them personally but the evidence seems overwhelming.