Goldring RS150 - £70 a good price?

[craptakular]

I was looking on eBay, the prices I found were from the US. The deal you've found is better as the price you pay on that site will be the final cost, i.e. no import fees/VAT will need to be added. They might work out a little cheaper from the US, but only if you don't get stung. I'd go for those from thomann.de to be on the safe side. At least you know you won't need to pay more.

I have also found a good price on planetgizmo.co.uk

anyone used them before?

 

[just Scott]

hhhmmmm just went to my local high quality home cinema shop, goit a cup of tea and a Cd to listen to. Had a listen to AKG, Grado, Ergo 2. I prefer the style of the AKG 701's as they go completely over my ear, which is more comfy as I wear glasses.

Now Can I justify spending £275 on headphones, yes I think I can as the AKG 701's were bloody amazing.

They were also fed using a headphone amp, I didnt try them without one but did try two different headphone amps, I could totally tell a difference between the two headphone amps. So think im sold on a headphone amp as well

My £70 headphone budget is now at £400 ish lolz. At least I wont have to upgrade for the next 15 years.

Anyone know much about headphone amps? are Vincent ones good?

Very nice. It's always nice when you find a pair of headphones that suit your taste. I personally didn't like the K701s -- too analytical and "reference" for me, I prefer the coloured sound of my HD650s (yes I know Sennheiser call them reference headphones, but they really aren't ).

You're going to need a good amp for those K701s though. Do you know which ones you were using in the shop?

 

[craptakular]

Very nice. It's always nice when you find a pair of headphones that suit your taste. I personally didn't like the K701s -- too analytical and "reference" for me, I prefer the coloured sound of my HD650s (yes I know Sennheiser call them reference headphones, but they really aren't ).

You're going to need a good amp for those K701s though. Do you know which ones you were using in the shop?

Yeh - well I can remember the one thats sounded better it was a Vincent @ £160.

What amp do you recommend?

PS: I think im gonna have to go Sennheiser HD650's as I cant find a shop I trust in the UK for those K701's that have them cheap.

Is £189.99 delivered a good price for the HD650?

 

[C64]

i own a pair of senn hd650's. i have also heard a pair of 555's



so youve not heard the 555's then? hang on a minute......




your the ONLY person i know who's said they sound as good as a pair of 650's. and since you've not heard a pair of 650s or indeed even a pair of 555's (the pair you owned were HD201's werent they?), id say you are hardly in a position to comment either.

Don't know what you have against me recommending a pair of phones that are miles better than hd 600's (unamped) WHICH I HAVE HEARD and sent back within 7 days for a full refund.
How on earth do you know what I have and haven't heard WHO do you think you are telling me what I have and haven't heard I owned a pair of cheap 201's ages ago I have moved a long way since owning those, I have tried many cans including grados since then.
Personally I think you own only hd555 and have never heard hd650's.
For all you know i may have bought sennheiser hd555 and returned them under the DSR and got goldring dr150 anyway cya enjoy your hd555's.

 

[just Scott]

Yeh - well I can remember the one thats sounded better it was a Vincent @ £160.

What amp do you recommend?

PS: I think im gonna have to go Sennheiser HD650's as I cant find a shop I trust in the UK for those K701's that have them cheap.

Is £189.99 delivered a good price for the HD650?

I got mine for £140 used. I've seen them go for as low as £110 on some other forums though. I guess that's not too bad though for a brand new pair.

Have you heard the HD650s? Might be worth trying them first. They sound very different to K701s - much more bass is the biggest difference.

As for amp recommendations, I'm not really sure mate. I had a £200 Darkvoice 332 tube amp that was fantastic, but I had to sell it due to financial issues. I'm using a "Zero" D/A Converter with a headphone amp built in at the minute. You can find them on eBay (search "zero dac") for £80-ish. To be honest I think it's great -- it gives the £200 Darkvoice a good run for its money anyway. Only noticable difference is the reduced soundstage and slighly increased "veil".

 

[craptakular]

I haven't heard them no, but im sure there good. Im going to another shop on Monday which has the Goldring DR150 @ £70 gonna see if they are really good for the money, still might get them if I think there good value. I mean I dont wanna blow £200 if I dont have too.

If the goldring's are good ill buy them, I learnt today that Grado's are really uncomfortable for me, so the Grado Sr60's are defo ruled out.

I may buy the Goldrings if there good vaule and buy a really good £200ish headphone amp next payday.

 

[C64]

Buy them online and if you don't like them send them back under the distance selling regulations and get a full refund.Which allows you return anything for any reason as long as you put in a request within 7 working days after receiving them.
Why don't you buy senn hd555 and goldring dr150 and send back the ones you don't like ? The point is that with senns you HAVE to buy a £200 amp to make them sound as good as the goldrings.

 

[Hxc]

I would reccomend against spending £200 on an amp for £70 headphones. As good as the phones apparently are, they just won't get the full benefit out of a £200 amp and it'll be a waste of money lest you plan to move up the headphone spectrum to something that really needs amplification.

"sounds better" is a very subjective comment as well, it depends entirely on the person. I prefer my closed A900s over my mates open HD595s, even though technically the HD595s are said to be "better".

 

[craptakular]

What amps are good for £70 cans with a view to getting something in the £200ish mark in a year/18 months?

 

[Mansize_tissue]

You might want to get an amplifier + DAC combo if you end up spending more on headphones down the line.

 

[Hxc]

a good simple DAC/amp combo is great, mine cost £70 and is an AlienDAC combined with an amp I can't remember. Runs off USB and gives crystal clear output and AISO support!

 

[craptakular]

dumb question.

I take delivery of an Asus Xonar D2 next week, will I still need a headphone amp if I got AGK K601/K701 or Senn HD650?

By all accounts the Goldring DR150 doesnt need an amp?

or should I cancel the soundcard and use onbaord audio & buy a swish headphone amp?

 

[Hxc]

If using it purely for the headphones I'd cancel the order and get an dac/amp staright away.

 

[craptakular]

If using it purely for the headphones I'd cancel the order and get an dac/amp staright away.

I either use a SPDIF passthrough to my AV REciever and just wanna use headphones for some added ummp and clarity.


TBH I Think I wanna get back into CD collecting again, not bought music for ages. Basically I want quality headphones for my PC while gaming. Then move them onto my AV receiver for late night film watching. then eventually I wanna buy a good cd player with headphone amp for quality, crystal clear cd listening.

So cancel the card?

 

[Hxc]

Pretty much yeah. A headphone amp running into a desktop/AV amp produces a perfectly acceptable, although not perfect sound, as I run my headphone amp into my desktop amp as I now mainly use my speakers.

 

[james.miller]

Don't know what you have against me recommending a pair of phones that are miles better than hd 600's (unamped) WHICH I HAVE HEARD and sent back within 7 days for a full refund.

read this carefully. * I have nothing against you recommending other headphone. the problem i have is you complaining about other people doing EXACTLY what you are doing. that makes you a hypocrite. *

How on earth do you know what I have and haven't heard WHO do you think you are telling me what I have and haven't heard I owned a pair of cheap 201's ages ago I have moved a long way since owning those, I have tried many cans including grados since then.

because you would have said so.

Personally I think you own only hd555 and have never heard hd650's.
For all you know i may have bought sennheiser hd555 and returned them under the DSR and got goldring dr150 anyway cya enjoy your hd555's.

you are being very childish lol.

 

[Scougar]

Damn.. it's getting as heated in hear as the gfx forum used to be lol.

Chill out guys, re-read what you've each written and step back. Start discussing and stop taking everything personally.

I wouldn't have a flippin' clue what sounded good or not without going through a whole session of decent and cack headphones.

Matthew

 

[james.miller]

i havent taken anything personally. if you're recommending gear, you have to remain as impartial as possible. c64's on record as saying the dr150's are 'miles' better than the hd600's and match the 650's unamped. ok fine, but this is 50ohm 555's were talking about, not hd600's which are deigned with amping in mind. he's complained about people recommending the 555's without hearing anything else. he's doing the same if he hasnt heard the 555's. now, he MAY have heard them but has he ever mentioned it once? here or on av forums? nope. i did ask him if he'd heard them

I said right from the beginning there is no right or wrong as they both sound different. people prefer the dr150's because they are more forward and fun and done need a half decent amplifier or the 555's because they are more laid back and faithful and they respond better to an amp. its a preferential choice you make. C64 is the only person here who is making it personal. Anyway, C64, dont take it personally. im here to give as many alternatives as possible. if your interested in getting other people the best for their money, then you should surely want the same

by the way, the hd600's are 300ohm headphones, like my 650's. the 555's are 50ohm and work better without an amp as far as noise levels go with the dr150's being the lowest at 32ohms.

Very nice. It's always nice when you find a pair of headphones that suit your taste. I personally didn't like the K701s -- too analytical and "reference" for me, I prefer the coloured sound of my HD650s (yes I know Sennheiser call them reference headphones, but they really aren't ).

i would agree with your thoughts on the 650's. they are the right side of reference for me.

 

[craptakular]

So what amps are you guys using for the Hd650?

 

[james.miller]

i dont have a proper amp for mine yet. although my oldskool jvc stereo amp does quite a respectable job of driving them. better than my onkyo 805 anyway. ill be building a headphone amp in the next month or so