Help me decide

PapaLazaru

PapaLazaru

PapaLazaru

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So I feel that I am quite clued up about headphones. I have never spent what I class to be a lot of money on audio gear, preferring to buy what is deemed as good value. My budget has now changed and I am looking for something to keep me satisfied for a few years.

I have owned the original Creative Aurvana Live's & Panasonic RP-HTF600E-S (both excellent but gone to other good homes) after coming from a whole plethora of gaming headsets (when I was not wise) which were ok for gaming and crap for music as I wanted an all in one package. I used a Speedlink SPES mic when I moved into 'proper' headphones. The mic element is now not needed as I am now too old to game with any competitiveness. I'm a lone wolf.

I currently own some Aurvana 2's and some Klipsch Image ONE (II) (for out and about, plus some decent IEM's) and I recently bought some AKG Q701's which unfortunately did not work out. The sound that they produce I find is exceptional, apart from the rattling driver, but that is another story.

I game a little and listen to a lot of music through Spotify Premium and I am looking for something to make me happy and curb this desire to keep going higher in spend.

For me, after listening to the Q701's, I want something with the detail that they provide but also something that is a little more 'fun'.

Pure flat response is a great thing but I really want something a bit more lively, something to enlighten what I listen to (if that makes sense).

I have an Arcam rPAC at the moment and also found that I could max the volume with the Q701's easily and not get the oomph I can with the other headphones that I own. I don't really want to replace that as well, though have been mulling over getting another headphone amp and running it from the RCA outputs.

Anyway, I have been eyeing up the Fidelio X2, Senn 600, Soundmagic HP200 and the AKG K702 (which goes against everything I have typed above).

What should one do? I have the cash to spend, but need to get rid of this feeling that I need more.
 
You won't get Q701 detail in more musical headphone. When you add warmth and fullness you will be moving away from those detailed monsters.

If you are considering the HD600 then go for the 650. I don't care what anyone says, the upgrade to a well amped HD650 is probably 5 x the cost or more and you lose out on the magic it provids. When speaking about it's mids, there is no upgrade It's not as airy as the HD600 but it's a better driver in every other way.

No matter what I compare these to, they just have something other HPs don't. I don't see the need for expensive gear when you can just get these and a nice tube amp and you have a flagship.
 
Put it this way, if I had to sell my open port AKG K702s I would, grudgingly but you'd have to pry my HD650s out of my cold dead hands :D

Maybe the AKG K712 would be a happy medium?
 
I can't say as I don't have the K712 to compare with but just doing the port mod to the K702 makes a big difference and once done, they certainly can't be described as bass light.
 
If you don't want pure flat response then the 650s are much better in that regard than the 600s (coming from someone who purposefully chooses the 600s over the 650s).

Not sure either are for you though - sounds like you want something that is moderately bright with a little bit of a gimmicky bass implementation to liven things up a bit - unfortunately a bit out of my range of experience to really be able to recommend something.
 
Rroff said:
If you don't want pure flat response then the 650s are much better in that regard than the 600s (coming from someone who purposefully chooses the 600s over the 650s).

Not sure either are for you though - sounds like you want something that is moderately bright with a little bit of a gimmicky bass implementation to liven things up a bit - unfortunately a bit out of my range of experience to really be able to recommend something.
Click to expand...

Well, kind of. It is the reason why the X2's seem the most appealing.

K702 with bass port mod might be what I go for as I do believe that I will need a semi decent amp to power them properly.

Problem with the X2's is the wildly fluctuating price. Philips website have been sold out for weeks at £229 and I do have a 35% code which will make them a steal. On Amazon they have from from £180 to £300 unless than two months!
 
Gimmicky isn't really the right word there but I can't think of something more suitable off the top of my head :S
 
650 over the K712. The K712 is better at imaging and soundstage. On basic amps the K712 is technically better in that aspect but the 650 with a tube amp is some next level Schiit.

The K712 sound dry but with some warmth. The X2 is similar
They have a mid range that is a little wonky up top so vocals don't sound smooth. The HD650 breaths vocals like they are coming from a person.

People, including myself have wasted 1000's on headphones and the 650 is the only one that makes me feel such emotion on this level.

The X2 is decent, bit tizzy up top and is not on the HD650's level. It's not as bass heavy as many say.

The 600 is an option but it sounds like it has revolving problems compared to the 650. Parts sound blurred like it can't separate and articulate as well as the 650. They are slightly different signatures.
 
So the 650 would be the be the one to go for and I am, for the moment, going to discount the X2's (which are the ones I was most keen on).

Has anybody tried the SoundMagic HP200's? Can pick these up for £130.00 and a lot of reviews do compare them to the 650's, though I have no doubt they are not going to as good.

I know sound is all up to the individual but reviews like this (where he is using my DAC) are really making me consider them.

http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/soundmagic-hp200-review.html

I just can't make my stupid mind up.
 
What about NAD Viso HP50. Sevenoaks Sound and Vision have one last used pair on eBay for £139. They're £230 new. Something to muddy the waters even further. :p
 
from the OP...

For me, after listening to the Q701's, I want something with the detail that they provide but also something that is a little more 'fun'.

Pure flat response is a great thing but I really want something a bit more lively, something to enlighten what I listen to (if that makes sense).
Click to expand...

If that is the case then the HD650, HD600 and Viso HP50 are the opposite of what you are looking for. These are all very smooth with a focus on lush and creamy mids, so superb for vocals, while you say you want something with detailed upper mids & highs and a bit of grunt and thud in the lower end and that in no way describes the Senns or NADs (snigger :D ).

I still think the AKG K712 is worth a listen or if you want to spend less, the K702 and rip those sticky pads off.

In my case I went for the HD650 and the K702 so I can use whichever one takes my fancy. :)
 
Just ordered the SoundMagic HP200's. :o

I have considered all your advice and many thanks for all of it, but from reading the reviews online I think they are what I am looking for as are regularly compared to the HD650's and seem to be able to hold a candle to them for only half the price. And I like doing silly things and even reading my OP I still don't exactly know what I want. They seem to be good all-rounders, I know they will work fine with my DAC and they have a good bass kick.

The price from HK is good enough that if I do not like them, I reckon I will be able to pass them on for only a small loss, as they retail for £220.00 on the major websites and I have just paid £130.00.

My issue with AKG's is that I found that my DAC did not give them enough oomph. I cannot turn the volume up to the maximum with my Creative's or the Klipsh headphones as it is too loud, but the Q701's did not go loud enough. This give me wiggle room for a dedicated headphone amp as I can use the RCA connectors on my DAC to the amp if needed.

I will, of course, review them when they turn up in about three weeks ad I may well end up with the K702's if they are not to my satisfaction. :D
 
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Ryanr1987 said:
HP200? They are a different signature to the HD650.
Click to expand...

They seem to get compared quite regularly on the reviews I have read. Like I said, I have got them cheap enough and I like what I have read and without buying all of them I will never know and I am not going to start as I can't afford it! I'll see if I like them when they turn up. It's part of the fun is it not? :D
 
The HP200 is quite a bit leaner and entry level sounding. You may like it. I just don't want to bull**** you and tell you they sound like the Senns.

See how you get on dude and report back.
 
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