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jog3004 · 12-08-2011, 09:58 AM

Hi, hoping to receive some headphone recommendations. I have a graham slee novo amp sourced by Cyrus cd8se. I have been using my b&w p5 to listen, but now ready to purchase dedicated hifi cans. I have upto £350 to spend, alittle more if necessary. I have short listed Grado sr325is, sennheiser hd650 & beyerdynamics 880s. I listen to mainly heavy metal. I'm struggling to find a stockist who 1. Stocks all above & 2. Stock cans above £200 due to current economical situation. My concerns are that the Grados will be a little too bright & fatiguing, the sennheisers too laid back ( I've owned sennheisers many years ago ( can't remember model) & as detailed as they were, lacked sparkle) & finally the beyers, which I have no idea how they sound but was told that they will fall somewhere between the grado & sennheisers. I want a pair with open detail sound but also can get my foot tapping to the music. Hope someone can help.

dalethorn · 12-08-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jog3004

Hi, hoping to receive some headphone recommendations. I have a graham slee novo amp sourced by Cyrus cd8se. I have been using my b&w p5 to listen, but now ready to purchase dedicated hifi cans. I have upto £350 to spend, alittle more if necessary. I have short listed Grado sr325is, sennheiser hd650 & beyerdynamics 880s. I listen to mainly heavy metal. I'm struggling to find a stockist who 1. Stocks all above & 2. Stock cans above £200 due to current economical situation. My concerns are that the Grados will be a little too bright & fatiguing, the sennheisers too laid back ( I've owned sennheisers many years ago ( can't remember model) & as detailed as they were, lacked sparkle) & finally the beyers, which I have no idea how they sound but was told that they will fall somewhere between the grado & sennheisers. I want a pair with open detail sound but also can get my foot tapping to the music. Hope someone can help.

The Shure 940 will give you the neutral uncolored sound like the B&W P5, but with resolution and detail like the Sennheiser 800. Seriously. The Grado PS-500 costs more than the 325, but has much better sound. Still a little bright and forward, still a small upper bass hump, but very good for Grado. HD-650 is well below the Shure 940 in fidelity. Beyer 880 model I do not know.

jog3004 · 12-09-2011, 06:13 AM

Cheers Dalethorn, I've added these to short list, & seem to have mixed opinions, some agree & love the Shure, others don't. I suppose that comes down to individual hearing perception. I've raked the sennheiser & beyers off the short list, but added the AKG Q701, along with the shure & grado 315is. I am still a little concerned about the latter relating to possible over bright sound, especially with my Cyrus CD8SE, which can also be forward in sound. I did find the Q701s for £170 in USA, but when lightly customs get their hands on them, they would no doubt add all taxes to them, making the no cheaper than in UK. Anymore advice would be appreciated, I'm beginning to think that Dalethorn is the only other member of this forum (lol)

dalethorn · 12-09-2011, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jog3004

Cheers Dalethorn, I've added these to short list, & seem to have mixed opinions, some agree & love the Shure, others don't. I suppose that comes down to individual hearing perception. I've raked the sennheiser & beyers off the short list, but added the AKG Q701, along with the shure & grado 315is. I am still a little concerned about the latter relating to possible over bright sound, especially with my Cyrus CD8SE, which can also be forward in sound. I did find the Q701s for £170 in USA, but when lightly customs get their hands on them, they would no doubt add all taxes to them, making the no cheaper than in UK. Anymore advice would be appreciated, I'm beginning to think that Dalethorn is the only other member of this forum (lol)

That's funny about being the only member. There are others, but they're shy most of the time. I don't know that I necessarily recommend the Shure since I don't use it a great deal, but I mentioned it because it has a signature quite a bit like the B&W, but more detailed.

Come to think of it, the K701 should sound the same as the Q701 or very close, and there should be a lot of those locally that could be gotten much cheaper. When it comes to Grado, the PS-500 is within my acceptable range for brightness and so on, which I think some of the other Grados are not, but the price is pretty high since they're made in the U.S., in New York City where rent is $100 USD per square foot.

jog3004 · 12-09-2011, 12:45 PM

I think then that I may disqualify the shures. As much as I like my p5 & think they are amazing with iPod et al, I'm not as keen on them through my hifi, where I find them too bright sounding, especially with some CDs where I have to stop listening after a couple of songs. I must confess that I am beginning to lean towards the AKGs, which, if my understanding of what people have said, has better bass punch than the Grados & is not quite as bright either. Just a shame that I can't find anywhere to borrow & audition.

12-08-2011, 09:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
jog3004 Headphone Newbie Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Headphone advice Hi, hoping to receive some headphone recommendations. I have a graham slee novo amp sourced by Cyrus cd8se. I have been using my b&w p5 to listen, but now ready to purchase dedicated hifi cans. I have upto £350 to spend, alittle more if necessary. I have short listed Grado sr325is, sennheiser hd650 & beyerdynamics 880s. I listen to mainly heavy metal. I'm struggling to find a stockist who 1. Stocks all above & 2. Stock cans above £200 due to current economical situation. My concerns are that the Grados will be a little too bright & fatiguing, the sennheisers too laid back ( I've owned sennheisers many years ago ( can't remember model) & as detailed as they were, lacked sparkle) & finally the beyers, which I have no idea how they sound but was told that they will fall somewhere between the grado & sennheisers. I want a pair with open detail sound but also can get my foot tapping to the music. Hope someone can help.

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12-09-2011, 06:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
jog3004 Headphone Newbie Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Cheers Dalethorn, I've added these to short list, & seem to have mixed opinions, some agree & love the Shure, others don't. I suppose that comes down to individual hearing perception. I've raked the sennheiser & beyers off the short list, but added the AKG Q701, along with the shure & grado 315is. I am still a little concerned about the latter relating to possible over bright sound, especially with my Cyrus CD8SE, which can also be forward in sound. I did find the Q701s for £170 in USA, but when lightly customs get their hands on them, they would no doubt add all taxes to them, making the no cheaper than in UK. Anymore advice would be appreciated, I'm beginning to think that Dalethorn is the only other member of this forum (lol)

12-09-2011, 12:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
jog3004 Headphone Newbie Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I think then that I may disqualify the shures. As much as I like my p5 & think they are amazing with iPod et al, I'm not as keen on them through my hifi, where I find them too bright sounding, especially with some CDs where I have to stop listening after a couple of songs. I must confess that I am beginning to lean towards the AKGs, which, if my understanding of what people have said, has better bass punch than the Grados & is not quite as bright either. Just a shame that I can't find anywhere to borrow & audition.