300-400 pound headphone set up

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I want to give myself a new headphone set-up, i have 300 pounds to spend but if so I can stretch to 400.

Right now i am listening to a sennheiser HD 201 on my iPod classic with apple lossless and I think I can have more detail and depth with a better set up.

So I want to change the headphone to a better one (over-ear), keep the iPod classic as source and maybe add an ipod-transport + headphone amp or a small amp for the iPod.

I listen to pop,rock and classical music and some metal.

Any advice?

 

[idc]

My original set up, which I still have was ipod - Russ Andrews GQ-24 line out dock (LOD) cable to Musical Fidleity X-CANS amp to Grado SR80 headphones. The cable is £50, the headphones £110ish which leaves £140 to search eBay for an X-CANS or X-CANV2.

Your present set up is actually very good as the HD201s are superb, but I am sure with the above you will notice more dynamics, attack, detail, pretty much everything and it will suit your music tastes.

EDIT - I was thinking that the GQ-24 cable has now become very expensive, so here is a much cheaper alternative clicky which will leave you with an extra £40 towards the amp.

 

[eggontoast]

My original set up, which I still have was ipod - Russ Andrews GQ-24 line out dock (LOD) cable to Musical Fidleity X-CANS amp to Grado SR80 headphones.

Grado SR80's are on ear not overear.

 

[Blackdawn]

Look through the headphone amp reviews on the site which are in your range and go for one that best fits your needs. There are not many to look at.

You can upgrade the headphones at a later date. I wouldn't spend too much if your using an ipod.

 

[Anonymous]

I said i want to spend on an amp/dac + headphones so Iam not using my iPod.

Pro-ject had an iPod transport + headphone package, so that's why I was saying I could use the iPod.

Right now I think I want something like:

-Senn HD 650

-AKG 701

-Beyerdynamic DT 880

I will add an amp/usb dac later and use my imac/macbook as source.

 

[eggontoast]

I said i want to spend on an amp/dac + headphones so Iam not using my iPod.

In fairness you did say keep your iPod as a source

Right now I think I want something like:

-Senn HD 650

I would think that HD-600 would be a better match for the music you listen too.

I will add an amp/usb dac later and use my imac/macbook as source.

You could consider the Fiio E7 & E9 combo, that way you could use both the E7 & E9 on the mac with the E7 taking care of the DAC duties and the E9 as the H/P amp. Then you could buy an LOD for the iPod and use the E7 as an external amp for that, that would cover both the mac and iPod as sources with half decent amplification for both.

Fiio also make LOD's, off the top of my head the budget L1 and the higher quality L3.

 

[audioaffair]

Within budget you might be able to get Sennheiser HD600 with Graham Slee Novo which is a great combo.

 

[eggontoast]

Within budget you might be able to get Sennheiser HD600 with Graham Slee Novo which is a great combo.

If he is using a mac a DAC would be needed also.

 

[Trefor Patten]

Take a look at Firestone Audio, you can buy direct or from Russ Andrews website. I would personally spend more on a DAC/Amp than on headphones. I currently use Fubar iV which is excellent with an ageing pair of Sennheisers (650). If my lotto numbers come up I will upgrade to Fubar IV super+supplier+ Sennheiser HD800s running AIFF rips stored on my iMac's upgraded Seagate 2TB drive - that gives about £5k's worth of conventional audio kit a run for it's money, though sadly you can't share it with your friends. I am hoping something which AVI have in the pipeline will do that later this year.

 

[Sizzers]

Not going against the opinion on the Fubar (never heard it, but what amps/phones can you audition?), but all I've read on the E9 makes it a very interesting proposition to me.

I actually ordered one until I came across my used Novo and cancelled the order. Not so sure it was the right decision to be honest, but at £90 the E9 definitely seems worth a punt IMO and may still give it a go for comparisons sake. You can get a really good deal on the E7/E9 combo, but wouldn't like to say if the E7 would be a good choice for the Mac but maybe for the iPod.