Headphones Advice please, before I spend unwisely!

[admin_exported]

Hi, new to the forums but a mid range hi fi owner. It's a bit lengthy this post but wanted to give you the most background to help your informed suggestions.

Here's the dilemma, I'm not flush for cash but I am rather spoilt in audio terms in that I have worked in broadcasting for years. Expensive tastes but lemonade salary as the saying goes. So while I may spend my day monitoring on Rogers LS3/5a monitors, Spendors and the like - and headphones such as Beyer Dynamic DT150's, Sony MDR-7605 - my home audio set up is considerably more compromised...

I've got an Arcam A65+ amp, just about to upgrade my Marantz CD52 SE to an Arcam CD192 or FMJ36 and a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1's (cos they were small and cheap enough to temporarily replace my Rogers LS6a's with until we got a bigger house). CD upgrade is needed as the Marantz is dying after 17 years of service. I like my audio neutral (hence Arcam as a choice) but current headphones monitoring is a pair of Sennheiser HD25's (primarily used for audio monitoring on location recordings or OB work). Reliable and clean cans but for me just don't provide the soundstage or depth that I'm looking for in relaxed listening at home (on headphones as new baby just about to arrive!).

I can't justify buying a seperate headphones amp (it's another ugly box, according to the other half) unless it's slimline and nigh on invisible.

So, Sennheiser HD650's appeal as do these Grados that everyone talks up so much. I've not had chance to audition and nor will I really get chance. It's a gamble but that's the way it is at the moment.

Can anyone suggest whether these HD650's really need a headphone amp and so would I be wasting money?

Is there anything that is actually a serious upgrade to my HD25's (both comfort and audio) without the need for a headphone amp? Or should I just give up and get one of these Graham slee thingies?

Your thoughts would be incredibly gratefully received.

Eddie.

 

[Anonymous]

The main headphones I use are either Grado60s' £60-£80 or a pair of AlessandroMS1 $99 from the States including postage. I have mentioned on the site many times just how good the Alessandro's are and even volunteered my AlessandroMS1 to the staff to review(still waiting for you to take me up on my offer). If you look through the site you will see that people who own either Grados' or Alessandros' are very happy with these headphones and for the price I don't think there are any better headphones out there at the price of the Grados or Alessandros. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD580's but do not use them any more. Hearing is believing and you will not be disappointed with either of these headphones but my choice would be the AlessandrosMS1s.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this reply....I may be talking out of my hat but suspect that the headphones you mention are probably not likely to be as good as my current Sennheiser HD25's - I've not listened to the ones you've mentioned though so cannot say that with any conviction.

Has anyone else used HD25's and would you be able to give a more like for like comparison? Failing that, would you be able to agree that I am indeed talking out of my hat? I'm keen to really improve on what I have if possible - or else there seems little reason to shell out cash.

Cheers Mahler1 though - perhaps I'll have to have a listen to Grado's...though suspect the 325i's are more likely to provide a decent upgrade on what I've got.

 

[Anonymous]

I would agree that the headphones I mentioned are not likely to be as good as your HD 25's, I would say that they are better, believe me I don't say that lightly but having heard the HD25's and various high end headphones the Grado's and the Alessandro's just have that something special that makes you want to listen to your music through these headphones and that is the best recommendation for any headphone. They take you into the music and enable you to hear considerable more of the music than you heard before, but as I said hearing is believing, try and get hold of either the Grados or Alessandros you will not be dissapointed, also your hat will be happy to be used as a hat.Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Don't even bother with spending any real money without buying an amp. The headphone jacks on any normal amp are a cheap afterthought, and you can't make a cheap signal good with expensive cans.
The Grado SR60's are more than adequate for a normal headphone jack, but buy used from the USA for under £30. This really depends on your total budget. If you could afford a G Slee Solo (forget the PSU power supply to save £150) and the rest on cans, go for it. SR125's are highly regarded if you want the jump from the basement 60's. If not, stretch to the RS1's. I'd read up on headfi if I were you, and look at their classifieds as Grados are the same price in $ as £. But, USA wont sell direct to UK, so you'd need to look used. What is your budget????? Finally, you ought to make a day trip to a dealer to test.

 

[Big Chris]

I also have an Arcam A65+ (Think your jump to a CD192 may be a leap too far for the amp though, What about the CD73T?) and I use it with my Grado SR125s. I love the sound. It's perfectly good enough for me not to get concerned about getting a separate headphone amp. Only thing is they leak like a colander. Makes listening to music while my Wife is watching TV a pain for both of us. Great for solo late-night listening though.

 

[Anonymous]

Some great replies with useful advice so thanks guys who have replied. I've been sifting through some other bits of topics around headphones on these and other forums and Grado and Allessandro keep on popping up as suggestions.

Also thanks to Big Chris for his points on the arcam cd192.

CD player, although off topic, is to be a long term purchase so that I can upgrade the amp in the next couple of years and match it better to the CD source. I had thought of the FMJ36 (at the current prices of £699 an absolute steal) but perhaps I'll just plump for the CD192 and save myself £200 which will buy me a decent set of headphones.

I'm quite suprised that £100 is all people suggest on spending on headphones without a dedicated headphone amp. I suspect a visit to a hi fi dealer may be on the cards then for me.

Does the Graham Slee Voyager amp standy up to testing as a neat, small and tidy solution or is it worth sticking with a proper box amp unit like the solo or Musical Fidelity?

And is there anyone who does like the HD650's over the Grados? Is this why the 650's can be found for sub £200?

Cheers, Edwin.

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Eddie G"]is there anyone who does like the HD650's over the Grados[/quote]

Me, for what worth - though more to do with comfort than anything - I can't wear a pair of Grados without wanting to claw my ears off. If you like the 'studio' sound that the HD25s give you, and I am surmising you do, I'd stick with the 650s - very comfortable, similar sounding (though this was from memory since I didn't have HD25s with me).

 

[Anonymous]

John, thanks for that - I've tried to supply as much of my listening tastes so give a view of how I like my music to sound. I suspect, having looked at HeadFi, that I ought to buy an amp and try that with my HD25's to see if the sound opens up some more and then think about even more expensive headphones.

And I've just seen that the Arcam chaps are bringing out a FMJ CD17 player which will be in my price range...and that's a entirely new supertest....CD73 v CD192 v FMJ CD17..I suspect that buying a CD192 before hearing about the FMJ CD17 may be a silly thing to do....

Hmmmmmm.....

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Eddie G"]I suspect, having looked at HeadFi, that I ought to buy an amp and try that with
my HD25's to see if the sound opens up some more and then think about even more
expensive headphones. [/quote]

Good point, actually, since I find the HD25s really very good. A half-decent hifi shop will lend you a headphone amp to try (subject to deposits and stuff) - do you have any near you?

 

[Anonymous]

In the city only have Superfi as a hifi shop which is fairly reasonable but bet they don't have any headphone amps to try. It's a case of finding some stockists now and taking it from there....

Thanks to everyone who posted replies to me on this forum. It's been illuminating!

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

According to their website Superfi stock Pro-Ject and Creek headphone amps

 

[matts]

for the most part, every pair of headphones would benefit form an amp, even cheap stuff. I run my HD25-1's with and without an amp. The same goes for my HD650's. In comparison to grado's, the HD 25-1's are very forward presenting, similar to the Grado sound signature.

My advice is always the same when it comes to the HD650's: I'd rather have the HD650's without an amp, than be without my 650's. Buy the 650's first, worry about getting the amp later. Isn't that the essence and beauty of buying separates?

 

[Anonymous]

See, that's the kind of advice I like, although it does tempt me to start parting with cash to get (yet) another pair of headphones. Like most of you guys (I suspect)I I want my HiFi to move me, to transport me into the recording. That moment when you hit the sweet spot in the stereo image, the music takes over and the world melts away. Lower quality speakers/amps/cd players just don't do that - I'm really struggling to bond with my wharfedale diamond 9.1's for that reason. As I rarely get to listen to music on speakers I bought 'em as a neat way of having music in the lounge. I want the headphones to give me back that emotional response and the HD25's are just not quite providing it.

There's a hifi shop in a village about ten miles from me that's a graham slee stockist and so I'm hoping they'll have both the amp and the 'phones for me to try out....and then perhaps shell out....

 

[Anonymous]

I'm a big fan of Grado headphones. I have a pair of Grado SR325i and they really do sound incredible. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD650's and I would pick up the Grado's any day of the week. The Sennheiser's are so smooth and silky that they take the life out of the music (in my opionion). Grado's have a really up front sound that I like very much.

I also have a Graham Slee Solo and have to say it brings out the best in both the Grado SR325i's and the Sennheiser HD650's.

 

[Anonymous]

What model HD25 do you have? If its the 25-1, then the cable is steel not copper and everything sounds a little bit "forced" and not wholly natural. A great basic upgrade is to swap the steel cable with HD650 spare cable (<£20) and a grado 6.3 to 3.5 adapter (£12).

I'm listening to my HD25s now via Slee Voyager and its pretty engaging. I also enjoy very enjoy HD650 and RS-1 via Slee Solo... choice of cans varies according to mood but live rock and female vocals are great on the RS-1, HD650 for classical, r&b though YMMV

For £30ish + cost of amp I think you'd probably be emotionally engaged by HD25 with lots of popular music (maybe not classical). HD25 isolation also v.handy when kids/TV are around...

Happy hunting

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the posts guys.....actually, mine are HD25-1's I believe and they are the standard hifi 70ohm version and not the 600ohm broadcast versions. The upfront - almost compressed sound - is what I find fatigueing and so if a different cable can calm it down a little I'd give that a whirl. Again, knowing that with the Graham Slee stuff the sound is sweetened then also handy. I've found a stockist nearby and I'm hoping to take my HD25's down to demo with the amp...with a bit of luck they'll carry stock of the HD650's too. The Grado range sound too lively for my personal tastes but I'll try and demo them too if I can....

Are the HD650 spare cables easy to come by and a direct replacement?

And you're right about the isolation...the HD25's are so sound enclosing that only a lowish ouput renders you completely locked away from the rest of the world......or the wife.....delete as applicable.

Cheers...

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, I would definetly get a Headphone Amplifier. Headamp.com , is a great place to start looking I have the Gilmore Lite and it's just great , it's not that expensive either but be prepared to wait about a Month for it as they are hand built, and I would also consider the Alessandro Headphones as well. Theres a pair on e-bay at the momment to. Best of luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Eddie, would be great if you'd let us know the outcome

. James.

 

[Anonymous]

I shall, but it'll be a little delayed as I'm expecting the arrival of my first born child in the very near future..

Once again, thanks to all concerned who have kindly posted comments and suggestions here.

E

 

[Anonymous]

Congratulations & Good luck, It'll be wonderful... closed back becomes a more attractive feature once children start running around with limitless energy