Sennheiser Hd 215 upgrade

[admin_exported]

Hi guys,

I've been a lurker here for a while now but thought I'd finally register as I've a specific question to ask.

I'm looking for a set of headphones for home use only - so not bothered about sound leakage, bulkiness etc. (in fact I'd prefer an over the ears set for comfort).

Here's my question: I already have pair of Sennheiser Hd 215's which have done me fine for a few years now. I'm keen to get a better sound and am wondering how much I'd have to spend for a noticeable upgrade plus any recommendations that you guys might have?

Thanks in advance.

 

[darrenconnor4]

Well I suppose whether or not you'll see a noticeable upgrade depends on how much you want to spend. Don't mean to be awkward. There's no doubt the headphones you already have are great but obviously you can alway get better. A good starting point might be to check out the Grado SR80i, which are one of the most highly rated low budget "audiophile" headphones. They can be found on Amazon ATM for £119 or can be had for an absolute bargain price of £60-£80 on a well known auction site.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. Should have mentioned my budget in my first post. I'd say a maximum of maybe £250-300. What sort of price range do you start to hear a difference?

Cheers.

 

[quadpatch]

I think it can depend a lot on personal taste. You might find a noticable improvement for the same money, equally you might find no difference at a pair of headphones at 2 or 3 times the cost. Saying that I think it's a good chance you will find something pretty special for that kind of money. It's very useful to find a place you can test them.

We might be able to help you better if you let us know what you think of different bass presentations? Do you like deep kicking bass or prefer less of that and more detail down the low end?

Also what kind of equipment are you running them from? If it's from a computer do you have a DAC / headphone amplifier? For that money you could splash on the classic Sennheiser HD650 or you could save a bit to factor in some other equipment too.

 

[Anonymous]

.... check out the Grado SR80i, which are one of the most highly rated low budget "audiophile" headphones.....

The Grado SR80is are a good headphone provided you don't mind the very poor build quality and appalling value for money if purchased in the UK at the RRP.

An improved version of the SR80i is manufactured by Grado and sold through and marketed by Alessandro and these are much more sensibly priced at $109 plus $15 shipping to the UK. Check out their site for more info.

http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

 

[darrenconnor4]

I have to agree, I've got the 325 and I feel like they're going to break any time and the cables twist so easily....but the sound is truly fantastic. It's so lively it can bring any song to life! However, my AKG K701s are probably my face headphones. Even though they are bigger than the sun, they make my ears smile.