Replacement for my AKG K518LE??

[D-X69]

Hey guys,

Its been a while since I was last active here. Ive had my AKG K518 headphones for 2-3months from now and I gotta be honest, I love the bass, but it can be weary after using it for half an hour or more. I'm looking for a better headphones with heavy-bass(basshead), and very comfortable and non-weary. My budget would be anything below $200. (If you'd think I could spend a lil more on something else, feel free to tell)

P.S.: Oh yeah, when I say I want heavy-bass, I'd not want the clarity to be too poor. I want something that may have the same quality as the Hippo VB IEM. Which the clarity is quite good but not great.

Tim

[CrowdAds]

[IDvsEGO]

does it need to be portable? the Sony XB line is highly regarded and the 700 and 1000 are supposed to be less boomy than the 500. The Phiaton MS400 is well regarded as well. If I were spending that amount of cash though I would be getting a pair of Denon AH-D1100s.


oh...and are you considering selling your AKGs?

[D-X69]

Well, I don't think portability is a problem. If its a really big headphone and if I really need to take it out I'd just put it around my neck.

How would the Denon AH-D1100 compared to my current AKG?

And yes, Im considering selling my AKG cause its too weary. =(

[IDvsEGO]

I don't have first hand experience with the Denon but this review by Head-Fi member ljokerl has me intrigued. Its a big review thread so you have to go down some to see the Denon...

http://www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shoo...1#post_5828504

Build Quality (9/10): The D1100 is fairly large for a portable headphone but remains lightweight due to the plastic and aluminum construction. Aluminum is used in the headband and earcups while the forks and trim are plastic. The D1100 does fold flat and the dual-sided cable is thick and sturdy but it somehow looks and feels less portable than the older D1001k and its sibling, the Creative Aurvana Live!. Still, the construction is very solid and the headphones feel anything but cheap. A very long extension cable and soft carrying pouch are included.

Comfort (9/10): The cups of the D1100 are fully circumaural, some of the deepest I’ve seen on a portable headphone. The pads are plush and very well-made and the moderate clamping force keeps the headphones well-sealed. Heat is an issue for moderate to long listening sessions as the cups are not vented. The wide ‘shoulders’ of the headphones and relatively large size may look strange in portable applications.

Isolation (8.5/10): The thick pleather pads and adjustable structure of the D1100 provide impressive isolation, easily on par with most of the DJ headphones in this lineup.

Sound (8.25/10): There is no getting around it – the D1100 is one for the bassheads. The low end is extremely powerful, enhanced not in depth – which is about average – but in impact and relative emphasis. The bass is on the boomy side, fat and hard-hitting. It remains strong quite high up, above the range occupied by the typical mid-range hump. Many would undoubtedly prefer extra bottom-end extension to such strong upper bass but it is what it is, at least without EQ. It sounds a bit loose next to fast-and-tight sets such as the ATH-ES10, Beyerdynamic DT1350, and Sennheiser HD25-1, all of which are faster and slightly more resolving than the Denons. The bass of the D1100 is not slow but it is heavy enough to be ever-present, sometimes intrusive. It can fatigue, even annoy those who prefer more balanced sound. That said, out of the similarly-priced portables I have on hand only the Klipsch Image One can match the D1100 in bass quantity, but it does so at the expense of speed and clarity. For the discerning basshead, then, the Denons may just be at the top of their game.

Surprisingly, the bass does not bleed up into the midrange too much – enough to give the midrange a characteristic warmth but not so much as to heavily affect the clarity. The midrange still sounds clear, detailed, and reasonably open. It has a smooth, liquid character to it but lacks the veiled warmth and sub-par resolution of the similarly-bassy Image One. In terms of emphasis, the mids sound recessed due to the dominant low end but are not distant in the overall soundscape. The Sennheiser HD25, which undoubtedly has better bass-midrange balance, still fails to sound as intimate as the D1100 can. Part of it comes down the more enveloping soundstage of the D1100 but part of it is due to the mids simply being more lush and full than those of the HD25 and other studio-oriented headphones.

The top end of the Denons is balanced well with the midrange and sufficiently present despite some roll-off at the very top. There is a bit of sparkle at the expense of some smoothness compared to something like the V-Moda M-80 and Phiaton MS400 but all in all the top end isn’t really noteworthy – not full of air and energy a-la HD25-1 and ATH-ES10 and not purposely non-fatiguing like that of the M-80. Tonally, that causes the D1100 to fall slightly on the dark side of neutral – not quite as much as the Klipsch Image One but clearly darker than the HD25 and AKG’s Q460. The presentation of the D1100 is fairly big, giving more front-to-rear and top-to-bottom space than the majority of portable headphones. The sonic space is deeper than it is wide, however, causing the layering to sound exaggerated and the overall sound to be somewhat cavernous. While the depth of the sound and the separation are very good, the derived sonic image isn’t as convincing as with some of the more conventional portables despite the superior layering. Not a great set for pinpoint accuracy, but those seeking a more cinematic experience will probably like the presentation.

Value (8/10). (MSRP: $199.00, Street Price: $199). The Denon AH-D1100 is a fully circumaural portable headphone that follows in the footsteps of the older Denon AH-D1001k/Creative Aurvana Live!. Happily, the construction is far more heavy-duty than that of the CAL! and yet the D1100 has made gains in portability isolation with the new flat-folding design, harder-clamping headband arms, and thicker imitation leather pads. The headphone also remains lightweight and comfortable aside from a tendency to heat up over time. The sound, however, takes a step into basshead heaven even when compared to the already consumer-friendly warm character of the older model. There are sets with deeper bass out there but the D1100 impresses with its punch and power. The low end can be intrusive, even annoying, and analytical listeners will not appreciate it but the D1100 do a good enough job keeping it all coherent and reasonably controlled. It’s an easy one to recommend for bass lovers looking for a go-anywhere near-full-size headphone.

[D-X69]

Nice, but what if I want a full size headphones instead. Not a portable one.

Cause I'd think portable headphones just cant provide enough.

Should I also consider the ath-m50 or Beyerdynamic DT770? They look comfy, and they are rated as basshead full-sized headphones but im not sure about the clarity though.

[IDvsEGO]

these are full size. That thread starter has very loose guidlines for portability. He actually has a review for the ATH-M50 in it as well. They use the same sized drivers the 2 you mentioned (50mm). re-read the build and comfort section...

The D1100 does fold flat and the dual-sided cable is thick and sturdy but it somehow looks and feels less portable than the older D1001k and its sibling, the Creative Aurvana Live!.

The cups of the D1100 are fully circumaural, some of the deepest I’ve seen on a portable headphone. The pads are plush and very well-made and the moderate clamping force keeps the headphones well-sealed. Heat is an issue for moderate to long listening sessions as the cups are not vented. The wide ‘shoulders’ of the headphones and relatively large size may look strange in portable applications.

The M50 has decent bass presence but by a lot of accounts isn't a basshead can. the beyer is regarded as a very good bass oriented can. Honestly all 3 (Denon, Beyer, and AT) would be welcomed into my home if I had the $$. I don't own any of them so keep in mind my opinions are gatherings from what I have read.

[JK98]

How about the Sennheiser HD25 SP2 for $95? That looks like a great value in a high quality compact bassy headphone. The Audio Technica ATH-M50 is loved by many. The Sony XB700 and XB1000 look very interesting, however they are huge. Finding something with velour earpads or changing the earpads to velour ones will greatly increase the comfort and reduce the sweaty ears problem. Many have changed the earpads on the ATH-M50.

The Sennheiser HD380 pro at $145 looks like a great deal!

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-380...4666420&sr=8-1

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...II_On_Ear.html

[IDvsEGO]

the HD25 SP2 is not the same as the HD 25-1 II. both are good headphones by all accounts, but sometimes people get confused and snap up the SP2 thinking they are getting a great deal on the 25-1. There is about $75 difference in price. I couldn't tell you what the difference in sound is, just that plenty of people have made the buying mistake of confusing the 2.

oh, and the Senns are "on-ear" style like the AKGs. I have found I don't really like that style myself. I don't like the clamping on my ear cartilage.

[D-X69]

Originally Posted by IDvsEGO

these are full size. That thread starter has very loose guidlines for portability. He actually has a review for the ATH-M50 in it as well. They use the same sized drivers the 2 you mentioned (50mm). re-read the build and comfort section...

The M50 has decent bass presence but by a lot of accounts isn't a basshead can. the beyer is regarded as a very good bass oriented can. Honestly all 3 (Denon, Beyer, and AT) would be welcomed into my home if I had the $$. I don't own any of them so keep in mind my opinions are gatherings from what I have read.

I'm now tempted to get the D1100. But this is an issue:

Heat is an issue for moderate to long listening sessions as the cups are not vented.

I'd not want heated pads that feel not comfortable after long listening sessions. =(

[The DarkSide]

Heat is an issue with ALL closed full sized cans,...the Denon D1100 is an excellent HP.

[Jack4L]

I would avoid the HD25-1 if you've had discomfort wearing the AKG K81Dj. The HD25 SP on the other hand don't have this problem. As far as sound goes, the HD25 SP's are also more bass focused ten the HD25-1, which have a more forward treble. Finally if sweaty ears is a concern, I would strongly recommend considering a set of on ear headphones versus the larger ones. On ear causes less sweat then a full ear cup, especially on ear sets that sit more lightly on your ears like the Denon D1001k.

Another set of headphones to consider are the AiAiAi TMA-1, they wont have the same kinda treble as the AKG's or Sennheisers but the bass wont disappoint. Overall I've found that if a set of headphones has good clarity, having a recessed treble wont bother me as much as a recessed low end will.

If your ready to carry around the DT770 on the go, sure go for them. They are one of the nicest bass head cans I have tried and I've considered buying them myself on a few occasions. However if your worried about sweaty ears, using these on the go will be like wearing earmuffs.

[IDvsEGO]

As said before, the heat is a factor with all closed cans and is not exclusive to the denon. And everybody is different but my ears got hot faster with the cans on my ears as opposed to around them. Another reason I don't get on-ear sets anymore

[D-X69]

Originally Posted by IDvsEGO

As said before, the heat is a factor with all closed cans and is not exclusive to the denon. And everybody is different but my ears got hot faster with the cans on my ears as opposed to around them. Another reason I don't get on-ear sets anymore

I'm in a dilemma of whether to get the Denon D1100 or the Beyer DT770 Pro.

I've read from lotsa forums the DT770 turns out to be better with sound quality.

[The DarkSide]

Beyer DT770 Pro 80 ohm for the WIN!!!!!!!!!! If you can locate the 32 ohm get it, if you plan on using it w/a portable player unamped. I mean, even the 80 ohm shold be fine, but the 32 ohm IS easier to drive.

[D-X69]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Beyer DT770 Pro 80 ohm for the WIN!!!!!!!!!! If you can locate the 32 ohm get it, if you plan on using it w/a portable player unamped. I mean, even the 80 ohm shold be fine, but the 32 ohm IS easier to drive.

I just got a DT770 80 ohms. And if this may sound stupid, if i may ask? How do i drive headphones? Do i need to get an amp for that? Or do I just play them with my j3? And if so, do I need to play a specific genre of music?

[The DarkSide]

A Cowon J3??????? Just plug & play!!! You'll know if you need an amp, as the volume won't be loud enough. I plan on getting a set of DT770's soon,...I know they really do kick AZZ!!!

[D-X69]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

A Cowon J3??????? Just plug & play!!! You'll know if you need an amp, as the volume won't be loud enough. I plan on getting a set of DT770's soon,...I know they really do kick AZZ!!!

Does playing them means driving them? And does driving them improve the loudness of the phones? I just dont want to get an amp.

[The DarkSide]

Driving means "powering" the headphones. If the J3 "powers" them correctly you DON'T need an amp.

[D-X69]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Driving means "powering" the headphones. If the J3 "powers" them correctly you DON'T need an amp.

Oh f*ck! I realized it doesnt comes with a 3.5mm converter. Id need to get a cheap one off a local store. Does quality of the converter affects the sound quality?