Another Headphone Thread

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600's and they sound good and feel comfortable (£150) I also tested at the time Grado Sr225's which sounded slightly better but not so comfortable (£200).

My criteria of listening for long periods meant that I opted for the comfort route.

Tim

I concur re. Sennheiser HD600 and Grado SR225, each of which is quite different in presentation and comfort areas.

If neither suffices, it seems that Stax prices now start at around £270, but that's for the in-ear electrostatic SR-001. I think ordinary supra-aural headphones start at about £395.

The way they work, you have a line level energiser with its own volume pot feeding off the tape loop of your preamp. Then you plug the headphones into the energiser to listen. Since most preamps can drive line level many meters, you can place the energiser on a coffee table next to the sofa (for example) where you can control volume.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Thanks for the offer Penatcostal.

Everyone,

I don't want to seem over thick but what I need then is Senns + Headphone amp, or Cheap Stax which have their own power gizmo? Both these could plug into a tape loop of the pre (which proudly states it can power long cable runs)? So if I need a 7m cable to get from pre to amp or gizmo how much will this cost me (cheapest that's decent) - are headphone cables the same as interconnects? Then I plug the gizamp into the mains and the headphones into the gizamp, and I'm away, with volume control nearby? Excuse my ignorance but I've never bothered with headphones before - all I can see is that none of my amps has anything marked 'headphone socket'.

Alex

If your amp doesn't have a headphone socket, then your solution is one of the following:

An external headphone amp with ordinary headphones like the HD600's or Grados. Naim make an excellent one called the Headline which can be powered by a NAPSC as a minimum and a supercap as a maximum.

There are other headphone amps, but not many (any?) musical ones.

The other alternative solution is a set of Stax headphones with one of their energisers which act as a headphone amp as well as powering the headphones themselves.

In either case, you can drive the headphone amp with long interconnets from the preamp so you can have a short distance between you and the headphone amp which has a volume pot on it. Don't forget the tape loop output isn't controlled by the volume on the amp so you need the volume control to be near you.

Oh yes! One other solution: if your preamp has more than one preamp output for multiple power amp stages, then you could use one of the unused ones instead of the tape loop. The benefit of this is that you could control the volume of the headphones with the volume control of the L100 (which is remote controlled isn't it?). You'd then be able to get away with a short interconnect between headphone amp/energiser and preamp, but if you go Stax, you'll need to order them with long energiser/headphone interconnect. Of course, an extension with Grado and/or HD600s is a piece of cake.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

I agree with the earlier responses that the Grado, Sennheiser, and Stax are excellent options. Others have described the Sennheiser as more comfortable but I find my Grado more comfortable. I have one that rests the weight on top of my head and places no pressure on the ears. You may want to try the options for yourself to find what's most comfortable to you.
I also like the Grado presentation better for my listening. I realize the following comments are far too brief and inappropriate to just characterize in brand-groups but when comparing these three I'd offer the following:
Grados have more drive (noted to have a peak in the 1k hz range) and forward presentation than the Senn.
Sennheisers have a more recessed sound that some call less involving than the Grados.
The Stax, being electrostats, can claim that standard difference of transient clarity, etc. over cone drivers but with the corresponding different sense of bass/etc.

Best of luck and Enjoyment!
Mar

Alex in order to help fund your new listening pleasure I am prepared to give you 300 quid for you speakers.

I prefer decent speakers any ole day.

Stax are interesting so long as you don't mind sharing the experience. Then again they do sound a bit Naim like. New values?

P

You could be one of only four people in the universe who own one of these (how's that for exclusivity!): -

If you beg me enough (and don't mind waiting for me to get my a**e into gear).

Actually I'd be interested in your opinion if you look at other options, I'm sure I could loan you mine, which is uglier, but sounds as good

Frank, thanks for the clarification - I've got the spare output on the L100 but no remote.

Gary, hopefully your cheque's in the post.

Jonathan, I'll go double with you any time (you don't seem to have a wife to swap though).

Andy, Deal! I think it looks beautiful.

Alex

quote:

---

You could be one of only four people in the universe who own one of these (how's that for exclusivity!): -

---

Have Andrew sign it. You'll be the only one in the universe to own a Weekes Signiture Edition.

Hi,

Used to have 600's, sold them after I tried the Etymotics (ER-4s) without a moment's hesitation. I find the Etys very comfortable, and I wear them sometimes for hours on end.
I've used a Musical Fidelity amp, and a Headroom amp, though more often than not I run the Etys straight off my discman (be careful here, though, as almost all current players lack a sufficient amp, so if you want to skip an amp you should consider the ER-4P instead).

Hope I'm not just fueling the confusion. But I found the Sennheiser sound to be about as un-Naim(un-LP12?) as I could get, if that makes any sense at all. Hifi in the most derogatory sense.
They were comfortable, no argument on that count. But the Etys are fundamentally better. And because of the isolation you not only hear less of what's around you, but can also listen at lower (safer) levels.

cheers,

John

If anyone remembers, I bought these from Askdirect.com a few months back based on a quick-fire dem at The Pentecostal's gaff last September using his portable CD player.

I'm very happy with them for their comfort, neutrality and musicality. I don't have a Headline, but I find that the Rega Ear I use does the job just fine.

Regards,

Steve.

Let your ears do the talking, let your remote control do the walking...

I have a very old pair of SR-X Mark 3 phones that are very revealing and also very sensitive to upstream components and source.
I drive them with my NAP110 through the supplied SRD7/SB though I also own a SRA-12S Integrated Amp for the 'phones. It runs very hot and it a bit noisy, but overall a decent way to run them.
The Lambdas of that eara (sorry, couldn't help it)were less revealing but easier on the ear generally.
Have not heard any of the latest revisions, but I wouldn't part with my SR-X Mark 3's!
David

I use a pair of Sennheiser 540 refs, ancient, but still sound good, and I've had the opportunity to listen to them against both the HD600s and Stax.

The 600s are a good deal better than what I have, but the Stax were in a different league.

As mentioned, Richer Sounds were clearing HD600s for just over £100, which is a brilliant price.

However, if you're going to spend several hundred pounds on a headphone amp, I'd recommend you look seriously at a pair of Stax, they are simply awesome.

Alex - I've got the £500 Stax Electrostatics, they are pretty good, but have a listen -- they are a bit loosish in the bass with dance music played loud. Apart from that they are super. I would also say they are a bit round earth in some ways. You are coming here soon anyway and you can have a good listen.

I suspect what the Stax needs is a better power supply for the amp rather than the wall wart thingy - I need to talk to Weekes-man!

Dev

I have decided the best way to solve my headphone dilema is to politely tell the neighbours to 'sod off' and listen to music through the speakers.

Alex

Alex - I am so stupid, I didn't realise that you posted the initial question in March.

Dev-boy

ps. still on for Friday? - I need help!

At this time of the morning?

I'd be ragged!

I'll listen to music via my headphones in a while and let them rock me to sleep.

When I wake up, it'll be the turn of the amps and speakers.

Regards,

Steve.

Let your ears do the talking, let your remote control do the walking...

Alex,
Go go Grahams in Islington and hear the Stax - I listened to the Sennheiser, some others and the Stax, which are in a different league, and as I remember, ended up costing less than the Sennheiser with Headline amp.
The one thing I notice is that they can get warm to wear after a while, but so do clothes in the Spanish summer...
A five minute demo was all it took..

Steve