• Registered: 2009-04-05
  • Posts: 24

Topic: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

I am not a big headphone user but occasionally I listen to them. I have an old pair of NAD headphone and open back Phillips. I am getting the ADI-2/4 Pro and I wanted something reasonably priced to take advantage of its features. I have a pretty long run from the ADI-2/4 to my seat so I assume the balanced and iem capabilities would help. I like open back so that I am not so isolated


Thanks

  • rawac
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-09-23
  • Posts: 122

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

Please specify quantitatively what reasonably priced means to you. The individual standards for this are extremely individual and different.

Ralf
(ADI-2 Pro FS with ThinkPad Yoga L13, Dynaudio Focus 600 XD or Focal Clear — and a lot of Jazz)

rawac's Website

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,527

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

Sony, sometimes good for a surprise
https://www.thomann.de/de/sony_mdr_mv1.htm

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • From: Milan, Italy
  • Registered: 2012-02-19
  • Posts: 213

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

I've had my Sennheiser HD600s for over fifteen years and still love them. They sound amazing with the Pro 2/4 SE and some minimal EQ. Open back. Long cable. Still available new. Not too expensive. Highly recommended!

https://musicwall.app/hermetech

Babaluma's Website

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,183

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

If you need closed headphones with very good sound quality, try these:
https://www.thomann.de/de/dan_clark_aud … d_back.htm

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

6 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2024-01-02 18:44:57)

  • KaiS
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-02-05
  • Posts: 3,525

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

tbrooke wrote:

I am not a big headphone user but occasionally I listen to them. I have an old pair of NAD headphone and open back Phillips. I am getting the ADI-2/4 Pro and I wanted something reasonably priced to take advantage of its features. I have a pretty long run from the ADI-2/4 to my seat so I assume the balanced and iem capabilities would help. I like open back so that I am not so isolated


Thanks

If your NAD‘s are the on-ear NAD RP-18 model, replace the ear-pads with the AKG-original (no aftermarket) around-ear pads for the AKG K-550 (551, 552, 553), exactly those!

This inexpensive change brings them into the TOTL orthodynamic range, comparable to high $$$ Audeze or Hifiman ‘phones.

Comfort, as a side effect, is lifted 3 notches up too.

KaiS's Website

  • Registered: 2021-12-24
  • Posts: 47

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

tbrooke wrote:

to take advantage of its features.

I suggest to give Grado headphones a try.

I avoided them for 20 years because of their strange sound character when I listened to them in shops and meetings.

But PEQ of ADI-2 DAC gave me courage to buy any weird headphones,
... and voila! I'm addicted to them now.

Of course, the proven classic like HD600 is safe way to go.

  • Steff
  • ADAT user
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2023-06-05
  • Posts: 23

Re: Headphone Recomendation - Not too expensive

I choosed the hifiman edition XS after some comparison to others and it sounds very very good to me with RME.

https://www.thomann.de/de/hifiman_edition_xs.htm