Need Good Headphones(Siberia V2 Vs HD555 Vs AD700 Vs Grado Sr80i Vs Megadolon)

[jamil]

Hey guys,
Its been a LONG time since i posted on erodov. So, First of all How are all of you?

There you have it, enough with the cute talk, business beckons. xP

So, i had the phillips shp2500 for quite some time now, and i broke them at about SIX<6> different places, not that i am abusive, but the build quality really doesnt hold. The ergonomics were pretty nice, but again the build quality spoiled my day.
Now, there is really something i have to mention here-
****1.The volume- The 2500 @ 750 rs really have good sound reproduction. Only if you can hear it. The thing is, i have onboard audio(rlc88+srs) and the volume the 2500's give me is terrible. It is really distracting and annoying while watching movies and listening to music. But during games, it really is ok, the sound has a certain crispness and tight bass. So now you know one of the things i prefer.*****

Continuing with the story, i got sennheiser's HD202's as a gift. They are awesome. Really. The bass is exactly spot on and the volume and density of the sound is really rich. The problem with them is that they are a bit uncomfy. I prefer more ear coverage. So, circumaural is the way to go.
Again i mention, My PC's onboard audio handles them fairly well, atleast i can hear stuff. During games, the volume becomes unbearable, and i have to lower it. But while vids and music, on the pc, i am somewhat left craving for more.

Now comes the major part. I have an E-72 now, which is a really awesome phone. It takes REAL advantage of everything the 202 has to offer. The bass is rich, the mids crisp and the highs orgasmic.
I listen to music mainly on the E72, and i prefer it that way. The 2500 fair better on the phone than on the pc, and i really dont care now, since the 202's are the primary.

So here comes the criteria-
1. Music- Mozart-like classical + House.
2. Movies- the whole bunch.
3. Games- it really doesnt matter here, as long as the Music part is handled, this is a piece of cake.

And here is the confusion-
1. I have to Upgrade to more comfortable cans. circumaural is first priority.
2. I dont really have the money for buying an amp. So its gotta perform well (atleast loud enough) on both my PC and my phone.
The pc is avoidable, since i'll prolly be ditching it for a laptop or a PC with a soundcard. The phone is the real priority. I can tell you that it handles the 202's very gracefully.
3. The open/closed thing really doesnt bother me much.

Based on the Thread name, i presented you with the options i shortlisted. I know its a weird list, but it started with the megadolon, which is NOT for anything else except PC. So its out of the question unless there's a workaround.
The sr80's are not circumaural but have nearly the best sound.
The AD700's i have no idea about.
The Hd555 i am not sure if my PC or my future laptop can drive them well enough. Other wise, they are the best option, and i am probably gonna buy these.
The siberia V2, i am confident about, just that they really dont provide that level of comfort and "audiophile-ness".

Please, gods of audio, tell me, How important is it to get an amp?
What do the HD555/AD700's sound like, au naturele??

Pls feel free to correct and suggest me better stuff.

~~~~EDIT-
Just saw the HD558's, and read they are a major improvement over The 555's.
How abt 558 + a fiio e5?
Should be barely affordable?
Also, can anyone tell/suggest me places to buy this stuff?

[MOZ]

I have Siberia V1, and they are extremely light and I find them perfect for my ears.

[Xeo]

Considering your options, I have heard the HD555's and incidentally used it to hear classical and truth be told, I found it to be awesome, if you are looking for HD202-like bass you might want to look towards M50, but HD555 specializes in sound-stage and mids.

[thebanik]

AD700 are very easy to drive and can be easily run on Laptop/PC as well as Mobile, just that the big size of the HP would mean, you cannot use it outside(can use but will look silly).
HD555 would be a good option but are harder to drive than atleast the AD700.
No idea about the SR80, but do not even consider Siberia and Megadolon (I have both, and its good only for people who havent heard anything better, )

[MOZ]

Originally Posted by thebanik I have both, and its good only for people who havent heard anything better

Well as long as I am happy, then no problemo.

[thebanik]

Originally Posted by MOZ Well as long as I am happy, then no problemo.

Ofcourse, You have not even mentioned Sound Quality but just comfort-ability, and my comment was not at all targeted to you,

[dexbg]

Budget budget ??

You have suggested a very wide price range.

HD555 can be easily driven with your basic/on-board Audio chipset.

?? SR80i ?? AD700 > M50 > HD555 > Siberia V2 > Megadolon
 

Originally Posted by jamil that level of comfort and "audiophile-ness".

Forget audiophile-ness .. its just a label .. just pick something that you enjoy and suits your listening preferences..

[MOZ]

Originally Posted by dexterboygenius Forget audiophile-ness .. its just a label .. just pick something that you enjoy and suits your listening preferences..

Wise man's words.

[jamil]

Guys, Thanks for the responses.
The HD558'8 really improve over the AD700's and the HD555's. Google it. It has an improved soundstage and what not, but looser bass.

Sr80i is actually quite in the price range, they are available at lynx for 7000-ish. But, they arent circumaural and i have no idea how much power is needed to drive them properly.

I have basically included the siberia and the megadolon coz they are more "consumer" headsets, and not exotic. That means, i will have a better probability of being satisfied by them, as they target a MUCH wider audience. Plus (somewhat a minus too) the megadolon has the fancy maelstrom.

The AD700's are easier to drive? I dont know about that, but a few years back when i was researching DAC's and amps, i found that ppl usually compared their AD700's and they said that non-amp performance was jack.

The last thing is, i really dont have the money to buy a good DAC/amp, i'll be holding off on that purchase for abt an year. I can maybe fit an e5 into my budget, so would it be worth it? will it cause a difference that is noticeable? will it be enough?

[jamil]

Bump? i dont even know if this is valid.

[BULLZI]

^

Get the AD700 along with Fiio E5 amplifier and you are good to go.