good amp for Senn. HD 280 Pro's

[anniversary car 0]

Hello im new here and own a pair oh Sennheiser hd 280 pros. I thought i wanted to upgrade to the hd 555 or 595's but did not want to spend quite that much now for headphones. So I did a lil research and found out to get a louder, better sound an amp might be in store so im here asking, what amp might be good for the 280's that give them clearer louder sound at a good price? Also if this help my primary use with my phones is an mp3 player and occasional use on a home stereo. Also what are other headphones to compare to the 555 or 595 that are from a different manufacturer? Or is it just best to stick with sennheiser? Thank you

[gene83 0]

what kind of budget are you looking at?

also, what mp3 player are you using?

 

PS: i think this should either be in the home equipment or portable audio forum.

Edited November 18, 2007 by gene83

[sHaRkKaE 0]

I own a pair of HD 280s myself. Find the sound from a Xtra not bad.

[swmaxxx 0]

Take a look at the Gilmore Lite. It is a very nice headphone amp that you will really enjoy. I just wish they still had it in black.

[Duggeh 0]

There is no amp in the world that is going to make the HD280 sound good. They are awful headphones. I've built better ones out of coathanders and sellotape.

 

Spend the money on a better pair. Some nice Ergo 2s for example. Easy to drive and don't sound like mud filtered through sand.

Edited November 25, 2007 by Duggeh

[chintimin 0]

Honestly? So, senn hd280s go for 60-70$. which is good - they're pretty decent, if "unmusical" compared to any higher-end headphones. good detail for a closed-back headphone, get pretty punchy bass out of even an mp3 phone. But as for amps? Well, a couple things. one, headphone amps are usually needed more for headphones that need a LOT of power. There's a few ways you can tell if your headphones need more than you're giving them: if they're really quiet, if the volume changes in a way that's inconsistent with the source signal, or if some frequencies you just can't hear. Now, some headphones really DO blossom out and start having less "flabby" or "bloated" bass, better response speeds (you heard me, speeds) on notes - but the 280s, while fun, don't really demand much. If your source really is super-weak, they might have issues? But something as small as one of the 1st gen ipod shuffles can make those sing with surprising force and clarity. If you're still feeling like you need to amp your source, keep your amp shopping proportionate to the phones: I'd recommend buying a CMOY off Ebay or a FiiO E5. price range on those is from 15-30, the cmoy being a sloppier box, physically, but louder and sometimes cleaner than the more compact E5. hope this has been helpful. Going to make another post about headphone selections after this.

[chintimin 0]

Now, as for headphones, I'd point out a couple things. One, check Amazon for the HD-555s- they're STUPID cheap right now. If you want what audiophiles would call a more "revealing" headphone, you should give the Grado SR-60is a try - they're much better at providing clear, undistorted detail, and not mushing different sounds together like the muddier 280s. If you're a fan of the heavier bass sound of the HD-280s, you'll prolly need an amp to make the Grados or other open-backed headphones provide the same level of punch, if at all. the CMOY I mentioned before, while not a super-amazing amp, provides startling power at a very reasonable price. It's a good item to use to see if a pair of headphones NEEDS an amp. Now, if you want another closed-back pair of headphones, you could give the Bose Tri-Port Around Ear Headphones a try, they're pretty good, and not a lot more expensive. For around 120, you can pick up a pair of used Beyerdynamic DT-770s, which will provide much better detail and heavier bass, with a great deal less distortion. Hell, you can buy mine for 110$ and shipping, if you want.

 

Also, Duggeh? What the hell are you doing here, go back to head-fi.