Upgrade? Or call it good?

I have several pair of 'better' headphones and also have the 240s. I still use them for small scale classical, string ensembles, solo violin or cello and such. I also really like them for laid back female vocals such as Eva Cassidy.

Having said that, for someone that appreciates dynamics and scale, there are many others that I prefer.

My favorite for classical and acoustic jazz are the Q701s. They are similar to the 240s but do pretty much everything better except for super fine texture details.

I also really like the Sennheiser 598s and my slightly modified 518s. They do well on pretty much everything and would likely be the single pair that I'd keep. The 600/650s are also awesome at a higher price point though they really need an amp to do their best work whereas the 518s and 598s sound great with my Zune, Sony and Galaxy phone.

At a fairly low price, the Philips 9500s are pretty amazing. Similar to the AKGs but more bass and a bit less refinement. They also sound a bit fuller overall. Crazy good for the money.

Then come great headphones with appreciably more bottom end, the Beyer 880s. The 770s and 990s have a lot more top end. I'd call it harshness though not all agree. These are my choice for Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Bela Fleck... things with lots of bottom end. Flight of The Cosmic Hippo and Morph The Cat can be super fun with the 880s.

Lots of overlap here. All these are really nice headphones, just different strengths.
 
I have several pair of 'better' headphones and also have the 240s. I still use them for small scale classical, string ensembles, solo violin or cello and such. I also really like them for laid back female vocals such as Eva Cassidy.

Having said that, for someone that appreciates dynamics and scale, there are many others that I prefer.

My favorite for classical and acoustic jazz are the Q701s. They are similar to the 240s but do pretty much everything better except for super fine texture details.

I also really like the Sennheiser 598s and my slightly modified 518s. They do well on pretty much everything and would likely be the single pair that I'd keep. The 600/650s are also awesome at a higher price point though they really need an amp to do their best work whereas the 518s and 598s sound great with my Zune, Sony and Galaxy phone.

At a fairly low price, the Philips 9500s are pretty amazing. Similar to the AKGs but more bass and a bit less refinement. They also sound a bit fuller overall. Crazy good for the money.

Then come great headphones with appreciably more bottom end, the Beyer 880s. The 770s and 990s have a lot more top end. I'd call it harshness though not all agree. These are my choice for Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Bela Fleck... things with lots of bottom end. Flight of The Cosmic Hippo and Morph The Cat can be super fun with the 880s.

Lots of overlap here. All these are really nice headphones, just different strengths.

Morph the Cat is one of my go-to bass-checkers. Very convenient because first track starts off (and continues) with its great bass line. Just press play and you're checking.

Also, to clarify... my intent is to use the Magni 2 Uber as my headphone amp. Phones that are really circumaural, not squeezing ears, is my preference. No IEMs considered.


Shortlist:


Beyer DT-880
Sennheiser 650
AKG Q701 (K701?)
HE-400i



Anyone want to add to this list?
 
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musichal has become unstoked in time...

Yes, my headphones were due today, and I was stoked with anticipation. They didn't show. USPS tracker shows they are in Springfield, MA. From Grand Rapids, MI, they went east 750 miles, almost exactly the wrong way. Springfield, MO, would've made more sense, on the way to OK. Called AA too late - now I'm really wondering if I will ever get them. Rechecked address for the order, all correct. Miss-sorted maybe. Sigh.
 
Headphones just showed up. Box too small. Uh-oh, I knew I shouldn't have added these 'phones to my sig before they arrived - doing so has triggered the counting-chickens-eggs-hatched curse. AA sent the wrong headphones, they sent the RE-400i buds rather than the HE-400i most prominently displayed on my virtual order form in that account. So AA gave the Post Office the wrong 'phones and they headed out with them in the wrong direction, but with enough enthusiasm to go 750 miles that way.

AA Customer Service handled it all very quickly, agreeing to FedEx two-day the right, and have the wrong picked up, after first suggesting a more cost-effective measure for them. I asked if a different arrangement were possible, and mentioned my counter-proposal. They were very courteous, and apologetic, and were quick to comply. Not 'they' - she, Wendy, who I caused to laugh. Very nice. So ETA is now Wed or Thurs, and I am happy enough with that, considering from where we started.
 
Well, my tracking indicates the 'phones are out for delivery today! Chances of that happening seem to be well above 50%, and I am filled with anticipation. I spoke with Wendy in Customer Service at AA again today - the wrong 'phones still being here, and had been expected to have been picked up by Fed-EX yesterday, so she called and straightened that out - pickup tomorrow. Gave me her direct # if I needed anything else, and had a nice brief conversation - she's very pleasant (as I have also been) and I remarked what a great job she had helping nice, friendly and pleasant audio enthusiasts all day. She laughed and told me a bit about her job, noting that my description was just the dictionary meaning of the term, customer service.
 
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With that design, I'd expect break-in to be even more pronounced than with dynamic driver designs.

Can't wait to read your impressions in another week.
 
I have several pair of 'better' headphones and also have the 240s. I still use them for small scale classical, string ensembles, solo violin or cello and such. I also really like them for laid back female vocals such as Eva Cassidy.

Having said that, for someone that appreciates dynamics and scale, there are many others that I prefer.

My favorite for classical and acoustic jazz are the Q701s. They are similar to the 240s but do pretty much everything better except for super fine texture details.

I also really like the Sennheiser 598s and my slightly modified 518s. They do well on pretty much everything and would likely be the single pair that I'd keep. The 600/650s are also awesome at a higher price point though they really need an amp to do their best work whereas the 518s and 598s sound great with my Zune, Sony and Galaxy phone.

At a fairly low price, the Philips 9500s are pretty amazing. Similar to the AKGs but more bass and a bit less refinement. They also sound a bit fuller overall. Crazy good for the money.

Then come great headphones with appreciably more bottom end, the Beyer 880s. The 770s and 990s have a lot more top end. I'd call it harshness though not all agree. These are my choice for Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Bela Fleck... things with lots of bottom end. Flight of The Cosmic Hippo and Morph The Cat can be super fun with the 880s.

Lots of overlap here. All these are really nice headphones, just different strengths.

Also have the AKG 240's, both the newer ones made in China and the older ones made in Austria. Austrian made ones are the better phones. Agree with the Senn 598's being good overall phones but they are outshined a bit by Philips X/2 Fidelios which also beat the Philips 9500"s which, as you say, are crazy good for the money. Especially as I got them on sale for $24.00 on Newegg. I use mine mostly with mobile devices so I don't need the higher end phones. I find that Nokia devices put out a significantly better sound than Android OS.
 
Any further thoughts in the 400s? Any negatives you've encountered so far?

Massdrop is getting ready to have them for pretty cheap and I'm thinking about picking up a pair.
 
Any further thoughts in the 400s? Any negatives you've encountered so far?

Massdrop is getting ready to have them for pretty cheap and I'm thinking about picking up a pair.
Can you give us the details or links? I just purchased AKG K7XX on Massdrop, should I be having buyers remorse? Ed
 
Any further thoughts in the 400s? Any negatives you've encountered so far?

Massdrop is getting ready to have them for pretty cheap and I'm thinking about picking up a pair.

Where did you hear about Massdrop having 400i's? I bought a pair of HE350's from Massdrop and just missed out on a Little Dot MKII. Fortunately I was able to get one from Newegg for the same $119 price.
 
I got an email saying a drop was coming for $169. I'll see if I can cut and paste it in a minute.

But how does the OP like them?
 
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