Beyerdynamic DT 880, Alessandro Music Series Pro, Denon AH-D5000, Hifiman EF2A Amplifier, Edge X1 Amplifier @ Jaben Audio

July 4, 2010 faii Blog, Gear, Music

Audiophile Headphone Testing – Second Day of Testing at Jaben Audio

Went down for the second time to Jaben Audio at the Adelphi.

Basically I’m looking to purchase a nice pair of headphones and a suitable amplifier for my university tenure.

Having come from a very decent speaker set up (Bowers and Wilkins 803S), i do not, and probably cannot expect to be able to replicate that familiar musicality and enjoyment in a pair of headphones.

For me, i enjoy having a wide soundstage and neutral presentation, but with a balanced, accurate reproduction, hence my choice of the Bowers and Wilkins. I cannot for the love of God place myself in the shoes of an MRT basshead or a casual listener, knowing full well what i am missing out on.

Anyways, here’s a list of the circumaural headphones i’ve tried out in the first two days i’ve been to Jaben. Included are prices that i have hopefully remembered correctly. However, Jaben offers wonderful bundles that shave a significant portion off the sticker price than if the components were purchased separately. By the way, the staff at Jaben Audio are very friendly, and very accomodating – which headphone shop allows customers to try on in-ear earphones?

Denon AH-D7000 (approximately $1450)
Denon AH-D5000 (approximately $900)
Denon AH-D2000 (approximately $450)
Alessandro Music Series Pro (approximately $1200)
Beyerdynamic DT 880 (approximately $430, including EDGE X1 amplifier)
Sennehiser HD 600 (didn’t enquire about the price)
Audio Technica Something – can’t recall the model

I didn’t try the Grados as the Alessadros were their less forward sounding sisters and designed with classical music in mind.

And pity Jaben did not have a Sennheiser HD 800 on demo! Had to make do with the intimate yet full-bodied Denon AH-D7000. The latter gave a good performance on everything from Bryan Adam’s Summer of ’69 to Yo-Yo Ma’s Cellist of Sarajevo.

Don’t quite have the time to review each one, but i’m doing my best to like the Beyerdynamic DT 880. Unlike the high-end speaker market, each audiophile headphone is significantly different from the other. For speakers, their clarity and neutrality converge as price goes up, whereas for headphones, it seems each has a unique character. For almost all headphones i tried, each character was flawed in some way, for example, the Sennheiser HD 600 and Denon AH-D2000 and AH-D5000 were inaccurately, if no messily, bass-y. None of them could elicit the love i have for a proper speaker set up, but for twenty to thirty times less the price, why not?

Anyways, i think the Beyers have the best value for money and are more than a competent challenger for headphones twice or thrice as dear. I just hope to be able to have those hair standing moments in complete isolation that i am familiar with in floorstanders.

Without going into my opinions of each, here are the photos i managed to snap that day. :)

Beyerdynamic DT 880, Alessandro Music Series Pro, Denon AH-D5000, Hifiman EF2A Amplifier, Edge X1 Amplifier @ Jaben Audio