Grado 325i or Seinheisser HD650 advice plz

[llanellijack]

I need to get a quality pair of cans for around the £200 mark and have narrowed my choice down to these two sets, mainly due to good reviews I have read of both. They will be used for watching movies mainly and occasionally listening to music and will be driven by my Denon 3805 AV receiver ? Good choice or is there a better choice of headphone for home cinema ? Will there be a huge sonical difference over, say a pair of Seinheisser 555's ? Any advice will be very much appreciated. Thanks

[Floodedstatue]

If you haven't already, check out the headphones section over at www.head-fi.org and put your question to the guys over there. I'm sure there are people over here that know their stuff, but the fellas over at head-fi are nuts about headphones!

FWIW I have a pair of HD650's that I'm very happy with, although they are amped and I've upgraded the cable. Plus I'm a music man so I wouldn't be able to give a proper opinion on how they work for films. All I can say is I'm very pleased with my setup, but it didn't come cheap.

Hopefully someone else will chip in with some useful advice! Good luck

[pbirkett]

Not sure if i would really bother with anything more than the 555 for movies TBH. Sonically, its a matter of taste. The 325i sounds more intimate (smaller "soundstage") and also more exciting with harder hitting bass, brighter treble and generally less smooth. A good rock headphone. The 650 is the opposite really, still good bass, but generally laid back. A matter of opinion.

I dont think I'd personally spend that much for movie headphones, but its up to you.

[Trev S-J]

I have a pair Sennheiser 650`s and use them regularily for the prime purpose of listening to the Tv (through a projekt Head amp) in the evenings when the better half has retired to her chambers!Although I do use them just as much through my dedicated Hi-Fi system,again for the same reasons of peace and harmony in the household.I did try the grado headphones but for prolonged use when watching a film/dvd the comfort factor definitely comes to the fore and the 650`s beat the Grado`s hands down.I do agree that if you are just using them for the sake of tv it is alot to spend and, I am sure that the cheaper range of Sennheiser such as the professional HD 280 Pro at about £90 would suffice.

[extremelydodgy]

If you've got ~£200 to spend, no point in beating around the bush. Get the HD650 - it's a great all-rounder. You'll be able to use it for any sort of listening around the home.

[Reano]

The AKG701 sounds better (but similar) than the HD650 imho but don't look better. So if sound is your only criteria go the AKG route. The AKG even beat the HD650 with upgraded cables.

[extremelydodgy]

Not so sure about K701 sounding better - a different tonal balance yes, but it's badly designed in comparison to the HD650 in terms of the variability in sound you get based on your head's shape. And besides that it's £300.

[Reano]

Originally Posted by extremelydodgy

Not so sure about K701 sounding better - a different tonal balance yes, but it's badly designed in comparison to the HD650 in terms of the variability in sound you get based on your head's shape. And besides that it's £300.

Where you buy yours from? eBay and the exchange rate is your friend ... cost me £200!!! Whats your head shape like???? loler this sounds interesting ...... Please explain ...