[shakywakey]

For the last 2 or 3 years I have been using Beyerdynamic DT 831s. Before this I was using Grado SR80s which I thought sounded better (I got the 831s cheaper than new SR80s but the RRP was higher than the SR80s).

I have been doing some recent testing of Sennheiser HD-565 at the side of my 831s and sound quality is similar (565s a bit more open, the 831s a bit more beef). I thought the SR80s also sounded better than the 565s. If I buy some more headphones they will be used with the headphone jack of an Arcam AVR350.

The Jan 2008 edition of What hi-fi someone had £1,000 to spend on a headphone system. They were recommended CD £600, headphone amp £250 & Grado SR60s. I would have thought more money would have been spent on the headphones and less on the CD & amp. I would imagine the quality of sound going into the SR60s in this system would be higher than whatever the jack of my AVR350 could produce.

Before reading this What hi-fi article and this forum I thought either Sennheiser HD650s or Grado 325is for my system. From my AVR350 would I hear much difference from SR60s to SR325is or from Sennheiser HD565s to HD650s?

I was looking to spend up to £300 or maybe a bit higher as I don't think the 831s or the 565s sound that good anyway. What worries me more is someone said if you are just going to use the headphone jack of an amp the 565s would sound similar to the 650s. Surely whatever the 650s were plugged into they would sound better than the 565s.

Without buying a headphone amp am I just as well keeping the 831s or would the SR325is or HD650s make a significant improvement? Would new headphones plus amp sound £600-£700 better than 831s on the end of an AVR350?

At the moment my shure e4cs on the end of a cowon A2 deliver more thrills.