first, some context:
I had UE 6000, then the ATH MSR7 and now I’m looking for improvement as the right channel on those stopped working a few days ago.
I have a Fiio E10K (just bought the Fiio K3). In the past I used those headphones in the office but from now on I only use them in my house, so I don’t need to worry about sound isolation or portability. I used these cans for everything: play games (not competitive FPS, RTS, AAA), music (rock, classical, technical, BSO’s, Hip-Hop. Not so much for pop or jazz really), films, etc.
After looking for advice I considered that a pair of open headphones maybe be the better choice for me.
I decided to spend a maximum of 200 euros on the new “toy”. I now that I like V shape headphones (that’s why I always have the DAC bass boost mode on), but I also like to have clarity and detail. I know nothing about soundstage as I never had open headphones, but I perceived improvement on the UE 6000 -> ATH MSR7 change.
So taking all of these into account I have “reduced” the options into Philips Fidelio X2HR, SoundMagic HP200, Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO/DT 880 250 ohms.
I am still open to new options but (even closed headphones if that makes sense), as you all now, looking for a new headphone is a total madness…
El Dt880 será la opción más versátil y la que te recomendarán aquí. Aunque posiblemente te hablen de la versión de 600 ohmios. ( Que no podrás alimentar con tu K3)
I dont know if youre gonna get much of an improvement moving from the ATH MSR7 headphones to the ones you mentioned. Those are pretty good headphones from what i hear. unless youre looking for a specific sound signature.
I would recommend the HarmonicDyne Helios. IMO they punch way above their price range
I agree that would be a great choice imo, the 300r would run fairly well of the k3, where the other beyers might struggle here. It’s pretty damn great for gaming imo, and is a different signature from the other beyers. Been enjoying mine so far
So that is another doubt that I still have. What amount of money do I have to spent to get a clearly better open headphone compare to the MSR7? also there is a MSR7b version which seems to have improved sub-bass and bass levels.
How much did you pay for the MSR7? its like 250$ right? maybe you should go for a Sundara or a Avia clone like the Blon B20 or the Monoprice M570 used. The Takstar HF 580 is 200$ on Aliexpress. those are all planar headphones and very good. The Helios is 180$ and is very detailed with an exciting/fun V or U shape. But i dont know how it compares to the MSR7
Well, It seems that the Beyer TYGR 300 is the winner (or at least I want to try it). Funny tho that all the suppliers (like amazon es/it/uk ) only sell the bundle with the mic (that I do not need ). The only one selling just the actual headphones is BeyerDynamic Europe (just in case someone is looking for this model in Europe like me)
so I received today the Beyer TYGR headphones. I am comparing them against the ATH-MSR7 (not b/se edition). I have tried both of them with a Fiio K3 DAC,
You can check Zeos review for the MSR7 here --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itwDQeZ_8Pg
The Beyer build quality seems to be much cheaper than the MSR7 but solid enough. The clamping force is much lighter, so it should be easier to use them for long sessions.
About the sound… The Beyer TYGR are my first open-back headphones, so I can enjoy a wider soundstage and perceive good details. I would say that they have a “sweet” sound, a sound that would lead to me to relax while listening to music… but when I swap to the MSR7 the sound change to be “fun” and intense. Is like the sound is been pushed against my head instead of dispersing near me. I can feel the bass and the treble near me, and I can perceive greater detail (MSR7 are known to be flat an analytical but with the Fiio the bass is just GREAT for me). Maybe the Beyer’s sound is “better” (and I enjoy them) but after a while I want to switch back to the MSR7 “feel” the music. I am “new” to this “audiophile” so I lack the knowledge and vocabulary to correctly express.
I reckon that I had high expectations for the TYGR and, while they sound really good. they are not what I expected/wanted. Or maybe the MSR7 are just a really good pair compared to what I can find below 200 euros.
These past months I was thinking about changing to an open-back set but maybe I enjoy more the closed-back sound… I do not have enough experience to decide I think.
So this means that I am on the hunt again! I can extend the budget to 300 - 400 euros if that means a big quality jump.
So for now, here is what I would do, I would spend a few days with the 300 r exclusively, and then come back to the msr7, and see what you find different (if you haven’t done that already). You want to get a deeper listen than first impressions, and even after that if you still end up preferring the msr7, you have more information to make a decision afterwords