Best open back headphones for $200?

[Rekcut722]

What are the best bang for your buck open back kinda audiophile headphones for around $200 (give or take $50)

[AustinJ]

What are the best bang for your buck open back kinda audiophile headphones for around $200 (give or take $50)

 

Beyerdynamic DT 990's ?

[Kobathor]

The Sennheiser HD 598's are STILL on sale on Amazon. Fantastic headphones.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0126HISOO/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1450850747&sr=1-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd+598

[Fluffinator]

The Sennheiser HD 598's are STILL on sale on Amazon. Fantastic headphones.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0126HISOO/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1450850747&sr=1-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd+598

MMmmmmmmmmmmm Ehhhhh, almost identical to the HD 558's would rather get something else. 598's are in a weird spot, you either get the 558's or step up to the 600's in my opinion. I would look at the DT 990 Pro or the Fidelio X2's which were on sale for $200 a little while back.

[Kobathor]

MMmmmmmmmmmmm Ehhhhh, almost identical to the HD 558's would rather get something else. 598's are in a weird spot, you either get the 558's or step up to the 600's in my opinion. I would look at the DT 990 Pro or the Fidelio X2's which were on sale for $200 a little while back.

I'm pretty sure they're based on a different driver. Why do you think they're $100 more expensive?

[SuicideAnomaly]

I personally find the DT 990s to be incredibly fatiguing, but your mileage may vary.

[AustinJ]

I personally find the DT 990s to be incredibly fatiguing, but your mileage may vary.

 

What do you find fatiguing by them?

[sobe]

I'm pretty sure they're based on a different driver. Why do you think they're $100 more expensive?

 

They aren't Same drivers in both 558 and 598.

 

 

What do you find fatiguing by them?

 

As a DT990(Premium, not Pro, but have experience with both) owner and lover, I recognize that the highs have enough "brightness" to them to give a flashbang a run for it's money.

[SSL]

I'm pretty sure they're based on a different driver. Why do you think they're $100 more expensive?

 

Prestige Pricing

[SuicideAnomaly]

They aren't Same drivers in both 558 and 598.

 

 

 

As a DT990(Premium, not Pro, but have experience with both) owner and lover, I recognize that the highs have enough "brightness" to them to give a flashbang a run for it's money.

Listening to the Beatles with the DT990s (without EQ tampering) is absolutely agonizing. At least, to my ears. LOL

[Patrick Bateman]

ath ad 900x?

http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-AD900X-Open-Back-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S331VU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450913759&sr=8-1&keywords=ath+ad+900x

[sobe]

Listening to the Beatles with the DT990s (without EQ tampering) is absolutely agonizing. At least, to my ears. LOL

 

Yea, they are a love or hate kind of thing, personally I love mine and they aren't fatiguing to me. But obviously I hear the sharpness that could be overbearing for others.

 

For Beatles and similar though I prefer switching to the CAL! anyway. Just depends on the mood! For most of my music listening though I default to the Alpha Dogs as of late, lol.

[Philosobyte]

What about the 32 Ohm variant of the DT880? They're semi-open, but... 

http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-880-Premium-32-Headphones/dp/B0024NK358/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1450917092&sr=8-3&keywords=dt880

The 250 Ohm variant is $50 more, but Innerfidelity's sample had better square wave and impulse response results than the 32 Ohm variant. 

 

I'm pretty sure they're based on a different driver. Why do you think they're $100 more expensive?

I've heard that the 598 and 558 use the same driver and the only difference between them is the 558 has a piece of foam in the back of the earcups to cripple the soundstage. Look up the "foam mod" for the 558 about removing the foam. 

[SuicideAnomaly]

I can definitely give my endorsement to the DT880s.

[xukaiteo]

I am currently using the 598s for about a year now. With a good source, it sounds amazing and its very comfortable. Never regretted buying this over the 558s. You can also take a look at Grado, they make quite good sounding headphones at a relatively low price. Only that it is uncomfortable when worn for hours. Probably due to it being an On-ear headphone.

[Donk Quixote]

Judging from how the SHP9500 sound the Fidelio X2 would be on the list, and judging from how the AKG 142HD sound the AKG 7xx are there as well.  The X2 went down to $200 on sale one time, and the 7xx are on Massdrop intermittently for $200.

 

edit: of course I meant the K7xx