you can try ATH-M30, i think it is a pretty good entry headphone. I also start with a M30

of course it is depends on your budget.

This post has been edited by xjian1985: Sep 8 2008, 10:58 PM

i dont think M30 consider bassy, because overall the bass doesn't overpower other. i think is just nice.

instrumental shouldn't be a problem for M30, as i find it quite good at it.
soundstage and vocal part i would rate it as normal, not much expectation on here. (dont misunderstood that is it bad, just under comparing to something higher, M50 & ms2i)
overall i would say M30 is worth its price and as a headphone to begin with.

currently my M30 is back in the box, im using M50 now
if your budget allow, just directly go for M50 haha, may out of you budget

This post has been edited by xjian1985: Oct 25 2008, 09:52 PM

i own a on3 too.

my experience with it out of box is, really bad, maybe my expectation is too high on it.

but after i let it run for some time, seem like the sound is changing, or maybe im the one that is changing, started to used to the sound signature of it.

now i found that its vocal part quite ok, just the bass is a little weak, lacking a little details on high, overall still acceptable on casual listening, before sleeping.

the part that i like on3 is, it is very light and will not feel like there is a headphone on my head, and important thing is it do not mess up my hair style, lol

Hmm, actually M50 is cheaper, if you get from bluetin.

sharing some experience of M30 and M50,

im quite supprise when i first time put on M50. it gives a good positioning/separation, where M30 is not able to do this. it can let me visualize where the sound of the instrument come from. Listen to live recording or classical is good.

other than this, the sound stage is bigger, bass is definitely better/punchier than M30. The instrument sounds more accurate and natural where M30 sounds a little dry under comparing.

for the vocal part, im not really remember the difference. but i feel that the vocal from M50 is coming out from some where, and it is block by something. the sound is not so direct. i found that some album reflected this clearly where as some album still sounds ok. i still prefer the vocal from ms2i, which is more direct and dynamic. actually my M50 is complementing my ms2i currently.

actually someone suggested me to recable the M50 since the mid/vocal is the weak part. i not remember he suggest to use copper or silver cable, but he say will improve the mid after recable. but then recable M50 is not easy, need to consider to drill a hole at the right side if want to do direct solder...

frequency range cannot determine that it is better. BTW, i don't think my ear able to detect those extra frequency.
IMO, the important is its frequency response, how does the sound it able to produce comparing to the original source, its accuracy that is more important.

wow, getting M50 finally

im still remember i was really surprise by M50 when i first put it on using my creative zen mp3 player only, it already sound so good. btw, i got the used unit and is already burn-in, and important i bought it at much cheaper price and i think it is my best price/performance headphone so far,

probably M50 will give you much surprise over M30 especially on the soundstage/instrument placement.
so far im pairing it with ibasso D1, adding a LDMK3 would make the vocal nicer.

This post has been edited by xjian1985: Jan 10 2009, 12:09 AM

You can try ATH-M50, im using it now. quite good.
i havent try other model yet, no comment.

M30 can play without amp.
yes, you can test M30 at midi specialist in LYN.

whatever headphone you planning to upgrade to, as suggested by Akabane, a great AMP and DAC will bring difference to a same headphone. because you will never know how much potential ur headphone can go if you limiting it from DAC/AMP section.

btw, the HD600 is sounding nice with my audio-gd compass.

yup, totally agree with you.
i just dont believe those gaming headphone will sound good.
i tried the steelseries siberia before at a shop, and i still prefer the sound from M30.

probably is fake

for overall sound balance and details, m30 is better.

for me, i think the performance is okay. i like it as a closed headphone that it have better isolation than my HD600.
M50 is closed headphone, so it sounded as it is, the sound stage is okay, not as open as HD600.
vocal is dry/neutral and clear, not poison at all.
the bass is not that well define, but im like the bassy feel, it is fuller than HD600 but not as define as HD600.
overall signature is consider as balance.

normally i will use my M50 for casual listening & watching movie, i love my HD600 more on music listening.