Headphones for use with Squeezebox Radio

3XO is an older model with somewhat higher efficiency than most OHM Walshes.

With a 80X+ high current SS amp or better, bass extension should be very good in the price range these typically go for used, near full range class, better than most any monitor type speaker.

Overall sound refinement may not be quite up to snuff with the better modern speaker designs, including OHMs, but 3XO should offer good value overall used and a different kind of sound from most box designs that most either take to for good or not.

Mapman,

I've had my Shure SRH940s for 2 weeks now and am really liking them. What got me started was while waiting for my Centrance DACmini I dove into the various headfi forums and someone had the tenacity to compare the $300 Shures to the $1500 Sennhieser HD800s They were almost the Senns equal and that was good enough for me to try them.

At first I didn't know if they were too analytical but now that I have the DACmini, I'm keeping them. They have a beautiful midrange and airy, extended highs with tons of detail that don't distract. The bass is there in pitch and definition but a mite lacking in body and tone but the adjustment period has been easy for me. Now my main rig sounds a bit congested but I know its an illusion that occurs from extended listening from the headphones.

Give them a try: you might like them. There is over 114 pages of posts about them over at head-fi.org: quite the controversy.

Yes, the Shure's continue to be an option I might consider as a step-up from the Klipsch down the road if I decide to make a bigger investment in this.

After a new round of reading and auditioning, I just added a pair of Sennheiser Momentum circumaural/over ear Headphones.

Ended up on these because:

1) I've always liked the whole Sennheiser line for many years. Had HD 424s years ago that I preferred over the other big names taht are still around.

2) I wanted something closed rather than open to keep the sound in especially in bed at night, reasonably portable, versatile and relatively easy to drive well that comes close to the best sounding open-back audiophile in-home headphones that most people might own, including my Stax, which are a totally different but high performing beast. I do tend to prefer open back phones in general. CLosed not open eliminated a lot of common audiophile choices.

3) Momentums sounded as good as anything I heard out there and many regard them as Sennheisers best "portable" phones + they are closed back.

Might add a portable headphone amp still. We'll see....

Audio Technica ESW9 on ear wood cup portables ($50 less than cost of the Momentums, which I acquired on amazon for a decent discount) were another very strong contender that I could live with.

Nice choice Mapman - I have a pair of these and am enjoying them very much.