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[IDK]

After months of research and not truly getting anywhere of finding a good pair of headphones that fits my need i decided just to truly go high end, i figure generally if the headphones are over $300 they Must be Good....so i've narrowed it down to these:


Sennheiser HD650
Sennheiser PXC-450
Grado RS2i Reference Series-2
Sennheiser PXC-350
BEYER DYNAMIC DT770M
Grado SR225i
Audio Technica ATH-W5000

Which of these Fit My Needs Best?

1.) Good For Console Gaming
(Detailed Sound, So i can hear footsteps in games like COD)

2.) Durable and Last Long

3.) Doesn't Require an extreme amount of Hrs. for Burn-in

4.) Doesn't Leak Out that much Sound

5.) Good for Pairing up with an Ipod Touch preferably without an Amp or with a Cheap one like the fiio e3/e5 or the Boostaroos

6.) Decent Length Cord....I'm not really a fan of 6ft cords like on my senn HD435's

7.) Works Well With Most Laptops

8.) Reproduces All sound of A Music Track Faithfully (All Musical Genres)...I want the full potential of the Song I'm listening to no matter what the Genre is

9.) Good with AudioBooks, Podcasts, Internet, FM/AM and Satellite Radio


PPL of Head-Fi with your Infinite Audiophile Knowledge Help Me Choose Me A Pair of Headphones that will Satisfy Me like know other Headphone Has Before !

[1Time]

If you don't want much sound to leak out, you'll want closed headphones.

Usually headphones with good sound stage are preferred for gaming.

With a $300+ budget, you really won't want to handicap your rig by using a lesser source and no additional amplification.

What is your total budget for solving your audio needs?

What sound card or other equipment do you currently plan on plugging these headphones into?

Do you want a longer or shorter cord than 6'?

[Meliboeus]

I'd exclude the sennheiser pcx series, if you can afford an hd650 don't consider lower tier models. And mind that the 770M are sealed phones for drummers, with added padding for extra isolation and leather pads,you don't need them, just go for either the Dt-770Pro or consumer model.

1) HD650 and w5000 out of those you have listed
2) The beyers ( pro version especially) are unbreakable, but even the senns and AT offer great build quality, the grados may disappoint you under this point of view, but pure durability isn't an issue.
3) Burn in does exist to some extent but don't worry about it, everything good sounds good even out of the box, even if it will get a bit better over time.
4) W5000 and dt-770 are the only closed phones in your list, so...
5) The HD650 are out of question ampless...maybe the 80 Ohm version of the Dt-770Pro, but forget it if you don't like a vast amount of uncontrolled bass.
6) Dt-770Pro have a coiled cable, it could be handy but it depends on your needs...
7) See 5.
8) This is the key point,but unfortunately it is highy subjective...it depends on what presentation you prefer.. HD650 are great allrounders in my opinion, but many disagree on this point. According to my personal tastes, Grados are unable to reproduce every genre faithfully, but then again...many would disagree...

[IDK]

oh yea I forgot to add the Ultrasone HFI-780's to the list

Originally Posted by 1Time

If you don't want much sound to leak out, you'll want closed headphones.

Usually headphones with good sound stage are preferred for gaming.

With a $300+ budget, you really won't want to handicap your rig by using a lesser source and no additional amplification.

What is your total budget for solving your audio needs?

What sound card or other equipment do you currently plan on plugging these headphones into?

Do you want a longer or shorter cord than 6'?

My Total Budget is $450
I Was Planning on Plugging it directly into my laptop, ipod, and TV
The Cord should just be very easy to manage


And How do the HD650 handle noise cancellation and leakage when used with portable devices in noisy environments?

[rosgr63]

I would consider the Ultrasone HFI-780 very seriously!

[1Time]

Open headphones don't deal with noise cancellation / blocking / leakage. You want closed headphones for that, and you want easy to drive headphones for plugging into those sources. FWIR, I suggest considering the SRH440 as a $100 and your done solution. Search "SRH440".

Edit:
After that, you're talking about buying a better source / amplification like a DAC / amp and more expensive closed headphones like the SRH840, etc.

Originally Posted by IDK

oh yea I forgot to add the Ultrasone HFI-780's to the list

My Total Budget is $450
I Was Planning on Plugging it directly into my laptop, ipod, and TV
The Cord should just be very easy to manage

And How do the HD650 handle noise cancellation and leakage when used with portable devices in noisy environments?

[AmanGeorge]

I'd consider the Shure SRH-840. I actually think it sounds fine right out of a laptop, but certainly scales with better amplification and source. It's also extremely durable and should last forever and take a beating. For $450 you could pick up the Shure as well as a Head-Direct EF2, which would ensure that you were getting a lot out of your new headphones.

I don't think any of the other headphones are great for your needs:
Sennheiser HD650 - Open, leak a lot of sound, need good amplification
Sennheiser PXC-450 - Only this expensive because they're noise-cancelling - if you don't need noise-cancelling, don't buy them
Grado RS2i Reference Series-2 - Open, leak a lot of sound
Sennheiser PXC-350 - Same as PXC-450
BEYER DYNAMIC DT770M - May fit the bill, they are closed, I'm not too familiar with their amplification needs
Grado SR225i - Open, leak a lot of sound
Audio Technica ATH-W5000 - Reasonably good fit, will sound okay without external amplification but not their best

I'd narrow it down to the DT770 and W5000 out of your list, but I think I would take the Shures over those, especially if you can buy an EF2.

[IDK]

ok so i narrowed it down between:

Sennheiser PXC350

Shure SRH840

I can get either for less than $200....which would be better overall for commuting in a Big City (isolation wise) and Gaming?

[mritt400]

Originally Posted by IDK

Which of these Fit My Needs Best?

1.) Good For Console Gaming
(Detailed Sound, So i can hear footsteps in games like COD)

2.) Durable and Last Long

3.) Doesn't Require an extreme amount of Hrs. for Burn-in

4.) Doesn't Leak Out that much Sound

5.) Good for Pairing up with an Ipod Touch preferably without an Amp or with a Cheap one like the fiio e3/e5 or the Boostaroos

6.) Decent Length Cord....I'm not really a fan of 6ft cords like on my senn HD435's

7.) Works Well With Most Laptops

8.) Reproduces All sound of A Music Track Faithfully (All Musical Genres)...I want the full potential of the Song I'm listening to no matter what the Genre is

9.) Good with AudioBooks, Podcasts, Internet, FM/AM and Satellite Radio

Are you sure that is all you need?

[Rise To The Top]

I'd say the HD650, but it doesn't meet needs #4, #5, #6, and #7...

[AmanGeorge]

Haha, then it's not much of a match is it?

Have never heard the Sennheiser, but I assume it would be better for commuting given that it's noise-canceling. Unlikely that the sound quality will be better than the Shure though, but I can't say for sure.