[TehMG]

I'm looking for a set of closed circumaural headphones with very good noise isolation (active cancellation or passive), I don't know where to start. They will be used primarily for air travel so noise isolation or cancellation is the primary concern. Some turboprop aircraft I often fly in have cabin noise levels well in excess of 90dB with most of the noise below 100Hz. I can't seem to find a good source of information on the noise isolation characteristics of various headphones.
 
Sound quality should be pretty good but does not need to be audiophile-worthy, mainly should have a relatively flat frequency response down to 20Hz, low distortion, clear highs.
 
Must also be comfortable for several hours of wearing.
 
As for portability... that isn't a concern at all. I don't want to compromise noise isolation, sound quality, or comfort for the sake of portability. I've got plenty of room in my backpack for a full set of cans.
 
Budget is $500 max.
 
Primary source will be my Cowon iAudio X5L but will occasionally use them with my laptop on longer flights (for movies). I listen to a wide variety of musical genres.
 
Thanks for the help.

 

[Videm]

I'm looking to upgrade my A40 Headphones. I've had the A40's for about a year or so now and they've really felt pretty weak. I share a computer area with someone so having something that doesn't disturb them too much if i'm listening to something at a medium level would be nice.
 
I have a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD sound card as well as the A40 Mixamp. I mostly use them to play MMO's(positional audio isn't priority) and listen to music(trance,electronica,pop) and voice chat.I've mainly been looking at some of the Sennheiser headphones 598,PC360 and 650 (I gathered that these are open, in regards to sharing space with someone I mentioned earlier). I would appreciate some recommendations, doesn't have to just be the 3 I mentioned. I would like a microphone but it doesn't have to be integrated as I could just get one of those clip on ones. Also any advice on using the A40 Mixamp or just using the audio card directly with any headphone suggestion. I would say about $300 is my budget (I saw the HD650's on amazon for $350, which is why I listed them). 
 
Thanks in advance for any reply's!

 

[lighthouse1029]

I'm looking to buy my brother new headphones for christmas. I'm no audiophile (mainly because I can't afford it) so any suggestions would be helpful. He wants over the ear headphones, preferrably closed but anything is ok, and I probably shouldn't spend much more than $30 on these. Also he listens mostly to classic rock, and pop.
Thanks

 

[Exodusx32]

Right now I'm using my Sennheiser pc 350's with a PA2V2 pocket amp when listening to music . My first question is if there will be a noticeably difference between these and a couple of headphones originally made for music. As there probably will be; I pretty much only listen to melodeath with occasional symphonic elements(not a big priority when choosing headphones though).
 
I've read in the thread that the Sennheiser HD 25's are very good for metal but I'm wondering if there are any other options, perhaps with better sound quality or maybe that's around the ears as I find that more comfortable. It doesn't really matter if they're open or closed or anything like that just they don't let out too much music. My budget could stretch up to $300 but I'd preferably see it stay a bit lower.
 
Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[BrokenRhapsody]

Looking for the best Headphones I can get from near local store such as Apple, Best Buy, Frys and where ever else that might have headphones.
 
Budget ~ $300
 
Looking for an over the ear headphone at local stores, will not be used with amps, and most likely will not be used with any sort of equaliser program.
 
Will be used for:
  - Gaming (Starcraft, Assassin's Creed, ect._
  - Watching Anime
  - Watching Streams (JTv / TwitchTv)
  - Music:
        #Té - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84YhFHqIlaY&feature=BFa&list=PLAB3887FFE4C8F8BD&lf=results_main
        #Saycet - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Saycet&oq=Saycet&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=2463l6238l0l7229l16l13l6l0l0l0l209l723l4.2.1l7l0
        #Toe - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Toe&oq=Toe&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=52123l52408l0l52490l3l2l0l0l0l0l63l121l2l2l0
           &Other Anime / Japanese Music, I listen to a bit ither genere as well but not as often, Dubstep & Remix would probably be my 2nd type of music I listen to most.
       
 
Info:
I've bought the Dr. Dre Studio Beats I love the looks of it so much, but for $300 I was not satify muddy highs and mids, it has like this white noise that can be heard when theres no music on, headphones puts a tad to much pressure on my head. Other then being negative they are very good loud sounding headphones and has nice base I guess. I've been thinking about geting the Bose Q15, but I've been reading that they are just a over hype brand. I've compared the Dr. Dre Studio Beats with my cousin's Bose Q15 and the Bose Q15 are better in my oppion, that have better dynamic sounds, better quality sound, but the bass is weak and the volume is fairly low compared to the Studios.
 
Bose and Dr. Dre are like the onle 2 that I saw that seemed nice for an over the ear headphone, but then again I know very little about headphones. If nothing else I'm goin return these Studio for the Bose but I would like some expert oppion on Headphones before I go make the exchange.
 
I want to buy my Headphones from a local store so that if I have any problems with them I can just return them easily, without having to ship them back online.
 
So can you reccomend me some good headphones I can get at my local stores?
 
Apple
 
Frys
 
Bestbuy
 
 
I will edit this post after I get back from work to add more info and make it more clean.
 
Thank You for your time on reading this out, hope to see many informative replys ♪
 
 

 

[Swoosh]

Quote:

Looking for the best Headphones I can get from near local store such as Apple, Best Buy, Frys and where ever else that might have headphones.
 
Budget ~ $300
 
Looking for an over the ear headphone at local stores, will not be used with amps, and most likely will not be used with any sort of equaliser program.
 
Will be used for:
  - Gaming (Starcraft, Assassin's Creed, ect._
  - Watching Anime
  - Watching Streams (JTv / TwitchTv)
  - Music:
        #Té - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84YhFHqIlaY&feature=BFa&list=PLAB3887FFE4C8F8BD&lf=results_main
        #Saycet - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Saycet&oq=Saycet&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=2463l6238l0l7229l16l13l6l0l0l0l209l723l4.2.1l7l0
        #Toe - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Toe&oq=Toe&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=52123l52408l0l52490l3l2l0l0l0l0l63l121l2l2l0
           &Other Anime / Japanese Music, I listen to a bit ither genere as well but not as often, Dubstep & Remix would probably be my 2nd type of music I listen to most.
       
 
Info:
I've bought the Dr. Dre Studio Beats I love the looks of it so much, but for $300 I was not satify muddy highs and mids, it has like this white noise that can be heard when theres no music on, headphones puts a tad to much pressure on my head. Other then being negative they are very good loud sounding headphones and has nice base I guess. I've been thinking about geting the Bose Q15, but I've been reading that they are just a over hype brand. I've compared the Dr. Dre Studio Beats with my cousin's Bose Q15 and the Bose Q15 are better in my oppion, that have better dynamic sounds, better quality sound, but the bass is weak and the volume is fairly low compared to the Studios.
 
Bose and Dr. Dre are like the onle 2 that I saw that seemed nice for an over the ear headphone, but then again I know very little about headphones. If nothing else I'm goin return these Studio for the Bose but I would like some expert oppion on Headphones before I go make the exchange.
 
I want to buy my Headphones from a local store so that if I have any problems with them I can just return them easily, without having to ship them back online.
 
So can you reccomend me some good headphones I can get at my local stores?
 
Apple
 
Frys
 
Bestbuy
 
 
I will edit this post after I get back from work to add more info and make it more clean.
 
Thank You for your time on reading this out, hope to see many informative replys ♪
 
 

I hear the skullcandy aviators are pretty good, but you could get some much more variety if you ordered online

 

[MisterDeadeye]

 
Quote:

Hi guys, I've done a lot of reading on the forums and reading reviews. 

I currently have a pair of Sen-HD202, but I got it probably close to a decade ago, and the padding was worn out and the I have duck tape on the cord because my dog chewed on it.
 
Anyways, I would like to upgrade to a new set of around-ear headphones to listen at home. I have a pair meelectronic m31 IEM, but my ear-canal is oddly shaped and it doesn't fit very well, so I'll use it only when my portable on-ear meelectronic ht-21 isn't appropriate. 
 
but I want a new pair of around the near (cover the whole ear), comfortable, high quality headphones to replace my HD202, which still sounds nice. I'm no audiophile or "analytical" in my listening preferences.
 
anyways, I want to keep it under $100: here are my choices:
 
 
Shure SRH440
AKG Acoustic K-240
KRK KNS6400
SONY MDR-V6
Sennheiser HD-280
 
I want something with high clarity. Bass is not important to me. Would like a big sound stage. But over all, comfort is hugely important. I wear glasses and HD202's clamps on it and is not comfortable after long use. though, I don't think its the most comfortable headphones with non-glass wearers either.
 
my music selection is mostly indie, alternative, pop rock, some classical and blues as well. 
 
anyways, at this point, I'm learning toward the KRK and Shure, but the other choices are great too. I've looked at the Grado and Alessandro but have heard not so great reviews on the comfort, which is very important to me.
 
if there are any other good possibilities, I'm all ears
 
Criteria Importance:
Comfort
Mid - High range clarity
Durability
Big Sound Stage
Bass
Isolation
 
Thanks, cheers

Shure SRH440s are very good for the price. They're fairly neutral, while slightly coming off as a little bright without an EQ at the highest volume I listen to(without an amp). While I say they're bright, I don't mean that they are harsh. They're far from harsh, but I feel the need to attenuate the highs slightly. And the slight brightness really makes the highs seem clear. Mids sound great, and bass is definitely there. One thing I've noticed is that they respond fairly well to an EQ, even one in an iPhone or foobar. They've got a nice sound stage; isolation is amazing, and even better with 840 pads. While they're made out of plastic, they seem to be durable. There's a bit of a creaky noise when moving them around a lot, but I don't see them breaking any time soon(I've owned them for over a year now). The only bad thing I can see is their comfort. I've got fairly large ears and they eventually get sore. The 840 pads fix that though.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Looking for the best Headphones I can get from near local store such as Apple, Best Buy, Frys and where ever else that might have headphones.
Budget ~ $300
Looking for an over the ear headphone at local stores, will not be used with amps, and most likely will not be used with any sort of equaliser program.
Will be used for:
  - Gaming (Starcraft, Assassin's Creed, ect._
  - Watching Anime
  - Watching Streams (JTv / TwitchTv)
  - Music:
        #Té - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84YhFHqIlaY&feature=BFa&list=PLAB3887FFE4C8F8BD&lf=results_main
        #Saycet - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Saycet&oq=Saycet&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=2463l6238l0l7229l16l13l6l0l0l0l209l723l4.2.1l7l0
        #Toe - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Toe&oq=Toe&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=52123l52408l0l52490l3l2l0l0l0l0l63l121l2l2l0
           &Other Anime / Japanese Music, I listen to a bit ither genere as well but not as often, Dubstep & Remix would probably be my 2nd type of music I listen to most.
 Info:
I've bought the Dr. Dre Studio Beats I love the looks of it so much, but for $300 I was not satify muddy highs and mids, it has like this white noise that can be heard when theres no music on, headphones puts a tad to much pressure on my head. Other then being negative they are very good loud sounding headphones and has nice base I guess. I've been thinking about geting the Bose Q15, but I've been reading that they are just a over hype brand. I've compared the Dr. Dre Studio Beats with my cousin's Bose Q15 and the Bose Q15 are better in my oppion, that have better dynamic sounds, better quality sound, but the bass is weak and the volume is fairly low compared to the Studios.
Bose and Dr. Dre are like the onle 2 that I saw that seemed nice for an over the ear headphone, but then again I know very little about headphones. If nothing else I'm goin return these Studio for the Bose but I would like some expert oppion on Headphones before I go make the exchange.
I want to buy my Headphones from a local store so that if I have any problems with them I can just return them easily, without having to ship them back online.
So can you reccomend me some good headphones I can get at my local stores?
Apple
Frys
Bestbuy
I will edit this post after I get back from work to add more info and make it more clean.
Thank You for your time on reading this out, hope to see many informative replys ♪

I would only but headphones that are $30 or less from those stores, they sell overpriced Name brand eye candy.
Mail order some Audio Technica ATH-A900X or Denon AH-D2000.
 
If you would be willing to get a headphone amplifier,
You could get these for under $200, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250-Ohm (closed), Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250-Ohm (open).
For around $240 Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro 250-Ohm
 
For under $200 that do not have to have a headphone amplifier, Sennheiser HD-598 (50-Ohm).
 
 
 

 

[thanush]

Hey, looking for my first pair of headphones.
 
-$50- $60 range
-used for gaming and mp3 player with the occasional  use in a library, or when commuting
-mostly listen to rock, pop
- after looking at the forums for 2 days I have considered buying the Superlux HD 668 or Sennheiser HD428
 
Any recommendations or criticisms on those 2? Also I live in Canada and only find these overpriced, are there can good websites that ship here? Also is buying used headphones safe here on headfi or on ebay?  Thanks : )

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

 
Okay, So I've recently began looking for a new pair of headphones,, after having the Sennheiser 280s for about 2 years, I got tired of them and wanted something with more color / bass, etc. Since then, I've tried the Ultrasone 900 (Didn't like them at all, way too much bass and high end and barely any mid at all), Sennheiser HD-25 (I was impressed with the quality, sound isolation, size, durability, and sound quality, but not quite enough mid range once again), and the Sony MDR-v700 (I actually really liked the sound of these because they have a really driving mid range which is what I like, and some decent bass, but not enough clarity and high end as well as they give music a weird tone / color that I didn't like as much, as well as being reall plasticky and seeming like they won't last a long time due to build quality). I really mainly listen to my iPhone and mostly hear electronic music, especially Drum & Bass and Dubstep, along with some Electro House and some Rock here and there, and occasionally some hip hop. I'm looking for a pair of closed headphones that have decent bass (not too overpowering) , good high end, nice clarity and no weird colors, and ESPECIALLY a great driving mid-range because those are the frequencies where you can really FEEL the most sounds, other than sub bass such as growling basses, and drums, especially snares. So are there any recommendations you guys can give me, remember, especially for mid range? I was looking at the Sennheiser 380 and some Shure SRH840 but I'm not sure if they would be worth it. I'm yet to find a pair of perfect headphones, and my budget is anywhere up to 250 at most. I really hope you guys here can help me out! Thanks so much in advance, 
 
- Sebas.  

Senn HD380
Pioneer HDJ-2000
Phiaton MS400
Denon D2000


Quote:

Hey guys, back from taking a bit of looking around for my ideal headphones from maybe two pages back. I got good help, but I like keeping my options open.
 
Anyway, my budget is 70-120 (maybe 130 if they're really that good...), but the thing is, they MUST be able to be found on amazon.CA and have had bad experiences ordering from other non-mega-distributor companies. Amazon just has fair prices (not the lowest, but not the highest), absolutely GODLY support, and I just like it.
 
Anyway, so far I'm definetely looking to UPGRADE from my Panasonic RP-DJS400 headphones that keep breaking, and so far, here are my options.
 
Sony MDR-V6: http://www.amazon.ca/Sony-Audio-Monitor-Headphones-MDRV6/dp/B00001WRSJ
Shure SRH750DJ: http://www.amazon.ca/Shure-SRH750DJ-Professional-DJ-Headphones/dp/B002PAQYK8/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt
 
I've heard both were good for my price range. Something else I should mention is that a Fiio E6 is being shipped to me in the mail, so any headphones that require portable amplifications (the very few that do), are fine for the options too
 
Also, I've heard the Grado SR60's are good too, but the version on amazon.ca are these; http://www.amazon.ca/Grado-SR60i-Prestige-Headphones-Black/dp/B0006DPMU4 . Which are the SR60i 's? Are these totally different headphones?
 
Anyway, my main goals for these headphones (not in any order):
- Better than my old Panasonic ones.
- VERY DURABLE. THIS IS A BIG ONE. My Panasonics broke 2 times in 2.5 months. Not cool. Also I'm a more active lad of 15 years and go outside a lot. They need to be able to withstand long walks and going through detour trails into nature and stuff xD
 - Sound quality has to be very good of course I listen to pretty much EVERYTHING, BUT; I rarely listen to classical, country, jazz, orchestra, and I do not like super powerful muddy basses. I like powerful bass, but dont overwhelm me .
- Comfortable. These headphones are NOT my "home pair", they are my "LIFE pair". They will be with me at home in my silent room, and out with me at school amongst all the people. They'll be with me out doing some walks, and on the bus with me. EVERYWHERE with me. They gotta be comfy on the neck and on the ears.
- Portability. While the actual weight of the headphones themselves dont matter too much to me (whats the difference REALLY between 50g on your shoulders. One of the strongest weight-bearing moduels of your body? Not much to me.), the chord cant be straight and 3m long. It's impractical. I went out the other day to try out the MDR-V600s, and they're comfy, but the coiled wire is heavy. I mean, i can live with it, but the chord weight is pretty important (also yes, I know the V6 and V600s are different )
 
So what are my other options? I really would like to have a nice wide variety of options. Also remember, if they arent on amazon.ca, I cant get em. I just am sick and tired of getting screwed around my smaller companies, no matter how good other people claim they are. Espiecally when it's a christmas gift for myself
 
Thanks! That's all I can think of for now, but will give more details later if I can think of any.
 
Edit: Also, forgot to mention, I usually do 85% Music, 14% Gaming, 1% Movies, Music Mixing, Skype, Misc if that matters.

Don't buy Grados in Canada. The markup is ridiculous. 
 
Given the availability, I would say the V6 is a good choice. Good sound, very good durability, and folds up very small for portability. 
 
Are you willing to buy used? You can get much better stuff that way. The options and prices up here in Canada are really quite terrible. Futureshop occasionally has a good sale for headphones. Do you have a Long & McQuade nearby so you can audition gear? They're a pretty big Canadian distributor. 
 


Quote:

The Mountain Goats
John Vanderslice
Radiohead
Arcade Fire
Ted Leo
Flaming Lips
White Stripes
Metric
Okkervil River
Metric
Pavement
 
If I were to do something silly like get a new pair of headphones, is there something that synergizes with my music choices better than the hd-650's?  I could keep listing things but I think I got the gist of it!  Would probably be looking in the $200-$300 used range.  I'd either resell them or finally replace my hd-650's.

 
The 650 is already an excellent all-purpose headphone. Anything else in that price range is really just a sidegrade. If you're looking to try something different, I'd recommend a Beyer DT880 or 990. What kind of amp are you running?
 
 


Quote:

Hi everyone, 

I'm looking to get myself a basshead setup, I already have a HD598, E7, E5 as well as a pair of K701s in my sights. But after guaranteeing myself some good work over the holidays I've decided I want to go for a portable (read transportable/ acceptable for the occasional train journey) rig with a nice bit of bass. For some reason I like to listen to a more 'exciting' sound when I'm on the go and for me that includes a prominent bass. I'm willing to spend about £250-300 on such a set up and I've been looking at the iBasso T3, the ZO2 and the FiiO E11 paired with one of the Ultrasone HFI-580 or 780, the Denon AHD-1100 or the Sony XB700 (not sure about size).
 

Can you guys give me a good recommendation or an alternative? Preferably cheaper. I'm a value for money guy. Btw in dollars the range is about $390-470

If you're going for a basshead setup, the HFi580 really is a logical choice. The K701 will not be satisfactory in that regard. 
 


Quote:

Hi guys, I've done a lot of reading on the forums and reading reviews. 

I currently have a pair of Sen-HD202, but I got it probably close to a decade ago, and the padding was worn out and the I have duck tape on the cord because my dog chewed on it.
 
Anyways, I would like to upgrade to a new set of around-ear headphones to listen at home. I have a pair meelectronic m31 IEM, but my ear-canal is oddly shaped and it doesn't fit very well, so I'll use it only when my portable on-ear meelectronic ht-21 isn't appropriate. 
 
but I want a new pair of around the near (cover the whole ear), comfortable, high quality headphones to replace my HD202, which still sounds nice. I'm no audiophile or "analytical" in my listening preferences.
 
anyways, I want to keep it under $100: here are my choices:
 
 
Shure SRH440
AKG Acoustic K-240
KRK KNS6400
SONY MDR-V6
Sennheiser HD-280
 
I want something with high clarity. Bass is not important to me. Would like a big sound stage. But over all, comfort is hugely important. I wear glasses and HD202's clamps on it and is not comfortable after long use. though, I don't think its the most comfortable headphones with non-glass wearers either.
 
my music selection is mostly indie, alternative, pop rock, some classical and blues as well. 
 
anyways, at this point, I'm learning toward the KRK and Shure, but the other choices are great too. I've looked at the Grado and Alessandro but have heard not so great reviews on the comfort, which is very important to me.
 
if there are any other good possibilities, I'm all ears
 
Criteria Importance:
Comfort
Mid - High range clarity
Durability
Big Sound Stage
Bass
Isolation
 
Thanks, cheers

Best for comfort with glasses, I would say the K240 or perhaps the 440 with 840 pads. 
 


Quote:

Hello Everyone. I posted a thread earlier, and ever posted in here. =D
 
Just wanting to get more opinions before I actually buy. They say that the CAL [ Creative Aurvana Live ] is a good Headphone to own, for around $100.
 
Planning on doing all sorts of music, gaming, movies and the sort.

Yup, it's a good choice. 
 


Quote:

Hello all.
Just wanted a quick advice (or more; "I just want to have people say that the headphones I've already settled on are good enough" ...though I will change if the experts say no=P )
 
So yeah, I don't have a lot of experience with midrange headphones. Own some Sennheiser 555 (my first envoy to the better), and I find those to be quite... well, they sound like listening to music through a wall (though they were a great improvement over my previous headphones at the time).
After that, I got myself some Audio-Technica ATH-A900, and I must admit that I love them.
The issue is, however, that after years of rigorous use, my trusty A900 have finally met its demise (A very prolonged demise, I must say. Most of the headphone is covered in electrical-tape, with bits and pieces of cardboard and plastic for support).
So, for Christmas, I've decided to treat myself to some new headphones (or, have friends and family treat me with a headphone of my choosing).
 
Currently, my headphone uses consist of, but not limited to;
Classical Music (Mostly heavier pieces; Rachmaninov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, + more vocal pieces like Messa da Requiem)
Rock/Pop (mostly pre-80s)
Metal (mostly of the more melodic sort, Opeth and the likes)
Movies
Computer Gaming (Doesn't take up as much time as it used to, but I still enjoy playing, sometimes hours on end. mostly first person, so the soundstage is important)
 
I've been lurking through the forums some, and found that the best choice for me would probably be a Fischer Audio FA-003, or FA-002w
I have also considered the FA-011 and Shure SRH840 (But for the FA-011 I'm worried about my music-collection that is mostly not remastered, the high highs got me scared. Any input appreciated. For the Shure, well it just seems to have gotten a lot less attention, and I've seen a lot of reports about it being uncomfortable, and I value comfort highly).
 
I've set my max to about 250 USD, included shipping to Europe (so more like 220 USD)
 
Any input or recommendations will be welcome, though I've halfway set on either the FA-003 or FA-002w

How about an Audio Technica AD900? It would be the open version of the A900 and offers much smoother sound and staging. 
 


Quote:

Hello Head-Fi community!
I'm new to the headphone market (always been a HiFi person myself), so I would like to make sure my first foray is a good one.
I'm looking for some closed-cup headphones suitable for travel, they'd mostly be plugged in to a netbook and/or similar devices, and I'd also end up using them for Piano(Keyboard) sessions at night.
My listening type varies so hugely that I couldn't list any specifics for you here. Although I am somewhat partial to bass and more importantly, string instruments and vocals (so yeah, pretty much cover all ranges there why don't I?)
I'd like to spend roughly 100-200GBP on the headphones, although I'd go higher if there is a census that it's really worth it (but for headphones that'll be abused a lot, it probably isn't).
I've lurked all over these forums taking all your preferences and commendations in to consideration and emerged that the DT770 and ATH M50 seem to be good buys, would I be right in assuming this?
I noticed they both have relatively high power draws though, so would they be pretty useless given the hardware I'd be using them with?
I don't mind buying a portable amp for the headphones if it'll really help either of the above models (would one help?).
Of course, I'm fully aware the best course of action is to simply listen to some Headphones, but where I am it's difficult to find anywhere that allows Demos of headphones (due to hygiene apparently), in fact the only place that did demos nearby was HMV (a music store chain), but, I imagine to the horror of all here, the best they offered were Beats by Dr Dre and Bose(AE2s).
Anyway, to stop this post becoming too lengthy, are the first 2 mentioned Headphones good buys, and/or are there any other recommendations anyone here would make?
Thanks in advance!
Brian.

 
The M50 does not need extra amping, but the DT770 likes to have more. If you intend to travel with them as well, the M50 would be more suitable since they can fold up for portability, whereas the DT770 is quite large. On the other hand, the DT770 isolate quite a bit better than the M50. If you'd like a portable full-sized headphone with high isolation, the Senn HD280 is the way to go. 
 
 


Quote:

Looking for HPs to listen to this kind of music: (needs to do well with orchestrated music, especially with songs like the 2nd one)
 
 
Price: No more than $375
Source: E7/ Matrix M-Stage or KICAS Caliente
 
I was considering the K701, would that be good? Though, I also want to know all my other options.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evqWSzNAm3o
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoI_rp4mTo4
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0p4V5DLxKU

The K701 is great through the midrange and treble, but you might find it a little lacking in the bass for your genres. A Senn HD600/650 or Beyer DT880/990 might be better suited. 
 


Quote:

Looking to upgrade my ATH-M50s, would like something open rather than closed, I generally listen to dnb, electronica, trance, dubstep but I'm not really limited to any sort of genre. Overall what I liked about my M50s is that I could listen to most things quite well. But I think I should go slightly more specialized rather than neutral.
No more than £200 please

Perhaps a Beyer DT990? though it likes to have an amp behind it
 
Or maybe an Ultrasone Pro2900 or HFi2400

 
Quote:

I'm looking for a set of closed circumaural headphones with very good noise isolation (active cancellation or passive), I don't know where to start. They will be used primarily for air travel so noise isolation or cancellation is the primary concern. Some turboprop aircraft I often fly in have cabin noise levels well in excess of 90dB with most of the noise below 100Hz. I can't seem to find a good source of information on the noise isolation characteristics of various headphones.
 
Sound quality should be pretty good but does not need to be audiophile-worthy, mainly should have a relatively flat frequency response down to 20Hz, low distortion, clear highs.
 
Must also be comfortable for several hours of wearing.
 
As for portability... that isn't a concern at all. I don't want to compromise noise isolation, sound quality, or comfort for the sake of portability. I've got plenty of room in my backpack for a full set of cans.
 
Budget is $500 max.
 
Primary source will be my Cowon iAudio X5L but will occasionally use them with my laptop on longer flights (for movies). I listen to a wide variety of musical genres.
 
Thanks for the help.

 
The best I've (not) heard in full sized headphones: 
Beyerdynamic DT770 (there's the drummer version which is the 770M which isolates even more but loses a bit of sound quality), and get gel pads for even more isolation
Senn HD280/380, Senn PXC350/450 (which is the 380 with active noise cancellation on top)
 
 


Quote:

I'm looking to upgrade my A40 Headphones. I've had the A40's for about a year or so now and they've really felt pretty weak. I share a computer area with someone so having something that doesn't disturb them too much if i'm listening to something at a medium level would be nice.
 
I have a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD sound card as well as the A40 Mixamp. I mostly use them to play MMO's(positional audio isn't priority) and listen to music(trance,electronica,pop) and voice chat.I've mainly been looking at some of the Sennheiser headphones 598,PC360 and 650 (I gathered that these are open, in regards to sharing space with someone I mentioned earlier). I would appreciate some recommendations, doesn't have to just be the 3 I mentioned. I would like a microphone but it doesn't have to be integrated as I could just get one of those clip on ones. Also any advice on using the A40 Mixamp or just using the audio card directly with any headphone suggestion. I would say about $300 is my budget (I saw the HD650's on amazon for $350, which is why I listed them). 
 
Thanks in advance for any reply's!

Stick with closed headphones if you don't want to bother others around you. Check around in the gaming headphone thread (link in the very first post of this thread) for recommendations and people better informed than I on the subject.
 
 


Quote:

I'm looking to buy my brother new headphones for christmas. I'm no audiophile (mainly because I can't afford it) so any suggestions would be helpful. He wants over the ear headphones, preferrably closed but anything is ok, and I probably shouldn't spend much more than $30 on these. Also he listens mostly to classic rock, and pop.
Thanks

Senn HD20x or Koss UR2x is a decent bet.
 


Quote:

Right now I'm using my Sennheiser pc 350's with a PA2V2 pocket amp when listening to music . My first question is if there will be a noticeably difference between these and a couple of headphones originally made for music. As there probably will be; I pretty much only listen to melodeath with occasional symphonic elements(not a big priority when choosing headphones though).
 
I've read in the thread that the Sennheiser HD 25's are very good for metal but I'm wondering if there are any other options, perhaps with better sound quality or maybe that's around the ears as I find that more comfortable. It doesn't really matter if they're open or closed or anything like that just they don't let out too much music. My budget could stretch up to $300 but I'd preferably see it stay a bit lower.
 
Thanks in advance for the help.

 
The PC350 is based on the HD380 chassis which is already a decent headphone. 
 
If you're looking for other options, well first you should stick to closed headphones if you don't want to let out too much noise. Maybe consider something like an Ultrasone HFi780? or something more portable like the M80. 
 
 
 


Quote:

Hey, looking for my first pair of headphones.
 
-$50- $60 range
-used for gaming and mp3 player with the occasional  use in a library, or when commuting
-mostly listen to rock, pop
- after looking at the forums for 2 days I have considered buying the Superlux HD 668 or Sennheiser HD428
 
Any recommendations or criticisms on those 2? Also I live in Canada and only find these overpriced, are there can good websites that ship here? Also is buying used headphones safe here on headfi or on ebay?  Thanks : )

Prices for headphones are terrible here in Canada, especially in that price range where options are extremely limited. Buying used is definitely a better way to go in terms of options; just check the seller feedback ratings, and remember that if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. 
 

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

I'm looking for a set of closed circumaural headphones with very good noise isolation (active cancellation or passive), I don't know where to start. They will be used primarily for air travel so noise isolation or cancellation is the primary concern. Some turboprop aircraft I often fly in have cabin noise levels well in excess of 90dB with most of the noise below 100Hz. I can't seem to find a good source of information on the noise isolation characteristics of various headphones.
 
Sound quality should be pretty good but does not need to be audiophile-worthy, mainly should have a relatively flat frequency response down to 20Hz, low distortion, clear highs.
 
Must also be comfortable for several hours of wearing.
 
As for portability... that isn't a concern at all. I don't want to compromise noise isolation, sound quality, or comfort for the sake of portability. I've got plenty of room in my backpack for a full set of cans.
 
Budget is $500 max.
 
Primary source will be my Cowon iAudio X5L but will occasionally use them with my laptop on longer flights (for movies). I listen to a wide variety of musical genres.
 
Thanks for the help.

Honestly, if your main priority is noise attenuation, I say that you just get a pair of actively cancelling headphones. The higher-end Bose models don't sound the best for the price, but from my experience their noise cancelling functions work quite well. You might also want to look into the ANC offerings from other brands like Sony, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica.

 

[linuxid10t]

A pair of deep in ears (Etymotics) would do even better than noise canceling, but not as comfortable.
 
Quote:

Honestly, if your main priority is noise attenuation, I say that you just get a pair of actively cancelling headphones. The higher-end Bose models don't sound the best for the price, but from my experience their noise cancelling functions work quite well. You might also want to look into the ANC offerings from other brands like Sony, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica.

 

 

[192405]

"Don't buy Grados in Canada. The markup is ridiculous.
 
Given the availability, I would say the V6 is a good choice. Good sound, very good durability, and folds up very small for portability.
 
Are you willing to buy used? You can get much better stuff that way. The options and prices up here in Canada are really quite terrible. Futureshop occasionally has a good sale for headphones. Do you have a Long & McQuade nearby so you can audition gear? They're a pretty big Canadian distributor. "
 
No, I'm not really willing to buy used, it may seem quite adamantly stubborn, but thats just how it is : (
 
The V6 isnt availible even at Sony Style in Canada. The actualy Sony reatiler doesnt have them. I gotta buy em online for V6s
 
And I actually do have a Long & McQuade just about a half-hour walk from my school! I never thought of going there! Aha thanks
 
And yes, the markup in Canada is just plain sad
 
And are buying Grado's in Canada really a bad thing? I dont mind paying the markup if it's worth the money (worth the money OVER the V6 and SRH750DJ as the Grados are more expensive than both on Amazon.
 
Also, any opinions on the SRH750DJ Shure's?
 
Thanks for the help!

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

"Don't buy Grados in Canada. The markup is ridiculous.
 
Given the availability, I would say the V6 is a good choice. Good sound, very good durability, and folds up very small for portability.
 
Are you willing to buy used? You can get much better stuff that way. The options and prices up here in Canada are really quite terrible. Futureshop occasionally has a good sale for headphones. Do you have a Long & McQuade nearby so you can audition gear? They're a pretty big Canadian distributor. "
 
No, I'm not really willing to buy used, it may seem quite adamantly stubborn, but thats just how it is : (
 
The V6 isnt availible even at Sony Style in Canada. The actualy Sony reatiler doesnt have them. I gotta buy em online for V6s
 
And I actually do have a Long & McQuade just about a half-hour walk from my school! I never thought of going there! Aha thanks
 
And yes, the markup in Canada is just plain sad
 
And are buying Grado's in Canada really a bad thing? I dont mind paying the markup if it's worth the money (worth the money OVER the V6 and SRH750DJ as the Grados are more expensive than both on Amazon.
 
Also, any opinions on the SRH750DJ Shure's?
 
Thanks for the help!

If you really want to get a new Grado in Canada, consider the Alessandro line. They're basically the same thing except tuned to have a slightly smoother treble, and they ship outside the US without crazy mark up. 
 
The 750 is a decent can. Lots of bass, kinda scooped mids. Keep an eye out for the Futureshop sales which occasionally have the 750 at 50% off. 
 

 

[linuxid10t]

The guy also lives a very short distance from the US.  A short trip could fix the Grado price problem.
 
Quote:

If you really want to get a new Grado in Canada, consider the Alessandro line. They're basically the same thing except tuned to have a slightly smoother treble, and they ship outside the US without crazy mark up. 
 
The 750 is a decent can. Lots of bass, kinda scooped mids. Keep an eye out for the Futureshop sales which occasionally have the 750 at 50% off.