++ FULL-SIZE HEADPHONE RECOMMENDATIONS THREAD++ CLOSED: Please post a thread in the... - Page 1582  

Thanks Pro1137 and KG Jag for your recommendations. I have been looking at the KRK KNS 8400 and they do seem like really good headphones for their price. However, after reading a lot of the reviews about them I have two main issues with them: 1) They do seem a little bulky they way they go out on the sides, instead of conforming a little more to the shape of the head. (This isn't a really big issue, but I would like some that are a tad slimmer so they don't look too foolish in public haha). 2) My main worry is that some people have complained about the highs being overbearing. This concerns me because as much as I enjoy rap/hip-hop/r&b, I do listen to quite a bit of screamo/rock, which has a lot of highs in it already. Thus, if the headphones are already a little overbearing, then it might tire out my ears after a while and make these genres not as enjoyable to listen to on these headphones.

I guess I'm just looking for a nice balanced, warm & rounded toned headphones. Good highs and lows, but also quality mids. As these are just for listening, and not for mixing or anything, I just want it to sound like quality but also pleasant, without being uncomfortable.

What are your guys' thoughts on these issues with these headphones? And are there other headphones that you think would solve these issues, while still retaining the main components I'm looking for?

I really think someone should make a list of headphones like that, i've been looking for something similar(i just need more soundstage) but more expensive to no avail. If you want something that isn't overbearing with nice tamed highs I'd recommend the Senn HD380 Pro, really smooth highs, not sibilant at all (trust me, it's like i have a deadly reaction to sibilance). I got them for about 120$ so they were worth the price. I have compared them to the Grado SR80i, DT880, Sennheiser Momentum, Senn HD 558 and they really have the smoothest highs.

It's just that they'r kinda bad at soundstage and i really need that for some immersive gaming (love horror games).

Quote:

Originally Posted by skipwilly 

Thanks Pro1137 and KG Jag for your recommendations. I have been looking at the KRK KNS 8400 and they do seem like really good headphones for their price. However, after reading a lot of the reviews about them I have two main issues with them: 1) They do seem a little bulky they way they go out on the sides, instead of conforming a little more to the shape of the head. (This isn't a really big issue, but I would like some that are a tad slimmer so they don't look too foolish in public haha). 2) My main worry is that some people have complained about the highs being overbearing. This concerns me because as much as I enjoy rap/hip-hop/r&b, I do listen to quite a bit of screamo/rock, which has a lot of highs in it already. Thus, if the headphones are already a little overbearing, then it might tire out my ears after a while and make these genres not as enjoyable to listen to on these headphones.

 

I guess I'm just looking for a nice balanced, warm & rounded toned headphones. Good highs and lows, but also quality mids. As these are just for listening, and not for mixing or anything, I just want it to sound like quality but also pleasant, without being uncomfortable.

What are your guys' thoughts on these issues with these headphones? And are there other headphones that you think would solve these issues, while still retaining the main components I'm looking for?

The way you say you want them to be less bulky tells me that you might be looking for an on-ear pair of headphones..

I understand that this is the over-ear thread, but, some good on-ear headphones you may want to take a look at are:

V-Moda M80
AiAiAi TMA-1 

If being too bright sounding is your main concern about the KRK KNS8400, then, you can easily use some sort of equalizer to tone it down. If you use an iPod Touch/iPhone for music listening, then get the app EQu. It is far superior to anything that the Apple preset EQs can do.
If you have some other music player, it most likely has a built-in equalizer, so you can use that.

The way you say you want them to be less bulky tells me that you might be looking for an on-ear pair of headphones..

I understand that this is the over-ear thread, but, some good on-ear headphones you may want to take a look at are:

V-Moda M80
AiAiAi TMA-1 

If being too bright sounding is your main concern about the KRK KNS8400, then, you can easily use some sort of equalizer to tone it down. If you use an iPod Touch/iPhone for music listening, then get the app EQu. It is far superior to anything that the Apple preset EQs can do.
If you have some other music player, it most likely has a built-in equalizer, so you can use that.

I was thinking along the same lines--plus you can only use closed cans while sitting in a coffe bar.

To get what you want, you probably need to add about $50 to your budget and get the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II.  The Shure SRH 840 is too big for what you want.

The bulky issue isn't too much of a problem. I just don't want to look like an alien or something while I'm working in Starbucks lol. (Ultimately though, I don't really care if the sound quality is that amazing.)

But in terms of the highs do you find the KRKs to be overbearing? I would just be worried that after listening to one thing for a while, it would start to hurt my ears like most in-ear buds do. I don't mind using an EQ, but I switch things up a lot. So if changing between genres a lot this could get tedious.

Another thing I forgot to mention was sound leakage. How do the KRKs do with sounds leakage? Do they isolate sound while you are listening to music? And also, do they leak when the volume is at a comfortable to loud volume?

(I want to make sure that I can use them in a crowded Starbucks without hearing all of the background noise, and also be able to use them in the library without pissing off the people around me.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

I was thinking along the same lines--plus you can only use closed cans while sitting in a coffe bar.

 

To get what you want, you probably need to add about $50 to your budget and get the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II.  The Shure SRH 840 is too big for what you want.

From what I've heard, the M80 is a bit more smoother and versatile than the HD25.

I'm not so sure that the HD25 would be the best choice for him, considering he doesn't really listen to electronic music, which, I feel are the best use for the HD25.

But you're the Headphoneus Supremus. You know best :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by pro1137 

 

The way you say you want them to be less bulky tells me that you might be looking for an on-ear pair of headphones..

I understand that this is the over-ear thread, but, some good on-ear headphones you may want to take a look at are:

V-Moda M80
AiAiAi TMA-1 

If being too bright sounding is your main concern about the KRK KNS8400, then, you can easily use some sort of equalizer to tone it down. If you use an iPod Touch/iPhone for music listening, then get the app EQu. It is far superior to anything that the Apple preset EQs can do.
If you have some other music player, it most likely has a built-in equalizer, so you can use that.

The bulky issue isn't too much of a problem. I just don't want to look like an alien or something while I'm working in Starbucks lol. (Ultimately though, I don't really care if the sound quality is that amazing.)

But in terms of the highs do you find the KRKs to be overbearing? I would just be worried that after listening to one thing for a while, it would start to hurt my ears like most in-ear buds do. I don't mind using an EQ, but I switch things up a lot. So if changing between genres a lot this could get tedious.

Another thing I forgot to mention was sound leakage. How do the KRKs do with sounds leakage? Do they isolate sound while you are listening to music? And also, do they leak when the volume is at a comfortable to loud volume?

(I want to make sure that I can use them in a crowded Starbucks without hearing all of the background noise, and also be able to use them in the library without pissing off the people around me.)

The M-80 will be preferred by basshead lites.  The Senn is more balanced and from my perspective, far more genre versatile than is the M-80.  Both are on Tyll's Wall of Fame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

The M-80 will be preferred by basshead lites.  The Senn is more balanced and from my perspective, far more genre versatile than is the M-80.  Both are on Tyll's Wall of Fame.

The Senn are too expensive for what I'm going for. I haven't had too much time to read up on the M-80. I have looked into the KRK KNS 8400 and it looks good, except for the highs (which I don't know if that is actually an issue). I looked into the Audio Technica ATH-M50, but those seem to leak too much for what I want. I'm at college so I need everything from in my dorm room, to the quiet library, to a busy Starbucks or noisy car ride.

The music genres I will be listening to are rap/hip-hop/r&b/screamo/rock (punk/pop/alternative)/and some indie music (Lumineers, Bon Iver, Local Natives) with some indie dance music (?) (MGMT, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club). Sorry don't know how to classify all of those.

Based off all of this info which ones would you recommend? I've come to realize it is pretty easy to get lost in all of these headphone choices..

Absolute most I want to spend is $160.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

The M-80 will be preferred by basshead lites.  The Senn is more balanced and from my perspective, far more genre versatile than is the M-80.  Both are on Tyll's Wall of Fame.

The Senn are too expensive for what I'm going for. I haven't had too much time to read up on the M-80. I have looked into the KRK KNS 8400 and it looks good, except for the highs (which I don't know if that is actually an issue). I looked into the Audio Technica ATH-M50, but those seem to leak too much for what I want. I'm at college so I need everything from in my dorm room, to the quiet library, to a busy Starbucks or noisy car ride.

The music genres I will be listening to are rap/hip-hop/r&b/screamo/rock (punk/pop/alternative)/and some indie music (Lumineers, Bon Iver, Local Natives) with some indie dance music (?) (MGMT, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club). Sorry don't know how to classify all of those.

Based off all of this info which ones would you recommend? I've come to realize it is pretty easy to get lost in all of these headphone choices..

Absolute most I want to spend is $160.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skipwilly 

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

The M-80 will be preferred by basshead lites.  The Senn is more balanced and from my perspective, far more genre versatile than is the M-80.  Both are on Tyll's Wall of Fame.

The Senn are too expensive for what I'm going for. I haven't had too much time to read up on the M-80. I have looked into the KRK KNS 8400 and it looks good, except for the highs (which I don't know if that is actually an issue). I looked into the Audio Technica ATH-M50, but those seem to leak too much for what I want. I'm at college so I need everything from in my dorm room, to the quiet library, to a busy Starbucks or noisy car ride.

 

The music genres I will be listening to are rap/hip-hop/r&b/screamo/rock (punk/pop/alternative)/and some indie music (Lumineers, Bon Iver, Local Natives) with some indie dance music (?) (MGMT, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club). Sorry don't know how to classify all of those.

 

Based off all of this info which ones would you recommend? I've come to realize it is pretty easy to get lost in all of these headphone choices..

Absolute most I want to spend is $160.

From my experience, the M-80 might have too little sparkle in the treble to completely enjoy rock music. They don't sound that bad, but they're not an optimal headphone for the genre in my opinion. That plus they were really small on my head (the headband was nearly at full extension to get it to fit on my head comfortably).

I think the M50 would be a better choice, but that's my $0.02. They hardly leaked at all when I tried them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by miceblue 

Quote:

Originally Posted by skipwilly 

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

The M-80 will be preferred by basshead lites.  The Senn is more balanced and from my perspective, far more genre versatile than is the M-80.  Both are on Tyll's Wall of Fame.

The Senn are too expensive for what I'm going for. I haven't had too much time to read up on the M-80. I have looked into the KRK KNS 8400 and it looks good, except for the highs (which I don't know if that is actually an issue). I looked into the Audio Technica ATH-M50, but those seem to leak too much for what I want. I'm at college so I need everything from in my dorm room, to the quiet library, to a busy Starbucks or noisy car ride.

 

The music genres I will be listening to are rap/hip-hop/r&b/screamo/rock (punk/pop/alternative)/and some indie music (Lumineers, Bon Iver, Local Natives) with some indie dance music (?) (MGMT, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club). Sorry don't know how to classify all of those.

 

Based off all of this info which ones would you recommend? I've come to realize it is pretty easy to get lost in all of these headphone choices..

Absolute most I want to spend is $160.

From my experience, the M-80 might have too little sparkle in the treble to completely enjoy rock music. They don't sound that bad, but they're not an optimal headphone for the genre in my opinion. That plus they were really small on my head (the headband was nearly at full extension to get it to fit on my head comfortably).

 

I think the M50 would be a better choice, but that's my $0.02. They hardly leaked at all when I tried them.

M-50's is very bright and has recessed mids.  I would put them behind both the M-80 and KRK for the stated uses and preferences.

Don't know your genres well enough to advise you on a final choice.  I can say that if bass is important to you, the M-80 sound signature matches those needs better.  Beware however, as a signficiant number of folks have found the M-80 to be less than comfortable.

The bottom line for what you want is that, although you can get quality cans for $150, you will have to make some comprises/trade-offs with your final selection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG Jag 

Don't know your genres well enough to advise you on a final choice.  I can say that if bass is important to you, the M-80 sound signature matches those needs better.  Beware however, as a signficiant number of folks have found the M-80 to be less than comfortable.

 

The bottom line for what you want is that, although you can get quality cans for $150, you will have to make some comprises/trade-offs with your final selection.

Lol. All of this is so confusing. I've just read about the KRKs and how the bass isn't that great, which from what I read seems because the sound is truer and more flat. I've also heard that these make bad quality music sound worse, but good quality mixes sound amazing. The M-80s I don't really know what to think about. The M-50s seem out just because they are bulky, have leakage, and won't really work if I'm sitting outside.

Are the KRKs portable? And will they work outside? Is the bass that hollowed out? Like if I want to listen to Kayne or Jay-Z will it seem lacking?

In terms of comfort, sound quality, and portability, which is the most preferable the M-80s or the KRKs?

-Keep in mind, I may use these outside and want to be able to take them places easily. Also, I forgot to mention this much earlier, but I wear glasses. They are thicker-framed Ray-Bans. So I don't know how that'll affect everything.

Then lastly, on my list on long questions (sorry), what is the real difference between the KRK KNS 8400 and 6400? Which is better factoring price into the mix?