Hfi 780?

Given your musical preferences, I would probably stay away from the Ultrasones.  Like you, I listen to mostly rock, metal, and acoustic material.  I've had a few pairs of Ultrasones (HFi-680, HFi-780, Edition 8) and I never thought rock was their strong point, largely due to the fact that Ultrasones seem to have recessed mids and prominent treble and midbass.   They didn't sound bad with rock, but it definitely wasn't anything to write home about, either -- their sound signature struck me as being one that would be much better for electronic or hip hop / rap music.

I still haven't tried the M50, but I have tried the SRH-840 and can say that it is a very good headphone for the price.  Shures are typically known for their good mids, and the SRH-840 is no exception, making it great for rock and acoustic music.  Just FYI, if you've got a Guitar Center somewhere nearby, you can check with them -- they typically carry both the M50 and SRH-840 and will let you demo both headphones in the store.

As for the HD595, that's another one I haven't tried.  However, they seem to me to be pretty significantly larger than the other headphones you're considering, potentially making them a bit cumbersome for portable applications, especially compared to the SRH-840 and HFi-780, as these headphones have earcups that can fold flat for transport.  Also, open back is probably not the best option at school -- you'd have to crank up the volume so that you could hear them in noisy places, and conversely everyone around you would then be hearing your music as well.  I think you'd be better off with one of the closed sets instead.

Hope that helps!

Yeah, I found the SRH-440 to be a bit light on bass too.  The SRH-840 does have a somewhat fuller bass response, but it's definitely not a bass monster by any means.  Also, it's a little bit bigger and heavier than the SRH-440, but aesthetics are pretty similar -- the SRH-840's build seems to be of somewhat higher quality, but visually they're definitely cut from the same cloth.

I think the choices are starting to overwhelm you.  Sight unseen (or unheard, as it were), I'd say your best option moving forward would be the 840. This is mainly because your only stated problem with the 440 is the light bass (I'm in the same camp as you on this issue sometimes). Purely design-wise, the 840 is a heavier 440 with better pads, so you'll likely feel right at home. Many people claim that the 840 and 440 share a "family resemblance," with the 840 having more bass and lower midrange depth. In other words, it sounds like you want a "perfected 440," not something totally new.

If you do go this route, I'd be very interested to hear your impressions of one versus the other.

the shure840 has a slight warm forward mids, overall quite balanced and bodacious kind of presentation.

( read as it isnt lean and analytical )

y i sold it was becos it was heavy and hot on my head and i cant listen to it for long periods.

one can to check out is the Audio Fischer FA-003.....

its got a long thread in this forum and many many fans. do check it out.

i cant have enough of it actually. every time i put it on, i felt its like sound coming from a  very expensive headphone.

New to the forum...  I've had the same HD540's for as long as I can remember, and they were just coming apart. So, after some research I decided on the HFI-780's.   Due to time constraints, I purchased through Amazon from what I thought was a reputable supplier.   I thought Ultrasone were made in Germany, but both the box and the cans are labeled "Made in Taiwan"'?  Have I been scammed?  Any help would be appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grm9860 

New to the forum...  I've had the same HD540's for as long as I can remember, and they were just coming apart. So, after some research I decided on the HFI-780's.   Due to time constraints, I purchased through Amazon from what I thought was a reputable supplier.   I thought Ultrasone were made in Germany, but both the box and the cans are labeled "Made in Taiwan"'?  Have I been scammed?  Any help would be appreciated.

I think all but the highest-end (i.e. the Edition series) Ultrasone headphones are probably manufactured in Taiwan; you probably weren't scammed.  Ultrasone engineers their products in Germany, but manufacturing for most of them is done elsewhere.

Oh, and welcome to Head-Fi!

Quote:

Originally Posted by haarism 

cheap labour?

Well I'm sure it's cheaper than Germany...

Thanks!  I feel better.  Burn in has begone... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophonax 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by grm9860 

New to the forum...  I've had the same HD540's for as long as I can remember, and they were just coming apart. So, after some research I decided on the HFI-780's.   Due to time constraints, I purchased through Amazon from what I thought was a reputable supplier.   I thought Ultrasone were made in Germany, but both the box and the cans are labeled "Made in Taiwan"'?  Have I been scammed?  Any help would be appreciated.

 

I think all but the highest-end (i.e. the Edition series) Ultrasone headphones are probably manufactured in Taiwan; you probably weren't scammed.  Ultrasone engineers their products in Germany, but manufacturing for most of them is done elsewhere.

 

Oh, and welcome to Head-Fi!