Recommendations for "Powerful" Closed Headphones Under $200

Not sure why the AKG's are so high on your list considering that you want "capacity for deep, strong bass". The AKG's are not that, and the 240's are not closed cans. And this is coming from a guy who really likes AKG's.

The DT770's are probably your best bet from those 4, and you would probably like the Audio-Technica M50's or the Shure 750's more than the 840s.

Another good company to look at would be Ultrasone. Good luck!

Look for a used pair of d2000.  

AT M-50 and Shure SRH 840.

I have a chance to test these 2 with my HM601 as I am also hunting for headphones and they really do bass though I think the Shure has a slighly more balance sound to me. 

AKG 271 is pretty bass light but it does have a bigger soundstage than the AT and Shure and for classical, the AKG 271 would be better in my opinion.

I also tried the Beyer 770pro 250 ohm that has been run in for 2 years at my dealer but their bass are not as "powerful" as both the shure and AT.

Of the headphones you list, I compared all of them and liked the SRH840 most.  Denons have nicer soundstage, but are beyond your budget.  I didn't like DT770-80, but other ohm versions are supposed to have better controlled bass & treble, which I found excessive.

edit: Shures and Denons do have the capacity for deep, growling bass and do somewhat emphasize bass in their signatures.  I found SRH840 controls bass better, making drums, etc. sound more realistic.

I would lean more toward the SRH840 due it's clear, articulate sound and powerful low end.  Another option you could consider is Ultrasone's HFi-580.  It's a bit on the bright side of neutral, but you still get a sound that is both detailed and powerful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gryphon 

 

I also tried the Beyer 770pro 250 ohm that has been run in for 2 years at my dealer but their bass are not as "powerful" as both the shure and AT.

 

 

That's because the 80ohm is the Pro version with the powerful bass.

If you have a local Guitarcenter, they usually carry both brands and they usually let customers try out headphones.

+1!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital-Pride 

If you have a local Guitarcenter, they usually carry both brands and they usually let customers try out headphones.

JBL reference 420, Klipsch Image ONE, Sony MDR-XB1000.

The Ultrasone HFI-580s of course, they're powerful, fun and the bass is awesome. Isolates well too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serenseti 

Thanks everybody! With your recommendations, and a bit more searching, I've narrowed my choice down to the ATH-M50S and the SRH840. I hear consistently good things about the M50 but there are some very positive and other slightly disappointed reviews for the SRH840. At this point I'm just as happy to spend more for the SRH840 than I would for the M50.
I feel like I should try listening to both of them, and then deciding; where could I do that? I live in Boston...

That's my same dilema, I'm narrowed to the M50 and the HFI-580, but I don't know where I could try them out at, I'm in fort worth texas, 20 minutes from dallas.

Ultrasone pro 550 fits into your description too, but only if you have warmer sounding source. Powerful sound is tied to closed 'phones mostly, which more less suck with classical music, they have poor or no soundstage (exeption is denon but it does not isolate sound, very little). Ultrasone s-logic works and does surprisingly good job with classic and jazz, master of trance, good with rock while providing good isolation and powerfull but not overblown bass, like denons do.

One more thing, pro series have better s-logic than hifi series.