Trance listener looking for input on first real headphones

Do you require noise cancellation (I.E. electronic reduction in sound) or would you settle for good isolation (earpads physically block out noise)?

Sincerely,

You can try HFi780, very good all rounder, portable, good isolation... but maybe not very comfortable for long plane journeys,lol. Its hard to find a closed headphone with a good isolation and comfortable on long period.

HFi780 is more refined, detailled, has slightly more soundstage and its a more all rounder headphone than HFi580. HFi580 has just more punchy bass. 

The Pro 750's/900's really shine with electronic music. :)

I believe the Pro 750 has velour pads instead of the pleather than the 780s do.  Velour pads are more comfortable, but don't isolate as well.  The 780s isolate very well, but people do sometimes have comfort issues issues with them, mainly that they do have a strong clamping force (this can be lessened if you want by stretching it a little overnight on another object), and can get a little hot (it takes 3-4 for mine to starting getting that way).  In terms of sound signature they're exactly what you need.  The HFI-580s are known for having more bass, but aren't likely to be as good for vocals because the bass encroaches more upon the mids, and the SQ isn't generally regarded quite as highly.  The Pro 750 should have a better overall sound than either, with a larger soundstage, but isolation is more of a concern.

As far as the importance of an amp, I would pick up an amp/dac for the Pro 750's. I used a Fiio E7 with mine, and they worked great. Amps help more than dacs, but both make a difference.

I can't speak as to the merit of an amp/dac for the other headphones in your selection, though.

Another great option if you're open to getting (or already have one) a portable amp is the Beyerdynamic DT-770.  They're known for comfort and isolation especially.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmcclure25 

That's awesome feedback, is there any other headphones that maybe provide the comfort as well as SQ and isolation?

I’ve dealt with uncomfortable headphones on a flight once before and it was a terrible experience after a few hours so would like to avoid that again :)

I'd take a look at Denon if you want comfort. They're fantastic for the price, though you may need to wait until the D2000's restock in the stores and goes back down in price. They were about $240 for a long time, then all of a sudden they went to $350 and started disappearing. I'd expect them to come back down in price soon.

The Denons are really comfortable (light as hell, low clamping force, thick pads), and have great sound quality (similar coloration to Ultrasones). The isolation isn't as good (because the clamping force is light), but they're still closed headphones, you shouldn't be bothering anyone around you. Also, they're not the most portable cans. The Ultrasones fold flat, the Denons do not.

At the volume I listen to, you can't really hear anything from the Pro 750's or Denons (or at least very little, you may hear a slight whisper if you were next to each other on a plane). But, if you listen to music super loud, people around you might hear something. Either way, they're going to be much quieter, than say, the stock apple earbuds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmcclure25 

Looking around at the denons and DT770s they have they DT 770 PRO - 250 ohm with the Fiio E5 amp and L3 line out dock at £150

Does this seem reasonable?

The denons are around £250 alone

I still keep coming back to the Pro 750's at around £240, just seem to tick all the boxes apart from the isolation aspect? will they really be that bad on the plane or boat?

Sorry to drag this one out guys, really appreciate all the input, just want my first pair to be memorable for the right reasons :)

I don't think the E5 will really do the DT770 Pro justice, as it's a cheaper-end amp. I'd recommend at least the E6.