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M50's slowly dying - Recommendations on replacement? (<$200 Please!)

post #1 of 25
1/3/12 at 7:37pm
Thread Starter 

I got my current Audio Technica ATH-M50's about a year ago - and I still love them. When I ordered them, I sent them off to a fellow head-fier for a cable shortening/recabling. Anyway, fast-forward a year, and now the cups cut out at random when the wire/jack is in a very specific position. Granted, it needs to be very very specific, but it still happens and it will only go downhill from here. (I also cannot open the jack myself and fix due to various reasons, so that's not an option)

 

I have two possible options:

  1. Send them back to the head-fi user who did the cabling, and pay for a repair/redo + shipping both ways. ($150~ After duties/taxes/shipping)
  2. Or I could order a new pair of headphones when my M50's finally bite the dust.

 

Considering I go with option two, what would be the best option for me? I listen to everything from Orchestral Pieces, Instrumentals, Rock, and Techno, to things like Dance, Pop, and even the occasional Jazz & Metal. All of these files would be 320Kbps CBR, played from either my ENVY 17t-3XXX 3D Edition Laptop, or from my iPod 4G.

 

In order of importance, I'm looking for:

  1. Sound Quality for the above genres and devices.
  2. Build Quality and durability. (Metal/aluminium in the build?)
  3. Looks. They need to look good, as I will be using them around college as well as home.

 

I've heard about both the AKG K550 and the ATH-PRO700MK2 lately, are either of them good for these conditions?

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post #2 of 25
1/3/12 at 7:48pm

Since you are in Canada you can get the sennheiser hd 25 1 ii at your local future shop. They are indestructible. I recommend them.

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post #3 of 25
1/3/12 at 7:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enter Darkness View Post

Since you are in Canada you can get the sennheiser hd 25 1 ii at your local future shop. They are indestructible. I recommend them.



They do sound reall strong from what I've heard, but would they be a step up, down, or sideways from the M50's? Also, they don't exactly look that great... at all.

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post #4 of 25
1/3/12 at 9:19pm

Looked at Ultrasone Hfi-580/dj1's? The burn-in period is pretty long but they sounded pretty nice for most genres in my opinion. Felt pretty solid as well.

 

EDIT: Huh, the price on Amazon has gone up since I last looked at it. Still worth the extra $10-20 in my opinion.


Edited by scottie584 - 1/3/12 at 9:22pm
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post #5 of 25
1/3/12 at 10:26pm

>>and it will only go downhill from here...

Ok, the latest burn-in thread has run it's course so now you should start a "burn-out" thread. :-)

 

But seriously, you did not say what kind of headphone you wanted. If it's another studio monitor, perhaps Sony 7506 might be to your liking.

 

Why not practice your soldering skills?  The M50 has a relatively robust cable and might be fixable by you. Or sell them as is to a DIY person wanting good phones.

 

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post #6 of 25
1/3/12 at 10:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fubar3 View Post

>>and it will only go downhill from here...

Ok, the latest burn-in thread has run it's course so now you should start a "burn-out" thread. :-)

 

But seriously, you did not say what kind of headphone you wanted. If it's another studio monitor, perhaps Sony 7506 might be to your liking.

 

Why not practice your soldering skills?  The M50 has a relatively robust cable and might be fixable by you. Or sell them as is to a DIY person wanting good phones.

 


 

I'd solder it if I could. There's two reasons I can't however. First reason is that every time I have ever soldered anything, it has ended up worse than before. The second reason is that even if I wanted to solder it myself and fix it, I've super-glued the cap of the jack into the case, because it kept coming loose when I got it.

 

I am looking or a DJ or Studio headphone - but to be honest, I don't mind what it is as long as it's closed and it sounds/looks good.

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post #7 of 25
1/4/12 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 
Bump. What are general thoughs on the AKG K550?
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post #8 of 25
1/4/12 at 2:06pm

 

Quote:
as I will be using them around college as well as home.

 

Already mentioned in the K550 topic.
 
The K550 isn't a portable headphone, yes very well built, sound and look good, but huge/heavy/10 feet straight cable/weak clamping force = not very good for portability,lol.

 

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post #9 of 25
1/4/12 at 2:32pm
Thread Starter 

Alright, well, are there any other full-size portable headphones I could be thinking about then?

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post #10 of 25
1/4/12 at 2:50pm

I have both the M50 and the PRO700MK2, and if I'd heard both before buying anyone of them - I'd gone with the PRO700MK2 straight away. The sound is like the M50, but with more meat. The bass is deeper, mids are just as sweet and the highs are a bit more relaxed (not as bright as the m50). And they're not simple "bass cans" that makes pop/jazz/whatever that's not supposed to have massive bass become a mess, like you're listening to a stereo with a subwoofer turned up too high: it just gives it a bit more meat on the bones. And tracks that are supposed to have bass, it delivers it.

 

Negatives are that if you've got a big head, they won't fit. I've got a large-ish head, and I've got the band streched out as long as I can for them to fit my head. And out of the box the clamping force is ridiculous. While playing them inn, I strapped them over a speaker and let them sit for 2 days straight before they felt close to comfortable. Out of the box I could take them for 10 minutes, tops.

 

If you like how bright the m50's are, the pro700 is not for you. But if a bit more dark and full sounds tempting, I'd say give them a try.

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post #11 of 25
1/4/12 at 3:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by thenorwegian View Post

I have both the M50 and the PRO700MK2, and if I'd heard both before buying anyone of them - I'd gone with the PRO700MK2 straight away. The sound is like the M50, but with more meat. The bass is deeper, mids are just as sweet and the highs are a bit more relaxed (not as bright as the m50). And they're not simple "bass cans" that makes pop/jazz/whatever that's not supposed to have massive bass become a mess, like you're listening to a stereo with a subwoofer turned up too high: it just gives it a bit more meat on the bones. And tracks that are supposed to have bass, it delivers it.

 

Negatives are that if you've got a big head, they won't fit. I've got a large-ish head, and I've got the band streched out as long as I can for them to fit my head. And out of the box the clamping force is ridiculous. While playing them inn, I strapped them over a speaker and let them sit for 2 days straight before they felt close to comfortable. Out of the box I could take them for 10 minutes, tops.

 

If you like how bright the m50's are, the pro700 is not for you. But if a bit more dark and full sounds tempting, I'd say give them a try.

 

I've heard that they don't have the metal inside the band like the M50's do. Do they feel weaker (build quality wise) for it? 
 

 

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post #12 of 25
1/4/12 at 6:52pm
Thread Starter 
Bump
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post #13 of 25
1/4/12 at 8:58pm

I don't understand.  Why don't you just take them to a local electrician and have them repaired? No way it would cost more than 150

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post #14 of 25
1/4/12 at 9:30pm
Thread Starter 
Last time I did that, I ended up having to go back three times, and the job was never even done right, any of those three times.
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post #15 of 25
1/4/12 at 9:48pm

what about an audio shop that makes custom cables.  there's a few in my area.  idk about where you live.

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