Help choosing a pair of closed circumaural cans up to $150-$200 for iPad/Android phone listening

Hi all,

I've been lurking around here for a while, reading threads and reviews of quite a large number of headphones.  I have not had much experience in the way of decent headphones before, and I currently find myself with a pair of Bose AE2s.  They are very comfortable, reasonably portable, and I want to love them, but I just don't love the sound.  They are OK for some acoustic and electronic music, but not so great for rock or more complex sounding music. I also find that unless I turn them up pretty loud, that the detail gets lost and they sound murky.  I want to be impressed with what I'm hearing from the headphones that I end up with.

I'm primarily going to be using them with portables: iPad and my Android phone.  I'm willing to spend up to $150 to $200 for the right pair, but if I can spend less and be happy, I'd be fine with that.  My priorities are #1 - Comfort, #2 Sound quality, and #3 portability.  Replaceable cable would be a plus.  They need to be closed circumaurals as I don't want to leak much sound, and I find IEMs and on-ear models uncomfortable after short amounts of time.  Since I'm using with portables, I'd like a pair that is easily driven and I would prefer not to need an amp, especially if I'm traveling with them.

I have not been able to demo very many locally (few places to do this that I know of besides big box stores), which is a hindrance as I would really like to try them on for comfort and sound, and ideally would like to be able to compare side by side.  Since I have heard so few in person, I'm not entirely sure what qualities of sound would make a big impact on me.  I think I would like punchy, but not booming or overpowering bass, but beyond this, I'm not sure.

I have recently considered the following models:

Audio Technica M50

Sennheiser HD380

Shure SRH840

Creative Aurvana Live

Sony MDR-ZX700 (DR-ZX701IP  - I think these are identical with the exception of the controls on the cable)

BRAINWAVZ HM5 (these have been getting a lot of hype of late)

I listen to 75% Rock (alternative, psychedelic and progressive), 15% Hip-hop and some electronic.  No classical, a little Jazz, some blues.

So I'm looking for recommendations for best bets that meet my needs, and maybe some thoughts on how best to choose what to get and from where if I am unable to demo all my options before purchase.  I'm willing to consider any other suggestions you may have as well.

Thanks!

Thanks very much for the recommendations. The V-Modas sound like great headphones, but they are on-ear, not around ear, and I have found on-ear phones to cause me discomfort after a short amount of time due to sensitive ears. 

The M50s are definitely on my short list. How would you characterize the sound?  Are they neutral, warm or bright?  They do appear to be rather large and have a fairly long non-replaceable cord, so less than ideal for portability.

After doing some more homework, I think I am leaning toward Denon AH-D1100s right now. When I think about what seems to be missing from the Bose pair I currently have, I think they sound somewhat sterile and lacking in bass punch. From what I have read, the Denon's have plenty of bass and get generally very good reviews for sound overall. They are reportedly very comfortable and appear to be light and portable. No detachable cord, but otherwise they seem to fit my wishlist really well.  I am not aware of anywhere local to me (Fort Lauderdale, FL) to demo these nor the M50s, but I may just have to make an educated guess and take my chances with an online purchase; I am anxious to try something new. 

Any other suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated. 

Thanks again. 

The Beyers actually look really nice, both for sound and comfort; I think they have previously escaped my attention because they are not really portable.  I have added them to my wish list, should I want a pair for home use.  Is there a reason these are preferred over the 32 ohm version?  The 32 ohm version should be much easier to drive from a portable without an amp, and the Pro80's (from what I have read) will perform much better with an amp.  That said, I don't see the 32 ohm version of these actually for sale anywhere, so this may be the answer.  I do see the DT990 in a 32 ohm model although I am unclear whether the 990s are a step up or down.

I still have the Denon AH-D1100s in my current front-runner spot, since they are almost certainly a step up from the Bose in sound quality, should still be very comfortable (although maybe not as comfortable as the Bose) and appear to be comparable with regard to portability.  Additionally they should be easy to drive from the portables I use.  I may consider a small portable amp, but my preference is still not to have to use one.

Can anyone comment on the pros/cons for the Denons or suggest another alternative?

I'd like to thank everyone for their comments so far and generally for this forum; I have learned a lot in a relatively short period of time and the wealth of knowledge available here is a fantastic resource.

Regarding the Beyer models, I should have looked more closely at the descriptions; the pictures all looked the same so thanks for the clarification.  When I am in the position to purchase a non-portable set of phones, I will definitely consider the DT 770s on my short list - they sound like a great set and perhaps I will have the opportunity to demo them at some point.

In the meantime, I think my preference is to get a more portable pair and may be close to ordering the Denons barring seriously negative feedback or the sudden discovery of something significantly better in the price range.

I would like to thank you for the advice you took the time to give, and to specifically single out the information regarding headphone amps, impedance and whether the added expense and inconvenience of an amp would be justified given my relative inexperience.  There is a lot of information on this site to be digested, many differing and contradictory opinions and it is often difficult to make sense of it all.  Yours is some of the most sensible and useful advice I have read since I started researching headphones here and elsewhere.  Thanks again for taking the time to explain this.

I found a deal on the Denon AH-D1100s that I couldn't pass up, so I ordered them.  I will be posting impressions and comparison with the Bose AE2 once I have had some time with the new cans.  Thanks again for the advice!

I have had the Denons for two days and here are my initial impressions:

I made my choice for the Denons based on the facts that I wanted a warmer, richer sound than the Bose AE2s, I wanted a comfortable, portable pair that was easy to drive from a phone or Ipad.  More than the other cans I was considering, the Denons appeared to fit this description.

Out of the box, they are boomy and extremely bass heavy - I would go so far as to say they are unlistenable for me without EQ.  When I set my Ipad to Bass reducer, I started to enjoy the sound.  On the second day, I began my listening session on the Bass reducer setting, and found that I was not enjoying the sound as much as I had the prior day.  I think dark and muddy would be the best way to describe my impression.  I am going to give them another day or two of listening, but I am leaning towards returning the D1100s as I think that over time that although the sound may improve a bit, that I will always need to EQ them, and I would prefer a pair that sound good to me out of the box in a variety of applications.

As far as comfort and portability, they are relatively comfortable and they appear to be reasonably portable for a full sized pair, but the Bose AE2 beats the Denons hands down on both counts.  As I was deciding which phones to purchase, the sound from the Bose began to grow on me (possibly burn-in and/or I just grew more accustomed to the sound), and I am going to likely keep them as my portable pair.  As such, portability has become less of a priority for me now, so I am going to continue to research a set I can be happy with.

My list of candidates is now as follows:

Audio Technica M50

Sennheiser HD380

Shure SRH840

Creative Aurvana Live

Sony MDR-ZX700 or DR-ZX701IP

BRAINWAVZ HM5

DT770 Pro80 (possibly the 32 ohm version as they should be easier to drive)

KRK KNS-8400

I continue to appreciate any thoughts, comments, or suggestions people may have for me.

Thanks!

The M50s are definitely near the top of my list.  I have read a few concerning things regarding the comfort on the Shures, but of course everyone is different.  I am going to try to find somewhere to demo as many of these as I can side by side (going to have to travel a bit); I think that's going to be the only way to make a good decision.  

I appreciate the suggestions.  For those making recommendations, can you provide information about other models you have compared them to and why you prefer one over another?

Thanks

Since my last post, I returned the Denons - -They just weren't right for me. 

I had the opportunity to demo a pair of Sennheiser HD380s and a pair of KRK 8400s.  I found the Sennheisers to be somewhat boomy on the bass side of things and felt they clamped my head very tightly.  I had concerns about long term comfort with the 380s.  The KRKs had a more balanced sound but a bit harsh.  I hoped the harshness would even out over time, and I purchased the pair.  I found that they had somewhat small (for my ears) pads, and comfort was not the best.  Over a few days of trying to live with my ears not quite fitting and the slightly harsh sound, I decided to return these as well.

I took a bit of a road trip to a guitar center and had the opportunity to demo the Beyer DT770 pro80s and the Shure 840s.  I liked the sound from both, but the bass from the DT770s colored the sound somewhat.  They were great with electronic and hip hop, but less ideal for rock.  The Shures on the other hand sounded very balanced to me.  I would describe the bass as punchy, but it does not color the rest of the sound.  What I found to be extremely surprising was that I found the Shures more comfortable than the Beyers.  The circular shape of the Beyer pads either sat on the top or the bottom of my ear and I could not adjust them to be completely comfortable.  The more oval shape of the Shure pads suited my ears better.  I purchased the Shure 840s and have been using them daily since.  I will say that I likely paid a premium for the Shures at $180 ($199 and I had a $20 off coupon) since I think I could have saved 40-50 dollars buying from Amazon, but I got great service at the Guitar Center and got to take them home with me on the spot, so I don't regret the purchase there.

After about a week with the Shures, I can say that I do not find them uncomfortable over extended periods (I have used them for up to three hours straight).  The sound is extremely detailed and pleasing to me.  Ample bass, with clean and clear mids and highs.  I have been surprised and frequently impressed with the quality of the sound on well recorded material.  They are easily driven by my portable players and I do not feel the need to purchase an amp.  I appreciate the replaceable single sided cord, but find myself wishing I could find a shorter cable for use with the portables; 3-4 feet would be ideal (a right angle plug wouldn't hurt either).

I now feel like I am hearing what I was missing from the Bose AE2s.  In fact, I am enjoying the sound so much, I have a hard time believing that additional expense would provide anything more than an incremental improvement in sound.  Granted, I have not heard any substantially more expensive cans, but I think the Shure 840s hit a sweet spot for me on both price and sound quality.

I have been researching headphones for about two months.  I have read dozens of reviews and 100+ forum threads and learned quite a bit along the way.  Ultimately, my takeaway from all of this is that no amount of research can substitute for trying and spending time with a pair of headphones.  Of the many sets I had considered, I really thought the Shures were the least likely to work for me since so many people complained about their comfort and comfort was my primary concern.  The Shures are not as comfortable as the Bose, but of all of the other headphones that I have tried, they are the only ones I could wear for more than 30 minutes.  I would still be interested in trying the likes of the M50s or the AKG 271mkII or even significantly higher end cans if I have the chance, but as of right now, I am very satisfied.  I doubt I'll be buying any other cans any time soon.

Thanks to all who made recommendations and help along the way.