Closed headphone suggestions for ~$200 for a friend

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 
Someone wants to upgrade headphones, and I'd like to give a thorough set of suggestions. They want it closed as far as being able to use them in a library for example, and they want it to be capable in the bass department but not "too much" that it muddies up everything. I imagine they'd be happy with a moderate bass boost like M50 levels, but nothing like an XB500. Also, consider that this WILL be run from a standard iPod with NO AMP. Not my choice here, so don't try to convince me otherwise :P

Headphones that came to mind for me are these:

* Beyerdynamic DT770

* Shure SRH840

* Audio Technica M50

Are there some headphones in this price range I'm missing? Feel free to post them.

Also, I have not heard any of these headphones myself except for an M50 briefly. Can anyone compare these so I can provide pros/cons to help them make a choice?

As there will be no headphone amplifier, remove the DT770s (all versions) from your list.

KRK KNS 8400 are a good price.
 

Ultrasone HFI 580 fits those departments perfectly. I don't have the M50's but i was looking at between them and teh HFI 580's a long time ago

http://www.head-fi.org/t/531691/review-ath-m50-vs-hfi-580-vs-sr-80

http://www.head-fi.org/t/556509/review-battle-of-the-entry-level-rivals-ultrasone-hfi-580-vs-audio-technica-m50-vs-pro700-mk2

and after reading the two

i made my own thread and asked how it will do

http://www.head-fi.org/t/583344/ultrasone-hfi-580-dj1-review

i changed it into a review but if you go past the main review i wrote. teh initial question and responces are all still there :D

They are $137 on BH and Amazon, but the usually go for $190. they work well un amped and the long wire can be braided(i did) it also responds very well to amping in case he thinks the bass or treble isn't enough.

it's been a long time since we've been in teh same thread ac500 :D good to see you again pal 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 

Hmm that's a good option and according to graphs the bass is very decent. Strange though because someone said the bass sounds weaker than the SRH940, whose bass is much much less according to FR. In fact with all the good things I've heard about the KRK, I might get one for myself - IF it has sufficient subbass.

I was just listening to my KRK KNS 8400, has fairly decent bass.

My Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250-Ohm arrive in a few days, I'll then compare the bass to the 8400.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurpleAngel 

As there will be no headphone amplifier, remove the DT770s (all versions) from your list.

 

 

...didn't the 32 ohm models drive easily? i know that 32 ohm doesn't just mean it's easy to drive. but i thought the 32 ohm model of Beyer's WERE easy to drive though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 

I personally disliked the Ultrasone Pro 900 and HIFI 780 I tried, much too sibilant for my tastes. Also according to graphs the 780 has almost no sub-bass... I don't know about the 580 though because I couldn't locate graphs.

 

The KRK does look very good. I know some people prefer it to the SRH940, but I wonder how it compares to the SRH840 in terms of detailed-ness and bass quantity.

Sibilant? on my hfi 580 other than a few tracks which i belive are just sibilant. it wasn't very sibilant to me. my Shure's SRH 440's were a lot more sibilant than HFI. 

http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/build-a-graph.php

as a person that had a Shure.(has a shure) i gotta say if you see the pre 10 hour sound of the HFI in my review. i didn't like it either. but...you warm up to it very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 

I don't get why the KRK 8400 shows with so much bass when people in reviews report it as being bass shy. In any case I think the KRK8400 is out of the picture due to virtually every review saying it's bass shy. Once again, this person wants BASSY headphones, like M50s. Not XB500 bass, but substantial, like the general quantity of that of an M50. I know M50s are cliche suggestions but they are very good when I heard them.

 

Also the HIFI580 even if not sibilant (which you are probably right -- it occurs to me it was the Pro 900 that were the worst), it still seriously lacks sub-bass according to graphs? I guess I'm an Ultrasone anti-fan after hearing the Pro 900, but I'll try to keep an open mind.

remember that this is just frequency RESPONCE. if it can play it or not. it doesn't really mean if its shy or anything. i mean look at the graph. the HFI 580's are similar the SRH940 in many area's including bass....are you able to get XB500 bass on your SRH940 through some EQing? I am.

I have heard of the pro900's being very very sibilant. my hfi 580's have some sibilance like noted..but not very often. i am listening right now. no such problems. it might have been you tracks :/ i listen mainstream and many things and otehr than select tracks. i don't detect much sibilance. 

reading the posts i gave u up top to the M50 vs others review are very good. i hope u change your anti ultrasone stance. the HFI 580 has been making a large stand in head fi this year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowei006 
...didn't the 32 ohm models drive easily? i know that 32 ohm doesn't just mean it's easy to drive. but i thought the 32 ohm model of Beyer's WERE easy to drive though.

The 32-Ohm version, per head-fi reviews, seem to need more current then your typical 32-Ohm headphone.

I'm bias, I think for the money you spend on the 32-Ohm Premium, you can get the 250-Ohm Pro with a decent headphone amplifier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurpleAngel 

The 32-Ohm version, per head-fi reviews, seem to need more current then your typical 32-Ohm headphone.

I'm bias, I think for the money you spend on the 32-Ohm, you can get the 250-Ohm with a decent headphone amplifier.

 

 

im that too. i would rather get an 250 ohm beyer as well since...it's only $20 more >_< but then again. i don't have a Beyer, but if i did, i would. but u must also realize. that......why not. if the person can't use an amp. why not suggest a look at 32 ohm beyer up there. im not suggesting them at all. you have beyer's so you can suggest. i don't. i can only wonder about them in this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 

So with the Beyers possibly out of the picture (also the DT770 seems hard to find), it's mostly down to:

 

* Shure SRH840

 

* Audio Technica M50

 

I haven't included the Ultrasone because it lacks sub-bass. I haven't included the KRK because despite showing plenty of sub-bass it seems to lack bass in real-world listening by all reviews I've read.

lacks sub bass? how? 

Aren't you being a bit biased due to you not liking the sound of the Pro900 and HFI 780's? and as we can tell from KRK, despite it having a good bass graph, is said to be bass shy. I have the SRH440 and even if people say the SRH840 has more bass. it does not have more bass than my HFI 580's

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 

So with the Beyers possibly out of the picture (also the DT770 seems hard to find), it's mostly down to:

* Shure SRH840

* Audio Technica M50

I haven't included the Ultrasone because it lacks sub-bass. I haven't included the KRK because despite showing plenty of sub-bass it seems to lack bass in real-world listening by all reviews I've read.

The Audio Technica ATH-M50 is a great buy when they sell for $120, but not so much when they sell for $160.

I believe the ATH-M50 is great for music, but not so much for surround sound.