What is a "fun" headphone?

Fun means deviating away from neutrality appropriately resulting in more "wow" factor; usually it ends up being emphasized bass and distinctive colourations in the upper mids / treble.

It's all about what you want. One isn't better than the other. A more "serious" headphone typically has a more neutral and flat sound signature that is best for representing the music as it was intended, as it was recorded. They are often-times more analytical with more details to pick out, such as the Shure 940. A "fun" headphone is usually more colored with often-times a "U-shaped" sound signature with emphasized bass and treble to varying degrees. A good example of that would be the Ultrasone line of headphones. 

If you're wanting a more natural and analytical approach, you may want more neutral. If you want some bass pump, and want to really get into the toe-tapping aspect of the music, something more colored may be right for you. But everyone is different. These are just some stereotypes that I am propagating. What do you like?

It all depends. If you have a lot of bass-heavy music, go for something fun sounding over something laid back, otherwise you won't get the feeling the music is trying to put forward. If you listen to things like classical or the like, go for something flat, which wont color the sound much. If you want it more simplified, just know this - a fun headphone will usually boost the bass and treble a bit more compared to the original song, while a flat headphone will try to match the recording perfectly. It's a matter of what you want for what you listen to.

I would personally recommend the V-MODA Crossfade M-100's, seeing as they're a good balance of a detailed presentation, but still with good treble and bass extension.

I hope this helps.

You just had three people say the same thing at the same time.  The M-100's are a great headphone, but are pretty colored if you want something neutral. Let's let the OP talk about what he's looking for. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundFreaq 

You just had three people say the same thing at the same time.  The M-100's are a great headphone, but are pretty colored if you want something neutral. Let's let the OP talk about what he's looking for. 

It was just a preliminary recommendation. If he wants something more neutral but still fun, I would recommend the Audio Technica ATH-M50's, they're still a big favorite of mine, even after getting the M-100's. There's also the AKG K550's and K167's to think about. (The former being more balanced, the latter adding a bit of bass)

How about the grado sr80i? This is a real fun headphone! I destroyd my 80's about a week ago, so I ordered a set of alessandro ms2i's, Althought they are not broken in yet i'll to you I did'nt get that wow out of them like I did from my 80's. I really dont think i'm going to either, but i'll let the 2's break in a little more and see, but if not they are going up for sale and i'm buying 80's again, (definitly).

With a limit of $200, that brings my recommendations down to the Audio Technica ATH-M50, the AKG K167, and the UE6000. These are in order from the most natural/least fun - to the most colored/most fun. 

If I can make an alternative recommendation though, I may advise you to wait, save up, and get the AKG K267's around their release in the holidays. They have an adjustable bass feature, which means that they would be able to adjust to whatever sound signature you need at a given time. AKG is the first company to do this with an earlier can of theirs, so I'd assume it works just as well on this newer iteration. I have mine pre-ordered, and if you can wait until then, I will have a review ready upon receiving them.

I have tried the 840's and if you want more fun than flat, you will strongly dislike them. The headband is uncomfortable, and the bass is very light and 'wooly' - I owned one for a while and couldn't keep them due to their 'soft' bass and flat signature.

Check out the Ultrasone HFI-780. It's one of their most neutral offerings, but still has emphasis on bass and treble. Quite a nice pick, and certainly more portable than the M50. 

Make sure to buy something closed-back.  The Grados that someone recommended would not be advised for using on a plane as they will not isolate very well, although many people really like them in quiet environments.

The Ultrasone HFI780 is a good place to start if your looking for something fun and under $200. I wouldnt know how it compares to the denons. But i think those 780s will always be special to me :)

sorry for bumping this but

are there any fun/colored OPEN headphones around $100 with a decent soundstage? The only ones I can find are Grados which have too small a soundstage