Hi guys, I been reading the forums for a while and ended up signing up because everytime I set my mind on something there is a post by someone that makes me doubt the choice. So with that in mind thought id join and explain a bit about what I want and hopefully someone can just point me in the right direction and ill be a very grateful and also happy guy ;P.
 
Im looking for headphones to use on a daily basis I travel between 2-3hours every day and while at work I would use them a bit so I need something comfortable for extended use but I also want something with "amazing" sound.  I can spend up to 300$ maybe a bit more. But overall i want amazing sound that doesnt compromise 2 much on comfort since they will be used alot.
 
The music i listen to the most is Trance and Rock but I do alter between other types. Thanks to anyone that takes the time to read this and possibly reply.
 
Desh

A few questions for you:  
 
What is your source?
What country?
What file types?
How big are your ears, do you wear glasses?
 
Are you okay with wearing an over the ear that some may consider big or not cool looking?
 
What have you heard or used in the past that you liked?

Hey, I live in Ireland, ears well I would need to measure... xD, Ive had for quite a few years solo HD beats and dont remember them hurting or anything. I wear glasses occasionally only. cool/not cool lookin i dont care about that, and how big really depends. Over the ear sounds nice.

Love Ireland, we'll let's see you did not mention player or file type so assuming ipod like device with lossless files and average ears.  I would have said NAD hp-50 but seems to be over $400 at Amazon uk, maybe better in other european countries.
 
I might lean toward Focal Spirit classics if you like a bit more bassy signature.  And Focal prices seem pretty reasonable there.  The problem may be comfort.
 
If comfort is paramount and it is with me, I would see if you could find the NADs for less or try to get them from the U.S.  Right at your price point limit though.  Everything else in this thread is more and does not sound as good according the MH our thread starter.

Deshdiwat, welcome. Sorry about your wallet.
 
These guys are going to narrow down some answers for you and give you some focus. My advice is going to be a bit less specific. The things you're asking for such as sound and, in particular, comfort are going to be very personal experiences for you. What one person thinks is comfortable may be something that doesn't work from you. So my advice for you is don't be afraid to try and try and try as you'll need to start understanding your own preferences. Don't get caught up on trying to make that perfect first purchase. Just take in what everyone is saying and go grab something. If it doesn't work, that's great. You just found something you don't like and now you have narrowed down your preferences yourself. You'll eventually find your footing and land on something that works great for your needs.
 
That being said, I have tried a majority of the cans listed in this comparison and find the MDR-1R fit the bill for my needs most of the time. They end-all be-all in terms of portable sound (they aren't far off, though), but they are definitely the most comfortable on my head.
 
Good luck on your journey.
 
Additional Edit: In all honesty, none of these cans work well for my travel needs as they are all too bulky to deal with when running around from airport to airport. I prefer the PX 100-II or Porta Pro at this point.

well said!

roguegeek said:

   
Additional Edit: In all honest, none of these cans work well for my travel needs as they are all too bulky to deal with when running around from airport to airport. I prefer the PX 100-II or Porta Pro at this point.

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I also prefer the PX100 for most portable needs, but I use IEMs when I go on vacation.   You can't get more portable than a compact IEM, and they also provide good isolation.  Well, most IEMs do...my Sony MDR7550 is not very portable and it does not provide much isolation (but it does sound really good  ).

I was able to spend a bit more time with the H6s today and here are my thoughts:

These aren't as comfortable as I first though; while the design is superb (cups fit around my ear nicely, headband is good) I felt a bit of pressure on my right ear after a few minutes. Strange, as I didn't notice any clamping issues the first time. It is tolerable though, and I would say they are still better than the P7s in this area due to the difference in weight.
 
Sound wise, I am still impressed by their clarity, and they are definitely not bass light (though more extension would be nice). I would say that I prefer the overall warmth and smoothness of the HP50s to this though, but I would be happy with either.

Lastly, these are the most beautiful [portable]  headphones I have ever seen. Honestly, whether or not you appreciate the sound of their products, B&O makes great looking gear.

So I am still undecided between the HP50s, H6s and the M500s... I may even cave and get a pair of Bose (or bypass this whole issue and get IEMs, which I have been avoiding after leaving my PFE232s on the train....). 

Just a heads up, I've got the Martin Logan Mikros headphones here; along with the Monster DNA over-ears. I hope to have them updated in a week or so (after the Olympics). Speaking of which....what a Gold Medal Game by the Canadian women! One of the best ever!

macedonianhero said:

  Just a heads up, I've got the Martin Logan Mikros headphones here; along with the Monster DNA over-ears. I hope to have them updated in a week or so (after the Olympics). Speaking of which....what a Gold Medal Game by the Canadian women! One of the best ever!

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Amazing game. The U.S. team was great as well.

ericp10 said:

   
The On1 (when I don't have my glasses on). I think the On1 overall. 

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Thanks Eric. I have the On1s and they sound amazing except on a few tracks that require a lot of bite for metallic sounding instruments (sax, trumpet, distorted guitar). I really like the weight or realness of their sound, combined with great separation and soundstage (for a small HP). 
 
However as I suspected, the on ear style gets uncomfortable after several hours so I might need to return them.
 
The only headphone I can think of that will meet my sound/portability/comfort needs is the NAD HP50s. I've heard great things about them but am worried they might be a little too airy or lightweight sounding for me due to the roomsound feature.
 
How does the weight/analogness/punch/realness of sound on the NADs compare to the thinksounds? 

stuff jones said:

   
Thanks Eric. I have the On1s and they sound amazing except on a few tracks that require a lot of bite for metallic sounding instruments (sax, trumpet, distorted guitar). I really like the weight or realness of their sound, combined with great separation and soundstage (for a small HP). 
 
However as I suspected, the on ear style gets uncomfortable after several hours so I might need to return them.
 
The only headphone I can think of that will meet my sound/portability/comfort needs is the NAD HP50s. I've heard great things about them but am worried they might be a little too airy or lightweight sounding for me due to the roomsound feature.
 
How does the weight/analogness/punch/realness of sound on the NADs compare to the thinksounds? 

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I haven't really compared the two, but I can tell you the HP50 sound is not light at all. It's full and 3-Dish. Too bad about the On1. I think if you had burned it awhile the sax, trumpet and distorted guitar would have filled out nicely for you, but I don't understand how on-ears can become uncomfortable for some who plan to use a headphone for an extended period of listening time. The HP50 is very comfortable. The On1 does fatigue my ears after awhile, even more so than Mikros. 

Went back to Best Buy and gave the Mikros 90 and K545 a second try. Two headphones that I eliminated rather quickly when auditioning (the others on the rack were Momentum on/over and PSB MU2, P5, P7.

I now remember why the Mikros was eliminated - just cannot find a good fit on them. My ears are on the larger side, and these would literally roll/twist off of my ears. It just happens that's the direction the ear cups turn. I did hold them securely though just to hear the sound and yes, they have a big sound. I didn't quite like the vocals though - did not sound natural to me.

The K545, I was finally able to get a good fit as well. But, the sound signature just didn't sit well with me (again). Accurate bass or not, it is light. I prefer the H6's bass, for example.

I do want to eventually get the MU1's as well. I really enjoyed its sound signature, but would have a hard time finding listening time amongst my arsenal at this time.

ericp10 said:

   
I haven't really compared the two, but I can tell you the HP50 sound is not light at all. It's full and 3-Dish. Too bad about the On1. I think if you had burned it awhile the sax, trumpet and distorted guitar would have filled out nicely for you, but I don't understand how on-ears can become uncomfortable for some who plan to use a headphone for an extended period of listening time. The HP50 is very comfortable. The On1 does fatigue my ears after awhile, even more so than Mikros. 

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I haven't returned them yet. I actually find them comfortable after stretching them out a bit and I have worn them all day for a couple of days.
 
I still can't get that metallic bite though that certain tracks need. Its just a little too smooth, for example, to make the hair on your neck stand up on a Pharaoh Sanders sax solo. Maybe its a placebo type effect, but brass instruments sound more wooden to me. Alto sax sounds more like a clarinet for example.
 
I will say though that for piano trio music like Bill Evans or acoustic guitar music, I can't imagine a better sounding headphone. 
 
I'm going back to the Onkyo's  I think. They do a great job at getting the tone I want for a wide range of instruments, even if the separation and detail isn't as good as the On1s. Plus that's 100 bucks more I could spend on music.

macedonianhero said:

  Nice impressions. I really liked the M500s and if they only isolated better (which they were fairly poor at), I'd still have them here.

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Thank you for this thread MH, been following religiously.
 
I have a pair of M500s and are enjoying them quite a bit. It's true the isolation is not the best for things like flights, but sometimes I think it is useful to not have complete isolation for urban walking and things like that so I can hear traffic lights beeps, cars, and bicycles coming from behind!