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Spending $1,500 on 5+ Headphones to Compare for YOU guys. Which Ones Qualify?
Nov 28, 2013 at 6:50 PM Post #46 of 147
Open vs Closed isn't really better imo. Just different sounds. Open headphones will tend to be more spacious but be worse in the bass department. Just depends on the kind of sound you're looking for. That said, I don't remember Grado being known for a big soundstage (on the low end models)
 
Nov 28, 2013 at 6:59 PM Post #47 of 147
pianist718 said:
   
 
I know ... it's just that everyone says that Open headphones sound much better than closed ones. I know they also say that Open ones are not meant for public listening but hey, sometimes people overeghaturate  (wrong spelling I know) ... so I want to see for myself.
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I thought it was an exaggeration too, but I tried using my Beyerdynamic DT880s on the train once. They were basically useless because I had to turn the volume much higher than I was comfortable with which both hurt my ears and annoyed the other passengers. I'm fine with using open headphones when walking down a street, but for public transportation, it's not the most prudent.
 
Nov 28, 2013 at 8:42 PM Post #48 of 147
Open headphones of any kind are USELESS for public listening. Even most closed headphones I've tried aren't much better. You certainly wont get anything like good listening on public transport. I'd suggest good IEMs with double-flange or sound damping tips. I'd suggest one of the Sony XBA series, the older of which (XBA-1 to XBA-4)  can be found very cheaply now and suit your music tastes.
 
Nov 28, 2013 at 8:59 PM Post #50 of 147
currawong said:
  Open headphones of any kind are USELESS for public listening. Even most closed headphones I've tried aren't much better. You certainly wont get anything like good listening on public transport. I'd suggest good IEMs with double-flange or sound damping tips. I'd suggest one of the Sony XBA series, the older of which (XBA-1 to XBA-4)  can be found very cheaply now and suit your music tastes.
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+1! Go for the XBA-3 instead of XBA-4 though.. The XBA-4 have difficulty with amping; its only 8Ohm impedance T.T 
 
Nov 29, 2013 at 1:07 AM Post #51 of 147
I was at a friend's house tonight and saw that he owns one of these "expensive" $300 version of Beats .... what a garbage. I think my bose in ear headphones sound better. I am serious. Sound was just very very unpleasant. It had too much bass and not even clean bass but like distorted base. Anyway, very very bad sound. I'd never use them even if they came for free. I hope the headphones i ordered will sound no where close to what I just heard.
 
Nov 29, 2013 at 2:46 AM Post #53 of 147
...uhh I think you're severely overstating how necessary an amp is. I don't even use a portable amp when I use my power hungry ZMF T50RP and DT880 outside. Sure they don't sound as good as when I'm in my room and use a stationary amp, but they don't sound like the mess you're trying to make it seem. The headphones the OP ordered will work without an amp and s/he will be able to tell if s/he likes them enough to keep them without an amp. I wouldn't necessarily bother with an amp until the headphone is decided upon. While an amp helps eek out a good percentage of a headphones potential, it won't really help the OP decide what kind of presentation and sound signature s/he likes best. And honestly, in a train, I think most of the improvements will be lost in the background noise unless the headphone the OP keeps isolates especially well. I may be in the minority opinion here though.
 
Nov 29, 2013 at 2:50 AM Post #55 of 147
The problem is the more models he tests the more likely impedance will vary drastically between all of them...if he's spending the money to test them he should at least be able to control the test environment by altering gain as needed...hence an amp
 
Nov 29, 2013 at 3:15 AM Post #56 of 147
Wait what? So what if the impedance differs? Sure, some of the headphones may be harder to drive and therefore suffer in quality compared to other headphones, but considering the OP is buying a ton of different headphones, I think the main goal is to figure out the type of sound the OP wants before any additional hooey starts.
 
Nov 29, 2013 at 4:05 AM Post #57 of 147
I think some of you have mistaken the need of amping. Amplifier main usage is to drive headphones, to certain volume and also to power the headphone! For SOME headphones (not all), the more power you put in the better it sound and the headphones that the OP purchased/mentioned does not need more power to sound better! Now, not all amplifier are perfectly neutral. Some pair a headphone with an amp to tame or improve the certain part of the headphone's FR. For example, x headphone sound too bright so we pair it with y headphone to tame the highs. However, SOMETIMES it can be done with EQ-ing but EQ-ing may, or may not work sometime because sometimes, the x headphone may lack in soundstage and EQ can't fix soundstage! That is where an amp comes in handy.

Using an external amp may add weight to portable rig some may not like it.

Hope it all explains and clears you doubt! [All these are my personal experience and you do not have to agree with me]
Billson :)
 
Nov 30, 2013 at 12:55 AM Post #58 of 147
sooooooo ........................... preliminary report .............. 
 
Warning ... I did not let any of the 4 headphones to go through any break in period. I opened them, and started comparing right on the spot.
 
​
KEF M500 Hi-Fi On-Ear Headphones - Aluminum/Black
Sold by Amazon.com LLC
 
So ... these i'd rate as the worst ones. Surprising since they are the most expensive of the 4 BUT I can see why ... design. They are cool looking and look small on the head. Problem is ... almost no base. Sound is not too impressive. Yea, maybe if you only judge the highs, possibly these are very good but I am going for the overall sound quality. Once again ... no depth in the sound at all. I noticed that I placed them away and pretty much stopped comparing them to the other 3.
 
 
 
​
SoundMAGIC HP100 Premium Over-the-Ear Folding Headphones (Black)
 
Eh ... nothing crazy. Base and depth are missing at times. They feel kinda nice on the head but sound wise just blah ... not the worst and far from the best. At times sounds feel as if they are not real. At times too colorful or something. Anyway, I rated them 3rd. On page 3, some kid said that these or KEF M500 will be the winners. He is very, very off. I'll make sure to ignore future suggestions :) Sorry man.
 
 
 
 
​
Beyerdynamic DT-770-PRO-32 Closed Dynamic Headphone for Mobile Control and Monitoring Applications, 32 Ohms
 
Not bad. Lots of depth in the sound. They came as #2. I like the sound BUT, the #1 Sennheiser just had a more natural sound.
 
 
 
 
 
​
Sennheiser HD 380 Pro Collapsible High-End Headphone for Professional Monitoring Use (Black)
 
The winners !!! Funny thing is, they were the cheapest of the 4 headphones. These have the most natural sound ... exactly what I wanted. Just enough depth, i felt the base, the highs were not too crazy and thus did not make my ears bleed on some not so great recordings or loud notes. I listened to Mozart Requiem on these .... holly cr** ... my body has never felt the shivers I felt today from that piece. I am serious.
 
 
 
 
So, as of right now ... Sennheiser HD380 is moving on to round #2 :)
Tomorrow I'll be ordering more headphones .... I want to try the open ones like Grado Prestige Series SR225i or  Sennheiser HD 598  or   Sennheiser Momentum  or  Denon AH-D600  and  Shure SRH840.
 
Comments?
 
Nov 30, 2013 at 1:34 AM Post #59 of 147
pianist718 said:
  sooooooo ........................... preliminary report .............. 
 
Warning ... I did not let any of the 4 headphones to go through any break in period. I opened them, and started comparing right on the spot.
 
​
KEF M500 Hi-Fi On-Ear Headphones - Aluminum/Black
Sold by Amazon.com LLC
 
So ... these i'd rate as the worst ones. Surprising since they are the most expensive of the 4 BUT I can see why ... design. They are cool looking and look small on the head. Problem is ... almost no base. Sound is not too impressive. Yea, maybe if you only judge the highs, possibly these are very good but I am going for the overall sound quality. Once again ... no depth in the sound at all. I noticed that I placed them away and pretty much stopped comparing them to the other 3.
 
 
 
​
SoundMAGIC HP100 Premium Over-the-Ear Folding Headphones (Black)
 
Eh ... nothing crazy. Base and depth are missing at times. They feel kinda nice on the head but sound wise just blah ... not the worst and far from the best. At times sounds feel as if they are not real. At times too colorful or something. Anyway, I rated them 3rd. On page 3, some kid said that these or KEF M500 will be the winners. He is very, very off. I'll make sure to ignore future suggestions :) Sorry man.
 
 
 
 
​
Beyerdynamic DT-770-PRO-32 Closed Dynamic Headphone for Mobile Control and Monitoring Applications, 32 Ohms
 
Not bad. Lots of depth in the sound. They came as #2. I like the sound BUT, the #1 Sennheiser just had a more natural sound.
 
 
 
 
 
​
Sennheiser HD 380 Pro Collapsible High-End Headphone for Professional Monitoring Use (Black)
 
The winners !!! Funny thing is, they were the cheapest of the 4 headphones. These have the most natural sound ... exactly what I wanted. Just enough depth, i felt the base, the highs were not too crazy and thus did not make my ears bleed on some not so great recordings or loud notes. I listened to Mozart Requiem on these .... holly cr** ... my body has never felt the shivers I felt today from that piece. I am serious.
 
 
 
 
So, as of right now ... Sennheiser HD380 is moving on to round #2 :)
Tomorrow I'll be ordering more headphones .... I want to try the open ones like Grado Prestige Series SR225i or  Sennheiser HD 598  or   Sennheiser Momentum  or  Denon AH-D600  and  Shure SRH840.
 
Comments?
Click to expand...

If you had specified you wanted emphasized bass and recessed highs, your search would have been over a lot quicker.  You should spend more time with each headphone, especially those whose overall sound signature significantly differs from what you are used to, as these are the headphones that will most likely sound "bad" to you before your brain is given time to adjust to the new signature.   Also, it's "bass".
 
Prediction:  You will hate the 225i, like the 598, like the Momentum, love the D600, and dislike the 840.
 
Nov 30, 2013 at 1:46 AM Post #60 of 147
nah, that's the thing, I wasn't looking for just bass. If I was, I;d just get Beats. I was looking for pleasant sound full of depth and not just overly detailed mids and highs that pierce your hearing.
 
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