500 to 1000 USD Portable headphones recommendation needed
Aug 28, 2016 at 11:51 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 27

Andreeww

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l am looking for headphones to use with portable DAPs. Any help would be appreciated. Here are my requirements:
1. On-ear or small over-ear
2. Closed-back
3. No heavier than 400g
4. Able to be hung around neck without feeling being choked
5. Modern and stylish looking. Preferably black and metal
6. No Chinese brands please(don't chastise me. Don't want to get political)
7. Sound signature needs to be reasonably neutral. But I don't have a specific taste. Just wanna try out different sound.
Thanks in advance
 
Aug 28, 2016 at 1:56 PM Post #2 of 27
Once you get over $500 there tends to be a lot less focus on portability. The Audeze EL-8 Closed are portable and from an American company, but they're heavier and larger than you're asking for. The best portable I can personally recommend meeting every criteria is the $400 Denon MM400. Japanese company. I've heard good things about the Audeze Sine as well, but I've not heard them personally. 
 
Aug 29, 2016 at 12:49 AM Post #4 of 27
Beyerdynamic T5p or smaller ones DT-1350 or T51i
 
Sennheiser Hd 25 II
 
Bowers & Wilkins P5/P7
 
OPPO PM3
 
There are a few bluetooth ones too if you like no wires while travelling. Like Parrot Zik 2/3
 
Aug 29, 2016 at 10:39 AM Post #9 of 27
Oppo is headquartered in China. Having an American division doesn't mean it's not a Chinese brand.

You are right, the OWNER of Oppo Digital is a Chinese company (BBK Electronics). However AFAIK Oppo Digital (based in California) and Oppo (based in China) have nothing in common except this patronage. They were founded independently in the same year and share their similar company-name by license, yet Oppo Digital keeps being an independently operated US-company.
 
If your non-chinese-requirement was about processing-quality or something similar, I just wanted to point that out. If it´s about a Chinese involvement in any form whatsoever, than the Oppo Digital PM-3 is probably not for you.   
 
Aug 29, 2016 at 1:07 PM Post #11 of 27
Ok. Just don't talk about Oppo's origin anymore. I need more suggestions.

 
 
smily_headphones1.gif
 Alright.
 
What about the Sennheiser Momentum? The older ones are on-ear, the second generation over-ear. 
 
Or the Master & Dynamic MH40 (over-ear) or MH30 (on-ear). I consider them stylish and they certainly sound great (although a little towards the V-shaped side rather than neutral, but not as much as the B&W P7).
 
Aug 29, 2016 at 2:17 PM Post #13 of 27
Why do you have to spend over $500?

Is this some magic figure which ensures quality. I think headphone pricing and hype has gone a bit mad really when people thimk they need to spend several hundred dollars /pounds to get a good pair

With that logic you are disregarding options like the classic HD25, beyerdynamic t51p/DT1350 and the whole Focal Spirit range just to name a few
 
Aug 29, 2016 at 2:41 PM Post #14 of 27
   
I had the original MOMENTUM and it is definitely over-ear. (Unless you just have huge ears.) You're probably thinking of the MOMENTUM On-Ear.

 
Well, the consensus was, that the original Momentum´s ear-pads were still relatively small....however, I can only echo what others were saying, I didn´t own them.
 
Aug 29, 2016 at 2:48 PM Post #15 of 27
  Well, the consensus was, that the original Momentum´s ear-pads were still relatively small....however, I can only echo what others were saying, I didn´t own them.

 
Ah. They're not exactly large, but there are many circumaural headphones with smaller pads like that. The Focal Spirit Professional is another example. (Which, coincidentally, is my favorite portable headphone. Not my favorite closed headphone, since I think the Yamaha HPH-MT220 is better, but that one has a nondetachable coiled cable so it's not portable.) When the pads aren't huge, they can be on-ear instead of over-ear for those with larger ears.
 
To the OP: I can't really advise on the matter of closed headphones over $500, since in that price range, I go for open headphones.
 

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