[DanTheDane]

Hi all,
 
I'm currently in search of an alternative to my HD 650. I'm seeking a closed headphone,since I'm listening to music in the same room as the family is watching TV, so need some isolation. I would at the same time also like to find some cans with a little more open top.
 
I originally settled on a pair of Beyerdynamic T5P since they seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. A nice top-end and kind of neutral (I'm by no means a bass head). After receiving them I'm however pretty disappointed.  The top end was kind of harsh (got better after around 70 hours burn-in though) but the biggest issue was that the lower mid-range was very lacking.
It puzzles me pretty much since the frequency graph is pretty similar to the HD 650 (see below). So I'm starting to think that there may have been an issue with the T5P's.......
Both headphones is driven via my Nuforce Icon HDP.
The T5P's could also be a tad more isolating. I could however live with that level of isolation if needed.
 
I've also tried a couple of Ultrasone Signature Pro and they were superior to the T5P's, however I do think that the low-end was a tad too much. It should be said that I tested them with my own music via a standard laptop headphone out. I also tried them via a SR-71B and that seemed to have better control over the low-end. It was unfortunately not my own music I listened to, so didn't have a one to one reference.
Based on the frequency comparison between the SP's and the HD 650 do confirm my bass observations though:

=853&graphID[]=3961&graphID[]=3791&scale=30]http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=853&graphID[]=3961&graphID[]=3791&scale=30
 
I'm also looking out for the new Beyerdynamic DT1770 Pro, since they sound to be in the style I'm seeking. However if anyone of you have a recommendation to something else, I would be happy to hear about it.
 
I'm mostly listening to rock, pop and acoustic music.

 

[nick n]

you could look at a couple.
 
OPPO PM-3 has a trial program here if you are in US/Canada http://www.head-fi.org/t/760203/oppo-pm-3-portable-planar-magnetic-headphones-loaner-program
 
main impressions thread for PM-3 : http://www.head-fi.org/t/756828/oppo-pm-3-the-portable-planar-impressions
 
Then another might be the Yamaha MT220 thread : http://www.head-fi.org/t/658673/yamaha-hph-mt220-thread-merged
 
 
At least it is a start. That should keep you busy reading, if not hook you .

 

[DanTheDane]

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
The Oppo indeed looks very interesting. I have no idea how I've overlooked that one.

 

[dinesh18892]

Oppo pm3s or fischer audio fa003 ti

 

[ZoNtO]

Sony MDR-7506.

 

[imran27]

Brainwavz HM5 is the same as Fischer Audio FA003, it is reported to be amongst the most neutral.

 

[zazex]

I highly recommend the Shure 1540.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I will list (in descending order of preference) and briefly describe a few closed headphones I have owned.
 
Yamaha HPH-MT220 Easily my favorite closed headphone. Has great energy, clarity, and impact. Bass is moderately boosted, mids are slightly recessed, and the treble, while admirably accurate, has a cold, clangy feel to it that I personally enjoyed. I would describe the bass as juicy, punchy, and enveloping. The bass itself has clarity and texture instead of being bloated and boomy, but with extremely bass-heavy material it can properly rattle your head! It's a modder's dream too. Lots of modifications are covered in its thread. The only mod I tried out was stuffing gauze under the right and left sides of the pads, which increases the distance between your ears and the drivers and enhances the sound. Too much gauze just makes it sound bloated, though. If you have smaller ears like me, you can achieve different sound by moving your ears around in the pads. With my ears in the middle, the mids were too recessed, but with my ears in the front, the mids correspondingly became more upfront, at the expense of slightly emphasized treble. The cable is coiled and nondetachable, but durable just like the rest of the headphone. Comfort was excellent for me. It's compatible with lots of aftermarket pads as well. Very highly recommended and an amazing value.
 
Focal Spirit Professional I owned two of these. Sounds really good, but is ultimately too dark. (Click here to see what I mean.) Depending on the size of your ears, it may be over-ear or on-ear. My ears are on the smaller side, so the pads totally surround my ears. Has build quality issues that may cause trouble down the line.
 
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Not a whole lot to say about the M40x. It's very decent for the price. I didn't realize how good it was until later on. It's significantly more neutral than the other models I've heard in the Audio-Technica M series, though I heard the new M70x was even more neutral. Comes with a selection of detachable cables. Comfort and build are okay.
 
Sony MDR-V6 See below. The V6 is the predecessor of the 7506 and has a similar sound, therefore the same type of problems the 7506 has, but ironically, the V6 has better sound quality. It's less bright, harsh, and tinny (but still all those things) and has better bass along with a more authoritative sound. Too similar to the 7506 to bother with, though.

Sony MDR-7506 Extremely bright, harsh, and tinny (think screeching monkeys played out of a cell phone reflected into a trash can in a tunnel...okay, maybe not that bad, haha, but my ears hurt just from thinking about the 7506), though the bass is still passable. Sorry, but this headphone is nowhere close to neutral. Can still sound good with some music. Read this review. Using that EQ software, it sounds dramatically better. Pads are on the smaller side, but still over-ear for some.
 
NVX XPT100 Has the same drivers as the Brainwavz HM5, Fischer FA-003, et al, but unique pads. Superb isolation. Looks and feels awesome. Unfortunately, did not sound awesome to me. Somewhat neutral, but lacking in dynamics, impact, engagement, etc. Sounded lifeless, even from a powerful amp. But these impressions are fairly subjective, so your mileage may vary.
 
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Basshead headphone marketed as a studio monitor. (Click here for proof.) The bass is overwhelming, boomy, and muddy. Ruins the experience for me. Aside from that, an acceptable headphone if you reduce the bass with EQ. Build quality and comfort are adequate.
 
These are just a few examples. I've owned many more. Check out my profile for my own personal ranking of headphones I've owned. (But bear in mind that it's based only on my own preferences and is not a guideline for which ones are objectively better.)

 

[sikki-six]

Neutral and closed is hard to come by - with one pair. AKG has some models with less than boosted bass (K271 etc.), but they tend to sound quite dry and analytical. Especially if HD650 is your reference. Senn HD-25s have a kind-of flat response, with the same upper-bass warmth as HD650s, but they have basically zero soundstage.
 
BTW, I never got the M50-hype... Why would that kind of boomy bass and metallic highs be great studio-use? I guess I just don't get it. Beyer DT770s have bass boost too, but they are way more neutral to my ears.

 

[Music Alchemist]

BTW, I never got the M50-hype... Why would that kind of boomy bass and metallic highs be great studio-use? I guess I just don't get it.

 
I don't get it either. (Though I've only heard the M50x, not the original M50.) Then again, most studio headphones are far from neutral. One studio professional told me it's because it's more or less something to give to the artist so they at least have something to monitor the music while they're singing or whatever, at least in the case of the Sony models. The serious studio work is primarily done on speakers in treated rooms, so thankfully they don't have to rely on all these screwy headphones, and just use them as a second perspective.

 

[CZ4A]

The NAD Viso HP50 is a fairly neutral set of cans. They lean slightly on the warm side and have a surprisingly good soundstage for closed headphones. Just be sure to try them on if you can because some people find them uncomfortable.

 

[zombywoof]

Have you considered the B&O (Beoplay) H6?

 

[BudC]

Go PM-3 and don't look back

 

[DanTheDane]

   
I don't get it either. (Though I've only heard the M50x, not the original M50.) Then again, most studio headphones are far from neutral. One studio professional told me it's because it's more or less something to give to the artist so they at least have something to monitor the music while they're singing or whatever, at least in the case of the Sony models. The serious studio work is primarily done on speakers in treated rooms, so thankfully they don't have to rely on all these screwy headphones, and just use them as a second perspective.

 
Thanks for the suggestions everybody. It has been really helpful!
 
I have ordered the Oppo PM-3's. It looks to be the best match.
 
In relation to studio reference: I worked several years as a studio engineer, and it differs highly from artist to artist. Most drummers and bass players prefers headphones with lots of bass, while e.g. singers mostly prefer the more mid-range kind. In our studio we had different types to cover this.
 
For the actual mixing stage, I only used headphones for cross referencing and ensuring that the stereo spread wasn't all over the place for headphone listeners. As you mention, the rooms are treated and the speakers are pretty flat in the response ( here's the freq curve for the speakers I used to work on: http://www.klein-hummel.com/klein-hummel/globals.nsf/resources/o300d_freq_response_510.gif/$File/o300d_freq_response_510.gif)

 

[nick n]

Congratulations on your decision. Always interesting to see what people end up getting after the onslaught of options they get confronted with..