[fannyfoodle]

Hey guys (and gals)!
 
I've been lurking through these threads for a couple of months now and have gleaned a significant amount of information for which I am grateful.
 
By way of background (vis a vis audio), I am an audiophile who has been unemployed (or woefully underemployed, anyway) for a number of years.  Consequently, all of my gear has long since been sold.  I'm also an amateur musician, so I'm a music lover first and an audiophile second.  Unlike many others, I see the gear as a means to an end.  All too many audiophiles view the music as a means to demonstrate the magnificence of their chosen "gear".  
 
All of that to say, that I love music and am looking for a pair of portable headphones that will reproduce it most faithfully.  After reading TONS of discussion boards and online reviews, I decided to roll the dice on a pair of Sennheiser Amperiors.  The review on InnerFidelity coupled with all of the positive comments regarding it and its older sibling the HD25-1 II, had me convinced.  I am very sensitive (and averse) to exaggerated upper bass (100-300 cycles) and since the Amperiors are regarded as professional monitoring headphones, I expected that they would be relatively flat.  I was wrong.  I now know that when people kept referring to these headphones having "punchy" bass, they mean that there is a peak in the 100-300 hz range.
 
I'm not a detail freak, nor am I a bass-head.  I also understand that the laws of physics (and economics) dictate that I will not find perfect sound for $250-350 - especially when the front end is going to be an iPod or a computer most of the time.  Compromises must be made.  I'm just looking for the pair that has the best balance of compromises for my taste.
 
Other than the peaky bass, soundwise, I like the Amperiors okay.  They can be a bit strident at times, but I've noticed that they have mellowed out as I put more hours on them.  They can also be sibilant, but that comes with the territory, especially when listening to digital audio files.  Comfortwise, they're a little snug with the clamping force.  I find that I can only wear them for an hour or two, max.  I was also a little torked about the fact that they did not come with a carrying case.  But let's not open THAT can of worms!
 
I will use my headphones 80% at work and 20% at home.  This is why I'm looking for something "portable".  I want to be able to wear my headphones for extended periods of time without discomfort or listener fatigue.  When I bought the Amperiors, the other set of phones that I was most considering were the Beyer DT1350s, but I read lots of conflicting information about quality control issues, getting a good seal, etc.  I am also concerned that, like the Amperiors, they will clamp too tightly.  Consequently, I have nearly eliminated them from my list, except that I have this notion that their frequency response might be the flattest and most consistent of all portables currently available.
 
Now - On to the other contenders  In no particular order:
 
Philips Fidelio L1 - A couple of months ago, I bought my wife a pair of headphones so she could watch Netflix, etc. on her computer without bothering me.  Ulterior motive?  Of course.  She's nowhere near an audiophile, but she does appreciate good sound.  Based on all the information I could find, I decided to buy her a pair of Philips Downtown.  She loves them.  They look nice, are quite comfortable, and sound pretty darn good.  That got me to looking further up the line.  The Fidelios seem to be very well built, extremely comfortable, and imminently musical.  My only concern with these is with respect to the low frequencies.  I fear that the bass may be boosted and they may end up sounding chesty or even boomy.
 
Sennheiser Momentum - The reviews are all over the board with these phones and I'm not sure who to believe.  From what I've gathered, they too may be a little thick on the bottom with artificially boosted bass.  They look quite handsome and most seem to concur that they are very comfortable.  I'm just not sure what to make of them - especially in light of my experience with the Amperiors.
 
Audio Technica ESW-9A - I've had my eye on these since I started this safari.  They are relatively portable, but largish for an on-ear.  I'm not overly concerned about their frailty as I tend to take very good care of my things.  I do wish they didn't have the dual wire yolk configuration, but I guess I can live with that.  The only negatives I gathered from the reviews that I read had to do with the fragility of their design rather than sound, although there were a few who complained about their lack of "sparkle".  One reviewer said that they are very tube-like, which would be fine with me.  Most of the high-end audio systems that I built were either powered by tubes or warmish sounding solid state gear (MOSFET) when I had speakers that demanded more power (Acoustat 2+2, Martin Logan CLS IIZ, etc.).
 
So, there you have it.  I guess I'm looking for someone to tell me which way to go from here.  At the moment, I am leaning toward the Audio Technicas, but still wonder if the Beyerdynamic DT1350s might be more what I'm looking for.  Hopefully, based on what I've shared, someone who owns (or owned) the Fidelios and or Momentums can tell me if I'll be turned off by boomy bass response.
 
I know that I've been long-winded, so I appreciate those who have taken the time to read all the way through this.  Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[valentinoamoro]

Hi!
New guy myself. I havent heard all the phones you mention, but can share my thoughts on the Fidelio L1 (copying my review from Amazon) as well as share some links to from some pros I respect.
 
http://www.headfonia.com/sennheiser-momentum-first-impression/
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-full-size-sealed
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-full-size-open
 
http://reviews.cnet.com/headsets/philips-fidelio-l1-headphones/4505-13831_7-35153179.html
 
The L1 and Momentum are both in the wall of fame.
 
My quick take:
Momentum (I have not bought these, just tried them) - Lovely, Top quality Materials (British leather, aluminum), Great Warm Sound, Excellent Depth, Decent Width (Sound Stage), Slightly Congested Sounding, More Portable than L1, Small but super soft earcups
 
Fidelio L1 (My FIIO 07K has arrived so comments here are now with that in mind) - IMHO is better looking, more substantial feeling (heavier gauge alum), Italian leather, Slightly bigger earcups  that are not as soft as Momentum but very nice (circumaural for my small ears), Larger Soundstage (thanks to semi-open back) with excellent wight and good depth that gets significantly bigger with FIIO E07K Amping or DAC, lovely spacious warm sound with strong bass that switches to hi-fi listening experience with 2db treble boost (not needed) and 2 db bass reduction. W/O that, its perfect for movies, rock, and most genres. I saw a few Netflix films through this and heard sounds coming from all around me - to the point I almost flinched a few times.
 
------------------
Review copies from Amazon (if you like it drop me a comment there or flag it as helpful! No, I'm not trying to get in the headphone review business ) :
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3VZX8E8XV0PE1/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B006RUIWC0&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=
 
[size=small]"I've had Sennheisers (which other than the Momentum are not really designed for todays popular genres like Rock/Hop Hop/Pop/Dance etc), Bose QC15, Sony XB400.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]My new Fidelio L1 and V-Moda M80 arrived on Friday so I will compare the two, although the L1's rival is the M80s big brother, the M100. For me, the M80 is to be used for the office, on the road, Bose QC15 on airplanes, bus and Fidelio L1 at home. I will keep the XB400's for occasional use.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]All will be driven from my Kindle Fire HD, Win 8 laptop and HTC 8x phone. I have also bought an FIIO E07K amp, but it hasnt arrived so this review is without that although experts here have said the L1 improves significantly with Amping. I plan on using both for a wide variety of music thats mostly rock and some 80's.[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]The Fidelio L1 is extremely handsome (personal taste) and mature. The leather headband smells very nice, the cups fit my small ears and are comfy but average softness. The brushed aluminum fittings are top notch and there is no plastic. I love the grille of the semi open back. Best looking headphone I've seen (and I was cross shopping this with the Momentums which are very handsome but have plastic rear covers.) The M80 is slick looking in a more youthful way. Both have excellent build quality and a solid feel.[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]Sound of the Fidelio L1 was lovely. I loved the width of the sound stage, depth was good. Felt I was in the concert. The mids (voices) were slightly recessed, super clear and the highs/treble was not too bright/harsh but very pleasant. Bass was DEEEP but not overwhelming or boomy. I felt Alicia Keys was singing/whispering right next to me, it was kinda impressive.[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small]This is the best sounding headphone I have had and the best looking. It was driven easily with my Kindle Fire and HTC 8x and based on what the audiophiles on head-fi are saying I look forward to improvements with the portable headphone amp. The M80 has a bit of sibilance (hissing in the highs for s and h's), is more forward (powerful presentation) and as a result tiring to listen to, had a much smaller sound-stage and did not retrieve as much detail. Both were very clear and relatively flat sounding, no 'Beats' bloated nonsense distorted sound going on here. On the other hand the M80 has more punchy bass that was faster but not as deep as the L1, PRAT (the feeling of tapping your toes to the rhythm) was excellent (less laid back IMHO than L1).[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]Sound leakage is way more than the L1 though. My wife is a sensitive sleeper and she doesn't hear me in the L1, cant sleep if I use the M80. I think it has something to do with the hard cups which dont seal well. The L1 on the other hand is a semi-open back design, but Philips did such a good job that there is no leakage!!![/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]Comfort wise there was no comparison between the L1 and M80. L1 beats it hands down with a softer ear cup and less stiff band (I hear the M80 band can be stretched, something I will try but the stiff band does keep it secure against the head). This was understandable given the more portable nature of the M80 but I dont like the stiff cups.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]The L1 is NOT portable despite what Philips says, it's a little too big for that I feel despite the ears folding flat. The M80 is portable but I wish the ear cups folded.[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]In conclusion - The L1 is a true luxury headphone and the best sounding I've heard - ever. At this price (sub 250), it's a steal. My only complaint is I wish the ear cups were detachable as I want to keep these forever and non detachable ear cups will fail at some point many years down the line and cant be replaced I assume. It's also very versatile across genres, ideally paired with Rock, music like Alicia keys, instruments, Genesis, Sting, Coldplay, Killers etc.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]The V-Moda M80 is the most fun portable headphone out there that I've heard, is super cool to look at and compact and can take a beating as V-Moda promises. It's just not as enveloping. I still recommend it for portable use. Contrary to what some reviewers have said, I feel bass is good. I'm not a basshead though. This is the better choice for dance/trance music and hip hop but handles other genres well, and I'm sure its bigger brother (The M100) would be even better as the bass would be deeper.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]Both are clearly made with a lot of care, the build, sound and packaging shows. Highly recommended."[/size]

 

[plakat]

I can't comment on the Audio Technica, but own(ed) the DT1350, Momentum, L1 and HD25.
If you're sensitive to elevated bass I'd advise against both the L1 and the Momentum: both have a rather boosted bass in my opinion, but both go deeper than the HD25 (don't know the Amperior, but I guess they are not too far away soundwise), and both have a much smoother treble than the HD25. Both are warmer sounding (i.e. more low bass, less treble) than the HD25. I owned both in the past, sold both and still own the DT1350, which, in my opinion, is by far the best portable set I know.
 
The DT1350 does clamp quite a bit (even more so than the HD25), but I guess on-ear does have its limitations regarding comfort... So unfortunately I guess the least comfortable might fit your sonic desires best: I consider it to be quite neutral with a clear, structured bass that reaches down real low without bleeding into the midrange or emphasizing the upper bass (i.e. around 100-200Hz). They can be used with an iPhone and similar devices without problems and scale up with a good amp. They are robust and have a nice retro look.
 
The L1 is a nice and musical headphone with an unoffensive sound signature that is quite comfortable to wear. It did not offer enough resolution for my taste and I found the bass a bit too boomy. I do like their design and build quality.
 
The Momentum is hard to judge... its sold as over-ear, but in many cases the cups are to small and sit on the ear instead. That seems to alter the sound signature quite significantly and I found them too warm with not enough structure in their bass presentation.
 
In any case try them out for yourself... nobody can tell you what your ears will like/dislike about a headphone. Its very much a matter of taste,none of them is of bad quality or has significant flaws in construction or build quality.

 

[amimartian]

I have had B&W P5, AT ATH-ESW9A, AT ATH-ES5 and a bunch of high-end IEMs. All these are positioned as portable and my opinion is: the ESW9A are simply the best. In fact, these are the best portable/IEM headphones I have ever heard. And I have had a lot of high-end IEMs and eventually have landed on the ESW9 as the most engaging and comfortable. I have owned mine for more than 6 months now and can't say that they are fragile as some people describe. My approach is: if you take care of your headphones they will take care of you and serve you very long. But, back to the headphones, I spend 6-7 hours at work listening to them and boy they are comfortable. I have come to appreciate a very lightweight construction after having the P5s for several months. The latter look gorgeous, all that metal and leather kind of stuff, but I barely could keep them on my head for more than 30 minutes. Another plus towards ESW9 is that even though they are portable they are actually a pair of real over-ear headphones, which means they don't push on your ears. This is just another subtle detail that makes them really comfortable and improves isolation.
 
Are there any downsides? Sure. For example, the pouch could have had a hatch (like the ES5's or P5's has) and the fact that some people find them not very durable,- all I can think of. The latter, I think, is strictly personal, but still should be taken into consideration.
 
To sum up, the ATH-ESW9 are the best all-purpose non-in-ear headphones for music lovers. Also, take into consideration the retail price of $360 (which I would have paid) and especially the fact that these could be bought for $220-240 today.

 

[Lorspeaker]

Dt1350 is definitely OUT for u
------------------------------

Off the cuff tot...
For dual entry cables l love them for psychological reasons...equal length of wires both sides,
So an audiophiles it could mean something to u..? Lol.

Esw9..... Good, easy sound on the ears....works ok on sansa, iPads iPods...works great on a more energetic player like studioV roocooBA .
I gotten a esw10jpn recently....omgggggg.... Just 3dimentionalyy better than the good esw9. I want to be raptured with this.

If u are in an aircon environment, the p5 is stylish...v musical portable...it's gonna sound somewhat like a esw9. V comfy too...
The cups just gel onto your ears n seal off the environment.
I owned it twice over.

 

[amimartian]

Quote:

Dt1350 is definitely OUT for u

---

Off the cuff tot...
For dual entry cables l love them for psychological reasons...equal length of wires both sides,
So an audiophiles it could mean something to u..? Lol.

Esw9..... Good, easy sound on the ears....works ok on sansa, iPads iPods...works great on a more energetic player like studioV roocooBA .
I gotten a esw10jpn recently....omgggggg.... Just 3dimentionalyy better than the good esw9. I want to be raptured with this.

If u are in an aircon environment, the p5 is stylish...v musical portable...it's gonna sound somewhat like a esw9. V comfy too...
The cups just gel onto your ears n seal off the environment.
I owned it twice over.

Glad you like your esw10, but they cost kind of more...

 

[Math-ECU]

I have owned the Momentum and the ESW9A, both from Magnolia HT, so no fakes.  I feel the Momentum has more Mid-Bass emphasis which may seem to mask the details at times.  The ESW9A does a fair job from top to bottom and doesn't get shrill in the treble area (I have a strong aversion to shrillness with headaches).  If you can snag some ESW9A phones I would go that route.  Just make sure if you plan on using an amp with a 1/4" that you buy an adapter (not included withe the phones).  I have moved to IEMs for my travel and HD650s for home use but would still recommend the ESW9A whole-heartedly!

 

[dweaver]

I have owned the HD25 and found them to clamping but strangely enough I currently own the DT1350 and find it more comfortable (they also are just releasing a new model with even more comfort) than the HD25 by quite a margin and I wear glasses. The DT1350 is also wonderfully detailed and seems very linear to me with strong sub-bass and to my ears no mid-bass hump. I have only had brief exposure to the ESW9 though so will retain from commenting on them aside from saying I thought they were a bit colored in the midrange.

The original DT1350 also is selling for around $200 new making it a pretty good buy at the moment with the option of being able to buy the more comfy new model earpads if needed down the road.

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

I have owned the HD25 and found them to clamping but strangely enough I currently own the DT1350 and find it more comfortable (they also are just releasing a new model with even more comfort) than the HD25 by quite a margin and I wear glasses. The DT1350 is also wonderfully detailed and seems very linear to me with strong sub-bass and to my ears no mid-bass hump. I have only had brief exposure to the ESW9 though so will retain from commenting on them aside from saying I thought they were a bit colored in the midrange.

The original DT1350 also is selling for around $200 new making it a pretty good buy at the moment with the option of being able to buy the more comfy new model earpads if needed down the road.

Dweaver how would you describe the bass on the dt1350s compared to the hd25? I love the bass punch and presence of the hd25.

Do you think the dt1350 would suit a guy that likes the hd25, momentum and m50x?

I mostrly listen to pop, rock and edm. Headphones i do not like? The hd598 i have them but they sound too spacious and lacking bass and overall dynamics too the sound, hated the k550 (anemyc to my ears), did not like the mdr 1a (too muffled), mdr v6 was me (a bit thin sounding to my ears).
I have the dt770 pro 80 but its a love hatr relationship, love the confort, like them for edm, but i was expecting a bit more punchy and stronger bass and to my ears they highs and mids sound a bit thin (this muat be the beyer sound ao many talk about....)

Hope this can help..... Cheers...