[roker]

Just picked up the ZX700 for 74 shipped.
 
cyber monday rules.
 
I really wanted the Denon D1100 but it just didn't work out price wise.
 
I think I'll be happy with this purchase.  I'll post a quick impression once I get it.

 

[JamesMcProgger]

Quote:

Wonderful thread, Joker. This has guided me in many decisions--yet, I must question your logic! Why weight isolation, which may be unwanted by quite a few, but not value, the supreme sign of worth, in reaching an average score? This is madness.
 
--All respect

IIRC there is another chart calculated without isolation.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Wonderful thread, Joker. This has guided me in many decisions--yet, I must question your logic! Why weight isolation, which may be unwanted by quite a few, but not value, the supreme sign of worth, in reaching an average score? This is madness.
 
--All respect

Well, as I see it, isolation is a pretty important aspect of having a portable headphone, which is what this thread is dedicated to. The score of a headphone is determined by its function and sound alone, while the color-coded prices on the right column give you a nice indication of how much it will cost you, and how it compares to others with similar scores. After all, this is Head-Fi! Sound is the main goal, money is no object.

 

[Rainbow Randy]

Quote:

Well, as I see it, isolation is a pretty important aspect of having a portable headphone, which is what this thread is dedicated to. The score of a headphone is determined by its function and sound alone, while the color-coded prices on the right column give you a nice indication of how much it will cost you, and how it compares to others with similar scores. After all, this is Head-Fi! Sound is the main goal, money is no object.

Valid point. But as good as isolation is for blocking out noise to better hear music, it also blocks out information of one's surroundings. It's double-edged.

 

[WakiDabeast]

 
Quote:

 

Probably not - I can wear the HD25-1 pretty much all day and I still consider its sound signature better for rock and metal, which is around 80% of my library. I think I've found a new benchmark for midrange performance, though, and I the signature of the M-80 is great for movies (just want it in a small circumaural shell a-la Bose AE...)
 

My girlfriend made off with the MS300, which means I get to 'borrow' it for comparisons but I certainly won't get to sell it off when I'm done with it. That means I'm probably going to keep putting it off since I'm trying to reduce my own collection.
 

Thanks. HD25 is still a no-loss proposition for most listeners in my book
 


M-80 has more bass than MS300. More depth than the HD25 (more rumble as well) but the HD25 has a slightly more pronounced mid-bass lift for more of that immediate impact. If you consider the HD25 to be near-basshead, the M-80 will be as well. That said, it hasn't got nearly as much bass as the old Crossfade LP or the Denon D1100.

I mean again only way the hd25 is bass head sufficient is with bass boost and that's quite a bit of extra bass, so m80 is about same as hd25 when comes to fulfilling that bassy void?

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

I'm surprised the B&W P5 has lasted in the top 10 so long. Sonically it's not exactly the best I've ever owned.

Sonically it ranks 12th 
 


Quote:

From what I gather, the only reason you still have the MS-300 is because your grillfiend covets it. 
 
My sense is the 400 is slightly better made and has a more distinctive (if less balanced) signature, and that you preferred it ever-so-slenderly to the 300 despite the latter's balanced sound -- which seems odd, if true, since I believe we share a studio musician's interest in detail, part separation and relative flatness.
 
Which makes me wonder why in the name of Chinnamasta we're talking about Phiatons at all.
 
This has been useful. You're convincing me that the glossy sling-ons of magazine-ad luxury might well disappoint me, fading to carbon black as I return to the armful of headphones I actually own and enjoy. 
 
In providing that sort of perspective, you become the very conduit -- the divining rod -- of this entire site's OCD.  Your contrasting descriptions are reference-shelf-worthy in their sober maximalist accuracy. 
 
(Not that I have any idea how much you drink when you write these things.)
 

That's right - I have no real need for either of the Phiatons.

I wouldn't necessarily give the upper hand for the MS400 in construction - it's a little beefier but they were clearly designed by the same person and the load-bearing components are pretty much identical. One thing I do like about the MS300 is the single-sided cord. Matter of preference, of course.

Neither really has an upper hand in sound - the MS300 is more in line with my preferences but unfortunately that puts it up against the HD25 and it really can't compete. I think I prefer the AKG Q460, too, though I haven't compared them directly yet. It's not even worlds better than my Sennheiser HD428, which cost me $25 or so.

The MS400 is more unique in sound signature, warm and lush. If not for the presentation, I probably would have kept it as a benchmark for that type of sound. 
 
OCD and lots of alco black tea is how I keep my productivity up.

 
Quote:

Anyway, I'm looking forward to what you review in the future! Any chance there will be a TMA-1 or Skullcandy Aviator review at some point?

Finishing the M-80 review doesn't exactly clear up my queue - on my to-do shelf right now are a Sony PQ2, Philips 9560, AKG Q460, Phiaton MS300, c-JAYS, Klipsch Image One, and two Fischers. There's probably something else buried underneath, too.
 


Quote:

Wonderful thread, Joker. This has guided me in many decisions--yet, I must question your logic! Why weight isolation, which may be unwanted by quite a few, but not value, the supreme sign of worth, in reaching an average score? This is madness.
 
--All respect

There was a second chart without isolation for a while but I grew tired of updating it. If needed, I can provide the source data by email. In the beginning it never occurred to me to exclude isolation - I've always hated using my KSC75 or Grados outside since I greatly prefer low volumes. Excluding the value score came naturally though - it is the least objective of all the categories IMO. I factor things into the value score that may not hold any weight for you at all, such as isolation, unamped performance, or portability. Since I don't have a fixed formula, it would be pretty much impossible for the individual reader to factor them out for an individualized value score. I therefore find it logical to give the more objective data and the lowest price I'm aware of and let readers draw their own conclusions.
 


Quote:

 
I think I'll be happy with this purchase.  I'll post a quick impression once I get it.

Hope you are - it's a very nice set but not without flaws. Hard to do better for $75 though.
 


Quote:

IIRC there is another chart calculated without isolation.

There was, but only for a couple of months. 
 


Quote:

I mean again only way the hd25 is bass head sufficient is with bass boost and that's quite a bit of extra bass, so m80 is about same as hd25 when comes to fulfilling that bassy void?

Yes, I think so
 

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Valid point. But as good as isolation is for blocking out noise to better hear music, it also blocks out information of one's surroundings. It's double-edged.

You just need to turn it down if you're in an area where you need to be aware.  Even with IEMs, I hear traffic and announcements on the subway.

 

[dgriffter]

I have been looking around for a comfortable, small (supra-aurals) preferably foldable, portable (non iem) set of cans/phones, for use at the office and anywhere else work might take me (except for travel, since I have plenty of suitable iems for this). Main requirements are sound quality (roughly balanced (more or less), good extension either way) and comfort (I wear glasses for starters, so none of the vice-like akg518, for example, would suit). I listen at relatively low levels, so not too bothered about leakage, and in fact since I am in office environment, I don't want to shut myself off from the outside world, i.e. I want to be able to hear my colleagues when they call my name (main reason for not wanting iems or circum-aurals). Budget is around 100€ (that would be roughly 130 of your earth dollars). 
 
First of all, huge respect and thanks to Mr. Joker for the amazing effort - I know just how hard it is to post once in a day, let alone formulate my hearing into some sort of logical comparison for others to digest. 
 
Anyway, it seems to me that after ploughing head-fi and the www in general and trying to weight everyone's opinions according to merit, there are a few very popular and seeming-to-fit-the-bill-almost-exactly phones which are not yet on this wonderful list. So I guess my question is this;
 
Dear Joker, do you plan at any point soon (if at all), to add Jays V Jays, AIAIAI Tracks and perhaps some honest opinion (as in, there seems to be no real agreement) on any of the akg cans in this price range - k450 (Ok, they are bassy, but just how much compared to...., what about after burn-in, etc.), q460 (worth the extra price for any appreciable improvement in sound quality?) & ath-es55 (seemingly quite popular) to this wonderfully, almost Biblical, comparison? 
 
Thanks in advance 

 
Edited for typos 

 

[scompton]

In my experience, if listening at low levels, circumaual and closed don't cut you off.  I have no problems hearing the rest of the world when I'm using my CAL.

 

[blackcoffeex1]

Since I love my Etymotic HF2s more than anything else I've tried I've been looking for some analytical-ish closed cans for no more than $200. I bought some Phiaton PS320s and I kinda like them but so far they aren't very comfortable and they actually seem to have less bass than my HF2s, which I always thought had just the right amount of bass. Is there anything else even close to what I'm looking for in this price range?

 

[dweaver]

 
Quote:

Since I love my Etymotic HF5s more than anything else I've tried I've been looking for some analytical-ish closed cans for no more than $200. I bought some Phiaton PS320s and I kinda like them but so far they aren't very comfortable and they actually seem to have less bass than my HF2s, which I always thought had just the right amount of bass. Is there anything else even close to what I'm looking for in this price range?

 
You might want to check out the KRK KNS 8400 and 6400 headphones. I have heard the 8400 briefly in store and impressed with it's detail. It had to sharp a treble for me but read that get's better with burnin and the 6400 is suppose to not have that issue. I am in the process of picking up a pair of the 6400 from the FS forum so will be able to give some first hand information in a week or two.
 

 

[BLL00]

Any difference between the M-80 and the V-80 ???? The V-80's are cheaper. Why ?

 

[JamesMcProgger]

Quote:

Any difference between the M-80 and the V-80 ????

the difference is only the color scheme and the true blood logo
 
 

The V-80's are cheaper. Why ?

 
because that serie about vampires is really bad.

 

[Niyologist]

The Beyerdynamic DTX 910 sounds somewhat similar to the DT 990 32 Ohm. I put it on hold and I'll get it on Friday. So expect a full review because no one didn't bother to post a review on head-fi. 

 

[ljokerl]

 
Quote:

I have been looking around for a comfortable, small (supra-aurals) preferably foldable, portable (non iem) set of cans/phones, for use at the office and anywhere else work might take me (except for travel, since I have plenty of suitable iems for this). Main requirements are sound quality (roughly balanced (more or less), good extension either way) and comfort (I wear glasses for starters, so none of the vice-like akg518, for example, would suit). I listen at relatively low levels, so not too bothered about leakage, and in fact since I am in office environment, I don't want to shut myself off from the outside world, i.e. I want to be able to hear my colleagues when they call my name (main reason for not wanting iems or circum-aurals). Budget is around 100€ (that would be roughly 130 of your earth dollars). 
 
First of all, huge respect and thanks to Mr. Joker for the amazing effort - I know just how hard it is to post once in a day, let alone formulate my hearing into some sort of logical comparison for others to digest. 
 
Anyway, it seems to me that after ploughing head-fi and the www in general and trying to weight everyone's opinions according to merit, there are a few very popular and seeming-to-fit-the-bill-almost-exactly phones which are not yet on this wonderful list. So I guess my question is this;
 
Dear Joker, do you plan at any point soon (if at all), to add Jays V Jays, AIAIAI Tracks and perhaps some honest opinion (as in, there seems to be no real agreement) on any of the akg cans in this price range - k450 (Ok, they are bassy, but just how much compared to...., what about after burn-in, etc.), q460 (worth the extra price for any appreciable improvement in sound quality?) & ath-es55 (seemingly quite popular) to this wonderfully, almost Biblical, comparison? 

In my queue are the c-JAYS (not sure how they compare to the v-JAYS) and AKG Q460 (not sure how they compare to the K450). I actually quite like the AKGs - they are not that bass-heavy to these ears (not compared to an HD25 or M-80) and have a bit of extra sparkle. At the ~$95 they currently go for in the states they're a decent recommendation. Soundstage is a bit disappointing considering they are semi-open. For reasonably small, balanced-sounding, and comfy sets with low-to-moderate isolation you may also want to look at the ATH-SQ5 and Beyerdynamic DT235. 
 
 
Quote:

Since I love my Etymotic HF5s more than anything else I've tried I've been looking for some analytical-ish closed cans for no more than $200. I bought some Phiaton PS320s and I kinda like them but so far they aren't very comfortable and they actually seem to have less bass than my HF2s, which I always thought had just the right amount of bass. Is there anything else even close to what I'm looking for in this price range?

I would check out the Denon DN-HP700. Yes, they are DJ cans and not nearly as nice-looking as the Phiatons but they are way below your budget and quite balanced with plentiful bass impact.