[Inkmo]

I'm still trying to find a decent pair of closed headphones to listen to at work.  Something comparable to my current AD900, but won't annoy my office mates.
 
I think I have been to every high-fi shop in Seattle by now, but haven't found much of what I'm looking for.  The closed cans I've been able to audition were good but still felt boxed in to me (B&W P5 and AKG Q460.. will consider again if I'm shopping for portables).  They  never stood up to the open cans I auditioned in the same shops (all Grados and K701s) or IMO my AD900 or SR-125.  It got me to wondering if finding closed headphones with that open sparkle is going to turn into a wild goose chase.
 
I have two questions.  Can anyone recommend closed cans that don't feel boxed in?  And is there anywhere in Seattle one could hear them?  I'm trying not to buy anything over $200 that I can't hear first.
 
I've been interested in the Denon AH-D2000 (maybe the 5000, too?), the Beyer DT770, DT250, and DT150.  Also, the Fischer FA-003.  And I guess I would consider the A900 or one of the other closed AT cans, too.

 

[MorbidToaster]

I'm still trying to find a decent pair of closed headphones to listen to at work.  Something comparable to my current AD900, but won't annoy my office mates.
 
I think I have been to every high-fi shop in Seattle by now, but haven't found much of what I'm looking for.  The closed cans I've been able to audition were good but still felt boxed in to me (B&W P5 and AKG Q460.. will consider again if I'm shopping for portables).  They  never stood up to the open cans I auditioned in the same shops (all Grados and K701s) or IMO my AD900 or SR-125.  It got me to wondering if finding closed headphones with that open sparkle is going to turn into a wild goose chase.
 
I have two questions.  Can anyone recommend closed cans that don't feel boxed in?  And is there anywhere in Seattle one could hear them?  I'm trying not to buy anything over $200 that I can't hear first.
 
I've been interested in the Denon AH-D2000 (maybe the 5000, too?), the Beyer DT770, DT250, and DT150.  Also, the Fischer FA-003.  And I guess I would consider the A900 or one of the other closed AT cans, too.

Try out a Denon. I don't think I'm ever going to buy another Closed can for serious use, honestly. I absolutely love them. Some may find them a little bass heavy, but I don't think they're bad at all.

 

[Inkmo]

Quote:

Try out a Denon. I don't think I'm ever going to buy another Closed can for serious use, honestly. I absolutely love them. Some may find them a little bass heavy, but I don't think they're bad at all.

I gave my old Fostex TR40 a spin on my Pioneer last night for the first time in a while, and after listening to a bunch of good closed portables this week, I realized the Fostex sounds a lot better than I gave it credit for.  May focus more on an Amp or DAC for now and take my Fostex to work.
 
Are there any Amps, Dacs,  Amp/DACs that you think synergize particularly well with Denons?  I've been eyeying the Peachtree Musicbox and the Music Hall Dac 25.3 since they're both in local shops.
 

 

[MorbidToaster]

I gave my old Fostex TR40 a spin on my Pioneer last night for the first time in a while, and after listening to a bunch of good closed portables this week, I realized the Fostex sounds a lot better than I gave it credit for.  May focus more on an Amp or DAC for now and take my Fostex to work.
 
Are there any Amps, Dacs,  Amp/DACs that you think synergize particularly well with Denons?  I've been eyeying the Peachtree Musicbox and the Music Hall Dac 25.3 since they're both in local shops.
 

Denon's pair well with pretty much any solid state out there. I've heard particularly well with the NuForce HDP (but I haven't tried it). I'd say it pairs really well with my Yulong D100 DAC/Amp.

 

[AmanGeorge]

For a lover of open headphones, I think a pair of Denons are a good bet, with the caveat that they will probably be bassier than you're used to from your ATs. But in terms of presentation, I think you'll really like them - they sound much less closed in than the small portables you've listened to, which don't really give sound any space to breathe. By contrast, the Denons have pretty big enclosures which give a much better sense of air. The trade-offs of the Denon is that a) There's a lot of bass, some might find it to be too much (especially if you've gotten used to slightly bass-light open-ear headphones), and b) While it certainly isolates better and leaks much less than an open headphone, it's not the type of exceedingly quiet, airtight seal you'd get from some other closed models (e.g., Shures) that clamp much tighter with smaller earcups.

 

[priest]

Denons are a good option to audition. Also consider HFI-780 as well.

 

[wind016]

Not too many good closed headphones cheaper than $200. Ultrasones and Denons come to mind. Expand the budget and you can get to closed headphone kings like Denon D7000 or ATH W1000X. The basslight AKG K271 is a very good option. I really liked it when I had it.

 

 

[Inkmo]

wind016: yeah, I've kinda assumed I would have to expand the budget to get something better than, say, my Fostex T40, though I think the 7000 and any of the AT woodies might be more than I'm willing to bite on.  Especially since I want to get a new DAC, too.
 
priest: would love to audition Denons, but I don't think there are any Denon dealers in Seattle - or Washington state for that matter.

 

[021311]

Where in Seattle you could find hifi stores?
I have been looking all around downtown, could not find any.
Please advice.

 

[AmanGeorge]

If you're ever in Portland, swing by the 32 Ohm Audio store - probably the best the US has to offer in terms of headphone selection and equipment

 

[Inkmo]

Argh! I was just in Portland a couple weeks ago! >_<
 
All the audio stores are pretty much on Roosevelt in the U district and there's one in Belltown that I know of.  Google it.