[MorbidToaster]

Still going with 25-1 IIs. The ONLY reason I sold mine is that I have a big head and they crushed it.
 
I always take Flat to mean that there's no false sound in a headphone. You'll hear true Bass, true Mid, True High, the way it was originally mixed.
 
The reason people love the HD 25-1 IIs is because they have pretty much the best isolation in the whole world. You can put them on in a club and completely block outside noise. It's ridiculous. And yes, this translates to home use as well. Especially if you have louder monitors, isolation comes into play. You're also moving a lot of stuff around in a club situation and they're built like a tank.
 
Again, HD 25-1 IIs are one of the best portable headphones out there. Super durable, great isolation, etc. I know own the TMA-1s, and while they're a better fit for me, I still think the 25s sounded a little better.
 
I hate to sound like a fanboy, but they're just brilliant headphones. The only problem is they're not exactly lookers (not bad, but not exactly Pro DJ 100 or TMA-1 good looks), and the stock cable is short. Replace the cable and you'll be set for a LONG time.
Quote:

 
 

Very good food for thought, and thank you to the others as well.  It's been an eye opener for sure.  I thought since bass was part of my mixing issue, I'd need cans that accentuate bass.  Makes much more sense to have flat phones to be able to hear the source instrumentation better, and therefore mix it more efficiently (if I'm making sense at all).  The follow up to that is:
 
1) If I go with something "flat", does this mean I won't really hear much bass on songs which uses it as it's primary sound (i.e. Dubstep)?  Want to make sure I can still hear highs, mids, bass as close to as its supposed to be in the original and not feel it's bland
 
2) People mention the HD 25-1 II's are fav's among DJs: What makes them popular in a club setting and would they translate for at home mixing?  And for the music I listen to and mix (Trance, House, Dubstep, Electro, Dutch, etc), which of the ones you recommended do you think is considered the "best" under $350 (Sony MDR-V6, Sennheiser HD280, AKG K240 and M-Audio Q40)?  I've heard great things from the HD series; just don't know what to look for when picking the "right" ones
 
 
Like I mentioned before, I popped $300 in those Beats Pro (and thankfully I'm sending them back for a refund), so spending around $200-$350 won't kill me.  As far as recreational, for those who care to put in their two cents worth, should I go for the HD 25 1 II's (if you think they'd make good walk around phones), Sony MB500's (or MB1000's when they hit), or something else?  I heard the MB500's and thought they were good, but very curious to know if it's worth going up to the 1000's (I know it'll have a bit less bass power, but much better soundstage), or if the HD 25 1 II's would work just as well for everyday listening.
 
Never thought it would be so hard to decide on headphones, but very happy I ran into this forum and that there are fantastic people out there like you guys to help educate me without making me feel stupid.
 
Cheers
 

 

 

[Armaegis]

Just because a headphone doesn't have pronouned bass doesn't mean you won't hear it. As for what it is "intended" to sound like... so much music nowadays is bass bloated, and read up on something called "loudness wars".
 
Training your ears to hear and distinguish bass frequencies will go a long way in helping you mix and appreciate the music. On the other hand, it will also make you realize how poorly done much of the bass heavy music is, and all that distortion and clipped waveforms you hear is the result of someone cranking the mix levels to make it "loud enough" rather than "better".
 
For mixing, I would say go with the HD280 or V6. They are durable and cheap and have a good reputation behind them. I would choose the HD280 if you want more isolation and maybe for DJ'ing.
 
Picking headphones for casual listening, I would still go with something flat. You can always EQ the bass up and it's nice to have that option rather than "always on".
 
Bey hey, casual headphones are whatever the heck you want to buy.

 

[YakAttack]

Quote:

Still going with 25-1 IIs. The ONLY reason I sold mine is that I have a big head and they crushed it.
 
I always take Flat to mean that there's no false sound in a headphone. You'll hear true Bass, true Mid, True High, the way it was originally mixed.
 
The reason people love the HD 25-1 IIs is because they have pretty much the best isolation in the whole world. You can put them on in a club and completely block outside noise. It's ridiculous. And yes, this translates to home use as well. Especially if you have louder monitors, isolation comes into play. You're also moving a lot of stuff around in a club situation and they're built like a tank.
 

 Do you know the big difference between the HD 25 1 II's and the HD 280 Pro's? 
 
I'm going to relook at the reviews on this site, go through the buying guide thread, and Joker's reviews some more. So now it seems I'm leaning heavily towards the HD 25-1 II's (or the HD 280's if they are better than the 25-1's) or the Roland RH300's for studio.  I like the idea of hearing the music as true as I can; would meet my primary needs.
 
Once that's done, then I just got to see what recreational ones to get!!!  LOL
 

 

[MorbidToaster]

The big difference is of course going to be size. The 280s are a great headphone, I'm actually picking up another pair soon, hopefully. They're much cheaper than the 25s.
 
I'd still say the 25s are on another level. They do genuinely sound better than the 280s, IMO, and they're easier to fix, should something go wrong.
 
Quote:

 Do you know the big difference between the HD 25 1 II's and the HD 280 Pro's? 
 
I'm going to relook at the reviews on this site, go through the buying guide thread, and Joker's reviews some more. So now it seems I'm leaning heavily towards the HD 25-1 II's (or the HD 280's if they are better than the 25-1's) or the Roland RH300's for studio.  I like the idea of hearing the music as true as I can; would meet my primary needs.
 
Once that's done, then I just got to see what recreational ones to get!!!  LOL
 

 

 

[Eric_C]

Re: HD 25-1 vs HD 280
I can't comment on sonic differences (it's been too long since I heard the 280), but I can talk a little bit about build and comfort.
 
The 280 tends to come with the coiled cable, if I'm not mistaken. Coiled cables are fine with heavy, desktop equipment that can't be moved; they're not so good for an iPod left on your table, as the "spring" in the cable will likely yank the iPod to the floor. Bear that in mind.
In contrast, the HD 25-1 comes with a straight cable.
 
The 280 can fold, but this does not make it much more portable/compact than when it is not folded. It's more about protecting the drivers I guess. On that note, the 280 is much larger than the 25-1, although the 25-1 cannot fold up.
 
In terms of size and related comfort issues, the 280 is more likely to be comfortable for longer listening sessions. The 25-1 achieves great isolation by clamping--hard. You can take measures to alleviate this (e.g., stretching it overnight) but I've had my 25-1 for 6 months and it seems to more or less return to its original clampy-ness every day. 
On the flip side, the 280 is quite a bit heavier.

 

[YakAttack]

First of all, MANY THANKS to everyone who helped me out. I think I'm going to go and grab the HD 25-1 II Pro's for now. I'll try them out with my mixing and see how they do for me. I'll also probably go out and get either the XB 500's or 1000's. Hearing mixed reviews on the 1000's so I'll give it another couple of weeks before deciding. I guess that's the fun of becoming a Hi-Fier huh? Something tells me this is just the beginning of a long relationship with cans. LOL      
 
One last thing:  regarding amps, what should I look for?  Any suggestions about which one to get if I go with the HD 25-1 II's and an XB series?
 
 
Again, thank you so much for all of your insight; it truly helped me a lot!!!!!!

 

[chinesekiwi]

Don't get the XB's if you care about mixing quality. the HD 25-II will suit your needs well. You won't need amping for the HD 25-II. Maybe a better source / soundcard for producing, but apart from that, no, you won't need a dedicated amp for them.

Remember a crap source = crap mixing, pure and simple.

 

[YakAttack]

Oh no, I'm getting the HD 25-1 II for mixing at home, and then possibly the MB series for when I go on travels, vacations, etc.  I'm thinking I'm going to love the HD's for at home technical listening to help my mixing, but when I'm listening to my product, I think I'd want a little more bass.  Figure the MB's would do that.  Again, unless you guys think the HD's could handle bigger bass for everyday use?

 

 

[MorbidToaster]

If you're looking for some slammin' bass I'd suggest some Ultrasone 900 (ULTRASONE HYPE TRAIN,  CHOOCHOO). I love their Pro line, and the 900s are the bass monster of the line.
 
I REALLY worry about the XB series and still haven't tried them to this day (so I'm totally talking about my rear) because I hear that the bass is slow, and gets bogged down when it needs to be faster.
 
And honestly, the 25s are great walking cans too. You could always get an EQable DAP (ala RockBoxed Clip+) and slam the bass way up.
 
Quote:

Oh no, I'm getting the HD 25-1 II for mixing at home, and then possibly the MB series for when I go on travels, vacations, etc.  I'm thinking I'm going to love the HD's for at home technical listening to help my mixing, but when I'm listening to my product, I think I'd want a little more bass.  Figure the MB's would do that.  Again, unless you guys think the HD's could handle bigger bass for everyday use?

 

 

 

[glasslike]

Yay, HD25-1 II win. I've ordered a set as well (I missed my old ones).

 

[Eric_C]

glasslike: from Juno?

 

[YakAttack]

Hey guys!  I got my HD 25-1 II's today (had to overnight them; couldn't wait), and I LOVE them! 
 
You're so right, the sound comes out very distinct and clear.  Bass out of the box isn't overwhleming (but surprisingly deeper than I thought ehy'd be), but that makes it better for me while mixing.  I can always throw in an amp and preset it for whatever music I'm listening to. 
 
The build is so solid, they're very comfortable, and the soundstage is good as well.  What really stands out for me is the separation of music; it should really go a long way to helping me with my mixing.
 
THANK YOU all again for the info, I do however feel I've made the right choice.  I'll do some more thoughts later, gotta get back to my music!
 
If anyone is interested, my You Tube channel is http://www.youtube.com/user/YakAttack915   I have four more mixes I need to put up with some really hot tracks.  Look for them by end of this week.
 
Chris

 

[MorbidToaster]

Haha. Glad you like them. I wish I could've kept mine, but my head is too big for them to stay comfortable. ;~;
Quote:

Hey guys!  I got my HD 25-1 II's today (had to overnight them; couldn't wait), and I LOVE them! 
 
You're so right, the sound comes out very distinct and clear.  Bass out of the box isn't overwhleming (but surprisingly deeper than I thought ehy'd be), but that makes it better for me while mixing.  I can always throw in an amp and preset it for whatever music I'm listening to. 
 
The build is so solid, they're very comfortable, and the soundstage is good as well.  What really stands out for me is the separation of music; it should really go a long way to helping me with my mixing.
 
THANK YOU all again for the info, I do however feel I've made the right choice.  I'll do some more thoughts later, gotta get back to my music!
 
If anyone is interested, my You Tube channel is http://www.youtube.com/user/YakAttack915   I have four more mixes I need to put up with some really hot tracks.  Look for them by end of this week.
 
Chris

 

 

[Eric_C]

Woohoo! Welcome to the club!

 

[YakAttack]

Hey guys, I just wanted to stop by and let you know about how things are going with my decision to get the Sennheiser's HD 25-1 II's. In a word, superb! I've been mixing quite a few different styles, and find that it easily handles all music types. People were right about it being very comfortable, and the isolation is insane. Soundstage for me could be a bit wider for trance, but nothing that would have discouraged me from getting them anyways; they still have a "big" sound. Bass is clean and even though it's not as "deep" as some would want it to be, for my purposes (mixing) it actually is an asset. I do a variety of music: Dubstep, Electro, Trance, House, Hardstyle, etc. When I listen to my mixes on my stereo (with big bass), it sounds much better than before. I can easily distinguish where the sounds are coming from, and when. Instrumentation is separated nicely, and the reproduction of sound is very good. I really love these cans, and want to express my thanks to everyone who put in their two cents. It was good to go out and review all the different headphones people suggested. It does come down to what you want them for, and for me, the Hd 25's were the best choice. I am thinking of using them as my carry around phones too, but not sure I want over the ear or in ear for this. Will have to see what else is out there....again! Lol Overall, anyone else who is reading this and is curious about what phones to get, here is why I feel the HD 25-1 II's are a great choice: (1) Fantastic for mixing; it truly gives you the ability to hear the sounds much better, and makes blending a lot easier (2) extremely comfortable (for my head) (3) Unmatched sound reproduction, great separation and very good soundstage. (4) Good middle of the road pricing ($200) with exceptional value. Again, thank you all for enlightening me to the world of headphones. I look forward to educating myself more and one day being able to help other newbies with their selection as you all have done for me. Bless you all. If you want to check out one of my latest Dubstep mixes, go here http://soundcloud.com/djxrs/dubstepping-iii Enjoy....