[-rp]

So after many hours of research and thought, I still cannot decide between the Sony V6 and the Sennheiser 280HD Pro.

* Skip to bottom numbered questions if you just want to help out, a lot of the issues/questions are repeated in these two paragraphs (or if you don't want to hear yet another Sennheiser vs. V6 story)

Originally, I thought that the V6 would be perfect for me, since they were fairly lightweight (out of the closed-can market), comfortable, portable (not a huge deal but nice), and their sound was supposedly more suited the average non-audiophile user (read: lots of bass). However, after trying on a pair of 7506's today (I just tried them on to see how comfortable they were, no place around me has them available to listen to), I was more or less unimpressed. They didn't isolate as much as I wanted to (I'll be living in the in a small apartment this summer and dorms next fall, so blocking out roomate noise is definitely needed), and the actual earpads didn't seem to cover my ears all the way, making them slightly uncomfortable (do the famed beyour velour mod expand the earpad size or just make the fabric more comfortable?).

So anyways, after that experience, I started looking more into my second choice headphone, the Sennheiser 280 HD (I had already seen many comparisons of them beforehand). They seemed much better in every single way actually (I think I decided on the V6's originally because of their portability, but I don't really think that's too big of a deal anymore), except two problems in my eyes. The first concern I have is that I hear a lot about the shoddy construction of the plastic headband, and while I don't plan to put these through too much abuse, I would really hope they would hold up for a reasonable ammount of time (I heard many stories of the band shattering in < 1 year, which though covered by warranty, would be a hassle for me. The V6 in comparison I heard is extremely durable.). And my second concern is their apparent lack of bass. I know this can be corrected by use of an equalizer, but I would prefer that I could use them in absense of one. And finally, I kind of have a third concern in that, the only high end headphones I have listened to are Bose (perhaps I should rephrase that to 'expensive'?) and my friends Grado SR-60's. I absolutely loved my friends SR-60's, but they are really not an option for me as I would like to not piss off my roomates in close quarters, and personally, I think that Bose sounded pretty decent. My concern is simply that I heard Sennheisers are the complete opposite of Grado's, which is I don't know, good, bad? You tell me.

I can definitely still see myself buying either of these headphones (if nothing else in this thread turns up), but am just confronted with some worries right now. And so here I am, asking you guys for advice. Basically, any thoughts are welcome, but in particular:

(1) How is the durability on the 280HD as a whole (in particular though, the headband) under mild stress (I'll try and take care of whatever phones I get but let's be honest, things happen).
(2) How is the 280 HD's bass? Is it enough for good alt, rock, r&b, techno, movies, games and soforth after the burn in? (without an equalizer)
(3) How long do I have to burn in the 280's before it stops improving?
(4) Can you, or can you not wear the 280 HD's around your neck cofortably?
(5) I have heard that Grado's are the complete opposite of Sennheisers, to quote the adage "With Sennheisers your in the concert hall, with Grado's your on stage" (or something along those lines). Does that mean if I like Grado's, I will not like Sennheisers?
(6) In continuation with number five, if Sennheisers do not sound like Grado's, what closed headphone comes the closest to sounding like Grados (if any)?
(7) Do the beyour velour mod to the V6's increase the size of the pads at all, or is it just the fabric?
(8) Is there any way to get the V6's to have a tighter or more sealed fit (e.g. more isolation)?
(9) I hear some people not reccomending both the 280 HD and the V6's for anyone not using it in a recording studio or proffesionally (i.e. don't use them casually). How valid is this recomendation?
(10) Which do you think is better between the V6 and the 280HD?

I'm open to any other closed headphones (no open-headphones unless they can miracoulously contain their own noise, canals, or plugs, please), with the only requirments that they be comfortable,isolating, sound good (un-amped, mostly from my computer but possibly from an mp3 player at some point), durable, and less than $100 (I really don't want to spend more then that, if there is something absolutely positively insane just past that price range, then feel free to let me know, but otherwise, keep it affordable). Oh and also, I would prefer they have at least some style, I won't be wearing them out much but still. I'm the farthest thing you can get from an audiophile, but I do want my music (alt, rock, r&b, pop, techno, whatever's good), movies, and games to sound good. Thanks for any help in advance!

P.S. I have already seen this wonderful comparison at http://www.byrneweb.com/sunburn/audio/hd280vsv6.html awhile ago, so no need to point me there. And I have also seen that the 280 HD's completely outclass the V6's on headphonereviews.org, but I'm not sure how much of the stuff pointed out in the comments I would even be able to detect.

 

[Philco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (8) Is there any way to get the V6's to have a tighter or more sealed fit (e.g. more isolation)? (9) I hear some people not reccomending both the 280 HD and the V6's for anyone not using it in a recording studio or proffesionally (i.e. don't use them casually). How valid is this recomendation? (10) Which do you think is better between the V6 and the 280HD?

(8): You need MORE isolation than this ? Get the 280 or IEM then...! I don't think there is any way to give the V6 a tighter fit...sorry!

(9): The 7506 tends to be VERY analytical, to expose recording mistakes and render accuracy rather flawlessly. Around here, the 7506 is THE ABSOLUTE studio standard by which all the tracking is made. I have NEVER seen a studio using HD280 (I have seen K271, DT-250 and K240M though). Between the 280 and the V6, I'd say the V6 is the most "reference" with the 280 being the most musical and enjoyable. Really, V6 are NOT cans to enjoy, but to use as a tool to contemplate engineering mistakes on most records. The high-mid can be such an ANNOYANCE to some people, that it becomes unbearable after a while. I can't stand my 7506 for more than 1 hour at a time since they're so analytical..damn! FYI: I am a studio recording engineer and would not recommend the V6 for "enjoying" music. These phones are more of a "tool".

(10): The V6/7506 of course ! But if musicality is your thing, the 280 might suit you better.

 

[eight08]

(1) How is the durability on the 280HD as a whole (in particular though, the headband) under mild stress (I'll try and take care of whatever phones I get but let's be honest, things happen).
i stretched them for days, took them apart, bent the metal bands with pliers - dont have any of the reported stress cracks. and i havent really heard much talk of these cans actually breaking.. just lots of incidents of tiny stress cracks.
(2) How is the 280 HD's bass? Is it enough for good alt, rock, r&b, techno, movies, games and soforth after the burn in? (without an equalizer)
what i will say is this.. they have the potential of reproducing very low notes in a fairly controlled manner. but basshead cans these are not. (though the blutak+foam mod did wonders for mine)
(3) How long do I have to burn in the 280's before it stops improving?
common response seems to be quite high... over 100 hours
(4) Can you, or can you not wear the 280 HD's around your neck cofortably?
i dont think so, they're larger than they seem
(5) I have heard that Grado's are the complete opposite of Sennheisers, to quote the adage "With Sennheisers your in the concert hall, with Grado's your on stage" (or something along those lines). Does that mean if I like Grado's, I will not like Sennheisers?
i dont think the hd280s share very much with its higher priced siblings. IMO, they are much more analytical (less musical), then the higher priced offerings from senn.
(6) In continuation with number five, if Sennheisers do not sound like Grado's, what closed headphone comes the closest to sounding like Grados (if any)?
if you find any, let me know
(7) Do the beyour velour mod to the V6's increase the size of the pads at all, or is it just the fabric?
(8) Is there any way to get the V6's to have a tighter or more sealed fit (e.g. more isolation)?
the velour pads are more common on open air phones, so it would seem they are less isolating. (i have modded 580/600 pads on my v6 - its noticably less isolating)
(9) I hear some people not reccomending both the 280 HD and the V6's for anyone not using it in a recording studio or proffesionally (i.e. don't use them casually). How valid is this recomendation?
i think if you can deal with the tight fit (high clamp force to aid isolation), i think they can be quite fun -- capable of great bass, nice highs. i hated mine until i did a whole bunch of mods though.
(10) Which do you think is better between the V6 and the 280HD?
both are pretty decent i think, i just think i can listen to the hd280 a bit longer without having my eardrums fatigued by the v6s relentless upper end (upper mids and highs become tiring to me after awhile). i guess my bottom line is that i dont recomend either very strongly... i would probably have to put in a vote for the a500 (i have the a700)... not very grado like, slightly recessed mids, but otherwise, good bass, details, comfort... of course, all of this is IMO, i cant recomend anything else, cause i havent tried very much

 

[LobsterSan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (1) How is the durability on the 280HD as a whole (in particular though, the headband) under mild stress (I'll try and take care of whatever phones I get but let's be honest, things happen).

The HD280's are built like a tank. They are plastic, but the plastic is of high quality and very durable. I think the MDR-V6 are actually slightly less durable. In fact, my current pair of MDR-V6 have a severed wire, and they are my home pair. The HD280 when I had them never had a scratch on them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (2) How is the 280 HD's bass? Is it enough for good alt, rock, r&b, techno, movies, games and soforth after the burn in? (without an equalizer)

It depends. The HD280's bass goes very deep, but it's not as impactful as the V6. What this means is that there's less "thump" in the HD280's, but more clarity and detail. You hear the bass more than you feel it. For some music, I prefer the clarity and extension of bass that the HD280's give, for other music I like the thump that the V6 give. The preference wasn't split along genre lines, but actually in a song by song, CD by CD basis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (3) How long do I have to burn in the 280's before it stops improving?

It's fairly debatable. I didn't notice much improvement out of mine after 100 hours, but some claim 200+ hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (4) Can you, or can you not wear the 280 HD's around your neck cofortably?

It's a bit of a pain to do so. They are rather large. As well, if you are planning on wearing these outside... be forwarned. They are not the most "stylish" of phones. The headband looks like a clamp and is rather large. When I first got mine I started a thread which contained my picture while wearing them called "the king of dorks".

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (5) I have heard that Grado's are the complete opposite of Sennheisers, to quote the adage "With Sennheisers your in the concert hall, with Grado's your on stage" (or something along those lines). Does that mean if I like Grado's, I will not like Sennheisers?

Not all Sennheiser's are the same, and the HD280's are fairly different from the others I've tried (the HD600, HD497, and MX500). I'd say you should avoid broad sweeping generalizations unless you've heard every Grado and every Sennheiser out there to qualify your statements.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (6) In continuation with number five, if Sennheisers do not sound like Grado's, what closed headphone comes the closest to sounding like Grados (if any)?

High detail, high energy, and a lot of detail. The MDR-V6 to me was a pretty close match to my bro's SR60's and SR80's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (7) Do the beyour velour mod to the V6's increase the size of the pads at all, or is it just the fabric?

They do increase the width a bit, but it's fairly negligable. I'd say in total, it adds about half an inch of width to the entire headphone's width. Oh, and yes, they do increase the circumference of the earpads a bit -- so if the stock vinyl pads sit on your ears, the Beyer pads will probably encircle them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (8) Is there any way to get the V6's to have a tighter or more sealed fit (e.g. more isolation)?

Not that I'm aware of. But not many other closed phones will do a lot better. I do think the HD280 are slightly more isolating, but if you have a noisy roomate then they won't completely block out the noise either. If you want real isolation than you'd better go with some Etymotics or some other type of canalphone. If you have music playing at moderate volumes, you probably won't be able to hear most things your roommate is doing unless you're listening to some really quiet and subtle stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (9) I hear some people not reccomending both the 280 HD and the V6's for anyone not using it in a recording studio or proffesionally (i.e. don't use them casually). How valid is this recomendation?

Total and utter B.S. I like my V6's just fine for listening to music. As do many others I've recommended them to. The HD280's were also very pleasant, though for my tastes I preferred the extra excitement and detail (bordering on harshness) that the V6 gave me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by -rp (10) Which do you think is better between the V6 and the 280HD?

They are evenly matched, but with different sonic signatures. I chose the V6. If you like the Grado signature and like high-energy sound, then I'd say you'd be more pleased with the V6. As well, since you want to use them portably you probably should take a look for some pics of people wearing the HD280 to get a sense of how dorky they really look.

 

[sp1N]

1.) The 280pros are pretty durable. Some say that the headband is flimsy, but I have had no problems whatsoever with mine.

2.) The 280's bass is sort of a mixed bag. The bass is very deep, tight, and defined. However, it lacks impact. If you could somehow EQ the bass up, you would be fine. And once you give it's bass some impact, it sounds absolutely great.

3.) I noticed improvement after 200+hours. Personally I burned mine in for about 300hrs just to be on the safe side.

4.) Meh, kinda, but not really. In order to wear them comfortably around ur neck, you have to flip the cups outward.

5.) This is an inaccurate myth. Just because two things sound the opposite and you like one, does not mean that you will not like the other. Take me for example. I've had my sennheisers for quite a while and not too long ago, I got some SR-60's cause I was curious. I fell in love with their upfront and bright sound because of the way it presented the rock/metal that I listen to.

6.) I lack shear experience in this department, so I cannot really tell you.

7.) same as #6

8.) same as #6

9.) That depends soley upon your listening preferences. Some people say that because of their intended use. Others are just ornery tards. The fact of the matter is, headphones are made for listening. Some are involving and causual, others are more straight-laced and analytical. It's all up to what you like to listen to. Personally, I love my HD280pros for trance/electronica and some metal.

10.) Since I have not ever heard the V6 I cannot really say. All I can say is that I am a very happy 280 customer.

 

[-rp]

Thanks for all the replies, I think I've finally decided on the Senn 280 HD's. I think when it all came down to it, the only real things the V6 had going for it for my needs were the portability and style (perhaps the V6 sound, but I can't really test that out), but I probably won't be wearing these out much anyways (and comfort and isolation are far more important to me).

I'm just curious now, are there any other popular mods to the 280 HD besides the infamous blu-tak mod?

 

[Totoy]

Comments on the 280:

Head band is an interesting piece really...Owned these phones for a good three years now...After ~6months, cracks formed, sent them back, and within another 6 months cracks formed again...

My solution: Wrap electric tape around the head band (Yea, not the best tape for the job, but it blends in quite nicely ;p)

Also, something I've noticed is that the cracks seem to form when the ear pieces are streched out to a length larger then four of the ticks...look on the inside of the band, the little markings are what I refer to as the ticks. With the cracks in place, I've noticed that it is difficult to push the ear pieces to a shorter length (Typically, at the four tick mark as mentioned earlier) if they were streched out, which is what suggested the idea to me initally. Could easily be wrong here though...

Then again, I use the 280's for portable purposes (Commuting via train to campus), so they go through a rather large amount of abuse...Need to replace the pads soon actually as they're starting to tear (Happens after close to 2000 hours of use ;p). No real need to rest'em around my neck though, as if they're not on my head, they're collapsed and resting on my portable "case" that's slung over my shoulder...but as was said earlier, for it to be comfortable, you'd have to flip the cups outwards...Unless of course you dont mind looking up at a 30 degree angle constantly ;p

 

[kazoom]

I have the HD 280 Pro since one week and I like them very much (ok, they're my first pair of headphones)!

Isolation is very good (I can listen to Norah Jones while my sister watches tv) and the sound is really detailed (in the music I just listened for years, a lot of "new" instruments came out!

)

But I've read others reporting headband cracks

...
Totoy, where do those cracks appear?
In the top of the headband?

 

[Totoy]

Cracks on the two pairs I've had appear on the sides (beginning from the bottom, moving upwards) of the head band about half way between the top cushion and the end of the headband portion. And they do have the tendency to grow (Although I've never seen'em go further then half way up the side, as by that time they're wrapped in tape.)...

 

[Hibbsy]

Listen yourself.
And compare.
You are buying for your ears...not everyone on headfi....

Good luck!

 

[skyskraper]

urgh the headband broke on me with my ultrasone dj's and my 280's (both the same band).

sennheiser were a pita down under to deal with but ultrasone were a delight. id get the 280's again but i know 2/3 (my 2nd pair of ultrasones is fine touchwood) isnt good enuff for me.

my new love is akg.

 

[slipangle]

I just got a Pair of the 7506's (V6) and would definitely recommend it to you. It isolates pretty well to my standards (I dont even notice my cellphone ringing) But I guess thats a tad too late eh?
In anycase hope you have a great time with your new purchase

 

[imported_Echo_]

how does the eggos compare into this????????/