[stokitw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CooLy_oNE /img/forum/go_quote.gif yeah...I'm doing my research to ATH-ESW10JPN...they look good... Anyway...Can you tell me what the difference between closed and open can? how do they defer in sound quality?? is it significant???

The closed can has better isolation, the outside sound is blocked somehow.
Also the sound from your headphone cannot be heared from others up to certain volume.

The open can is basically a set of two small speakers.

The closed can may sound not very natural given its nature.
Moreover, the closed nature will make the headphone not good for long time listening.

If you have a good and basically quite listening environment, I would say open can is a easy pick.

Otherwise, you may want to consider closed can.

 

[Willie2]

My rig is computer to xm5 to DT150. I have not listened to other equipment but I am very satisified at about $450.

 

[sputnik13]

If the headphone leaking a lot of sound isn't a huge issue, I think open is better personally. There's more air and more separation in the sound. I lack the proper vocabulary to fully articulate it but it's significant, and you should see if you can audition these phones yourself.

Another possible option is to just get a nice amp, and hold off on the full size cans until you can save up for it. Or you might just get nice full size cans and a cheap interim amp like a fiio e5 (<$15 shipped) and save up for a nice amp. Or you can always go DIY

. I'm saving up time and money to build a mini3 and a CKKIII, although I'm sometimes tempted by the Millet MiniMAX as I don't need a portable myself.