[ColdWolfSong]

So I have a weird little story/experience I wanted to post about.

I seem to be a broken audiophile.

Now let me explain. Open headphones. They're king, right? So much snobbery around them, it seems. You always read "These are good for a closed headphone" or "They're closed, they can't compete" and other things like that. Well, I either don't hear what's good about open cans, or I don't hear what's bad about closed cans. Twice now I've had a preference of a closed can over a more expensive open can. I have a pair of Audio Technica M40X, and also a pair of Sennheiser HD 598. After listening to them both quite a bit, I can say I like the M40X better. And now, I have the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, and the Hifiman HE 400i. And planar sounds good, don't get me wrong. Clear as crystal.

But for some reason, unknown to me, I prefer the closed back dynamic Beyers over the open planar majesty of the hifiman. Something about the studio headphone sound, the more around your ears soundstage, the upfront presentation. And they sound smoother, less sharp than the HiFiman. More relaxing. Closed headphones are just more appealing to me. And I feel a little broken, seeing as how I only read about closed cans having negatives in comparison to open cans. Honestly, I'm thinking about returning the HiFiman and just getting a tube amp for my Beyers instead. Or maybe another closed headphone.

Does anyone else like closed cans more? Or am I just that weird?

 

[wink]

Don't worry if you're not an auidiophile, enjoy what you have and like.

 

[ColdWolfSong]

Don't worry if you're not an auidiophile, enjoy what you have and like.

Well I do consider myself one. I'm certainly not as picky as the general audiophile. I just prefer the sound of closed headphones (so far) over open. Didn't know if anyone else felt the same.

 

[wink]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiophile

 

[FastAndClean]

You love dat bass

 

[ColdWolfSong]

You love dat bass

Actually no. I'm definitely not a basshead. I listen mostly to orchestral stuff, which doesn't rely too much on bass.

 

[FastAndClean]

Actually no. I'm definitely not a basshead. I listen mostly to orchestral stuff, which doesn't rely too much on bass.

It depends, I like Hans Zimmer stuff and most of the time there is a healthy dose of sub bass rumble from his music, my planars can get violent and pretty physical with his stuff and I love it

 

[Muinarc]

In the list provided you weren't exactly comparing the same headphones to each other, one open and one closed of the same basic design and model (AKG K812 and K872 or Aeon open vs closed for example). But if you keep preferring closed headphones there very likely could be something to it and you've identified what your preferences are. No harm in that.

 

[ColdWolfSong]

Speaking of which, Update: I found an open headphone I like.

 

[Iightning]

Which headphones?

 

[ColdWolfSong]

Which headphones?

Grado SR80e. I went down to a local Hifi shop to see if they had headphones. Mostly they just had speakers and turntables, but they had a few pairs of Grados. I tried them and was astonished at how much the signature agreed with me. So now I'm one of those filthy Grado lovers, I guess.