A Possible Alternative to the HD-25

[FreeOfDistortion]

I posted this in the other HD-25 thread and I didn't realize that it was so off topic so I'll give it it's own thread.

I'm just rcopying and pasting what I did in the last because I'm quite lazy.

..."Although I do like my bass to be tight and punchy, I don't like a LOT of bass and I don't like it be be uncomfortable. I would love a phone that was like the HD-25 but with forward upper midrange for violins and voices, like Bandit said. So what i'm wondering is "...there is no closed reasonably portable non-canal phone alternative. (to the hd-25) Is there?"

I was looking at the beyerdynamic dt880 because I heard they're great and they look comfortable as heck with those soft rabbit haired cups. I don't really mind all that much about looking weird in public so whatever you can recommend. Thanks."

 

[bln]

If that headphone is portable, then so is the R-10.

 

[bandit1200]

By reasonably portable I had meant to exclued bigger closed headphones like the HD280's. But that's just me. The HD25-1's are about the same size as grados, hence "reasonably portable."

Is there any other phone that fits the bill? I'm interested in FreeOfDistortion's question as well, even though I just got the HD25-1's

-Bandit.

 

[bln]

The HD25-1 is working just fine for me, but if you want an alternative look into the Beyerdynamic DT250-80 or DT250-250.

 

[saint.panda]

Beyer 880 are probably the least portable headphone I've ever owned, even the Senn HD 580/600 is better. The Beyer 880 is big, clamping force is low so that it falls of the head rather easily, you can harly lean your head against something because the ear cups extend pretty far to the back compared to other headphones, the old Beyer 880 had a coiled cord which sucks portable, it needs a very good amp and I doubt a supermini or cmoy will do it, etc.

Btw, does your headphones need to be closed or open?

If open headphones are ok for you, then you might just go for the Grados/Alessandros, somethink like SR225 or MS1. They can become pretty comfortable after bending the headband a bit, they work perfectly fine. However, they are still supraaural and still less comfortable than the Beyer 880 for example.
If you like the BEyer sound, then maybe the DT531 might work for you. These sound rather simliar to the BEyer 880 from my short experience with them and are much easier to drive.

By the way: The HD25 are not bass heavy compared to boomy el-cheapo Sony MDR V-xxx headphones or Ultrasones HFI 700 and they are not uncomfortable if you bend the headband (e.g. spread them over a pile of books for a couple of hourse, overnight, etc. and they are not uncomfortable, especially if you use velour pads). The bass is tight and punchy but definately not bass heavy. The seperation between the midrange and bass is very good. That means: if you have bass heavy music, you'll hear the bass clearly, if it's classical music or vocal jazz for example, well, then there won't be a lot of bass because it's not on the recording.
Especially since you want to use your headphones on the go, I would suggest that you take another look into the HD25. This is just my opinion.

Other closed headphones recommendations if you just can't live with the Hd25's bass and discomfort:
Akg 271
Beyer 250-80 / 250-250 (you'll need an amp with this one)
...that's it

 

[oluv]

i am curious if there are some canal-phones that could be similar to the hd 25-1 in sound?

i only own sony mdr ex71 and they don't have the sound i awaited. they seem brighter in the upper heights, but there are no mids and upper mids.
unfortunately i don't know a store where i could try out etymotics, but does anyone have an idea how the new etymotic er6i would compare to the hd 25-1.
or are canalphones an entirely other story?

 

[bangraman]

There's nothing quite like the HD25-1 in canalphones. The E5 is like an overblown and treble-shy HD25, the ER-4P is like an HD25-1 with a bass cut and more top-end shriek, and the 4S has even less low end with surprisingly slightly less top end shriek. The E3c has a midrange boost that may or may not displease and is possibly the closest to the HD25-1, but this is by default and not because it offers the same sonic character. As others have mentioned, it is bassy but it is not an overblown bassy.


In form factor I haven't found a good alternative to the HD25-1. The HFI-650 has excellent accuracy and a punchy low but really weird staging which does point out 3D spacial sound very well but is... well, weird in other respects. It occupies a lot of space even when folded and is a heavy phone. The DT250-80 is simliarly fairly bulky although relatively lightweight, very comfy but inefficient, non-isolated and has some nasty surprises in it's nominally inoffensive response.


If comfort is paramount over response, isolation and efficiency (even with the 250-80) then I'd suggest the DT250.

 

[adhoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman The DT250-80 is simliarly fairly bulky although relatively lightweight, very comfy but inefficient, non-isolated and has some nasty surprises in it's nominally inoffensive response.

oh? that i was not aware of - what 'nasty surprises'?

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandit1200 By reasonably portable I had meant to exclued bigger closed headphones like the HD280's. But that's just me. The HD25-1's are about the same size as grados, hence "reasonably portable."

HD25-1s are smaller than Grado's. The cups are at least 2/3th as small as Grado cups.

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeOfDistortion ..."Although I do like my bass to be tight and punchy, I don't like a LOT of bass and I don't like it be be uncomfortable. I would love a phone that was like the HD-25 but with forward upper midrange for violins and voices, like Bandit said. So what i'm wondering is "...there is no closed reasonably portable non-canal phone alternative. (to the hd-25) Is there?"

I agree in form factor and isolation it's difficult to beat hd25. However, I liked 271s bass and HF extension better and wished they came in smaller package, maybe you can give the little brother 171s a try ? It's about $140 from B&H store. Some people say akgs sound much better with an amp.

Another phones that I read as having similar, if not more forward, tonal balance are audio technicas 900/500, but their size are also daunting for portable use.

Good luck!

 

[oluv]

hmm, after more than 4 years that i had my hd 25-1 and claiming that it had repressed heights i realized during the last days that it has had indeed some unrevealed potential.

the problem is that the sound (mostly of the heights) is very dependent on the way i wear them. i was used to wear them like i wear all my headphones so that they feel comfortable, but now i realized that i have to wear them other than that, to have all the heights come through.

there seems to be only little scope how to put them on, the hd-25 seem to have quite focused heights that can only be heard if you really have them on in a right way. there is only ONE way so that the upper heights can be heard with their full energy.

the funny thing is, that you can put them on upside-down, backwards etc, they will always sound quite the same, but there is only one single angle and position so that they really sound with their full brilliance.
it is a matter of millimeters to aim them straight into your ear-canal... the difference in sound is really enormous but you must first find this unique position.

i am sure everyone has other ears and needs a different position, but for me after more or less 4 years of usage i found MY own perfect postion, what a WOW-effect!

now i understand what all this hype on modded pads etc. is all about! what some millimeters of variation can cause

i am wondering how the sound will change if i put the velour-pads on, that i am going to buy in the next days.

so, keep on listening!

 

[Chinchy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oluv hmm, after more than 4 years that i had my hd 25-1 and claiming that it had repressed heights i realized during the last days that it has had indeed some unrevealed potential.

Try recabling them. You'll release more potential. The three R's: Recable, Release and realize.

 

[Gundam]

There is no alternative to the HD25! At its price-point and for its size there simply isn't any other headphone that will do the job as well as this headphone can.

Happy listening.

 

[saint.panda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundam There is no alternative to the HD25! At its price-point and for its size there simply isn't any other headphone that will do the job as well as this headphone can. Happy listening.

Personally I completely agree but it really goes down to listening preferences and how "portable" your headphones have to be. I believe there is no other closed full-sized headphone in the same league (i.e. I'm talking about headphones such as px200) that is more portable than the HD25. However, portability is only one of many factors which has to be considered when choosing a portable headphone (I know, bad sentence structure). If, for instance, someone prefers a more exciting sound with a hell lot of bass and (imo) etchy highs, then I'm sure the HFI 700 would be a pretty good alternative. Or take the AKG 271 which has a really nice midrange and you can upgrade its cable, too.

The HD25-1 certainly is not the end-all portable headphone for everybody, well for me it is..., but there are some key characteristics about the HD25 which you would have to live with, e.g. very small soundstage, realtively high clamping force (well, you can bend the headband but then you'd also reduce the isolation), very neutral (can be good or bad depending on your taste), strong yet tight bass (again, can be good or bad but I personally LOVE the bass on the HD25), the midrange can be a bit dry/metallic at times and might not appeal to everybody, etc.

I also still need to look into some canalphones and directly compare them to the HD25.

 

[FreeOfDistortion]

Thank you for the replies, everyone. Special thanks to panda though, you really went in depth there. I appreciate it. I'll check out those two alternatives you listed. I'm sure the HD-25's would be fine for me, especially considering the price and the portability, as well as the fairly high marks in sound quality you all have given them. But I have a question, what is sound-stage exactly? Oh one more question actually, if I bought the velour pads to go with the 25's would they reduce some of the clamping force or would it just make the area around my ears less sweaty etc?