[jbos11]

Hi All,
 
A couple months ago I bought some Shure 840s, Audio-Technica M50s, and Ultrasone 780s, planning to try them out and keep the set I liked the most.  I found the Ultrasones to be a little bright for my taste, and they just didn't sound that impressive to me.  The M50s sounded great, with punchy bass and sparkling highs that made an impression.  My favorite was the 840s though.  They provided the most balanced sound, and let me hear details in my music I had never heard before and could not hear with the other two pairs.  The m50s I found to have a midrange gap that bugged me. 
 
So I'm generally happy with my 840s.  The only things I wish I could charge are: (1) the 840s are very bulky and heavy; and (2) I sometimes miss that punchy bass from the M50s.  Can anyone recommend some sub-$300 alternatives to the Shure 840s that are a little lighter and/or have punchier bass?  I listen to all kinds of music and I wouldn't call myself a bass head.  The Shures are so close to perfect for me, but I'm just wondering if there is something better out there I should know about.
 
Closed headphones are probably best for me, as I'll need to listen to them occasionally in quiet environments where I don't want to disturb others.
 
Thanks!

 

[Pianist]

I recommend to try Fischer Audio FA-003. They are a good deal lighter than the SRH840 and are also more comfortable to wear thanks to the excellent, soft leather pads. The bass on them is not more elevated in general than SRH840, but it has more lower bass presence, much like the M50, except that the low end on FA-003 is much tighter and much more accurate than that of M50. Compared to M50 and SRH840, the FA-003 does not have the mid/upper bass hump of the aforementioned two cans, but it makes up for it with better definition and extension down low. Also, FA-003 is able to portray a much better sense of space than SRH840 and M50 with zero closed in feeling that you can get with the Shures and Audio Technicas. Overall, the FA-003 is a significant step up in overall quality - I highly recommend that you try them out. Also, if you can afford it, save up a bit for FA-002w which are essentially the same headphones as FA-003, but with wooden cups instead of plastic ones. The wooden acoustic chamber improves bass response even further and increases refinement.

 

[acegazda]

could the fischer fa-003 be used for a portable phone? can someone post a pic of them on their head (profile and front facing please!)

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

could the fischer fa-003 be used for a portable phone? can someone post a pic of them on their head (profile and front facing please!)

Yes, sure FA-003 can be used as a portable. It is very light and looks much better on the head than SRH840 or most other closed headphones like HD280 Pro, DT770 and others do. The isolation is also about the best you can get in a closed headphone, over-the-ear headphone.