[DryHopped]

I apologize. These types of threads tend to be generic, tiresome, vague, impersonal, and repetitive, but I really don't know where else to go for assistance. I've read user and pro reviews, I've tried auditioning, and I'm still without certainty.
 
There is no place in town with headphones on display to audition. The other night I went to Guitar Center, and this was the case there. As I was leaving, the guy at the front said they could open some to let me quickly try out, so I did. I briefly heard the Shure 840 and Audio Technica M50x, but the environment was not conducive to evaluating. I felt rushed, I felt pressured to buy one, and I felt the tension of being watched by more than 1 employee.
 
I was able to play about 3 songs on each, and I did enjoy both. My ears felt more snug in the M50x, whereas they felt roomier in the Shure. The M50x sounded very cohesive, smooth, dynamic, and enjoyable; the Shure had more realism, forwardness, separation, and was more revealing. Those were my initial impressions over the course of my short time auditioning them, but memory is a funny thing and now I can't be sure if those were in fact adequate representations of what I heard. I definitely need more time to truly get to know them and make a purchase, but how when there is no place to audition them?
 
They had no Momentums which I really wanted to hear, and they had an AKG and Senn HD380's but I felt like it would have been too much of a bother to ask to hear those as well.
 
So, I think I'm going to order 2 or 3 pairs from a place like Amazon or Crutchfield, audition them in home for a couple weeks, and return the ones I don't like as much. But which 2 or 3 should I try?
 

1. These will be for only listening and enjoyment, no mixing or critiquing.
2. Order of importance: SQ, comfort, durability
3. I have a really BIG head

 
My perfect headphone would have deep bass extension with excellent articulation, smooth and rich midrange, and smooth high freq extension with no sibilance or harshness.

1. I like an overall smooth and fatigue-free, yet dynamic sound
2. I'd rather the bass be emphasized than thin
3. I'd rather the midrange be recessed than overly forward
4. I'd rather the treble be rolled-off than overstepping its boundary
5. I'd rather the tonality be warmer than too bright
6. Of course, as close to neutral is these areas is preferred !!

 

1. No piercing/over prominent treble
2. No harshness/fatigue/shrill
3. Not overly clinical/revealing (these are for enjoyment, not analyzing or nitpicking; however, I don't want details to be completely glossed over either)

 
Source will be laptop most of the time, iPod sometimes.
No external amp.
 
Electronic/Synthwave/Chillwave/Nu Disco/Deep House/Indie music genres.
 
It seems like headphones that fit my sonic profile include Audio Technica M50x, Shure 840, Sennheiser Momentum (too small?), NAD HP50 (pricey), and... what else should I be considering?

 

[DryHopped]

Going to nix the NAD HP50. And the V-MODA 100 (which I was considering because part of me is a closet basshead, but that is what my car system is for, I don't want gobs of bass at home...)
 
I'm ordering the Sennheiser Momentums while they're cheap ($200), and will likely be ordering the AT M50x and Shure 840 by next week. Do you think that this will be a fair pool to audition and choose from based on my sonic preferences?
 
Any other solid contenders?

 

[Bark Snarly]

For a smooth and fatigue free sound I think the best contenders are the nad hp50's and the momentums but they're also most likely to be the least comfortable (I found the earpads on the hp50 to not be super comfortable and the headband was rather thin, momentums just have small earcups so your ears might not fit fully inside - I still found them really comfortable but it seems to be a point of contention for the headphones). 
 
Personally I also liked the overall sound quality of the hp50's and the momentums most out of the shure 840's, vmoda m100's and m50's but I've only heard the ath m50, not the m50x which does have a slightly nicer sound signature according to most people.
 
Anyways, I'm sure you're going to find at least one headphone from that list that you'll enjoy - it's quite a good little selection of headphones.

 

[DryHopped]

  For a smooth and fatigue free sound I think the best contenders are the nad hp50's and the momentums but they're also most likely to be the least comfortable (I found the earpads on the hp50 to not be super comfortable and the headband was rather thin, momentums just have small earcups so your ears might not fit fully inside - I still found them really comfortable but it seems to be a point of contention for the headphones). 
 
Personally I also liked the overall sound quality of the hp50's and the momentums most out of the shure 840's, vmoda m100's and m50's but I've only heard the ath m50, not the m50x which does have a slightly nicer sound signature according to most people.
 
Anyways, I'm sure you're going to find at least one headphone from that list that you'll enjoy - it's quite a good little selection of headphones.

 
Yeah, the NAD HP50's have always been in the back of my mind, but with the M50x, 840, and Momentum's being at least $50 cheaper, I think I'll stick with them. Even though it's only $50, I found myself really not wanting to go over $200, especially after instantly liking what I heard from the 840 and M50x in the too-short-of-time that I spent listening to them. Plus from reviews, it seems like those 3 have slightly more pronounced bass, so that solidified my decision.
 
I was also considering the AKG 545, but it seems like they would be the most treble-dominant.
 
I'm looking forward to my future, mini-shootout. Out of the Momentum, M50x, and 840, which do you think is more of the odd-man out?

 

[DryHopped]

Placed my order for the Momentums. Still planning to purchase the M50x and 840.
 
I'd like to ask again, out of the Momentum, M50x, and 840, which is more likely to be the odd-man out as far as sonic signature goes?

 

[Bark Snarly]

Oh sorry, forgot to reply before!

Didn't have too much of a listen with the shure 840's and I've only ever heard the m50's, not the m50x but the m50's and the shure 840's seemed more alike to me in terms of the build, style and sound than the momentums did. I think it's because they were aimed for studio work whereas the momentums are purely intended for listening to music.

 

[DryHopped]

Haha, thanks for your replies. I'd like to gather more input, but I forgot to post this thread to the Recommendations subforum. I wonder if a moderator could move it for me...

 

[DryHopped]

Now that this thread is in the right place, any more input? I'd still like to order 2 other headphones to compare to the Momentums. Am I right in selecting the Shure 840 and M50x based on my sonic preferences?
 
Priorities in order of importance: smooth presentation and non-offensive treble (no sibilance/harshness) / slightly more bass (deep and articulate) than neutral / rich midrange (slightly recessed is fine).
 
Requirements: Purchased from a place that is easy with returns (Crutchfield, Amazon, Best Buy, etc).

 

[DryHopped]

Ehhhhhhhhhh?

 

[billybob_jcv]

I think the Shure 840 and M50X are going to be on either side of the Momentum sound signature. The Shure will be more detailed with less bass, and the M50X will be bassier.