[EscaBoi]

well i'm looking to make my first big purchase (sorta) and i'm looking for closed cans. i've reading some people's reviews here on the forum and have found a keen interest in these 3 - Audio Technica es7, AT A500 or 700 or Sennheiser hd280's
if anyone has any other recommendations please list them, here is what i'm mostly looking for and hopefully some head-fi'ers can help me out

1) Isolation obviously, i'm almost always on the bus and when i'm in the library some students are just really loud and annoying to the point where i now want some closed cans

2) portability. not a huge issue but as long as they can fit in my school bag it's fine

3) and of course sound quality. i heard the SR80's and i love the sound, i know it's not a fair comparison but which ever is perhaps closest to those. I'm more of a treble person than a bass.

i'm looking at the AT es7's because i love the look of them, but if anything sounds better than i'd opt for that.

oh my budget is around $150, i'm a poor student so please try and keep things within that price range

oh and i put the a500's or a700's because i wanted to know if there was a big difference between the two, since it is about a $50 difference

Thank you!! your comments are appreciated

forgot to mention that i don't use an amp so it will be unamped, and i will be using them for my Creative Zen Vision:M

 

[coolshot]

for me, the hd280 are below the A500/700. Harsh highs and lack of bass compared to the a500/700 make it a lesser can for me. The es-7 are unknown to me.

 

[IHaveNoSpaceBar]

dude your pretty brave for making plans to go to the library wearing either the A500's or A700's.

 

[jagorev]

Portability rules out the a500.

Isolation rules out both Audio Technicas, neither one isolates much at all.

The only one of these I'd use in a really noisy environment is the HD280, which looks fine and has impressive isolation. It also has really good sound quality, quite neutral and without any real flaws.

 

[hekoman]

I would suggest against the hd280's unless you are going specifically for isolation. They are very boring and uninvolving, I am not saing they are bad headphones, but they are just to analytical.

 

[eight08]

i would also rule out the hd280s for portability... they're quite bulky and larger than what they seemed in pictures. (they're not the smoothest sounding cans either, not bad.. just not that great) but they do isolate rather well (comparitively).

i also own the a700, and while i highly recommend them for comfort and sound qualities - they definitely weren't created for portable uses. they also don't isolate very well.

what about a slight compromise? say maybe some lower end IEMs or mdr v6 for portable, and maybe some sr60/porta pro/px100 for home? maybe?

 

[IHaveNoSpaceBar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eight08 i would also rule out the hd280s for portability... they're quite bulky and larger than what they seemed in pictures. (they're not the smoothest sounding cans either, not bad.. just not that great) but they do isolate rather well (comparitively). i also own the a700, and while i highly recommend them for comfort and sound qualities - they definitely weren't created for portable uses. they also don't isolate very well. what about a slight compromise? say maybe some lower end IEMs or mdr v6 for portable, and maybe some sr60/porta pro/px100 for home? maybe?

your avatar is scary, is that a half shaved cat lololol is it?

 

[EscaBoi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eight08 i would also rule out the hd280s for portability... they're quite bulky and larger than what they seemed in pictures. (they're not the smoothest sounding cans either, not bad.. just not that great) but they do isolate rather well (comparitively). i also own the a700, and while i highly recommend them for comfort and sound qualities - they definitely weren't created for portable uses. they also don't isolate very well. what about a slight compromise? say maybe some lower end IEMs or mdr v6 for portable, and maybe some sr60/porta pro/px100 for home? maybe?

really? i thought the Senn. 280's were quite portable from what i read. but yes that's why i added the other options because from what many people are suggesting, the sound is rather boring...i think i might go try out the hd280's and see how i like them, i remember i tried them a month ago and the sound was "OK"

as for Audio Technica, i thought the ones i listed were suppose to be considered "Closed Cans" can anyone correct me if i'm wrong on that?? which was why i thought they would isolate pretty well.

i'd definately like to hear other options, as for Grado's SR60-80's...i love the sound of them (best i've heard) but they leak and just aren't good on a crowded bus. px100's require batteries don't they??

i'm mainly looking for isolating headphones for outside use not home

i was looking on audiocubes.com and saw the Audio Technica FC7's, how are these phones in terms of isolation and sound??

i was trying to drag away from the HD280's but if they seem to be the best then i may opt for these or the Grado SR80's just for the love of them, lol

 

[Mercuttio]

PX100 isn't going to please you if you like the Grado sound. It just isn't.

The ES7 has a similar sound to Grado, at least to my ear... but I'd rank them slightly below the SR60. You pay more for the nice build and closed nature. Certainly worth a listen if you can.

 

[EscaBoi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio PX100 isn't going to please you if you like the Grado sound. It just isn't. The ES7 has a similar sound to Grado, at least to my ear... but I'd rank them slightly below the SR60. You pay more for the nice build and closed nature. Certainly worth a listen if you can.

how would you rate the isolation of the ES7's?
my main concern is not disrupting people > my own isolation

as long as they can't hear my music leaking it's fine...i should also note that i don't listen to my music too loud, i usually only have the volume to about half way

 

[BodiesOfLight]

I agree with the HD280 Pros not being very portable, BUT my reason is because you don't usually get decent EQing on the go and that's important for these or they'll sound thin/linear (which is what they're suppose to sound like). BUT you get some good EQing and give them proper juice and these come alive. You can EQ these to get punchy bass inaddition to their already crazy bass extention, mids and highs can be colored up as well, but on the more dark side, which I like (I don't like bright phones). This is why I only use these for home use and not portable.

FC7s are good portable cans, isolation isn't anything like HD280, but there's some, like, when you have your music on, you can't really hear outside noise unless it's fairly loud, or you listen to your music at pretty low levels. I would suggest modding the ear cups for better isolation if you go with these (sticking something under the cups). They sound good with iPods.

 

[EscaBoi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IHaveNoSpaceBar dude your pretty brave for making plans to go to the library wearing either the A500's or A700's.

i never understood this, why???

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscaBoi how would you rate the isolation of the ES7's? my main concern is not disrupting people > my own isolation as long as they can't hear my music leaking it's fine...i should also note that i don't listen to my music too loud, i usually only have the volume to about half way

ES7 don't isolate a whole lot - though when music's playing I can't really hear my environment.

ES7 don't leak much. I wouldn't worry using these in a quiet library or at the office.

Best,

-Jason

 

[eight08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IHaveNoSpaceBar your avatar is scary, is that a half shaved cat lololol is it?

try googling "lion cut"

Quote:

Quote: Originally Posted by IHaveNoSpaceBar dude your pretty brave for making plans to go to the library wearing either the A500's or A700's. i never understood this, why???

1.They are huge
2.Don't isolate well for a closed can
3.They don't grip your head very well (on the other hand, they are very comfortable
4.Long fabric cord (very long)
5.They are huge

I love em, my most listened to headphone, but I wouldn't use them on the go.

 

[IHaveNoSpaceBar]

Those are the A900's, same exact shape as the A500,700 just different colors.