[NakedLunch888]

Need advice urgently - made this account just to ask this.
 
Ordering headphones TONIGHT so need replies
 
Do I get:
Audio Technica ATH-M50s
V-Moda Crossfade LP2s
V-Moda Crossfade M80s
AKG K550s
Sennheiser HD25-1 IIs
 
I listen to many genres of music, but primarily Jazz and Electronic stuff.
I appreciate good, clear punchy bass which doesn't bleed, but also need a well-rounded and precise sound to accommodate for Classical music and other genres which call for this.
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[meyner]

value wise i think the sennheiser HD25 or the ATM 50 would be the best choice. Not only that but both of them are built like tanks so you can probably expect them to last

 

[Bonavon Vovo]

I have both the ATH-M50 and the HD280 Pro and should receive a set of HD 380's in a few days which I will include in this comparison once I have given them some time.
 
I collect a large range of music, I listen to rock, metal, rap, electronica, ambient, jazz, blues, reggae.........honestly, you name it, within reason, if it is good quality, I will listen to it.
 
I would also like to add that there are 2 ways I like to appreciate music, 1) To listen to songs that I love and connect with 2) I enjoy analyzing the audio engineering of the tracks and how well they have been recorded, mixed etc. So I have music in my collection that i listen to for reasons 1, 2 or both. Both of these headphones give me enjoyment in both of the ways I listen to music.
 
Let me start by saying the 280's and M50's are both good headphones but both have their flaws. Here's how I hear them:
 
HD280 Pro - Owned for 2-3 years
Great clarity in the mids particularly around vocals and snare type sounds, sometimes a little too pronounced. Excellent sub bass, maybe slightly light on the mid bass. There is a good quantity of bass too but not only is there a good quantity of it, it is very detailed, instruments like bass guitard retain their "twang" rather than just sounding boomy (Not a basshead headphone though). They have good instrument separation in the bass to mid range. A little lacking in treble. Small soundstage, very inside your head sounding. A very balanced analytical headphone that will shine with good recordings and show off poor ones. Quite a dry sound. I feel that everything is pretty close to where it should be. I like these. They have changed substantially for the better with time and now have many hours on them, I use these almost every day.
 
ATH-M50 - Owned for ~6 months
These are almost the opposite set of headphones to the HD280,
Recessed mids makes vocals sound more distant and takes a little more effort to pick out of the mix. I think the recessed mids also remove alot of the strength or impact from the music, eg. Drums have less impact, bass guitars have less twang, distorted/overdriven guitars have less texture. The bass is also the opposite to the 280's, They seem to lack true sub bass in place of slightly exaggerated mid bass, along with less definition. Their bass can sound a bit boomy and flabby at times (I don't feel that I would recommend these to bassheads either, even though they have more bass than the HD280, the quality, lack of sub bass and definition lets them down). This also results in poor instrument separation in the bass to mid range. Where the M50's do well is in the treble range. Nice clear treble with good separation and little harshness. Their soundstage is better too, things sound like they are being projected to you from a bit further away and a little more directional. Nice decay on reverb effects. The M50 probably makes you feel more involved with the music. With such a low impedance they are driven nicely by my iPhone 4s. With such a V shaped response curve they can be quite fatiguing after a while. I am undecided about the ATH-M50, They are by no means a bad heaphone and certainly have their place, they can bring recordings of lesser quality to life, but i do find myself getting bothered by them at times. I definately feel that they are overhyped.
 
Both are comfortable but to me the HD280 are more comforable. They do grip quite hard, however they make me sweat less than the ATH-M50 and the tight grip means i have to readjust them less than the ATH-M50's while doing things around the house. The 280's being lighter also makes them more comfortable than the M50 but probably impacts on their durability. Both headphones have travelled with me and neither has broken yet. I think the M50 has a better build quality though.
 
Neither benefit extremely from amplification but both have a small amount of improvement. Amp is not really essential for either of these.
 
It is hard to recommend one of these over the other because they both have their place for me and because of the amount of different music I listen to. All I can say is that I am not really biased toward either and I hope the comparison I have given can help aid in your decision making process when buying either of these headphones.

 

 

[musiclife]

Quote:

value wise i think the sennheiser HD25 or the ATM 50 would be the best choice. Not only that but both of them are built like tanks so you can probably expect them to last

I hadn't had *that good* experiences with lower end Sennheisers, I would suggest the M50 instead, imo.

 

[Frosty3258]

Agr

I hadn't had *that good* experiences with lower end Sennheisers, I would suggest the M50 instead, imo.

Agreed. I personally liked the m50 over the hd280. But am now in love with my hd598 but I really enjoyed my m50's they are great starter cans but there are better ones for different people, just throwing it out there. The kns 8400 are better for classical and female vocals acustics but for metal or electronic the m50 takes the cake in the price range imo

 

[guppysb]

I own a Pair of Sennheiser HD-595s (modded), ATH-M50S, and DT770 PRO-250. I have a modified Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 (modified tube/op amps), along with Fiio E17. 
 
All I can say is, I have no idea why people like the M50s that much. Sure, sound isn't that bad, but the sound stage can't even touch the the 595s; but the 595s are open and the M50s are closed. So I guess that isn't a fair battle. 
 
But, when comparing to my DT770-250, the M50s feel like a cheap pair of skull candies. Way better sound stage on the DT770s, I feel that it also has a more fluid and better low end, not to mention that my skull isn't being cracked (the M50s are very tight and very uncomfortable). 
 
My co-workers LOVE the M50s, I still can't figure it out. I guess to each their own. 
 
When at home, even with the lacking low end of the Sennheisers, they are a joy to listen to. If you can, go for the 598s, but if sound isolation is a problem, go for the DT770s. 

 

[simonwellander]

  I own a Pair of Sennheiser HD-595s (modded), ATH-M50S, and DT770 PRO-250. I have a modified Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 (modified tube/op amps), along with Fiio E17. 
 
All I can say is, I have no idea why people like the M50s that much. Sure, sound isn't that bad, but the sound stage can't even touch the the 595s; but the 595s are open and the M50s are closed. So I guess that isn't a fair battle. 
 
But, when comparing to my DT770-250, the M50s feel like a cheap pair of skull candies. Way better sound stage on the DT770s, I feel that it also has a more fluid and better low end, not to mention that my skull isn't being cracked (the M50s are very tight and very uncomfortable). 
 
My co-workers LOVE the M50s, I still can't figure it out. I guess to each their own. 
 
When at home, even with the lacking low end of the Sennheisers, they are a joy to listen to. If you can, go for the 598s, but if sound isolation is a problem, go for the DT770s. 

 
Do you have the white box model? Not that I really believe that here is any sound difference between the two.

 

[guppysb]

   
Do you have the white box model? Not that I really believe that here is any sound difference between the two.

 
White box model for the 770s? I don't remember the packaging for the M50s or the 595s.
 
I bought the 770s about 4-5 months ago from Amazon LLC, and it did come in a white box. 

 

[simonwellander]

   
White box model for the 770s? I don't remember the packaging for the M50s or the 595s.
 
I bought the 770s about 4-5 months ago from Amazon LLC, and it did come in a white box. 

 
I meant the M50s.

Okay!

 

[XVampireX]

I just recently bought the ATH-M50s (The straight cable, white box version) and after a bit of getting used to it on my head I find that these headphones give you more than you paid for them.
They cost me 650 ILS in Israel, if we compare this to a Dr. Beats Solo HD which a colleague said cost him 850 ILS, the ATH-M50s are a bargain.
 
You don't have to think too much to feel that what you are listening to is more realistic than the Beats, and if you would need a reference to mix on, the ATH-M50s are it, between the two, of course there are much better headphones, that cost a lot more, like the Sennheiser HD600 which are fairly flat. But for the price, really you can't go wrong.
 
Some other people said don't get the white box, it's overhyped and stuff, well I don't know how it used to sound, I'm not a basshead but I do love a good clean bass that can pound when you need it to. And I've got to say that these cans deliver on that.
 
Also the long cable doesn't bother me much, you just fold it and put something to hold it, it works for on the go, very well.
 
Not going to be doing a review, just my 2 cents.