[nullPointerException]

I plan on buying a new set of headphones in the $100-$125 usd price range. Currently I am looking at the Audio technica ATH-AD700 and the Allesandro M1 (with the most comfortable pads/bowls dont know which ones those would be so i need clarification). I am open for any suggestions.

maters of importance:

Sound quality: the up's and down's

Sound stage: I am not exactly sure as to what this means, onyl a vague understanding so i will probably have to research that a bit

Comfort: how long can you wear these for without your ears getting weary

Sound leakage: I am not concerned with what can get into the headphone, but with what can get out. If I am for instance on a plane, I don't want to piss off the guy sitting next to me. If it is a problem i may have to get a pair of closed backs

durability: dont want something that is going to crumble in a year from normal usage

amplification: does it need need an amp to drive properly in an ipod touch 2g, and even if it does not need one what kind of gains can i get from a cheap -- made in china for next to nothing -- peace of crap portable headpone amp ($9.99-$19.99 usd).

portability is NOT a problem.

Again, I am open for alterior suggestions. please tell me which headphones your think would be suit me best and why (only looking for circumaural / supra aural)

As a bit of a sidenote. for a reference point i currently have a pair of shure SE210k's and the reason I dont want another pair of IEC's is because they are a pain to get in and out and I think I can get more comfort and better sound quality from a bigger pair of headphones

 

[1Time]

You need closed headphones that don't leak much sound. I suggest considering IEMs or earbuds. The Yuin PK2 perhaps. And if interested in this, you'd be better off posting in the portable headphone forum.

 

[nullPointerException]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif You need closed headphones that don't leak much sound. I suggest considering IEMs or earbuds. The Yuin PK2 perhaps. And if interested in this, you'd be better off posting in the portable headphone forum.

As I said above, i have a pair of shure se210k's and i dont want to buy another pair of iec's and i dont really want earbuds either

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullPointerException /img/forum/go_quote.gif As I said above, i have a pair of shure se210k's and i dont want to buy another pair of iec's and i dont really want earbuds either

OK, my bad. So you don't need closed headphones because you already have the shures for when you don't want to bother others who are nearby. So based on your post and FWIR, I'd say you're more likely to prefer the AD700.

 

[nullPointerException]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK, my bad. So you don't need closed headphones because you already have the shures for when you don't want to bother others who are nearby. So based on your post and FWIR, I'd say you're more likely to prefer the AD700.

alright thanks, so right now the ad700 is at the top of my list unless I get enough recommendations against it, as for the shures, i would rather get a fullsized clossed back then use the IEC (note i dont care what i look like going around wearing headphones with cans the size of cd's) but the problem is I am not sure if a pair of clossed backs is worth the amount of sound quality i would be compromissing. so if possible, can you please clarify as to how much quality would be compromissed (if needed by comparison of two completely seperate things from headphones)

 

[Rednamalas1]

another vote for AD700s. Quite amazing pair of cans actually.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullPointerException /img/forum/go_quote.gif alright thanks, so right now the ad700 is at the top of my list unless I get enough recommendations against it, as for the shures, i would rather get a fullsized clossed back then use the IEC (note i dont care what i look like going around wearing headphones with cans the size of cd's) but the problem is I am not sure if a pair of clossed backs is worth the amount of sound quality i would be compromissing. so if possible, can you please clarify as to how much quality would be compromissed (if needed by comparison of two completely seperate things from headphones)

OK, so you're saying you do need closed headphones that don't leak much sound? I know nothing about your shures or how it would compare to closed $100 headphones. I recently have been reading very favorable posts on the ATH-M50 here at Head-Fi and elsewhere, which can be bought new for about $110 shipped. So I suggest considering the M50 since it is closed, isolates, and does not leak much sound.

 

[nullPointerException]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK, so you're saying you do need closed headphones that don't leak much sound? I know nothing about your shures or how it would compare to closed $100 headphones. I recently have been reading very favorable posts on the ATH-M50 here at Head-Fi and elsewhere, which can be bought new for about $110 shipped. So I suggest considering the M50 since it is closed, isolates, and does not leak much sound.

alright thanks, and do you know how they would compare with the ath-a700?

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullPointerException /img/forum/go_quote.gif alright thanks, and do you know how they would compare with the ath-a700?

Are you asking about the A700 or did you mean the AD700?

 

[nullPointerException]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Time /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you asking about the A700 or did you mean the AD700?

Well, the ad700's are open backed and the M50's are clossed and i figured it was best to compare to other clossed ones, so in this situation a-700s

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullPointerException /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, the ad700's are open backed and the M50's are clossed and i figured it was best to compare to other clossed ones, so in this situation a-700s

FWIR, it seems very likely the M50 would blow the A700s away.

 

[scytheavatar]

About sound leakage, all open backs leak sound. So if that's an issue to you get a closed back like the D1001 or ES7. The A700 isn't highly rated, for good reasons. But if it's within your budget the A900 is very highly rated.

 

[nullPointerException]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scytheavatar /img/forum/go_quote.gif About sound leakage, all open backs leak sound. So if that's an issue to you get a closed back like the D1001 or ES7. The A700 isn't highly rated, for good reasons. But if it's within your budget the A900 is very highly rated.

so between the ES7, D1001, M50, and the M Audio q40, which would you suggest are the best in terms of sound quality? in terms of comfort?

and I know that all open models leak, but the question is how much does it leak. at a low to mid volume what would the ad700 sound like to a person about a yard away

 

[ri_toast]

sorry to disagree but the a700 is a very good sound for the money. downside it is huge but no more than the ad700. the ear pieces don't fold or rotate which make you feel as if your wearing a neck brace when they're not on your ears. many full size cans are like this. the Audio Technica ATH-ES7 do fold, you may want to check reviews of this model. easier to travel with.

 

[scytheavatar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nullPointerException /img/forum/go_quote.gif so between the ES7, D1001, M50, and the M Audio q40, which would you suggest are the best in terms of sound quality? in terms of comfort? and I know that all open models leak, but the question is how much does it leak. at a low to mid volume what would the ad700 sound like to a person about a yard away

About the leaking, it depends really on how loud you listen to your music. If you turn your volume soft enough people generally wouldn't be able to hear what you are listening to unless they are close to you. But of course then you might face the problem of the plane's hum being louder than your music. So generally if you are planning on using your headphone outside your house don't get an open back.

And about sound quality you might want to search for the numerous reviews/topics we have in the forum about the various headphones. I don't know how good the M50 and Q40 is, but I can guarantee you that the D1001 and ES7 are great phones, they are one of the few bassy phones that still retain a great amount of clarity in the mids. The D1001 is incredibly comfortable, the ES7 less so but still reasonably comfortable. If you don't know what to get you can't go wrong with the ES7, there doesn't seem to be anything to hate about it.