[yopeople70]

I am on the go alot, but I like to listen to high quality music. Which one of these is better sounding from just running it off of an iPod? Which one is more comfortable? Is there a better alternative? I can get both of these for $200, so price isn't an issue.

 

[K_19]

I'd say if you are on a go a lot, HD25 will be a better idea as it's a lot more durable and isolates much better against outside noise. With that said, ESW9 is sonically no slouch and is more comfortable of the two. Plus it tends to be a more smoother/warmer sounding of the two.  But IMO ESW9 is not too practical of a "street" headphone due to their more fragile build and just so-so isolation. 

 

[1audioz]

ESW9 looks better than the HD25, but feels much flimsier than the latter. On my ears, the ESW9 isn't very comfortable for long periods of time - the HD25 is similar in fit, but the cups sit better. As K_19 said, the ESW9 sounds more lush - making it suitable for intimate chamber music or choral/vocal - but doesn't perform that well with mainstream, electronically-composed music. The HD25 with its stronger bass impact, reference-like signature is more suitable for your on-the-go, general listening.

 

[planx]

Reasonably sized full-size okay? I use my Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro for portable and replaced the HD-25 because I couldn't stand the comfort

 

[mkmossop]

Anyone else have an opinion on this? I'm deciding between the same headphones. They're for portable use mostly, without an amp.
 
I know the ATH ESW9A's are built cheaper, but I have a custom cable I can attach, and I love the look of them. I'm also not fond of the cable coming off only one ear on the Sennheiser's.
 
Any other advice is appreciated though.

 

[cubota890]

Better buy audio technica es700 for $150, they sound better than both esw9 and hd25. Hd25 are really uncomfortable. Es700 has better build than esw9.

 

[mkmossop]

Cool thanks for the input.