[vagicle]

hey everyone - i'm just another newbie here, trying to milk some advice on headphones

i'm mainly wondering about the audio technica portables (i.e. ATH-FC5/7, ATH-F33/55), because as much as i've looked, i can't seem to find any valuable info on them as far as user reviews go. most of the info i've come across seems to deal with the higher end AT stuff.

i'm looking for some closed, but still relatively portable/non-bulky headphones, because i tend to listen to my loud music very loudly, much to the chagrin of my fellow passengers on the bus/train

, so i *think* the AT's might be the go.

the koss headphones i've tried (ksc-55/50 & sportapro) seem to have just a tad too much bass for me - to me, they sounded kinda muddy, coz all the crunch in any given guitar riff became somewhat muted - and they're all open & leak sound more than my current headphones (just sony street ones).

would the AT's be the go? or can someone suggest something else? cheers in advance!

if it helps, i'm just going to use them for my portable MD.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: Welcome to head-fi. For portable AT cans you can research these. Audio-Technica ATH-EM7 - A Rich Man's KSC-35? These are at audiocubes,com. Look under earphones.

 

[JML]

The AT cans you list were only released on October 28, and then had to be shipped to the US. So far, only one of "us" has a pair. But more are on the way! Keep watching the forum for impressions.

 

[kin3tix]

if you need the thread link, it's here . keep an eye out on that thread and these phones, RickG has been very pleased with its results so far.

 

[dinosauract]

I think vagicle (interesting moniker, BTW) is asking specifically about some other AT models. These are folding headphones rather than ear-clips. They look pretty cool at audiocubes. They use a larger driver with an improved voice coil compared to the clips and sport better specs (for what that's worth). I'm not crazy about clip-ons and was curious about these myself.

 

[vagicle]

thanks for the suggestion & that link - i hadn't really considered those clips before, although i guess i'm not totally against clips. the main thing that bugged me about the street-style thingoes was that they tend to get tangled in my glasses (on the days i'm wearing glasses anyways). i just wonder whether clips would pose the same problem...?

i guess i'll just have to keep lurking around this board to wait & see about the headphones

 

[Mik]

If you're looking at the ATH-F55 for portable use, look elsewhere. The styling is very nice but it has several problems. First off, the sound quality is really muddy over the entire range. Bass is fairly strong but the overall presentation really lacks clarity in a big way. Secondly, the headband extends depending on the size of your head. Unfortunately the resistance in the mechanism is so strong that the phones start riding up your ears. Also, the cords coming out of each pad hang behind your ears instead of below them. These get caught on glasses really easy and can be very annoying. Finally, the headband can be extended more and locked into place at the max length supposedly for comfortable resting on your neck when you're not wearing them. For me, it did not extend nearly enough and felt like it was strangling me.

So, if you have a big head and/or big neck, look elsewhere. On the plus side, they do isolate quite well and don't leak very much. The cord can also be neatly wrapped up and secured in the headband when folded up and not in use. Overall, these phones are just so uncomfortable and sound so bad that I really can't recommend them for anything.

If you're looking for practical portable phones in a similar style, the Panasonic RP-HC870 (also supraaural) is better. They don't isolate as well but are much more comfortable to wear and listen to. They also feature a really cool retractable cord that can extend up to about 1.5m which I find really convenient. Sound quality is also better than the ATH-F55 in that it's generally clearer and better defined. Bass is severely lacking though. But I wouldn't buy either of these phones based on sound quality cause they're both very weak in that department.

My personal preference for portable phones is the Sennheiser eH2270. Sound quality-wise they are much better than any of the above phones. They sound very similar to the Sennhesier HD570 but are completely closed. No particular frequency range is coloured or lacking to any great degree. They isolate very well and leak next to nothing. They have a smooth matted finish which is unobtrusive and looks really nice. The circumaural design is extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods, even with glasses. I wouldn't call them audiophile class phones or anything but if you're looking for comfort, looks, decent sound quality, and practicality, then check them out. They do require a fair bit of juice to power though so that might be an issue. Overall, they perform very well with my minidisc player.

 

[puck]

i also would advise you to stay away from the f33/f55s. they do look cool and come in lots of funky colors as well as coming with fake fur earpads to keep you warm in the winter

other than that, their isn't much good that i can say about them. when i auditioned them, they sounded like typical cheep closed cans-somewhat like listening to music through a paper cup and string setup.

 

[freethetree]

Quote:

Originally posted by puck somewhat like listening to music through a paper cup and string

lol I like that