[theriseoftroy]

  If you want a closed can +1 for the Momentums. I've owned mine since last October and absolutely love them. Comfortable, great sound signature, ample bass, pretty much the whole package.

Its good to hear that they are comfortable. I am unsure if they will fit my large ears though! Hearing from multiple sources that large ears don't fit in the ear-cups shies me away from looking into purchasing them. Maybe I should go give some a test at a retailer.
 
Troy

 

[theriseoftroy]

  Hey Troy. I have both the K550 and Mad Dog w/ alpha pads. I really like them both. They have different sound signatures. I prefer the Mad Dog. I don't know if I would consider the Mad Dog very portable though. They need an amp and they are relatively bulky.
 
- Roy

Thanks for the info, Roy. I have a portable Fiio E18 Kunlun amp that I use to power my K550s, maybe that would power the Mad-Dogs as well? I do adore my K550s but I need another set of closed cans to give me a point of contrast.
 
Troy

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Just looking for some general recommendations... Closed-back would be preferred but I will consider open. I listen to jazz, house, hip-hop, classical, acoustic, folk. I have a set of AKG K550s and Beyer T90s. Love both but the T90s are not at all portable and the k550s aren't fast enough for some of the music I listen to. Im looking to spend around $400 but per usual the cheaper the better as long as quality is suffice.
 
Troy

Since I haven't heard them yet, take this with a grain of salt: after reading countless reviews, the Focal Spirit Professional ($349) impressed me more than any other model in your price range in terms of overall quality.
 
Head-Fi reviews
Google search reviews

 

[Destroysall]

  I remember hearing good things about the ATH ESW9 in another thread. Maybe I'll give those a look.
 
As for HiFi-man, I have heard the He-400s and I'm not too big of a fan. Their colossal size is really what drives me away. I had also purchased the RE-600 IEMs from HiFi-man and they really didn't suit me either.

Troy,
 
I actually felt the same way about the HiFiMan headphone. The bass extension and thump of the headphone was magnificent, perhaps even better than my personal favorite: the Beyerdynamic DT 990 headphone. Thus my reason for recommending it. However, I personally thought they were a tad bit uncomfortable after a while, so ultimately they are not a favorite of mine either.
 
The ESW9, as I said before, is my all-time favorite portable headphone. It's a gorgeous headphone in terms of aesthetics, and the sound it provides is very rich and warm. It may be a bit of a downer for those looking for the attack and punch in music, but for me it sufficed and I too listen to all forms of music; from classical to death metal to electronic music. If you ever get the chance to hear them, I'd recommend pairing them with a portable headphone amplifier like the FiiO E11 (which is how I came across them) and the pairing, even with the bass-boost feature on, was great!
 
Cheers and good luck, mate!

 

[Roy Munson]

I honestly don't know. I'm not very familiar with the fiio gear. I use a Magni at work and a Lyr at home. I've also heard the Mad Dogs on a Vali. They sound great on all 3. You can always try it and see if they meet your needs. They sound fine right off my S3 but they just lack some volume and a bit of punch/extension in the bass.
 
- Roy

 

[Solrighal]

You might consider the V-Moda M-100. I listen to much the same range of music as you do and they're the best portable option I've heard, better than the Momentum certainly. The only caveat being that they suffer from the same fit issues as the Senn's. V-Moda produce XL pads which address this issue and work beautifully. As ever though, YMMV.

Good luck.

 

[anetode]

  Ultrasone PRO 900. Might be a $100 over your budget for a new one, but it's worth it. Trust me. From someone who owns most of the TOTL cans out there, the PRO900 has the best bass available, and are "fast" paced. Comes with a lot of accessories too...

 
For the love of god please ignore this advice. In fact go further and think of anyone who recommends the Pro 900 as your direst enemy.
 
The Mad Dogs are a good, safe choice. The Nad HP50 is good, at least more neutral and refined than the M100. B&W P5/Sennheiser Momentums are well-built and have decent sound, though the treble is a bit muted in both. Also consider the benefits of open phones, like the classic AKG K712 and the Sennheiser HD600/HD650.
 
If you're looking for a faster sound, consider electrostats.

 

[Music Alchemist]

You might consider the V-Moda M-100. I listen to much the same range of music as you do and they're the best portable option I've heard, better than the Momentum certainly. The only caveat being that they suffer from the same fit issues as the Senn's. V-Moda produce XL pads which address this issue and work beautifully. As ever though, YMMV.

Good luck.

 
I love how well-built V-MODA headphones are, and the M-100 has a fun sound signature. They're #2 on my to-get list in the sub-$400 range.
 

   
For the love of god please ignore this advice. In fact go further and think of anyone who recommends the Pro 900 as your direst enemy.
 
The Mad Dogs are a good, safe choice. The Nad HP50 is good, at least more neutral and refined than the M100. B&W P5/Sennheiser Momentums are well-built and have decent sound, though the treble is a bit muted in both. Also consider the benefits of open phones, like the classic AKG K712 and the Sennheiser HD600/HD650.
 
If you're looking for a faster sound, consider electrostats.

 
I'm especially wary of Ultrasone, considering all the bad things I've heard about many of their headphones. However, I'm curious to hear their top models.
 
Have you directly compared the HP50 to the Focal Spirit Professional? I know the former is warmer while the latter is more neutral and balanced.
 
Most electrostatic headphones are well above $400 and require a dedicated amplifier, so the OP may not be able to take advantage of what they have to offer.

 

[Lorspeaker]

P5 / ESW9... these are "mellow" cans.
i would include Maddog as  dark slow /less punchy bass..type of cans.
 
Pro900...it is a hit /miss...alot of people felt the highs are too sharp,, the bass out of control.
i loved it, had two pairs.. but after some tweaking. ( better to stay away unless u are a die hard   )
 
P7...n FSP, both had this treble edge off my simple street setup...
i tot about them trice n still didnt flip my wallet,
do listen to them for yourself b4 u hit the buybutton.
I know they are on some famy wall, but still...
 
Do check out the Yamaha MT220...one lovely can.
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/accessories/headphones/hph-mt220_w/?mode=model

 

[anetode]

  I'm especially wary of Ultrasone, considering all the bad things I've heard about many of their headphones. However, I'm curious to hear their top models.
 
Have you directly compared the HP50 to the Focal Spirit Professional? I know the former is warmer while the latter is more neutral and balanced.
 
Most electrostatic headphones are well above $400 and require a dedicated amplifier, so the OP may not be able to take advantage of what they have to offer.

 
You hear a lot about the creations of mad scientists being these horribly evil earth-destroying things, but in real life mad scientists are merely incompetent and make crappy things based on half-baked ideas. Such is the case with Ultrasone and its founder.
 
I've never heard the FSP.
 
True, electrostats are a 600-700$ minimum new, though if you keep your eye on the for sale forum here you can occasionally run across a decent Stax Lambda + amp setup for around 400.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Ultrasone PRO 900. Might be a $100 over your budget for a new one, but it's worth it. Trust me. From someone who owns most of the TOTL cans out there, the PRO900 has the best bass available, and are "fast" paced. Comes with a lot of accessories too...

 
What do you think about the "nails on a chalkboard treble" comment in this post?

 

[FunyunBreath]

I'll throw in my vote: Sony MDR 7520's
 
If you have the T90 and enjoy them, I would venture to say the 7520's are the closed equivalent (but better, no tizzy highs and crazy sibilance) They're incredibly clear and detailed, with some of the best instrument separation and imaging i've heard in a closed can. The only downside is a narrow soundstage, but alas, that's the downfall of all closed cans.

 

[theriseoftroy]

  I'll throw in my vote: Sony MDR 7520's
 
If you have the T90 and enjoy them, I would venture to say the 7520's are the closed equivalent (but better, no tizzy highs and crazy sibilance) They're incredibly clear and detailed, with some of the best instrument separation and imaging i've heard in a closed can. The only downside is a narrow soundstage, but alas, that's the downfall of all closed cans.

I have been looking at these. They look great and seem like they are built like rocks. To be honest though, at this point I am more leaning toward IEMs unless persuaded otherwise. I will look more into the MDR 7520s though.
 
Troy

 

[FunyunBreath]

I have been looking at these. They look great and seem like they are built like rocks. To be honest though, at this point I am more leaning toward IEMs unless persuaded otherwise. I will look more into the MDR 7520s though.

Troy

Yeah its all preference, I'm just not into iems because I find them incredibly uncomfortable, and comfort is just as important as sound in my book.

I will say, if you have larger than average ears like I do the focal spirit and NAD hp50 won't suit you very well. I ordered the mdr7520, NAD's, and focal spirits at the same time and returned the latter 2 because the earcups are incredibly small.

 

[theriseoftroy]

Yeah its all preference, I'm just not into iems because I find them incredibly uncomfortable, and comfort is just as important as sound in my book.

I will say, if you have larger than average ears like I do the focal spirit and NAD hp50 won't suit you very well. I ordered the mdr7520, NAD's, and focal spirits at the same time and returned the latter 2 because the earcups are incredibly small.

I think I've come to the conclusion that the hp50/focal spirit are too small. Im not sure where to look at this point, I'm indecisively stuck in a gloomy IEM or Full-sized realm...
 
Troy