[Shexbex]

They're all in the same price range.

I normally use my grado 225s for home listening but I need closed cans for when I'm not at home. I listen to music like porcupine tree, the mars volta, etc. which is quite difficult because it gets quite heavy/aggressive at times but there are also these mellow/intricate/detailed parts that I love.

I play this with an old school sony cd player and occassionally from an ipod. I will buy an amp ultimately but I'm a bit short on cash at the moment so I just want 'phones.

What do you guys recommend?

 

[1Time]

You want one of these for portable use?

What equipment will you be plugging into?

 

[nickchen]

I think the DT250 is the most musical out of the bunch, whereas the DT770 is too slow for agressive music IMO. Don't know that Senn, but I have my doubts as well.

Take the AKG K271 or K272 into consideration, those are quite "gradoish", provided you equip them with good velours pads.

An alternative might be the AT M50, maybe someone turns up here who knows them.

 

[lejaz]

The DT250 is very good for rock, IMO. Plenty of bass, if that's to your liking. Very balanced with good highs and detailed mids. I prefer the more light and airy sound of the 240df, but if you want a warmer, weightier, more 'in your face' sound, the DT250 is very good. FWIR it has more neutral bass and better mids than the 770. Be sure to get the 80ohm version if you go with those.

 

[Acix]

You can try the GMP 8.35/435 that sounds great with out amp.

 

[nickchen]

BTW, if you organize yourself the DT250, be sure to get the 250 ohm version. The 80 ohm version isn't quite on par.

 

[Shexbex]

Thanks a lot for the replies guys, I love this forum. You guys are helpful as ever.

I didn't get any comments regarding the sennheiser so I guess I should cross that out. I've also realised that the 250 is better than the 770 which is probably more of a monitoring headphone than a musical one.

I don't think getting the 250ohm one would be good in my case because I'll be running my headphones off my portable CD player and occasionally an ipod. Will get an amp eventually. I use my pcpd a lot more than the ipod.

I have two concerns though. You've mentioned the bass being quite prominent on the 250s. Would it still be good in a rock/indie/alternative rock perspective? See my friend has these horrible logitech PC speakers that have a ridiculous amount of bass after putting the bass on it's lowest and using an eq and it's still too boomy, and only good for hiphop, techno and other "boom boom" music which is really not my thing at all.

It's quite hard for me to judge because the only good headphones i've ever had were the Grados. When you guys mean a punchy in your face sound, does that to apply to most music that's not pure folk/jazz/classical? because I listen to a lot of mellower alternative rock as well.

Lastly, I like in the UK where the AKG K272 costs pretty similar to the Beyer 250, but I understand that the AKG k272 costs quite a bit more in the US. Does that indicate that it's a better headphone and is it a better deal if both cost the same?

thank you very much, and I apologise if my english isn't perfect at times.

 

[MrGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW, if you organize yourself the DT250, be sure to get the 250 ohm version. The 80 ohm version isn't quite on par.

He'll need an amp with the 250 of course.

 

[nickchen]

First, the DT250'250 is so efficient that it can also be handled by weak sources without problem. Remember, you're at headfi, that's a gear-makes-you-a-better-person place, they won't even let you scratch your nose without equipping you with amp and cables.

Second, you can't judge DT250 and K272 in the sense of better & worse, the Beyer is just more fun orientated, whereas the AKG puts its emphasis on neutrality. Choice depends from genres and listening habits. Both sound acceptably out of anything, except high ohm plugs you find in the usual intergrated amps, receivers etc.

 

[lejaz]

The Beyer is more 'fun oriented'? I always read that it was designed as a studio monitor headphone for professional environments. The reviewer in Sound on Sound magazine compared them very favorably to his studio monitor speakers and found them to be reliably 'neutral'. He was reviewing the 80ohm model, BTW. Just do a google search and you can find the review... if the OP's interested. I wouldn't say that the bass is over the top in the sense that it's boomy or overpowers the other frequencies. The mids and treble come through loud and clear. It's less over the top than the RP21 which is pretty highly regarded as a studio headphone. The dt250 is the most balanced of all the headphones I've heard except for maybe the 240DF. I think it's the dt150's that are generally regarded as the 'bass monsters'...not the dt250.

 

[rodentdog]

I own the DT-250-80 and find them quite neutral. No bloated bass. Great all around closed headphone. I use an inexpensive porta corda amp with my ipod. Sounds good. Rock on!!

 

[eucariote]

Check out saint panda's comprehensive review of 15 closed headphones. In a nutshell, the Audio-Technica ATH-A900, Beyerdynamic DT-770 & AKG K271 came out on the very top (tho the AKG's bass was too quiet for his liking) and the Beyerdynamic DT-660 & DT 250 (greatly preferred the 250 ohm version) were close behind. I chose the Beyerdynamic 250s, because they had no great flaws and I can wear them at work without looking like an astronaut. So far they're not as exciting as my Grado 225s, but they're not burned in at all and so await a final impression.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/15-...eviews-128983/

edit: reading the op more closely, it seems the Beyers & Senn are your top picks..

To elaborate on the DT-770, they are very bass-heavy if that is your thing, and the closed Senn from the time (HD-201) were 1-2 notches lower than the Beyers, but people say the 380s have greatly improved. If you're price-conscious, there is a used set of Audio-Technica ATH-A900s in the fs forum for only 150$.

edit2: Just listened to the 250-250 ohm through amplification and you can scratch that less exciting than the Grados comment. Holy cow, amplification brought them to life across a wider spectrum, and I dare say were more exciting than the amplified Grados.. The bad news for you is that they really do benefit from amplification (tho were actually louder than the 32 ohm Grados at the same volume level), which you mentioned was not an option. .

 

[catsndogs]

[size=x-small][size=small]I have owned the HD380s for about a week now, and I have been enjoying them greatly.[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=small]The other night, I had an opportunity to compare them directly to A900s. Here are my observations:[/size][/size]
 
[size=x-small][size=small]The HD800s clamp pretty tight. This keeps them from slipping around and contributes to the excellent isolation, but can also make them a bit uncomfortable for long-term wear.[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=small]The A900s float on my head like clouds, offering supreme comfort but less isolation (and I definitely don’t recommend them for headbangers!)[/size][/size]
 
[size=x-small][size=small]Frequency response is quite flat in the HD380s, and bass has very strong impact. The A900s are rather “tipped up” by comparison, with considerably lighter bass and a lot of emphasis on the highs. Mids are great in both models, and both have very natural tone with acoustic instruments.[/size][/size]
 
[size=x-small][size=small]The HD380s have far greater detail, but sometimes at the expense of emotion. By contrast, the A900s sound very smooth and flowing, and convey emotion quite well.[/size][/size]
 
[size=x-small][size=small]Both have good soundstaging, but different. The A900s seem to create a large space of their own and then place the music in it, while the HD380s simply pass on the ambient cues in the recording with extreme accuracy. Both can produce a strong “out of head” experience, but that is a lot more material-dependent with the HD380s.[/size][/size]
 
[size=x-small][size=small]Both are well built, but the A900s have more metal, which likely makes them more durable.[/size][/size]
 
[size=x-small][size=small]I would highly recommend either model to anyone who needs great closed headphones, and it is hard to pick a clear winner.[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=small]If you want microscopic detail, hard-hitting bass and/or extreme isolation and are willing to accept the very tight fit to get it, then go with the HD380.[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=small]If you just want to kick back in total comfort and let the music wash over you in a large, reverberant space then the A900 is the better choice.[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=small]I may well end up owning both to suit my mood! [/size][/size]

 

[catsndogs]

Follow-up:
 
I do own both now. Sometimes I like the 380s best, other times I prefer the A900s. I actually wish I could decide between them once and for all (because I feel kind of silly switching back and forth), but so far that doesn't seem to be the case (though I am favoring the A900s at the moment.)