[jrazmar]

I have been lurking around here at headfi looking for reviews and advices on what full-sized headphones to get for my music, gaming and movie pleasure. I currently have the PFE driven by Fuze/T4 combo. The T4 really has given life to my PFE (thanks to miguel) and with it, I can now use the black filters and my PFE will never be bass light again. So far on what I have read and based on my very low budget (<$120), the following are my choices:

m50 - $106 (used), $123 (new)
ES7 - $85
AD700 - $80

If I can get a used one for more or less the same price, I would include HFI-780 and HD 25-1 II but I guess they are on the next SQ level compared to the first three.

I will mainly use this for gaming at home and some music listening away from my IEM. I would also want to use it to watch full movies if i want a cinema-like experience without the popcorn For music, I listen to almost every genre I have on my PC/Fuze. I won't be using this for commute or outdoor so portability is not a must as long as I could use it comfortably for extended listening. I have a T4 and an E5 so amping could also be tried. For SQ, I generally want to have a sweet mids, non-piercing highs but sparkly, and bass that I could feel aside from being impactful and extended.

Any comments and suggestions is much appreciated. Thanks and more power to Head-Fi.

 

[dweaver]

The AD700 are super comfortable and work well with movies, some say they are bass light but I like them just fine for bass. I have a pair of ES7 coming in this week and have demo'd them at a store. They have way more bass and good midrange and highs but a smaller soundstage due to their size and being closed but are definitely sharper looking and usable most anywhere, my only concern is going to be comfort as they definitely put ALOT of pressure on my ears in the store, I bought them anyway because I am hoping the headband mod dicsussed in this forum will make them more bearable.

I can't speak from experience on the other two so won't.

 

[1Time]

FWIR, you seem to be describing the M-Audio Q40.

 

[jrazmar]

Thank you dweaver! At least now, I have confirmed that AD700 as being bass light is not a fact for all. Thanks 1Time! Q40 looks promising to me. Can you lead me to some good reviews of this can from head-fi? I've seen also Equation RP21 and RP22x. Both have good reviews in amazon, too. Now I'm getting more confused.

 

[franklevinson]

M50!!! I quite enjoy all the M series headphones, highly recommend.

 

[JayB18]

AD700. Sparkly highs, sweet mids, and a great soundstage for games/movies. Bass may or may not be good enough depending on taste.

 

[RicHSAD]

I have both the Q40s and the AD700. The AD700 are definitely bass shy compared to the Q40. However, the AD700s can be EQed to significantly improve the bass if that is an option for you. I personally prefer my EQed AD700s to my Q40s, but without EQ, the Q40s win in my opinion. The Q40s can be quite uncomfortable out of the box as it clamps pretty hard. It will improve over time and you can also bend the metals band slightly to reduce the clamping. Some have also modded theirs with DT770 velour pads for extra comfort. I personally can wear them for hours with stock pads after bending the metal bands.

The Q40s have been compared to the M50 quite a few times with no clear winner(afaik). I don't think you can go wrong with either of them.

See this thread for Q40s reviews: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/m-a...w-pics-275459/

 

[ZDaudiopenguim]

1+ goes to M 50
even better amped(brighter, and more bass)

 

[Ashkii21]

I only have the AD700s from your list. I use these headphones mainly for listening to classical music. I also use them for gaming (l4d, cs:s) and for movies. I find that they are great for these. The soundstage from the AD700s are nice. So I would recommend them, but like I said these are the only phones I've listen to from your list.

 

[intoart]

I have the AD700s (and AD900s) as well as M50s (and M40s.)

It is a tough decision for me which I like best, and I have so far not been able to settle on one or the other.

AD*00s are phenominally comfortable,and have a huge soundstage and generally airy sound. They are also comparatively bass light and a touch on the bright side. (I find myself adapting to these characteristics, however, so that they are much less bothersome after a while.)

M50s have much stronger bass and a very flat response overall (no brightness.) They are also ultra-detailed and natural, but they have that "cavern" effect typical of closed cans. They are also a lot less comfortable than AD*00s.

Between M50s and AD700s, my vote would probably go to the AD700s today, but it is a narrow margin and might change tomorrow. Both are truly great phones and you are certain to be pleased with either.

 

[Almoxil]

The mids on the HFI-780 aren't as sweet as Audio Technica mids, but the bass is amazingly great. Highs are detailed, but some people describe them as "sibilant" (which I don't agree).

As for the price, one fellow Head-Fi'er got a pair for ~$180 a few days ago. If you research, you'll find very good prices even for brand new 780s. I've got my backup pair for $169.99 + S&H a few months ago. It's a stretch from your budget, but it's completely worth, IMO.

 

[jrazmar]

Thank you guys for all your good advices! So far I haven't made up my mind yet. Need to see further replies to confirm my final choice. For now, I have shortened my list as I am really restricted budget-wise. If I were to draw a pie of what I'm thinking so far, this is how it would be:

ATH-m50 - 50% (best value, good reviews: 5-star @ amazon, great bass without overpowering the mids and highs, accurate)

RP21 - 25% (nice design & color, almost like m50, fatigue-resistant, brand is new to me)

AD700 - 25% (amazing soundstage, recessed mids, bass-light issue, I am not into equalization)

Comments from anyone who have tried/owned any or all of these three, your opinions is highly appreciated. Thank you.

Jeff

 

[1Time]

FWIR...

Your description of what you want points to the RP21 more than it does the M50. And, it does not at all point to the AD700, which I've used from an XS71 sound card and cheap receiver. The AD700 really is an entirely different animal than these two closed headphones.

I suggest also considering which of these most likely would be comfortable for you. The RP21 probably clamps tighter than the M50. And the AD700 fits far more loosely, as if designed for someone with a wide / big head. The AD700 fits so loose that some Head-Fiers have gone so far as to bend and deform its over head bars into an inverted V shape in order to get the ear cups to fit properly.

If you have not done so already, you can find out a lot about these headphones by Google searching "M50", "RP21", and "AD700".

 

[jrazmar]

1Time, for some more minutes after posting my last post here, something has changed my mind right away. So now I have changed my preference compared to last:

Q40 - 60% (they sound good unamped, has a great bass, good reviews, don't know where to buy, very big, not so sure about the default pads regarding comfort & heat)

m50 - 30% (can be bought easily from amazon, sounds very good amped)

RP-21 - 10% (someone needs to convince me now that I have read the first two being compared to more expensive cans rather than this)

Wanna thank you for leading me to Q40. Do you own them? Have you heard all of these three? If you are to keep one, what will it be?

Cheers!

 

[1Time]

You're welcome. I have not owned any of those 3, and so I can only comment based on what I've read (FWIR).

I think those are 3 good headphones for you to consider. I think the RP21 and Q40 would clamp slightly tighter than the M50. You can read about the Q40 and the Beyerdynamic pads by Google searching "Q40 pads".

I've read a lot about these 3, but never seriously considered buying. I'm more likely to buy an AKG 240 at the moment.