[DatGameh]

This is my first post, so forgive me if I left out any info for easier understanding.
 
OK, so
Later during the end of the year, I am going to go to Japan.
Previously for search for university for my sister, but now a vacation.
Anyways, so I am looking for a decent headphone. The headphones I previously bought were flimsy, very heavy on bass (I used to like dubstep), and... overall, meh. 
 
I would like to have a medium-high quality headphone, that can be played well for several genres, with great sound balance (that's not boring either).
I like to stick to instrumental music, although there are some exceptions to this.
Some genres I like are synthwave, retrowave, instrumental jazz (like Cowboy Bebop), and many VGMs.
 
Some specific requirements of the headphones are as follows:
-   Portable (But not too bulky like the M50X, although there are exceptions)
-   Balanced sound, although not too flat. Some bias to bass is okay. As long as they don't bleed over each other.
-   Tough. I'm not so kind to portable products. In rare occasions, when I'm in a rush, I like to "chuck" portable stuff to my bag.
-   Isolates sounds well (there are some exceptions)
-   Has a carrying case/"wallet".
-   Maximum price of 20,000 Yen (Or $200; some prices may be similar like 19,000 Yen in Japan, while $199 in the US), or a little more if it's worth it.
-   Decent soundstage.
-  Fauncy aesthetics
 
When I mentioned exceptions, I meant that if that product doesn't do too good in one requirement, it should do very well in the others.
So I summed them up to these headphones.
 
 
1. Audio Technica ANC9
A decent, if not very good, noise cancelling headphone by Audio Technica. It's said to have better sound than the QC25, with the sacrifice made to it's noise cancelling tech. This is most likely my choice of headphone to get, since it is the most portable of all and provides great performance, no matter in whichever environment. I also don't get the claustrophobic feeling and don't mind the minute white noise. But I hear that when the NC feature is off, the overall sound quality struggles a little, while if it is on, the treble seems to struggle a little. I am not sure about the soundstage, but being a NC headphone (closed back too), I am sure that it might not be too good. It costs 19K Yen, so it wouldn't be too bad of a buy. It also has a neat hard carry case that latches on to a bag, so that's a plus.
The headphone is not available in my country, so if something goes wrong, repairing it might be a pain. But Audio Technica is locally, so maybe they could help.
 
1. Philips Fidelio L2
A pretty good headphone from a home-electronics brand. Vert solid, very durable, large sound stage, compact, and well balanced.
This is probably my second choice for headphones, because of it's great sound quality and solid build, but poor noise isolation compared to my other choises. In Japan, it goes for a whooping 21K to 30K Yen unlike the $180 in the US, but I found a store that's selling it for 15K Yen! Hopefully it stays that way until my trip, haha.
This product is also available in my country, so if it needs repairs, I can get them easily here. (not in the US, btw)
 
3. Grado SR80E
A popular US headphone brand, known for it's beautiful sound despite having a low price. This headphone is completely open, so noise is real big issue. It's also said to be plasticy and fragile, and has a foam ear pad that might age rapidly. And from what I see, it doesn't seem to be portable either, although there is a carry case that's optional. I don't know much about this headphone, so I'll just leave the description to you guys.
It costs 14K Yen, so it's the cheapest headphone in the list. Not sure if it's worth it, since I will be going public with my headphone often.
The headphone, although quite rare in my country, relatively has okay availability. it Could be a little expensive to repair if I have to, but I'm sure it'll last.
 
4. Audio Technica M50X
Very plasticy, has leather that tends to age quickly, but overall, is pretty tough and for a studio headphone. I'm sure everyone knows about this headphone, and how it is extremely popular (and seemingly overrated) in the net. Said to have pretty good sound for those people who wants to step up from Beats. It costs about 18K Yen. But I don't really feel like I will these headphones. They are a bit bulky and are more too pseudo-portable, and doesn't sound like it is a matching headphone for many genres, but only those few. Although, I might buy it if I get a pretty good answer regarding my concerns. I've already tried it as well. Compared to the headphones I used, the soundstage is vast. But I'm sure there could be more than just that.
This headphone is available in my country as well.
 
 
So this is the result of my research. I wanted it to be as detailed as possible to try to show you guys my point of view of these headphones. If you guys have any other suggestions, please tell me. I welcome anything that follows my requirements, or follows some of the requirements very well, while out-weighing the other missed-out requirements.
 
 
Thanks!
 
P.S. Please suggest a Japanese brand if possible. It's cheaper here for obvious reasons, and I'd like to use the left over money for other goodies!

 

[Aaron Morris]

 
4. Audio Technica M50X
Very plasticy, has leather that tends to age quickly, but overall, is pretty tough and for a studio headphone. I'm sure everyone knows about this headphone, and how it is extremely popular (and seemingly overrated) in the net. Said to have pretty good sound for those people who wants to step up from Beats. It costs about 18K Yen. But I don't really feel like I will these headphones. They are a bit bulky and are more too pseudo-portable, and doesn't sound like it is a matching headphone for many genres, but only those few. Although, I might buy it if I get a pretty good answer regarding my concerns. I've already tried it as well. Compared to the headphones I used, the soundstage is vast. But I'm sure there could be more than just that.
This headphone is available in my country as well.
 

 
 
Go with the M40X instead. I just bought a pair and I'm blown away at how good they sound for the money. They're well built (albeit plastic), closed ear (but with huge soundstage), and overall sound like headphones 2-3x the price. I've heard, and read, that the M50X have obnoxious bass and harsh highs. Get the M40X - they're flatter and sound more true to whatever music you're listening to. Maybe upgrade the pads to have the complete experience. 
 
Also - side note - but 18k Yen seems expensive even for the M50X's. These can be had for around $140USD on Amazon. 

 

[DatGameh]

Go with the M40X instead. I just bought a pair and I'm blown away at how good they sound for the money. They're well built (albeit plastic), closed ear (but with huge soundstage), and overall sound like headphones 2-3x the price. I've heard, and read, that the M50X have obnoxious bass and harsh highs. Get the M40X - they're flatter and sound more true to whatever music you're listening to. Maybe upgrade the pads to have the complete experience. 

Also - side note - but 18k Yen seems expensive even for the M50X's. These can be had for around $140USD on Amazon. 

Alright. Thanks for your input.
But, how do the Grado headphone compare to the M40X? In Japan, they seem to be priced similarly.

 

[Aaron Morris]

Alright. Thanks for your input.
But, how do the Grado headphone compare to the M40X? In Japan, they seem to be priced similarly.

I assume you're talking about the Grado SR80e, correct? Those tend to be the most popular model of Grado. 
 
2 things - On-Ear & Open-Air. They're completely different animals. I tend not to like on-ear headphones, so I wouldn't buy the Grado's. They're going to sound different because the M40X's are closed headphones too. (more punchy, closer to the ear, etc). The only positive thing the Grado's have is they're lightweight. 
 
Definitely go with M40X, they are superior in almost every way IMO. 

 

[DatGameh]

 
I assume you're talking about the Grado SR80e, correct? Those tend to be the most popular model of Grado. 
 
2 things - On-Ear & Open-Air. They're completely different animals. I tend not to like on-ear headphones, so I wouldn't buy the Grado's. They're going to sound different because the M40X's are closed headphones too. (more punchy, closer to the ear, etc). The only positive thing the Grado's have is they're lightweight. 
 
Definitely go with M40X, they are superior in almost every way IMO. 

Do you mean On-Ear and Over-Ear? I think you're mixing them up, haha
Anyways, thanks again for the suggestion. I'll consider it greatly.
 
By the way, I found a headphone that previously was priced at about $299 (in US terms) but dropped to $140. The Audio Technica M40X is about $98 in comparison.
I don't mean to throw away your suggestion on the M40X!
They are quality headphones with good value, but I found a high end headphone that has it's price dropped to a very low price, close to the M40X.
Do you think it would be a good idea to get this headphone instead of the M40X in terms of Price/Performance value?
Thanks

 

[Aaron Morris]

  Do you mean On-Ear and Over-Ear? I think you're mixing them up, haha
Anyways, thanks again for the suggestion. I'll consider it greatly.
 
By the way, I found a headphone that previously was priced at about $299 (in US terms) but dropped to $140. The Audio Technica M40X is about $98 in comparison.
I don't mean to throw away your suggestion on the M40X!
They are quality headphones with good value, but I found a high end headphone that has it's price dropped to a very low price, close to the M40X.
Do you think it would be a good idea to get this headphone instead of the M40X in terms of Price/Performance value?
Thanks

 
 
1) I'm not confusing them. Grado = On-Ear and open. M40X = Over-Ear and Closed. They're designed for different reasons, so it's hard to compare them on price alone.
 
2) Depends on the headphone. You didn't give me a brand/model so I can't tell you how good the deal is. I've seen some $300 headphones that sound like garbage, and I've seen some $80 headphones that sound amazing. Cheap discounts doesn't always mean good deal.

 

[Beanlipe]

#staxbro

 

[DatGameh]

   
 
1) I'm not confusing them. Grado = On-Ear and open. M40X = Over-Ear and Closed. They're designed for different reasons, so it's hard to compare them on price alone.
 
2) Depends on the headphone. You didn't give me a brand/model so I can't tell you how good the deal is. I've seen some $300 headphones that sound like garbage, and I've seen some $80 headphones that sound amazing. Cheap discounts doesn't always mean good deal.

The headphones I'm looking at are the Philips Fidelio L2.
It's an open back headphone, considered a hidden gem.
It was considered very good with it's rating on value pretty high when it was at it's full price point, and I'm sure it's better with it's price cut half.
But it's also said to be the type without too much openness. I guess that's something.

 

[Beanlipe]

Honestly open back wouldn't be the best option for full portability. The M40x are great for the value.
 
The SoundMagic HP150 are very good also just not stylish cans, plain and simple with a tight sound.
 
For japanese brands maybe you could find the Yamaha HPH-MT220 for a good price? I'm not really sure...
 
And what user usually says is that grados are good for rock but wouldn't sugest them for your needs.
 
EDIT: Adding the HiFiMAN Edition S for portability. Can be both open and closed (it comes with a magnetic cover). Might be a good option for travelling.

 

[Aaron Morris]

  Honestly open back wouldn't be the best option for full portability. The M40x are great for the value.
 
The SoundMagic HP150 are very good also just not stylish cans, plain and simple with a tight sound.
 
For japanese brands maybe you could find the Yamaha HPH-MT220 for a good price? I'm not really sure...
 
And what user usually says is that grados are good for rock but wouldn't sugest them for your needs.
 
EDIT: Adding the HiFiMAN Edition S for portability. Can be both open and closed (it comes with a magnetic cover). Might be a good option for travelling.

 
Agree with Beanlipe. The Philips Fidelio L2 are semi-open back, which mean's other people will hear some sound leakage. 

 

[DatGameh]

  Honestly open back wouldn't be the best option for full portability. The M40x are great for the value.
 
The SoundMagic HP150 are very good also just not stylish cans, plain and simple with a tight sound.
 
For japanese brands maybe you could find the Yamaha HPH-MT220 for a good price? I'm not really sure...
 
And what user usually says is that grados are good for rock but wouldn't sugest them for your needs.
 
EDIT: Adding the HiFiMAN Edition S for portability. Can be both open and closed (it comes with a magnetic cover). Might be a good option for travelling.

 
Well, in that case, since open back is a problem (and it is for me), might the ANC9 be a good option?
Your suggestions are really good, but, I might have some problems with them...
The HP150 sound good, but are pretty fragile and bulky, and more as a studio than portable headphone.
The HPH-MT220 maybe a very good headphone, but isn't really portable and is beat in value by an Audio Technica headphone, the MSR7 which costs only a few thousand yen higher.
And... The HiFiMAN Edition S isn't available in Japan (pooey).
 
I don't mean to turn down your suggestions, but it's just that they don't fit my requirements well.
Honestly, I don't mind my musical privacy being compromised, but I do see the problems of sound isolation.
So, instead, I feel like going for the Audio Technica ANC9.
 
As mentioned above, they are noise cancelling headphones made for portable use. Unlike Bose, their sound quality is usually consistent within most levels of external noise.
But because they are noise cancelling headphones, the soundstage isn't really vast.
The price is almost exactly at the end of my range, at 19 thousand Yen.
But the main problem I face with this headphone (aside from sound quality) is it's availability in my country.
There are several Audio Technica resellers in my country, but none of them sell this model. In case something goes wrong or the earpads wear down, I don't really know if they will be able to fix my headphone.
 
Oh, and another thing: I found some old Pioneer Private speakers from the 80s or 90s in my house's storage room in very good condition. So when it comes to soundstage, I guess I got that covered.
If I want studio quality-ish sound that makes me feel like I'm in an concert, I already have the speakers. No need to have the not-really-portable open-back headphones anymore.
 
So I guess I don't really have another good choice for headphones in Japan that fits my requirements like the ANC9.
But considering the disadvantages, is it worth it? Or should I still get studio grade headphones that are portable-ish, like the M40X or maybe the Yamaha HPH MT220?

 

[Aaron Morris]

Personally I stay away from anything with active noise cancelling. I haven't tried the ANC9, but I have tried the Bose QC25 and I hate them. Active noise cancelling is a "pro-sumer" feature that is totally unnecessary IMO. It always detracts from the sound quaility, and creates a very "pressurized" listening experience. 
 
Go with closed headphones that give a good seal against your head. Should be good enough for any ambient noise. 

 

[DatGameh]

  Personally I stay away from anything with active noise cancelling. I haven't tried the ANC9, but I have tried the Bose QC25 and I hate them. Active noise cancelling is a "pro-sumer" feature that is totally unnecessary IMO. It always detracts from the sound quaility, and creates a very "pressurized" listening experience. 
 
Go with closed headphones that give a good seal against your head. Should be good enough for any ambient noise. 

 
Well, uh, here's basically my lifestyle over a week:
 
42.5 hours: I'm in school. Everyone is productive, but everyone literally shouts when they discuss and jokes around at the same time. Basically like a Chinese market of sorts. I cannot work in this environment well, so I have to somehow isolate myself in a corner. Wearing a normal headphone here will still be as loud as being in a conversation with everyone in the room. The chatter in this room is pretty constant, so I believe that active noise cancelling will not have too much of a problem.
 
56.5 hours: I'm at home. It's relatively quiet, so I can work in peace. People seldom disturb me here. But sometimes, I have to go to places during the weekend, so that can be reduced to 48 hours or less. Sometimes, people walk around my house often (my sibling and parents) and they like to play their music with their speakers. Not too loud, but pretty distracting. Sometimes, they watch live news that chatters in their laptop on the other side of the table, which is really distracting as well.
 
I also recently found stereo speakers at home (Pioneer Private X-A5) from the 80s. They're in pretty good condition. I haven't tried them yet, so I can't really predict the sound quality. Maybe the music I'll play through here will drive away distracting people around me and leave me in peace, although they will want me to stop once in a while. I need to get a voltage transformer since the voltage in my country is high.
 
I have two scenarios:
I have no experience with high quality audio equipment, and I want to experience owning one. The speakers may not be sufficient, so I think I should get the studio/hifi headphones.
In the other hand, almost 50% of the time, the studio headphones will be completely useless if I want to listen to music. So I think I should get the NC headphones instead, since they are more uselful.

So which scenario should I follow? :s

 

[stellarelephant]

I recently was looking for headphones in the same price bracket as you.  I bought the Grado SR80e based on Head-Fi reviews.  It has some unique strengths but also some major weaknesses.  The sound is remarkably wide open, very detailed, and "fast".  The comfort and build quality are less than you get from other brands for the money--but everybody knows that and buys them anyway, because they like the sound.  So when I ordered mine, I expected a somewhat shabby looking headphone that was going to sound totally amazing.  To my dismay, I found the Grado sound almost unbearable because of the breakup modes of the drivers.  They have a very nasty peak at 2000 Hz, and another smaller one right in the sibilance range at 7000 Hz.  I spent hours fiddling with EQ on my Rockbox-enabled player, and now I love the sound of my Grados.  Bottom line: for me, they are unlistenable without EQ, and amesome with EQ.  If you have the ability to use EQ in your setup, I'd say they are a good contender if you are willing to put forth that effort of tweaking them.  On the other hand, I played my headphones for my wife this morning, both with and without my custom EQ curves, and she couldn't tell the difference at all!  To me, the difference is huge.  I guess it depends on the sensitivity of your ears.  Plus, it seems that some people actually really appreciate the "forward" sound of the Grado's peaky low treble range.  Everybody is entitled to their own taste.

 

[Aaron Morris]

  I recently was looking for headphones in the same price bracket as you.  I bought the Grado SR80e based on Head-Fi reviews.  It has some unique strengths but also some major weaknesses.  The sound is remarkably wide open, very detailed, and "fast".  The comfort and build quality are less than you get from other brands for the money--but everybody knows that and buys them anyway, because they like the sound.  So when I ordered mine, I expected a somewhat shabby looking headphone that was going to sound totally amazing.  To my dismay, I found the Grado sound almost unbearable because of the breakup modes of the drivers.  They have a very nasty peak at 2000 Hz, and another smaller one right in the sibilance range at 7000 Hz.  I spent hours fiddling with EQ on my Rockbox-enabled player, and now I love the sound of my Grados.  Bottom line: for me, they are unlistenable without EQ, and amesome with EQ.  If you have the ability to use EQ in your setup, I'd say they are a good contender if you are willing to put forth that effort of tweaking them.  On the other hand, I played my headphones for my wife this morning, both with and without my custom EQ curves, and she couldn't tell the difference at all!  To me, the difference is huge.  I guess it depends on the sensitivity of your ears.  Plus, it seems that some people actually really appreciate the "forward" sound of the Grado's peaky low treble range.  Everybody is entitled to their own taste.

It sounds like you didn't read his last post. Grado's are open headphones, which would be completely useless in his "classroom scenario". Plus you said they sound terrible without EQ which the OP probably will not have on the go. 
 
 
 
DatGameh - go with your gut. It sounds like you have very specific needs in mind, and may have already made up your decision about the ANC9's. For me - a pair of closed headphones and some decent volume can drown out all but the loudest classroom environments. I would take the more pleasurable listening experience over the active noise cancelling any day. But to each his own. Audio is very subjective. Go with your gut until you find something you love, and something that works for your scenario. We're not going to be able to tell you that.