[sanka]

Greetings

I recently ordered some Audio Technica ATH-AD700s. I received them yesterday, and they're already on their way back because they don't fit well at all. The lower part of the earpieces clamp on my lower jaw, but then there's a gap at the top of the earpieces. There is evidently no adjustment for this. It's as if these were designed for people with heads that are considerably wider than mine(!)

By the way, I really like the way the AD700s sound. They seem to have a more three dimensional presentation than the Grado SR60s that I usually use.

I'd like some recommendations, please. Here's what I'm looking for:

I want circumaural phones that don't touch my ears *at all*. (Is there such a thing? The AD700s, though described as circumaural, definitely touch my ears - they have a sort of shallow cone-shaped recess for my ears rather than a well-defined "wall" that surrounds my ears and touches only my head around my ears. I have average-sized ears, I guess, and my ears don't stick out from my head.)

I find the supra-aural fit of the SR60s to be a little fatiguing. It's a fairly subtle effect, but I listen to headphones 4 to 6 hours per day at work, and at the end of that, the SR60s leave me feeling slightly addled. I listen at pretty low volume, but I listen a lot

The phones will be used only for music. My musical tastes are all over the place, from rock/pop to classical to jazz to avant/experimental to bluegrass. I'd like to stay with open-back phones, and I'm not a bass-head.

I'd like something in about the same price range as the AD700s, i.e., about $105 US online, but I can go a little higher.

Finally, I'd like something that can be driven by an iPod or computer. Maybe I'll add an amp later

Or maybe I can just keep using the SR60s, but with "comfort rings" to make them circumaural? Anyone doing that? I wonder if that will seriously compromise the sound. Hmmm...

Recommendations are appreciated and gratefully received!

 

[TopPop]

Hmmm, I know that these aren't completely open back (some call them semi-open, but they're fairly closed, imo), but given that we have similar musical tastes, I would recommend JVC HA-RX900 (modded, necessarily!), since they sound fantastic at low volumes, and are particularly good with your range of music. Plus, they'll save you some money.

Don't be put off by the low price. As long as you mod them, they are pretty stellar! There was forum member who recently posted his impressions of modded HA-RX900s vs. ATH-AD700s, and seemed to like the JVCs better.

 

[sanka]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopPop /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmmm, I know that these aren't completely open back (some call them semi-open, but they're fairly closed, imo), but given that we have similar musical tastes, I would recommend JVC HA-RX900 (modded, necessarily!), since they sound fantastic at low volumes, and are particularly good with your range of music. Plus, they'll save you some money. Don't be put off by the low price. As long as you mod them, they are pretty stellar! There was forum member who recently posted his impressions of modded HA-RX900s vs. ATH-AD700s, and seemed to like the JVCs better.

OK - very good. I've seen those JVCs mentioned favorably on here and saw a thread re: modding them. Don't mind saving a little money either

Are they comfortable? Will they touch my ears? (That what I'm really trying to get away from.)

Thank you for your response!

Edit: Oh, and I notice that buy.com, who used to have these considerably cheaper now want $100 for them.

 

[TopPop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanka /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK - very good. I've seen those JVCs mentioned favorably on here and saw a thread re: modding them. Don't mind saving a little money either Are they comfortable? Will they touch my ears? (That what I'm really trying to get away from.) Thank you for your response!

Well, I can say this: The side of the pad may touch the side of your ear (but this may vary on positioning), and the the "acoustic lens" may touch your ear. That being said, I also own a pair of MS-1s, and one of the reasons I find them to be uncomfortable for extended listening sessions is the driver touching my ear. If the acoustic lens does touch my ear, I don't notice it (hence, the fact that I'm not even sure that it does!), and it certainly doesn't become fatiguing like the MS-1s. I can spend a couple to few hours with them, and not have a problem. They're definitely my go-to movie headphones now!

 

[sanka]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopPop /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmmm, I know that these aren't completely open back (some call them semi-open, but they're fairly closed, imo), but given that we have similar musical tastes, I would recommend JVC HA-RX900 (modded, necessarily!), since they sound fantastic at low volumes, and are particularly good with your range of music. Plus, they'll save you some money. Don't be put off by the low price. As long as you mod them, they are pretty stellar! There was forum member who recently posted his impressions of modded HA-RX900s vs. ATH-AD700s, and seemed to like the JVCs better.

TopPop:

I finally got some of the HA-RX900. (They were out of stock basically everywhere for a couple of weeks.)

Nice, nice, nice. Thanks for the heads-up on these. They have great comfort compared to the SR60, IMO. They just barely touch my ears at all, and that's what I was after: really, really circumaural phones.

I've read your mod thread for these phones, and I may want to try at least part of the mods once I've had them a while and burned them some. But then again that first step of removing the earpads scares the heck out of me.

As for the sound: no complaints at all. They're definitely more laid-back than the Grados, and acoustic stuff sounds just great on them. The bass does get a little carried away on some tracks, but no huge deal to me.

Thanks again!