[spoonsphere]

hi folks!
 
i mostly listen to spoken word and vocals, occasionally watch movies, and rarely listen to music.  i have been using a pair of sennheiser hd 25-1 II's.  they sound wonderful, but my ears hurt if i use them for more than a couple of hours.
 
i used to have a pair of bose triport's that broke, and they were super comfortable.
 
so i'm looking for a pair of closed, circumaural headphones that are appropriate for what i listen to, that are going to be comfortable, and that can be used without a headphone amp.  these will plug into an iphone, an ipad, a macbook pro, and occasionally into a mackie onyx 1640 mixer.
 
i'd like to spend no more than $300, but i'm certainly happy spending less.
 
i would appreciate your thoughts and any recommendations you might have.
 
thanks!

 

[spoonsphere]

bump - no one has any comments on what might be appropriate here?
 
thanks again!

 

[joelpearce]

It's sort of a tricky one.
 
Most of the cans I would usually recommend for unamped use would be best for music.  I wouldn't recommend Grados for your use at all.
 
One of the new AKG studio cans might be a good choice for you, as AKG tends to have lovely mids, and they are awesomely comfortable.  The K240S if you need some isolation, the K270S if you need more isolation.
 
The Beyer DT250 is reported to have some of the most accurate sound available, and should be comfortable unless you have monstrous ears.  They drive easily.
 
How easy are the 35ohm German Maestros to drive?  I've only tried one of the harder to drive ones, but they are excellent for vocal reproduction as well.

 

[spoonsphere]

thanks joel!
 
i was looking for the K270S, and they appear to be hard to find.  have you tried the K271 Mark II, and can you comment on how they compare to the K270S?
 
thanks!
 

 

[joelpearce]

Probably because I got the model name wrong... that would be the K271 MkII
 
I've only heard the older versions of these headphones, but I know lots of people have sampled these ones.

 

[spoonsphere]

thank you again, joel!  based on your recommendation and based on reading other positive feedback about the AKG K271 Mark II's, i've placed an order and am excitedly awaiting their arrival.
 
i expect a pair of sennheiser hd 25 - 1 - II's will find their way to the marketplace in the near future

 

[joelpearce]

Good luck!  I hope you like them.

 

[spoonsphere]

so, i went over to my local guitar center and tried out a few pair of headphones (while waiting for my AKG K271 Mark II's to arrive).
 
i had the opportunity to try the beyer DT770 80ohm's, the audio technica ath-m50, and the shure srh840.  i've read very positive comments about each of these designs here on head-fi.  much to my surprise, i was not pleased with how any of these felt on my head.  they were all really heavy on my head, larger than what i would have liked.  of the bunch, the DT770's were the most comfortable.
 
i'm hoping that i will find the akg's to be more comfortable.  comfort was what drove me to look for something to replace my sennheiser hd25-1-ii's.  i remember using the bose triport circumaural closed headphones some years ago.  while i prefer the sound of my sennheiser's to the bose, the latter was comfortable on my head for hours of use.
 
okay, i'm off - the akg's are waiting for me at home...
 

 

[spoonsphere]

i got the akg's.  wow!  they are very comfortable.  they are huge, but they feel very light on my head.
 
i like how they sound - sorry, i'm not yet versed in describing qualitatively what i am hearing.  but i like it .  they sound better than any of the other headphones i tried this afternoon.
 
the sound isolation is wonderful.  what is going on around me is mostly blocked out, and those around me can't hear what is playing through these headphones.
 
the coiled cord is a plus.  i switched to the velour pads.
 
i'll look forward to trying these with a headphone amp.
 
thank you again, joel!

 

[joelpearce]

Glad it worked out for you.
 
That AKG elastics system is a little fragile, but it really does help get a comfortable fit.

 

[spoonsphere]

Hi Joel,
 
When you say that the elastics system is a little fragile, would you have any recommendations - do's and don't's for taking care of them?
 
Thanks!

 

[joelpearce]

Not really.  It's just that the elastics don't last forever.  They tend to be replaceable, though.
 
And I'm talking years here, not months.

 

[fishski13]

Quote:

Hi Joel,
 
When you say that the elastics system is a little fragile, would you have any recommendations - do's and don't's for taking care of them?
 
Thanks!

i just ordered a new set of rubber rings/elastics and headband from AKG for a pair of vintage K240 DF i just bought.  the elastics are only $1.99 a side.  yes, they will last you years.
 
my K271 are very comfortable with the velour pads.  i use my K271 almost exclusively for movies - you made an excellent choice.  if you want a little more head-stage and bass, i would recommend e-mailing Larry at Headphile for a pair of Beyer dyed-black velour pads.  they're not cheap at $50 though.  these pads are a little thicker and have a larger opening than the stock pads.