[KnightOfAwesome]

Hello all,
 
I've recently taken interest in quality headphones. I've decided to get a pair of closed headphones for the sake of the people around me. I mostly listen to heaver forums of music, but i also enjoy lighter forums of music. From Opeth to Dave Matthews band. My budget is around $200 but i will be happy to go above that if there are any worth wile price/performance closed headphones. The only "High-end" headphones I've dealt with are the Bose in-ears, which I have plenty of experience fixing. I've been looking around at headphones for a while now, I've gotten some recommendations from some friends. I have reached the conclusion that these three are the headphones I should chose from
 
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 (250ohm version, I can makes myself an amp.)
- ATH-M50
- ATH-A700
 
Have I narrowed the am mount of possible headphones too much? Have i left out any?
 
Thanks!

 

[clou91]

I think B&H has the 600 ohm version of the 770s on sale for below $200 shipped...many users believe the 600 ohm beyers are the superior versions. For around $200 there are also the Ultrasone HFI 780s and the Shure SRH 840/750s which are all reportedly good headphones. I'm sure all of these options will be an upgrade over the Bose and your decision will probably come down to taste.

 

[KnightOfAwesome]

Really? The only 600ohm 770's i see on the site are just below $300. The two main reasons why anyone would want to buy the 600 ohm version is for less noise and greater durability i believe.
If i do get the 770, they will be from a local store that has them for $180CAD
 
I'll into the HFI 780's and the Shure's
 
PS.If your reading this K-MONEY, I'll send you a PM tomorrow, apparently I can only send one a day...

 

[lazpete]

Listen to the Shures, I really like them.
 

 

[clou91]

When you add it to the cart, they come out to 184.99...I didn't know you were from Canada, so you'd have to pay about 20-30$ shipping, but they are supposedly a better sounding headphone. I'm assuming you're talking about getting the 770s from long and mcquade? I think you may as well get them locally then, and give them a listen because you'd be able to return them if you don't like them.

 

[KnightOfAwesome]

Yep, I'd get them at long and mcquade. Turns out they have the Shure SRH 840 there too. I'll go listen to them sometime after Monday.
 
Edit: Also the AKG K171 MKII just incase

 

[Pratt]

I just got the 770 600 ohms today myself. From B&H here in the states they were $185 shipped.
 
I'm enjoying them, good phones. The only flaw I can find is that their highs are somewhat hard/glarey/sheeny. But this tends to be with brighter music at high volumes (higher than I usually listen). I'm enjoying their bass a lot, it's fun and weighty, but not overwhelming or too muddy/boomy. They are energetic and lively (but not aggressive) cans, a "fun" sound signature yet largely balanced (mids and bass especially).
 
I also considered the Shure 840's and Fischer Audio 003's. Either would be good I'm sure.
 
I have the AKG 702's which I heard sound much like the 171's. The 702's are great phones, very neutral. I would of gotten the 171's but I just wanted a change, to try something else, a different maker, and also a can with more bass than my others. The 702's can get a little boring because they are so uncolored, they aren't "fun". But they are still the best cans I own (I have the 770's and Grado 225's and Senn HD 595's) because they are so accurate. It's just that they aren't always so engaging or entertaining as my 225's and now 770's. So if you want accurate go wit the 171 (or maybe 840's), but for more "fun" the 770's seem to be the can (the Fischer 003's are also said to be very accurate).
 
I don't know anything about Ultrasone's.

 

[nickchen]

In difference to the DT880 and DT990, the DT770'600 isn't significantly better than the 250 ohm version.
 
General problem of closed cans are their mids presentation, and that is a bit critical in Opeth-like kind of music IMO. The Shures, Utrasones, the Denons, AT A700/A900/A950 and also the DT770 suffer from mids recession and a boosted slow boombass. That may be nice for Hiphop and electronica, but not if voices and stringed instruments are in question. The AKG K271/272 as exception is mids king, but its bass is a bit thin...
 
It's a constant pain in the ass with the (payable) closed cans, that's why I modded my DT880 to closed presentation according to NoXter's mod (see my sig).
 
Generally, I recommend closed cans only if isolation is explicitly needed, otherwise similar priced open cans are completely superior in SQ.

 

[Pratt]

Quote:

 
Generally, I recommend closed cans only if isolation is explicitly needed, otherwise similar priced open cans are completely superior in SQ.

Right,  (well probably...there's some open cans that people just don't like, such as me with my HD 595's: I'll take the 770's over those anyday), but he stated he wanted closed cans for sake of people around him.
 
Also, I'm not finding the 770's bass to be slow or too boomy, nor it's mids too recessed. The only problem I'm having with them is their treble sometimes. I don't listen to bass heavy music (besides some 80's synth pop maybe), just rock, metal, classic rock, singer/songwriter...etc. Vocals are just fine with the 770's.
 
I haven't extensively compared them to my 702's or 225i's yet, but from memory they are not significantly lacking in the mids compared to either, except maybe the 225i's which are actually too forward in the mids. More comparison/time with them might change my mind.

 

[Tiemen]

I agree with nickchen, that the NoXter modded DT880 are one of the best closed headphones you can get.
See: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/424842/beyerdynamic-dt880-closed-back

 

[KnightOfAwesome]

Ok, Well I'll still try out the three headphones on the 1st next month, If i don't like any of them, Well I'll try and get my hands on some Fostex T50RP and make some thunderpants! as much as I'm a diy guy I don't really want to take $250-$300 headphones and mod them, I don't mind $60. But i can't seem to find any T50RP's

 
Edit, I think i should get your opinions also on test songs.
 
I was thinking of using these
 
Beneath The Mire - Opeth
The Island - Pt. II (Dusk) - Pendulum
Love? - Strapping Young Lad
No Stars Over Bethlehem - Protest The Hero
Serve The Servants - Nirvana
I'm In Awe, Amadeus - Maybeshewill
Crack The Skye - Mastodon
Down With The Sun - Insomnium
The Map is Not the Territory - Cloudkicker
Human Hive - Anterior
I'm not going to test the whole songs, just make a playlist, hit shuffle, get an idea, skip to next song.
Any others i should test?

 

[KnightOfAwesome]

I picked up the HD 271 today, It too a bit of getting used to. But WOW!
 
The base is just right, same with the mids and highs, I just need to change the leather pads to the other ones cause of sweatage
 
Thanks tiemen, lazpete, nickchen, Pratt, clou91 
 
Edit, Now to make myself a nice headphone amp

 

[KnightOfAwesome]

Ok, so after about 50hours of listening to music, I feel a little disappointed. Even with my friends DIY headbanger amp headphone amp. The highs most of the time feel overpowering, Mid heavy songs sound absolutely amazing, except for when the song changes to something that doesn't have as great of mids. I just feel overall really disappointed, I spent a grand total of 245.28 CAD on these and I really expected more. I don't like the sound of my previous headphones anymore, does anyone have a cure for my disease?

 

[Germancub]

SRH840s. No joke. I used to have the 271s and the 840s sound like exactly what you're looking for. More tame highs, much more "velvety" signature, much better bass both in impact and amount, plus separation is quite a bit better as well. They're seriously awesome headphones.

 

[Tiemen]

Quote:

SRH840s. No joke. I used to have the 271s and the 840s sound like exactly what you're looking for. More tame highs, much more "velvety" signature, much better bass both in impact and amount, plus separation is quite a bit better as well. They're seriously awesome headphones.

The K271 have clean, detailed and non harsh highs. When I had the K271, I used them when there was a lot of sibilance in a record, because the AKG rounded that off.
The AKG are revealing, so I guess they reveal poor recordings you have.
If the treble of the K271 is too much for you, I really don't know what to recommend.
I do know some people who sold the SRH840 because of their harsh and sibilant treble.