[Corbet]

Do all closed headphones have a distinct hollow/echo sound?

I've owned:

Grados SR-80s
DT-880s

and I recently bought a pair of ATH-A700s. I noticed that the A700s had the same distinct echo/hollow sound of a pair of Senn HD-280s. Is this a common trait of closed headphones? Are there any closed headphones that don't suffer from hollowness? Do Denon D2000s suffer from the same issue?

 

[eucariote]

I have 4 closed headphones- two have a slightly hollow sound (SRH840 & K271), one is hardly noticeable (DT770-80) and one does not sound hollow at all (D5000). If the D2000 is similar, it probably sounds ok. But the D5000 leaks sound like crazy in both directions, which might be part of the reason it sounds so good.

 

[ford2]

Quote:

o all closed headphones have a distinct hollow/echo sound?


No,maybe its just the cheaper ones that exhibit it.

 

[TheOtus]

Well, my closed phones don´t seem to have any problem like that...

 

[kool bubba ice]

No.. Hollow/echo sound with my DT48.. Only reverb from the studio..

 

[Head Injury]

Sennheiser eH-150 definitely have it. Listening to them now and just noticed it. Before, never knew what an open headphone sounded like so I never noticed it. They're cheapo ones, so it's expected.

 

[jawang]

jcv DX1000s have the most hollow/echo-ish sound I've ever heard in my life...

...but they're also one of the best headphones I've heard. It's not universally a bad thing.

 

[krmathis]

No, can not say I ever heard that with the Stax 4070.
So really doubtful it affect all closed-back headphones...

 

[oqvist]

Ultrasones as in 750/900 doesn´t add any echo. Particularly not if you KeeS mod them.

Markl D5000 have it. DX 1000 as well.

 

[Ntropic]

Can't say I notice any echos at all. Could the hollowness be the recessed mids?

All I've got for comparison is the MS1.

 

[aimlink]

I heard that effect in the D5000's when I had them. Found it interesting.

However, it's not present in my Ed8's.

 

[Paul T]

Absolutely no hollow sound with Senn. HD 448s, highs and mids are crystal clear, if mids are weak I imagine you would get a hollow sound..

 

[aimlink]

What I'm personally referring to is not because of weak mids but that you're literally in an echochamber of sorts. There's some degree of reverberation in the sound. It's slight, but audible. I thought that it was the depth of the D5000 chamber that was responsible.

 

[Bilavideo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Head Injury /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sennheiser eH-150 definitely have it. Listening to them now and just noticed it. Before, never knew what an open headphone sounded like so I never noticed it. They're cheapo ones, so it's expected.

You can fix that. I know because I just did. I opened the headphone, found the chambers completely empty (which is why they echo). I removed a hard piece from the center, which actually opens the chamber a little. I then added foam all around to damp the chambers. It made a tremendous difference and the cost of the mod is under $5. I went on to make further modification, such as gluing chamois cloth to the baffle around the driver and replacing the leatherette pads (mud makers) with soft fabric (less transparent than mere cushions but less opaque than the leatherettes). The result is a headphone that now sounds like one costing at least several hundred dollars. Again, the cost of these mods is minimal.

 

[GALACTUS]

D2000 do have the echo, but not nearly as bad as the A700. D2000 also have a very thin midrange. ATH M50 have no echo and sound much better in almost all areas than the D2000 in my opinion.