[DarkShadows]

To give you some background,

I'm a software programmer by trade and spend significant time at my desk or occasionally in a systems room surrounded by noisy fans. As such, closed headphones are my drug of choice to keep me going through the day. I was happily using a pair of MDR-V6s, but they have been borrowed by my gf, leaving me no choice but to buy new headphones

. The question is what to buy?

I have a pair of HD580s which I love, I enjoyed the V6s, but I didn't care much for the HD280s. I primary listen to rock (of varying sorts) and jazz and my primary sources at work are either the computer I'm sitting at (run of the mill sound card) or my iPod.

I've been looking at the Audio Technica AXXX series (A500/A700/A900) and I'm trying to decide if they'll be a good fit. I'm also hoping to get some suggestions on good closed cans (preferrably), or open if you can make a strong case for them.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[gtp]

-DT770/80 are great for rock, but would require a small amp. ($150+$50=200)

-AKG 271S are better for jazz, but would also need an amp. ($150+$50=200)

-A900 might be good for both (just from reviews, never tried them myself), and don't seem to need an amp. ($200)

I personally have the DT770/80 and I really love them.

 

[Zweroboi]

AKG K271S work great for me at the office.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

I was looking for a headphone with very similar requirements, I brought it down between the Senn HD595 and the AKG K81 DJ. The K81 being closed, I went for it, but if your fellow programmers dont mind minor leak, then go for the 595's.

Duno much abt the AT's so no comments on those.

Quote:

-DT770/80 are great for rock, but would require a small amp. ($150+$50=200)

Where can you find the DT770's for 150 bucks???

 

[warubozu]

I'd recommend the A700 or A900 as I own both. They don't require an amp to sound good as they are easy to drive. They are also very comfortable and isolate quite well, at least for me. I prefer the AT's over the MDR-V6's (which I also own) as they sounded more detailed and had a better soundstage. The AT's were also more comfortable and isolated better than the V6's.

 

[gtp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilgiljongiljing Where can you find the DT770's for 150 bucks???

Bargain hard at Guitar Center!

 

[nv88]

I went with the AKG 271s also. So far so good. They're alittle warm on the ears and they do need an amp. I understand the AT's are very good, but also very large.

 

[The Monkey]

Senn HD 25-1

 

[cp8ir]

I use a DT250-80 at work. They are comfortable and pretty discrete.

 

[DarkShadows]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warubozu I'd recommend the A700 or A900 as I own both. They don't require an amp to sound good as they are easy to drive. They are also very comfortable and isolate quite well, at least for me. I prefer the AT's over the MDR-V6's (which I also own) as they sounded more detailed and had a better soundstage. The AT's were also more comfortable and isolated better than the V6's.

So a co-worker has a pair of A500s that I just tried. They're surprisingly comfortable and I wasn't expecting them to be so light on my head given their size. Any idea how the A700 or A900 compare in size? Are they pretty much identical?

I'm a bit resistant to getting an amp for my work headphones, mostly because I don't want to lug it around with me when I'm using my iPod, but I won't discount that option. For those suggesting Beyer's or AKG's that sound best with amp, did you have a particular amp in mind given the price point?

 

[warubozu]

Both the A700 and A900 are of the same size. The A900 enclosures are made of aluminum while the A700 and A500 enclosures are made of plastic. The A900s don't weight that much more than the other two. The A700 and A900 sound nearly indentical with the exception that the A900 may be a bit more detailed and foward. All three of the AT A series cans don't require an amp, even when driven directly out of the iPod. Their sound will be improve should you choose to also invest in an amp.

 

[nv88]

I'm using a Go-Vibe 5 with my AKG 271s. That's going to put you over budget though.

How large are the A500-700-900s anyway?

 

[warubozu]

Don't know the exact measurements of the AT cans but they are quite large. If you're looking to take them on the go, it may be too big.