Lan647
1000+ Head-Fier
Well I have been trawling posts, trying on everything I can looking for a portable on or over ear. I have been suffering from repeat ear infections despite scrupulous cleaning from iems, so I needed a solution.
I use HD-800 at home, and AKG K-550 at work, but both are a little large. The momentums seemed a good fit, but unfortunately they have gone the commercial route and overblown the bass a bit. Not as much as beats but enough to make the timing wooly. Timing is crucial for my music so that was disappointing as I respect Sennhieser. I was given a pair of B&W P5 (lucky me) but they are just bland: lack of resolution, rolled off and bloated. Not as bad as beats, but not good for the money.
I got a chance to listen to the P7, well run in. Much better than the P5s, with resolution and air. However who thought the great big bass punch exaggeration was a good idea? Sure it's impressive, but it ruins and otherwise potentially musical performance. Once again B&W loses sight of John Bowers' original vision. Something they lost along the way.
B&O H6 are nice. Nice is not good enough, as they are a little uninvolving, but pretty good. A bit dull.
KEF M500 get the vote from me, as they are quite involving and fun. Not fully neutral, but not doing all that attention seeking exaggerated bass. However as I like the AKG K-550, the 545 look very intriguing, and I haven't heard the NADs yet.
They is very much a flavour of the month thing here on head-fi, but with all the analysis, sometimes the music can be lost. Use a recording of questionable quality with a great performance when confirming you choice. You may be surprised by the winner.
Sorry but I'll have to disagree here. I've done a lot of A-B comparing between the Momentum, P7 and KEF m500 in my home and the P7 is certainly the most neutral and the one with the least exaggerated bass. Both the P7 and M500 are quite flat in the bass to my ears, but the bass of the M500 is just a tad more impactful and a tad less refined (a tad more "boomy").