[cole7soccer]

Hello everyone,
 
I have a difficult (maybe impossible?) task for you all: I'm looking for a reasonably priced ($300 max, preferably around $200) pair of over-ear studio headphones that are great (or good enough) for both producing and casual listening, and I don't want to have to use an amp (I don't have much money to blow here).
 
I don't know if this is impossible or not, but it looks like the DT 770 Pro 80 ohm might do the trick. However, it looks like there are plenty of possible alternatives, so I was wondering if anyone has any experience/advice on the following models (or any others):
 
DT 770/880/990 vs HD 598 vs ATH-M50x vs. AKG 702 vs SRH840 vs. Anything similar?
 
I'm not a full-blown audiophile by any means—more so just extremely indecisive—and all I want is a pair of headphones that are good for semi-serious producing and are very good for listening (I'm also a music blogger/reviewer). Please let me know if you can help.
 
Thanks!

 

[FastAndClean]

HD 598 is good for listening and good enough for studio use without an amp

 

[TeskR]

I agree with HD598, pretty much all the Beyers need an amp IMO, the M50x I don't think is neutral enough for music producing.
If I recall correctly the AKG likes a decent amp (not 100% on this one).
 
The HD598 is open back though, do you have an appropriate place to use it? As it wont be really suitable to use around people or in public.

 

[FastAndClean]

if you need closed back neutral headphones for studio and listening under 200 dollars try the AKG K550

 

[cole7soccer]

I agree with HD598, pretty much all the Beyers need an amp IMO, the M50x I don't think is neutral enough for music producing.

If I recall correctly the AKG likes a decent amp (not 100% on this one).

The HD598 is open back though, do you have an appropriate place to use it? As it wont be really suitable to use around people or in public.

Pretty much the only places I publicly use headphones is in a library (at a very low volume) and outside while doing homework. However, I also own a pair of QC15s that I could use in those environments if the HD 598 really leaks too much sound.

 

[TeskR]

If you haven't used an open back before, almost nothing gets attenuated as it leaves through the back. A room mate of mine used to have a 598 and if he listened at medium volume I could hear his music word for word from a few metres away.

If you take your QC15 and put them down in front of you with the ear pads pointing at you, then play music at the volume you tend to listen to, the amount your hearing in this situation is similar to what will be leaking out the back of your headphones.

 

[cole7soccer]

If you haven't used an open back before, almost nothing gets attenuated as it leaves through the back. A room mate of mine used to have a 598 and if he listened at medium volume I could hear his music word for word from a few metres away.

If you take your QC15 and put them down in front of you with the ear pads pointing at you, then play music at the volume you tend to listen to, the amount your hearing in this situation is similar to what will be leaking out the back of your headphones.

When I did this at the library, I couldn't even hear anything out of them when I set them right in front of me (as I said, I listen very quietly in working settings). In that case, would I be okay with open headphones?

 

[TeskR]

When I did this at the library, I couldn't even hear anything out of them when I set them right in front of me (as I said, I listen very quietly in working settings). In that case, would I be okay with open headphones?

 
Maybe in that case they will be, however, if you use public transport or any places it can get a bit noisy (perhaps even the library) then the lack of isolation may make it hard o listen to music in these situations.
 
YMMV, I personally wouldn't try and utilise open backs in public areas, but it may work for you.

 

[samtunez]

Hey
I use a dt990 pro/250 ohm for "studio" use. I find it sufficient to use it with my audio-interface by Focusrite. But if you get some with 32 ohm you shouldn't have any problems. But if you do mixing too, the most important thing is not flatness of the headphone, but knowing your headphone and knowing what sound you want to achieve (specifically with these headphones).
But for public use I don't know if they would be suited, since you hear everything nearly as loud as when not wearing headphones.

 

[Jiang hongwei]

hi bro, i will suggest you the grado m1, it is cheap but so nice.