[Strogian]

I'm thinking about buying a pair of Grado SR-60's, as a cheap open headphone. (Or maybe something even cheaper, and then I can throw in something closed too.) I figure, even if I get tired of it, I can justify it as a test to see whether open/closed headphones are even acceptable where I want to use them. The main concerns are letting sound out, and also letting sound in.

Is there any reason why one open/closed headphone would be different than another in this regard? Comfort is the only thing that comes to mind.

I still have my etymotics from a few years ago, so I will probably go back to those eventually. There are just certain situations (i.e. work) where I need something I can take on and off without a problem. And I want to see if I'm even capable of carrying that stuff around without losing it, before I try something that actually costs something.

 

[NtD Gr3nade]

HD595s leaked less than my HD650s do. I would say no on the leakage thing. Also, open headphones sound clearer than closed, sound has free movement unles the closed ones you get have damening in them, which is unlikely in most closed headphones.

 

[feh1325]

my akg501 leak a whole lot less than my ms2i

 

[flamerz]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking in your post, but to answer the thread title question, the answer is no. Maybe if they had the same exact design, but they don't. Think of it like this. If there was nothing enclosed over the driver, do you think it would leak out more or less sound than a driver enclosed in plastic? Same thing, to a much lesser extent.

 

[OneStepCloser]

I own a pair of Grados and some ear buds, and the grado's leak way more sound. I am not sure if that is what your asking but yes the Grado's do let in a lot of sound.