Do any closed phones sound good?
Feb 1, 2008 at 3:28 PM Post #16 of 34
I find the AT ES7's a nice closed can, as well as the Denon 1000's (with some modding to dampen bass flutter), they are not like the higher dollar closed cans, but still an enjoyable listening experience at the same time.
 
Feb 1, 2008 at 4:36 PM Post #17 of 34
I guess I haven't tried any of the good closed cans yet, but the price/performance ratio is staggering compared to open phones. I guess you have to fork over the bucks to get a good closed can.
 
Feb 1, 2008 at 9:15 PM Post #22 of 34
I'm in a similar boat -- I've been rocking my Sennheiser HD-280s for quite some time now, and they're getting old. I'm starting to hear the flaws in the headphones more than I am the music, which is always a sign I need to upgrade my rig.

My budget would be suited nicely for the AH-D2000 or the ATH-ES7 (or, though no one has mentioned it yet, a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770's).

If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
 
Feb 1, 2008 at 9:29 PM Post #23 of 34
I bought the DT770/80.
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Look at my past equipment list; and, still, I enjoy the DT770 as an entry-level high end can that does all kinds of music. It has lots of bass, but otherwise is about as balanced as a closed can can get. The JVC DX-1000 is better, but not radically so.

Tremendous isolation, too.
 
Feb 1, 2008 at 9:40 PM Post #24 of 34
I tried a lot of closed headphones looking for a pair that I thought sounded good while delivering enough isolation to be used in noisy environments without disturbing anyone. I never got to Denon or AKG phones, but amongst closed Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Sony, and Audio-Technica phones that I've heard, the best by far are Darth Beyers. Somehow Darths don't suffer from the usual closed phone problems of creating excess pressure, clamping force, or bothersome sound characteristics. They make music sound a little bit "live", which I actually like, and otherwise don't mess with the music. All other closed phones I've heard sound wrong when compared to good open designs. Darths sound right to me. I would say it's not worth struggling through multiple pairs of cheaper closed phones to find a good pair. My recommendation would be that if you have the money, go straight for Darths. If you don't, then wait until you do.
 
Feb 1, 2008 at 9:59 PM Post #25 of 34
AKG 271s are better at reproducing overdriven electric guitar than any open phones I have heard. They are my preferred HP's and just happen to be closed.
 
Feb 1, 2008 at 10:40 PM Post #27 of 34
esw9 is fantastic, especially for the price
 
Feb 2, 2008 at 3:30 AM Post #28 of 34
I am going to audition the beyer dt770/80 at guitar center in the next few days. The price is not too bad, and I can actually try them out. I was thinking abou the jvc's but with price difference, I think I owe the beyers an audtion. The Darth Beyer mods seem cool as well.
 
Feb 2, 2008 at 3:36 AM Post #29 of 34
Has anyone heard the Sony MDR 7509s? I have heard they're much improved over the 7506s but have not heard them directly. I've had them in consideration for an alternative to iems.
 
Feb 2, 2008 at 4:12 AM Post #30 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by chillk /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The closed phones I was trying were hd280 senns, ultrasone 750s, sony 7506, and shure e4cs. I listen to ms-1s, rs-1s, and senn hd555s, on a regular basis, and I found all these phones lacking.


Closed phones are just as good as open phones, and in my experience better. But a cheap phone is a cheap phone. Have a listen to a Denon D2000 or D5000 and I doubt you'll feel that way anymore unless you don't like the impact of natural bass, which some people don't.
 
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