[schwarzenneger]

beyerdynamic says their 231 is a closed headphone.interestingly the minute i put them on i can hear a pin drop.

 

[hugz]

close != isolating

They look pretty closed to me

edit: hehe i just read this
Quote:

While the DT231pro is considered a closed headphone, it doesn't offer a lot of isolation from outside noise making it suitable for use in environments where you wish to enjoy your music while not disturbing others, yet being able to hear some of what is going on around you.

 

[Daroid]

I had the DT231 Galactics two and a half years ago, and isolation is next to none while they STILL disturb other people, like if it was an open headphone, at moderate volume. Furthermore they need an amp to even reach a volume that (to many) is high enough on many portables.

EDIT: But it's hardly false advertising - closed always refers to a hard-back type earpiece, not that they isolate (but is often a result of that). Most higher end closed headphones actually fit too loosely to ever shut out much sound.

 

[meithkiller]

Like others have said, closed doesn't necessarily mean isolating, although depending on the size of a person's ears, the level of isolation will vary. I used to own a pair of the 231's, and although I don't consider myself as having large ears, the earpads sat on top of my ears and did not go around them. I was hoping for some isolation with them, but due to the size of my ears and the construction of the phones themselves, it was not meant to be. I don't remember them being bad for leaking sound though, no-where near as bad as my Grados (which my wife used to use for computer speakers).

-Keith

 

[hentai]

yah , closed is just refering the design not the capability to isolate outside noise

 

[j-curve]

"Closed" has always been a false claim. Almost without exception, "closed" headphones are vented. I guess the market has tolerated the misapplication of the term because "closed" is somewhat more descriptive of the typical product than "vented", and after all it is the opposite of "open".

"Vented" might also imply some extent of care and calculation in the design which never actually existed. About the best you can hope for is something like the DT770 Pro, where the pivot holes don't perforate the shell, the cable entry & exit points sport grommets and the vents appear to be precisely drilled. "Tuned", perhaps.

Looks like "sealed" is losing its meaning too, judging by some recent thread titles. There must be only one or two headphones available which are truly sealed. The Koss QZ99 is one:-

We're talking occlusion here. Put them on or take them off too fast and you can feel your eardrums flexing.

The box says something about reducing jet engine noise, which is guaranteed to scare the audiophiles away. Plus they're a bit light in the bass to ever get a favourable review.

Sure, language is a living thing and I won't be dropping the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary on anyone's toes, but when "sealed" = "closed" = "vented", what will we have left?

Hermetic headphones, anyone?

[/mild rant]