[Zadok]

Hey guys! First post here, be gentle

My grandfather gave me a pair of these (http://www.bose.com/controller?event...adphones_index) about 5 years ago and they have served me well. I always found them comfortable, and they had the ability to make any musical piece of any quality sound better than everything else I tried (After reading these boards, it seems like I didn't really try anything haha)

So here's my question to you guys: What would be the best replacement/upgrade for them?

1) They will be used on my laptop primarily, in my apartment. Not too noisy, but not soundproof by any means.

2) I really like the circumaural phones...Comfort is a big plus for me.

3) I listen to all types of music, but if I had to choose a specialization, I would say trance and other dance music. It'd be great to have a set of cans that can really surround and immerse me in the music. Good bass and high sound quality are key.

4) I don't really want to be amp dependent. I may look to invest in some amplification if this investment truly inspires me, but as of now, I'd like for them to hold on their own.

So what do ya think? I have been reading headphonereviews.org and a few ones that I singled out were:

A-T AD900 : http://www.audiocubes.com/product/1086.html?ref=337

A-T A900 : http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica...&s=electronics

Beyerdynamic DT770-250 : http://headphonereviews.org/headphon...eadphoneId=105

I was told the AD900 had much better sound quality, but don't really know how much the 0 isolation will affect me.

Oh. head-fi gurus, lend me your wisdom.

 

[HFat]

It looks like you've figured it all out.
Maybe you could also look into an open Beyer (DT990 probably) if you think you don't need the isolation.

Even a well-researched purchase can end up being the wrong one for you (or for your laptop) so make sure you can return your purchase... that or buy used and be ready to resell.

 

[Zadok]

I was hoping for some personal testimony..I know it's a specific question, so I won't be disappointed if no one has directly compared those heh

I'll look into the DT990's as well.

 

[HFat]

I mainly wanted to tell you that you did a pretty good job singleing out these models.

Don't worry, lots of people have compared the A900 and the DT770. I guess the A900 and AD900 have been compared a lot too.
Have you tried using the forum's search function? You could also try to change your thread's title to something less generic if you want something specific.
You might also want to take a look at saint.panda's paper on closed headphones as it features the two you're interested in as well as many others (with comfort ratings for them all).

 

[rxc]

The Denon AH-D2000 are really easy to drive, comfortable, and good all-around headphones for all types of music. Downside is that they're priced closer to 300.

Also, the lower model AH-D1000 / AH-D1001 sound similar but are cheaper.

 

[Zadok]

Alright, thanks for all the input. I'll go do that research now

By the way, is there a reason why there is no mention of bose anywhere to be found? Are they just not good compared to these other brands (Sen, Beyer, A-T, etc)?

If there really is a big difference, am I gonna be WOW'ed by the difference between the AD900's (Which I am favoring right now) and my old bose phones?

 

[Chrispy]

I'd say grado, but you said comfort was a big plus.

 

[BassheadJazz]

I'm not a hundred percent sure about this as I don't know much about your laptop set-up, but I believe the Dt770's work much better amped. That being said, you really can't go wrong with either headphone. As far as the reason why Bose isn't mentioned much, well-- let's just say they aren't exactly the favorite of many that are around here or many other audiophile-esque circles. That being said, I think you would notice a great difference between the Bose headphones and whatever headphones you decide to upgrade to. It may not be a night and day difference to you at first, but it's a matter of all the little things (detail, soundstage, etc.) that make for a (hopefully) better experience for you.

 

[bebanovich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zadok /img/forum/go_quote.gif Alright, thanks for all the input. I'll go do that research now By the way, is there a reason why there is no mention of bose anywhere to be found? Are they just not good compared to these other brands (Sen, Beyer, A-T, etc)? If there really is a big difference, am I gonna be WOW'ed by the difference between the AD900's (Which I am favoring right now) and my old bose phones?

I'll try to do this without coming across as a Bose-hater. In general, they lack the clarity and realism that are favored around here. The bass is not only boosted but, instead of being punchy, it tends to leak throughout the other ranges of sound. Rather than sounding like real bass, it tends to sound like you are in the middle of a pillow fight.

Additionally, the mids and highs are depressed pretty severely in favor of the bass. They look like a graph of the '29 stock market crash if you see them on a frequency response chart. As a result, details in these areas are lost to the pillow fight. The music has a very warm, dark, boomy colororation.

In terms of whether you will be blown away be the alternatives recommended here . . . it depends. Some people prefer a boomier, colored sound to one that has more clarity/accuracy. The only way to find out if you are among those people is to jump in. Your ears/brain may need some adjustment time before the sound becomes as pleasurable as it will eventually be.

You will probably have a hard time matching the comfort of your Bose, however. If you don't need isolation, I would really consider looking at open phones for the airy experience that is hard to get with closed phones.

 

[rb67]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zadok /img/forum/go_quote.gif If there really is a big difference, am I gonna be WOW'ed by the difference between the AD900's (Which I am favoring right now) and my old bose phones?

At first, you may find the bass rather "thin" when compared to the bose. But once you spend time with them, you'll realize that the Bose bass is over-exaggerated to the point where it interferes with all the other sounds. The first thing that will really surprise you, I would reckon, is the amount of pure detail and realism you will hear with the headphones recommended by us when compared to bose. You'll find things more realistic as you'll be able to hear even background noises (shuffling in the audience of a classical piece, glassware clinking in the background of a jazz piece, the squeak of a drum hat, etc). These details really make things (on top of the better detail in music) much more enjoyable in most of our opinions. They certainly aren't the main focus, but the existence of these details makes things much more real.

 

[Zadok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bebanovich /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll try to do this without coming across as a Bose-hater.

Make no mistake....If they deserve to be hated on, then I don't mind =P

After listening to these with those comments in mind, it really is shocking because I always considered these phones to be the most clear that I have ever used haha

I bet I will be very amazed with the new ones if the clarity can be IMPROVED over what I had originally thought to be an industry defining product.

 

[Steve_72]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rb67 /img/forum/go_quote.gif At first, you may find the bass rather "thin" when compared to the bose. But once you spend time with them, you'll realize that the Bose bass is over-exaggerated to the point where it interferes with all the other sounds. The first thing that will really surprise you, I would reckon, is the amount of pure detail and realism you will hear with the headphones recommended by us when compared to bose. You'll find things more realistic as you'll be able to hear even background noises (shuffling in the audience of a classical piece, glassware clinking in the background of a jazz piece, the squeak of a drum hat, etc). These details really make things (on top of the better detail in music) much more enjoyable in most of our opinions. They certainly aren't the main focus, but the existence of these details makes things much more real.

I can totally vouch for this. I too started out with the Bose Triport AE and they seemed actually quite good to me. I then stumbled onto this site and armed with a new found knowledge for headphones, I made my purchase of the A950LTD which is a slightly more refined version of the A900. The quantity of bass did seem to have declined, and as rb67 has stated, they did seem slightly thin, but in place was this tighter and punchier bass that seemed more "real". Comparing the two headphones, I can really tell that the Bose headphones realistically are quite muddy and muffled while the A950LTD's seem simply much clearer and articulate. It may almost seem as though you have been listenting to your music with cotton balls stuffed in your ears, and suddenly they're not there..like a veil being lifted. Comfort is also a very strong asset that the AT's have, I have no problem wearing them for long periods of time. If you did think the Bose produced a clear sound, you will indeed be quite taken aback by what the AT's and other headphones mentioned on this site are capable of producing. As to the "Wow" factor between the Bose and AT's I thought the difference in sound really was quite startling. I think the A900 or AD900 would be a fine headphone to purchase. It would depend on your level of need for isolation as I think the consensus is that the AD900 is the slightly better sounding can.

 

[Chu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrispy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd say grado, but you said comfort was a big plus.

Seconded. Grado's are amazing for electronic music. The problem is that they're going to either be some of the most comfortable or least comfortable headphones you've ever used -- and there really is no way to know until you have them.

I've heard neither, but people say the AD and A series sound nothing alike.

 

[RealDealz]

To the OP: I, too, am in your situation. I am coming off of a cheap pair of sony MDR's, and have just purchased the AD900's. (I was considering the A900's as I'm going to be using them for gaming quite a bit, but I really hate overpowering bass) If it will help you, i'd be more than happy to write my findings for you. Their being shipped atm from Japan, I suspect they will be here Monday.

 

[bebanovich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zadok /img/forum/go_quote.gif Make no mistake....If they deserve to be hated on, then I don't mind =P

Whether they deserve it or not, they get it around here. If you had put "Bose" in the title of your thread, the hatred would be flowing by now. Mostly people are split between hating and thinking that they are just too expensive with the sound being more on-par with much less expensive phones. A handful around here actually like them. I'm probably in the "too expensive" camp myself.

One word of warning as you enter the world of clear, accurate cans. Inferior source files and eventually the laptop on its own will start to bother you because you will begin to hear distortion and low-level noise. When you buy the headphones, buy a shovel so you can have a friend bury your wallet deep in the ground in a spot you would never suspect.