[egil]

 
[size=10pt]Dear all,[/size]

 

Going to move my previous forum post to this thread, seems like this is the appropriate place for my question, anyway...

 

[size=10pt]Just discovered this fantastic site a few days ago, and have been browsing through the pages looking for advice on headphones but I am getting a bit overwhelmed to be honest.[/size]

 

[size=10pt]I am looking for buying advice for a good pair of headphones and possibly an amp to power them. Here is my usage pattern:[/size]

 

1. [size=10pt]They will primarily be connected to my Dell laptop [/size]
2. [size=10pt]I will use them for listening to music (everything from trance, rock to pop)[/size]
3. [size=10pt]I watch TV shows and movies form my computer a lot as well[/size]
4. [size=10pt]I will use them for many hours at the time, so they have to be comfortable and not make my ears sweat (my old Denon closed headphones had a tendency to do that)[/size]
5. [size=10pt]I will primarily use them at home, but could bring them to school/elsewhere as well if they don't annoy other people nearby[/size]

 

[size=10pt]Since the build in sound card in my laptop is not stellar, I would not mind paying for a good usb dac amp, if the general consensus is that they are needed.[/size]

 

[size=10pt]My price range is $200-$300, maybe a bit more if needed.[/size]

 

[size=10pt]I have been looking at the Sennheiser HD 598 with the FIIO E7 USB DAC, but I am especially not sure about the FIIO E7 since portability is not super important to me, so maybe there are better options.[/size]

 

[size=10pt]Any advice is much appreciated, thanks, Egil.[/size]

 

 

[djmnyc]

Hello all. 
 
Let me start by saying that I am a complete newbie to high end headphones, and hi-fi music in general.  I've almost exclusively listened to my music with portable devices, and in my car, as I find my commute and workout schedule to be the best times for me to listen to my music.  So, please forgive my ignorance with terminology and knowledge.
 
Basically, I am looking for the best portable, over the ear, closed back headphones available.  I plan to use these around the house, at work, and on my commute.  I now understand the source device and quality of the audio files also make a big difference after reading several threads on here.  I currently use an iPhone 3GS, just for the convenience of having one multi-purpose device.  However, I am now considering purchasing a dedicated portable media player if the sound quality is significantly better over my iPhone (cowon device comes to mind).  I will have to sample a few of these out, but to start I will continue to use my iPhone, since this where I have all my music stored.
 
A few other pieces of information to help focus my search/question. 
 
1.  I have tried IEM headphones in the past, and I have always had problems with them due to sizing and/or excessive wax buildup.  This is why I specified over the ear, closed back.
2.  I will be listening mostly in noisy city environments.  I live in NYC, so think buses and subways.
3.  I listen to a wide range of music, from classical, jazz, r&b, metal, rock, and hip hop.  So, I guess I am looking for something that has good performance all around ... if that's even possible?  If I had to rank what I listen to most, it would be : metal, hip hop, rock, r&b
4.  I really like the size and fit of the Beats by Dre, but I know they are a terrible choice, due to terrible quality, and lacking performance.  My head is pretty small and thin, so smaller, adjustable headphones would be nice.
 
Given that information, are there any headphones you guys can recommend?  I really appreciate any and all help, and if you need any additional information, please let me know.
 
I have read quite a few excellent reviews about the Shure SRH840, however, it seems to be really big, and no so portable.  Is there anything similar to the quality of these, with a more portable application?
 
Thanks so much!
 
Dan
 
 

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

1. [size=10pt]I will use them for many hours at the time, so they have to be comfortable and not make my ears sweat (my old Denon closed headphones had a tendency to do that)[/size]
2. [size=10pt]I will primarily use them at home, but could bring them to school/elsewhere as well if they don't annoy other people nearby[/size]

You usually need an open back pair to keep your ears cool which would mean everyone around you would hear what you're listening to.  Luckily, there are a few closed 'phones that keep your ears cooler than the average closed 'phone with pleather pads.  High quality leather keeps your ears pretty cool but 'phones with those kind of pads are out of your budget.  Bedsides that there are a few closed headphones with velour pads.
 
Ones I've tried personally are the Beyerdynamic DT770s.  They keep your ears a lot cooler than most other closed 'phones.  The "Pro" versions have sucked out upper mids which make females vocalists sound like they're singing from the next room, but the "premium" version doesn't share this problem.  Just to make things confusing, Beyer offers them in 3 slightly different versions.  You'll probably want to get the 32 ohm version to be on the safe side since it will play the loudest from small portable amps but the 250 ohm version is sometimes a little cheaper and a pretty safe bet if you know that you tend to listen on the quiet side.  Last time I checked prices a DT770 and E7 were a little of $300.
 
The reason I recommend closed 'phones is that few open 'phones have the deep bass that electronic genres like trance often require and the 770s have.  The closest open phone I've heard in you price range is the Beyer DT990.  I found its highs rather sharp, but good otherwise.  Last I checked It was a bit more expensive than the DT770s and you should probably go for the 32 ohm version of that too.  Unless its dead quiet you'll have to listen to 990s at least a little louder to fight with background noise.
 
Quote:

Basically, I am looking for the best portable, over the ear, closed back headphones available.
 

What's your budget?
 

 

[Dobrescu George]

i have a question that has nothing to do with this thread, but i need to put it where lots of people visit.... if i have a music maker program, and i make something very amazing.... with my laptop, a usb midi controller, and a program that uses flacs for instruments *it's audiophile!*, and i make something.... very amazing... where can i sell it as a instrumental for someone?... i mean how and where, to win some money from my hard work,... (still not a job, too young, and i really need some money for some audeze lcd2, some aplifiers, and some other hifi stuff....).......
 
i let some of my friends listen to somethings i have made with this program, and they look like amazed... (i am using audiphile headphones).... so.... can anyone help me, and please, everyone excuse me for asking such a thing on this thread.... but my need for help is pretty desperate.....

 

[dshlapak]

My current over-the-ear phones are Sennheiser HD280's. What kinds should I be considering as a "next level" upgrade? I listen to a fairly broad range of music, but not so much metal, rap, or the various dance genres. Think Wilco, Lucinda Williams, John Coltrane, and Kronos Quartet. I have various iDevices and a Total Bithead amp. I like a balanced neutral sound--not a bass junkie--and wide, deep 3-D sound stages and good imagery.

My main setup is a Music Hall 25.1 CD player, Cambridge Azur 540v2 integrated amp, and a pair of Monitor RS-6 speakers. Soon to be added is an NFB12 DAC between the Airport Express (serving music from my iMac via wireless) and the amp, and I'll of course be using its headphone amp.

There are just way too many options out there to make sense of, so I thought I'd crowd-source some wisdom.

Advice?

Thanks much.

 

[Armaegis]

snip: wrong thread

 

[Trendkill]

I am looking for a new set of cans to (hopefully) keep me happy for a while. I listen to a lot of metal, but I enjoy most genres except for country and pop. The cans need to be closed and portable. Nothing too big, please. Soundstage is somewhat important, but not a huge factor. I am interested in clarity, detail, and accuracy. I'm not a bass head, but i want it to be there when it is called for. NO IEM's, please. I have a budget of $100 and nothing more. Hopefully I have given enough info and my expectations are realistic. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
 

 

[egil]

Hey maverickronin,

Thank you for your reply. 
 
Quote:

Ones I've tried personally are the Beyerdynamic DT770s.  They keep your ears a lot cooler than most other closed 'phones.  The "Pro" versions have sucked out upper mids which make females vocalists sound like they're singing from the next room, but the "premium" version doesn't share this problem.  Just to make things confusing, Beyer offers them in 3 slightly different versions.  You'll probably want to get the 32 ohm version to be on the safe side since it will play the loudest from small portable amps but the 250 ohm version is sometimes a little cheaper and a pretty safe bet if you know that you tend to listen on the quiet side.  Last time I checked prices a DT770 and E7 were a little of $300.

What is the downside of choosing the 32 ohm version compared to the 250 ohm? I understand that a less powerfull amp can drive them more easily, but is there a penalty involved?
 
Just to confirm, I assume this is the ones you are referring to: http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/headphones-and-headsets/at-home/music-pleasure/dt-770.html
 
Thanks, Egil.

 

[Surruk]

 
Quote:

Thanks, is there any other alternatives? I've been looking at the AKG K701s too. How do they compare to HD600/650 and AD2000?

well i cant say anything about the AD2000s, but the K701s and the Sens are a whole different kettle of fish as far as sound sig. i seem to remember you mentioning you wanted sound stage and clarity, well the AKGs have those things in big fat shiny spades, but they have a very thin airy and spacious sound to them which is not to many peoples liking. most agree that they are great for classical music, but pretty hit and miss for most other genres. they have very little bass compared to what most people are used to.
 
the HD650 Sens to me have a much more full bodied sound, which most people will find more enjoyable. but i find that this rich sound stops me from listening as deeply into the music. They are slightly more veiled than the AKGs to my ears, but they certainly would be the most "fun" cans of the two. much more bass too and probably better for that music you listed.
 
both will likely need amping, the K701s are very picky with this, they CAN be amped by the Fiio E7, but they really improve with better amplification when i auditioned mine they were hocked up to a $1000 or so amp, and they sounded great. some say that home made hybrid amps work well with them. i was surprised recently to hear a few people singing the praises of something similar to http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Indeed-G2-Hybrid-Valve-Headphone-Pre-Amplifier-6N11-/290528143158?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a4d3a736 (not that exact one, but one similar, cant find the thread )
 
General con census is that a decent hybrid amp is the way to go.  Couldn't tell you about the amping needs of the sens, as i have only auditioned them at a Hi-Fi store.
 

 

[JudgeDreadLocks]

I have a quick question.  Do the beyer dynamic velour pads for the sony 7506s change the isolation at all? If so, is it a good or bad change? Will it allow more sound to escape? I'm thinking about making these my portable cans, but I don't want sound leaking. Thanks for the help.

 

[Dekker]

So im fairly new to high end headphones and have been browsing around a bit. My price range is 120-150$ my problem is that im having a hell of a time finding anything in that range that is decent and ships to Canada. Any assistance? They will be used mainly for listening to music on my ipod and comp.

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

So im fairly new to high end headphones and have been browsing around a bit. My price range is 120-150$ my problem is that im having a hell of a time finding anything in that range that is decent and ships to Canada. Any assistance? They will be used mainly for listening to music on my ipod and comp.

Grado SR line or Alessandros (which are about the same, but they ship everywhere).  They do fine without an amp and are so inexpensive that you could splurge for a dac.
 

 

[Modified Bear]

Okay my post seems to have gone unnoticed so here it is again
 
Quote:

Okay, I've been asking around a bit for my first pair of proper headphones, my price range being £60-90 (about $90-130 I think)
 
I had my eye on the grado sr60i but I then found that open backed were not the right choice for my intended usage of the phones (Home with other people, on the bus and on the go) with the sound leakage and all.
 
So I'm looking for some good closed back headphones in the aforementioned price range, preferably nothing too huge and massively conspicuous.

 

 

[linuxid10t]

Perhaps the Denon AH-D1100.  They are light and they do fold flat.  They also look nice and classy IMO.
 
Quote:

Okay my post seems to have gone unnoticed so here it is again
 


 

 

 

[Modified Bear]

Quote:

Perhaps the Denon AH-D1100.  They are light and they do fold flat.  They also look nice and classy IMO.
 


 

How are they sound-wise?