[squawkBirdies]

Quote:

Best closed back, with sound isolation (but not as important as sound quality), no-amp required to drive (well), over ear headphones for ~$300?

Innerfidelity has some nice reviews and charts for headphones. I don't have much experience with either of these cans, but after reading the reviews, I would recommend checking out the Phillips Fidelio L1 or the Bowers & Wilkins P5.

 

[supergt]

Hey guys, new to the forums! looking to purchase my first attempt at decent headphones and so was looking for some advice since all the jargon is far too much info to take in/understand!
 
Basically my budget is up to 250$ (can hit the 300 mark if it gives me that much of a large difference in product quality) I am a complete noob to this so yeah.
 
I listen to all music, mainly Electro/House/dubstep and hiphop/rap/RnB 
 
and I will be using them with my phone/pc/laptop/ipod and on the go!
 
Id love them to be as portable as possible and have some sort of style to them too. 
 
So yeah, thanks a lot in advance and ill be looking forward to a reply!
 
Regards

 

[CashNotCredit]

Quote:

Hi. Whats up. I want to buy some beats by dre. I don't know if I want to get the Studios, Solo HD or the Pros. I have the tours and powerbeats and they are great but i have heard one of the big ones and they have more bass then my tours. I want the headphones that will give me the most bass and not muddyish sound. I want to be able to sit in a quiet place and my headphones not leak when i have the volume at 1. Which should I get? Thanks in advance and a side note - (I said what Beats should i get, I know Bose are much better but I really don't want them.)

Well, the general consensus here is that the best Beats by Dre headphones are no Beats by Dre headphones. 

I personally use Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones ($115 rerfurbished, $150 new), and whenever I'm in the mood to put the bass into overdrive, I'll use the equalizer in Windows Media Player (or Foobar or iTunes or Rhapsody) and turn the bass up pretty high. Boomier bass than Beats by Dre and the mids and highs are still relatively clear. This will save you a good $150-$200 and sounds pretty great.

I don't know what type of music you listen to, but I listen to a lot of different kind of stuff. When I'm listening to dubstep or house, I can equalize the M50s to be VERY boomy. If I'm listening to KT Tunstall or Adele, I can reign the bass in a good deal.

If you're going to get Beats, get the Mixr's or even consider the Soul by Ludacris headphones. Just be aware that if you're looking for the best sound quality, you're getting ripped off. I mean, if Dr. Dre doesn't wear Beats by Dre when he's in the studio(those are Audio-Technica ATH-M50s in the picture, by the way), why should you?

 

[gerasalus]

Hi all,
 
i'm looking for some budget headphones ~100$/75eu max. But the more i read and the more i search the more i'm lost.
 
I will be using them at work, so i want closed ones so that my colleagues would not hear me, and that they would be comfortable to wear for 8-9 hours.
Music i listen to is Indie, Alternative, Brit-pop, Light rock, sometimes atmospheric dnb or electronic. No hard beats, so i do not want them to be very bassy.
I do not need them to be portable, but i want them to last 7-8 years, just as my old AKG did.
 
I've listed some that fit my budget and those that i can get at local store, but i would gladly consider other options.
From the most expensive ones to the cheapest:
 
Sennheiser 439  ~ 110$
Audio-Technica ATH-T500 ~100$
Audio-Technica ATH-T400 ~ 90$
Creative Aurvana Live ~88$
Sennheiser HD515 ~65$
Panasonic RP-HTF600E-S (these are really cheap) ~55$
 
Which (or none?) of these? Or maybe something else?
 
Thanks!

 

[kiteki]

^I think either the CAL or an Audio Technica

 

[DarthUnnamed]

How are the AKG k550's? Mainly looking for a good closed back pair of headphones (with NC, though due to the closed back nature, that shouldn't be a problem) 

 

[derbigpr]

Quote:

How are the AKG k550's? Mainly looking for a good closed back pair of headphones (with NC, though due to the closed back nature, that shouldn't be a problem) 

 
90% of people couldn't tell there's a difference in sound between them and K701's, so if you've heard those, you know what to expect. Very precise, articulate, controlled and analytical sound, maybe a bit thin sounding (like most AKG's), and maybe the highs are a bit too sharp. Soundstage is very good for closed headphones, very big, and actually better than K701 in terms of realism, now the sound actually seems to come from the center as well, not just from far left and far right. They tend to be sibilant when used with a SS amp. When using them with a tube amp though, sibilance is gone.  I think they're great value for money, but I would not pick them as first choice for music enjoyment, I'd pick them as first choice under 500$ (and probably high than that as well) for monitoring purposes.

 

[DarthUnnamed]

Quote:

 
90% of people couldn't tell there's a difference in sound between them and K701's, so if you've heard those, you know what to expect. Very precise, articulate, controlled and analytical sound, maybe a bit thin sounding (like most AKG's), and maybe the highs are a bit too sharp. Soundstage is very good for closed headphones, very big, and actually better than K701 in terms of realism, now the sound actually seems to come from the center as well, not just from far left and far right. They tend to be sibilant when used with a SS amp. When using them with a tube amp though, sibilance is gone.  I think they're great value for money, but I would not pick them as first choice for music enjoyment, I'd pick them as first choice under 500$ (and probably high than that as well) for monitoring purposes.

Hm, are they good for on the go purposes? (no amp, on an ipad)

 

[Hedonism]

Hey guys,
 
I'm thinking of purchasing a complement to my D2000s (which I love). Seeing as they are renowned for having a recessed mid-range, and a V-shaped sound signature, I feel like an open, mid-centric headphone would suit me just fine. 
 
I'd prefer if the headphones weren't too dark/warm. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed the HD600/650 series; they seemed boring and anemic to me. 
 
My budget is around $200-350 dollars.
 
I primarily listen to rock (classic, grunge, alternative), and some classical and blues/jazz thrown in. I do my listening at-home. 
 
My system as of now consists of this: Foobar 2k (WASAPI) -> HRT Music Streamer II -> Matrix M-stage -> ???
 
Sifting through some threads, I found that some contenders might be AKG K/Q701 or Grado 325is. Are there other options that I have missed?
 
Some tentative options that I have found as well are the HD598s, or HE400s. However, these are quite dark, no? 
 
Yet another option is that I sell my D2000s and spring for a used D5000. Would this be a better idea? I know that the mid-range, bass, and soundstage are better, but how significant are the improvements?
 
Can somebody help me with this? What would be the best option?
 
Thanks in advance, I'd really appreciate the advice!

 

[KG Jag]

If you upgrade, I hear the Grados and Alessandros yelling "buy me" at you.  The safest choice is probably the Alessandro MS2.  It is a modified 325 and does not have quite as bright a sound.  Some have found the 325 to be harsh.
 
It's hard to advise whether to add to your D2000 or replace it with the D5000.  In the U.S. you could add the D5000 by adding less than $50 to your current budget (see the deals thread).  The D5000 is an excellent can and is being discontinued.  So if you want to get a new D5000 (or the D7000), it's soon or never.

 

[imackler]

HD598 really didn't seem dark to me at all. I think they're a great choice for you! I think that would complement the D2000 quite well. (Brian at Razordogdeals will ship the HD598  CONUS for about $200 if you ask him.) You obviously know your stuff, but from everything I've read, the D5000 isn't a huge step from the D2000 since it has the same driver. I'd say try the HD598. They have really nice mids, and yet are definitely not "boring and anemic."
Quote:

Hey guys,
 
I'm thinking of purchasing a complement to my D2000s (which I love). Seeing as they are renowned for having a recessed mid-range, and a V-shaped sound signature, I feel like an open, mid-centric headphone would suit me just fine. 
 
I'd prefer if the headphones weren't too dark/warm. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed the HD600/650 series; they seemed boring and anemic to me. 
 
My budget is around $200-350 dollars.
 
I primarily listen to rock (classic, grunge, alternative), and some classical and blues/jazz thrown in. I do my listening at-home. 
 
My system as of now consists of this: Foobar 2k (WASAPI) -> HRT Music Streamer II -> Matrix M-stage -> ???
 
Sifting through some threads, I found that some contenders might be AKG K/Q701 or Grado 325is. Are there other options that I have missed?
 
Some tentative options that I have found as well are the HD598s, or HE400s. However, these are quite dark, no? 
 
Yet another option is that I sell my D2000s and spring for a used D5000. Would this be a better idea? I know that the mid-range, bass, and soundstage are better, but how significant are the improvements?
 
Can somebody help me with this? What would be the best option?
 
Thanks in advance, I'd really appreciate the advice!

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

HD598 really didn't seem dark to me at all. I think they're a great choice for you! I think that would complement the D2000 quite well. (Brian at Razordogdeals will ship the HD598  CONUS for about $200 if you ask him.) You obviously know your stuff, but from everything I've read, the D5000 isn't a huge step from the D2000 since it has the same driver. I'd say try the HD598. They have really nice mids, and yet are definitely not "boring and anemic."

 
I have both--and the D5000 is a big step up from the D2000.  The D5000 provides a more balanced EQ, richer/smoother sound and a significantly bigger sound stage.
 
That does not detract from the the 598, which is also an excellent, but quite different can.  A price of $200 was a high one not too long ago.  Since the MAP, it's a notable sale price on these cans.

 

[xpaulinabearx]

hey guys, new member here! i'm looking to buy my first pair of headphones, and i'm not sure what i should get. price range is around $200. mostly going to be using them to listen to music/watch movies in my dorm. i want a balanced sound btw (listen to a lot of different kinds of music....) most people would probably recommend the audio technica ath-m50's, correct? but also want a few different options, thanks!

 

[Hedonism]

If you upgrade, I hear the Grados and Alessandros yelling "buy me" at you.  The safest choice is probably the Alessandro MS2.  It is a modified 325 and does not have quite as bright a sound.  Some have found the 325 to be harsh.

 
I have the Alessandro MS1, but the comfort issues are too big of a turn-off, personally, in comparison to the D2000 at least. The higher end models don't really improve upon this, do they?
 
Quote:

HD598 really didn't seem dark to me at all. I think they're a great choice for you! I think that would complement the D2000 quite well. (Brian at Razordogdeals will ship the HD598  CONUS for about $200 if you ask him.) You obviously know your stuff, but from everything I've read, the D5000 isn't a huge step from the D2000 since it has the same driver. I'd say try the HD598. They have really nice mids, and yet are definitely not "boring and anemic."

 
Quote:

 
I have both--and the D5000 is a big step up from the D2000.  The D5000 provides a more balanced EQ, richer/smoother sound and a significantly bigger sound stage.
 
That does not detract from the the 598, which is also an excellent, but quite different can.  A price of $200 was a high one not too long ago.  Since the MAP, it's a notable sale price on these cans.

 
I'll look into the HD598s then. Thanks for the help, guys!

 

[FlobHobNob]

Quote:

hey guys, new member here! i'm looking to buy my first pair of headphones, and i'm not sure what i should get. price range is around $200. mostly going to be using them to listen to music/watch movies in my dorm. i want a balanced sound btw (listen to a lot of different kinds of music....) most people would probably recommend the audio technica ath-m50's, correct? but also want a few different options, thanks!

For Movies I reccommend the beyerdynamic dt770', They are on the bass heavey side but have a great soundstage for a closed can. For listening to music I'll reccomend the Shure srh 840, these outclass the m50's in pretty much every way except for looks. But  overall I think you should go with the Shure's cause the soundstage isn't half bad for being closed, but not as good as the dt770's.