[Apalachian77]

 
Quote:

What type of sound are you looking for..? What type of music you mostly listen to.?  You looking for a do it all can or something with more Bass punch for example?

I'll be using it for a wide variety of music, mostly rock type stuff. Also will be using it for gaming (so sound quality isn't terribly important for that) but that is the reason I want noise isolation so outside sound is blocked out to some degree.
 

 

[Dsnuts]

hmm portables that does rock well plus gaming.. I have 2 that I have on hand that does both with decent isolation.. Sennheiser HD203.. On the cheap and does rock very well.. If you want better overall sound quality try out a Creative Aurvana Live...If you can find one for $60 on sale these are a no brainer.. Both portable.. Games well and sound good for the price payed...
 
Oh wait I have one more I can recommend.. I think you would like the Shure SRH440 but they aren't too portable...One of the best gaming cans I own and music is smooth one em as well..
 
Sony MDRZX700.. Play great on a portable mp3. Gaming is good on em as well as having decent isolation. .

 

[casanova]

Quote:

If you listen to BASS heavy music.. Hip hop,, Trance, Dub.. YES!! I own both.. I own the DJ1 and the BASS is awesome sauce on the Dj1/Hfi-580.. The Shure SRH440 Bass is limp in comparison..
 

Thanks for your response. I don't know whether I'm into heavy BASS or not, but one thing I know is that I like listening to Rock genre starting from The Aerosmith, Metallica.. up to RJA. Is it regarded as Mid-centric music? In my country there are no such headphones shops at all, the only chance that I could purchase a pair is when my friend goes to abroad and now he's in The US.
 

 

[casanova]

Quote:

If you're looking for an increase in bass, yes.
 

Thank you for the response. For sure I'll be looking for an improvement in Bass. But my sound preference is the Mid. I like the sound from guitar, etc. And I'm into Rock

. Would you still recommend an upgrade from Shure SRH440 to Utrasone HFI580 ( or HFI680) ?
 
 

 

[dvd101e]

Quote:

The DT770/880/990 are not the most efficient headphones, so you can't get loud volumes from them out of a portable player. Also, I would not consider the DT880 a great match for your music genres. Within the brand, the DT250 would sound better, but it too likes to have a bit more power behind it.
 
I think a midrange Sennheiser would be more enjoyable for you overall.
 
 
 
//
 
Thanks for you quick reply!
Okay, so what you're saying is that I have to look for a Sennheiser? Do you have any recommendations for good ones? 
One more question: Is it possible to drive the Dt880 32 ohm with a portable amp, below 50,-? If yes, wich one.
 
Thx

 

[JoonBug]

Hiya, I need some portable headphones advice.
 
*No IEMs or clip ons, budget can extend up to $300 (perhaps more). I have the ESW10s which are excellent, just lovely cans. It would be great to find another can like this with less cost. But please don't suggest the ESW9s as they don't quite fit the bill.
I find myself liking to be "involved" in the music. I prefer a neutral, but not analytical presentation of the sound. 
Genre of choice: classical, acoustic rock
Isolation doesn't have to be top notch.
*Drives well from a Cowon J3/iPod touch 3rd gen
Doesn't have to be pretty or anything, the more low-key the look, the better? 
*Light.
I like more mid and treble than bass, but still would like a neutral sound sig.
*Adequate comfort is a must -- also, I wear glasses.
*Closed-back please.
*Easily portable. ie foldable or stowable easily.
Durable. If it scratches easily, it messes with my OCD conciousness 

.
Decent resale value?
 
Sorry if these were too many conditions, any suggestions? The conditions in * are more important than those without.
 
I've been thinking about getting the Senn HD251-II perhaps.
 
Thanks
JB
 
 
 

 

[dvd101e]

 
Quote:

Hiya, I need some portable headphones advice.
 
*No IEMs or clip ons, budget can extend up to $300 (perhaps more). I have the ESW10s which are excellent, just lovely cans. It would be great to find another can like this with less cost. But please don't suggest the ESW9s as they don't quite fit the bill.
I find myself liking to be "involved" in the music. I prefer a neutral, but not analytical presentation of the sound. 
Genre of choice: classical, acoustic rock
Isolation doesn't have to be top notch.
*Drives well from a Cowon J3/iPod touch 3rd gen
Doesn't have to be pretty or anything, the more low-key the look, the better? 
*Light.
I like more mid and treble than bass, but still would like a neutral sound sig.
*Adequate comfort is a must -- also, I wear glasses.
*Closed-back please.
*Easily portable. ie foldable or stowable easily.
Durable. If it scratches easily, it messes with my OCD conciousness 

.
Decent resale value?
 
Sorry if these were too many conditions, any suggestions? The conditions in * are more important than those without.
 
I've been thinking about getting the Senn HD251-II perhaps.
 
Thanks
JB
 
 
 

I guess you would LOVE the DT770 32 ohm version, since the J3 is pretty powerful, and can run those cans pretty easily. Closed back, over the ear, and pretty comfy though. It only has pretty much bass. If you're looking for a neutral headphone, the DT880 would be great, but that one's not closed.

 

[Dsnuts]

Quote:

Thank you for the response. For sure I'll be looking for an improvement in Bass. But my sound preference is the Mid. I like the sound from guitar, etc. And I'm into Rock

. Would you still recommend an upgrade from Shure SRH440 to Utrasone HFI580 ( or HFI680) ?
 
 

Well I will tell you, I own a Dj1/HFI-580 and a HFi-780... Ultrasones have a unique sound. I think you would actually like the HFi-580.. They have a smaller sound stage than the HFI-780 but that only helps the mids and high be more coherent with the big bass sounds.. Plus.. For rock having big bass is not necessarily a bad thing. listening to metalica now on em.. I love my DJ1s. Very portable and easy to drive.. I think you will do well with the HFI-580.. plus if your looking for something "different" this will fit the bill nicely.. definitely recommended. If anything it might not be the most analytical or correct sounding headphone but I will tell you.. They kick ass in the FUN department..
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Looking for something closed and under $150 that doesn't need to be amped. Source will be my laptop, an older ipod and my smartphone. I'll be listening mostly to rock music with some occasional movies/tv shows. I've done some research and have been looking at the Ultrasone HFI-580/DJ1, Denon DN-HP700, and possibly the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 if I could find them for under $150. I have some Grado SR60s that I like, but I'm not necessarily looking for something that would sound like closed Grados.

The Ultrasone might be too bassy for your needs. I enjoy the Phiaton MS300 which has the same energetic bite as a grado yet still remains closed and has that added bass punch, but doesn't overwhelm the mids.


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I will be buying the Asus N55sf and the sony xb700 or xb1000. If I listen music from the laptop should I use an amp for better sound? Because it says that there is already an amp in the laptop. I have an old Sony amplifier. which is better ( laptop>amp>headphones or laptop>headphones). And what about DAC should I buy one ? How will it help me?

The SonyXB series are not particularly hard to drive. Get the headphones first and listen before buying more gear.
 


Quote:

Well, I've had my Beyerdynamic DT880's since.. 2005, I believe. They were the first real pair of headphones I bought after some Senn 595's and I've been using the 880's daily ever since.
 
Tragically, the right driver is finally starting to die, and I suppose it's time for new headphones. I've been driving them with just a Total Bithead for the past year or so (hard times, had to sell some stuff), but I figured I could afford to spend some money on audio gear again.
 
So, that said, I'm basically back at square one. Should I buy a new pair of DT880's and a Shiit Valhalla/Lyr (that was my planned combo, anyway), or is there a driver replacement that I can do? Or maybe a different pair of cans instead of just another pair of 880's?
 
As a bit of background, I've been through AKG701's, Senn 650/600's and a handful of other mid-range headphones and I still absolutely adore the 880's. Amping has been pretty random. I had a MX3 Slam for a bit, two fairly hefty sold state amps I built, then I drove headphones with a vintage Kenwood 600 for a while, after that it was a Little Dot MkIII and now I'm down all the way to the aforementioned Total Bithead.

Have you diagnosed that it is specifically the driver that is dying? It might just be a cable which isn't too hard to fix yourself. Driver replacement takes a bit more doing, but isn't too bad once you open things up.
 
If you're happy with the DT880, I say stick with it or experiment with the 770 or 990 (if you want a litle more bass or highs respectively).
 


Quote:

I'll be using it for a wide variety of music, mostly rock type stuff. Also will be using it for gaming (so sound quality isn't terribly important for that) but that is the reason I want noise isolation so outside sound is blocked out to some degree.
 

How about a Senn HD380? Good sound and excellent isolation, and it even folds up. There are also gaming versions of it (the PC350 I think) with a mic.
 


Quote:

Thank you for the response. For sure I'll be looking for an improvement in Bass. But my sound preference is the Mid. I like the sound from guitar, etc. And I'm into Rock

. Would you still recommend an upgrade from Shure SRH440 to Utrasone HFI580 ( or HFI680) ?
 
 

The 580 is a bass heavy headphone, and Ultrasones tend to lose their mids amidst the bass. I did find the Pro550 to be a bit more balanced than the others though.
 

Quote:

 
Thanks for you quick reply!
Okay, so what you're saying is that I have to look for a Sennheiser? Do you have any recommendations for good ones? 
One more question: Is it possible to drive the Dt880 32 ohm with a portable amp, below 50,-? If yes, wich one.
 
Thx

 

 
The DT880/32 can be driven by a portable amp. Even the 250 could be driven by an amp. A cmoy with 9V is the simplest option and relatively cheap.
 
 


Quote:

Hiya, I need some portable headphones advice.
 
*No IEMs or clip ons, budget can extend up to $300 (perhaps more). I have the ESW10s which are excellent, just lovely cans. It would be great to find another can like this with less cost. But please don't suggest the ESW9s as they don't quite fit the bill.
I find myself liking to be "involved" in the music. I prefer a neutral, but not analytical presentation of the sound. 
Genre of choice: classical, acoustic rock
Isolation doesn't have to be top notch.
*Drives well from a Cowon J3/iPod touch 3rd gen
Doesn't have to be pretty or anything, the more low-key the look, the better? 
*Light.
I like more mid and treble than bass, but still would like a neutral sound sig.
*Adequate comfort is a must -- also, I wear glasses.
*Closed-back please.
*Easily portable. ie foldable or stowable easily.
Durable. If it scratches easily, it messes with my OCD conciousness 

.
Decent resale value?
 
Sorry if these were too many conditions, any suggestions? The conditions in * are more important than those without.
 
I've been thinking about getting the Senn HD251-II perhaps.
 
Thanks
JB
 
 
 

 
My first though for your sound signature was the AKG K701, but it doesn't really suit the rest of your criteria. AKG does have the K550 which is their new closed back being released, but there isn't much information out there yet.
 
Other suggestions:
Senn HD25-1-ii
Senn PX200-ii
B&W P5
Phiaton MS300
 
 

 

[casanova]

Quote:

Well I will tell you, I own a Dj1/HFI-580 and a HFi-780... Ultrasones have a unique sound. I think you would actually like the HFi-580.. They have a smaller sound stage than the HFI-780 but that only helps the mids and high be more coherent with the big bass sounds.. Plus.. For rock having big bass is not necessarily a bad thing. listening to metalica now on em.. I love my DJ1s. Very portable and easy to drive.. I think you will do well with the HFI-580.. plus if your looking for something "different" this will fit the bill nicely.. definitely recommended. If anything it might not be the most analytical or correct sounding headphone but I will tell you.. They kick ass in the FUN department..
 

 
Well, I am convinced 

. The next pair of headphones is going to be HFI-580.
Many thanks for the guidance.
 
 

 

[Apalachian77]

 
Quote:

hmm portables that does rock well plus gaming.. I have 2 that I have on hand that does both with decent isolation.. Sennheiser HD203.. On the cheap and does rock very well.. If you want better overall sound quality try out a Creative Aurvana Live...If you can find one for $60 on sale these are a no brainer.. Both portable.. Games well and sound good for the price payed...
 
Oh wait I have one more I can recommend.. I think you would like the Shure SRH440 but they aren't too portable...One of the best gaming cans I own and music is smooth one em as well..
 
Sony MDRZX700.. Play great on a portable mp3. Gaming is good on em as well as having decent isolation. .

Thanks for the reply. Now I need to choose between the Sennheiser HD203, Sony MDR-V6, and the Creative Aurvana Live. I hate choices.
 

 

[Dsnuts]

Well This might help.. They are literally 3 different prices.. The HD203 is around $30.. The Sony V6 is around $65 and the CALs are $100..
Yes they upped the price on em.. SO the way I see it.. You can get both a HD203 and a Sony V6 for the price of one CAL. Though I gave it some thought last night..If you are gonna spend around a $100.. The ultrasone Dj1 cans.. Basically the same as the HFI-580.. One of my favorites are sold for $116. on Amazon.
 
If you want something a bit similar to your HD595s but closed less sound stage.. More intimate and with big bold bass which sounds equally good for rock actually.. I will say getting a HFI-580 or DJ1 in my case is not a bad idea as well... Or you can just get a V6 and a HD203 and have 2 cans..  One for rock and one for gaming.. That aint a bad idea either.

 

[200poundsofamp]

Quote:

Looking for something closed and under $150 that doesn't need to be amped. Source will be my laptop, an older ipod and my smartphone. I'll be listening mostly to rock music with some occasional movies/tv shows. I've done some research and have been looking at the Ultrasone HFI-580/DJ1, Denon DN-HP700, and possibly the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 if I could find them for under $150. I have some Grado SR60s that I like, but I'm not necessarily looking for something that would sound like closed Grados.

I've been trying the HP700s, not really impressed. They're a lot like I remember the M50 sounding only with worse bass and better treble, and they're less comfortable. If a headphone has a lot of bass it should at least be good bass, right?

I'd go for the HFI-580 out of those, if they're anything like the 680 you'll get better sound quality and way better comfort for a little more money.

You could also check out the srh750dj, they're supposed to be a step up from m50s and are actually less expensive now. Their build quality isn't supposed to be that great though.

 

[200poundsofamp]

Quote:

 
Alright, you guys have convinced me!  I'm gonna grab a pair of the Fostex T50rp sets.  I figure I can use it as a benchmark in order to get a feel for what I want to spend a bit more money on in the future.  And if it turns out I don't like them so much, they were only $74 instead of $150 or more.  So I'm gonna order a pair toda
 
I'm sure (as is usually the case) there are some mods worth doing in nearly every case, and some mods that aren't really worth it most of the time.  Can you guys point me to one ore more threads where one or two of the "essential" mods are laid out? I'd really appreciate it.

Nice! I actually have some on the way too. The guy I bought them from said he'd write some cliff notes about modding them, I can hook you up if he doesn't post them here.

 
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I'm glad to have a response. What if the bass is not the priority? What if the mid is the priority? Can it be an upgrade?
Pardon my style of asking since English is not my mother tongue language, I'm from Cambodia

I think so, I really like the midrange on it. I wouldn't buy it unless you have really high quality music though, they're extremely revealing! The bass is very neutral too, so it might not have the punch you're after. If you're okay with that go ahead, they're really nice.

 

[AndreiKuznetsov]

Hey again,
 
So I've been looking for a good, extra pair of headphones that might optimize my heavy metal experience. I own a pair of Sennheiser HD202's and they are quite wonderful, but I wonder if this one friend of mine's offer might offer an even better black/death/thrash metal experience.
 
You see, I've been offered a pair of [size=x-small]Panasonic RP-HTX7[/size][size=x-small]'s by a friend for $25. I've read good reviews online and on here, but nothing that specifically answers how they'd do with metal. Any feedback on that would be awesome.[/size]
 
(Failing that, would the RP-HTX7's be any good for classical? I've also been looking for a pair of headphones that are good for classical and choral music that are under $150 that I might get for Christmas...)