[faithguy19]

Quote:

Have never heard the Westones--and most folks here will not be familiar with the sound signature/quality of a specific IEM.
 
The best cans (usually open and usually needing or greatly benefiting from a amp) that at least sometimes fall within your budget include the Senn HD 600 & HD 650, Sony MDR 7520, Beyer DT 880, AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition, Grado SR 325is and Alessandro MS-2.

Thanks KG Jag for the suggestions.  I knew it was a long shot but I was hoping the Westone 4 was a popular enough IEM that someone may have been familiar with it.
Quote:

 

Thanks for the reply TwinQY.  The vagueness of my question is actually quite intentional. Yet I do see your point in the need to provide a better description of what I am looking for.  So I will give it a shot.
 
Budget: Less than $450 USD
Current Equipment: Macbook Pro, iPhone 4s and fiio E6.  Though I will probably look to upgrade my amp in the coming months something $150USD or below probably. (Open to suggestions)
Open/Closed: Probably Open as I will be using them mostly at home but if there is a closed headphone that sounds great (and not too small of a soundstage) then I am open to that as well.
Preferences: I'm really looking for a good all-rounder I think.  I like clarity but not if it will completely sacrifice in the bass department and vice versa.  I would like something that can handle pretty well any genre I throw at it as I listen to a great variety of genres depending on my mood.  Warm or Bright does not matter.
Music: Varies but mostly Rock, Alternative, & EDM
Various: Comfort is always a plus but not at the sacrifice of sound quality.  I have a small to average sized head if that makes a difference.
Size: Looking for Full-sized over the ear headphones
 
I've been looking at Senn HD 600, Mad Dogs, and hifiman he-400 but if there are other's out there that will do the job better I would love to find out.  Thanks again.
 
 

 

[Headxoxote]

Gonna get another HP for my birthday (hopefully). I want closed-back, larger soundstage than the SRH840 (gonna sell it)(know it's kinda hard but don't like others hearing what i hear :x), more detailed with a little more bass (yeh i like it ;D) and budget would be $350~500, thanks in advance.

 

[nugget2013]

so i have just been informed by 1 comment that the ATH-M50 headphone is very rubbish :s does anyone agree or are they actually good? he said there is little to no soundstage..well with beats i doubt they have any soundstage at all and i would like to know..is soundstage that big of a deal? and what music genres/types does soundstage work best for? since i mainly listen to pop/r&b/dance i just want some good headphones for those genres..i can afford to buy an amp and my budget is upto £150 for the headphones alone. if anyone can help, that would be amazing i only will use them at home, i don't care about leakage THAT much, i would be happy if they was very comfortable though as from bad experiences skullcandy hes hurt my head/ears big time and i listen to music for max 14h a day! 

 

[Xanatos]

I didn't see this thread stickied... so...
 
 
I'm looking for recommendations or options for closed headphones with the most, if not all, of the following criteria:
 
- Closed
- Around the ear
- Strongly prefer velour or real leather or fabric earpads (and headband). No pleather; it flakes.
- Good for low to moderate volume listening.
 
Not so important but would still like it to have:
- A balanced sound (bass, midrange, treble).
- Detailed sound
 
- Budget is less than $300.
 
I have the Beyerdynamic DT770-80. My only complaints are the pleather headband and the bass doesn't go well with all genres of music.

 

[kimvictor]

Quote:

Is there enough bass for rap/hiphop?

That would depend on what you call enough. It has neutral bass, similar amount to SE535. If you like boomy bass, you should look at other headphones.

 

[Crow T Robot]

Quote:

I didn't see this thread stickied... so...
 
 
I'm looking for recommendations or options for closed headphones with the most, if not all, of the following criteria:
 
- Closed
- Around the ear
- Strongly prefer velour or real leather or fabric earpads (and headband). No pleather; it flakes.
- Good for low to moderate volume listening.
 
Not so important but would still like it to have:
- A balanced sound (bass, midrange, treble).
- Detailed sound
 
- Budget is less than $300.
 
I have the Beyerdynamic DT770-80. My only complaints are the pleather headband and the bass doesn't go well with all genres of music.

 
Ultrasone PRO-750 have velour earpads and are very detailed, even at low volumes. They also have very controlled bass, punchy and tight without encroaching on the mids and higs. Mids are slightly recessed, and the treble can be a little spiky depending on your source, but they sound very open for closed cans. They're also built like a tank, for what it's worth.
 
I'm still kicking myself for selling mine.

 

[kimvictor]

Quote:

so i have just been informed by 1 comment that the ATH-M50 headphone is very rubbish :s does anyone agree or are they actually good? he said there is little to no soundstage..well with beats i doubt they have any soundstage at all and i would like to know..is soundstage that big of a deal? and what music genres/types does soundstage work best for? since i mainly listen to pop/r&b/dance i just want some good headphones for those genres..i can afford to buy an amp and my budget is upto £150 for the headphones alone. if anyone can help, that would be amazing i only will use them at home, i don't care about leakage THAT much, i would be happy if they was very comfortable though as from bad experiences skullcandy hes hurt my head/ears big time and i listen to music for max 14h a day! 

I dislike ATH-M50. There is some sound stage, but not big. They have a bit recessed mids(imo) and that is not good for r&b. Sound stage is needed for acoustic, pop(some times), r&b, ballad, classical, and jazz. Also, what made me dislike them was the comfort. They got hot and the pads were really bad. But to end on a good note, they had good extension, clarity, and detail.
Quote:

Gonna get another HP for my birthday (hopefully). I want closed-back, larger soundstage than the SRH840 (gonna sell it)(know it's kinda hard but don't like others hearing what i hear :x), more detailed with a little more bass (yeh i like it ;D) and budget would be $350~500, thanks in advance.

I don't really think there is much more for closed back. Larger soundstage than SRH849 that is a close back...probably on SRH940 from under $500 range. SRH940 has more detail, but it has less bass than SRH840. Look into fisher audio headphones, although I doubt they will have more sound stage than shures.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Gonna get another HP for my birthday (hopefully). I want closed-back, larger soundstage than the SRH840 (gonna sell it)(know it's kinda hard but don't like others hearing what i hear :x), more detailed with a little more bass (yeh i like it ;D) and budget would be $350~500, thanks in advance.

What will be driving these cans?  Will you be using an amp?

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

I didn't see this thread stickied... so...
 
 
I'm looking for recommendations or options for closed headphones with the most, if not all, of the following criteria:
 
- Closed
- Around the ear
- Strongly prefer velour or real leather or fabric earpads (and headband). No pleather; it flakes.
- Good for low to moderate volume listening.
 
Not so important but would still like it to have:
- A balanced sound (bass, midrange, treble).
- Detailed sound
 
- Budget is less than $300.
 
I have the Beyerdynamic DT770-80. My only complaints are the pleather headband and the bass doesn't go well with all genres of music.

What equipment will be powering these cans?  Will you be using an amp?
 
What is the format of your music and other sounds you will putting into these cans?
 
Do you plan to use them outside your home?  If so, in what way & with what equipment?

 

[kev21890]

Dear head-fiers,

Im currently searching for a new pair of cans. This will be my first proper set. This is probably my 3rd post. Since the first post I purchased a pair of Shure SRH940's. I adored them, but after two weeks the hinge adjustment broke. There was plenty of everything in them. The presence and balance really sold me. Then I went with the AKG K550. The first pair i received were defective. When I got a proper pair I was disappointed. Everything sounded left to me and they are fickle with different recordings. Instrumentation sounded off to me and it bugged me too much.

So again im looking for a pair with a flat response preferably. Somewhat foldable. I've been thinking about a fiio e17. Has to be of a good build quality. Tight bass, forward mids and sparkled treble.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[willemkempers]

Posted in the forum before seeing this thread, here's my original post:
 
 
I'm a bit of an audionoob, I do take a serious interest in quality audio, but please judge me as a beginner.
 
My taste in music is mostly electronic, ranging from dirty house (https://soundcloud.com/kitsune-maison/beataucues-exclusive-mix-for), to Kelpe (https://soundcloud.com/kelpe/answered-deco-child-remix), to Burial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlEkvbRmfrA) to more generic dance/trance music like Avicii or Alesso, as long as it isn't something like Skrillex. It's not that I never listen to anything else, I love the Beatles, the Doors and the Smiths from time to time, it's just that I prefer to work with electronic music. I'll be using these headphones at home, so I don't really care about sound leakage.
 
I've heard a lot of positive things about Grado and Alessandro. I actually prefer the Alessandro's over the Grado's, as the SR60i's are priced at exactly the same price point as the MS1i's here in the Netherlands. I've got a pair of Etymotic MC5's, but have traded them in for the stock Apple Earpods as the bass on the Etymotics is simply non-existing and I actually enjoyed listening to the Earpods more. I'm anxious that I'll experience the same with the Alessandro's, as a lot of reviews mention the bass being "punchy, but not that deep". Most Grado/Alessandro reviewers only mention them being superb for rock, but I've never heard anything about electronic music.
 
Please note that I'm on a student budget, and really can't go much over €100. The Alessandro's are more expensive than €100, but I'll gladly make an exception and eat noodles for an extra month if those headphones seem to be the best headphones, as I've fallen deeply in love with their looks and modding community.
 
Should I go for the MS1i?

 

[Headxoxote]

Quote:

What will be driving these cans?  Will you be using an amp?

Asus Xonar Essence STX :]

 

[nugget2013]

could anybody give me some possible choices on a pair of headphones that go well in the areas:
 
-comfort
-soundstage (prefer closed though)
-maximum price of £150 ($228)
-good detail for music such as pop/r&b/dance
 
i have been moved away from the ATH-M50 for now..as i heard they aren't great for midrange which i think is important for pop music and bad soundstage+bad comfort..

 

[roguegeek]

Quote:

Thanks KG Jag for the suggestions.  I knew it was a long shot but I was hoping the Westone 4 was a popular enough IEM that someone may have been familiar with it.
Thanks for the reply TwinQY.  The vagueness of my question is actually quite intentional. Yet I do see your point in the need to provide a better description of what I am looking for.  So I will give it a shot.
 
Budget: Less than $450 USD
Current Equipment: Macbook Pro, iPhone 4s and fiio E6.  Though I will probably look to upgrade my amp in the coming months something $150USD or below probably. (Open to suggestions)
Open/Closed: Probably Open as I will be using them mostly at home but if there is a closed headphone that sounds great (and not too small of a soundstage) then I am open to that as well.
Preferences: I'm really looking for a good all-rounder I think.  I like clarity but not if it will completely sacrifice in the bass department and vice versa.  I would like something that can handle pretty well any genre I throw at it as I listen to a great variety of genres depending on my mood.  Warm or Bright does not matter.
Music: Varies but mostly Rock, Alternative, & EDM
Various: Comfort is always a plus but not at the sacrifice of sound quality.  I have a small to average sized head if that makes a difference.
Size: Looking for Full-sized over the ear headphones
 
I've been looking at Senn HD 600, Mad Dogs, and hifiman he-400 but if there are other's out there that will do the job better I would love to find out.  Thanks again.
 
 

 
Spend $350 and pick up the K702 65th Anniversary Edition. This is, in my opinion, the best all-arounder you can pick up within your budget and it's going to be right in line with your preferences. The E6 will be barely enough to power them on portable devices, but the K702 is not really portable. Take the additional $100 and spend it on a Schiit Mangi or FiiO E09K on your desktop system.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Dear head-fiers,

Im currently searching for a new pair of cans. This will be my first proper set. This is probably my 3rd post. Since the first post I purchased a pair of Shure SRH940's. I adored them, but after two weeks the hinge adjustment broke. There was plenty of everything in them. The presence and balance really sold me. Then I went with the AKG K550. The first pair i received were defective. When I got a proper pair I was disappointed. Everything sounded left to me and they are fickle with different recordings. Instrumentation sounded off to me and it bugged me too much.

So again im looking for a pair with a flat response preferably. Somewhat foldable. I've been thinking about a fiio e17. Has to be of a good build quality. Tight bass, forward mids and sparkled treble.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Are you limiting your options to closed cans?