Good Sealed Headphone for under $150

[MBQuartCamry]

This is my first post to Head fi. I currently have a pair of Grado SR 60 headphones. The problem with them is that they are supra aural. I need a pair of headphones with similar sound quality for a variety of applications. I will be using them to listen to music from my computer and ipod, play games, and watch dvds. I also need them to be comfortable since i will be wearing them alot. Has anyone heard the bose triport headphones (not trying to start a flame war) but i would consider them if they sound descent. But they must be sealed and not let sound leak very well and work good with little power.

Thanks,
Jon Brasher

 

[Chinchy]

I've heard the Bose Triports, and they sound terrible. You sound like a prime candidate for some Sennheiser HD25-1. Grado sound, closed design, works VERY well with low power. There's one on sale in the FS/FT forum for $135:

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87324

 

[MBQuartCamry]

Thanks for the quick reply i read something about that set last night. Any other recommendations?

 

[Gundam]

I second that suggestion!

The HD25-1 is an excellent closed-can... and should be snapped-up ASAP at that price!

 

[MBQuartCamry]

Can you think of anything cheaper im just looking at all the options because i will have to use these almost in everything that has sound.

 

[Gundam]

Erm...

HD25sp version perhaps? Cheap at half the price (but half the performance of the HD25-1).

 

[MBQuartCamry]

Will the SP sound like Grado SR 60 because they were only $65 and they sound great

 

[Eagle_Driver]

MBQuartCamry,

"Supra aural" means that the earpads press against your ears.

In that case, then you can rule out the Sennheiser HD25(-1) and HD25SP, as well (since both of those headphones have earpads that press against your ears).

Perhaps you have "supra aural" mixed up with "open air", the latter term refers to headphones that offer no isolation at all whatsoever? Conversely, you've also gotten "closed" mixed up with "circumaural" (around the ear)? You see, circumaural headphones may have open or closed backs.

 

[Imyourzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBQuartCamry I need a pair of headphones with similar sound quality for a variety of applications. I will be using them to listen to music from my computer and ipod, play games, and watch dvds. I also need them to be comfortable since i will be wearing them alot. Has anyone heard the bose triport headphones (not trying to start a flame war) but i would consider them if they sound descent. But they must be sealed and not let sound leak very well and work good with little power. Thanks, Jon Brasher

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro? Fits the budget, isolates fairly well and won't leak a lot of sound, and should work pretty well with little power.

Come to think of it, Audio Technica A500 would probably be a much better choice. It's a closed can that supposedly sounds great and works extremely well both amped and unamped. They'd be one of the best phones to use if you didn't have a lot of juice to give `em.

PLEASE consider the A500's and never mention the TriPorts again.

 

[BRBJackson]

I'd check out the Sennheiser HD280 Pro's. Not audiophile, but a fairly involving sound. Pretty easy to drive without an external amp, reasonably priced (<$100), and excellent noise isolation.

Or the A500's

 

[lindrone]

If portability is not an issue, A500 is much better than HD280 in just about every respect. HD280 is actually not that easy to drive, coming directly from headphone outputs, they have very anemic bass. It's a bass where you hear notes, but feel very little impact from them. When hooked up to a good headphone amp, the bass is much more acceptible, but still not as good as most other headphones in terms of impact.

HD280 has the edge in treble clarity, but only because it produces a pretty harsh and easily noticeable treble, tired my ears out in a very short amount of time. A500 has better trebles and bass, and much better soundstage and sound imaging.

A500 is far from being portable, mostly because the way they sit on your head; it's a very light, comfortable fit, but if you start running they'll fall right off the top. HD280 is portable, but in a very hefty, heavy, big C-clamp on your head type of way. It's recommended to stretch them out on a stack of books over night just so they don't squeeze your head 'til your brain leaks out from the top. HD280 is also known for a very, very long burn-in time... I had mine burnt in for more than 200 hours, and the sound signature change is dramatic.. but still not good enough for me at the end of the day.