[BlackSushi222]

I recommend the JVC HA-S650. Good isolation but enough to hear a phone, folds flat, small, leakage is almost nil, satisfying sound quality, good price, and easily driven unamped.
 
U could also try the JVC HA-S700, but I think the isolation is even better on those, so maybe you won't be able to hear the phone?
 

 

[luvs2squizz]

I have the es7 now, and if the esw9 is like it then it will be perfect. It doesn't leak much once it's on your head, and you'll still be able to hear a phone

 

[Dev Avidon]

Let me also cast my vote for the FA-003.  They are my go-to headphones for master monitoring when I track musicians, for personal listening when I want closed shells straight out of my HM-801, sometimes even just for personal listening off my home rig.  I have a lot of nice phones, and I always end up coming back to these.  They are a little mid-forward before burn in, but by now (I probably have about 500 hours on them at this point) they are wonderfully neutral and transparent.  And they're light, and very comfy (imo, some people with bigger heads say that can be a little tight). 

 

[AudioTroll]

I would not recomend hd-25´s for the office, they issolate to well
 
I do love them,but not when you need to hear things around you

 

[nullstring]

Very strange that no one has mentioned Denons.
 
They fit your criteria -perfectly-. Isolate enough that they won't leak at medium volumes, but you'll also be able to hear the telephone or if someone says your name.
 
My experience is with the Denon D1001's, but the D2000's are suppose to be very much the same.
I would assume the higher models, D5000 and D7000 are also like that.

 

[Dev Avidon]

Quote:

Very strange that no one has mentioned Denons.
 
They fit your criteria -perfectly-. Isolate enough that they won't leak at medium volumes, but you'll also be able to hear the telephone or if someone says your name.
 
My experience is with the Denon D1001's, but the D2000's are suppose to be very much the same.
I would assume the higher models, D5000 and D7000 are also like that.

A fair point to be sure, considering you don't want complete isolation.  D1001s are excellent phones at the price, D2000s are a little bass heavy for my tastes, but no doubt superior phones as well.

 

[1Time]

I use my HA-S700 from an XS71 sound card at home. It does not isolate external sounds all that well, but it is good at not leaking sound out. I found it sibilant and lacking in the type of sound that I wanted. But after modding, it sounds much better, impactful, enjoyable, and less sibilant. Still modding it.
 
The more important factors that will or will not allow you to hear the phone ring are the volume and frequencies of the ringing phone and the music you're listening to. I used to listen to loud music with an HD280 in an office. I couldn't hear a thing around me and only knew the phone was ringing when a light on it blinked. 

 

[clarinetman]

Quote:

Hehe I am too... I think the Shure SRH840s are my all around favorite headphone I've ever heard.

I think it was you who actually convinced me to buy the 840 to begin with.

 

[luvs2squizz]

Since this thread is already derailed-
840>Sr-60i for rock-metal-techno?

 

[baka1969]

As already has been said, I think the Denon D1001 is pretty much what you're looking for. They don't leak sound out, they allow enough ambient sound in that you can hear what's going on, they're comfortable and they sound good. The SRH840 is a better headphone but is bulky and isolate too much for your needs. If you read my comparison of the 840, M50 and the D1001 I say just that.


http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/503970/srh840-or-ath-m50-or-ah-d1001-it-all-depends-really-let-s-look

 

[electropop]

Quote:

Very strange that no one has mentioned Denons.
 
They fit your criteria -perfectly-. Isolate enough that they won't leak at medium volumes, but you'll also be able to hear the telephone or if someone says your name.
 
My experience is with the Denon D1001's, but the D2000's are suppose to be very much the same.
I would assume the higher models, D5000 and D7000 are also like that.

They just, well, sound awful

 

[nullstring]

Quote:

They just, well, sound awful

If you're going to make a bold statement like that, I'd appreciate it if you would list your criteria for coming to such a conclusion,
and be slightly more elaborate.

 

[electropop]

Quote:

If you're going to make a bold statement like that, I'd appreciate it if you would list your criteria for coming to such a conclusion,
and be slightly more elaborate.

 
I'm sorry. Let me explicit.
 
Of course it does matter what kind of "sound" you prefer (I prefer the term "music reproduction", since too many here just listen to "audiophoolery", FR, soundstage etc. which don't have necessarily anything to do with music). To me the backbone is always (pitch accurate) notes. And that's the very essence of music. This of course is obvious to anybody, except maybe hip hop listeners/artists.
I've come to learn in the past two years that every headphone does not do this well, play notes that is. If you're listening to music rich with melody, some make it darn difficult to discern pitches. I like the term "one note samba".
With Denons I've found it pretty hard to tab notes from songs. If it's a song you know and the melody is quite simple, no problem, but when listening to jazz, prog or other music with lots of playfulness with notes, it becomes painstaking.
So, for the music to flow through effortlessly and flawlessly, the Denons, any model, would be a bad choice. FR and all aside, many AKG's or Audio Technica's do this so many times better. The message of the musician becomes more clear and everything is easier to listen to. From closed headphones the AKG K272HD's are pretty good, and W5000 while good, have some extra euphoric sweetness to them..
So I would say: If you like monotonic and overly powerful and unnatural bass, go for the Denons. But that's all that they'll give.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

They just, well, sound awful

LOL well what do you recommend. The 1001 are perfect and IMO sound good enough for portable use and you still have not stated what you like better.

 

[electropop]

Yes I have, twice. AKG K272HD and Audio Technica W5000 to name two.
 
But since the OP wants light ones and not too expensive, the 272s would be my #1 recommendation, but they block out noise as any other closed phone. To be able to hear the phone, they'd need to be open. ESW-9s don't isolate that much, so they would probably be my choice in context. The ESW10JPNs were quite good, but not for that price, and they seemed fragile..