[QBNCT]

Hello Head-fi! New member here, but I have creeped on other posts for a long time . Anyways, I received a pair of the Sennheiser HD 650s for Christmas with a Schiit Magni/Modi headphone amp/DAC. Love the sound, but I'm not sure if it fits what I am looking for. My setup is near the center of the house, so with the open headphone design, I can hear other noises in the house, and I have a feeling that they can hear me. My main genres I listen to are rock and alternative, and I am wondering if there is a better headphone out there for my situation. I am not saying that the HD 650s are bad headphones, I just like to know my options. I have looked into the V-Moda m100s, as well as the Sennheiser PXC 450s. Portability wouldn't be a bad feature, but I do prefer full size headphones. Suggestions? 

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Hello Head-fi! New member here, but I have creeped on other posts for a long time . Anyways, I received a pair of the Sennheiser HD 650s for Christmas with a Schiit Magni/Modi headphone amp/DAC. Love the sound, but I'm not sure if it fits what I am looking for. My setup is near the center of the house, so with the open headphone design, I can hear other noises in the house, and I have a feeling that they can hear me. My main genres I listen to are rock and alternative, and I am wondering if there is a better headphone out there for my situation. I am not saying that the HD 650s are bad headphones, I just like to know my options. I have looked into the V-Moda m100s, as well as the Sennheiser PXC 450s. Portability wouldn't be a bad feature, but I do prefer full size headphones. Suggestions? 

 
Heya,
 
Sounds like isolation is something you'll need. You have a great setup there as it is, to build on it, I would suggest the following closed headphones:
 
Mr Speakers Mad Dogs (modded T50RP)
AudioTechnica A900X or A700X
Beyer DT770 or Custom One Pro
AKG K167
AKG K550
Ultrasone PRO 750
Brainwavz HM5
Shure SRH840
 
Depending on budget, based on your current setup, I'd suggest the Mad Dogs primarily.
 
Very best,

 

[QBNCT]

Hmm... A lot of these seemed a bit below my budget, in the $180-$200 range. The HD650 were purchased for about $380, so I could go up to that, and maybe a little higher. I was interested in the AKG K550 that promised a open sound from closed headphones, but they looked huge. It was difficult to tell from the picture, but what kind of looks would I get if I wore those out of the house? Another one that caught my eyes that I found were the Audio Technica ATH-ANC9, but I don't know that much about them.

[size=1.7em]  [/size]

 

[cactus_farmer]

If you like the signature of the HD650 you're looking for something with solid (but not overblown) bass, lush mids and de-emphasized treble, in a closed-backed, full-sized package at a budget of around $400?
 
Sennheiser Momentum would seem to come very close.

 

[GSARider]

+1 on the Momentum's if noise isolation is an issue as well as portability. The HD650's are a great set of cans however but they do need a quiet environment to shine.

 

[QBNCT]

Momentum looks like a good route for me then. I think that those are more efficient, so would there still be a use for my amp/DAC? And also, my only concern about the momentums was the ear cup size. When I read the review on innerfidelity and other reviews, that seemed to be the main gripe.

 

[whoelse]

I am facing the same situation. I love the HD-650 and all my other headphones are open back except the PX-200II. I also need a closed back headphones for isolating noise, the HD-650 doesn't sounds at it best with all the sound leaking in. When there is no noise and late at night, the HD-650 sounds heavenly.
 
So far, I have shortlisted a few but have not actually filter my pick yet. I do not need the best headphones or something to match and triumph the HD-650. I just need a complimenting headphone that has decent sounding will do because I have many other good alternatives just that they are all open back.
 
1. ATH M50
Obvious choice and recommended all over the place. Many have said they no longer the most recommended headphones and there are many that are similar price and much better. Most of these statement came from fellow forum users that has a few or maybe up to a dozen? But the M50 has been high recommended by more experience folks like lJokerl and Tyll that has listen and evaluated hundreds of headphones so I take their recommendation more than other fellow Head-Fiers.
 
2. SRH-840/440
440 is supposedly flatter, the 840 is more refine according to my research. The 940 seems to be better much brighter than 440 and 840. I am not keen on 940 because of the cracking headband issue reported. Slightly more towards the 440 since I only need a complimenting set and 840/440 are supposedly close in their sound signature.
 
3. Sony V6
My many research also point to the V6. It is supposedly one of the very neutral headphones that is uncolored so it is intended to reveal what the original sound was recorded. It can be bad for music that were badly produce so coming back to my original intention, I think likely I am going to pass this one because I want a complimenting music headphones rather than a studio mastering headphone.
 
4. Brainwavz HM5
These does look nice, affordable and it is supposedly very neutral.
 
5. CAL!
I am high on this one since they are cheap. I could easily upgrade later if I need to. These are highly recommended by lJokerI and Tyll too.
 
6. Sony ZX-700
These are supposedly very well made and comfortable with good isolation. The price is good too. My research seems to suggest they have very good and natural mid that excel in voices but more tamed in the high and bass. Might really be a good choice and was also highly recommended by lJokerl and Tyll too.
 
7. Fostex T50RP Mad Dog
Many who like the HD-650 recommend these but I guess I will not have a chance to audit them since there is no retail shop for these. How's the unmodded T50RP? Do they sounds bad enough that need to be modded?
 
8. Beyer COP
These were newer headphones than many of them listed in my list. Supposedly sounds very close to the M50.
 
9. UE 6000/Sony MDR-1
These were recommended by my local audio shop too. I took them seriously too since they also handle and listen to many headphones and gathered from customers feedback.
 
By all means, these are not my opinion or conclusion. They are my research gathering so I could do my own shortlist and then pick some I am interested and then audit them by actually listening to them myself with songs I usually listen. Instead of blind shooting anywhere, I usually start my doing a little research first.
 
I am actually OK with my PX-200II but want a over ear closed headphones that is more comfortable than on ear so the PX-200II will remain as my commuter headphones. I tried the HD-25-1 before and doesn't impress me a bit especially with the high price. It just sound like a bigger brother of PX-200II so I am not going to pay that kind of price. I also look at HD-280/380 but they are not cheap and seems like they are similar with popular studio headphones like the V6 or the SRH-440. I can also get the GermanMaestro GMP 8.35D at very cheap price but the default earpad seems to be on-ear rather than over the ear?

 

[GSARider]

Momentum looks like a good route for me then. I think that those are more efficient, so would there still be a use for my amp/DAC? And also, my only concern about the momentums was the ear cup size. When I read the review on innerfidelity and other reviews, that seemed to be the main gripe.

I know that it's not always possible, but I really think folk should try all headphones first for fit as well as sound. Personally for me, they fit fine and I can keep them on for an hour and a half with no issues - that's as long as I tend to have headphones on for in one session.

 

[grokit]

Denon D2000/5000 should be closed enough for your situation, I would add those to the list as well. The added bonus is they're recently discontinued and this is the time to grab them while they're still around, as the replacement models don't seem to be as well-received.

 

[QBNCT]

Those Denon's sure do look nice, but it's a little more that I would be willing to pay for my headphones. Does anyone have any expirence with the V Moda M-100? Those are said to be a good bass head choice, and I do enjoy some good bass every once in a while considering that I play the bass guitar and the Chili peppers are one of my favorite bands.

 

[grokit]

I recently purchased a mint D2000 from the FS forums here for $200 shipped in the original box.

 

[QBNCT]

I was only finding prices around $450-$500

 

[grokit]

They were a good investment then, just checked I bought them early September.
 
edit: I just checked, a pair sold last month for the same amount: http://www.head-fi.org/t/636736/denon-ah-d2000-stock
 
You have to be patient, but if you don't like them they will be easy to re-sell.

 

[santtosz]

Momentums are a very very good headphones, i find them very comfortable for my listening periods (1:30 - 2 hrs) they're very good for balanced sounds and theyre built in VERY HIGH quality.
 
the V-Moda 100 are great headphones too but they have a harder bass, theyre better for bassheads (while the momentums got a very nice bass tho) both are very good headphones but i do recomend the momentums for a better balanced sound.