[Lunatique]

If you want authoritative, reliable recommendations, you should just look at the "Wall of Fame" selection at Inner Fidelity:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-full-size-sealed
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-ear-pad-sealed

 

[waimak]

Quote:

I have about 4000 hours of listening on these, still going strong. I especially like the comfort as I am wearing them for about 8 hours every day at work. I did had to replace the pads with some aftermarket leather ones.The original pads got destroyed from wear and tear.

Hi m17xr2b, can I ask where you got the aftermarket leather earpads?  Mine are up for a change and some leather ones would be nice.
 
Thanks.

 

[robotskill]

Im looking at the 380 as a possible purchase, it seems it can be had for around $170 from amazon at the moment, anyone else care to chime in with their experiences as well as what their driving it with ?  I would also be interested to hear about the leather pads m17xr2b mentioned

 

[m17xr2b]

I got the pads from:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180988480477?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
I think they apply a little more pressure than standard pads but overall it was a good investment. Replacing them is not easy, you have to be patient.

 

[waimak]

Thanks heaps, m17xr2b!  My earpads are down to the velour cushioning (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and these will do me great.

 

[m17xr2b]

This is how the pads look on the headphones
 

 

[robotskill]

Thanks for the reply, the pads as described in the ad are made from a so called " 3rd generation ULTRCUSHION material " , im curious if that is in fact a synthetic leather ?
 
Quote:

I got the pads from:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180988480477?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
I think they apply a little more pressure than standard pads but overall it was a good investment. Replacing them is not easy, you have to be patient.

 

[waimak]

They look good.  How do you find them comfortwise compared to the original ones?
Quote:

This is how the pads look on the headphones
 

 

[TwelveTrains]

I own the HD280's, the HD380's, and the DT770's in both 80 and 260 ohm. I find the HD280 clamp unbearable for longer than a few minutes, but the HD380's are perfectly comfortable to me, and have a much more impressive soundstage. These headphones are great for when I don't have an amp, but through my Schiit Asgard I can hear a noise floor even in low gain mode in high gain mode. The DT770's sound great through the Asgard and the velour is an added comfort bonus (at least for me). Soundstage with the DT770's is probably the best, although I find the mids quite scooped. I use the DT770's 99% of the time.

 

[Gwyllgi]

Hi there,
I have 280 pro and have heard m50 and k550 lately. I can confirm that 280 outbids m50 (except in bass).
k550 is more detailed and overall it's better than 280, but not much.
 
As the time has come to upgrade my cans from 280, i'm interested in hd25 and 380pro.
I have read almost all threads separatley both for 380 and hd25. I like comfy of 280/380(as it can be with strong clamp) but hd25 is more portable.
 
So, my question for your opinion is, is it worth more money and go for supraaural HD25 - II and enjoy lil better SQ and portability or circumaural comfy and good SQ of 380?
 
English is not my native lang., so sry for short review and any mistake if i maded it.
Thnx in advance for your opinion.

 

[exterious]

I do remember the 380s sounding better than the 280s and being more comfortable. However, the biggest problem is the quality of the earpads on the 380s. The 280s are built solid with decent earpads that have lasted for many years through many hands. The 380s have pads that will flake over time, much like what I hear about Sony's earpads in some of their headphones. This was bad enough it was leaving black specks on my ears and people kept mentioning it to me. If you buy the 380s, you will have to get better earpads. It's so frustrating that the 280s pads held up much longer.

 

[Mad Max]

HD25 feels like a completely different headphone from HD380 and HD280.  Its midrange is accurate but everything else is not, lol.
HD380 and HD280 try to do justice to most types of music, and they also scrutinize it.  HD25 sounds more like it wants you to have fun with the music, and is less versatile with how well it handles varieties of music.

 

[Gwyllgi]

  HD25 feels like a completely different headphone from HD380 and HD280.  Its midrange is accurate but everything else is not, lol.
HD380 and HD280 try to do justice to most types of music, and they also scrutinize it.  HD25 sounds more like it wants you to have fun with the music, and is less versatile with how well it handles varieties of music.

Bought HD25 month ago..
Yep, HD25 is much more accurate and detailed in Mids. Comparable with 280, high are not that overwhelming and thats good, but in some hand I miss that. Maybe is that problem with PRaT, couse when I had 280 my foot was always tapping HD25 lack that..
Bass. omg. Finally i have headphones that can kick and extense bass. Just couse that bass in HD25, these cans will never be sold. Bass in 280 is miles away from HD25.
And comfort, lots of ppl says that 280 is skullcrusher, like the othet says HD25 is super comfy. Cant confirm that. Yes, is true, 280 have strong clamping force but its not unbearable. After few hours u can fell little pressure on head but I didnt find that like a too big problem. Bigger problem is these HD25. almost the same clamping force but now on ears, as the HD25 is supraaural. After 1-2 hour of wearing them it becomes unbearable.
All in all, HD25 is whole new world. Except comfort these are great cans, best I ever had.
But, looking in price value, 280Pro are trully hidden gem in cans. I got my 280 for about 45-50$ (6months old) and HD25 was 200$.
Yes, 280 cant compete HD25, but looking at price, $50-vs-$200!  suit yourselve.
Definitely will buy 280Pro again..
 
Again, sry for my bad english..

 

[Bikr]

Not sure why everyone complains about the clamping pressure of the HD-280s as it can be remedied. I have a pretty large noggin and when I bought my HD-280 they were really tight. But I just flexed the headband outward a good amount every time put them on or took them off. After a couple weeks of this stretching exercise, they were no longer tight. Problem solved.
 
WARNING: I did this very carefully and used gumption as to how far I could flex them without breaking the band, so a very big YMMV!!

 

[fritz1234]

  Not sure why everyone complains about the clamping pressure of the HD-280s as it can be remedied. I have a pretty large noggin and when I bought my HD-280 they were really tight. But I just flexed the headband outward a good amount every time put them on or took them off. After a couple weeks of this stretching exercise, they were no longer tight. Problem solved.
 
WARNING: I did this very carefully and used gumption as to how far I could flex them without breaking the band, so a very big YMMV!!

 Yeah, I did the same thing it works. Just be super careful. They don't want to give up the tension (which is probably a good thing), so you need to go slow over time really.
 
I'm considering getting the 380, as I'm guessing they are an improvement, but the isolation with the 280 (even stretched a bit) is very good.
 
Of course the reason they clamp so much is for isolation. New, these are extremely isolating.
 
Funny though, i've had these for quite a while and the headbands do NOT hold up. The plastic breaks, and screws fall out. No big deal. Nothing good ol duct tape can't handle. I'll bet there are lots of these sporting duct tape across the globe.