[blaken]

I am looking for a new set of cans in the 100-150 range like everyone else

but I will be using them in a cube 100% of the time. I will be using a pc as a source. Eventually I will get build a usb dac and amp but for now its going to be straight pc.

What I am really worried about is how bad the 555/595s will leak. At 1 inch from the drivers in my optimus pro 40s (no jokes please

) my spl meter reads 78 db for the loudest I would ever listen to music and 65 for normal listening level. At 1 foot it is 53 db and 50 where 50 db is ambient. Do you think the guy on the other side of the paper wall will hear my music? I don't think they would mind but there is a chance my new cube will be in a high traffic area and some times I do like to listen to the gangster rap and I wouldn't want anyone to be offended.

I don’t have anywhere in town that I can audition these but from all the reviews I don't think I can go wrong. Oddly enough there is a place where I can go listen to grados so I might check out the 125s but unless they are a lot more comfortable then they look I doubt I will get them. These will be in use for 4-8 hours a day.

I listen to a lot of different types of music.

Techno
Trip-hop and jungle
Jazz
Fusion, funk, classic
Ska
Classic and Alternative rock
Rap
Funk


So if you have any more suggestions let them rip. Here are my requirments.

Must be comfortable for long periods of use.
Circumaural
Able to be used unamped. I plan on building an amp but for at least a couple months they need to go unamped.
I was looking at open vs closed because with my current closed cans my ears tend to get a bit warm.

Thanks for any and all help

 

[Royicus]

You absoluetly cannot listen to music at a moderately loud level with open cans in a workplace environment. I use the HD595s at work right now, and I keep it so I can barely hear it. As a test, I turn the headphones on and make it a level where I can just barely hear it at an armslength away. The people that work around me are old, so I doubt they can hear it if I can't

But that is how I determine my volume for office work. I used to use the HD280s at work, but I kind of got tired of not being able to hear a dang thing However, I did enjoy it when I used to sit next to a high foot traffic area right by the door. Glad I don't sit there anymore.

 

[utarch00]

I use all open cans at work. And at all volumes including loud. I have never had anyone at work say anything. OK nothing about the noise, mostly "Is that another pair of headphones." Anyway, unless you could hear a pin drop at work then you will be OK.

 

[mastercheif]

I wouldn't recomend a open pair at work. I brung my HD-600's in one day and recieved numorous complaints. I would recomend for work a pair of Ultrasone closed headphones. These are the the most acurate and best sounding closed phones I have ever heard. DJ deals is having a clearance right now on a pair of HFI-700's for $239
http://www.djdeals.com/ultrasoneHFI700.htm
and ultrasone has a $50 dollar mail in rebate
http://www.ultrasoneusa.com/

Or you can get a pair of HFI-550's

http://www.abesofmaine.com/viewprodu...i550&l=Froogle

 

[powermung]

In my experience, if they like you, they'll ask you to turn the volume up so they can enjoy the music with you. If they hate you, it's another thing they hate about you and will complain. One of my co-workers had a radio and was using speakers at nearly inaudible level where I was sitting. My only complaint was that I couldn't hear anything.

 

[blaken]

I forgot to mention that we are allowed to listen to music at a "reasonable" level. People have small raidios/cd players at their desks. I am not too worried about people hearing a little music but will lyrics be heard? I guess I could keep it clean for work but that would eliminate quite a few good albums.

 

[Royicus]

Yea, personally, I'd rather just not even bother my coworkers, or put them in a position where they either have to confront me about it, or else just put up with it. I'm fairly sure my team wouldn't appreciate hearing my music (as good as it is), so I just keep it low.

If you work around people that don't care, or you company policies will allow it (and you don't have any personal issues with it), then by all means use a good set of open cans. It just makes me feel uncomfortable.

 

[awu_gigabyte]

i second the HFI-550's, great isolation, great sound, and major bass. Very easily driven by ipods, computers, etc. you won't be disappointed.

 

[utarch00]

I have never had anyone say they can hear the lyrics. I do not listen to censored stuff.

When someone has come in to my cube, and I have taken ny headphones off, I have not been able to hear the lyrics. For that matter I can hear music, but can not make out what it is.

If you want closed cans then go for it, but you will not have a problem with any open can.

If you are really worried, then ask you cube neighbors what they think.

 

[blaken]

The HFI-550 look like nice cans but they are about $40 out of my price range. I know that doesn't seem like much but the wife already thinks I am crazy for wanting to spend $150 for "stupid headphones". Is there anything within my range that you would recommend or is there a place selling them cheaper then $189?

Thanks for the input I really appriciate it.