[tyagi]

I'm one of those lucky people who is able to listen to music while in the office. I use a pair of Grado SR80 at home and have a pair of Sennheiser MX500 buds for on-the-go. I also use a Supermini amp.

Criteria are that sound leakage to the rest of the room should be kept to a minimum but I'd rather not sacrifice my listening pleasure if this is the choice

This is sort of related to the "Headphones for Electronic music Dj/Production" thread posted elsewhere in that I do listen to a lot of electronica. It's mixed between ambient stuff like Future Sound of London and hard trance (Hardfloor etc.). I also like stuff such as Yo La Tengo and Bjork, even some guitar-indie like The Wedding Present. So quite a range really. However, I'd say that electronica was the majority of my listening.

The music source at work will be iPod (15GB) through a Supermini amp.

Recommendations would be appreciated up to around 150UK pounds ($200 ish). I have, however, seen a pair of Senn 600s for around this price, which I am tempted by, but I gather they are an open design which will annoy my work colleagues?

 

[LTUCCI1924]

E2c No leakage

 

[bangraman]

I will pitch with the Sennheiser PXC250. Good smooth but quite well defined sound, nice bass. Noise cancellation takes away rumbles and whatnot but still allows you to hear your colleagues. Not very leaky to the outside world. Will work with Supermini and a nice partner for the iPod. Very comfy for long term wearing and relatively unobtrusive. Just under £70 from ASK on Tottenham Court Road (where you can also buy the HD600 for £120. And no, it's not very suitable for offices).


Alternatively if a very crisp sound with heavy bass (not wholly unlike your SR80) is what you are after the Sennheiser HD25-1 is a good phone. £100 from Turnkey in Charing X Road. Preferred by DJ's and winner of numerous awards. Will work well from an iPod even unamped. Very isolating, you will not be able to hear your colleagues and vice versa.

 

[tyagi]

How about the 280 Pro instead of the 25 (I'm not considering the 25 SP)?

 

[zowie]

Quote:

Originally posted by tyagi How about the 280 Pro instead of the 25 (I'm not considering the 25 SP)?

I started another thread on just that question. Not much response.

 

[bangraman]

The 280's tight, quite smooth but lacks punch compared to the HD25. It's probably slightly more comfortable (these things being personal I can't really tell you) but hotter, but it probably seals out outside sound even more comprehensively than the HD25. It's certainly worth looking at but the 25 suits dance music better than the 280. The 280 may be slightly less fatiguing for long term listening.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Quote:

Originally posted by tyagi I have, however, seen a pair of Senn 600s for around this price, which I am tempted by, but I gather they are an open design which will annoy my work colleagues?

Yes, one the most open, if not the most open design.

I'd say DT770 if you think the supermini can drive them.

 

[tyagi]

Took a trip in to town today (Leeds, UK) and auditioned a few sets at Super-Fi. Very good shop, great staff, most helpful and willing to offer advice and support a good listening session.

They stocked Sennheiser up to and including the 600 (at £149 at the moment) Sony 5000/7000, and Grado SR60/80.

I listened to the Sennheiser 580, Sony 7000 and Sennheiser 25.

The 7000 compared to the 25 was a very dull sound. I'm not a fully qualified audiophile but I guess due to the larger diameter driver it just didn't sound as "tight" or detailed to me.

The 580 was quite a different feel, but it was decidedly bland compared with the punchy 25. It sounded much more neutral and less lively. However, the arm-chair-size pads were most comfortable!

I was undecided about the comfort of the 25 as the band is relatively tight and the pads sit on your ear as opposed to around them. However, I think I'll get used to this, and the comfort is worth the trade off for a fantastic sound. Also, the 25s give very good isolation both from and to the outside world.

So I got the Sennheiser 25 and am listening right now

 

[TWIFOSP]

Beyer dt 831s if you listen to more clasiscal music. My favorite set of closed cans (don't have the 3000s yet

)

Or I'll second the reco for dt770s if you listen to a lot of rock.

Or perhaps beyer 250-250s.

If you ask me, beyer makes the perfect office headphones. Closed, comfortable for 8 hours of use and sound great.

 

[Davie]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman The 280's tight, quite smooth but lacks punch compared to the HD25. It's probably slightly more comfortable (these things being personal I can't really tell you) but hotter, but it probably seals out outside sound even more comprehensively than the HD25. It's certainly worth looking at but the 25 suits dance music better than the 280. The 280 may be slightly less fatiguing for long term listening.

Also, the 280s are pretty big and embarassing looking for office use.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

You're still going to want something that's just open enough for you to hear the phone or someone trying to speak to you, correct?

 

[Chinchy]

I personally have found any kind of isolating headphone annoying for the workplace. Reason being it's hard to hear when your coworkers are talking to you, when the phone rings, when your boss is sneaking up on you to see if you're still surfing Head-Fi... It gets worse with the ear canal phones because you'd have to keep taking it off and putting it on to answer the phone, talk to a coworker, go to the bathroom.

My personal favorites are the open headphones. I've used the SR-60, and now the SR-225 at work, with good results. I can hear my music, and when my coworkers talk to me, I often do so with my headphones on because I can still hear what they are saying. The sound leakage is not that bad because we have cubicles, but admittedly it could be worse if you work in either a noisy environment, or a really quiet environment. And the best part is that if they complain about the sound leaking through, you just turn the music louder till you can't hear them anymore.

Another solution: buy this product

and slap on the Head-Fi smilie of your choice on the door.

 

[gerG]

Man, this needs to be a faq.

Anyway, closed cans merely muffle the high frequencies, but let the lows right through. As a group, they do not leak sound. If isolation is a requirement, only canal phones will do the trick for me (e.g. airline travel). Within the group, there is still quite a bit of difference in outside sound attenuation.

I drag everything to work for a try. My favorites so far are the Beyer DT250-250. They do everything well or extremely well. Only downside is the size (won't fit some folks). They also have the worst isolation of my closed cans.

Second fav is the DT831. Bigger, more comfortable, better sound, and better isolation. Slightly less stable if you move around much, and more conspicuous.

Third choice is the HD280. Better isolation than the others, and decent sound. Problem is the high clamping force needed to retain an absolute seal. That combined with the pleather makes them get uncomfortable fast. They are also very sensitive to leakage around the pads, so you will lose bass if you wear glasses.

I bring in my AT A1000 on occasion, but they require equalization to sound right (to me). Not possible with the ipod. Very possible with winamp + directx + various equalizers.


gerG

 

[bangraman]

I think he's already bought an HD25 (good choice sir).

 

[Davie]

Quote:

Originally posted by gerG I bring in my AT A1000 on occasion, but they require equalization to sound right (to me). Not possible with the ipod. Very possible with winamp + directx + various equalizers. gerG

What sort of equalization do you use?