Help a Newbie out.
Jul 16, 2004 at 7:00 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 20

elvergun

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Hi all…I need some advise.

A couple of months ago I bought an iPod. The first thing I did after I got home was to purchase a pair of PX200s based on Amazon.com user reviews. While the PX200s are Ok, I find that they are a little bass weak and a tad uncomfortable to be used on a daily basis. I will probably use them on long trips since they are quite portable. I need new phones.

I’m looking for circumaural cans (not more than $200) that can be efficiently powered by the ipod without amplification.

My top choices until I saw them in person:

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
Sony MDR-V600
Sennheiser HD 555


All of the above are too darn big and heavy. After further research, the Beyerdynamic DT 231s or the AKG K271s (are these circumaural?) look good.


I have not been able to find a store where I can hear them in person, so I have to rely on your opinions. What do you guys think? Any other circumaural cans out there that are not too bulky or heavy and can be powered by a portable device?
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 7:09 AM Post #2 of 20
Quote:

Originally Posted by elvergun
Hi all…I need some advise.

A couple of months ago I bought an iPod. The first thing I did after I got home was to purchase a pair of PX200s based on Amazon.com user reviews. While the PX200s are Ok, I find that they are a little bass weak and a tad uncomfortable to be used on a daily basis. I will probably use them on long trips since they are quite portable. I need new phones.

I’m looking for circumaural cans (not more than $200) that can be efficiently powered by the ipod without amplification.

My top choices until I saw them in person:

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
Sony MDR-V600
Sennheiser HD 555


All of the above are too darn big and heavy. After further research, the Beyerdynamic DT 231s or the AKG K271s (are these circumaural?) look good.


I have not been able to find a store where I can hear them in person, so I have to rely on your opinions. What do you guys think? Any other circumaural cans out there that are not too bulky or heavy and can be powered by a portable device?



First off, welcome to Head-FI!

The AKG 271's are bigger than the HD 555 if my memory of the 271 serves me correctly. BTW, the HD555's are anything but heavy and are extreamly comfortable.

Before you make a final decision on the PX200, run them at high volume with bass heavy music for 6-8 hours. If you still find them lite in the bass department avoid both the 271 and 555.

If the above are too big, you might check out the Sennheiser HD25's.

The Sony V6 or 7506 would sound way better than the v600 but are about the same size...

You may also want to look at the Shure E3 they're canal phones that are generally well liked.

If you like AKG, the 240s is bassy and comfortable but not smaller than the HD555.
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 7:52 AM Post #3 of 20
Hi,

The suggestions above are all excellent. However, one point to consider is wether you want open or closed headphones. With open headphones there is very little sound isolation from outside noise and also everyone else can hear the music you are playing.

I'd also recomend Ultrasone HFI-650 or 700. Closed cans which will work well directly out of your IPod, with no need for an amplifier. However, these may be a little outside your price range.

Regards

John

UE-10 Pro fan boy

PS Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 8:16 AM Post #4 of 20
It sounds to me like you need closed (trust me on that bit), circumaural, portable headphones - but if you don't want them portable these recommendations aren't right.

The AKG 271 isn't suitable if you want to wear them while you walk - the way the headband works it'd move all over the place. You'd want cans with a single headband, like the Beyer 250-80, Senn 280, Sony V6, or Ultrasone. The Beyers and Ultrasone will be a step up from the other two, but you'll have to decide if they're worth it by trying them out.

If you want these for music on trips, you might consider in-ear phones. I don't like Shures (had E3s), but the Sharp MD33 from audiocubes.com or the Etymotic ER6-i would do the job. If you want these for when you're at home though, i'd go with full sized cans.
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 4:01 PM Post #5 of 20
Firstly, thanks for the welcome and the advise.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasper994
First off, welcome to Head-FI!
The AKG 271's are bigger than the HD 555 if my memory of the 271 serves me correctly. BTW, the HD555's are anything but heavy and are extreamly comfortable.



Well, then perhaps the AKG 271s are out of the equation. The HD555 might not be heavy, but I would feel like a dork walking down the streets with those cans…they are just too big.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasper994
You may also want to look at the Shure E3 they're canal phones that are generally well liked.


I really need circumaural cans. I just can’t stand to have anything in or on my ears for too long (after about an hour I have to take the phones off) no matter how good the sound coming out of the cans. I like the PX200s all right, but the fact that they rest on my ears really bothers me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Reeves
Hi,

The suggestions above are all excellent. However, one point to consider is wether you want open or closed headphones. With open headphones there is very little sound isolation from outside noise and also everyone else can hear the music you are playing.

I'd also recomend Ultrasone HFI-650 or 700.



I does not really matter to me if they are open or closed. What does matter is that they be circumaura. The Ultrasone cans look good, but they are a bit pricey. I’m not sure I would want to spend that much money without auditioning them first. I will call around to see if someone sells them in my area (doubtful).

Quote:

Originally Posted by commando
It sounds to me like you need closed (trust me on that bit), circumaural, portable headphones -


Yes… and they should be able to be driven by a portable. It’s starting to look like the DT 231s are it.

I also tried the Bose Triports yesterday. They are actually exactly what I am looking for as far as size and looks. I just have a hard time buying anything from Bose.
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 4:21 PM Post #6 of 20
Are the Audio Technica A900s circumaural?????
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 5:21 PM Post #7 of 20
From Jensl review,
Beyer DT440 sounded good for your criteria. Supposed to be the successor to DT531.

Slightly lighter than its sibling like DT660, DT860.
Easier to drive and foldable cups.

Also Senn HD-25 should provide good isolation and sound for closed cans.
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 8:06 PM Post #8 of 20
One Love
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 9:47 PM Post #9 of 20
Quote:

Originally Posted by elvergun
Are the Audio Technica A900s circumaural?????


They are circumaural. They are also extremely comfortable, closed, easily driven from a portable source, and sound good. However, they are very big and flashy, probably moreso than any of the cans you have already mentioned as being too big. For this reason, they really aren't a good choice for typical portable use (personally I love the way they look, but I would never wear them out in public).

Sennheiser HD 25-1 might be a better fit for your criteria. I haven't heard them though, so I can't make any firsthand comments on their sound quality.
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 11:03 PM Post #10 of 20
Quote:

Originally Posted by commando
The AKG 271 isn't suitable if you want to wear them while you walk - the way the headband works it'd move all over the place.


I have the AKG 240S, which has a very similar headband to the 271 (or at least it looks similiar in the pics I've seen), and they don't move when I walk with them (they do move when I head bang though), but it might just be that i have a fro.
icon10.gif
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 11:29 PM Post #11 of 20
Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipinder
I have the AKG 240S, which has a very similar headband to the 271 (or at least it looks similiar in the pics I've seen), and they don't move when I walk with them (they do move when I head bang though), but it might just be that i have a fro.
icon10.gif



I find the headband moves a bit, but that wouldn't be my biggest concern. They're a bit...big...to just walk around with, and the iPod only drives them decently, but nothing great. I'd get something that isn't so strange to drive.
 
Jul 16, 2004 at 11:48 PM Post #13 of 20
This sucks. It’s almost impossible to decide. Too many choices and too little money (was it this hard for you guys?).

I read in some post that the Beyerdynamic DT 231s are not really circumaural cans. I searched for a picture of the phones and it looks like that the earpieces are indeed too small. Who knows for shure…it’s hard to tell from a picture.

I’m liking the A900s based on what I have read on this site. They are just too tempting, specially when some people have commented that they might be better than the HD 595s.

Questions…

It seems that the A900s are big…but are they also heavy? How much of a dork would I look if I wear them at work? Are the A500 smaller and do they weigh less?
 
Jul 17, 2004 at 12:23 AM Post #14 of 20
Most people spend some time trying to decide what they want.

A900s and A500s are the same size, they're quite light and very comfortable. They're not small, they're fine for work (they're smaller than my Cd3Ks), but they'd look a bit funny to wear portably. Plus if you wore them while walking, they'd probably move. Also, i'd not use min portably - they could get damanged.

The 595s will almost certianly sound better than the A900s - open cans almost always sound better than closed for the same price. You need to decide if you want/need isolation - and IMHO for work use you probably do.

I think you need to decide what you want them for - home/works use, using them while sitting on public transport, or wearing them while walking around. That'll help narrow down the options considerably.
 
Jul 17, 2004 at 2:45 AM Post #15 of 20
Yeap…it looks like its going to be the A900s. These cans might not be too portable but I still have the PX200s for that duty.

Just one more question. Are the A900s (and the A500s) to bassy. I would prefer a more rounded phone that can reproduces Jazz and Acid Jazz truthfully…not too much artificial bass and unneeded coloring…something that faithfully reproduces percussion. Are the A900 the right phones?
 

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