[teef]

Hello. I hate being one to make another of these threads; I know these sorts of questions are asked a lot, but I do need some help from those with far more knowledge on the subject than I have. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not an audiophile, least not yet, but have finally chosen to venture into the world of high quality audio. I'm looking for some affordable (would prefer to keep under $200) phones for both home and portable use. Headphone size isn't that important, but since I'll be using them outside the home, I'd like them to be closed and circumaural without a lot of sound leakage. Comfort is also important. I plan on picking up a cMoy, as well, to get started.

I will be using these mostly for gaming and music, but also some movie-watching. I listen to a lot of electronic/trance/dance, metal, rock, and alternative, as well as a bit of orchestral. I've done some searching, but am honestly a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices and info out there. For the moment, I've got my eyes on the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro-80, but I don't know if they're best for all the types of music I listen to. I welcome all comments and suggestions.

 

[paaj]

FWIR (and a little listening for myself) the DT770 is a fine choice in your price range.
If you stretch it a bit you can get the Audio Technica ESW9 for about $220. I have it's limited sister the ESW10 and they're said to be very similar. That would give you a lovely smooth musical sound in a small portable package that does not leak sound. Suitable for all genres and comfort is fine.

 

[teef]

Thank you for the suggestion, but I think those surround sound headphones are a bit gimmicky and don't stand up to the quality of purpose-built cans. I'm also not looking for a gaming headset, just some nice headphones I can use for gaming and that won't be a hassle to use outside the house.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paaj /img/forum/go_quote.gif FWIR (and a little listening for myself) the DT770 is a fine choice in your price range. If you stretch it a bit you can get the Audio Technica ESW9 for about $220. I have it's limited sister the ESW10 and they're said to be very similar. That would give you a lovely smooth musical sound in a small portable package that does not leak sound. Suitable for all genres and comfort is fine.

More the response I was looking for. I have my eyes on the DT770 as I've heard a lot of good stuff about them and I can pick them up for about $160.

I'll look into those AT's. In the meantime, I'd still love more comments.

 

[junkimchi]

hustle hd650s?

 

[paaj]

^ not ideal for portable use, but great when at home if you have a decent amp. something like a speaker amp/receiver, but a good soundcard like 0404USB (or FWIR Asus STX) will do too.

 

[teef]

They're a bit out of my current price range, as well as being open. I've heard almost nothing but praise for the 650s, but for the time being I'm looking for something more suited for a portable setup.

 

[paaj]

check the For Sale section. Many good deals for headphones in your price range, often including one of the top Senns (HD580/600/650) though these are not really suitable for portable use.
I don't really know what's going on there right now but you may just find the ESW9 or Denon D2000 within your price range.