[th3hate]

Hello.
 
I'm going to buy my first set of headphones after using some cheap IEM's for a long time. First off, I'm not really familiar with the open versus closed cans. I know that open is supposed to leak more audio in and out but my only concern in sound quality, and I don't care about audio leakage. I'm going be listening directly from my laptop and won't be using an external amp/DAC as the budget doesn't allow at this moment.
 
I usually listen to rock (Three days grace, linkin park, evanescence) to name a few. As well as some pop, hip-hop, techno, and dubstep.
I won't be listening to Jazz, classical, or instrumental.
 
This leaves us with Sennheiser HD 518 (open) vs SRH440 and 750DJ (closed). Again my only concern is audio quality and performance, so let's leave comfort and build quality aside. I'm also not open to other choices as I'm going to buy from a local store nearby.
 
Thank you.

 

[NA Blur]

I know the Senn HD-518 is talked about more an more these days in positive light.  They receive both 5-star ratings from headroom and the customers who purchased them.  I like the 518 for you because they are slightly boosted in the bass area which should work well for your listening tastes.  The bass boost is not ridiculous so the rest of the spectrum should be nicely presented.
 
 
I find the SHURE products tinny sounding.  If you listen closely you can hear the music being played through a tin can.  Some IEM's have this issue too.  The SRH750DJ is really bass boosted and many find it uncomfortable to wear.  I have a hard time recommended a phone with such a bass boost.
 
In the end, since you are buying from a local store, why not try them if you can there?  Bring an iPod and check each phone listening for what you prefer in music.  Perhaps they have a return policy so you can bring one pair home at a time and give them a complete listen before you settle on one?
 
The HD-518 is the better phone for sure.
 
Best of luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[th3hate]

The store sadly has a no return, no exchange policy and won't allow me to open the box to test them, but it's the only option since i live in a stranded area (kinda xD) so the choice is critical.
 
HD 518 is $190 and SRH750DJ is $150. I heard 750DJ's are comparable to ATH M-50 which people here seem to like a lot.
 
Are you positive i should go with HD 518?

 

[BotByte]

Go for the srh-440
 
From your genre choices, a little less bass would be best and the 440 is just that.
 
The other two are more darker (bassier) and won't give your music much *zing*

 

[th3hate]

I was leaning towards the HD 518's but your point seems valid. I don't like it when bass overwhelms highs and meds, although some "punchy" bass presence is always appreciated!
 
To my information the 440's are not as easily driven when compared to the other two, and do require an amp. Now I'm more confused than ever.

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

I was leaning towards the HD 518's but your point seems valid. I don't like it when bass overwhelms highs and meds, although some "punchy" bass presence is always appreciated!
 
To my information the 440's are not as easily driven when compared to the other two, and do require an amp. Now I'm more confused than ever.

They don't need a amp.
 
At 44ohms, it's easy to push if your not using a $1 MP3 player
 
Buy them
Test them for higher volume crackling - sign of underpower
Then see about a FiiO E5 - enough power. Or even a E3 would work. But a E5 lasts so much longer.

 

[Tommy C]

I have had the Shure SRH750DJ and I liked the SQ a lot, but they were not comfortable at all. After 45-60min I needed to take a break.
Sound-wise they are great. nice tight bass, nice lows and high, very detailed and fun to listen too. I bought them on sale for $79, but comfort was a deal breaker.  I have the Creative Aurvana Live! (Denon 1001 drivers) which I bought a couple of years ago for $60 and I found them to be more complete than the Shure. The CAL! are very details, tight bass, more than the Shure even, but not tiring the like the Shure.
Shure's isolation is much better, but they are way heavier and cumbersome, built like a tank. CAL! is the most comfortable headphones I have had, light, super soft but very durable pleather and light. I had them for almost 2 years, using them daily 6-8 hrs every day and going strong. Very fun phones.
If only Shure could have done them a bit more comfy.....
 
EDIT: I didn't find the Shure to be driven easily from my Samsung Android phone or my laptop. The CAL! are much easier to drive.
For $60 I will not think twice. Sound is nicer on the CAL! imo.
 
 

 

[th3hate]

I have a very large fischer amp with 6.3mm output. It used to power my old stereo system from '90s. I remember I connected it to my desktop's sound card once and it blasted some cheap headphones volume to an extreme level that they almost became stereo speakers instead of headphones. But i can't figure out to connect it to the laptop, I'm trying to remember which cable i used.
 
It's called fischer CR-M101 (image)
 
Should i bother or the fiio e5 would be a better option?

 

[th3hate]

Looking at this chart i find the SRH440's to be somewhat lacking in bass and treble when compared to 750dj and 518's. I really want more opinions before deciding.
 

 

[KimLaroux]

I happen to have the SRH 440 and listen to the type of music you listen to, except hip-hop.
 
I had the 440s for at least a year now. I got used to their sound and I actually prefer them for rock/metal/symphonic music. I just listened to Metallica's "... And Justice For All" album and the drum is very good, it's really punchy and controlled; it's not mushy and overwhelming like, let say, the AKG 240. For Dubstep though, you would probably be better with the other cans as they have more power in the lower frequencies.
 
But I'm getting tired of my 440s, and it's really becoming a deal breaker: Comfort. These cans are really not comfortable. First, the pads are way too hard and they just become harder with time. Second, the headband is close to not cushioned. What makes the headband really bad is that when you place the headphone on your head, the band flattens to the point where there's only a single point on top of your head that holds all of the headphone's weight. And this point is hard.
 
They are still very good sounding and this is why I'm trying to make them more comfortable. I tried the sock mod on the pads (found on this forum), but this doesn't fix the problem of hard pads. So I ordered the SRH 940 pads and will try them to see if it helps. I'm also experimenting with different ways of making the headband more comfortable... Now if you have to buy some extras stuff to make them comfortable, you should just go ahead and get the SRH 840. Better investment.
 
As for amp, I use mines straight out of my laptop and don't see the need for an amp. I tried a few, including custom built ones. The difference was too subtle to notice. In fact, the extra noise added by the amp just made it a downgrade. I believe an external DAC&AMP combo would be a better suited upgrade for the 440. But this really depends on the hardware you have. I could simply be lucky to have a laptop able to drive them so well.
 
 
 

 

[200poundsofamp]

Quote:

Looking at this chart i find the SRH440's to be somewhat lacking in bass and treble when compared to 750dj and 518's. I really want more opinions before deciding.
 

Don't give those too much credit, they can really mess up when it comes to measuring bass.

 

[th3hate]

I ended up buying the 750dj. At first they sounded EXTREMELY harsh and sibilant with flat bass response, my ears almost bled from their piercing sound. After some EQ'ing (picture below) they sounded better with good bass impact, but i still get fatigued fast listening to them. Will i get used to them or shall i seek another cans?