Help me pick my first closed headphones
Sep 17, 2012 at 2:37 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 6

benregn

New Head-Fier
Joined
Sep 5, 2012
Posts
4
Likes
0
Hey, I've lurking for a short time, trying to choose my first closed headphones.
 
Current and past headphones: I currently own pretty cheap Creative in-earbuds and I owned Sennheiser H555 (modded). I quite liked the 555 but since they were open I couldn't use them as often as I would have liked. I would like them to be well isolated, both from outside noise and leaking out of the headphones.
 
Music: a lot of electronic, trip-hop and drum'n'bass but also more easy going stuff like Zero 7, Thievery Corporation and similar. So would like the headphones to be very good for electronic etc. but able to handle other music. Definitely don't want an overpowering bass, that drowns everything else out. I do realize that they can't be best at every thing :) 
 
Sources: usually MP3, some 320 but also 128. Only listen from MacBook Pro and HTC Desire HD Android phone.
 
So far I've been looking at:
Ultrasone HFI-580 
Shure SRH440 and SRH840
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
 
Currently most keen on the HFI-580 but not decided at all. Anything else I should be looking at in the price range of those headphones? Thanks guys :)
 
Sep 17, 2012 at 2:39 PM Post #2 of 6
What's your budget?
 
To clarify: you DO WANT overpowering bass?
 
You can knock Shure off your list right now. 
 
Sep 17, 2012 at 3:04 PM Post #3 of 6
Quote:
Hey, I've lurking for a short time, trying to choose my first closed headphones.
 
Current and past headphones: I currently own pretty cheap Creative in-earbuds and I owned Sennheiser H555 (modded). I quite liked the 555 but since they were open I couldn't use them as often as I would have liked.
 
Music: a lot of electronic, trip-hop and drum'n'bass but also more easy going stuff like Zero 7, Thievery Corporation and similar. So would like the headphones to be very good for electronic etc. but able to handle other music. Definitely with an overpowering bass, drowning everything else out. I do realize that they can't be best at every thing :) 
 
Sources: usually MP3, some 320 but also 128. Only listen from MacBook Pro and HTC Desire HD Android phone.
 
So far I've been looking at:
Ultrasone HFI-580 
Shure SRH440 and SRH840
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
 
Currently most keen on the HFI-580 but not decided at all. Anything else I should be looking at in the price range of those headphones? Thanks guys :)

I did like the 555 with Zero 7, despite the lack of bass, because they had a good soundstage. Ultrasones are known for having hot treble, which I just can't stand. I think M50 would be the best choice out of that list, although there are other closed options. 
 
Sep 18, 2012 at 11:29 AM Post #5 of 6
haha, cool. I gotcha. I think you should add the Ultrasone HFI-780 to the list. More refined than 580, a little less bass, but still very solid low end. I'm not sure if the Shure will be as exciting as you want, but someone with more experience with those should chime in. 
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top