[Bazirker]

I'm in the market for a pair of HD650's, but my biggest concern is that they are open.  I intend to use them at work, and while I am not worried about hearing background noise myself, I'm concerned that my admittedly unpopular music tastes may not be appreciated by my co-workers.  If you're listening in a quiet (but not silent) environment at a reasonable volume, will someone sitting 15 feet away from you be able to hear my screaming metal vocalist or screeching Mars Volta riffs?  I don't so much mind that they can hear music is playing, more that they'll be able to discern what I'm listening to and be subjected to it themselves.
 
Thanks!  Looking forward to CanJam so I can try a bunch of other phones out to see if something changes my mind away from my HD650 lust  

 

[francisdemarte]

They leak like a sieve, because basically that is what the back of the headphone is, just a mesh.
 
Play your regular headphone at whatever level you listen to and take them off your head. That's what everyone will hear.
 

 

[MegaMushroom]

These define "open."  Everything you hear, they will hear. 

 

[NinjaSquirt]

With a work environment, you're better off going with the SRH 940 or perhaps IEMs like the Shure SE535 (Very exciting to listen to with metal, can vouch personally). And with the IEMs, you don't hear anything + none of your workers hear your music unless you are on a rediculously loud volume setting.

 

[disastermouse]

HD 650s leak everything.  Awesome headphones, but I wouldn't wear them anywhere I'd worry about annoying people with my music.

 

[Hifianddrumming]

 Also, they're not the best for Screaming Metal vocalists and Mars Volta riffs

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

I'm in the market for a pair of HD650's, but my biggest concern is that they are open.  I intend to use them at work, and while I am not worried about hearing background noise myself, I'm concerned that my admittedly unpopular music tastes may not be appreciated by my co-workers.  If you're listening in a quiet (but not silent) environment at a reasonable volume, will someone sitting 15 feet away from you be able to hear my screaming metal vocalist or screeching Mars Volta riffs?  I don't so much mind that they can hear music is playing, more that they'll be able to discern what I'm listening to and be subjected to it themselves.
 
Thanks!  Looking forward to CanJam so I can try a bunch of other phones out to see if something changes my mind away from my HD650 lust  

Heya,
 
You'll need a closed can for work. Simple as that. Or you'll need to keep the volume really low. I will say that I felt the Beyers didn't leak as much as Sennies & Grados. So if you're absolutely bent on having open/semi-open, I would suggest start looking at something like the DT990 or DT880 perhaps. Even open, they didn't leak as much as some others I have. Otherwise, I think it's time to go closed for you--think DT770, DenonD2000, Ultrasone HFI series.
 
Very best,
 

 

[TobaccoRoad]

fwiw I didn't even like The Mars Volta with the HD650

 

[Bazirker]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I really appreciate it.  I have M50's as my primary headphones and enjoy the sound, but the headband hurts after I wear them for awhile.  I also enjoy my Atrios but they hurt my ears.  Both isolate wonderfully, but comfort issues aside I'm looking to dive a bit deeper into the audiophile realm.  While I haven't disregarded the possibility of getting better IEM's, there's just something about having a pair of full-size headphones...