[MoraisGT]

Hi guy's.
 
 
Today I had to return my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro's to Amazon, the left speaker started rattling a low frequencies, so now I'm looking for something to replace them.
 
And Here is the special condition: Since I didn't ask for a replacement product they gave my a gift certificate with the value of my headphones to spend at Amazon.es, so whatever HP's you suggest they have to be sold at Amazon.es!
 
I hope that doesn't limit my options too much.
 
 
Onto my setup and listening habits.
 
 
For a source I'm using an Asus Essence STX II sound card, I only use the HP's with my computer.
 
I will be using them for everything, movie watching, music listening (obviously) and also gaming.
 
Regarding the music I listen to, I like Chillout, Trance, Prog. Rock (quite a lot of Pink Floyd), Power Metal (Powerwolf for example), and a bit of classical too.
 
 
I have been looking at some options, such as (they have to be closed-back BTW):
 
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro - Read some reviews about how they don't impress in the bass department at all. I'm not a basshead but I like to hear those lower frequencies (take this as an example: https://youtu.be/RZMOwBE-jwM?t=19s      the DT 770's gave his voice a depth I really enjoyed). Any input on this? Plus the fact that they are semi-open worries me a bit about the amount of sound that they leak..
 
SoundMagic HP150 - Only found out about them today, heard they are quite good
 
Audio-Technica ATH-A900X - Currently the vendors on Amazon.es don't ship to my country (Portugal), but I heard these were one of the best options under 300€.
 
Feel free to recommend HP's other than these 3, just keep in mind that they have to be sold in Amazon.es.
 
 
Thank's in advance,
Morais-GT

 

[Rhamnetin]

So you listen at home?  Why is sound leakage a problem?  The DT 880 Pro's bass extends very deep and substantial in quantity.  On rare occasions I find the bass to be too forward for my liking; I'd rather have other instruments placed in front.  Only a basshead would find it lacking.
 
Why not get another DT 770 Pro?  You seem to have liked it while it lasted.  

 

[MoraisGT]

  So you listen at home?  Why is sound leakage a problem?  The DT 880 Pro's bass extends very deep and substantial in quantity.  On rare occasions I find the bass to be too forward for my liking; I'd rather have other instruments placed in front.  Only a basshead would find it lacking.
 
Why not get another DT 770 Pro?  You seem to have liked it while it lasted.  

Thank's for the reply Rhamnetin.
 
Yes I only listen with headphones at home.
I live with my parents, and they go to sleep early, so sound leakage is a problem if I want to stay up late and not bother them.
 
What you said about the DT 880's contradicts the review I read here on head-fi, but if what you say is true than these just became a top contender, there's just the question about the sound leakage from them being semi-open.
 
I kind of want to try something new, otherwise I would just have asked for a replacement because like you said, I quite liked my 770's.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Well the DT 880 Pro still has linear bass response overall, keep that in mind.  You can be sure that the DT 770 Pro has more bass, and because your ears are accustomed to your DT 770 Pro's sound signature (a headphone that bassheads approve of I think?), you might find the DT 880 Pro to have less than desirable bass quantity, but it shouldn't sound anorexic or anything.  Bass extension on the other hand is a more objective thing, and the DT 880 Pro goes low.
 
As for sound leakage, even if you turn a fully headphone up to very loud levels, you have to be in the same room to hear it.  The DT 880 Pro is semi-open and doesn't leak as much as a fully open headphone.  It doesn't really isolate at all though, like a fully open headphone.
 
You're right that variety is the spice of life.  Just keep in mind that there is a good chance that whatever headphone you get, you may not like it as much as the DT 770 Pro.

 

[MoraisGT]

  Well the DT 880 Pro still has linear bass response overall, keep that in mind.  You can be sure that the DT 770 Pro has more bass, and because your ears are accustomed to your DT 770 Pro's sound signature (a headphone that bassheads approve of I think?), you might find the DT 880 Pro to have less than desirable bass quantity, but it shouldn't sound anorexic or anything.  Bass extension on the other hand is a more objective thing, and the DT 880 Pro goes low.
 
As for sound leakage, even if you turn a fully headphone up to very loud levels, you have to be in the same room to hear it.  The DT 880 Pro is semi-open and doesn't leak as much as a fully open headphone.  It doesn't really isolate at all though, like a fully open headphone.
 
You're right that variety is the spice of life.  Just keep in mind that there is a good chance that whatever headphone you get, you may not like it as much as the DT 770 Pro.

Well, I just might take a shot at the 880's, if i can't adapt to them I'll return them.
That's the best part about buying from Amazon, they have one of the best customer services around
 
What about the other options, is there anything worth saying?

 

[Rhamnetin]

  Well, I just might take a shot at the 880's, if i can't adapt to them I'll return them.
That's the best part about buying from Amazon, they have one of the best customer services around
 
What about the other options, is there anything worth saying?

 
Oh right.  I presently own both the DT 880 Pro 250 Ohm and Audio Technica ATH-A900X.  The DT 880 Pro has more detail, more bass extension, more treble extension, better instrument separation, wider/taller sound stage that's also ever so slightly deeper, and a lot more bass quantity/presence.  Treble on the DT 880 Pro can sound somewhat strident on really bad recordings while the A900X is very forgiving.  A900X has better textured string instruments which are more forward, I really love the way it renders those.  But you will most likely find the A900X to be too bass light for your tastes.  It's more of a mids + treble oriented headphone.  
 
The DT 880 Pro has much better build quality (they aren't even in the same league, the A900X feels like a toy in comparison) and more comfort for me and most others who have used both.

 

[MoraisGT]

   
Oh right.  I presently own both the DT 880 Pro 250 Ohm and Audio Technica ATH-A900X.  The DT 880 Pro has more detail, more bass extension, more treble extension, wider/taller sound stage that's also ever so slightly deeper, and a lot more bass quantity/presence.  You will most likely find the A900X to be too bass light for your tastes.  It's more of a mids + treble oriented headphone.  

Well then, it looks like the 880's are a very well-rounded pair of headphones.
 
I'll probably go with them, I'm just going to wait a bit to see if anyone else wants to add something to this topic.
 
Thank you very much for your help Rhamnetin!

 

[Rhamnetin]

You're welcome and good luck.  Take advantage of Amazon's returns and customer service.  Also I added a few more thoughts/impressions to my previous post comparing the DT 880 and A900X.

 

[DangerClose]

 
I have been looking at some options, such as (they have to be closed-back BTW):
 
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro 
SoundMagic HP150 - Only found out about them today, heard they are quite good

 
DT880 isn't closed-back.
 
I'd be concerned about the HP150 breaking.  Some people say the worry is overblown, but imo there's enough evidence to say otherwise, and if you hold a pair, you can feel the clamping pressure that is being put on the swivel joint area.  Coming from a DT770, you'd probably like the sound though. 
 
I don't have DT880, and DT990 is said to be more open than DT880, DT990 is less open than various truly open headphones, but if you like to turn up the volume, there's no way I'd recommend a DT990 with sleeping people nearby.  At mild volume and with two closed doors, maybe.  If they wouldn't be bothered by you having the TV on, then ok.  If they want silence, then no.
 
I completely disagree about only being able to hear an open headphone if it's turned way up and if in the same room.  Especially in the dead of night when other sounds aren't drowning out the headphone noise.  

 

[MoraisGT]

   
DT880 isn't closed-back.
 
I'd be concerned about the HP150 breaking.  Some people say the worry is overblown, but imo there's enough evidence to say otherwise, and if you hold a pair, you can feel the clamping pressure that is being put on the swivel joint area.  Coming from a DT770, you'd probably like the sound though. 
 
I don't have DT880, and DT990 is said to be more open than DT880, DT990 is less open than various truly open headphones, but if you like to turn up the volume, there's no way I'd recommend a DT990 with sleeping people nearby.  At mild volume and with two closed doors, maybe.  If they wouldn't be bothered by you having the TV on, then ok.  If they want silence, then no.
 
I completely disagree about only being able to hear an open headphone if it's turned way up and if in the same room.  Especially in the dead of night when other sounds aren't drowning out the headphone noise.  

 
I know they are not closed-back, but they are not open either, if I end up going with the 880's I'm just going to have to find out if they leak a lot of noise by testing them.
 
I've also read about the HP150's being a little fragile, that's the main reason why they are at the bottom of my "list" right now.
 
I've had the Sennheiser HD 518's for a while, but I had to sell them because even the voices from my friends on Teamspeak were audible outside my bedroom with the door closed....
 
I'll just have to test to know, if ofc, I end up going the 880's route.
 
 
Do you have any other suggestions DangerClose?
 
Thank you for your input.

 

[DangerClose]

   
I know they are not closed-back, but they are not open either, if I end up going with the 880's I'm just going to have to find out if they leak a lot of noise by testing them.
 
Do you have any other suggestions DangerClose?

 
Just was expressing a concern.  DT990 leaks less than something like an AD700x, and DT880 apparently leaks less than DT990, but they still leak, and it's hard to figure out how much leak someone and their other people nearby can handle leaking unless the person gives details about the environment and if zero noise is the target or if some is ok.  
 
It's easy to forget about, but at times I'll walk around the house in the middle of the night, no traffic noise, no TV noise, no computer fan noise, and then just the sound of the central air or refrigerator turning on may as well be an alarm going off.  Or just opening the fridge or a drawer.  And a leaking headphone a couple rooms (or farther) away can be between "I hear that clearly" and "Do you hear music?  What is that?  It's coming from somewhere."  
 
If the HD518 was easily too much noise, I wouldn't expect the DT880 to be much better.  But I have neither of those so can't really say.  But people who turn up the volume sometimes have problems even with leaking from some closed headphones.  
 
No other suggestions at this time for the price range you're looking at.  Be sure to let the thread know what you get and how it is.

 

[MoraisGT]

   
Just was expressing a concern.  DT990 leaks less than something like an AD700x, and DT880 apparently leaks less than DT990, but they still leak, and it's hard to figure out how much leak someone and their other people nearby can handle leaking unless the person gives details about the environment and if zero noise is the target or if some is ok.  
 
It's easy to forget about, but at times I'll walk around the house in the middle of the night, no traffic noise, no TV noise, no computer fan noise, and then just the sound of the central air or refrigerator turning on may as well be an alarm going off.  Or just opening the fridge or a drawer.  And a leaking headphone a couple rooms (or farther) away can be between "I hear that clearly" and "Do you hear music?  What is that?  It's coming from somewhere."  
 
If the HD518 was easily too much noise, I wouldn't expect the DT880 to be much better.  But I have neither of those so can't really say.  But people who turn up the volume sometimes have problems even with leaking from some closed headphones.  
 
No other suggestions at this time for the price range you're looking at.  Be sure to let the thread know what you get and how it is.

 
Ok, thank's again for the help DangerClose.
 
I will probably be going with the 880's.
In terms of comfort they should be extremely similar to the 770's, so it's just a question about the sound leakage.
 
I'll have to give them a good test in that department. 
 
But if they don't work out the easiest fix would probably be to go for another pair of DT 770's.
I would even consider the K550's from AKG, I really like their design but I heard that the comfort is not anywhere near the level of the Beyers...

 

[Rhamnetin]

   
Just was expressing a concern.  DT990 leaks less than something like an AD700x, and DT880 apparently leaks less than DT990, but they still leak, and it's hard to figure out how much leak someone and their other people nearby can handle leaking unless the person gives details about the environment and if zero noise is the target or if some is ok.  
 
It's easy to forget about, but at times I'll walk around the house in the middle of the night, no traffic noise, no TV noise, no computer fan noise, and then just the sound of the central air or refrigerator turning on may as well be an alarm going off.  Or just opening the fridge or a drawer.  And a leaking headphone a couple rooms (or farther) away can be between "I hear that clearly" and "Do you hear music?  What is that?  It's coming from somewhere."  
 
If the HD518 was easily too much noise, I wouldn't expect the DT880 to be much better.  But I have neither of those so can't really say.  But people who turn up the volume sometimes have problems even with leaking from some closed headphones.  
 
No other suggestions at this time for the price range you're looking at.  Be sure to let the thread know what you get and how it is.

 
You bring up some good points.  The floor plan and size of the home is something to consider, and the environment.  My home isn't big, only around 1300 sq ft, and does not have a very open floor plan.  I listen behind closed doors in isolation so there is no way anyone upstairs can hear headphones in my room, even at rather loud volumes.  Also I'm in New York City so there is perpetual traffic noise and sirens and such, and I have no nice whisper quiet central AC but instead big loud window/sleeve units.  So it is very dependent on your situation.

 

[MoraisGT]

   
You bring up some good points.  The floor plan and size of the home is something to consider, and the environment.  My home isn't big, only around 1300 sq ft, and does not have a very open floor plan.  I listen behind closed doors in isolation so there is no way anyone upstairs can hear headphones in my room, even at rather loud volumes.  Also I'm in New York City so there is perpetual traffic noise and sirens and such, and I have no nice whisper quiet central AC but instead big loud window/sleeve units.  So it is very dependent on your situation.

I must be the exact opposite of you
 
I live in the countryside in a fairly big apartment, however, the doors between my parent's room and mine are literally 5 feet apart
 
Plus, the surrounding environment is very quiet with occasional dog barks off in the distance.
 
 
But, like I said, the DT770's did leave a good impression so I'm taking a gamble in choosing the 880's.
 
Let's see how this plays out.

 

[DangerClose]

I've posted about how certain very open headphones of mine can travel through two doors and down a hallway.  Are my doors more hollow than others?  Does the high ceiling and wood floors help the sound travel?  That could be the reason.  Or compare an old house with walls made of wood lath and plaster vs. drywall.  
 
Drywall has trouble stopping a poke from a finger.  Drywall can't stop the power of a mighty Beyerdynamic DT990.  

  
 
 
If the DT880 doesn't work out, just sell it and get something else of course.