[yoniweisbrod]

Hi guys,
 
I'm a programmer and I'll be starting a new job in a shared office with 3 other programmers. I'm trying to choose a good set of headphones that would be comfortable to wear for long periods of time, wouldn't leak at normal volumes, and wouldn't look like a "Do Not Disturb" sign (i.e. no huge ugly cans). 
 
I also want something that looks nice - my favourites: Koss PortaPros, Grado Sr60, AKG 240/271, AKG 550, everything by B&W and B&O. 
 
Budget is ~$80-150.
 
Thanks!

 

[Beyakusenn]

The K550 (and the new K553) are extremely comfortable, do not leak sound, sound great (the K550 is slightly bass light; K553 have a bit more bass) so I'd normally recommend one of those, but they are quite large. You could put a sticker on them "Disturbing allowed" 

 
Grados and the Porta Pro leak too much, B&W has only the P3 in that price range (not so very good/comfortable), B&O could be something, but I don't know them well enough.

 

[yoniweisbrod]

Thanks so much!
 
I found a used B&W P7 for $300, and I'm very tempted to up my budget significantly. I'd do the P5, but I live in a country where the S2 hasn't yet arrived. Would this be a good option? Seems to tick all the boxes - not too big, looks nice, great sound, no leakage. Or is it a waste when I can just get the AKG550/AKG271?

 

[cel4145]

I liked the P7s when I tried them. They have more bass emphasis than the K550.

 

[Beyakusenn]

The P7 are great headphones. They do have more bass than what is considered neutral, but  their overall performance is great. If you can buy them for $300 and if they are in immaculate condition, I'd say those would suit you very well (unless you have large ears).
 
If I were you I wouldn't consider on-ears (like the P5) at all because they could get uncomfortable after a while. I do own on-ears (t51p), but I only have those on for periods of less than 1.5 hours (commuting).

 

[yoniweisbrod]

Just discovered the AKG Y50. Seems like it could be a good bet, if I'm not up to spending $300.  I know it's an on-ear, but reviews seem to be saying that it's comfy. Any thoughts? I suppose the P7 is probably in a different league, sound-wise, in terms of build quality, etc.

 

[manbear]

I find the AKG K550 to have a harsh, flat, shouty quality in the upper midrange/treble. YMMV but I couldn't handle that for extended periods time while trying to concentrate. 

The P7 is a fantastic headphone. I owned it for a while before getting a TH600. Good bass, not ugly, isolate well, very detailed. 

 

[Beyakusenn]

I have not heard the Y50, so I can't say anything about it's sound.
 
On-ears can be comfortable, but whether they get uncomfortable after an hour or two depends on your ears. The pressure on the auricles causes this comfort issue. The only on-ear headphones I know that do not get uncomfortable at all are the incredibly soft KEF M500, but these are $300 and their sound is lacking considering their price.
 
The Sennheiser Momentum over-ear sell for $169 on Amazon nowadays and even though their sound is a bit on the bassy side, I think these are great headphones.