Isolating cans: DT 770 32ohm or Custom One Pro ?

[alblon]

I've been lurking around this forum for a while and I can't decide which headphone to buy. I hope that somebody here can help me decide.
I need a passive noise isolating over ear headphones. The more they isolate, the better, because I've to use them in an open plant office.
I'm not an audiophile so I don't need something with a perfect frequency response but nonetheless I love music and I want a good sounding headphone with good but not overwhelming basses.
I listen to a lot of music genre but mainly I listen to progressive rock and metal.
I've to connect the headphones to the PC soundcard and I'm not interested in buying a dedicated amplifier.
 
Right now I'm using an open headphone: Philips SHP 805, that is veeeery cheap but sounds good to my ears. Everything better than that is ok but I want to make good use of my money.
 
Till now I've restricted the range to two BeyerDynamics cans:  DT770 32 ohm and Custom One Pro.  Both of them are in my price range and they seems to be among the best in passive noise isolation.
Since I can't try them in a shop I can't decide which one to choose. Which one isolates the most from my colleagues chat ?  Which one have more chance to please me regarding audio quality ? 
Looking at the frequency responce graphs and listening to some audio samples at SonicSense, it seems that the Custom One Pro lacks high frequencies. Is that something I can address with an equalizer ?
 
Any advice from someone who tried them both ?
 
Are there other cans that isolate like these two ?
 
Thank you.
--Alberto

 

[cel4145]

Innerfidelity measures headphones: http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads.

You'll find that the chart at the top right for each headphone shows an isolation measurement that you can compare against other headphones Innerfidelity has measured.

 

[Armaegis]

If you're going to be running them straight out of a computer or phone, then I'd go with the COP. The DT770 has an overall better sound quality and slightly better isolation, but wants an amp driving it to sound at its best.
 
Mild equalizing can fix most frequency response issues as long as you're gentle with it. General rule: cut rather than boost.

 

[Swagsupply]

I'd get the 770. It beats the COPs in clarity in bass, mids, highs. The COPs however have a dedicated bass switch so if bass power is specifically what you're looking for the COPs will have a more hard hitting and boomy bass but the bass won't be as clear and tight. The COPs might be better for Hip Hop or Electronica but for your genres especially Rock, the 770 should be better. About needing an amp to run it is nonsense. It's a low impedance headphone that's made to be played from portable players and it sounds great from such sources. Sure the quality will improve with an amp but the same can be said of virtually every headphone that breaks the 100 dollar price range. And since you mentioned you're not an audiophile you likely won't even notice the difference had you had an amp to go with it. An amp will make the 770 play louder however I usually play it at 60-70 percent volume at home and 80-100 outside through my IPad and I can't say there was ever a time I wished I could play a song louder. There are certain headphones which improve tremendously with an amp or are simply unlistenable without one but the 32 ohm 770 is definitely not one of those.

 

[alblon]

Innerfidelity measures headphones: http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads.

You'll find that the chart at the top right for each headphone shows an isolation measurement that you can compare against other headphones Innerfidelity has measured.

 
Thank you for the reply.
Unfortunately the DT770 listed there is the 600ohm one.
I have found some graphs on http://graphs.headphone.com/ and it seems that the DT770 32 ohm isolates a bit better on lower frequencies while the COP isolates better on higher frequencies. But that's only the graph at position 2 of the bass switch.

 

[alblon]

  If you're going to be running them straight out of a computer or phone, then I'd go with the COP. The DT770 has an overall better sound quality and slightly better isolation, but wants an amp driving it to sound at its best.
 
Mild equalizing can fix most frequency response issues as long as you're gentle with it. General rule: cut rather than boost.

Thank you for your reply!
 
I tried to hear the SonicSense samples of the COP and of the DT770 (with different headphones) and it seems to me that I need to equalize both headphones: for my tastes the DT770 has a bit too much highs while the COP lacks highs.  Obviously those samples gives only a very rough idea of the sound of the headphones.

 

[alblon]

I'd get the 770. It beats the COPs in clarity in bass, mids, highs. The COPs however have a dedicated bass switch so if bass power is specifically what you're looking for the COPs will have a more hard hitting and boomy bass but the bass won't be as clear and tight. The COPs might be better for Hip Hop or Electronica but for your genres especially Rock, the 770 should be better. About needing an amp to run it is nonsense. It's a low impedance headphone that's made to be played from portable players and it sounds great from such sources. Sure the quality will improve with an amp but the same can be said of virtually every headphone that breaks the 100 dollar price range. And since you mentioned you're not an audiophile you likely won't even notice the difference had you had an amp to go with it. An amp will make the 770 play louder however I usually play it at 60-70 percent volume at home and 80-100 outside through my IPad and I can't say there was ever a time I wished I could play a song louder. There are certain headphones which improve tremendously with an amp or are simply unlistenable without one but the 32 ohm 770 is definitely not one of those.

 
Thank you for the reply.
No, I'm not specifically searching for bass power even though I want a bit more power in the bass than an analytical headphone. Correct me if I'm wrong, it seems to me that the DT770 has good powerful but not overwhelming basses.
 
Now, about every review I read gives a clear edge in sound quality to the DT 770 over the COP.
What is not 100% clear is which one wins in sound isolation.
 
Just to be clear: I'm talking about the regular DT770 32 ohm, not the limited edition.

 

[cel4145]

Thank you for the reply.
Unfortunately the DT770 listed there is the 600ohm one.

I would guess the difference in isolation between the different DT770 models is probably marginal.

 

[Armaegis]

It's only a change in drivers. There should be no change in isolation at all.
 
I think they're discontinued now, but if you can find Beyer gel pads, those up the isolation even further.
 
Either headphone's isolation can be improved a bit (mostly in the upper frequencies) by opening up the cups and shoving in some dynamat and acoustic foam.

 

[Swagsupply]

The LE and the regular 32 Ohm are virtually the same exact headphone with graphs showing some minor differences but that's likely not due to the sound driver but I believe to a ring around the driver that's missing on the LE. You are correct the 770 has a powerful bass but not overwhelmingly so and is much less bloated than the COP's although not as strong. The COPs bass sounds more similar to the 80 Ohm version if I had to compare but even more bloated. In terms of how hard on impact the bass is I'd rate the COPS => 80 > 32 > 250 which might make it seem like the bass on the 32 ohm version is weak but the 770s are a closed can and naturally the bass is emphasized on them. I can't speak firsthand for the COPs isolation in public but the 770 has very good sound isolation while outside/train/plane. I'd say the sound isolation should be roughly the same as the cans are similar in size/fit but perhaps due the COPs having a lower impedance and having a bass switch on them you'll be able to drive them at higher volumes thus blocking out more outside noise. I really think you can't go wrong with the 770s at this price range as there are really no better closed back options unless you are willing to go up to the ~$500 range.