[duffers]

I bought some Sony MDR V6s recently, my first pair of cans, for portable use and whilst I'm really pleased with them in the house, outside they're a bit of a let down. They don't isolate noise very well at all, which is pretty important for me as I suffer from tinnitus already and don't want to put the volume up to deafen external noise, and the cable is far too long.

So I'll keep them for home and pick up more suited portable ones. This time, I'm looking for closed headphones that cost £150 (but I'd rather pay less if possible), and that isolate noise really well, whether it's walking about or travelling to work on the bus and tube. With regards to the sound, I'm not experienced enough to know what I want, but I do like a sense of soundstage. I'll be using them on a iPod Classic 160GB, so anything that's forgiving to the source is a bonus but not massively important. I've seen the Sennheiser HD280's listed on the buyer's guide, but is there any other suggestions?

I was tempted to settle for the HD 25-1 but having had a pair of Porta Pro's, I'm not too mad on supra-aural headphones as they feel really loose, and the V6's in comparison feel really firm and snug. Are the HD 25-1's any different in this respect?

 

[duffers]

Updated with a less prudent budget.

 

[loopfreak]

hd 25 1 isolation is unbelievable good ! They are ment to be used in noisiest ambients like sport arenas or clubs. They are very firm in other words they stick to your head however you put them on !

 

[duffers]

I actually think £150 is an awful lot of money for me to spend, on supra-aural cans I'm not too sure on.

The Shure SRH440s is winning out over the Sennheiser 280s since the latter are awfully ugly to be wearing out and about; I don't mind styling cans but they've got to look somewhat good in the first place. Is it safe to say there's not much difference in SQ and isolation between these two?

 

[TheBigCW]

440s would be better phones imo sound quality wise. Not sure about isolation though.

 

[duffers]

As much as I appreciate SQ, isolation is paramount since I really need that external quietness without high volume. If anyone could vouch for the 440's out and about, that'd help me buy them quicker!

 

[Ra97oR]

No full-size headphones isolate better than IEMs, that is a fact. Try some IEM, they total excel at the roles you needed.

 

[Acix]

GMP 8.35 D Monitor, here is more info: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/ger...indeed-406658/

 

[duffers]

I've had IEMs, my last pair being Ultimate hi.fi ones, but I don't really like the feel of them, and now I've tried cans, I wouldn't go back.

The GMP 8.35 are veering out of my preferred price range, and if I was going to go that way, I have options in mind. Think it's sensible I spend less than £100.

I think I'm gonna take the risk of the 440s and hope for the best.

 

[duffers]

So I picked up the 440s, and the isolation is definitely lacking. Sound wise, they sound really good but I'm having to put the volume up more than 75% to hear the music clearly over the bus and street noise. Even still, there's some background noise to contend with. I'm thinking of Beyerdynamic DT770s or the Audio Technica ATH-M50s as I've read they isolate better, but these are way more expensive than my £65 440s, £50 more infact. Can anyone say if its worth that money for the isolation they give ?

 

[UNHchabo]

M50s for 115 pounds? That's a bit high; look around to see if you can buy a pair for less than that, because usually you can buy a set on ebay from an authorized dealer for under $100USD, despite the fact that no online store sells them for less than $130.

 

[Squalish]

DBI Pro 700 would be a good phone to try - they're supposed to be very similar to the GMP's, at a current price of US$40 shipped on Ebay.

Based on distant memory (FWIW), my new M50's are slightly less isolating than the DT770 pro's I used to have, and they don't perform quite as well at low volumes.

 

[Deep Funk]

I once had the fortune of fitting a pair of Sennheiser HD25 iis. They were quite firm yet comfortable. The Sennheiser HD380 is a good option according to the reviews.

Have you considered noise cancellation headphones?

 

[duffers]

Wouldn't mind trying the DBI Pro 700s, but I don't they ship to the UK and they look a touch supra-aural. The DT770s are quickly becoming an option but I do begrudge the £120 price tag. Have read a fair bit on here though that they are isolating behemoths, which is what I'm needing.

I understand noise cancelling headphones come with slightly more baggage and since these are purely for outdoors, don't want that hassle.