[oldson]

how good is the isolation on the closed back models folks?
interested in all 3 current models

 

[Bjorn154]

how good is the isolation on the closed back models folks?
interested in all 3 current models

My wife has not complained like she does with the open back - she has still not quite understood that I am not blowing my ears out with the open. From a listeners perspective I would say ok but not great. The AC fan when running at home still has a little of that white noise effect at lower volumes but nothing too intrusive like the open.

 

[rlawry]

I have to use closed-back phones as I listen to music through them early in the morning in my living room that is just outside our bedroom where my wife is still asleep with the door open. Since she is easily awakened by any noise whatsoever including the booming crash of a feather hitting the floor I need good isolation from music leaking out of the headphones. I have never received any punishment for waking her up with the XTC-Closed ^2.5 (or the ^1.0 when I previously owned a pair), so my take is that they don't leak much sound nor do I hear much outside the phones while listening.

 

[ozz007]

XTC close 2.5 are very good for isolation. Wife is happy now lol

 

[LostnAmerica]

I have to use closed-back phones as I listen to music through them early in the morning in my living room that is just outside our bedroom where my wife is still asleep with the door open. Since she is easily awakened by any noise whatsoever including the booming crash of a feather hitting the floor I need good isolation from music leaking out of the headphones. I have never received any punishment for waking her up with the XTC-Closed ^2.5 (or the ^1.0 when I previously owned a pair), so my take is that they don't leak much sound nor do I hear much outside the phones while listening.

You too? My wife sleeps, but doesn't...the "booming crash" is exactly what I've experienced for many years now. The closed seem like the perfect answer for me. Same reaction on the XTC opens I had, and so I sold them...Cheers

 

[Kiba No Ou]

Hi All, Right now I'm listening to a Fostex TH909 that i really like but the piercing highs and the hot mids are an issue for me.
I've found a XTC Open for a really good price and i was wondering how it competes with the XTC 2.5 and if can be a good replacement for my TH909.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bjorn154]

You are not going to get that with either. More a matter if you prefer closed vs open. The drivers are the same so sound wise similar.

 

[bobo64]

Hi, I might've missed something in this thread, but I couldn't find any information on differences between xtc 1.5 closed and xtc 2.5 closed. Since 2.5 is much more expensive I need to know what I would get with that upgrade. Thanks!

 

[John Massaria]

Hi, I might've missed something in this thread, but I couldn't find any information on differences between xtc 1.5 closed and xtc 2.5 closed. Since 2.5 is much more expensive I need to know what I would get with that upgrade. Thanks!

The ^2.5 is the largest and heaviest hp in the XTC closed line up - to be clear the carrot representing to the power of 2.5 (thus the ^2.5) than the standard XTC closed- and the ^2.5 is the only headphone we make with an amphitheater cut inside the cup cnc carved into the wood; while all the closed backs use the cochlea like spiral and porous carbon - the amphitheater cuts create a more open space closer to the sound of an open back more so than the smaller versions.

 

[rlawry]

I have not heard the 1.5 but had a 1.0 and now own a 2.5 so the comparisons should be similar. Since both of my phones had beryllium drivers, similar impedance (64 ohms for the 1.0 and 32 ohms for the 2.5) and tuning (nearly scalpel and Wolf Hawk), the only other difference was the increased cup size for the 2.5. The sound was of the same family, slightly warm with great bass, good midrange body, and sweet highs. The 2.5 has a bigger soundstage and tighter and deeper bass with slightly more overall detail. You can't go wrong with either phone.

 

[bobo64]

Thank you very much for your comments. Much aprreciated!

 

[Kiba No Ou]

You are not going to get that with either.

What do you mean?

I have not heard the 1.5 but had a 1.0 and now own a 2.5 so the comparisons should be similar. Since both of my phones had beryllium drivers, similar impedance (64 ohms for the 1.0 and 32 ohms for the 2.5) and tuning (nearly scalpel and Wolf Hawk), the only other difference was the increased cup size for the 2.5. The sound was of the same family, slightly warm with great bass, good midrange body, and sweet highs. The 2.5 has a bigger soundstage and tighter and deeper bass with slightly more overall detail. You can't go wrong with either phone.

So the 2.5 is overall better even if it's closed?

 

[rlawry]

What do you mean?

So the 2.5 is overall better even if it's closed?

The 2.5 is better overall than the 1.0 in my opinion, being more refined with a bigger soundstage and better bass with slightly improved dynamic range. Both are closed models.

 

[Bjorn154]

What do you mean?

So the 2.5 is overall better even if it's closed?

Piercing highs or hot mids are not going to happen with the XTC’s no matter which one you get.

 

[Bjorn154]

The differences are more in the size of the soundscape and if you can use an open back in your environment. For a closed back the 2.5 is probably as close as you are going to get to that open back big perceived soundstage.