[csf101]

Hello everyone.

After doing some research online, I came up with these two headphones. Both of them have a lot of positive reviews online and appear to be recommended around here. So I went to Best Buy yesterday and I listened to the Reference Ones and I was amazed by the clarity on them! :atsmile: I really was impressed with these. However, I've seen the M-80's recommended frequently as well. So, my questions are:

-Which headphone has a better soundstage?
-Which headphone would be better for rock and metal?
-Which headphone will block more outside noise?
-If the m-80 is better, where can I try them out in person?

Any answers are appreciated.

 

[UCLA 15]

I can't explicitly answer your questions because I haven't tried out the Reference Ones, but I can say that most people on here would probably recommend the M80s (including myself). The Image Ones are pretty much not well regarded on here for being Beats-esque muddy boom cans, and I believe that the Reference Ones are considered marginally better. At best they are probably considered decent, so no matter what exactly the consensus is, it would make no sense to get them over M80s which are considered very good.

 

[csf101]

Thanks for the post. Now I just have to find out a place where I can try them out at.

 

[MaluKid]

Has anyone actually tested both side-by-side? I really want to know how they compare

 

[nonsupremous]

The Image One is definitely a bass lovers can.  They are very boomy.  I don't really find that the mids suffer too badly though.  They are pretty intimate headphones.  Not a real big soundstage.  They are quite lively but that bass can become fatiguing very quickly IMO. 
 
The M80 is a much more balanced sound.  The bass has solid kick but doesn't boom like the Image One.  The highs are more rolled off on the M80 also.  If really crisp treble is on the top of  your list you won't like the M80 at all.  The soundstage is bigger in the M80.  They both isolate about equally.  Maybe a slight edge toward the Klipsch.  But it's pretty close. 

 

[MaluKid]

Also, is there a major difference in SQ between the reference one's and the image one's?