[Yffum]

Hi, so right now I'm stuck with the Beats studios, which I got as a gift and there okay, since I didn't pay for them, but what's been bothering me is how big and heavy they are. They become annoying after using them for a while. I was wondering if I could get high quality, but light and comfortable headphones. I realize that getting something of the same quality would be easy, but I also want to upgrade.
 
I have around a $200-$300 budget. The way I've been searching for headphones so far is by going on a website like ultrasone, audio technica, sennheiser, etc. and then looking for headphones in that price range. The problem is, none of the headphones in that range are supra-aural. They all look big and possibly uncomfortable. So, I want to know if I can find high quality supra-aural headphones or if a pair of cans like the ultrasone 750 pro aren't as heavy and bothersome as the beats.
 
And more specifically, I'd like closed, rock music headphones.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

 

[badbob]

For $300 you could get the B&W P5 which are light and comfy and are generally evenly balanced in sound. Ditto the Beyerdynamic DT-1350 which are less bright than the P5 but also reasonable in comfort and have a wide range quality sound. Both are very well made and on-ear and I think both are closed.

 

[Yffum]

Thanks so much, those look perfect. I just have a few questions now if you or anybody else has experience with them. Do you know any major differences? I read somewhere about the "darkness" of the DT-1350's you mentioned. Does that mean it has a heavier bass?
 
And just some general questions if anyone knows:
Which is more comfortable?
Does one leak sound more than the other?
 
Thanks again, I bet either of them will sound great.

 

[Ra97oR]

A pair of ESW9 would do, so will the cheaper WS70. Not a big fan of the Beyer portable range myself, the B&W is just outright muddy to me, even amped.

 

[zmd]

Do look at the Sennheiser HD25-1 II. Lightweight and fairly comfortable once they get used to your head (err..or viceversa ). They do rock well and their quality is well-known around these parts.

 

[Proglover]

I found B&W P5 not worthy of it's price, by far. Not sure DT1350's are very suited for rock (didn't try them, but found T50's to be NOT for rock).
 
Best portables for rock in my book:
 
Sennheiser HD-25 (bit clinical, great on detail, clarity and isolation, very tight clampage)
Audio Technica ES-10 (more 'fun factor', more bass, less detail, clariry and isolation, not very tight clampage, yet isolation enough for me)

 

[Yffum]

I've looked at the ESW9, but I've read they're poorly constructed. Speaking of which - this is going off topic a little bit, but is it okay to leave headphones on a hook like this: http://www.soundhunters.com/2005/images/pic15.jpg or does it damage the headphones, esp. the poorly constructed ones?
 
I read about the B&W some more and I think I'd prefer the DT-1350's because of the adjustability, plus it's good to stay clear of that apple headphones crowd. So now its down to the ESW9 and the DT-1350's

 

[Yffum]

Sorry, hadn't read those posts first, I'll definitely take the hd 25's into consideration now. They're $100 less though, are they as good in quality?

 

[Proglover]

Quote:

Sorry, hadn't read those posts first, I'll definitely take the hd 25's into consideration now. They're $100 less though, are they as good in quality?

they're classic!
 
ESW9's were too slow for rock/metal on my opinion. All in all, I never heard better sound in a portable then HD-25, for rock orientated. But again, I didn't hear DT1350.

 

[Yffum]

Thanks for the recommendation, the hd25-1 II's look good. I hear they're good for hard rock and metal, which I do listen to a good amount of, but how are they with classic rock or some more acoustic things?

 

[jetsfool]

how are the hd25-1 with hip hop?

 

[zmd]

They're great with hip-hop too. I'd say they're great with anything, as long as you like the sound signature (agressive, detailed, punchy bass, no "sound-smoothing" here) and the restricted soundstage.
The thing about these headphones is they're not really made to be crowd-pleasers, but tools of sound reproduction, but many head-fiers, myself included, find them to be excellent cans for music listening. Their portability and rugged build make them a top choice if you need good sound on the go. I'm sorry if I sound like a copy but I really like these cans and cannot recommend them enough.

 

[audiogamma]

Don't worry if you don't like the HD25s from day-one... you'll learn to like them!

 

[Yffum]

Thanks for all the recommendations, and these look great, but I just want to make sure about something. So these are portable, which I don't really need, but it's not as if it's a problem. I just want to make sure there's no better headphones just following my initial conditions. Does everybody agree the HD25's are better than the DT-1350's? Also, do the HD25's have any problems with muddy base or sibilant highs when the volume's cranked up? I really like clear, detailed sound.
 
And one more thing - are the HD25's comfortable for long periods of listening?

 

[Proglover]

Quote:

Thanks for all the recommendations, and these look great, but I just want to make sure about something. So these are portable, which I don't really need, but it's not as if it's a problem. I just want to make sure there's no better headphones just following my initial conditions. Does everybody agree the HD25's are better than the DT-1350's? Also, do the HD25's have any problems with muddy base or sibilant highs when the volume's cranked up? I really like clear, detailed sound.
 
And one more thing - are the HD25's comfortable for long periods of listening?

no muddy base, they are forward sounding (so could be a bit sibilant in highs), but are simple most clear and detailed portables I tried (check my profile to see what I tried).
 
And, to be honest, no, they're not comfortable enough for long periods of listening, for me personally. That's why I have ES-10's and will eventually try DT-1350's also.