[Bronze09]

Hey guys, so after a few years my old pair of headphones ended up breaking, and I figured I'd get a new pair instead.  I'm fairly open to any brands/modules so long as they're over-ear, and my price range is anything under $300-350.  So far, these are the following headphones I've been looking at, and if anyone could provide any information on them I'd greatly appreciate it:
 
 Audio Technica ATH-M50x
 
- Sennheiser HD 558
 
- Sennheiser HD 598
 
- Shure SRH 840
 
- Sennheiser Urbanite xl
 
- House of Marley TTR Over-Ear Headphones
 
Like I said before, if anyone could either provide their knowledge about any of these headphones, either via a review of one pair or a comparison of two or more, it'd really mean a lot to me, and I'm kind of ill-informed on the specs of headphones, so I don't know a ton about the differences between the two.  For what it's worth, the last headphones I owned were the Sennheiser HD 280 PROs, and I really liked those, although I was hoping to get a sort of upgrade from those.
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[jodgey4]

What kind of music do you listen to? Do you mind if the headphones are open and leak sound in and out? And where are you located (for pricing reasons)? All of those are great options, though I think the HoM TTR should be avoided.

 

[Bronze09]

  What kind of music do you listen to? Do you mind if the headphones are open and leak sound in and out? And where are you located (for pricing reasons)? All of those are great options, though I think the HoM TTR should be avoided.

 
I kind of listen to a variety of music, but for the sake of simplicity I'd say prog rock, metal, and in general music that has a good amount of distortion/synth in it.  Granted I also listen to jazz, reggae, classical, etc. (almost everything that isn't country) though, so if possible I'd prefer to have a more well rounded headset in terms of the sounds it can produce.  I don't really care if the headphones are open, and I'm from the United States.

 

[Garraty]

I have the HD598 and they're pretty good (see my review) and they're a bit better than the Momentum I've tried. The Audio-Technica and the Shures, I'm not to sure about (see what I did there?). Good luck!

 

[jodgey4]

For your budget, you can get a lot of great things in the mid-fi range, and most of them shouldn't need a DAC/amp to sound their best, though it never hurts. Depending on what your source is (phone, PC, etc.), a DAC/amp can help get a cleaner sound with more extension and volume. Something to consider. If you get one of the cheaper options, there are solutions like the Fiio E17 that could be great for you to experiment with. Again, probably not altogether necessary. You get much more improvement out of good headphones.
 
The HD558 is one of the best values you can get. A simple mod of it makes it sound almost the same as the HD598. It's got a versatile, open, detailed sound that's just warm of neutral. The HD598 is one of my favorites for relaxing to acoustic sounds.
 
The M50x is more V-shaped, with boosted bass and treble. This makes it more exciting to listen to, and is more of a mainstream tuning. They're a common go-to for first time buyers looking to get a headphone that is enough of an upgrade over what they've had in the past, while not being that big of a gamble. They're closed, but really seem to suffer in the imaging/soundstage department.
 
Not so Shure on the Shures. (Two can play pun games ). They seem well liked.
 
I just did a review of the Urbanite (on-ear), they're a more relaxed option to the M50x, with just a slightly different presentation, but similar quality overall (perhaps smoother overall, and better detail and tonality in the mids).
 
Here are some other options you could consider:
AKG K612 + an amp. Open, just warm of neutral, fantastic detail & soundstage. Harder to drive, so you'll want an amp (JDS Labs O2, Schiit Magni). The Q701 (basically the exact same as the K701/K702) is a more analytical option that is very popular for being super detailed and airy, but many find the better headband and slightly more warm sound of the K612 more approachable.
 
NAD HP50 - the king of closed cans in the mid-fi range, IMHO. They're possibly one of the most natural sounding headphones you can get, while maintaining an open sound, despite being closed. I really like these cans, and they're quite versatile.
 
PSB M4U1 - a more neutral version of the HP50.
 
Phillips X1/X2 - open, but with a pretty full bass. Popular for people who want a bassy, warm sound, but with the benefits of having an open can (detail, soundstage, imaging).
 

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If I think of any others, I'll let you know. That's a big list, and should get ya started.

 

[Bronze09]

Wow, thanks for the responses everyone.
 
I think I've narrowed it down to the following now:
 
- Sennheiser HD558/598
 
- AKG Q701
 
- NAD HP50
 
- Phillips X1
 
Also, I haven't really used an amp before, but would having one affect portability/usability at all?  Reason I ask is a lot of times on plane rides and the likes I'll just plug in the headphones to my phone to listen to, and was wondering if that'd affect anything.

 

[jodgey4]

For a plane ride, you'll want a closed headphone, and there are portable amp options like those from Fiio.

 

[Bronze09]

For a plane ride, you'll want a closed headphone, and there are portable amp options like those from Fiio.

I see.  I'm not sure how influential the noise blocking in closed headphones will be in my decision, mostly because from what I researched the open ones have a more airy sound, which I like better.  Not to mention I typically use over the ear headphones in my room or in more quiet places, although I also do use them on the plane.
 
I did a bit of research on the headphones you mentioned, and I think I'll probably either get the HD598s or AKG Q701s.  I don't think I'll go with the X1s mostly just because I tend not to like too bass heavy headphones, and like I said earlier I think I'd prefer open headphones.  As for the HD598s I read apparently they sound rather nice even without an amp, and the Q701s apparently sound really good with classical/prog rock, which is nice because I tend to listen to a lot of synth/organ/piano based music.
 
However, in regards to the HP50s I guess this really depends on how open they do sound for closed headphones.  Like, would you say they sound on-par with an open headset in their sound, or not quite?
 
Also one last thing if you have any knowledge on this, but which headphones do you think would be best for plugging into a keyboard?  Reason I ask is I play piano, and might be getting a keyboard fairly soon, and I'd rather just plug in headphones than pay for an amp for the keyboard.

 

[jodgey4]

I like the Q701s more than the HD598s personally, but that's just me .

For a keyboard, it really depends, but I'm guessing that to be safe, you'd want an impedance not too low to avoid noise and/or damping issues, while not being so high that you can't get good volume. So really, it's hard to know without testing or specs.

The HP50s have a good center image and enough of a stage to manage good separation. It's a very natural sound. Those open cans can almost sound too spread to my ears, though I do prefer a slightly more intimate stage. Only flagship closed cans I've heard have better stages.

 

[Bronze09]

Alright, so I did a bit of research on amps, and I was wondering if you think the Fireye mini amp would be decent.  The reason I noticed this amp above others is it's only forty bucks, not to mention it's really really small.  Also, I read that apparently the Q701s can sound harsh without an amp, so I figured I'd need one if I go with those (and I'm leaning towards them most at this point).  Of course, if the Fireye mini's a bad amp I don't want to sacrifice quality for portability and price, but I was wondering if you know whether or not it's good or not.
 
Also, if you happen to have any recommendations for a good, fairly small amp for the Q701s I'd more than appreciate your imput.
 
Thanks a ton for helping me with all of this by the way, and sorry for the long period of time before I could reply.

 

[billybob_jcv]

I wouldn't buy an amp without a volume control. You would be better off spending $20 more and getting a CMoyBB or a PA2V2 or a Fiio E11. Or, watch the buy/sell forum and look for a bargain on a used amp.

 

[Bronze09]

I wouldn't buy an amp without a volume control. You would be better off spending $20 more and getting a CMoyBB or a PA2V2 or a Fiio E11. Or, watch the buy/sell forum and look for a bargain on a used amp.

Alright, I'll look into those amps and see which one would work best.  Thanks for the advice.