[Reaper0294]

Okay, well I recently tried out the Monster Turbines for my 10hour car trip down to North Carolina. I liked the isolation of the turbines, but they started to hurt my ears after a while (I did take like 15min breaks every 2.5 hours, sometimes longer breaks) I didn't find the sound quality to be that impressive to me normally. In fact when I got home listening to my regular open ear Aiwa HP-CN5, they sounded very similar. So much so that I decided to return the turbines.

So, I decided I wanted a pair of full sized can's. I wanted a good sizeable increase in SQ from the turbines, and from the Aiwa's, which I plan to try and sell. Also comfort would be a big thing, seeing as I'll probably be wearing these a lot.

Uses for the headphones
Music and Gaming are the main things. for Gaming, I mean maybe some PC gaming as I had a relapse on WoW recently (it is video game crack) but more for my 360 also, since my mom doesn't like to come down to hear people cussing on the screen. I like to play mainly FPS's and RPG's.

I've basically only used the crappy stock headset's before, so I think any headset would seem like a massive step up for sound positioning, so I guess SQ should be more of a focus then?

Music would be played off of my window's machine and possibly a mac. They are all encoded in pretty much V0 and some Flac. The window's machine does not have a soundcard though, would this be something I would need to change?

I listen to a lot of genre's and like to be able to listen to pretty much anything. Main one's I'd probably say are rock, metal (subgenre's also like symphonic), alternative, Indie, Pop, Hip Hop/Rap, a bit of classic rock maybe. I like to discover new music though, so if it was good for everything tha wiould be sweet.

Occasionally I'd probably watch a movie with them also, but not very often. So this isn't a giant thing.

After doing some research I saw a few recommendations.

1: Sennheiser HD280 pro- the problem I keep seeing with these is a lot of people don't like the sound coming from them, and they've been getting a lot of dislike recently, or from the threads I saw with them in.

Would the HD380 pro be a worthwhile upgrade from the 280?

2: Beverydynamic DT770- Not entirely sure if I'll be a fan of the massive bass in this, saw that they could be a good gaming/movie watching phone though which would be nice.

3: Audio Technica AD700- My worries with this is it's open ear design (i think they are)

4: Sennheiser HD555- heard some good things about it, but still not sure about the open-ear part.

I'm going to be able to go to a place called Guitar Center near me, they have the HD280, the DT770 but only the Ad700 online. Hopefully they'll let me try a pair before I buy, will be calling soon to make sure, but I'm not seeing a reason why they wouldn't.

I'm not opposed to buying somewhere cheaper though and in fact probably will since I saw some good deal's on the FS forum here and there's probably some good deal's on other site's. If you know of good site's for headphone's tell me, it'd be appreciated.

Oh my price range is probably around the $150 range? I was looking in the $70-$150 price range in the "Headphone Buyer's Guide" Thread, but if it's not too much more I might see about going over.

Oh and thanks to those who read this giant post. lol

 

[3602]

Hmm...
Maybe a Sony MDR-7506/V6/V600

 

[Ishcabible]

Cross out the V600.

I may be a freak, but I like my K271s with metal, rock, indie, and pop (Listening to Maroon 5 now, go ahead, you can slap me, but I kinda like it). Rap (Pretty much just Public Enemy, once in a while, Eminiem, but not that often) is iffy though. The AD700 is open. The A700 is closed.

 

[walkerrm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper0294 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The window's machine does not have a soundcard though, would this be something I would need to change?

Well, you will obviously need a place to connect your headphones, yes? And I assume you also mean the pc has no onboard sound? You could get a cheap soundcard, or cough up a little more for an external DAC which will provide higher sound quality.

Quote:

Would the HD380 pro be a worthwhile upgrade from the 280?

I tried looking into that phone myself, and found very little information available on it. I haven't seen much discussion of it here, and the net is riddled with one anecdotal review thats posted everywhere. Good luck.

 

[Reaper0294]

Sorry I meant a high quality soundcard. I have a fairly new motherboard with onboard sound of course.

 

[rayk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper0294 /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3: Audio Technica AD700- My worries with this is it's open ear design (i think they are)

Why is that a worry?? Open headphones not only sound better than closed, but are also more comfortable to wear for long periods of time (especially AD700 and AD900).

 

[Reaper0294]

Well, mainly due to sound leakage for gaming and the occasional movie. I also find the more isolation, then the more immersion, which I do like.

 

[Reaper0294]

Bump, going to sleep now. lol

 

[pataburd]

HFI-780? : )

 

[Reaper0294]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif HFI-780? : )

I could be wrong, but i think that's out of my price range of around $150 lol

 

[pataburd]

You can pick up a used pair for $150, often for less, on the FS threads. : ) Also, check with RSM Audio; they often have pretty good prices on Ultrasones.

 

[intoart]

How important is closed/isolating to you? If open is acceptable, AD700s will give you absolutely incredible sound quality for the price (and do not require an amp.)
If you must have closed. DT770 Pro/80s are probably the best in your price range, and HD280s are decent.
(HD380s are definitely not a step up from the 280s. In fact, they are not as good.)

 

[Reaper0294]

After going to the place to demo, I tried 3 phones.

Sennheiser HD280
Audio Technica M50
DT770

Definitely don't like the sennheiser, it hurts my head and the sound quality isn't up to snuff with the other two. The DT770 was the most comfortable, while the sound quality was pretty close between that and the technica, with the DT770 have more base and the M50 I think having a bit less base but more detail perhaps? Think that's the right word.

The thing with closed and isolating is really sound leakage and closed helps with immersion. I might be able to do an open ear like 700 unless it leaks a lot of sound, in which case I may decide to pass.

Not sure about the HFI780, especially buying used since I'll probably need a warranty because my parents love to drop my things. Also, could you link to RSM audio? I googled it but just got some DJ service.

 

[Reaper0294]

Bump for answers about the HFI-780. Oh and if anybody knows a good place to buy headphones like the DT770, since I'm pretty interested in that headphone.

Also if someone could point me in the direction of a review for the A700, I thought I searched for it before but didn't find it, but I could be wrong.

Thanks

 

[intoart]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper0294 /img/forum/go_quote.gif closed helps with immersion. I might be able to do an open ear like 700 unless it leaks a lot of sound, in which case I may decide to pass.

I used to also believe that closed helped with immersion, but experiencing the AD700 (and AD900) has changed my mind. I feel an even greater sense of immersion because the sound seems to fill a very large space around me rather than seeming confined as it does with closed cans.
Sound does leak out, certainly, but it only sounds loud to the person wearing them. It is audible to others, but not annoyingly so unless they are sitting very close.

(If you find a review of A700s, remember that they are closed, as compared to the AD700s which are open. That makes them sound quite a lot different.)