[vleermuis]

Hey guys - I'm new here, I'm bit of a noob on this topic so go easy on me I DO like good sound though
 
I'm searching the web for usefull information about headphones and found this website. I'm hoping to get some honest opinions and some suggestions...
 
I want to buy new headphones because my Skullcandy "pro" HP hurt my ears and head, they are a pain in the ass!
 
So what am I looking for?
 
1. Comfort: I will use them travelling to work (train) and at the office, so I have to be able to wear them for a very long time
 
2. Sound: I want good performance, but not 1000$ headphones. Also, I only listen to electronic music so bass is important but I want a good experience - no beats by dre stuff
 
3. Type of HP: This I'm not sure. What do you guys suggest from reading my first 2 requirements? I have no idea what type to get, but I was thinking about buying the Bose QC15 because the noise cancelling might be nice because I travel by train... (What's your opinion?)
 
4. Budget: 100$-300$ maybe 400$ if they are worth it
 
The thing is, the Bose QC15 seems like a good HP, but they are expensive! 350€ is a lot of money. That's why I came here to ask you guys for help.
 
What headphones do you guys suggest? What type of headphones? Keep in mind that they have to be very comfortable to wear for a long time.
 
Cheers and thank you!

 

[BotByte]

If you don't have finicky ears, like mine, HD598's would be great. Mine don't touch my ears, hold around my head lightly and I don't feel the headband at all. They are also light and can adjust well.
 
then you can check out MDR-V6, which are well known for their comfort. For me, as long as I don't move them around, I can wear them for hours.
 
Check this out too:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318/shootout-84-portable-headphones-reviewed-fischer-audio-fa-004-koss-ur55-added-06-06
 
He breaks out into comfort. MDR-V6's are listed, but not the HD598.

 

[MetaLicca]

Since you're going to be using them for travelling, you'll need a pair of closed cans, for the sake of the people around you, since open cans leak a large amount of sound. That means that the HD 598's probably wouldn't be a very good idea. The Audio Technica M50's are the most common recommendation when it comes to headphones with good bass, plus they're only around $160, but I've never owned them, so I can't speak personally on their comfort. 

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Eh, he wants closed headphones. Yet first post is some open cans. Come on...
 
Anyhow, for your money and what you're looking to use them for, sounds to me like you may need to investigate some IEM's instead of full on cans. They will be easier to drive and noise canceling/isolating without all the fancy battery powered stuff that cans require. You're going on a train, so bulk and noise are a problem. Up to you, but as a suggestion, I'd look more to the IEM for your particular situation.
 
Suggestion: http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE215-K-Sound-Monitor-Black/dp/B004PNZFZ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308785127&sr=8-1 (Shure SE215's).
 
As for myself, I don't like IEM's personally--I like full cans. I like the bulk and I like them being out there. So I use DT770 Pro's for my portable headphones. They're not noise canceling, but they minimize leak and are super comfortable. But that's simply my taste and I don't need them to be absolutely silent. The DT770's are very quiet though while wearing and it does a good job of keeping a lot of noise from leaking in with those big pillows on your ears (and that's with glasses on even). So as a suggestion, look at some big cups with big pillows regardless of brand, if you'd like something like that.
 
Also, take a look at the main page Senny's that Jude reviewed in the video. They're supposedly pretty nice, good for travel, sound good, etc.
 
Very best,

 

[Crynix]

I would recommend the ATH-M50s, I have them on my head right now and they have very good isolation, and I really like their sound signature (I also listen to electronic)

 

[vleermuis]

Thanks for your comment, just wanted to say that IEM's are not my cup of tea. Also thank you for pointing out I do not need open cans
 
The DT770's indeed look very comfortable... I have to be able to wear them for hours.
 
So how does the DTT770 compare to the Bose QC15? Bose is overpriced but is the QC good?
 
Looking forward to more comments

 

[vleermuis]

What do you guys think of the Bose QuietComfort 15 besides being overpriced?

 

[knubbe]

I'd only recommend the QC15s if you're always travelling by plane. They're very comfortable, but durability is questionable and SQ is mediocre.
If price concerns you, they're not worth it, and there's other circumaural portables that are both comfortable and sound better.  If isolation isn't that important to you, you can try some of the looser fitting ones.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/433318/shootout-84-portable-headphones-reviewed-fischer-audio-fa-004-koss-ur55-added-06-06

 

[TheWuss]

have you considered that you might be asking too much of one headphone?
i personally would recommend two headphones.
one for travelling, and one for listening once you've arrived.
 
i know that sounds silly.
but, the best headphones for travel in noisy situations are usually small, supra-aural, and closed.
headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT1350, the Sennheiser HD25-1 II, etc.
 
This would then allow you to use a much more comfortable headphone when not travelling.
Like an open headphone with nice, velvety ear pads, etc.
(think:  best sound)
 
just my two cents.
 
 
 

 

[vleermuis]

What type of HP do you guys suggest to use at an office for hours and hours? I know this might be a silly question, but like TheWuss pointed out, I might be wanting 2 different types of HP...
 
Thank you very much with all the info, it's a lot to take in. I DO love good music quality, my music is high quality because I can't stand crappy audio files.
 
Cheers

 

[Eric_C]

Get a pair of closed headphones first--they'll be good for travel, which looks like your top priority right now.
Bose have a strong reputation for excellent noise cancellation, although the sound quality isn't as good as headphones of the same price (you do pay for noise cancellation). Also bear in mind: noise cancellation = batteries.
 
Comfy, closed headphones for long listening might include Audio Technica M30 and M50, Phiaton MS400. 
If the Shure 440 get recommended, I advise you stay away. Some members (like myself) have found them uncomfy for long periods of wear, and many will agree they are quite heavy.

 

[vleermuis]

Hey guys - thank you for your comments! I appreciate it a lot.
 
Today I went to a "professional" audio shop to test some HP's and here are my findings, keep in mind I used my iPhone as output device:
 
 
- BeyerDynamic DT 770 PRO 250ohm: the velvet earpads are awesome and super comfy, the maximum sound output via iPhone was very low, they need to be amplified i guess
 
- BeyerDynamic DT 770 PRO 80ohm: this one has leather earpads and are pretty comfy, the sound quality via iPhone is better on the 250 ohm version although the sub bass is a little bit on the light side compared to the Audio-technica
 
- Audio-technica ATH-M50: the best sound quality via iPhone compared to the first 2... (38ohm I think) They are also comfy and are actually very pretty. These ones might be it! One remark: they don't shut out the exterior sounds as good as the BeyerDynamic HP's... The difference is very big, the BD shut out almost every sound.
 
Anyway, why is it that my iPhone can only output a fraction of the sound the HP's can output? I feel like the BeyerDynamic DT 770's (both of them) are grossly underpowered by my iPhone's output.
 
What do you guys think? What portable device do you use? Can I boost my iPhone output?
 
Thanks again for your help. I've discovered both the BeyerDynamics and the Audio-technica's thanks to this community in stead of going for the expensive Bose QuietComfort15.

 

[Deep Funk]

HD25, K181, I can even suggest the PX200 II for that matter. At least try the HD25, a lot of people in the sound and recording business have them. The MDR V6, even if you like them watch out with the volume! (Bad isolation, goes very loud.)

 

[jreme]

Simply, the iPhone does not have enough power to fully drive headphones with a high impedance, because the headphones need more power to fully output the sound.
You can boost the output of your iPhone by buying a portable amplifier. The Fiio brand is highly recomended around here although I have no experience with using an amp.
If you want to power your headphones without an amplifier, you should look into headphones with a low impedance (around 32 Ohms)
 
I'm personally speaking on what i've learnt on the forum, and don't have any experience with headphones in this price range, so I cant really help you there with recomendations.
But yeah, you are pretty much looking for a closed headphone with a low impedance. I know generally around-ear headphones will give you better isolation than on-ear, but at this price range you can probably find a great hp with decent isolation.

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Anyway, why is it that my iPhone can only output a fraction of the sound the HP's can output? I feel like the BeyerDynamic DT 770's (both of them) are grossly underpowered by my iPhone's output.

Heya,
 
You just listened to 250ohm, 80ohm and 38ohm respectively headphones on your iPhone. Naturally the 38ohm would be louder and more expansive because it's able to be driven by the iPhone's built-in amplifier. With an amplifier, the 80ohm Beyer's take on a new world of bass that the M50's don't touch (in my opinion), but that's because the 80ohm DT770 Pro's are meant for bass. The M50's are more neutral by comparison, good at most frequencies, but not superb at any of them. Anyhow, the difference again is that you are testing really low impedance and high sensitivity headphones (M50) to headphones that really benefit (and the 250ohm requires) an amplifier beyond what an iPhone can do. A simple $60 FiiO E11 would be a complimentary amplifier for something like the Beyers that you tried (iPhone -> E11 -> Headphone).
 
On another note, the DT770's you tried with leather pads is weird, mine came with velor cloth pads (which is superior in comfort by far). I guess they were different releases. But the ones I have came with the cloth (see here).
 
Very best,