[Cephei]

Well, I've been thinking of replacing my crumbling HD555s that I've been using for 3 some years.
Mainly, I listen to Game music (soundtracks, touhou, OCremix), Electronic music and Classical/Orchestral music with some J-Pop mixed in.
What I want from the headphones would be
1. Good for the music I listen to
2. Closed ear and minimal sound leakage, I don't want to bother people around me
3. Comfortable enough to wear for extended periods (I wore my HD555s for hours without problems)
4. Portable enough to take around. I don't mind putting it in a satchel or a backpack as long as it doesn't break or have negative consequences.
And after a bit of looking into it, I've found a couple that I think would suit me.
 
1. Denon 1001k: Apparently these are very comfortable and sufficiently portable for my needs.
2. Audio Technica ATH-A700: Comfortable, from what I hear, good for classical and electronic but bulky and thus, not as portable.
3. Audio Technica ATH-ES7: Portable, but not as comfortable as the A700.
4. Ultrasone HFI-780: Apparently these are very good for my needs, but the pleather pads are uncomfortable. Although, I hear there are some mods to fix that (DT-250 replacement pads).
 
Someone also mentioned the Denon 2000 and it seems very good but the price range seems to vary and I wouldn't know where to buy it off of because I wouldn't want to buy a fake.
 
They are all within my price range but I can only get one at the moment.
Also, I'm not sure where to get the ES7 or 1001k if it comes down to it. I typically use Amazon but for the ES7 and 1001k, I probably wouldn't buy it there but I'm not sure of alternative places.
I'm really stuck at a crossroads, and I kind of need guidance here. Thanks to anyone that can help me out.

 

[blueyan]

AD700 are out because they aren't portable . I've read some reviews of D1001k that they have bloated bass , you can google for more reviews ... The mid and vocal are better on Es7 (good for Jpop , most of the ATH are made for Jpop ,especially female vocal, IMO) , while Hfi780 have more bass to play Electronic , vocal are harsh according to here  ....you like vocal ? Es7 ...... more bass ? Hfi 780 ....furthermore , HFI 780 have a very unique sound , S-logic . It sounds weird to me when I had it demo last time ....How about M50s ? They are popular in this forum , which seem to be a balance can.

 

[Cephei]

How are the M50's comfort wise? I read that it could get a bit clampy and tight on the head. But I also read that it could be modded.
Could you tell me more about the ES7s and AD700s though? How are they while playing classical music? Why isn't the AD700 portable?

 

[blueyan]

they're  bit clampy for some people , but you always  can let them stretch out over several books/pillow, no mods are required .. AD700 aren't portable because they are very big cans , I suggest you do a google search for their images . You will definitely attract lots of attention if you're using these on the street , and they aren't provide much isolation as they're opened cans.Classical music sound better with opens cans , more soundstage .Es7 is better with vocal , M50 is a balance can with more bass .

 

[Cephei]

Oh, I meant the A700. But they're the closed can ones. Not sure how that would affect it since open cans seem better after looking into it.
I'll look more into the M50s, what you're telling me is really catching my interest. What is the difference between these? From what I can see, one is "professional," one is regular and the last one has a "straight cable." What is a straight cable?
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280199522&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-M50S-Monitor-Headphones-Straight/dp/B001CKAY1C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280199522&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-M50S-Monitor-Headphones-Straight/dp/B001CKAY1C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280199522&sr=8-2
How are the Shure 840s? I read that review and it got me interested.

 

[blueyan]

oh , I thought AD700 , my bad ... A700 is the most comfortable but it is the biggest can among those cans you've mentioned.I think 'professional' is a gimmick added by seller .M50 has both straight and coiled cable options, sound quality is the same . M50s , 's' means straight cable. My Srh840 should be arrived by tomorrow ... It is a balanced warm cans which suitable for listening whole day . But it isn't portable , very bulky .It has the best soundstage and isolation, comparing to M50 , D1001 and ES7 , based on the reviews I've read . Vocal sounds good with this can too . But some people found them boring, flat for playing fast paced music . Well , they have their own taste .If you have time , drop a visit to local music/guitar center to demo those cans .

 

[Cephei]

How is the isolation and sound stage on the A700s?
Mainly I will be taking them to classes at college and I wanted them to be "portable" so that they don't break like some of the headphones I've read about and had (I damaged a pair in my backpack but that was kind of negligent on my part). Maybe "sturdy" would be a better choice of words.
Do you mind telling me about the SR840s when you get them?
And would you get the coiled or straight cable version of the M50?
Thanks a ton for your feedback so far, it's been helpful.

 

[blueyan]

M50 is the only can that can be folded , so it is much more convenient to bring it around , especially bringing it to college everyday . If you bring A700 or D1000 , you may need to hang them on somewhere as they cant be folded .SRH840 can be folded but it is very big , bigger than M50 . So it is not convenient for portable purpose . M50 and SRH840 are more sturdy as far as I know . For home purpose I would choose straight cable , coiled for portable because straight cord is quite long , about 11 ft compared to the coiled cord's 3-9 (extendable) . And one thing good about coiled cord is , it helps to keep things tangle-free. If you need to bring the can to classes everyday , M50 is your safest bet . It is portable , good isolation , great sound quality under $100 ,and very easy to drive (no amp needed) .  Cans like A700 , D1000 , SRH840 are better for home purpose .

 

[Cephei]

Is the M50 cheapest on amazon? Because I can't seem to tell a difference between the regular one and the "professional" one other than the fact that the professional one is cheaper than the regular.
 
Also, enjoy your 840s man. Thanks a ton for the help.
 
EDIT: Actually, I might just get the straight cable version since they are the cheapest. I could just use a rubber band or splice the wire if I can figure out how to.

 

[earerror]

The Denon 1001k's may suit you...they are portable, have good amount of bass for electronic music, good isolation. 

 

[blueyan]

But I heard they have bloated bass ? it is huge , impact , but not controlled ... I think Cephei need to try them out first , to make the safest bet =) ...

 

[Conrthomas]

I've read about 100 excellent reviews on the A700 and am currently waiting for them in the mail...I'll write a review once I have them tested and broken in.

 

[Equus]

Quote:

How is the isolation and sound stage on the A700s?
Mainly I will be taking them to classes at college and I wanted them to be "portable" so that they don't break like some of the headphones I've read about and had (I damaged a pair in my backpack but that was kind of negligent on my part). Maybe "sturdy" would be a better choice of words.
Do you mind telling me about the SR840s when you get them?
And would you get the coiled or straight cable version of the M50?
Thanks a ton for your feedback so far, it's been helpful.

If you're looking for portable or semi-portable, I wouldn't go with an A700.  They're bulkier than one would think just by looking at pics...unless you see a pic of it on someone's noggin.  Isolation is pretty good with the A700, and soundstage is not bad.
 
For lugging around a campus, I'd go much more portable.  IEM's or earbuds or something like that, but that's just my opinion.  If I were carrying it around in my bag, I don't think I'd even really want to take up as much space as my ESW9's do in a case, but then again I was doing theater and lighting in college so had wrenches along with my books to wreak havoc on things that might get crunched.

 

[Cephei]

Yeah, I looked at some pics and I realized they are humongous. I'd definitely use them mainly at home. The M50s seem more of a reasonable size but I really can't seem to care for coiled wire. I think the tension in it would be difficult to deal with if I'm relaxed.
I'd look into IEMs but I haven't been able to find a comfortable one. The super.fi 5s were comfortable when I tried a friends but I'm not sure what else is alright.

 

[NapalmK]

You can get the M50 with a straight cable. It's called something like the M50S or just search M50 straight cable.