[Ryan Williams]

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD595 cans at home, but because they're open they really couldn't be much more unsuitable for an office environment if they tried. Indeed, I need the complete opposite: almost total removal of sound leak, but without compromising on quality.

I couldn't really go for anything that sounds worse than the HD595, although I'm fine with EQing headphones to get the sound feel I like -- I'm no purist.

Any recommendations would be appreciated as I really have no gauge of what compares to what in this quality bracket. The upper limit on price is roughly whatever the HD595s currently cost (UK inflation might make giving you guys a specific price unhelpful).

Such a shame there isn't literally a closed version of the HD595s as I love the sound they produce. It's right up my alley.

I've used canal phones at work in the past (Ultimate Ears and Denons), but I'm finding I just don't like the general sound they produce anywhere near as much as cans. In comparison they just seem to lack depth and sound really harsh on my ears, no matter which ones I try (I've gone from cheap cack to expensive Denons). I'm not really willing to take another expensive risk with this variety of listening device, while I've always been pretty satisfied with cans.

Hope someone can help!

 

[YtseJamer]

You should try the Etymotic ER4P with the ER4S cable, with my portable amp (Meier Corda2Move) the sound is IMO better than with the Sennheiser HD595.

If you want an advice, don't bother you trying the Sennheiser HD280 Pro or the AKG 271 because they DON'T sound as good as the HD595. (The AKG 271 are good but they tend to leak too much sound (ask my Girlfriend if you want a proof..) and their bass is anemic for Metal or Rock music.)

 

[Ryan Williams]

Thanks for the advice.

I should clarify though, by cans I literally meant cans. I'm trying to move away from earphones as I just don't find the sound or physical feel very comfortable -- especially for long periods of office listening.

I guess if there is no closed can out there that sounds comparable to the HD595 but minus the leakage, I'll have to settle for either lesser quality or a higher price. Not sure what though as my knowledge of the closed can market is pretty much non-existent.

 

[lordmozilla]

I'm getting a pair of DT770's for exactly the same reason as you, i've heard they are very bassy, but i'm hoping they give me a nice sound compared the 595's without hearing my neighbours. (i'm not worried about leaking out really, just dont want leaking in..)

 

[catscratch]

Audio-Technica ATH-A900. Direct competitor to the HD595. It sounds very different (less mids, more bass/treble, wider soundstage) but is comparable overall, and is closed and isolating. It's also more easily driven.

If you want something a bit more portable, the A-T ESW9 might fit the bill as well. It looks great, too, so you will have a lot of people at the office staring at your headphones (if you want that sort of thing).

 

[Ryan Williams]

Did you end up getting the DT770s lordmozilla? Any thoughts?

I've not really acted on this yet, but did take your recommendations into account too catscratch. I'll look into those phones and their reviews/threads on Head-Fi/etc tonight.

If anyone else has any thoughts on this (or maybe new headphones that've been released since February), let me know please.

I should stress that I'm not looking for an identical sound signature to the HD595, but instead cans that have a comparable level of quality. In other words, cans in the same price/quality bracket as the A-T ones catscratch posted above are.

 

[smallmouth]

I have both the HD595 and DT770. I love both, honestly. I go back and forth and don't tire of either. Neither can is perfect, but both are great fun.

Just some thoughts:

They definitely sound different. The HD595 have a brighter and more upfront presentation. The DT770 have much broader staging. Both are fun to listen to.

Most describe the DT770 as bass-heavy; I'd say they do bass well. And most describe the HD595 as bass-light; I'd say they do bass well too. It's just different. I think with the HD595's upfront presentation, heavy bass wouldn't sound right. And the DT770's bass matches their presentation well too. At risk of getting into too mushy and vague language: I can listen to Billie Jean on the HD595s and it sounds great. Michael's razor sharp finger snaps are right there in my ears. All the frequencies of bass are right there too, tight and punchy—they don't need big speaker sound. And then I can listen to it on the DT770s, and it sounds like a different venue. Everything is still there and sounds great, just with different spacing and more meat.

I think the DT770 are more versatile than most admit. In that regard I'd say they are like the HD595: both cans are versatile.

Another way they're alike is comfort. The DT700 are heavier, but still comfortable—even for extended periods of time.

Both cans do better with an amp, obviously, but the DT770 are harder to drive well.

I'm not claiming the DT770 are right for you. There's plenty of impressions from people with a lot more experience than I to help you discern.

 

[el_matt0]

it hasnt been suggested here yet, but honestly man, give the HD-25-I-II a shot. Ive long been a senn fanboy (as well as other headphone companies not JUST senn lol), and I picked up a pair of HD-25 for on the go, and at the library and stuff where I cant have leaking cans like HD650s. they are INCREDIBLE is all I can say. If your looking for a bit of an upgrade, try out a moon audio Silver Dragon v2 on there, it brings them into a whole new league too. Still very consistent with the sennheiser "house sound" which I think you will probably like seeing your past cans. The clamping force is a bit of an issue for some people, but honestly I have a MASSIVE head, and after 1 night of stretching them out on a couple of books, they dont cause me any troubles at all, and i swear these things isolate more than something even like an Ety ER4P (and thats having tried Etys, Superfis, shures, etc). seriously, give them a try, i suspect you will be pleasantly surprised! not to mention like most senns, they handle a pretty broad spectrum of genres and types of music very very handily without any trouble whatsoever

 

[supermoo]

The main reason I went with the D2000 is because I wanted something that was as close to the HD595s as I could get but being closed, also circumaural, with improved bass, and just as comfortable. The D2000s have matched my expectations of each of the aforementioned criteria.

 

[apostate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfillion /img/forum/go_quote.gif AKG 271 because they DON'T sound as good as the HD595. (The AKG 271 are good but they tend to leak too much sound (ask my Girlfriend if you want a proof..) and their bass is anemic for Metal or Rock music.)

IMO the AKG 271s sound superior to the 595s (and I like the 120 Ohm 595s a lot) in many respects and with the velour pads provide a good degree of isolation. Certainly not to IEM level but enough to make my wife mad that she needs to raise her voice to get my attention. They do need a pretty powerful output or an amp to bring out their best. Unamped or under amped the 595s sound better.

Ant

 

[majkel]

I second vote for the HD25-1 II. They are actually better than the HD595's in some fields. You can easily recable them, even with a HD650 cable because of the cable connectors
shared with other Sennheiser models - HD580, HD600, HD650.

 

[lordmozilla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan Williams /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you end up getting the DT770s lordmozilla? Any thoughts? I've not really acted on this yet, but did take your recommendations into account too catscratch. I'll look into those phones and their reviews/threads on Head-Fi/etc tonight. If anyone else has any thoughts on this (or maybe new headphones that've been released since February), let me know please. I should stress that I'm not looking for an identical sound signature to the HD595, but instead cans that have a comparable level of quality. In other words, cans in the same price/quality bracket as the A-T ones catscratch posted above are.

Hey,

Yes I have the DT770, and they are great. However they don't sound anything like 595's. Very boomy lovely speaker like bass, and maybe slightly lacking in mids, lots of highs. I'd say the 595's have lots more mids and similar highs but accentuated very differently.

However sound isolation isn't realyl all that brilliant. It's fine for me, but it's not HD-25 standarts.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Regarding the DT770s, how would you say they keep sound in?

One of the key things I need to avoid with whatever I buy is sound leaking out and annoying the other guys hard at work in the office. With my canalphones there's obviously almost zero leakage once they're in my ears, but with cans I think it's just a case of minimising it as much as possible.

Regarding the HD25-1 II, they're intriguing but having looked at them I don't think I could get on with the way they press onto your ears. I'm fond of the way my HD595s go pretty much around my ear (ie: enclose it) and my canalphones go inside, but I can't see me liking the in-between.

 

[lordmozilla]

at keeping the sound in they would be fine in an office. I'll give it another listen tonight and tell you more exactly because it's a long time since I tried.