[Head-Fi Padawan]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here. I'm not an expert like most of you guys, so I would really appreciate if I can get your help with this. I would like to know which ones you consider the best over-ear headphones for Rock, Hard Rock and melodic Metal? I found "Grado" to be the most common answer to that question, but my problem with them is design and comfort. So, leaving Grado aside, which ones you consider the best for those musical genres? Obviously I am not a "basshead" so I think I would need a pair of headphones which offer the best clarity and accuracy in mids, right?, since vocals, guitars and keyboards are the things I care the most. Your suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Sorry, I forgot to mention: for use at home, not portable ones. Thank you again.
 

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Get the grado SR80is and mod them to your comfort level. There are ear cups you can pick up to make them more comfy. 

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Thank you for your suggestion. I actually have the Grados SR225i and they sound great, but I would love to "upgrade" to something better, if that's possible. I have many issues with Grado's design, cable and comfort, and I HATE the foam pads very much, that's why I want to switch to the next best headphones. So no more Grados for me

Thanks again.
 

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Any other suggestion? It will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
 

 

[joseph69]

Quote:

Any other suggestion? It will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
 

I bieleve the beyerdynamic's DT-770 have an upront grado type sig and they are over ear.

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Thanks!
 

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Quote:

I bieleve the beyerdynamic's DT-770 have an upront grado type sig and they are over ear.

joseph69, I checked here the ones you just suggested me, and it seems they are not the ones suited for the styles I listen. Read this:

Pros: Fun Bass
Cons: Mids? What mids?
A bass lover's phone for sure.  Can be fun with the right music.  But the bass is of the one-note "whump" variety and that gets boring.  Still, can be good with rock.  I've noticed some pretty sucked out mids, though, so vocals suffer.  And for a bass-head phone, the highs can get pretty brittle.  Not at all a balanced presentation, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun.

I guess I will have to wait for any other suggestions from you guys

 

[joseph69]

Sorry for the misleading info, I had thuoght I read that they were close to the upfront sound sig of the grado. I'll do some research on the headphone that is supposed to be close to the grado sig, because what ever they were they had me interested in hearing them for myself.

 

[joseph69]

It may be a model from ULTRASONE or SHURE check it out. Pretty sure it was ULTRASONE.

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Thanks Joseph!
 

 

[Biscuitz]

What is your price range?
 
Do you need closed-back for isolation?

 

[Head-Fi Padawan]

Quote:

What is your price range?
 
Do you need closed-back for isolation?

Hello Biscuitz. In any price range. Closed or open is fine since they will be for home use, and what really matters the most to me is the audio quality for those styles of music. Thanks.

 

[Biscuitz]

I listen primarily to rock and metal, and I can say that the most enjoyable headphones for these genres have been Grados.
 
Have you gently bent the headband of your SR225i to alleviate clamping force? I have a fairly large head, and I bent the headband very far apart so that the ear-pads rest very lightly against my ears. It greatly enhances comfort. Make sure to try this if you haven't done so already.

Apart from Grados, some headphones that I thought sounded pretty good with rock and metal are the Q701 and the HD600.
 
The Q701 is airy, has great mids and highs, and pretty good bass. However, the sound can be a bit distant-sounding at times, which isn't all too engaging for rock / metal, imo.
 
The HD600 is a pretty neutral headphone. I really like its mids which to me sounded slightly forward, meaning it reproduces vocals and guitars well with lively presence. It sounds less airy than the Q701, but its sound is more immediate and a little more engaging imo. The only downside is it can sound slightly slow for very fast metal. It has somewhat slow decay which makes complex and quick guitars somewhat "fuzzy".

You might look into the DT-880 as well, though I haven't heard it.

I would avoid the HE-400 for rock and metal, even though it's a very popular headphone now. Its mids just don't excite with vocals and guitars.

 

[joseph69]

+1 for the grado, And yes definitly pull the headband apart almost to a horizontal position a few times ( as needed ) until they are shaped like a U and let the drivers just rest on your ears with no pressure and you wont even feel them. Remember the band is spring metal so it wants to return to it's origanal shape so this must be done for a while from time to time until they stay were you they comfortable.