[Poor Tom]

So I have been trying to determine which pair of headphones to buy to best suit my needs. My main usage for them will be for at home, split between music/gaming and listening through my bass amp while practicing during hours where noise is an issue.

I can't decide to go open or closed, I am leaning towards closed so that others won't be bothered, and I would like to keep the price to around $100 or less.

For some reason I am deciding between the Sennheiser HD 555, or the HD 280 pro. If anyone could give me some suggestions, opions about the 2 based on my usage desires, that would be great! Don't limit suggetions to those 2 headphones, I will consider all serious responses.

Btw if you haven't noticed I am new here! Hope it's a pleasant stay. Peace

-King

 

[shomie911]

From what I've heard if ambient noise is going to be an issue you should get closed cans.

Closed cans offer isolation which when other things are happening around you allow you to keep the volume lower and still get the same amount of sound quality as opposed to open. Because with open cans you tend to have to turn up the volume for the amount of ambient noise to achieve the same amount of sound quality.

Open-backed phones give you a wider sound stage and the separation between instruments will be a lot better.

You have a bass amp so I suppose that means you like bass which closed headphones supposedly do a lot better.

I'm no expert but thats what I've come to learn from a lot of hours of reading.
Feel free to correct me on anything you feel is wrong =]

Oh and welcome to Head-Fi and sorry for your wallet =]
(I'm pretty sure the senior members are supposed to do that but w/e)

 

[mow_the_hawk]

I would not go the HD20pro route. I own a pair and do not care for them. They are not comfortable, they clamp your head, and the sound is too bassy IMO. For open, grados are great to start with,(sr-60,sr-80s,MS1) are all under $100. The sr-80s are supposed to have better bass than sr-60s(I have not heard the sr60s) so take that as a negative or a positive. The closed route is something I do not know about from experience(only the 280pro) so I cant really help you there. The Audio Technica ATH A700 look good but I dont acually know. The Sennheiser HD25 also get some praise around here for a good $100 closed can.

Good Luck!

 

[Poor Tom]

well, let me clear one thing up, super "bass" is not what I am after. Sure I play a bass guitar, but that doesn't mean I am looking for homie rolling down the block type of bump, that is what my car is for...

It is starting to sound like closed cans are the way to go for me, and thanks for your responses guys!

I would really like to hear some more opinions on specific models though.

 

[mow_the_hawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poor Tom /img/forum/go_quote.gif well, let me clear one thing up, super "bass" is not what I am after. Sure I play a bass guitar, but that doesn't mean I am looking for homie rolling down the block type of bump, that is what my car is for... It is starting to sound like closed cans are the way to go for me, and thanks for your responses guys! I would really like to hear some more opinions on specific models though.

I didnt really think you wanted thumping bass. And I gave you all the info I could on closed cans in my original post.

 

[shomie911]

If it helps I'm planning on buying the Audio Technica ATH-ES7's or the ATH-A700's in a few weeks based from the positive feedback I received on them in my threads as great, closed and "fun" cans.