[seunghoyoum]

I'm a very unexperienced with headphones, but I'm definitely a music lover. This whole concept of open and closed headphones just confuses me.  I heard open ones provide a more live, spacious sound, and the closed provide a more warm and concentrated sound. I'm not sure. Let's take the AKG K701 and the Denon AHD2000 for a example; could anyone tell me how closed and open headphones sound differently? Don't explain just in technical terms because I don't know any, but using metaphors and detailed explanations on how they sound differently would be awesome.
 
P.S I've tried the BOSE AE2 Headphones and if those kind of sound define spacious and live sound I have to say I hate that kind of sound. IT would be terrific if someone answered if these headphones are open and if they're spacious and has lively sounding.

 

[NinjaSquirt]

There are plenty of headphones that break the rules. The AKG however follows that generalization to the very end. Very open spacious sound. You might want to stay away from it if you don't like that kind of sound. Closed = warm not necessarily true assuming warm = good mids. Grados are open but hardly offer a spacious sound, live, eh kind of. IF you're searching for headphones you're better off going by budget and sound preferences.

 

[seunghoyoum]

So would you say  the AKG sounds like the BOSE AE2 headphones?

 

[Allforheather]

Quote:

So would you say  the AKG sounds like the BOSE AE2 headphones?

No, I wouldn't say that they are similar. I've heard AE2 on some occasions and they are ok in terms of the sound quality, but the 701s are at a completely different level.
I suggest the same, if you are searching for a headphone, go by taste and sound signiture. Open and Close, in alot of ways, only determine their potential application.

 

[seunghoyoum]

So ur saying each brand has their own unique sound right? Could you slightly explain the signature, let's say the signature difference between the 701's and the ahd2000's?

 

[crinacle]

 
Quote:

So ur saying each brand has their own unique sound right? Could you slightly explain the signature, let's say the signature difference between the 701's and the ahd2000's?

701: clean, balanced, lots of treble, clinical (accurate-sounding to the point of being boring, no feeling)
D2000: V-shaped frequency response (bump in bass, recession in mids and a bump in treble), musical (like, sounds natural and such), very deep sub-bass extension

 

[hans030390]

The D2000 isn't a good example, as it sounds more like an open headphone than a closed one. 
 
In my experience, open headphones tend to have a more natural sound to them. They sound more spacious and airy. They generally have less bass than closed headphones (or, at least, less impact). 
 
Closed headphones are, as you might have guessed, generally more bass heavy. They tend to have a more congested, focused sound (smaller soundstage, less airiness). Going off the open headphones being more "natural" sounding, closed headphones have a stronger tendency to introduce an unnatural timbre to the sound.
 
Is this always true? Absolutely not. As I said, the D2000 is a good example for a closed headphone that breaks many of these observations. Grados are known for having a more congested sound to them despite being open. I also haven't listened to that many headphones (at least, not compared to some people here). My observations could be completely wrong!
 
Keeping this in mind, it's better to judge headphones on an individual basis without the open or closed aspect in the overall picture.

 

[JK1]

You forgot to mention one important detail. Closed headphones isolate(some better than others), while open headphones don't isolate. Do you want to hear what is going on around you or not? Many choose a closed headphone since they need the isolation, and don't necessarily prefer the sound that a closed headphone gives.

 

[hans030390]

I just figured that was a given.

 

[seunghoyoum]

Quote:

 


701: clean, balanced, lots of treble, clinical (accurate-sounding to the point of being boring, no feeling)
D2000: V-shaped frequency response (bump in bass, recession in mids and a bump in treble), musical (like, sounds natural and such), very deep sub-bass extension

 Thanks! Have you heard the BOSE AE2? That's the only open i've heard so that's the only thing i could compare. If you did hear this headphone, would you say it's closer to the AKG or to the Denon?

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Thanks! Have you heard the BOSE AE2? That's the only open i've heard so that's the only thing i could compare. If you did hear this headphone, would you say it's closer to the AKG or to the Denon?

The Bose headphones will sound more similar to the Denons than the AKGs.
 

 

[seunghoyoum]

 
Quote:

Quote:

The Bose headphones will sound more similar to the Denons than the AKGs.
 

 ****. When I heard the BOSE Ae2 their bass was weak as hell. I like deep basses, deep as they can go(I heard the Bowers&Wilkins P5, their bass was way better than the BOSE AE2),but not so much that the vocal and others are muddy and mumbled. I heard that Denon had a really good, deep , bumpy bass. So are you saying the Denon's have the similar bass with BOSE? Or are you referencing some other similarities in sound quality?

 

[crinacle]

 
Quote:

 ****. When I heard the BOSE Ae2 their bass was weak as hell. I like deep basses, deep as they can go(I heard the Bowers&Wilkins P5, their bass was way better than the BOSE AE2),but not so much that the vocal and others are muddy and mumbled. I heard that Denon had a really good, deep , bumpy bass. So are you saying the Denon's have the similar bass with BOSE? Or are you referencing some other similarities in sound quality?

It isn't similar, just more similar. There's a difference there.

 

[lee730]

Bose are generally way overpriced for what you get. With Bose you are buying a name and not necessarily quality.
 
Hans do you still have you Open-back denon 2000s? I'm still loving my Open-Back denon 5000s. Trying to decide on the best amp to get for them though... The Fiio E9 just has too many flaws for me to live with.

 

[hans030390]

Yep, I still have them! Someone is currently borrowing them for a listening test, however.