[SHVentus]

What are the pros/cons & differences between open and closed cans? What is the rationale or logic behind each design? Thanks.

 

[fraseyboy]

See the button on the right? The one that has search written on it? Try using that.

 

[Lord Chaos]

"Open" phones tend to have better sound, but won't block outside noise.
"Closed" ones will block some environmental sound but many people don't like the sense of isolation, and there can be frequency response aberrations.

Still, everyone's ears are different. You need some experience to judge. Note also that there's a third basic kind: the "In-ear Monitor," which fits inside your ear canal. These block outside noise, and sound very good, but many people find them uncomfortable.

Note also that "closed" and "open" cans come in types that rest on the ear (supra-aural) and the kind that fully surround the ear (circumaural). For more details you can visit various Web sites which, unlike forums, have the information gathered into one place.

 

[uraflit]

this is easily searchable...

but to be nice:

closed: isolates sound, better bass (usually); but usually more expensive $/SQ ratio

open: more soundstage, usually cheaper $/sq ratio; but leaks sound

 

[SHVentus]

Thanks all.

Sorry for not searching first, as I usually do, but I was afraid that the search results would yield more: open cans are Senn 650, ........ & closed cans are brands X,Y,Z..........., & who likes which ones better - rather than just cutting to the chase of what the actual differences are between the 2 designs.

Wasn't looking for a fight between can A (Senn) vs can B (Grado), etc. Just what the pros & cons are between the 2 designs.

My experience with HP's has been very limited. My first pair was a pair of Koss Pro 4AA way back in college (many moons ago), and my current Senn 650's with Silver Dragon cords, along with the standard issue Sony Walkman/Discman phones along the way.

Most of my audio listening has been through speakers, & was just wondering which can design to try next. Thanks.

 

[Netminder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraseyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif See the button on the right? The one that has search written on it? Try using that.

your an a s s! Be more nice to the man...he just asked a simple question...if you dont want to help him...f off!

 

[captian73]

closed headphones tend to have deeper bass, regardless of what the figures say.

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netminder /img/forum/go_quote.gif your an a s s! Be more nice to the man...he just asked a simple question...if you dont want to help him...f off!

I guess the simple fact of the matter is that around here we all take turns answering the usual questions every now and then. But then again we all take turns getting exasperated at seeing the usual questions come up again and again.

To answer the original question a bit more deeply, open headphones have the advantage of allowing a broader range of backwave to reach the ear, and even slightly to cross from ear to ear, which creates a much more realistic-sounding spatial effect, by allowing in more of the way sounds bounce off things in a real setting. You can create this effect this even more effectively by taking the drivers a bit away from the ear and opening the sides a bit, like on a Jecklin or K1000. Closed headphones, good as they can be, isolate this away and thus present a cleaner but in this way more artificial-feeling presentation.

 

[terriblepaulz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netminder /img/forum/go_quote.gif your an a s s! Be more nice to the man...he just asked a simple question...if you dont want to help him...f off!

X2. Is your time so valuable that you have to rip somebody for wasting it with a "stupid" question? If so, how do you manage to spend any time here at all?

Besides, the search function is not always helpful, especially with a general question like the OPs. I tried a few different searches, and got threads with titles that seem all over the map. When I tried "open versus closed", I got 2 out of 76 threads whose titles seemed to address the OPs question ("Most 'natural' sound headphone-type"; and "What's so good about open cans").

To address the OPs question - the previous posts reflect my understanding about the differences between open and closed. As to this: Quote:

What is the rationale or logic behind each design?

I have heard it explained this way Quote:

You're letting the other side of the diaphragm emit the opposing waves into the air rather than trying to trap them inside the cup and eliminate them.

(h/t to MD1032). I do not have the technical know-how to evaluate that statement but it makes sense. I have noticed that with a few exceptions (some Audio Technicas, big $ Sonys, and some offerings from Beyer and AKG), most of the "high-end" cans are open.

 

[KrooLism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netminder /img/forum/go_quote.gif your an a s s! Be more nice to the man...he just asked a simple question...if you dont want to help him...f off!

Couldn't have said it better. Nothing worse than someone too jaded on forums. When I was new, it was the kind experts here that helped me choose some of the best audio equipment and hence achieve the best listening experience possible.

I thought that was the whole point of this!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by captian73 /img/forum/go_quote.gif closed headphones tend to have deeper bass, regardless of what the figures say.

Well - yeah, because it reverberates off the backing. That's my belief anywy.

 

[Redo]

Most who want closed headphones do so because they like or need the sound isolation. Closed headphones usually have deeper and louder bass as well.


However, open headphones usually sound better...

Unless you're a basshead

 

[Lord Chaos]

Everyone's a newcomer sometime... I remember those hours I spent talking with the guys at the audio stores in the early 1970s...

I had no money but I learned a lot that I still use today in making decisions.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

I'll admit it: I'm somewhat biased against closed headphones. I have never heard a closed headphone that I liked. Every single one of them has suffered from some kind of coloration introduced by the enclosure damping and/or amplifying certain frequencies, or sometimes even resonating when certain frequencies are played. Some people may enjoy this, but to me it just muddles the sound. Even the expensive ATH-W5000s that I tried had this problem. Supposedly, even the L3000 isn't free from this effect, or at least that's what I have been told.

None of the open cans that I have tried (Grado, most Sennheisers and AKGs) have suffered from this problem.

 

[DobsOnly]

The others have given some good explainations of the differences in Sound between the 2 types.

I look at it from the functionality standpoint also.

There are times I want portable cans.
Sometime when a want portable I want isolation like when mowing the lawn, Flying etc. For this I like IEM's or would want some other closed type headphone.

Other times I want portable Open cans. This allows me to hear other things going on around me like conversations, phone ringing, car horn blowing, etc. I use these when I'm riding a bike, working around the house, working in the office.

When I'm home listening I want the best sounding headphones. For me, full size open cans like the HF-1 or HD600 provide the sound quality I'm looking for.

 

[SHVentus]

Thanks to all for your kind responses - I do greatly appreciate them!

New Q:

If the consensus is that open cans generally sound better & have a wider SS, then why do people rave about the Darth Beyers & the woody enclosed upgrades for the Senn 650's? Thank you.