[Chii88]

Hi guys,
 
Thanks guys for taking time to read my thread ^^
 
First of all, I already read those topics "http://www.head-fi.org/t/549523/best-headphones-for-j-rock-j-pop-and-anisong"  and "http://www.head-fi.org/t/583465/im-looking-for-some-headphones-for-jpop-and-vocals" but I still couldn't find my perfect headphone. I am really new to those kinds of hardware and I am used to buy 15$ earphone  or headphone crap.
 
I might need some help for deciding which headphone might be a perfect match for me. My criteria are in the following order :
 
1) Comfort : I hate those kind of headgear which make my ears hot and makes my head hurt after 3 hours. Also I have a very big head >.< and large ears : small ear pads are bad for me T_T. I want one that make me forget I even have one on my head after long hours.
 
2) I only listen to Anime Song and some J pop. The kind of song I like are the one from Key's Anime (Clannad, Angel Beat) where there is a nice calm piano part behind. I also like a lot goods vocal like See-Saw (hack Sign, Gundam Seed) or Angela (Uchuu no Stellvia) and  Utada Hikaru (Planetarium for example).
 
3) I am not a real fan of deep bass. (The boom boom sound makes my head hurt T_T). So I also want one that can be used without an amp.
 
4) When I read the 2 similar topics, I though i found my headphone with the ATH AD900 but I read that its open air. Truth be told, as a newbie, I don't know well about close/open but I do know that I want to be in my small world when I am listening to music and working so I don't want to hear about ambiant sound around me (I do have sharp ears and often concentrate on small sounds like water dropping out of a faucet or even my comp fan)
 
 
I am hesitating between :
 
Sennheiser Hd598
Sennheiser Hd600

AKG K601

Grado PS500
Grado SR-225i

Shure SRH940

Audio Technica AD900
 
Since I don't own those headphone nor I am knowledgeable about them... Can you guys tell me which one might fit better in my criteria
 
 
Thanks for reading again!

 

[firev1]

Ironically I have been recommended HD600 for anisong and ya I think I do like it(impressions). To help, I would shortlist the Shure 940.
 
Another option I would recommend is the Sony mdr-cd900st, some people says that it is sterile, but getting one of those gets you as close to what the artist probably intended as from what I know, quite a few studios in Japan use those for recording.

 

[Chii88]

I read very good reviews on the Shure 940 about vocals sound quality but is it comfortable after long hours on your head? I am mainly hesitating between Shure 940 and the Audio technica ad900

 

[kn19h7]

hmm similiar music domain as me..
 
well, all those you've listed are open model except the srh940, which i think perhaps you will like the sound, but it has serious comfort problem to me (heavy and hard press on head).. did you consider ATH A-series (not AD..)? perhaps a700/a900 etc could be good choice
 
ad900 and hd598 may be good choices too if you don't mind background noises..

 

[Chii88]

I mind a lot of background noise. I live alone so I don't care if sounds leak but I don't want to hear background noise (fridge running noise, comp fan, water's faucet etc.) while listening to my music. So is there a big difference between a900 and ad900 vocals/anisong-wise?

 

[kn19h7]

>> Search <<
 
Havn't heard the a900 myself to give a comparison.. The only A-series I've heard is the a2000x which I think might be perfect for your needs but maybe its out of your expecting price range..

 

[firev1]

Quote:

I read very good reviews on the Shure 940 about vocals sound quality but is it comfortable after long hours on your head? I am mainly hesitating between Shure 940 and the Audio technica ad900

You need to at least try out the 940 first(I only had store impressions), there are people who do not like it because of the lack of bass but I do like it. As for Shure's comfort, I can't really comment since I only had it on my head for a mere 15 mins.

 

[Graphicism]

Quote:

 
I am hesitating between :
 
Sennheiser Hd598
Sennheiser Hd600

AKG K601

Grado PS500
Grado SR-225i

Shure SRH940

Audio Technica AD900
 

All save for the SRH940 are open/semi-open.
 
The HD600 is a terrific all-rounder but you will need a decent desktop amp to get the best out of it, the AD900 is much easier to drive.
 
 

 

[Gwarmi]

 
 
Audio Technica W1000X ~ might be possible on your budget if you can find them discounted ~ will work nicely with your taste and genres.\
 
These are very light and comfortable ~ they excel with light and airy music, especially female vocals.
 

 
 

 

[Chii88]

Unfortunately, I am in europe and the price are like 1,5 time higher there Audio Technica W1000X is defintely out of my range. Beside the fact it's open/close people says that AD900 is several leagues above the A900. As my headphone will mainly be used indoor, I think I will settle for the Audio Technica AD900 which is praised for its comfort and compatibility with big head whereas for the ShureSRH940 some  people complained about feeling a little be cramped. (I can't test both since I live in backwater region >.< planning to buy online)
 
I just hope small background noise won't be noticeable if the volume is on low-medium. Thanks a lot guys, your insight were helpful!
 
 

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

Unfortunately, I am in europe and the price are like 1,5 time higher there Audio Technica W1000X is defintely out of my range. Beside the fact it's open/close people says that AD900 is several leagues above the A900. As my headphone will mainly be used indoor, I think I will settle for the Audio Technica AD900 which is praised for its comfort and compatibility with big head whereas for the ShureSRH940 some  people complained about feeling a little be cramped. (I can't test both since I live in backwater region >.< planning to buy online)
 
I just hope small background noise won't be noticeable if the volume is on low-medium. Thanks a lot guys, your insight were helpful!
 
 

 Excellent choice ~ for the small spend, the AD900 offers a lot of open, natural sound for the money.
 
It does not need a hugely powerful amplifier either, a good sound card in fact like an Essence STX would be enough.

 

[Sceleris]

Since you said you have big ears, I just wanted to point out that the AD900's earpads are pretty shallow. My ears are on the large side and stick out a little bit, so when I bought them, the metal driver casings were right up against my ears and made them hurt.
 
It's not a huge problem because you should be able to get around this issue by stuffing the earpads with rolled up tissue (which is what I have done), but I thought I'd mention it just so you know about the issue beforehand.
 
Otherwise, I really really like these headphones and I think they'd be a really good choice for what you intend to listen to. I don't think ambient noise like water dripping or a computer fan will be too much of an issue with the music on. I rarely am disturbed while listening, though I do live alone in a quiet building.